《I Became the Demon Lord and my Territory is an Uninhabited Island》 prologue I wonder if this is readable My name is Nagi. I was enjoying my life but when I died, it was quite a simple death. The cause of death was suffocation. I wasnt strangled by my lover for cheating or something like that. I just quickly ate a lot of rice cakes1. I was eating rice cakes that were sold at the supermarket, baked in a cheap oven toaster and cut into pieces. Even though I was chewing it carefully before swallowing, it still got stuck on my throat. That was my fault since I was eating rice cakes alone so it was inevitable. Lets just give up gracefully. I wont be able to do anything about it anyway. Even though I kept my interaction with the neighbors to a minimum, I was at my neighbors entryway frantically hitting the doorbell and violently knocking on their door. Unfortunately, my two neighbors were away. In my panic, I left my phone on top of the table in my room. 119? Or should it have been 110?2 I should have contacted them before I went to my neighbors for help. In my last-ditch effort, I tried to push out air from my lungs using the apartment corridors aluminum handrail. I got dizzy and collapsed on the corridor. The rice cake wont come out. I should just give up. I had a friend who frequently came to my room and I told him tophysically destroy my HDDwhen I die so I dont have any regrets, I think. everything is white. And theres a strange floating feeling. Theres also an old man Im an atheist, so Id only believe in what I see. But, it seems that god exists. You`, I just happened to see it but, you had a pretty interesting death. Theres an extremely frank old man in front of me. Because Im Japanese, I thought that in the netherworld, Id receive judgment and go to either heaven or hell but, when I took a look around, a god-like deity appeared. [TN: He didnt expect to meet Kami-sama] He looks exactly like the character from the chocolate wafer sticker I saw when I was a kid. Huh? That sticker of god had a heavenly god feel to it? Wellwhatever. are youKami-sama? Thats technically correct but, why was there a long pause? I should respond politely right? I am technically a Japanese person but, are you not called differently in other regions? I am going to be judged after this so shouldnt I go over there instead? I only have these unusually strange details. Arent you frustrated with the way you died? Because I was able to see something interesting, Ill let you reincarnate. What do you think? This old geezer just proudly said something rude! Reincarnating? You mean like those things in SF or fantasy novels? I think thats a good way of putting it. You wont be reincarnated on Earth though this is becoming more and more like the developments in those stories In other words, youll be returned to the ground What should I do? Id like to ask some questions and if the conditions are good, it might not be a bad idea to reincarnate. It wont hurt to ask about some things. Can I ask some questions? Sure. Would I retain my memories when I reincarnate? Ill leave it as it is. Will I get favorable treatment and get something like a special ability? You mean something like a cheat system? Well, Ill give you a somewhat favorable treatment since Ill be able to tell other gods that I saw something interesting. What kind of world will I reincarnate to? I think its popular in fantasy stories on Earth. You can say its similar to the Middle-ages, I guess. I guess? Well, thats fine. Would I reincarnate into a human? About that, that will depend on the god over there. That guys a nonconformist so, youll probably not be human. Is it someone you know? We occasionally go out to drink What should I do Since Id have my memories, I can pull the looks like a child but is actually 30+ inside which is common in reincarnation fantasy novels. And it might be nice to do things over there with my memories intact. Please let me reincarnate, since Im interested in it. Is it because of those pictures inside your PC. There are a lot of those kinds too. ( ? ?? ?) Jii-sanWhy do you know about that I was interested so I took a look inside your head ohh Itd be fine to be reborn as a girl right? If you live as a girl, the worst that could happen is that youll be raped by an orc or something. Dont think about it! Well, Ill tell that to the god over there. Seriously, please dont!? I understand I understand so be at ease and enjoy your second life. Then I was reincarnated. 1 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochi 2119(fire department/ambulance) and 110(police) are the emergency numbers in Japan CH 1 Hello. |?)? (I dont know if there are others that do this but Im making this into my thing) I decided I no longer want to make a different page for every chapter to make it easier for all of us. And also, chapters will be posted when I finish them. Im not sure if I can follow a schedule. I couldnt decide whether or not I should continue with footnotes so I didnt put any on this chapter as a test. Please give me feedback about that and let me know if you have other ideas for the names. Chapter 1: When I first woke up My first thought was, Im being breast-fed. I still cant see but, Im probably correct. I think Im probably not some kind of reptile since reptiles dont breast feed however, that information might not be reliable since this is a different world. After 6 months, I was able to somewhat understand my circumstances. ?My parents are from mixed races. I dont know what race it is but I have mixed blood. By the way, its the humanoid type. ?Skin color is deep blue, eye color is red and hair color is black. A man named Caam. (Thanks Kami-sama! With this, I wont be raped in this fantasy world!) [TN: lol] ?Although our family isnt poor, we are only just getting by ?There are no humans in this village ?Plenty of magic exists ?There are skills My father has indigo skin. The overall appearance is close to a human but, its somewhat lizard-like(Should I call him a Lizardman? He has scales as well). My mother has white skin and red eyes. She has webbed hands and feet(A more human type of ? Is it something like that? Good thing I wasnt born as a fish egg). [TL: This guy is seriously rude] Well, I have a humanoid appearance, my fathers skin and my mothers eyes. I dont know where I got my black hair from. I think Ill know once I see my grandparents but, until now, I still havent met them yet. Fortunately, my name is similar to the pronunciation of the reading of my previous nameNagiin English so I dont really care. [TN: M=Nagi=calm=Caam, let me know if you have any better ideas] I heard about it during my parents conversation. I was being carried by my mother as we walk around the village. With my physical strength, I cant go with them on long walks yet. In half a year I think Ill be able to do that. For now, I decided to check out the situation. After half a year, the amount of baby food has increased. Its a very thin porridge but its not made with rice. Is this the leftover bread in hot water? Then, the times I could grasp walking increased and my area of activities spread out but only limited to indoors. I was referred to as a lively kid by my parents. Inside is a 30 year old ossan in his previous life though. But right now, Im the child of these people so I decided to act as a child as much as possible. After another half a year, I can understand words, I was able to talk and I no longer fall over when I walk. I still dont understand the characters. Nothing that resembles a books exists at our house so I havent seen the characters yet. Literacy is probably low. When I was 3 years old, I was already able to run around near our house. I found someone I can call a childhood friend. She lives in our neighborhood. She almost looks like a human if not for the horns growing above her eyebrows A Japanese person would say shes similar to an Oni. This childhood friend of mine is a shy and introverted person who rarely speaks. Since she has black hair and eyes, she looks Japanese. Her name is Suzuran, a cute flower like name. [Suzuran=lily of the valley] I dont know about this world, this country, or even the surrounding villages but, it seems that Im going to attend a school like facility when I reach 5 years old. It may seem like its too soon but a 5 year old demon will look 2 to 3 times their age. In other words, they will look like 10 to 20 years old. So they look like high school students but are actually still kids inside! Ah`, Im the reading, writing and calculation teacher Fig[ե] the arachne, yo`. The smarter kids can do it in 2 to 3 years but the slower kids will have to work harder during their 5th and 6th year, yo`. Theres also the instructor wholl teach magic so there will be introductions during the magic lesson, yo`. [TN: Imagine someone talking to a toddler. Figs attempting to do that] Arachne are those that have the upper half of a human and the legs of a spider. Whats weird is a lot of their upper body is exposed. Is that okay for educating children? Aside from their chest, which is wrapped in cloth, they dont wear anything else. Thats okay for now but, when the other boys grow up, it would cause various problems. As someone who has the mind of a healthy adult male, that has already caused me plenty of problems I dont know where to look. And since shes with children, she changes the way she speaks and it seems like shes forcing herself to make conversation. Its somewhat disappointing though since shes a stunning silver short-haired girl. Well, you can also say thats gap moe. I find myself stealing a glance at her sexy navel and midriff. Is this that mens inherent nature thing? And isnt that belly-button piercing a bit too much? During the short break after Figs lesson, on the sunny part of the platform, the potted decorative plant suddenly moved. It jumped and landed on top of the teachers desk. Then, the plant suddenly transformed into a human form. Im going to teach you the fundamentals of magic. Im Birke[ӥ륱] the Dryad, best regards. Even though Im only good with earth and water attributes, I can still teach you a lot when it comes to the fundamentals. Dryads are famous enough as it is. Theyre something like the spirit of a tree and it seems that their skin color changes by dwelling in that tree. Theyre like Japanese White Birch trees*. After that, they dont hide anything at all. They only put their feet up to their shin in a planter so that they can grow. [Im sure hes comparing Dryads to birch trees but I didnt really get it.] By the way, this is Gaige-chan[], my assistant Mandragora Birke senseis pulled out a weed-like grass that was growing by her feet. A 20cm tall girl appeared and let out a death metal-like scream that was mixed with the sound of scratching glass. Everyone in the classroom fainted on the spot. Faint Resistance Skill: 1acquired. Just before I fainted, I heard something like an announcement in my head. Is this that favorable treatment that Kami-sama was talking about? It seems that there are other teachers but only the main ones were introduced on the first day. The contents of the lessons were like this: ?Basic reading and writing ?Simple calculation ?The basics of the fundamentals of magic We take lessons in the morning and help out in our homes in the afternoon. There are no wealthy families in this village but that seems to be normal. And it seems like the school will be closed during planting and harvesting seasons. I thought books didnt exist since literacy rate was low but, I was proven wrong when I attended school. It was just that my house didnt have any. Im sure that wealthy families would probably have those. Even if its just basic reading and writing, Im thankful for it right now. I can speak the words but I couldnt read or write it. Actually, I havent even seen my parents reading and writing that much. You can transact orally when shopping. The characters in this world are similar to Cypriot syllabary so I have bad compatibility with it. [TN: or Cyprus, or maybe Greek, Im not sure ץ֤Τ褦ӛŤ˽|] Well, there are characters similar to Japanese Kanji so I can use this character to this reading as a way of memorizing so there are no problems. As for the simple calculation, since I finished the compulsory education and I was fairly able to graduate high school and university, Ill be able to do it even in a different world. Its just that I still dont know this worlds currency. When my mother went shopping, she used a lot of copper coins. Occasionally, she would use silver coins. Im sure that there are gold coins but I still havent seen any yet. Id be completely fumbling about when it comes to magic since Ill be learning reading and writing at the same time. I only have my knowledge of magic from games. There were even various differences from games when it came to fire attribute magic. I had no magic and was living a normal life when I died so I should remember magic that would be useful in surviving I guess. Science was originally more developed than magic, lets try use magic based on that. That is, if I didnt forget it though. While thinking about that, I decided to go to sleep. CH 2 I just decided to keep calling the MC Caam. Nobody had any violent reactions about that anyway There were a few parts in this chapter I didnt really get. If I made any mistakes, feel free to point them out. Chapter 2: Using magic for the first time I go to a school-like facility where we learn basic reading and writing, fundamentals of magic and simple body movements starting from around 9 a.m. The very young-looking principal told us Please come to school before the sun reaches the peak of that mountain. After that, I was told that the dragon kin are the oldest in this village even if they have a young appearance. However, the concept of time here is a little vague. Its doesnt really trouble me in any way but as a former Japanese, Im a little bothered by it. There are no clocks in this world so, in my free time during sunrise, I pierce a pole into the ground and straighten it with my hands then point out my pinky finger towards the horizon. When the sun is fully aligned with it, I place a mark on at the tip of the shadow the pole is making. Then I do the same again when it aligns with my ring finger. When all of the marks are aligned, youll know the general direction of east and west. Since it seems that the sun moves approximately 15 degrees per hour, when you open your fingers at a 15 degree angle, youll find out how long an hour is. [TN: Im pretty sure there were less complicated ways to tell if the time is about the same in another world.] Well, this was how to know the approximate time from when I was on Earth. Then, I just have to stand above the line to face north and synchronize my body clock with the approximate time from the suns angle. Or rather, I thought that the sun was supposed to come out from the east.[TN: It doesnt?] What are you doing? Suzuran suddenly called out from behind me. I was just playing for a bit, it wasnt fun so I stopped. hm? Shes tilting her head. I was probably able deceive her since it looks like she didnt understand. Skill?Comprehension of Time: 1 acquired. I just remembered something. Theres isnt really any concept of time here but, that doesnt really matter. When school starts, as a man, there should be a getting woken up by my childhood friend event right? Shell say If you dont wake up, youll be late!and forcibly pull off my futon, shell scream when she sees my forming tent and well run off to school while still in my bed hair. I yearned for that kind of event but, I only had male childhood friends when I was on Earth and I didnt have any close female friends nearby. That was just my delusion. I did have someone like that at school but, I was just Mob A, a classmate to talk to. As my childhood friend, I had great expectations from Suzuran but unfortunately, Im good at waking up in this world as well. In my previous life, I got up just before my alarm then turn it off the moment it rings. My alarm clock was treated just as something like an insurance. Ever since I came to this world, I would wake up a little bit before sunrise, help out a bit on the fields and then finish eating breakfast so I had plenty of time to go to school. Five minutes passed but Suzuran still didnt arrive in the meeting place. I told her to come in advance but she only arrived after 5 minutes. She had Japanese doll-like bed hair and she looked really sleepy. Hey, Suzuran-chan. Are you perhaps not a morning person? ? .un? Not good. Blood hasnt flowed to her head yet. Im not even sure if she had breakfast. How many times have you been late? Ill pick you up from now on so that we wont be late for school. If you dont want your sleeping face to be seen, wake up early! ???un? Its unclear whether or not she understood it but I got her to agree more or less. Ill also ask Suzurans parents later. Weve been childhood friends for 2 years but this will be the first time Ill get to know them. When we somehow arrived at school without being late, Miiru[ߩ`] the self-important* Dhampir immediately looked like she had something to say. I wonder if theyre the type that thinks their race is superior? It doesnt matter to me as a former Japanese though. Kids like those exist right? [*TN: I wonder if egotistical or elitist is better? Im not really sure what Фꤿ is in english] Shouldnt you have come to school earlier? She looked down said that while her waist-length silver hair was swaying. I just replied Aa*, Ill do so to the best of my ability. For people like this, you should just brush them off lightly. Still, I thought that Dhampirs have weak constitution as a child but, it doesnt look like that to me. [*Used when agreeing with someone] There are 10 apples in the store, if you buy 4 apples, how many are left? whats this? I feel like Im being severely looked down upon. The teacher drew a circle with a line on something like a blackboard. Its kinda like an apple bomb butwell, lets just ignore that part. The problem is reading and writing I dont have a choice but to seriously accept it but, why is there aΡ? Thats Xi* right? [TN: I probably murdered this. Its supposed to be a pun, I think? ʤ衸Ρäơ裡] After school, I went home with Suzuran. I tried to tell her parents this morning but, I was only able to tell uncle because aunty was out shopping. To be honest, that would help a lot. This one is really bad at getting up. If its Caam, you can probably wake her up. The uncle who said that in a deep voice had a muscular body, exactly like the oni that you see in manga. His skin color isnt red or blue but, hes really scary. He has an incredibly intimidating aura. He looks so scary that the moment I say Father-in-law-san, please give me your daughter, I cant help but imagine that sword hand making my body bid farewell to my head. You can immediately sell that in a Yakuza movie. Suzuran left after finishing her lunch. I decided to go exploring since Ive been thinking about it for a long time now. Mother, Ill go into the forest for a bit You shouldnt go deep into the forest, okay~? It seems that my very slow and laid-back mother whose race is close to a Sahagin is good with water magic. Because of that, we dont have to draw drinking water from the well. Furthermore, once a week, we get into a bath filled with my mothers water magic and heated by my fathers fire magic. Arent my parents amazing?[Im not sure if this is sarcasm.] If I can also use magic, I think it would make things like working in the fields a little easier. I dont know whether or not magic can be inherited but, it would be nice if I can learn water and fire magic that my parents can use. Now then, I guess I should try to see if I can learn skills I can remember(from games). First of all, lets try to throw a stone to that tree. whoosh!, whoosh!, whoosh!, thump, whoosh! thud!. Oh, a rabbit. As I was thinking about adding that, which I killed with a stone, to tonights dinner, Skill?Throwing: 1acquired. Ohh` That was unexpectedly easy to learn. And also its not stone throwing but just throwing. Oh well, I wonder what else I can do in the forest. Remember, think of something, me. I thought about throwing more stones but, there were already no more rabbits. After a few minutes, I thought Poison? Thats right, how about a patch test. Im going to check whether or not a plant is safe to eat. Ill go to the area near the stream where I can pick several kinds of grass. If something happens, I can just rinse my mouth, drink water or vomit. First of all, Ill grind some grass. Then add water and grind it some more. Next, Ill press it against a tender part of my skin for 5 to 10 minutes. If a rash doesnt appear, Ill smear some of it on my lips. After 5 to 10 minutes and still nothing happens, Ill put some of it on my mouth. Then, after another 5 to 10 minutes and nothing happens, Ill swallow it. If everythings fine after 1 to 6 hours, then I can say that its not poisonous. Although its unappetizing, it has no poison. You can get moisture and nutrition from it but right now, my parents arent worried about our meals so I can just use this knowledge as a last resort. I dont think I can wait 1 to 6 hours so Ill just try another one. There it is! This is bad! When I chose the 3rd plant, the moment I smeared it on the inside part of my upper arm, I felt a burning like pain. This one is obviously poisonous. I resolved myself. I put that plant into water, grind it, and dilute it some more. I put it in my mouth along with some water, then gulp it down after enduring it for a bit. My stomach hurts and I dont feel so well but I havent thrown up yet so I went home, eat a little dinner, told my parents Im not feeling well then went to sleep. Skill?Poison Resistance: 1acquired. It seems like I got over the poison while I was asleep. When the announcement didnt come after I swallowed the poison, I was planning to repeat doing that for 2 to 3 days but, its a relief that I didnt have to. Okaa`ay. Today, I will teach you about the basics of the foundations of magic Birke-sensei had a serious look but she said it with a light feeling. Im troubled since I cant read this teacher. If you roughly categorize magic, then there are attack magic, recovery magic and summoning magic which is a special case. The magic each race can use is limited. There are rumors that within the humans, there are several people who can summon heroes from another world. The classroom started to become noisy when they heard the term hero. Hero, huh. For attack magic, there are fire, water, earth, wind, light and darkness attributes There are fewer attributes than I expected. The form is not really fixed. Please make it with your own imagination. When it comes to fire, having a mental image of fire burning from a furnace is okay. With water, water droplets. Everyone should give it a try with that kind of feeling Oioi isnt there some kind of chant? Something that would tickle my heart? Magic power is inside of your body. Be aware of that special power and imagine turn it into fire or water Eh? Is it okay for it to be that simple? First is fire. Like a fire burning in a furnace. Fire! whoosh! Ah. It came out. I wasnt startled but it was so unexpected that I was strangely surprised. [ˤäoʡ^Ɖ@] Skill?Offensive Attribute?Fire: 1acquired. I was able to do it on my first try. I dont know what are the standards of this world. Compatibility? Well, lets not think about it too much. There were a lot in the class who were able to do it on their first try so they were raising cheerful voices. And then, I noticed a strange noise coming from Suzuran who was sitting next to me. When I looked, with her palm facing upwards, a vigorously burning flame reached the ceiling burning it a little. Are you a flamethrower!? [Temporary TN: It said Are you a gas burner at an asphalt laying site? or something like that. Should I have just stuck with that? I think its weird.] ??? Suzuran is expressionless, as usual. You wont know what shes thinking from her facial expression. She doesnt have a surprised look on her and shes just looking at the flames with a straight face. Are your bangs alright, Suzuran-san? After that, the teacher quickly made a water ball and safely extinguished the fire on Suzurans hand. Father. Mother. It seems that I dont have much magic power. AN: Caam just set the standard of this worlds hour on his own. A day may not necessarily be 24 hours. CH 3 Im sleep deprived and there were more stuff I didnt really understand in this chapter so there might be some mistakes again. Ill just edit it some other time Enjo` ( *) Z z z Chapter 3: When I peeled off my childhood friends futon Does anybody know how to differentiate between us demons and monsters? The teacher asked a question. The difference is whether or not they have reasoning and intelligence Thats more or less how to differentiate between demons and monsters. The other day when we were talking about hero summoning, I thought that we are at bad terms with humans since we demons are their target for subjugation. As expected of Miiru who seems to have properly received the best education from her parents. But, I wonder if you understand the meaning of reasoning and intelligence? I wonder if the other children understand? Teacher! I havent seen any humans in the village so how are the demons relations with them? The relationship becomes worse the closer you are to the humans country. Approaching the border, there is a place where were in good terms because they just dont mind each other. Because this village is close to the middle of the continent, you can probably meet humans if you go to a town. Then, what does teacher think I hate them. She forcefully said that before I could finish saying it. I wonder what happened? I better not dig in any further. I wonder how big the continent she was referring to earlier? She was talking like the town near demons and humans is isolated. Isnt there anything like a map? Shouldnt there be one at the back of this elementary school classroom? Isnt there any in this school? When I asked sensei, she told me, Couldnt you buy one for several silver coins in a second-hand shop? Since printing technology doesnt exist, its drawn by hand and is not very accurate. Today, well examine what type of magic you can use. Everyone will try out all of the all of the attributes today. Then, you should try to remember which attributes you can or cant use like Suzuran-chan who can use the fire attribute Her words pierced me.* It seems that I felt somewhat down and considerably shocked.[*something like these in manga. Either that or I was warned or something which I dont think makes any sense] The teacher wrote fire, water, wind, earth, light and darkness on the blackboard in that order. Then she pointed at fire. First off is fire When she said that everybody started practicing with fire. I know from the lesson the other day that I can let out fire so Ill just try again as a review. There are students who can and also some who cant make fire. It seems that those without the aptitude really cant make it. Even if you cant do it now, you might be able to do it with some training so you dont have to feel so disappointed is what the teacher said but I wonder whether or not the children can understand it if you say that to them. We tried to use what was pointed on the blackboard in order from water to darkness attribute. For water, a water ball that could fill a cup. For wind, it was at the level of a gentle breeze. For earth, you can see a bit of sand come out. For light, it was bright enough to illuminate your feet. And with darkness, a black veil-like mist came appeared. It seems like the only one who can use all of the attributes is me. However, Im bothered by the fact that my results were smaller in scale compared to others. And I feel somewhat tired when I use magic. I feel like there seems to be an MP or SP-like value in my body. I cant see their numerical values though. Skill?Offensive Attribute?Water: 1 Skill?Offensive Attribute?Wind: 1 Skill?Offensive Attribute?Earth: 1 Skill?Offensive Attribute?Light: 1 Skill?Offensive Attribute?Darknessacquired. Oioi, Kami-samaisnt this too much of a preferential treatment? Even the teacher is surprised. I was curious about the 1 in skills so, in continuation to yesterday, I tried to see if I can increase my poison resistance. I look for the same plant, mash it, then put some on my upper arm. The pain decreased when compared with yesterday. If I continue doing this, would my resistance increase? With that thought, I dilute the grass and drink it the same way as yesterday. Yesterday, I couldnt tell the taste but the grassy smell was unappetizing. I can now somewhat grasp the taste but, this is surprisingly effective. I didnt feel sick and my stomach didnt hurt. I seem to have a strong resistance however, I guess I wont get resistance 2 with just this much. Only 3 hours left till sunset, I might as well do some throwing practice I wasnt talking to anybody. My monologue just leaked out. I kept on throwing stones at a 20 meter tall tree. The number of times I missed the target decreased compared to yesterday. There were round marks on the spots that I hit. I hit the place I aimed at 2 times and the spots around that 10 times. I was having naive thoughts like, Should I hunt rabbits with this?. But I realized I need to come closer to where I can see it to hit it. It would have already ran away at that distance. Well, thats how it is. Hunters are amazing for being able to attack from long-distance I was able to shoot a bow when I went sight-seeing at the archery club so I have a grasp of it but I feel that it would be impossible for me to hit something that leaps out from this distance. At any rate, I should try to improve my throwing skill. Since Suzuran still hasnt arrived at our meeting place as usual, I decided to go to her place. Good morning. I came to wake up Suzuran-chan My bad` That girl is really bad at waking up. I may be troubling you from now on so Ill apologize in advance. Im sorry. No, its okay. Ill probably get used to it As usual, no matter what how old I[she?*] get I still dont get her.Suzuran has always had an eccentric appearance ever since I met her. [TN: Im not really sure if hes talking about Suzuran or her mother which is who I think she was talking to. Either way it doesnt really make any sense.] My fathers scales will change colors depending on the season while my mothers scales will change colors depending on the air temperature. While I was thinking those random thoughts, I faced the door to Suzurans room. Why doesnt her parents wake her up? Is it pointless to wake her up? Are they expecting something from me who is her close guy friend? I dont know about those things but when I knocked on Suzurans door, there was no response. Im coming in` I called out but, there was no sign of her waking up when I went in the room. The first thing youd try to do to a person who drowned or passed out is CPR. [TN: UhmNo. At least try to check the breathing or pulse first] I shake her shoulders and call out, Wake up, Suzuran. Wake up. to make sure if theres no reaction. ???hm???hmn She let out a somewhat indecent sounding voice but, I guess it was just my imagination. Well, its better if I just forcibly pull off her futon. Shes conscious so the danger of needing to secure her airways, artificial respiration or a cardiac massage has passed. (I absolutely shouldnt hesitate ) I resolve myself and pulled off her futon. Shes wearing a baggy hemp t-shirt and short pants. Geez, I can see everything. Her thighs and navel can be seen. The collar part of her shirt is wrinkled to the point where her breasts are dangerously close to being seen. This is bad. Demons develop early such that their appearance is 2 to 3 times from their actual age so isnt she a bit too defenseless? The brain of a kid with the body of a high school student! Isnt this the opposite of what I saw in manga! Suzurans futon was pulled from her and it suddenly became bright and cold so she curled herself into the fetal position. This somewhat became erotic overall. I hope youll forgive me. Its like what you see in games where your childhood friend is always in such a mental state.. is what I was thinking while I continued calling out to her and nudging her shoulder. I forcibly raising the upper half of her body but, shes clicking her tongue while immensely glaring at me. This aura of hers is similar to her father. This absolutely resembles her father! I understand this bloodlust from my experience! She was glaring at me for about 3 seconds but, before I knew it, her bloodlust vanished. I clearly felt on my skin that the her bloodlust has disappeared. Skill?Fear Resistance: 1 Skill?Charm Resistance: 2acquired. Charm resistance went up to 2 in one go. Is it because of my childhood friends healthy exposure of her skin? Well, it was actually pretty dangerous. Is it like in the case of a painting where you dont show your composition? I could not see anything till the last moment. Thats also fineAnd its fine not to show it. I was able to enjoy that till the very last moment What the hell am I talking about [TN: Yeah. What the hell I couldnt understand the 2nd half of this paragraph] change clothes Ah, aa. Ill be waiting for you over there I returned to the living room to wait. I dont know what they often drink in this world but I find myself frequently drinking tea put into a wooden teacup. Its a wooden mug at home though. Since it was wooden, even without the handle, its surprisingly not hot. I think that this is not the time to be relaxing but, if you like, you can drink this while you wait Thank you Although I cant relax since were going to be late, its because girls take time to change their clothes. As I was drinking the piping hot tea, after about 3 minutes, she arrived at the living room. I thought, Isnt that a bit too quick?, but, as usual, shes still sleepy and has her bed hair. I can go As she weakly said that, I say thanks for the tea I didnt finish and left for school. Along the way, she said Its not good to peel of other girls futon. Its not really fine if its me though Ah, aa Did she mean that I would bother other girls or is it that I might see their sleeping faces? Even in this world, I still dont understand girls. CH 4 I have raws for the LN version of this novel. Should I post the illustrations? I dont think it spoils anything (well, maybe a bit) but Im not sure how different it is from the WN because I didnt read it. There were a few slightly nsfw images though. P.S. To the people who read the last chapter the moment I posted it, I changed the 2nd sentence in Suzurans line near the end of the chapter to something tsundere-ish because of something in this chapter. Im still not sure if that was correct though Enjoy Chapter 4: When I succeeded with the image of my magic [AN: I think Id like to avoid difficult expressions(idioms?) because I havent studied it. A while ago, I wrote about demons developing early so our protagonist already around 150cm tall.] Three months after the futon pulling incident, it has reached a point where I go to wake her up by hitting and shaking her shoulders as much as possible. The person herself says that its fine to mercilessly pull off her futon but I wont be able to hold back my lower body if I need to restrain myself from morning. The person herself was disappointed by it but how she feels about it is of no concern to me. I dont know about the marriageable age in this world but, lets just leave it until we finish school. I wonder if its fine to say that my instincts are still OK? Well, its different from when were inside the classroom but in the village but, there are times where I cant tell apart the adults and people developed early. There are 4 seasons in this world. And when it gets hot, everyone wears lighter clothing so I can see plenty of dangerous things from the healthily growing girls and the beautiful women of the village. I understand that the bra culture doesnt exist but, Im surprised that the custom of wearing a sarashi-like* cloth on their chest is nonexistent. I can see the small pointy things on their chest. When it rains, their clothes stick and I need to avert my eyes. [TN: Bandage like thing that is wrapped around the chest area like . Could also be wrapped in other places] When Fig-sensei feels hot, she cant wear even lesser clothes. [TN: because shed be naked] Thats not really a bad thing okay? As I said before, magic is all about your imagination. The power inside of you will increase when you get accustomed to using it. Todays task is to produce magic. Please think about the image of what kind of feeling you want to come out of your attack. Magic may be weak against physical attackers but, if you make use magic to create an opening on your opponents, you can destroy their defenses. Is it like the announcement flowing in my head? Would my offensive ability increase when that digit gets larger? Our magic classes have always been about getting familiar with our magic power. Im not sure if its for the sake of being able to make use our magic power but, we were told that its fine to freely use our preferred specialty attribute. Would Suzuran also be able to control her gas burner used in making asphalt-like flame to the point where something small would come out? [TN: Yeah, I went with what was in the raws because, why not] Teacher. Are there examples of what kind of shapes that are usually used for magic? I asked since I was curious. Thats right. The most used ones are the sphere types. After that are the spear and arrow types. Hmm`, those should be fire ball, fire lance and fire arrow. Well, its certainly easy to make an image of firing those things. Its like throwing a clump or something long and narrow and attacking with plenty of small projectiles. We still havent been taught any long-range magic. Im not sure if it doesnt exist but I havent heart that term being said in class. I still have my memories from when I was reincarnated so I think I can imagine images and innovations that doesnt exist in this world. Im not sure whether or not it will work but Ill try. Lately, Ive been using my time after school for some self-training. I go home to have lunch then go to the forest to find and drink the sap of crushed poisonous plants and throw stones. After that, I keep on practicing whether or not Id be able to make magic according to my knowledge until my limit. It seems like the harvest season for those wheat-like plants is almost here so wouldnt this be convenient? is what I thought while having an image of a horizontal wind blade flying towards the distance. I saw those sickle-like things that foreign devils and the grim reaper had be used for harvesting after all. Was it called scythe or something? This particular magic doesnt have a name so Ill call it with something simple that I got from a game somewhere. Ill call it Wind Cutter. At first, I let strong winds come out from my palm. Its not possible to cut anything with it yet so I applied an image of making it thin, really thin. I wont come out from my hand so I added an image of it coming out from a thin gap. Continuing with that image, I was finally able to cut a thin branch without breaking it after 3 days. The next day, rather than the forest, I went to the vast, undeveloped field with the long grass to try it out. Image: A really thin blade of wind?Red?3cm from the ground?Angle: 0 degrees?Pace: Walking speed?Width: 1m?Visible 20m range?Target: in front?Execute So that I can accurately portray what I thought in my head, I tried it out with the image of a lawn mower cutting the grass on the embankment. Since its dangerous, I tried adding an extra color. A red blade of wind appeared by my feet moving at walking pace and neatly mowed everything for about 20 paces. This success is good right? Its good right! Hell yeah! I did it! WOHOO! Yeah! Ouch! As I was celebrating, I fell down and hit the side of my head so hard that tears came out. Even though Im almost a 35 year-old fine adult inside, I did it because its my first useful magic. I felt happier compared to the time I got accepted at university and when I was easily accepted at my company even though there was a recession. Ill show it to my parents tomorrow. Father, mother, I have something I want to show you but can you come out to the fields? I told them to go to the field yesterday to show them the image I used in making Wind Cutter. I told them Could this magic be used for harvesting? They have to pick up the crops by hand afterwards though. Isnt this amazing! It will be much easier in the village with this and I think everyone would appreciate it! My father placed his hands on my shoulders and praised me while shaking me back and forth. He was already telling me reasons to help out the whole village with the harvest. I was obviously going to help though. Its wonderful`. Since youre our child, I thought you wouldnt be able to use any magic other than fire or water. I wonder why this wind magic have that color`? Wouldnt that be useless when attacking? was what my mother nonchalantly asked. I replied I added a color since it would be dangerous if you get hit by it because you couldnt see it. I can quickly make it so that you cant see it you know. I was satisfied with their tremendous smile. We returned home and I explained to them in detail about the time I learn this magic while we were enjoying our meal even more than usual. AN: You dont have to particularly mind the crops harvest season.[TN: Its not relevant to the story I guess] CH 5 This took a while because this chapter was longer than usual, I didnt have much time to translate and I had a hard time translating some parts. There will be some sentences sounds/feels weird. Thats just because I gave up understanding it and just translated it literally/with google translate. I also decided to stop translating the popular Japanese words or those that I think would sound better in Japanese to English. This will be just a trial at first but Ill add a mouseover for people who dont know what it means like this. And for those who havent seen it yet, I posted the a few days ago. Chapter 06: When I became friends with 3 idiots Ah~~~~ Uu~~~ Ah~~~ I used the magic I showed the other day to help in harvesting in the fields too much and I passed out. When I first showed it to the villagers, they were so surprised. Five to six fields was my limit on the first day but today, I suddenly got eight. It seems like it was favorable because its much more efficient than mowing by hand. Of course, since the harvest season is busy, our school is on break. I feel mentally tired. Is this magic power exhaustion, I wonder. Im not sure if the amount of magic power is fixed. Ill try to ask sensei later. This isnt a game where I would level up after defeating enemies so I havent been thinking about raising my status. I went into a shallow part of the forest but I have only seen rabbits or any other small animals until now. Rather, I have goblins as my classmates. Its hopeless in various meanings to raise my level. Giyahahahaha. Thanks to you son that this year we were able to finish a week earlier!(MC Otousan) Thats right, my son wouldnt be able to think of something amazing!(Random Villager) Nobody would have thought of using magic for agriculture. Its normally used for attacking after all, right?(Probably Suzuran Otousan) Giyahahahaha Theyre considerably drunk. I havent even had a drink ever since I came to this world, damn it. Aah~. Well, its fine if the adults are enjoying themselves. After the harvest has finished, Fig-sensei kept on loudly repeating Please let the children know that school would resume starting tomorrow in the village square. While I was still feeling languid, I arrived at the usual meeting place. Even though I waited for quite a bit, Suzuran still didnt arrive. It cant be helped. Ill go pick her up. Im sorry as usual`. And also, thanks for that time during harvest(Suzuran Okaasan) While she was saying that, I saw her preparing the usual tea. Ive been thinking that theyre just afraid of the just woken up Suzuran, arent they? It hasnt caused me any harm yet so I dont mind. It seems like Ichii-san is still asleep. He was drinking like theres no tomorrow with dad yesterday after all. I knocked as usual. If shes already awake and I enter while she is changing clothes, when I look back her fathers there, Id be at the brunt of his bloodlust and would be sleeping with the fishes. Its scary as expected and I was having cold sweat on my back. I get to see her disheveled state when I wake her up though. I dont know why its bad if shes changing clothes. Im coming in` I called out and there was no response as usual. Inside her room, I peeled off her futon and shook her shoulders while calling out to her. Lately, Ive only been needing 30 seconds to wake her up. Its frightening that Im getting used to this. I need to think up my next hand* if I want to wake her up without peeling off her futon. What should I do? [*TN: Im not sure if this make sense but next hand as in next move] mn` Ah, shes starting to wake up. Morning mn` I shouldnt leave this room because shed just go back to sleep. Ill be watching her closely until shes completely awake and is getting up. Suzurans starting to regain focus. Her breasts are joggling about as usual. Since shes wearing such shabby clothes, it becomes loose when she gets up and her dangling breasts can almost be seen so I make sure not to look as much as possible. Still, it hasnt grown at all. Even though there are girls who are already big and girls who are starting to get big from our class Even though Ricoris-sans figure is great, Suzurans height is the only thing thats growing. The future of her figure is already hopeless. Im not really particular about breast size. The person herself doesnt seem to mind and has no complaints about it. Id probably answer that if I get asked as her childhood friend but I havent been asked by the girls in class. If Im forced to say Perhaps calling it a washboard would suit it well. If we exclude the ribcage, then its an ironing board. Could you see her groin area if you roll up her shirt until can see her navel and slide off her short pants? Well, I havent seen that area yet so I wouldnt know. Hmm` Im going off topic [TN: This whole paragraph is probably wrong] Are you awake? If so, Ill be waiting for you over there nn` I was drinking tea I received at the living room. Was that magic taught to you by you teacher? I was asked. Rather than being taught, I came up with it myself. Teacher told us to produce our own image so I made an image of a really thin and sharp blade of wind. Nobody would have thought about using magic for something other than attacking. Well count on you again next year, okay? I was asked while being teased a bit so I had no choice but to say Of course. Well, I think if it continued that way, I could just cut her off and change the topic. It would be an embarrassing story though. After a little while, Suzuran arrived while absolutely not minding her ruffled hair. I can go She said it weakly said that as usual. Its a shame her really silky and glossy black hair. is what I thought but its a mystery how it suddenly got fixed just a bit before noon. And when I came to school for the first time in a while, I was thanked by everyone in class. It started from Birke-sensei but even other teachers started praising and thanking me. The only reason was because It became easier. During a short break between classes, I was unexpectedly called out by the leader of the three idiots. What is it, Wurst(륹)? Its unusual for you to call out to me Well I guess. We are not really good with magic so we want you to teach us a bit. When we asked sensei, she just told us to Imagine. Use your own imagination. Ah`, un. I guess she said something like that, that sensei And since you can use all of the attributes, we decided to ask you Thats fine. Lets have lunch first after school then meet at the village square afterwards. Ill guide you to forest where I frequently do some special training. So you do something like a special training. Then its decided, well eat lunch at our homes first then meet at the village square! After they said that, they were going back to their usual spot when they started shouting Youre teaching us, okay!. Was I able to properly convey what I said? Wurst is a goblin but hes different from the image of that monster because he can surprisingly speak. Hes not short and simplistic either. Hes something like a leader for the three idiots. Hes very helpful so I think hes a good person. The other members are Shinken(󥱥) the Orc and Speck(ڥå) the Kobold. Shinken is an orc but hes a half elf. He takes after his mother so he has a pretty clean and well proportioned face. Its different from the image where a half orc half elf would only be conceived because the elf was raped. Or rather, its completely different from the image since his orc father is really well-mannered. He was the first to worry about me when I was recklessly using magic while helping with the harvest. Its only in this world where beauty and the beast are a real couple. Theres a clear difference between monsters and demons right! Thats just one of the mysteries of life! Speck, who is a Kobold, looks exactly like a golden retriever. It doesnt matter who, he gets along with everybody in class. Nobody could hate those droopy ears and that silky hair. To be honest, I want to mofumofu him. I want to buy an uninhabited island and make a kingdom with those people(golden retriever kobolds or maybe dogs in general) and go Aah~ yoshiyoshiyoshiyoshiyoshi! Well, Im not rude so I wont do it though. I would think of them as cute regardless of whether its a man or a woman. Whenever our maid uniform wearing janitor Toryapka-san(ȥ`ץ) sees her prey, she frequently gets those carnivorous eyes. She doesnt have a lot of self-awareness but older women are my type. By the way, she has horizontal ears on top of her head. [not sure about this whole paragraph, its kinda random] And it seems like Toriyapuka-san is a . I heard about it in a conversation with Suzuran about what type of eyes are appealing. The guys bond by playing but Im not sure what the girls do. Are they talking actually talking about who they like in class after all? Now then, would I get any compensation for doing this? I excused my self after our meal by saying Im gonna play with my friends in the forest. Ara` thats rare. Dont go in too deep okay? I was only asked to be careful. Well, thats better than her being strict and always saying no. I was surprised that I was late when I arrived at the village square. Do they act quickly since theres no concept of time here? Well, thats enough about that. Then, lets go. Its the forest to the south of the village so well walk there. Its just a bit after noon so it wont take that much time It will take approximately 15 minutes. You can see the forest from the edge of the village. Because I take this path everyday, it became something like an animal trail so there are no more weeds and the obstructing branches were cut off. We entered the forest and after about 5 minutes, arrived at the river that I use when I drink poisons. This place is where I train. I use it frequently so it I increased the convenience. I placed a large stone on the streamlet to divert it so that footwear wont get wet. I made two simple couch/bed by making A-shaped frames using three thick branches tied up with vines. For my throwing practice, I placed boulders at approximately 10, 20 and 30 meter distances as targets. There is a flat, palm-sized stone that has changed into an odd color because of the poisonous plants. And for magic practice, I made a 3x3x0.2 meter stage using earth magic to harden the soil. This place is amazing. Its pretty convenient and comfortable(Wurst) Thats true(Shiden) Amazingly amazing!(Speck) Their appearance is close to that of an adult but their mental age cant catch up. Im not sure if its because they are demons or its just because theyre guys so their actual mental age is low. I havent planned to use fire yet so I havent made fire reflectors, wind barriers and furniture made of stones and logs As the boy scouts and those who are into survival say, Always be prepared. Youre foolish if you arent. They say that knowledge isnt the heavy kind of wealth. Im personally experiencing and am making full use of the knowledge I learned during a long vacation in my previous life. By the way, I also like survival games. I would also like to add a roof to this A-shaped couch if possible. The problem is that the me right now cannot hunt so my current meals are only wild plants, bird eggs, fruits, snakes and frogs. I want protein from animals In other words, meat! [TN: Im pretty sure snakes and frogs and heck, even eggs are animal protein] I feel like its easy to use magic but I think its a bit different when actually using it. I want to rely on my own skills rather than with magic but thats just my pride talking. Using my knowledge from my long vacation, I dont think that I would be able to hunt large wildlife. I havent had such an overwhelming experience so I wouldnt know what to do. Well then, should we start practicing magic? Lets start with water because its easy to imagine. Is there anyone who is good with water magic? Everyone shook their head. Then, can you go to that streamlet over there and try scooping out some water? Everyone scoops up water in order to wash their faces. Okay, lets try to use this image. Its actually quite simple. Just imagine it like when youre gathering water at your hand to wash your face They all let go of the water in their hands and closed their eyes while concentrating. I wonder if theyre imagining water gathering in their hands. Then, at that moment, Shinken shouted joyfully. Ooh, I felt something cold in my hands. Water has appeared on my hands! As expected from a half elf, his magical aptitudes is surprisingly high. The next one is Speck. Its true, water did come out He was shaking his tail so hard, I thought it was going to come off. Its really easy to read what he is thinking. I really wanted to mofumofu him and pat his head but I held back on that urge. The last one was Wurst. Is their races magic really strict? is what I was thinking when, So this is magic! Its really is! He was somewhat excited and in high spirits. I guess he is really glad. Well, the next one is fire or light I guess. If in case they get lost, they will have light and water and they would be able to burn things. With this, they would be able to survive at least. Seriously, Thanks. I thought I would never be able to use magic but I was able to do it (Wurst) Im glad that you are our classmate. If its possible, I want to become friends(Shinden) Thanks!(Speck) I was a bit happy that each one of them were thanking me in their own way. With this, everyone can safely drink fresh water. You see, unboiled water is dangerous. I would even want to boil water from that beautiful streamlet I asked what attributes they can use on our way home. I couldnt use all of them. I though I could not since my parent cant use magic and we are pure blooded goblins(Wurst) I can use fire and wind. I guess Im better with wind.(Shinden) Earth dayo!(Speck)[TN: used dayo because it gives off an image of a cute kobold being smug] I guess its true that a lot of goblins cant use magic. Elves have an image of using wind and earth since they live in forests. I wonder if orcs can easily use fire? It seems like kobolds match their image of being good at earth magic. This is my honest impression. Its been five and a half years since I came here and there are still a lot of things I dont know. It seems like these three idiots consider me as their friend so I also told them in return Aa! Were friends! Im sure that Im going to have a somewhat inseparable relationship with these guys. CH 6 How embarrassing. (? ?>? ?. Again, Im basing it on the assumption that Suzuran doesnt know the proper terms. Thats why vagina= hole, clitoris=bump above hole etc. CH 18 Hello ( ? )?? This is probably one of the best chapters so far Enjoy~ Chapter 18: That time when I went to town for the first time (Final Part) Hey, Suzuran. What should we Meat Aa, I had somehow expected that Before returning to the inn, I saw a store thats selling karaage so I guess well try to go there. Lets eat here. I came across this place when I was exploring earlier. They sell something called karaage which is chicken meat deep-fried in oil Or so it seems but I havent eaten it before so Im not really sure. Thats fine With that said, we entered the store. The store was actually pretty crowded inside but wasnt to a point where we couldnt find ourselves a seat. Good thing I ate a bit before lunch. Welcome. Have you decided what youll have yet? I dont know what her race was but a well-built oba-chan came and took our order. Ill have the karaage lunch set and Ill have that too The oba-chan replied, Got it, before returning to the kitchen. Not even ten minutes has passed and our karaage lunch set was brought to our table. Thanks for waiting! Since the little missy heres a bit too thin, I added one more piece as an extra Was what the oba-chan said as she placed our food on the table. Well, its true that you can tell shes female from the length of her hair and her voice. However, if she cuts her hair is on the shorter, theres no way you wouldnt see her as just a beautiful androgynous guy. On our table, theres a fork, a plate with a slightly larger portion of karaage, shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes in mayonnaise, regular sized white bread and water. As expected. Theres still no rice. Too bad. Well, I guess it cant be helped. Itadakimasu After we said that, Suzuran immediately put the karaage in her mouth. Just when I thought I saw her opening her eyes wide a bit, she started hastily eating it. Isnt it hot? I also started eating mine. After getting rid of the smell with herbs, its seasoned with flour and salt. Is this that *salt fried chicken thing? Whether you frequently bought it or made it your self, you would encounter that soy sauce flavor a lot. That method is good for me, however it doesnt seem like the use of soy sauce has been widely introduced yet. {*TN: Or salt-baked chicken} Suzuran raised her hand and said, Three more helpings of karaage She immediately finished eating her first plate and made an additional order. Her clear voice resounded inside the noisy store. Got it` The oba-chan replied as she went to the kitchen so it seems like they heard her. Arent you eating too much? You still have your cabbage and tomatoes left. Make sure to eat those too Giving it up With that said, she transferred all of her untouched vegetables to my plate. The vegetables on those three additional orders will probably come my way as well. Here you go, three additional orders. Whats this, is the little missy the one whos eating all of these? I wonder why youre so thin if you eat this much. How envious Ha ha ha, while saying that, she laughed as she went back. Seriously, where is all that meat going to? Another plate of karaage Even though she still hasnt finished the other two, she ordered even more. The remaining contents of the two plates disappeared as her next order came. Whats this, its the little missy again? You should eat all of your vegetables too, you know? Didnt I see you give all of your vegetables to your boyfriend over here? So they see me as her boyfriend, huh Well, that makes it seem like Im loved so it doesnt feel that bad. Letting out a slightly short breath, she looked like she was thinking about something. While she may have had a slightly alluring expression, theres a high probability that shes pondering about whether or not to order another helping. The face of someone contemplating about one of lifes mysteries To karaage or not to karaage When I said that, she immediately declared, Two more plates of karaage! It seems like it was very delicious. The oba-chan came back, karaage in hand, with an astounded look and Suzuran immediately started eating. As one would expect, we were receiving gazes from our surroundings. Im already full with just these vegetables., someone please save me. That would be 4 large silver and 6 coppers. I was worried when I saw the little missys way of eating{TN: 1 copper= 100, so he spent around 400,600 or around $3,600 worth of karaage} I also didnt expect that shell eat that much. And thank you very much for that extra piece of karaage I compliantly paid while I said that with a dry laugh. It was just a mere drop in the bucket though was what she replied while laughing. That amount was enough for a family of four to reserve a cheap restaurant for themselves. What kind of stomach does she have? I cant complain since I said Ill pay for it but I think its still a mystery where those karaage she ate went. On a later date at Suzurans house, a chicken coop was built and I saw Suzuran was happily taking care of the chickens. Ah, so you started raising them after all I couldnt help but let that comment leak out. After we went out of the restaurant, we loitered around accessory and baked sweets shops. It doesnt seem like Suzuran likes any accessories and sweets in particular. I was the one eating sweets instead. After walking for a while, Follow since have place I want to go Thats what she said so I followed her but this is really suspicious. A place with a lot of brothels has come into view. The suns still up you know`. UhmmSuzuran-san? No matter how you look at it, the place that you want to go to is a lovers inn. Does this mean were going there?{TN: I dont know how to translate aibiki yado()} Thats right. Made reservations during yesterdays walk with Mir and Kuchinashi Schinken! So this was the meaning behind your unpleasant facial expression! Wurst and Speck not being in the inn during lunch was probably because of this! I was set up! I was an idiot for trying to read the mood. Mirs invitation to the crepe stall was probably just a decoy! Even though its still noon? Doesnt matter Ah`, Uh`. Should I pay the cancellation fee? You cant She dragged me off to force me to go. So powerful Arent you quite desperate? Since it cant be helped, I decided to resolve myself in various ways. It was probably the three idiots and the rest of our class who conspired to make this happen. Entering the room, there was a wide bed, clean sheets and towels and a bucket full of water. While having a look of an animal that has seen its prey, Suzuran closed the door and locked it with the key. Untying the string of her jinbei, she slowly came closer to me. Her eyes were glittering that, to be honest, I was starting to get scared of Suzuran . Its okay since wont succeed today I dont know what you mean by that but happy to receive your consideration. Well then Well, I think its probably that thing. After I said that, she pushed me down and immediately mounted me around my waist area. I tried resisting but couldnt shake her off since she was stronger than me. Then, she strengthened her hold even more and kissed me. My wrists hurt. Of course, our kiss tasted like a combination of karaage and castella cake. Doesnt this seem like our roles are reversed? Ehem, AnywaysRight now, the suns just about to set. The evening sun is dazzling. If we returned to the inn right now, well still make it in time for dinner. Its not like I didnt have any experience on my previous life but that was too intense. Where the hells the rodeo? Compared to me who was slightly drained, Suzuran was glowing. As we were walking while linking arms, I was called out. Onii-san, our places clean and cheap, you know` But, with a weak smile, I declined. She probably sensed something as she saw Suzuran in high spirits next to me so she stopped calling out to me. The others who were about to call me did the same. They probably thought it was two guys when they tried inviting us to the brothel but when Suzuran glared at them, they quieted down. It was already time to eat when we arrived at the inn but, since its taking me my all just to move around after that, I only felt like eating something light. It might be just my classmates being considerate of us but it was just me and Suzuran on our table. Compared to my feeble movements, Suzuran was eating her dinner normally. Are you the embodiment of physical strength! The guys were grinning but, since I had a slightly drained look and wasnt really touching my food, their grin changed to a slight look of concern. And the girls groups gaze changed into an anxious look. Ill probably be interrogated tonight. As I was thinking about that, I ate my sandwich while washing it down with water. When I returned to our room, Wurst asked while grinning. How was it? I weakly replied Huh? You guys set me up, right? Their apologetic looks meant I was probably right. I thought it would break Ill just leave the rest to your imagination. Im going to sleep already I lied down first and when I looked at the guys, they were grasping their nether regions. Meanwhile, on the girls room, squealing sounds could be heard. We left the inn the next morning. On our way, we encountered two goblin monsters but, since Schinken defeated them easily, we were able to return safely. The next day after we returned I was thoroughly questioned by Ichii-san as I came to pick Suzuran up since she overslept so I honestly told him what happened. I thought he was going to hit me but that didnt happen. He got angry at first but then, he solemnly said, I see Sorry bout that The question of whether or not hell forgive me was resolved by the fact that her own daughter sexually assaulted her male childhood friend. Well, since I like Suzuran so this was bound to happen someday thats why its alright with me When I said that, I was glared at for a bit. Its definitely better for me if I refrain from saying unnecessary things. Oh well. With this, it feels like Ive gotten the parents recognition. However, since there arent a lot of places well be together in private, its probably better to think that well have only a few chances to do that. To be honest, Im not sure if I should feel relieved or disappointed. Authors note: I tried to write something R18 for the first time. For those interested, please look upħˤʤäIؤoˍuäΥ`棩. Please evaluate its contents to some degree. It will be nice if I can make various improvements with this. TL: Im not sure if Ill translate that. Im not really that interested CH 19 2/3 Sorry for the delay. I translated the R18 version of chapter 18 . It was a half-assed translation though. Read it if youre curious why he thought that would break. Anyway, I changed Toryapka into Tryapka. Tryapka or ܧ means rag since shes some sort of maid Damn author and his stupid names The MCs parents are hail and sleet, his friends are named schinken, speck and wurst then this Oh, I also brought back the footnotes. Disclaimer: I don''t guarantee that this is 100% accurate. Please let me know if there are any mistakes in my translations. Chapter 19: That time when I was also needed for the harvest this year Because of the use of Wind Cutterduring last years harvest, it seems like they got several villagers who could use wind magic and made them practice at a near by plain. Because of that, the speed of our harvest has rapidly increased and they also assigned people to be in charge with that task. Village chief, please dont expect too much from the students. To make it simpler, they took the number people who could use that magic and divided them into the number of fields. Since I was originally Japanese, Im making use of our characteristic efficiency so in order to finish faster and harvest more than last year, we placed some workers on rotation to help those who were working slowly. Of course, those who cant use wind cutter are just assigned to collect the wheat. By the way, since they were using the plain to practice on their own, there are a lot of uneven portions on it. It seems like they practiced quite a lot. Yo, Schinken, I came to help Aa, thats a huge help. This is surprisingly complicated, isnt it? Its hard since youll graze the ground if focus on not making a mistake with the distance too much. Actually, isnt it just Caam being unexpectedly amazing? Well, thats because I did it last year Was what I said to gloss it over. Even my mother saidMu, Im not sure how to make slight adjustmentssince she was having difficulty stabilizing the cutting end when she first started That reliable Arc-san? I only saw her as someone dependable but I guess she also has these cute points. Shes perfect with the bow though. People using the magic was probably running out of magic power since theyre starting to be unsteady on their feet. I heard someone saying, Even when I was diving in dungeons before, Ive never seen magic used like this you know!!. So there are dungeons in this world The harvest just took two days to finish. It was quick since we had a lot of people. Or as a certain used to say, War is all about numbers!. Human-wave tactics is truly magnificent. By the way, I already received theOffensive Attribute?Wind: 2announcement a while ago. Oi oi, Caam-kun A sullen werecat ossan called out to me. What is it? We finished the harvest this year with a lot of leeway as expected, right? Do you want to help in dismantling a pig? You should know it if your planning to hunt a wild boar next time Said the werewolf ossan while grinning. Y-yeah, sure. Please teach me I answered immediately replied since I thought I absolutely wouldnt be able to run away and they took me away like an alien that was caught1. Its like they were expecting this. When we arrived, there was a prior visitor there. Yo` so you were caught too! Wurst called out to me. With that said, it seems like they really were teaching the youth. The first animal was thoroughly stripped as an example for teaching. The second one was just partially dismantled and the third one was completely left as is. I kept on telling myself This is work, this is just work. This is just practice, Im just practicing in my head as started cutting it up. A lot of things are difficult to handle if youre not used to this. Like the smell, for example. Taking a short break, I saw Suzuran in my field of vision gleefully strangling a chicken. Are you looking forward to karaage that much? When our eyes met, she showed me a terrifying smile while wiping off the blood that splattered on her cheek. Her appearance is somewhat scary. I guess their chickens have started to increase bit by bit ever since they made that chicken coop. When I tried asking, Do you know the recipe for karaage? Her face paled and she hung her head down while weakly replying, Dont know I couldnt forget the look she had like it was the end of the world so I couldnt help but teach it to Ricoris-san. Ara` so Caam-kun can also cook? Im relieved that her childhood friends an able kid She said that with a big smile. You can go ahead and increase the amount of seasoning and spices as needed While I was teaching her the basics, Ichii-sans bloodlust kept on piercing through my back. Once he tasted the karaage though, his bloodlust went away. Delicious meals will save the world! Thank you me in my previous life who learned how to cook for himself! On a later date, That girl wont learn anything other than meat dishes. Dont you have any other good dishes? was what Ricoris-san consulted with me but I apologetically shook my head. Teaching Suzuran, who has an extreme aversion of any other kinds of food, meals shes not interested in cooking is an impossible task you know. While also taking a break, Wurst started a conversation with me. Suzuran really likes meat, doesnt she? I mean, even I eat vegetable from time to time, you know? She cant remember anything other than meat dishes so oba-san consulted with me but I told her it was impossible I see As expected. When you get married, except for meat dishes, youll have to choice but to make your own meals Ha? Why did it suddenly go into a conversation about our marriage? I mean, isnt it practically already decided, you guys? Well, I guess? Whats with that questioning tone? She likes you that much and you dont dislike her right? Then isnt it already settled? Well Still, its nice that you came out of that alive, huh? That oji-san is really scary. How did you manage to persuade him? Rather than persuading, it was more of an explanation. While he was letting off his bloodlust, I was telling him what exactly happened. I told him that she reserved a room at the lovers inn and while we were walking on the main streets, she forcibly dragged me along and assaulted me. Well, oba-san was just smiling but oji-san apologized. If I also told him something was about to break I see, its good that you were able to come out of that alive as well. While he was letting of bloodlust, I was sure youd get killed during your explanation Seriously, Im glad I survived that While we were having a trivial conversation between men, the girls were doing the same but you could hear *kya kya* sounds from them. If Im unlucky, theres a chance that Ill get asked out tomorrow. At least, I want to be the one to take initiative this time. I wont run away so Id like it if youd at least be gentle. Well, Ill get to experience it again so Id like to think that I wont be asking for too much but at least spare me from that rodeo without ropes please. And also, please remember to let me move to an extent. I may collapse from that but I dont want that collapsing as well, you know. After that, our short break ended and we returned to processing the pig we butched. Er`Thanks to everyone, the harvest this year only took two days to finish. Because of that, it might be a good idea to try increasing the number of the fields a bit. I dont like long speeches in these kind of events so Ill end it here. Well then, let us start the harvest festival. Kanpai Kanpai!! After the village chief said his speech, various loud voices were raised all over. I became resilient against sake because of poison resistance so Im not going to get drunk, am I~ I made sure no one heard me complain as I was slowly drinking my sake. The three idiots were having nice conversation while they were enjoying their sake. In a way, the joy of drinking sake is in getting drunk. By the way, even if I didnt supply ice, there were already others who could. Although theyre already able to adjust the output so that it wont turn into an offensive magic, I heard that they struggled to do that at first. Once again, they were able to realize the improvements in their lives using magic compared to before. The three idiots must have remembered how they vomited last time since they started slowing down their drinking pace a bit. However, their faces were already red, they already have glazed eyes and their laughter has also died out so its still easy to understand what this change is. After a while, the usual girls group came and brought up large platters filled with drinking snacks. They sat together at the same table and were having fun talking about all their memories in the town. Suzurans platter had a ratio of 5 karaages to 5 other meat dishes. As usual, this girls staying true to her own desires. Getting each other drunk in that nice atmosphere, they are starting to have an indecent conversation disregarding the people from the opposite sex. Or did they start doing that precisely because members of the opposite sex are here? Im not sure. Influenced by her drunkenness, Mir asked, What happened in town? We were really being considerate of you guys so you could at lease tell us that much I thought I was pretty much set up though Even though you were getting into a nice mood with Suzuran, you still didnt cross the line so we were all troubled. You should be thanking us Kuchinashi who was next to her was silently nodding while drinking her sake. Well, Im somewhat thankful for that but theres a need to consider the mood, time and place right? And because of that, a year later has passed and nothing has happened yet. On the contrary, its Suzuran whos becoming pitiable, you know Kuchinashi quietly nodded with that as well. Suzuran continued to vigorously eat meat. Were talking about you, you know`. Well, we already crossed that line so something has already changed in our relationshipis what I feel but not much has changed that in our daily lives. I mean, look at her. I was the one who taught her the recipe of that karaage shes been eating for a while now, right? Mir looked at Suzuran who was stuffing her cheeks with karaage. Y-yeah. Well, we havent really seen the two of you flirting Thats right As expected Un un Thats right, isnt it Everyone voiced out their agreement. Suddenly, Suzuran stood up, grabbed Wursts collar and forced him to stand up. She then sat at the recently vacated space and leaned her body next to me. Ah` so she was actually listening to our conversation. She swallowed what was in her mouth and said, Since it seems like everyone is expecting something from us. No good? She tilted her head while asking me that. Doing that kind of gesture is unfair. I dont really dislike it though When I said that, the others who were watching us were grinning. What about you guys? Werent Schinken and Mir eating sweets while walking around town by themselves? I dont really dislike Schinken, you know Her voice trailed off before she finished what she was saying. I dont dislike her as well They kept glancing at each other. Reading the mood, Wurst left his seat and Speck pulled Mir and made her sit next to Schinken. Both of them stayed silent but their faces reddened while they were slowly sipping on their drinks. These guys are easy to understand. I didnt really bother teasing them and just continued to drink. Kuchinashi, who looked like she prepared herself for something, sat next to Wurst. He looked surprised at first but then became embarrassed as he started drinking his sake. Iya`This villages men sure are weak when it comes to womens advances With Suzuran staying by my side and heartily eating meat, I looked at Speck who wanted me to agree with him and noticed Tryapka-san who was grinning beside him. Since when have you been there! uHIYAA! When I shouted, Speck finally noticed her and screamed but it was already too late. She grabbed him before he was able to run away. He tried shaking her off but that just strengthened her hold on him. As expected of a carnivore.2 I dont think that its impossible to tear her off if he used actually used force but Speck doesnt seem to be able to do it. It seems like hes gentle towards girls. Like a king of an animal kingdom from somewhere, she kept on patting his head while saying, Hes cute, right` Speck didnt look like he hated Tryapka-sans actions as much as he would have us believe since hes still letting her do it. You really dont dislike that, dont you? I cant do anything but pray that she doesnt take him home with her. Everyone was getting into a pleasant atmosphere and they were drinking until they couldnt anymore. It was starting to get dark but a corner of the villages square was enveloped in a pink aura. When the adults who were looking at us were grinning but had a look of slight concern. Its a bit early but lets call it a night When we entered that kind of mood, the pairs decided whose house they would going to go home to and went on their ways. In the end, I wasnt able to protect Speck Im so powerless With that said, it seems like Suzuran will be coming over to my house. First time in Caams room Well of course. Im the one who always has to go to your place to wake you up. Putting it nicely, you can say my rooms well-organized. however, you could also say that I have too much stuff. I was planning to clean it but there are training kokeshis and tools to make glass beads and knit mats on top of my desk and all sorts of materials, weapons and my rucksack are scattered in the corner of my room. Want to drink tea? Un Just sit wherever. Well, your only choices are the bed or the chair by my desk though Suzuran was slightly troubled but decided to sit on the chair. I guess Im sitting on the bed. I probably wont get pushed down if I have hot tea in my hands. The placed dried chamomile leaves into the cups I brought and filled it with steaming hot water. Add as much sugar as you like Sugar in tea? You see, it would taste bad if just drink it as is Nice smell. Its calming After saying that, she started filling her cup with sugar. Im sure that itll taste good if you sweeten it but arent you putting a bit too much? Hey, Suzuran. I dont dislike doing the deed itself but Id like it if you consider the mood a bit more from now on, for my sake. And Ill also really appreciate it if you do it gently Sorry Well, its not really something to receive an apology for but please calm down a bit from now on. Id be really happy if you could just keep that in mind I understand. And dont have to tell me twice because it will make me sad. Was also lectured by kaa-san. Will hate it if not gentle She hanged her head a bit. It seems like she was aware of her actions. Well, I dont hate you so you can be at ease I stood up and pat her head as I said that. If youre conscious about running wild the other day then you should have not shown that kind of behavior. She was glancing at me a bit and looked like she was expecting something. So this time, Ill be the one to start it, huh Thinking that, I stood up and came closer to Suzuran. I kissed her and guided her towards the bed. About an hour before the date changed, both of us started to calm down. Should go home soon Aa, Ill see you off. And also, Ill be happy if you would always be that gentle like earlier After I said that, my stomach received a punch. It seems like she was really embarrassed about that. While desperately trying not to vomit, I lied down in bed in agony. After waiting for 30 seconds, I escorted her home. The adults are still not done drinking it seems. Id appreciate it if you guys look after your children more! It would be nice if it goes well for those guys too No one was listening but I wanted to try and say that so I did. Skill? Damage Resistance: 2acquired Ah`, so I was able to acquire that, as expected. That one really hurt, you know? Authors note: At the last scene, Suzuran hesitated where to sit since she might have been tempted dive into the bed and having a fill of our MCs pillows scent. So to be safe, she sat on the chair. And she also received relatively longer lines this time. TL: I also wrote this on the nocturn ver. of ch 18 but if it wasnt obvious enough, the other girl in the LN illustrations isnt Mir. Shes a Succubus that our MC will meet probably before the end of this arc. Footnotes: 1. Like 2. Speck might be the one who can relate to our MC the most CH 20 3/3 I changed Edgelin to Aegirine because the author is naming places after minerals. I really should start googling names first Disclaimer: I don''t guarantee that this is 100% accurate. Please let me know if there are any mistakes in my translations. P.S. This chapters about agriculture so Im not really sure if I used the right terms Chapter 20: That time when I didnt understand the market price and currency values When I went to school after the harvest festival, the three idiots were showing three different kinds of faces. The first was overflowing with confidence, the second was somewhat feeling refreshed and the third one was quite drained. lets just leave them alone. At my training place in the forest, I did my usual nibbling of poisonous plants and throwing practice using my weapons and some stones. While I was in the middle of throwing an obsidian knife, the three idiots suddenly appeared so I had to immediately switch to the machete. I wonder if my obsidian knife was exposed. Hey, Caam. How was it for you on your first time? When I gave out a vague reply, Wurst seriously asked me again so I had to give them some answers. I share my knowledge with these guys to some extent so I wonder if theyre trying to gain even more information. Even though I also have knowledge from my previous life of acts that are too unique, I decided just to teach them the basic stuff. Lets just set aside the unique ones to use as a punch line. As I was teaching them, everyone was earnestly listening to me. In this world, never mind the internet, even books havent really promulgated yet so these kinds of conversations are probably essential. So, why do you guys want to know this? You probably didnt want to know about Suzuran, right? Ah` Thats because we were doing some light reading using introductory-like books at the towns bookstore the other day They probably arent lying about that. Hey, Im been wondering about this for a while now but the thing youve been chewing on isnt dried meat, isnt it? Since it has a really grassy smell As expected of a dog. He has a better sense of smell than the rest of us. A, ah`. Uhmthat is Poisonous plant Ha!?ã1Eh!? Well, this is just a story I heard but if you ingest poison just to a degree that you wont die, youll steadily build up resilience to poison. Thats why I continued doing it. Incidentally, the first time I did this, I was just grinded a leaf and drank a watered down solution. However, the next day my health took a turn for the worst so you should be careful if youre going to try it Thats because not just anyone could do it. I havent even heard my mother say anything about that So elves dont do this I see, so they arent even aware of it in the first place Is that so? Could it be that there are no cases of poisoning anywhere? That only happens to royalty and nobles. Those who are living normal lives arent going to be served poison, you know? Thats right so you should stop doing that Well, its fine since Im still alright. I can already chew on a leaf and still be fine when I couldnt even handle a bit before you know? I could probably eat two right now and still not die I smiled as I said that but I could easily see that they were taken aback by that. While we were having that random conversation, Schinken suddenly said, That reminds me, the village chief said, If you see Caam-kun, please tell him that Im looking for him. What was that about? Ah` I can pretty much guess what he wants. Its probably about the expansion of the fields. It seems like Im treated as an expert when it comes to using magic for agriculture. Remember his speech during the harvest festival? Ive had a bad premonition about that since that time. Ahh` he said that didnt he What will you do? Like this, I guess As I said that I started creating a simple image. Image?1 meter x 1 meter x 20 centimeter of soil rising up then settling down?execute I activated that thing that I imagined right in front of our eyes. The soil in front of us turned soft as it made waves and settled down. See, I used an image of digging up the soil with a shovel. With this, Ive removed the need to plow. Next is Image?mix the surface of the soil in front like a whirlpool ?Execute Like an old washing machine, the soil started spinning and became even softer. Skill?Offensive Attribute?Earth: 3acquired. Oh? Its been a while since that went up. What I thought up was something like this. This will break up the large lumps of soil2 Oooh` The three idiots were impressed. With this, it wont get clumped up once we scatter the seeds. Just as I thought, you really are amazing I stepped on and touched the soft soil in front of us. The impression of magic being used for attacking is definitely strong it seems. After that, it turn into an indecent conversation where we talked a bit about what happened after we separated. I could only say nothing but my condolences to Speck. A bit after that, we returned to the village and I started asking around about where to look for the village chief. Thats because I dont have any idea where that person usually is. Rather, he really elusive and he only appears whenever youre searching for him. He always appears behind me though for some reason. I am the village chief desu3 Uwaa! He came from my back again! Furthermore, I felt like we was able to say that really irritating line without hesitation Its decided, Im going to kill him. Well, since I really can go and kill him, Ill just endure it. Was there something you wanted to ask me? I talked about it during the harvest festival, about the expansion of the fields. I was thinking of gathering all of the villages men together to do it. You see, I want to decrease the burden even a bit so Im looking for a good method for doing that. Caam-kun is good at using convenient magic, right? Depending on the circumstances, we can also pay you a reward. Y-yeah Well, I can probably do it if its only that much Oh, so youre able to do it. Thats splendid. Could you show it to me for a bit? I was thinking of clearing the sides of the road towards Aegirine town for the expansion plans. There are also grass needed to be cut there We continued our conversation while walking. How much land do you plan to cultivate? Around ten fields worth. Based on this years sowing and harvesting, we wont have any problems adding that much Will there be no troubles when it comes to scattering the seeds? Its has not occurred to me to think about magic for sowing seeds. We just randomly sprinkle that around, right? Ah, is that good enough? I thought they systematically line them up when planting seeds. If thats the case then wouldnt it be simpler if you just let the wind carry it? We continued walking towards the town and arrived at the designated area. Im thinking about placing the first field around here was what he said while pointing towards an open area. For now, were trying to clear it up as much as possible before winter comes. Its kind of waste just to leave this land as it is Although he said about ten fields worth, a single field is a hundred square meters. A single field may seem large but its quite small compared to the overall picture. I had this image of a golden wheat field as far as the eye can see but thats actually impossible in reality. In my previous life, young people were leaving their villages in order to find work. This started to accumulate and those places became depopulated and eventually turned into deserted villages. Farming is the main source of income in this world. Well, there are no other sources of income in this area. It seems like that doesnt really need any special education based on what the chief said about randomly scattering seeds. Chief, are you thinking about increasing the fields as our population increases? Well, if there are people, the fields will also increase and that will lead to the villages prosperity How about trying to think that the increase in fields would lead to increase in population? What are you trying to say? Please wait, Ill show you After I said that, I activated the magic I showed to Wurst and the others earlier. Bit by bit, the soil rose up then dropped back down and became softer soil. Then the soil was mixed to make it softer. The village chiefs body trembled while in awe. It was that simple He mumbled as if he was speaking to himself. How many of these can you do! He excitedly raised his voice while ignoring his aged body. Chief, speaking in such a loud voice is bad for you health you know? Eh`? I still havent tested it out so I dont know. Should I do it until I get tired?Please! He immediately replied. momomomomo I kept uttering that as I turned over and mix the soil until it was soft. As discussed with the village chief, I left room for carriages to pass as I continued plowing the fields. One field took ten minutes. When I finished plowing six fields, I started feeling lightheaded so I called out to the village chief. Im feeling a bit tired with this much With this, Ive already finished six, one hundred square meter fields. It exceeded half of the number of fields that the chief was thinking of cultivating. This much in just a day You want me to do more? No, but scattering seeds and harvesting Get someone elses help I said that voicing out my complaint. Chief? In the first place, is it alright for me to make it if itll just be left unused? Its fine to use that as a place for grazing cattle or to rent out to villagers who need it, you know? This area doesnt belong to anybody, right? In that case, the people living in the village can increase Y-yeah, I see. Im sorry but the talk about rewards will have to wait. There are various things I have to think about and that pretty much increased. Can you give me some time? Well, I dont really mind. The one wholl decide whether to increase it or not will be the village chief; however, please give me the rewards for the six fields I made, okay? I said that in a small voice and decided to go home. I didnt particularly tell my parents about what happened and just went to sleep after maintaining my machete and knife that I threw in the forest. Its not like I didnt want to talk about it but there wouldnt be any point since nothing has been decided yet. The next day, it seems like the meeting that was held in front of the field that I cleared yesterday has started. Caam-kun did all of these before the sun went down. Because it would be a waste to leave the plowed field as it is, would it be okay we loan it to someone who wants to use it? If we do that then wouldnt the people who are just coming to the village just to use it build their houses here so that it they wont waste their time traveling? Ive been thinking about this but isnt it better if we just build a house here and rent it out? As an experiment, why dont we try building two as we expand our farmlands? If we do that, villages residents will also increase. If thats what the village chief says then I dont have any objections. However, what do the others think? After a single villager said that, there was no one in particular who voiced out their disagreement. It has been decided that we would build houses and lend them out as a set to people migrating to the village. Twenty years later, Beryl village became the continents largest producer of wheat. The residents increased, shops and smithies were built and its population no longer classified it as a village but thats another story for another time. Caam-kun, the plan has been tentatively decided The village chief told me as he filled me in with the details of the meeting. First of all, it was decided to continue as planned and make 10 fields. Including the finished ones, we will compensate you with twenty gold coins for all of them. What do you think? What do I think? I would have thought it reasonable even if he told me that I would be getting one or two silvers for a hundred square meter field. Considering adult labor and various other things, how many people and how many days would it take? It would only take two days for me so if the daily wage is ten silver, wouldnt I be considered as one of the top earners in this world? Only for two days though. Y-yeah, thats alright. Thats enough for me since I havent finished my schooling yet Then, Im sorry about this but aside from the remaining four fields, could you also teach the image you used to those who can use earth magic? I wonder how its handled when youre teaching unique magic in this world? Things like a secret formula or hidden arts come to mind but its not like I know any of those. Do they just immediately teach magic that arent too dangerous? Thats fine with me. Since it makes our lives easier, Ill teach it to as many as you like Replying with a smile, I started to plow the remaining fields. Footnotes: 1. If it wasnt obvious, nothing was said here. He just had a look of surprise. 2. aka. tilling 3. Probably a reference to Romancing Saga 3 CH 21 Hello () Im early today~ Disclaimer: I don''t guarantee that this is 100% accurate. Please let me know if there are any mistakes in my translations. Chapter 21: That time when I didnt know why it was bustling with activity inside the village Since the last time, I have already received the rewards for plowing ten fields. I also began teaching the image used for field development to the villagers who can use earth magic. For now, lets improve on the points that needs to be improved We started by setting that as our objective. After school, I met up with the adults and tilled the fields together. The ones who could not use magic just made fences that will be used to encircle the fields. This is just a story that I heard but it seems like there were talks about renting out two buildings constructed on certain fields but they werent sure where and how theyll do it. It seems like the plans are not yet fixed Regarding the compensation for teaching everyone the magic, I received ten more gold coins. I wonder how they deal with compensating people who are teaching magic in this world. I was thinking about that but stopped since I remembered that I dont know market price and value of magic so theres nothing I can do about it. Along the highway towards the town, the number of simple houses increased. The reason for that was the ad that the village chief posted at the guild when he went to town. Accepting villagers! A simple house and field would be rented out. Price is negotiable. Those with no money will be loaned meals aside from the house and field! Work hard to be able to obtain money! Or so it said on the paper. Well, its in this world so they could probably easily understand the contents of that poster. If it was just pasted on something like a utility pole, it would seem like some sort of shady moneylending scheme. This goes without saying but a few days later, the number of people in the village increased. There are a lot of people seeking safety. Towns would have employment fitting for a town but when it comes to this village, the demand is on dairy and agricultural jobs. Even though it was a fairly large town, why did the slums still exist? Whats the towns landlord even doing? Most of people who came to the village were from the lower class districts and the slums. Im not sure if theres a concept of When in Rome, here but the quarrelsome people and those with minor offenses were saying, This village doesnt have any money so is it even true that theyre lending out fields and homes? Ive already been caught stealing so they do have some stuff here When he heard that, the village chief said, It would be good if you can pay back what you owe by using the money you get from selling the fields yield next year. This is still only a small village so you wont have anything to steal here For meals, we have wheat and dried meat stock up so were pretty much still okay with that part If you dont like it then youre free to leave, you know?1 However, those kinds of comments continued to gradually increase. There were also some who have no experience with farming so the villagers came together to teach them. Our population increased and since the harvest was already over, a slight problem with food supple came out. And for some reason, I was also asked to attend that meeting. Well then, let us start the meeting. Until now, the people living in the village had no food problems. However, because of the people who recently came to the village, Im starting to get worried about our food supply. The cause of this was me being hasty in recruiting villagers but, since winter is fast approaching, does anyone have any good ideas? Thinking about what well lose and gain, if every house contributes a bit of the food they saved up, then all we have to do is wait for winter to pass, right? You should at least tell us how much food and up to what extend would we need to take out so that it can be put into writing This isnt really a meeting, is it? They just keep on contradicting each other and doing whatever they want. I was taking notes while listening in to their nonsensical conversation. Caam, feel free to say it if you have any opinions Eh? Ah, yes. Ive been writing down all of your opinions up until now Ill be looking over my memo to outline the main points while trying to add my own opinions into it. Er`, I consolidated everything as well as the common points and my own opinions. The first thing will be taking some from every households food cache to loan to the new villagers and them paying it back with the wheat harvested next year. The food that was originally supposed to be sold in town would be loaned out as well. Because of the new immigrants, we have to sacrifice the income for one year in order to reap the benefits from the second year onwards. We dont reall have a choic but to do that, do we? I think it would also be fine to lend some money for tools and amusement. I dont think it was the right time to be recruiting immigrants but since theyre already here, theres nothing we can really do about it now. And with the increase in population, our productivity will also increase. Because of that, we should consider increasing our livestock and fencing out a plain with a lot of grass and let the cattle graze there. Lets also cultivate a field with plants that can be used to feed the animals during winter. Next would be the formation of the vigilante corps. We need to prevent crime after all. Even if they say that there already reflecting on their actions, there are still people with minor offenses around so people going on patrols and making rounds are still necessary. Since the number of our fields have increased, we should make a watchtower so that we can easily see spot monsters from above and it would be really convenient if we had a place with an extensive view. With the increase in our population, we should also add new water wells. We could create canals from the river nearby to draw water in. The water that we would draw in could also be used as a countermeasure during dry seasons. If we realize that we still have some other necessary things that we forgot to add, itll be fine to just deal with those when that time comes. Are there any questions? With that, I can just give additional details for the parts that they didnt understand. How was it? Do I have their consent? Y-yeah. For some reason, I just couldnt get any of that so could you summarize it a bit more for me? That was already summarized though Everythings the village chiefs fault. The food that we would lend to our immigrants should be paid back with food. We should also give a bit of sake and similar things to them. Create patrols. Increase livestock. Cultivate a field exclusively for livestock feed use. Add more water wells. Bring in water from the river to the village. Its the village chiefs fault. I get the Its the village chiefs fault at start and end but why do we have to use a field to cultivate animal feed? Wouldnt it be fine if we just did that if theres an extra field thats not being used? The chief had a complicated facial expression. He probably has something he wanted to say but just let it pass. If our livestock increases, we need to have that much fodder. If we do as you said, the animals will starve and die since we wont be able to feed them during winter. After going through all that effort in trying to increase them, wouldnt it be waste if we just went ahead and crushed all of that? Using a field produce animal fodder doesnt mean that everyones food stocks will decrease. If we determine the one thats for livestock use from the start, everyone, including the animals, would not go hungry. It would probably be fine if all that they eat is corn or something like that. It wont rot easily if we properly dry it. I was able understand that somehow. Im dumb so Ill be able to understand it if you say it like that Everyone around us agreed. This is bad If every adult around me is like this, Im going to be busy every year since Ill have to be the one to organize everything. You guys had better find someone brighter. Caam, you really dont have to go to school anymore, do you? How can you easily come up with those ideas? As I had expected, the meeting just ended up as a group discussion. Couldnt you somehow just deal with it using your magic? As I had also expected, we ended up on this topic. I produced a brick on top of my hand as I started talking. Ah` I tried doing that once by using an image of firing bricks but the sun had only set for a bit when it disappeared. It would probably disappear as the magic power gets cut but there wont be any problems if its just something like turning over soil. It wont disappear. I dont think that there would be any problems if the original object is already there and Im just using magic power to change it. Thats why I can probably dig up the water wells and the canals from the river for irrigation. However, stacking stones on the sides of those would be impossible for me. Since you dont have to be skilled to do that much, youll have to do that part Digging a hole for a water well takes time so if you have magic that can be used for well digging then we wont have any complaints To even try and do that when I was already amazed with you plowing those fieldsSensei is glad Before anyone noticed it, Birke-sensei2 appeared from the potted plant that was on the corner of the assembly hall. Its scary how she can travel anywhere if she used plants. After that we properly consolidated everything that was discussed and the village chief declared the end of our meeting. Father was drunk when he came home that evening but it seemed like he was really happy. Their conversation probably ended up being about me while they were drinking. There arent a lot of parents who wouldnt be happy hearing their child get praised. Im no longer a child though Once the plan has been settled, it was quickly put into action. Lets settle this before winter starts! Everyone started being desperate. You can say whatever you want about it but it seems like there were only a few who were opposed to the plan ofincreasing the size of the village. We built channels for water to flow into the fields. We also made two small ponds near the village for bathing and breeding fish and aquatic birds like ducks. Because of that, the aquatic demonkin villagers like my mother were unexpectedly delighted. Even though there were only a few of them compared to the number of human-like ones, it seems like they have secured their own task. When the village chief and guys from the senior class had decided where to place the water wells, I first started by lifting up a cylindrical-shaped soil off the ground. Oi, dig lower! Was what they said but I was not sure how far I need to dig before I hit water so I just aimed at a spot where the ground was wet. After that, following their instructions, we let the ground settle and the water level started increasing by about a meter. The pond for breeding fish needs to be a little deeper. If its shallow, theyll just get eaten by the aquatic birds. It would be okay to make it even deeper. Just leave it to us when the time for catching fish comes An aquatic demonkin onee-san came over and gleefully impeded on our task. Since I received her advice, I just obediently followed it. My knowledge when it comes to these kinds of things is nonexistent so that was really helpful to be honest. Skill?Offensive attribute?earth: 4acquired. I was able to raise it here as expected. Well start building the canal later so we just marked the places where it will pass through with stakes for now. The path we planned for it will start from the river, to the pond for bathing, then to fish breeding spot, through the highway and back to the river. The canal will be a meter wide and half a meter deep. Even with all of this, it doesnt mean that well be able to finish immediately. Just as they said, were only doing as much as we can before winter. This is like one of those city making games, isnt it? I played those before. The only difference is that Im doing it in real-time and Im not the mayor. Footnotes: 1. The village chief was talking to a lot of people so there were multiples. 2. I wasnt wrong with her name this time. Birke is German for Birch because shes a Japanese white birch dryad. CH 22 Hello () Im an idiot Twenty-two chapters later and I just realized that I havent said anything about supporting the author. Let me fix that right now. Support the author by buying the light novels on or . You can also use the ISBN to search for it on other stores: Vol. 1: 9784896375572 Vol. 2: 9784896375909 Vol. 3: 9784896376333 I also wrote that on the TOC. Ive only bought the first volume myself since Im poor I bought two though, one for reading and the other for display. The illustrations posted here arent mine though Disclaimer: I don''t guarantee that this is 100% accurate. Please let me know if there are any mistakes in my translations. Chapter 22: That time when everything has somehow turned out well By the time winter came, they have already started reinforcing the insides of the wells I dug up with stones and fences for the completed fields were being made. The watch tower was finished and we got someone to stand as a look out. We also made the members of the vigilante corps patrol the town in shifts. Everything went well with the watchtower and patrols because we were able to get the people who werent doing anything to help out by saying that everybody else is doing it as well. Whats more, it didnt even have to cost us anything. As our fields increased even more, they started saying, It doesnt matter whether theyre originally from the town or from the village, you better start getting someone to manage it With that said, the freshly recruited villagers have already started socializing with the other people in the village. The would-be minor offenses bunch havent been causing us any problems for now so thats good as well. And thus, while the snow was falling, the end of the year festival was held. This one hasnt caused any particular problems as well. Hey, Caam. You were asked to participate with the village meeting right? Ah, yeah. I was asked to attend for some reason. Its a terrible story you know? Still, its somewhat amazing that the things you said could have affected the village Un un Everyone here has learned from their previous experiences since theyre no longer drinking without restraint. Well, I was just applying common knowledge from my previous life in this world. I also did it when I created the well digging magic. The problem is that the village chief was being way too hasty that it would have been a disaster if, for some reason, we had to stop increasing the number of fields Was it a problematic to increase the number of the fields? Wurst and Speck looked like they were really interested as they waited for my reply. What are you expecting from me? Well, its just that increasing them would only makes managing things even more bothersome. If we extend our fields, we would have to increase the number of patrols as well as the watchtowers. The canals dont reach that far so we wont be able to supply water there. Theres also the fact that having to walk that far to reach the fields is just a pain so we also have to construct houses near the fields. Well also have to increase the number of wells if we did that. What if the people living near the fields need to do some shopping at the butchers or other shops at the center of the village? People would just say, Then, why dont we add another butchers shop. We could also add another tavern as well. However, if we did that then the things we would have to add will gradually pile up and eventually the isolated parts of the village would multiply. They would almost be like another community, I guess. O, oh Un? Well, when it comes to extending the fields, I think its better if we just build five to ten houses that will be placed in a single area, dig a well and gather a group that will stay there and be the one to manage that area. But still, if we did that then it will cause us plenty of troubles the next time we decide to extend our fields Im not drunk but as I continue drinking, the things that Im talking about is starting to turn into complaints. The area around here consists of plains so there are no large mountains and rivers. As far as I know, we dont experience heavy rains as well so flood control isnt necessary and building a dam small enough for irrigation is enough. Even the dam isnt really necessary, just roads that can be accessed by carriages is enough Y-yeah Another problem is the damage caused by insects and repeated cultivation. To revitalize the exhausted fields, well have to plant clovers while adding animal excrement and humus to the soil. We can also use the clovers as feed for the cattle. We wont be able to use the fields when we plant those so we can do beekeeping for the mean time. Im only going to copy what Ive seen so I wonder if Ill be able to make those frames correctly. Buckwheat would be nice too. Ergot in wheat is scary so it would be better to produce buckwheat. Having rice would have been perfect but I havent seen any paddy fields around this area. Rice is really resilient so you dont need Okay! We understand thats why you should just drink for today! Drink quickly! Drink a lot! Youre already tired, you know! You dont have to think about those things, okay? Were sorry that we interrupted your story but why dont we just drink for today? Th-thats right. Theres no need for you to think about such things even now, you know? Theyre right. Thats why you should drink. Ill go and get even more bar snacks It guess I was really tired since Ive been worrying about a lot of things lately. Regaining my composure, I thought it was strange that all of the noise around us was gone. When I looked around, I noticed that everyone was looking at us. It seems like while I was letting out my complaints, everyone else stopped what they were doing and started listening in. Come to think of it, Speck. How was it with Tryapka-san? It seems like you hated it at first Hmm` got used to her. Shes not a bad person. She has that overbearing side to her though I mean, didnt you look a bit dreary after the harvest festival? Was it that unpleasant? That was Well, she was a bit forceful so I was overwhelmed. That doesnt mean I hated it, you know?Un I see. Well, thats fine as long as you didnt dislike it. If ever you need help with anything, feel free to ask us okay? Thanks` Forceful, huh I can sort of imagine. Her appearance is that of a maid(She also has some clothes allows easier movement) but aside from that, theres an assailant1 aspect to her as well. I can tell since I still have my memories from the previous life. Thank god Granade-san2 isnt like that as well. The usual female group has added Tryapka-san as well but there are no particular changes within their group. Or rather, I just learned that shes only three years older than us. Me? When I finished school, I decided to work here as a janitor thats why Im not much different from everybody else Was what she said with a smile. I really cant tell the age of the demonkin in this world based on their appearance. The humans definitely age normally, right? Ive been here for seven years but still havent seen any. Like the last time, when they started getting drunk, the female group came over our table and sat next to the person theyre going out with. Of course, larger portions of meat was pilled up in front of me. And as expected, the conversation ended up being about me. Caam participated in the adults meeting and increased the number of wells among other things right? Well, I would not have been able to do it if I was alone The magic for plowing the fields is amazing you know? Im pretty sure that once they grasp the trick and they can use earth magic then anyone can do it Chicken coop expansion. Ducks, tasty? If tasty, want to make pond in garden I havent eaten anything other than chickens, you know? Although Ive heard that it has a slightly different taste. Rather than grilling it, wouldnt it be better to boil it in a soup? When talking about ducks, all I can think about is Kamo nanban. And while we were in the midst of our conversation, Tryapka-san was constantly stroking and patting Specks head. This person is just as indifferent as always. Isnt it just fine that the number of villagers increased and the adults happy! The problems havent occurred yet as well Thats right. There are thieves and slightly uncontrollable persons within the new villagers but theyre still properly behaving for now Its just scary at first but everyone is a nice person, you know? Its only because the people who came here were from the slums and low-class districts who were having trouble finding work, right? They probably couldnt afford to be complacent. The people from the village are kind so I wonder if thatll cause them to open up their hearts Well, even if problems do arise, that no longer has anything to do with me Drinking until we were drunk, I noticed that Suzuran wasnt impatient this time. It didnt seem like she was being greedy today so that thing most probably wont be happening. The other pairs were quite in a hurry to leave though. Because of that, we didnt have anything in particular to talk about so we just leisurely continued to drink until morning. Incidentally, we ran out of karaage while we were drinking. Because of that, Suzuran hurriedly went out in the middle of the night to strangle a chicken. I didnt think that I would be forced to help out in the end though. TL: Should I actually change the MCs name from Caam to Calm just like how God(the author) intended it to be? Vote . Footnotes: 1. In the LN shes called an oneshota who attacks cute boys 2. If you forgot, shes the manly cyclops girl CH 23 Hello (?_?) Regarding the last chapter, last time I checked, Calm and Caam were pretty much tied. That didnt really decide anything so Ill just continue using Caam I guess Im also taking down the LN illustrations page from this site. I wont be posting the rest of the LN illustrations as well. Ill still put illustrations on appropriate chapters like this one though. P.S. You may or may have not noticed but I also posted a glossary(as of chapter 11) last week. You can find it on the menu or at the bottom of this chapter. Chapter 23: That time when I was exempted from mandatory attendance Its been three months since the end of the year festival. To pass the time, Ive been diligently making glass beads. Wooden sculptures? Never heard of her1 When the snow stopped falling, sensei announced that school would be reopening so the next day, I passed by Suzurans house on the way to school like usual in order to wake her up. After all of our lessons ended, just as we were about to go home, I was called out by sensei. Caam-kun doesnt really need to come to school anymore since youre already capable enough when it comes to the fundamentals. Because of that, starting tomorrow, it has been decided that you will be exempted from the mandatory attendance at school. That is the conclusion that we have come up with after consulting it with the other teachers When I heard that, Ah, yes was the only reply I could come up with. It seems like my graduation will still be held together with everybody else, or at least thats what we were told. Rather, are they doing this so that they can tell me to work for the village? Suzuran who was next to me also heard the news and said, Still come to wake up tomorrow Did she get used to it, I wonder? She doesnt usually let her emotions show on her face but shes letting out a slightly troubled look. Okay, I understand. Rather than the meeting place, is it okay if I just immediately go to your place? Its probably better if I ask Ichii-san and Ricoris-san about this. * even if that might be the case, Ill still come over and wake her up I told them about it as I was drinking the tea I received. Ara`sorry for all the trouble. If thats the case then why dont you just move in together? *Bffftt! Cough cough cough.* Tea was forcefully spit out. No, thats alright. My house isnt that far away from here This goes without saying but both Ichii-san and I were the ones who did the spit take back there. Ah` is that so? The two of you would probably be fine if you live together in those newly opened rent houses, right? Since Caam-kun is diligent and good at cooking. Youll also have to find work since you no longer have to go to school. Im thrilled that Ill get to see the face of my grandchild earlier like this Please spare me already from your jokes. And its not that I dont have to go, Im just exempted from the mandatory attendance. Im more or less still enrolled. Also, Ive only been living for eight years and, as expected, I still dont have a stable source of income so for us to be living together Well, Im already 38 years old inside though. I dont know how long it takes from conception to delivery in this world but in the worst case, Ill already have a child before I even graduate. Please spare me from that. Ara` those things dont really matter. Right, dear? Y-yeah He was letting out a bit of cold sweat while averting his gaze. When we were about your age, we were already living together Oh yeah, it does seem like they eloped since Ricoris-san looks like shes from a well-off family. Ive never seen Suzurans grandparents and the only members of the Kishin2 tribe Ive seen are her family. Ill settle for travelling back and forth to wake her up every morning so lets not change anything for now I bowed my head as I requested that. Oh, thats too bad It seems like she truly was disappointed. At that moment, Suzuran came back from the chicken coop after she finished feeding the chickens. She immediately sat next to me and drank her tea like it was the most natural thing to do. Thanks to that, I got to experience the feeling of a man adopted into his brides family. Im okay with it since Im already used to it but Ichii-san who was seated in front of us had a really scary look. I just drank my tea to gloss it over. He didnt say anything about it so Im sure that Ricoris-san was giving him a discreet warning. He was scowling at me as he drank his tea. Then, Suzuran suddenly said, Caam, want to raise ducks so, need your help I looked at her parents and they gave me a nod so it seems like theyve already discussed this. So you already gave her permission Sure. I dont really mind but, how many are you planning to raise? Hmm`? She became quiet for about ten seconds then, If pairs then, 10 sets? *Bfffft!* This time, Ichii-san was the only one who spit out his tea. Ah` isnt that a bit too much? Look, even Ichii-sans surprised. Couldnt you decrease it a bit? How about four, for example? Would be difficult to increase if only a few since it seems like not like chickens that lays lots of eggs. Better if plenty from the beginning. If it gets little warmer, egg laying season will start thats why a single bird would start laying about 10 eggs. If thats the case then wont be able to eat much for the first year so want to determine the number that will raise ahead of time O-okay She always becomes talkative whenever it comes to meat but this is the first time Ive heard her talk like this. Then, would it be fine if we just start by buying three or four? If it gets to the point where the number being raised is not enough, well just purchase the ducks that are being raised in the villages shared pond. We can also discuss if were going to buy water birds from the fish farm at that time Hmm` She started making a serious expression that I havent seen from her before. After about 30 seconds, she then replied. Okay She really thought about it, huh. With the approval of Ichii-san, we discussed the approximate location and the size of the pond that will be made. Once we had decided on those, I drew lines on the specified area and drove in sticks on the corners. I would be building this whenever Im free. He told me, Im going to prepare the materials so Ill leave the rest of it to you That felt a bit like a father saying Please make a dog house for my daughter. My affinity with wood isnt that good though Is that alright? During dinner yesterday, I passed on to my parents what I was told at school. Im not really sure what you should do so you should go and ask the village chief yourself. Youre different from me since your smart thats why youll probably be asked to be some helper for the village so work hard with that Thats right. That would be safer as well` So Ill only have to do what Im told. Well, I guess thats how it is. According to that conversation, it seems like the people from the village already have expectations of me. Well, itll probably work out one way or another. As always, I went to Suzurans place to wake her up. I wanted to go to school as usual but I had to find the village chief first since I dont know where that person usually is. I went to the village square and yelled, CHIIIEEEFFF``! CHIIEEEFFFFFFF``! But he didnt come. He would usually appear behind me or from my blind spots. Well, its fine if hes not here since I can settle that matter with Suzurans ducks. Even though it was more or less still morning, I didnt skip out on my greetings. Well then, Im going to start with work, okay?` I said that to Ricoris-san and she replied, Ill leave it to you After greeting Ricoris-san, I first hammered in stakes on the designated corners. I then laid my shovel on the ground to measure the approximate distance to the center. When I found the center point, I also hammered in a stake there. Using the magic for making the fields, I mixed up the soil to let the water flow in making sure that the clay particles would sink to the bottom. Doing that would make it so that the water wouldnt permeate into the ground. I somehow managed to draw in water from the canal and succeeded in making the simple pond. Water would still need to be replenished from time to time so I also added a drainage barrier. The pond for water birds was surprisingly dirty so I made that to avoid letting the filthy water flow back into the clean canal. Later, Im going to try and find animals that maintain the clean water quality from the villages fish breeding area. Like crayfish and pond snails for example. Using the other chicken coop nearby as a reference, I also made a ducks house and laid down straw on it. Since Ive already done that, I arbitrarily decided to make beds as well. The things I added onto it started piling up that I ended up making it a bit larger than the other one. As the sound of hammering continued to resounded in the area, You called out to me earlier? a voice suddenly came from my back. Because of that, instead of hitting the nail, the hammer hit the wood causing it to be dented. Damn you, village chief! He sure comes at unexpected moments as usual. Since he doesnt have any presence, I wonder if this person has Concealmentor some other spy related skill? I couldnt hear his footsteps either. Well, I probably wouldnt have been able to hear his footsteps either way since I was hammering something earlier. Er, starting today, Ill be exempted from mandatory attendance at school so Im going to have at least a year of spare time. Because of that, I was going to ask what I should do for the village Umu, youre originally a student so I havent been thinking about that. Ill come up with something so just do what you have been usually doing for now. Well probably have you stand as a lookout or participate on the patrols. Youll also have to participate in meetings to some extent. After those jobs, all thats left is to join in with the adults for subjugation requests or hunting. Consider what you want to do from those Ive mentioned I understand. Ill come up with my answer After I said that, he didnt do anything particularly strange and just normally walked toward the center of the village. While wondering how he does those elusive actions of his, I kept on watching him until he was gone from my sight but I didnt see any odd occurrence. Hes a really mysterious old man. During the second day of work, I finished fencing the pond by surrounding the area in planks. The planks were about waist height and there were gaps that were just enough so that the ducks wont escape. Theyre poultry so they wont fly, right? As I was worrying about that, I went to ask the onee-san who manages the fish farm. If you raise them for eating, water birds wont fly you know? Well, they can but only as far as five to ten meters I guess. These guys are heavy so they wont be able to fly. You need to be careful when it comes to strong birds though, like those monsters that fly in the sky. She said that with a pleasant smile as she immediately began feed the freshwater fish with the feed she got from who knows where. Hmm, aerial countermeasures, huh. Predatory birds wont be a problem if I just make nets using reinforced string but when it comes to monsters Well, Ill just leave it to Suzuran when that time comes. I went to the stream near my training area in the forest to look for crayfish, pond snails and aquatic plants. Since I havent visited it for a while, my training area is starting to look run down. Sorry about this. Ill come and do some maintenance on you later Was what I said as I left and immediately started my search. I used magic to scoop out some of the water that was flowing on the stream in front of me. I then shaped it into a sphere and checked if there was anything inside. Its difficult trying to find things inside the stream. The water is always moving so you wont be able to find anything from above. Oh` there they are I murmured as I caught some crayfish and pond snails. I used magic to create a water ball and stored them inside of it. I found it strange how they dont fall outside of the water ball but I just decided not to mind it. When I went to the swamp that was a bit deeper into the forest, I found a turtle there so I just went ahead and caught it for the time being. And then, after picking suitable aquatic plants, I decided to go home. On my way home, I asked the onee-san at the fish farm if it would be okay to put some of the crayfish, pond snails and aquatic plants there. I got her approval so I place them in the pond. Ill put the remaining half in Suzurans duck pond. Since the turtle was looking quite pitiful, I build a some sort of floating island in the middle of the pond and released it there. It immediately started to bask in the sun and thinned its eyes, with a blank face. Should I build some sort of turtle nest? Dont really like turtles compared to other animals though I also havent eaten it before so I cant really say anything about the taste. * Half a year later, the floating island has already been occupied by the ducks and the turtle was starting to look even more pitiful so I just decided to make it a bit larger. * Once she came back from school, I reported to Suzuran. Ive more or less completed itThanks She replied as she hugged me. Im not sure if she did that because she was being grateful towards me or if shes just really glad that she can already start raising ducks. Ricoris-san was just grinning while looking at us but Im really glad that Ichii-san isnt here to see this. After that, I gave her instructions on how to refill the pond with water from the canal once the water level starts decreasing. While I was doing that, Ichii-san came back with the ducks. From what I heard, it seems like he went out of the village to buy the ducks. Thanks for the hard work. We immediately released the ducks on the pond and they delightfully started swimming. Then, they started dipping their faces into the water and started eating the crayfish and pond snails. TANISHI3````!! I screamed that in my mind. And I even had put them there to improve the water quality, even if just a bit Both my face and my mind became blank. How do I improve the water quality of a pond with just ducks in it? I dont know where she heard it from but Suzuran brought feed that was made up of foliage plants and started scattering it around that area. If that was given out a bit earlier, we could have probably extended the lifespan of the pond snails even for a bit. I honestly made light of the omnivorous nature of aquatic birds Footnotes: 1. Reference to Akagi from kancolle. just copied how it was translated in the wiki 2. I made a mistake with Suzurans familys race since I completely missed the (kami/shin/jin) kanji. Rather than just oni, theyre from the Kijin(, also read as Onigami/Kishin) tribe. Kijin/Onigami/Kishin is translated as fierce god but it can also be ogre/oni god. Im not sure if I should use onigami or kishin 3. Because POND SNAIL````!! would have sounded lame CH 24 Hello d(^^*) Sorry for the delay. I had a hard time translating this chapter because I didnt know a lot about liquors(aside from drinking and mixing it) plus its almost three times as long as regular chapters. Chapter 24: That time when I made distilled liquor It has been three months since that matter with Suzurans duck pen and the simple pond and theyve already started giving me work that Im supposed to do. Things like patrolling inside the village, manning the watchtower and managing the canals, Ive been working at relatively safe places. A few months ago I suggested tentative countermeasures against monsters to the other members of the patrol so the adults who have actual combat experience became in charge with dealing with that. Aside from that, Ive been thinking about making a new alcoholic beverage. Im going to use the knowledge I have from my previous world to make a still. For the time being, as an experiment, Im thinking of distilling mash made from inferior wheat yield. I was actually planning to go to the town later since I was thinking of exchanging techniques with the distillers there but then I remembered what happened at the bar of the inn we were staying at the last time we went to town. Thinking about what was poured from the flagon, I immediately dismissed that idea myself. When I proposed making a new sake to the village chief, he said Sure, if its only an experiment Because of that, I headed towards the villages trinket1 shop. Occhan, howve you been lately? Well, Ive been getting by with the increase of newcomers and all. Anyway, what is it? Those glass beads again? Occhan can do a bit of smithing, right? Right, I can do tinkering as well! With that, we started our pointless banter. When I thought the time was right, I immediately cut back into the main issue. Is occhan a drinker? Oi oi. You probably already know Im a heavy drinker but, whats this? Are you going to treat me? No, you shouldnt let someone younger treat you. No, I wanted to talk about a brewing tool for the new sake that Im going to make Is a barrel not enough? No, what I need is something like this As I said that, I used magic to make the soil take form in front of us and showed the sample that was just created to him. It was a simple still since that was all I could come up with using my limited knowledge. The pattern was quite simple as well. Whats this? Isnt that just a weird pitcher? Alcohol evaporates faster than water so you put sake inside of this container and light a fire at the bottom in order to boil it. The alcohol in the sake would separate from the water and turn into something like steam. If you collect that steam and cool it down, youll get an even stronger sake compared to beer and wine Oh, sounds interesting. What material is it made of? I cut the sample vertically in half and showed it to him. Please use copper Since I had a copper like color when I saw it during our field trip. Ive probably lured him in now since gave me a spirited reply while looking at the sample with great interest. You can put that away since Ive already got the general details of it in my head. Itll soon vanish anyway, right? Well, yeah Hmm. Then, how about the size? For the time being, it should be this big. Thinking about production, it should be the size of a house but Ill also need a couple of them as well If thats the case then theres no way I can do that by myself After that, we continued our pointless exchange then I went back to doing my patrols. A few days later, the trinket shops occhan came to our house to deliver the still. When I asked him about the price, he said You dont need to pay as long as I get to be the first one to drink that sake After that, he went back to his shop. Then, I immediately went to that tavern to buy sake. Caam-kun, you want sake while its still daytime? Youre starting to resemble you father, huh Hearing that, I replied. Im making a new sake He became intrigued after I said that and he came asking me about the details. If you let me drink that sake youre making, Ill give you these low-grade wines free of charge The person earlier only wanted to drink sake but this time, hes probably interested in it as the bartender of the tavern. When I went home, I was about to start the distillation but was immediately discovered by mother. Ara, sake even though its still daylight? Youve also become like your father with that, huh` or so she says. Does father really drink sake that much during daytime? Well, Im not going to drink it. I might be able to come up with new jobs for the village, you know? Hmm` I wonder if you really are our child. I havent done it with anyone else besides your father so Im sure that youre our child though` Stop it. I dont really want to hear my parents talking about such things, you know? Returning to my room, I placed a tripod made of wood on top of my slightly charred desk. When it comes to wood working, sculpting is no good but when it comes to DIY carpentry jobs like the duck pen I built the other day then, havent I gotten slightly better at it? My skill still hasnt gone up though. I poured in sake into the small hole at the side and was constantly letting out a small flame from my fingertip using fire magic to let it simmer. Having done that, the distilled liquor started trickling down from the spout so I took a flagon that I washed and dried to store it. The amount that came out was only a little. Thinking about its original alcohol content, it should be about this much I guess` While I was talking to myself, I checked its flavor and aroma. So this is pure alcohol The taste is a bit strong and it has an intense aroma as well. If I dilute it with distilled water and age it in a barrel, I made this from wine so would it turn into brandy? I dont have a lot though. The village chief, the occhan from the trinket shop and the bartender. For now itll have to be enough for these three. I got the three of them to gather at the tavern to try the new drink. This one is made from heating wine and letting the alcohol condense. I only got one bottles worth but its quite strong so please be careful *Cough cough* Its quite strong Hn` hot, or should I say, it hurts. But its not like I cant drink it Its spicy isnt it. And that sensation also persists inside the mouth They all had different reactions. If you put this inside a barrel and leave it be for at least a year, its aroma and taste would change so it would be easier to drink. You can also dilute it with water or drink it by adding lemon and sugar I was originally going put this in a barrel after adding distilled water to it but I probably wont succeeded with just my skill level and knowledge so I just gave up. You can also skip the barrel and put this straight into a bottle since I think it would taste just as good if you mix in fruit juices before drinking it. Or you can just drink it as is I guess I came since I was lured by the scent of strong sake but Its quite delicious even though its still being refined. Even dragonkins havent produced sake this strong. I dont mind making a personal investment into it if its like this so tell me more about it When we looked back, schools headmaster was there. I just wish that the older members villagers would stop walking around while erasing their presence. He just immediately brought up something quite amazing as well. Er`, we will have to make something like this thats as tall as those two-story buildings in town. Well also have to make a building that would fit that Then, I started thoroughly explaining the process to him. If you heat sake, only the alcoholic part of it would get pulled out!? Why havent our clan come up with such a simple thing up until now!? If it turns out well, I should bring some to my friends at my hometown! The principal became really excited. Its almost time for harvesting so thats why we should use all of remaining wheat from last year for distillation! The principal who has a childish appearance started going wild. We can drink this as early as next year, right? We dont need to age it!(Headmaster) I tried saying something but he wasnt listening. Never mind that! Ill bring a single barrel to the guys from my village to let them know of this beforehand and then let them have the aged product next year! This is for the sake of spreading knowledge, technology and the development of sake! Rather, if we dont produce a lot more this year, there wont be enough for next year as well! Im certain of that! Youre going to be sampling it a lot, arent you? What are you going to do about school then! Even without me, the school would continue to function! I only started the school as a hobby so it would be fine if Im not there for a while. Theyll be able to manage for about two months Or so he asserted. So thats why we dont need to pay tuition. Was that the reason why I was reincarnated here in this place? But still, this tiny and cute ossan was the type who doesnt stop once he starts running wild, huh. Even though he was pretty decent when he was still acting as a headmaster When it comes to the members schools staff, the only normal one is Moore-san who has practical experience in leadership. Fig-sensei turns into deplorable beauty whenever she starts drinking. Birke-sensei can only move in pots with her branches on it while her assistant, Gaike-chan is a mandrake. Tryapka-san usually runs out of control when it comes to Speck Well, I just got used to her I guess. Ive already stopped worrying about it. The number of people coming to the distillery to monitor it would just continue to increase. Theres a huge possibility that they would come to distill their own sake at their convenience. The possibility of them coming to taste it isnt that low as well. While saying, Were just going to sample the taste they would come to drink it everyday. At that rate, its possible that the barrels would go empty. Headmaster, if were aging these sake, how long would we have to wait in order for it to become delicious? Unlike beer, it tastes better the older it gets, right? I tried changing the topic. Mu Then, we should place them at the very back of the precious cellar without opening it for four hundred seasons. We still need to make money so how about just putting three barrels in there There wouldnt be any sake inside if we leave it be for that long. I think letting ten end of the year festivals pass would be good enough I might have just made it worse by saying that since hes part of a long-lived race After that, the principals funds, enthusiasm and love for sake converged so we able to finished making a still and construct the villages distillery. We attaching the name of the village to it so the drink called Beryl Sake started to be sold on the market. People from various towns and villages started coming to us in order to train under our craftsmen and learn their techniques. Taverns named Beryl were built in those towns and villages and different kinds of distilled liquor started emerging. Of course, the ingredients were different as well as the taste so those who loved drinking started barhopping in order to try those outbut that is a story for another time. The principal set out a few days before the harvest festival. Even though there were concerns about the time it would take to complete the harvest because of the expansion, we were able to finish without any particular delays. We were fortunate that there were a lot of people who can reasonably use magic among our new immigrants. I think it would be a waste not to teach techniques that could be taught. I think it would be better if such technology would spread out to other villages and towns. While we were busy preparing for the harvest festival, the headmaster came back along with several other people. Hey, Caam-kun. These guys are fellow dragonkin but theyre still just immature kids. Theyre here to learn distillation techniques so could you teach them? Well be in your care The three women came over and politely bowed their heads. Im relieved to see that they arent arrogant. They had a really prideful image in my previous life so I thought they would say something like,The one wholl be teaching us is this lowly human? It really is bad having preconceptions, isnt it? Incidentally, while they were bowing their heads, the breasts of two of them started to jiggle. Oooooo` The other guys in the area were excited but I just replied, I look forward to working with you as well I shouldnt stop acting like a gentleman just because of that, right? Later, I was sent flying by a magnificent body blow from Suzuran since she found out that I looked at their breasts. By the way, he said that they were young but they were taller compared to the headmaster. Or rather, no matter how you look at him, you wont be able to see the headmaster as anything other than a kid. What a strange race. For generations, it seems like the task of making sake was left to the women of the dragonkin. If I remember correctly, in my previous life, wine used to be made by having someone stomp on the grapes. It seems like that job was usually assigned to beautiful women. Having rough men stomping on grapes to make wine is somewhat Men of that time probably had fungus in their feet as well. Even if they somehow removed all traces of that, I still wont feel like drinking it. If I think of it like that, it would be natural to let the women be the one to stomp on the grapes. Even in Japan, shrine maidens were the one tasked to chew on rice when making sake. After giving them a brief explanation, I showed them the miniature model of the still that was made earlier. That was all we did for now so while they were under training, they will be staying at vacant houses. It seems like theyll only be staying here for a few days after the harvest festival. This years harvest festival was rough. The new villagers started drinking without reserve. The sake wasnt aged and they didnt even dilute it so they were drinking pure alcohol. Well still be fine if its only this much! Arent you going to drink too? One guy who was getting carried away said was influencing everyone around him to drink. Everyone started drinking the hard liquor like usual even though they were supposed to squeeze fruit juices into it to tone down the alcohol levels. Even the women were drinking it as well so all of the adults ended up really drunk as expected. The girls that the headmaster brought along drank it straight as well. So you could also drink it as is Id like it more of it had even more kick It would be nice if it was sweet as well, right? As they were exchanging their opinions while drinking, a drunkard interrupted them. He was about to rub their breasts when they turned the tables on him and held him down. That hurts! Still, its nice to feel breasts hitting against my back! Since I was no longer able to stop the other guests from drinking, I just left them to the other guys who werent that drunk. The men were looking forward to seeing those things jiggle so they kept making passes at the dragonkin girls. Just looking at it is already a sight for sore eyes, right? Suzuran was also drinking like usual but the air around her is a bit strange. She has those glazed eyes like but she didnt care about her disheveled clothes and was indifferent towards the meat shes eating. Aa-ah, her mouths dirty now. I guess Ill have to go there and wipe her face later. It was already too late for the three idiots since they were already wasted. At least they havent vomited all over the place yet. Mir was considerably drunk as well since shes laughing while forcing Schinken to drink even more. Stop it! Hes going to die! Kuchinashi was in a similar state and kept on pressing her chest against Wurst. As she was doing that, he was starting to be crushed by her breasts. Kuchinashis surprisingly big, isnt she? I can say that since I was hugged by her before. Tryapka-san took it to the extreme since she started attacking Speck in public. Still, it would be problematic if they do the act in a public area. The surrounding womens faces were dyed in red seeing a cute boy being undressed. I was just silently observing at first but once a space started to opened up, I went in and stopped it. I received a few jeers for that but I couldnt let a friend get attacked while I just stand there and watch so I just ignored everybody else besides those two. Theyre probably on route to Tryapka-sans house right now. That guys a girl desuAn ikimen with breasts They were definitely referring to Granade when they said that. I though that it fits though since she was drinking enthusiastically. No ones getting close to her since shes scary. Even I dont even know what Ill do if I get mixed up with her. The image of her stabbing the lump of meat and eating it is more frightening than seeing an actual bandit doing it. Caam again, huh My sons amazing, right! So Caam was the one who came up with this This will be the villages specialty product Thats what the adults were saying but Ive heard that same conversation four times already. Since theyve been repeating the same lines over and over again, I wonder if the alcohol started getting into their heads. They should really stop drinking soon because theyll die. Since it would be quite problematic if they died, Its just iced water but you drunkards should drink this I said that while bringing a pitcher filled with water but when they heard that, they said Cold is good too! Thats right! Should we also put a bit of lemon in it? and started drinking watered down alcohol. These adults are no good. While I was looking after everyone to some extent, I started a conversation with the three dragonkin women. Were you somehow able to understand the method of making distilled liquor? Yes, thanks to you. The only issue now is with the still since its difficult to find someone who can make something that big. Even though we already have that one barrel, that wouldnt be enough since that drink has already become the favorite of everyone from our race. Well just have to ask the chiefs acquaintance blacksmith so that it would no longer be a problem It seems like Occhan from this villages trinket shop has a bit of dwarf blood in his veins but he said it was still impossible for him to make that alone. He had to hire a lot of help just to complete one that big. Once the still has been made, next would be to decide whether to make sake from grains or potatoes. What kind of area do you guys live in? We live in the mountains desu. We can find wheat once we descend from the mountains but since theres a lot of snow during winter, the soil becomes sterile so tubers are prevalent. We also raise a small quantity of buckwheat Well, thats alright since it would still become sake once you ferment it. It would become somewhat tasteless or the flavor would be a bit different but it would still be distilled liquor in the end. I just dont know what would happen if you blend it since I havent done it yet They would be making Imo Jochu or Soba Shochu I guess. Are there no other ways of making it? I tried steeping different fruits and spices into the finished liquor to try and add flavor However, you should store the liquor in bottles or jars at that time to preserve the aroma since it will probably just permeate through if you use barrels. You may also steep herbs and spices that are good for the body into the liquor to turn it into medicinal alcohol. It would still cause adverse effects if you drink too much though Everybody laughed as I said that. In my previous life, they would put peppers, herbs and even a whole apple into the bottles. There were also those brown bottles with spices that were good for the body or natural remedies in them. Wouldnt it be good for the body if you drink too much? Back when it was still advertised as an elixir of life, they would put things that were good for the body in the alcohol. In order to get rid of the taste, they started sweetening it. I guess that was when they started calling it liqueur. Well, the manufacturing method of alcohol hasnt really spread out at that time so I think that it was good that the variations of alcohol in that region increased. Ah`, that just made me want to drink Japanese Liquor. I would need rice to make that but I still havent seen any paddy fields in this area. I want to drink Umeshu as well. As we were getting even deeper into our conversation, Suzuran suddenly barged into the middle of it with a face that didnt look amused. She then sat next to me and hugged my arm. Ara ara, it seems like shes jealous. You dont have to worry, Ojou-san, were not going to steal him She said that with a big smile but Suzuran still remained vigilant. It seems like she was glancing at her chest. Im not that fussy when it comes to breasts though. Noticing her gaze, the dragonkin girl said, Ara, are you interested in my breasts? She touched them with both hands as she said that and proceeded to jiggle them. What a sight. Thank you for the meal. How to make it bigger? Could not make mine bigger no matter what Suzuran started rubbing the sides of her chest. So she had a complex with that. A girl who is worried about her small chest is cute too. I didnt do anything in particular, you know? Thats right. Before I noticed it, they were already like that Umu, Im bigger than everybody else but I also didnt do anything in particular. I tried making them smaller instead but stopped since I was worried that milk wouldnt come out once I gave birth The one with the smallest chest among them said, It may be small but theres nothing wrong with that. She said that as a follow-up but, even though she may be small, Im certain that shes still bigger compared to Suzuran. It doesnt really sound persuasive when someone whos even bigger than you says that. As the five of us continued drinking, one of them asked. Caam-san is strong with alcohol, isnt he? Well, thats because I have level 2 poison resistanceis not how I replied. Skill?Poison Resistance: 3acquired. Its been a while since one of my skills just randomly leveled up. I was given this ability that lets me more or less easily increase the level of my skillsor at least thats what I was told before I reincarnated but I feel like I lost something instead. I felt like god just hurriedly pressed some buttons without giving any thought to it while increase my abilities. I wonder if thats just my imagination? Then, the slender one of the three suddenly asked. Are you guys a couple? It was so sudden that I almost choked on my sake just as it entered my throat. Well, were more or less like that but we still dont have plans to have kids, you know? I dont even have stable source of income. I dont want us to go hungry so I want to at least earn` How naive! Women dont care about those things because they would want to have the child of the person they love as soon as they can I was interrupted while I was still in the middle of saying something. Shes right, you know` This village is abundant when it comes to food so its fine if you just take it one step at a time and thinking about then when that time comes Umu, I also dont mind that as well. Or rather, even though the girl wants it, this guy is quite slow on the uptake. The ojou-san over heres starting to look pitiable What? Are all the dragonkins this bold? I couldnt imagine myself doing such a thing. Because she suddenly said something in a loud voice, everyone else started looking at us. Anybody would look if they hear someone saying things like making children and wanting kids. No, well, Ive been thinking about finding work in town once I graduate from school. I want money for sure but Im not that skillful when it comes to making things thats why Ive been thinking about studying a lot of things. When we went to town the other day, I tried checking the adventurers guilds day laborer jobs. Repairing the outer gate, making bricks, there were a lot of things there. When making wells, I can deal with it using magic. Only the digging part though, Ill have to leave reinforcing the well with stones to other people since I dont know how to do it. What would you think of an adult in that situation? Thats what Ive been considering. We should be able to do a lot of things since were still kids after all. Thats why even though I feel bad for Suzurans I want her to wait for a bit. I received slightly harsh remarks from the dragonkin girls after that but the worst one of them all was, To prevent affairs, you should go and make a child. Even if the parent isnt there, kids would still grow up. Its already enough so only having the mother there would suffice. Theres a chance that men would die when they go into battle thats why you should go ahead and make children. It would be sad for the ojou-san if you dont Umu, its as she said. I think its better if you form a child first That would have been unthinkable in my previous life, you know`. You see, if you say things like that, Suzurans going to feel like doing it. Ah`, damn it. Her eyes have already started looking like shes hunting for prey. And besides, I absolutely dont want to her to turn into a single mother. You often hear those stories about couples who dont use protection separating once a they make a child, right. I really want you to spare me from that. Wurst and Schinken went, Is that true?, and asked their respective partners. Seriously, please give me a break. No, well`, I believe that it would depend on the race. I think its better to make a child if you partner has went through all that trouble and still came back. I mean, a child would definitely be better off having a father, right? What would you do if you died? The ojou-san would be sad, you know? Umu. We can say this since were women but even if the man dies, we would be happier if we could at least have a child as a keepsake from them. Thats why you should go ahead and make them No. The neighboring town is just half a day away and the monsters that come out of the highway are only around the level of goblins. Thats why I can still return home on a regular basis, you know? We each had point that we wouldnt concede. Is this because of the difference in race? Or rather, my opinions are based on the norm of my previous life I might have said something strange earlier. Suzuran who was staring at me looks happy. Everyone around us started whistling. Ill just ignore them. Well then, that being the case, the woman has already consented. If thats what will make the ojou-san happy Or rather, if ever I hear word about you dying, Im going to find your dead body and kick it, okay? Im not sure whether thats good or bad thing. Is it really alright for her to kick a dead body just like that? Well, I guess you could say that our interaction with another race after induction course reached the point where we could be frank around each other. After our conversation was over, Suzuran seized my arm and forcefully dragged me back home. While I was being dragged against my will, The ojou-san sure is strong, isnt she? I agree. Women arent usually that strong-willed so do you best, ojou-san To her happiness` Was what I heard. Theyre really cheering for Suzuran, arent they? Regarding what happened next, she was also gentle this time even though we havent done it for a while. My manhood was somehow saved because of that. I wonder if what happened last winter was effective. Well, since I have this chance, I wonder if I should increase the number of times we do it. Is the overbearing girl without breasts next to me that I should be consulting this about already asleep? Skill?Charm Resistance: 3acquired. Do these skills easily go up during festivals because the gods are watching? We wont look while youre doing the act, you know` Is what they said but that sounded fishy. Im going to interrogate them the next time I go to that room. ~Idle Talk~ A certain new villager asked, Hey, why wont they just go home if theyre already drunk? Well, its for that. Theyre being considerate of the children of marriageable age so they dont go home during festival days Wait, you mean theyre getting it on at home right now? I guess so. The village has gotten a lot bigger these days but it used to be small. Where would the children do that act? Theres no place here intended for that. It was a small village so there were no inns. Even if there were, they would easily get discovered, right? Thats why the adults dont go home until morning. Thats what happened during my time and well continue doing so from now on Wringing a fruit into his liquor, he drank it while having a reminiscent look. They can just use the left over rent houses these days but, well, they would have to clean the stains themselves though So thats why. Im just following their customs over here but I still havent heard all the minor details so I didnt know. Ive been staying in town for a long time now so Im used to having lovers inns for that kind of thing. I dont have a partner for that right now though The man laughed as he gulped down all of his sake in one go. Seeing that, a woman nearby came and poured sake into his empty cup and tapped the shoulder of the person that the man was talking to. Reading the mood, he vacated his seat so that the woman could take his place. It seems like the woman had already thought that the man wasnt that bad from the start so it didnt take that long for the two of them to leave together. CH 25 Hello (*??)? If you havent seen my post a few days ago, I moved to a new website. Im not sure what to do with the other one so Ill just leave it as is for now. Oh, and please let me know if you encounter any problems with the site since I dont really know what Im doing. Anyway, this is the last chapter of this arc~ Only 25 (28 actually, including another R18 chapter) more to go before our MC gets blackmailed into becoming a demon lord. P.S. I know I just launched the site and all but I will not be posting a chapter next week. Ill be taking a break and sorting some personal stuff out. Chapter 25: That time when I went to town for work The end of the year festival had ended and its almost time for spring to come. Starting tomorrow, the school would be reopening once again Sensei announced that at the village square. Because of that, I decided to go to school. We were told that we could graduate as early as two to three years but since I was exempted from mandatory attendance last year, I probably wont be having any particular problems regarding that. I was thinking about that as I walked to our meeting place but Suzuran didnt come as usual so I had to go and wake her up. By the way, these skills increased during winter. Craftsmanship: 2Recovery Magic: 2Physical Augmentation: 2 Craftsmanships level went up while I was creating glass beads and Physical Augmentation during my muscle training. I made a mistake and burned my hand while melting glass so when I used Recovery Magic at that time, its level increased. Im not really sure why it went up though since there werent a lot of situations where I could use it. A little after we arrived at school, the headmaster and the rest of the teachers entered out classroom. Ahem` Since we have deemed that everyone has enough knowledge and ability that you wont have any particular problems surviving, it would be alright for us to say that you will be joining the ranks of the adults starting tomorrow. Congratulations to everyone for graduating. Did you do as I asked before we entered our winter break to ask your parents where you will work? If you havent then you should have that discussion with them and decide beforehand After saying that, all of them left the classroom. Oi oi, wasnt that really simple for a graduation ceremony? I wasnt asked to have that discussion you know? Suzuran-san? Why didnt you properly inform me of that? When I asked afterwards, hn? she just ended the conversation with that. Isnt that a bit harsh? I asked the three idiots who remained in class and they told me that they were going to remain in the village. Their partners seem to be doing the same as well. Huh? Does this mean Im the only one who wants to go to town? So what will you guys do here in the village? Ha? It has been decided that Im going to work at the distillery warehouse you know? I was just doing odd jobs at first but got hired permanently because it seems like the headmaster is planning to increase the number of stills I would be part of the patrols and defense in the area near the forest. Since my eyesights good, theyve been planning to let me man the watchtower My nose is good so I will be patrolling near the highway` Oi oi, has everyone already made their decision? Am I the only one without a concrete plan? Someone whos supposed to be almost forty inside is unemployed? Nononono, havent I already decided that Im going to town to study skills that Im lacking? I would only be unemployed if my parents are against it. Because of how Suzuran is, I wasnt able to discuss with my parents what Ill do after graduation I want to go to town but if my parents dont approve of it Id become unemployed Would freeter be a better word to use in this world? Youll be fiine~ Even if they dont let you go to town, because of the villages growth, youll probably be given a job by the village chiefs side Right. You can do anything thats why you it probably wont get to the point where you wont have anything to do Yeah, since Caams really clever Guys, why did you just tell me that while keeping eye contact like usual? This old man would get shy if you say something like that, you know? For the time being, I tried speaking to my parents about that at dinner. You know, I just graduated but I wont be working in the village. Im going to town since I want to learn various things there When I said that, Its your life. Do what you want, it doesnt matter to me which plains you die. Its just that if you do, Suzuran-chan would be sad, You should at least send letters periodically or come and show your face once in a while. I mean, its just a half a day walk right? Wouldnt it be fine as long as you get Suzuran-chans consent? This is a conversation about me so why do they keep on inserting Suzurans name in there? Well, its probably fine since weve already talked about during the harvest festival together with the dragonkin girls. I was thinking of that while being overly optimistic. * Meet once every 30 days So she wants us to meet once a month. I guess that should be expected since we really enjoyed ourselves a few times inside the unoccupied houses after the harvest festival. Okay, I will come back once every 30 days With that, my trip to town has been finalized. * Well then, Im off Take care of your self Your coming back once every thirty days, right? I placed my remodeled rucksack on my back while the machete and crowbar are at my waist. After placing the shovel I was holding over my shoulder, I began my departure. Why are they treating this lightly even though Im about to go work in town. Well, the town is only half a day away so its probably that. The village chief was saying stuff like If Caam-kun isnt here, what would we do about the village! Because of that, Wurst had to hold him down as I left for the highway. It seems like the village chiefs already depending too much on me. After saying goodbye, I headed for town. I already got the foundations down to an extent and I also have an understanding of how to build facilities so all thats left is to improve it. Im not really sure how long Ill be staying in town but it should be at least three years. Since I would be working at that time, three years might just feel like three months or three weeks or even three days. It was really peaceful along the way and the fields and canal that the village chief forcibly increased were still by the side of the road. When we went to town two years ago, you could no longer see fields after leaving the village. If you think about it, magic sure is amazing. I originally wanted to take a short break every hour but I increased my pace so that I can reach the gazebo at the halfway point since its almost noon anyway. For my lunch, Suzuran woke up unusually early in order to make me a bento thats why Im a bit excited. To my surprise, I found a karaage bento when I opened it. Everything inside was light brown. It was just a few pieces of karaage and white bread though. You should have put vegetables in it too you know Moreover, the white bread wasnt even sliced so there was nothing but light brown stuff in it. I was able to reach Aegirine town somehow without even encountering a single wildlife or monster. In front of the towns gate, there were people lining up so I went to the end of it to do the same. If I remember correctly, Ill need to pay 5 large copper to enter the town. Next! I was called while I was thinking about that so I stepped forward. Im Caam from Beryl Village. I have already entered this town two years ago Ah` wait for a bit For some reason, he started checking on a few stacks of papers. Do they put all of the papers from neighboring villages together like that, I wonder. Ah, there it is. It doesnt look like there are any discrepancies. Did you get a bit taller? What is the purpose of your stay? Im here for work. Once every thirty days, Ill be going back to my village Is that so? Im sorry about this but youll have to pay 5 large copper each time you do that. Would that be okay? Yeah. I dont mind Anyway, please report here once you found a place to settled down Well, for the mean time, Ill be staying at the inn that the Beryl villages students used last time I pointed at the place as I said that. Ah, that place? He wrote something on the papers again after that. Go along now. Dont cause any problems, okay? After replying, I headed towards the inn. There, a well-built oba-chan said, Welcome. Ara, are you from Beryl Village? I remembered you because of the color of your skin Thanks for that time. This time, I came because Im going to be working in this town. Ill be troubling you for the time being while Im searching for an apartment Then, Ill give you a discount if you stay for ten days Hm` I want finish searching in less than ten days so, how much would it be just for a day? A single room without meals is 3 large copper but if youll stay for ten days then itll just 2 large copper per night. Wouldnt it be alright you just go for the ten-day contract for now and just change it to the one day contract if you manage to find one before the sixth day? I guess thats fine. Ill go with that I left my luggage in my room and immediately went out to search for an apartment. For the time being, I tried asking guards who were by the guideposts on the main street. Excuse me. I just wanted to ask where I can find apartments in this town Hm? Are you looking for those at the lower class or middle class districts? You dont want those in the high-class district, right? Well, as a reference, please teach me the location of both the low and middle class ones In that case then the low-class district is around the gate in the direction where the sun rises. As for middle class, if youre facing the direction where the sun rises, its the gate to the right of that So theyre by the east and south gates. Since the lower class district is at the east, does that mean the high-class district is at the west side? Thank you very much By the way, it would be 5 silver for a thirty-day stay at the middle-class apartments while it would be around 2 or 3 silver for the cheap ones After saying my thanks, I headed for a lower class since I thought that would be enough for someone like me. After walking for a bit, I found a few notable places and decided to have a meal before returning to the inn. The place was the restaurant where Suzuran relentlessly ate karaage. Welcome. Ah`, you were the one with the little missy who has a large appetite Hello. Thank you for what you did during that time She led me to a vacant seat. I remembered you because of your skin color. Youre not together with that little missy this time? I feel like she just remembered me because I was with Suzuran. I was the only one who came here from the village to work I see. So, want to eat karaage? No since that girl made me a karaage bento for lunch. Ill have the daily special. Thats too bad. Todays special is karaage, you know? well, just give me anything I can eat for 1 large copper coin Sure thing The oba-chan smiled and headed towards the kitchen. I returned to the inn after that. Nothing particularly interesting happened so I immediately went to sleep. That day, I had a karaage filled nightmare CH 26 Chapter 26: That time when I did my greetings when I first moved in After getting familiar with the place yesterday, I walked around the low-class district for around ten minutes as I casually looked for a place to stay. I tried asking if there were rooms available and right now, Im currently being given a tour of the place by the landlady. For the time being, Ill try checking out other places After I said that, I went out to check other places. You can find buildings with signs that say Rooms Available written in cheap looking wooden planks all around. So there are things like these in this world too. In my previous life, you could often find places with signboards that say Currently accepting tenants placed on gates and fences. After looking around for a bit, I went back to the place that I liked the most. What is it? Youre here again? This young1 cat-eared woman who speaks indifferently left quite an impression. Although I say that, Im not aiming for the landlady okay? Yep. After checking out other places, I think this place is good Is that so? Her ears started pressing against her head. I wonder if that means she glad. I cant really tell with her tail since its under her skirt so I cant see it. The monthly cost for this place is 3 silver and 6 large copper. Its a bit expensive compared to the average market price but I guess its reasonable since the rooms are quite clean, for an establishment at the low-class district that is. The main reason why I picked this place though is the fact that their common garbage disposal area was pretty clean. They have shared cleaning tools as well. Want to move in immediately? Yes. Please treat me well Then, the next payment would be thirty days from now. Heres the key I paid the rent and received the key so I immediately went inside. It is as what you would expect of medieval Europe styled buildings, even the insides look authentic. The room had a small fireplace. A wooden frame bed was right next to the wall and a small round table and a chair was placed at the center. It also had a tiny closet, a simple shelf and a single lamp hanging from the ceiling. Only the looks are the same though since there was almost nothing inside By the way, the whole building was made out of bricks. It had two floors and a total of eight rooms. My room was the third one on the first floor and the landlady occupied the first room. As she left, she told me, Call me if anything comes up Incidentally, my current room was bigger than the one I had in my previous life. There are common toilets and a kitchen but the building doesnt have its own baths. Theres a bathhouse nearby though. That should have been quite obvious that it wouldnt have its own baths since this world lacks technological advancement but, oh well, I guess Ill just have to get used to it. When I traced my finger across the table, the amount of dust started changing its color. I guess I should do some cleaning first. Hey landlady, you should at least ventilate the room and do a bit of cleaning whenever theres no one occupying it you know? Here are the things that Ill need to buy later. ?A futon set ?Lamp oil ?daily essentials ?gifts to give to my neighbors when I do my greetings Thats all I guess. To be honest, I dont know if theres a custom in this world where they give gifts when doing greetings after moving in but theres no harm in doing it. Its important to have a harmonious relationship with the neighbors after all. I wonder if these are just my feelings as a former Japanese person. Aa` that just reminded me of how much I want to eat soba. Buckwheat actually exists in this world but the problem is that I dont have the noodle soup base so I wont be able to eat it even if I make the noodles. I dont even know how to make the soup base in the first place. How do you make it? A cheap towel and soap would probably be good enough as a gift to my neighbors. I can only think of those things when it comes to commodities that are frequently used in this world. When I returned to the inn, I said. Ah` Ive already found one Then I gave payment for two days worth of stay. Youve only stayed for one day, right? I wouldnt have said anything even if you left your luggage in your room until close to noon you know. Youre going to have a lot of expenses so even though its just a bit, you should save it I was told that so I just did what she said and paid for only one days stay then gathered my luggage and went back to the apartment. Its just dust but I should still get rid of it before going out to do my shopping. To do that, I used wind magic to blow it off all off. I was actually raising both my hands forward while laughing loudly as I used my magic but I wasnt sure whether or not my neighbors were around so I just finished my task quietly. This guy whos an old man close to a forty inside is acting like a kid, you say? Thats right. No matter what age, men would always be a child at heart! Wahahahahahaha! Now that I think about it, Ive found simple cuisines from Earth but I havent seen any mattresses in this word. With their current technology here, it would just be something like a spring mattress though. That doesnt mean that Im looking to buy a mattress. I wont feel uncomfortable sleeping in a wooden frame bed since I had a tatami style bed in my previous life. After eating the daily special at the restaurant I visited yesterday, I finally started doing my shopping. While in the middle of shopping, I thought. Futons sure are expensive The shop wasnt that expensive, it was just how it was normally priced. Its probably because there are no synthetic fibers in this world so they have to use cotton and wool which doesnt have a stable supply. Well, theres no use complaining about it so I just bought it and went home. When I arrived, I got a worn out cloth, grasped it firmly in my hand and used water magic in order to make it wet. Then, I started wiping the bed so that I could put the futon and other things I bought on it. The filthy water would go into the gutter near the well. I wonder if they have sewers here as well. Since Ive already finished cleaning, I started laying out the futon and put my crowbar, machete, and tableware on the shelf. After placing my clothes inside the closet and leaning the shovel against the wall, everything was more or less in place. I was able to move in this quickly since I only had a few things. I dont have a TV or a PC and I didnt need to transport my own bed and tableware from the village. Well, I had to spend a lot though but those were necessary expenses so its all good. The only issue now is my neighbors. I dont hear any sounds from their rooms and I cant feel their presence either. From what the landlady said, all of the rooms have been filled after I moved in so Im sure that there are people living there. Ill just have to wait until evening I guess. Since I finished moving in early, Ive started talking to myself again. I guess I should go register at the guild and buy ingredients for dinner. When I entered the guild, I went to the same rabbit-eared receptionist onee-san from two years ago. Hello`. I want to register to the guild so please guide me through the process Yes, understood. Would a full explanation be necessary? No need. I already heard it two years ago but please inform me if there were any changes to it Her eyes looked at the upper right like shes trying to remember something. No. there were no particular changes to it. Well then, these are the documents that need to be filled up Full Name: Caam Special skill: Able to use convenient magic Vanguard Rear Guard2 Useable magic attributes: Fire?Water?Earth?Wind?Light?Dark?etc. Remarks: Craftsmanship: somewhat capable of making handicrafts Good at throwing. Is pretty accurate if the target is around thirty paces away. Thats all I guess. Regarding my full name I only have a first name so it really cant be helped. Do I need to have a surname? If its nobles then they probably have those. Actually, it seems like Mir has a really long last name. I dont know what it is though. Well, whatever. As for the throwing part in the remarks area, I settled for the number of steps since I didnt know if they have something like the metric system in this world. Would this be alright? After briefly checking on it, she said. Yes, its alright. Could you tell me the reason why you checked both vanguard and rear guard? Its also amazing how you are able to use all of the attributes, but what does your special skill and this etc. in your magic attributes mean? I was assigned as a vanguard during subjugations back in my village but since I can use magic, I checked rear guard as well. You could say that Im a jack of all trades. With regards to etc., I just put that there since I dont know how to classify creating hot water or a warm breeze by combining several of the attributes together. I can do it right now to show you I actually did it in front of her to show her. I created a water ball with warm water and let out warm air from my hands. When she touched the water ball, I heard her say in a small voice, Ah, its just right Then, she dried her hands using the warm air. youre really skillful, arent you? I certainly havent seen something like that anywhere Is that so? Well, I was just able to do it. She started writing something on the documents. At the remarks area, she wrote, Able to use compound magic with a pretty handwriting. About this craftsmanship, what is this you call handicrafts? I had no work to do during one of our winter breaks so I started making these in order to pass the time and maybe make some money in the process as well As I said that, I showed her the glass bead attached to my leather pouch with a string. Its quite pretty isnt it. Could I buy some after you finish your registration? Its surprising that theres a high demand for glass beads over here as well. Its okay since I have some prepared in advance. Should I go get them? Please. By the way, how much is it? If I remember correctly, I think I got 3 silver when I sold all that I made at that time to our villages trinket shop. I thought that it would only go for around 5 to 8 coppers but it was sold around the village for 2 large copper a piece. Because of that, how about 1 large copper? It seems like she really wants it since she couldnt take her eyes off it. I wonder if its that rare. Aside from handicrafts, I could also build things around the level of a chicken coop. I was only treated to dinner for that so please dont think that I wont accept jobs that dont have a monetary reward I understand She started writing something again. I was asked other things too like in a job interview so I just answered honestly. Every time I did that, she started writing something on the documents. Okay. That would be all. Ill be preparing your guild card right now so please wait for a bit. Here you go. Then, Ill just go and get the glass beads that you paid for earlier okay? Ah` yes. I have certainly received 5 silver. Processing this would probably take just as long as if you go out to buy bread at the bakery around this area so you dont need to be in a hurry Would take just as long as if I go out to buy bread, you say? Well then, Im off to the nearest bakeshop thentte, does she mean around five minutes? Still, that was quite an amazing way to put it. Is this what happens when a world has no concept of time? I picked up the glass bead, placed it inside my pouch and returned to the guild. When I arrived, the guild card was already finished. This will be your guild card. Reissuing the card will cost 1 silver so please try not to lose it as much as possible. The card that I received was made from iron plate. Caam: Rank 1 Vanguard/Rear Guard Fire/Water/Wind/Earth/Light/Fire My physical characteristics are written on the other side. Is this what counts as some sort of identification? Written on it is your name, rank, whether your vanguard or rear guard and what magic attributes you can use. Since Caam-sama can cover both positions, both of them is written there. If you ever feel like one suits you more than the other, please inform us so that we can correct it. On the other side is the number of times the card has been reissued and it would also serve as verification of your social status to some extent. Then, the last thing would be the issuing staffs impression of the owner3 Ah`, so they just describe my general characteristics since photos dont exist in this world. Its written in a way that it cant be erased so that the card cant be misused. Well, Ill only be using it for day labor jobs though. I have a few questions, would that be alright? Yes. Ill try answering them if I can I came here from the village to do Rank 1 day labor jobs. Since I can only receive quests 1 rank higher and lower than my current rank. If I make it to rank 3, could I still take on rank 1 day laborer request ? Those kinds of requests are under rank 1 but they fall under a different regulation so even the highest rank would be able to take them. Its still possible for a rank 10 adventurer to take town clean up request so you dont need to worry about it Thank you very much. Whew`, I was worried about what I would do if my rank goes up to 3Hahaha, I laughed as I said that. Next, I placed the pouch containing the glass beads on the receptionist desk. Please choose whatever you like since Im selling all of them Well then After saying that, she opened the bag and eagerly started choosing. Even though I wasnt the only guest and they were still in the middle of work, the other receptionist came to see the glass beads. I wonder if that wont cause any problems. They bought ten pieces all in all so I ended up getting 1 silver. Alright, with this, Ill just have to buy stuff for dinner then go home. On my way home from the guild, I passed by a stall that Ive had my eye on for a while now in order to buy ingredients. They had pasta which was useful for someone living alone. I also get stuff for my breakfast and lunch tomorrow while Im at it. From the large mountain of fresh pasta, the oba-chan grabbed it with her large hands and put in inside a paper bag. I havent seen you before, are you working away from home? Yes, I just moved into my apartment a while ago I see. Its great that you can make it by yourself even though youre a man. Because of that, Ill give you a little extra After saying that, she used three of her fingers to pick up the noodles and add them to the paper bag. Thanks I wasnt expecting that kind of encounter. Next would be to the butchers where Ill buy bacon, eggs, and milk. The butchers shop wasnt a street stall but an actual building. The butcher had a wide face and a deep voice Ou, I havent seen you before The uncles face was really scary. I repeated the same conversation I had with the oba-chan that I bought pasta from. I bought a bunch of bacon, 4 eggs and two bottles of milk. As you would expect, he still placed the bacon on a weighing scale-like object in order to measure it. Why does he still have to weigh it when they all look the same? Arent these a bit too big? Dont you have some thats just around a kilogram each? You should just sell these by the kilogram, you know? Come againThanks Thats what he said but this is the only meat shop in this area so I dont really have any other choice. I went to the vegetable stalls next to check what products they had. Ara, I havent seen your face before It seems like this kind of conversation will continue so Ill use this opportunity to introduce myself. Smooth relations with other demonkin is important. Returning to my room, I first placed all the ingredients I bought on the shelf. Its still a bit early for dinner so Ill do a bit of self-training for now. While I was in the middle of refining the image of my magic, I heard rustling sounds coming from the room next door. I wonder if they already came back. I guess it should be 6 pm right now. I should go and introduce myself immediately. I knocked at the door and said, I just moved in next door so I came to do my greetings Coming Once the door opened, I said, Hello, my name is Caam. I dont know how long Ill be staying here but please treat me well. Its not much but I bought a gift Yaa, thanks for going through all the trouble of being courteous. Im Hengst. For you to even give me something like this, Im sure that youre a good person My first impression of him was, Big. Hes like a centaur but he has a horn on his forehead and the hair on his lower half is white. With the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse, he definitely is big. You see, my father is a unicorn. I was born while he was staying with a human Hes quite haughty, isnt he? I was able to see a lyre when I looked at the inside of his room. Is that so? No wonder you have a beautiful face and muscles Ill just praise him for now. There are a few whod use the word beautiful on a man but, it would definitely be better to use it when talking about women, right? You dont like men, do you? If so then Ill have to change the way I associate with you Nonono, Im sure that I like women. I even have a girlfriend Hou, in that case then its all good. Youre not aiming for the manager-san, are you? You cant since Im aiming for her, okay? You mean the landlady who lives next door? You said that in a loud voice you know? Shell hear you, you know? Besides her, Im also aiming for the girl living in the room above yours I dont know the people upstairs but I have a girlfriend. I dont have any plans to cheat you know? Hmm, it doesnt really matter how many women you have, does it? If a girl has no particular experience then you would want to call out to her more, right? Ah`, I havent met any female unicorns but it seems like the rumors were true. Its amazing how those games were able to tell. They got it right.4 Since itll be rude for me to keep you any longer, Ill be excusing myself Thats right. Instead of men, Id rather have a long conversation with women Its quite refreshing how straightforward this guy is. I mean that in a good way. If I need someone to hang out with, I guess Ill go with him. If this guy plans on making a harem, hes going to end up being stabbed by a woman someday. Still, Im surprised that he was aiming for landlady-san, in a fairly broad sense.5 I felt hungry after all of that so I decided to start making dinner. It seems like firewood was included in the rent thats why in the corner of the kitchen where it was stacked, there was a large sign that said Dont use too much. Well then, lets start immediately. Just like how I did it when I helped out at home, I just used magic since it would be a pain to use the embers from a thin stick to light it. I produced hot water using magic and placed it inside the pot to save time. The water was already boiling so I just threw in the pasta. Making another fire would have been a waste so while waiting for the noodles to cook, I started preparing the other ingredients. I sliced the bacon and an onion into pieces. I then took a frying pan and olive oil and just placed them on standby. I dont really have any experience cooking fresh pasta so after a sufficient amount of time had passed, I took a strand and tasted it. Un, that should be enough I guess Since it was done, I removed the pot and replaced it with the frying pan. I sauted the bacon and onion and added milk before seasoning it with salt and pepper. I opened the pot with the pasta, drained it for a bit and mixed it into the sauce. Once on the plate, I added an egg yolk and lightly mixed it and it was ready to eat. Its just a makeshift carbonara but it doesnt have to be perfect since Im the only one whos eating it. Well then, Ill just place the frying pan in the wash bucket for now and have my meal. Its fine to leave the clean up for later you know? Un. Its good enough for me since I lived alone for a long time in my previous life. Well then. I still have some egg white left over so I guess I should make meringue cookies. I made the meringue by mixing the egg white with sugar until it formed stiff peaks. After forming them into the shape of a cookie, Ill cook them on low heat for around thirty minutes. While waiting for that, Ill wash the dishes. I didnt have baking paper though so I wonder how it would turn out. After I finished cleaning up, I went back to the kitchen to check on the cookies. The scent of burned sugar that filled the room stimulated my appetite. Then, a person who Ive never seen before entered the kitchen. Ara. I came because I wanted to see what smelled good but I havent seen your face here before. Are you a newcomer? Nice to meet you. Im Caam from room number 2 Ara, were neighbors? My names Celesso(å), nice to meet you My first thought when I saw this person is, big. Shes even bigger than Kuchinashi and with her slender figure, the size gets emphasized even more. Her smooth, waist-long red violet hair thats close to pink also suits her. Id like to do a proper greeting next time so could you tell me when it would be convenient for you? I wont mind if you do it right now Ah`, I also have a small gift so Ara, you have such a thing for me? How thoughtful. Id like to see what youre going to give me so you can go and get it Hm`, shes quite bold, or should I say unreserved, Im not really sure. This might be just how I feel as a Japanese person though. Okay, I understand * Well then, once again, Im Caam who just moved in next door. This might not be that much but I hope to get along with you from now on Kay! Is it okay for me to open it? Y-yeah A soap and towel is it` I always use this so I have a lot of it but Im glad. Thanks Its nothing You probably can tell just from looking but I work at the red-light district so Ill give you a discount if you happen to come by. I could also accompany you if you come to my room during my days off Ah, thanks but no thanks since I have a girlfriend waiting for me back home. She has a really good intuition so I would literally be killed if she finds out. I would rather use all of my power to protect myself against that kind of danger Oh, what a shame. If you change your mind, come and see me at Sweet Memory, okay? You should be careful though since Im a pure-blooded succubus. I might just suck you dry, you know~ Suck what dry?was not what I asked. Sweet memory, was it? I can now understand why Hengst didnt say anything about Celesso-san~ Are there no virgin succubi, I wonder? Ah, the meringue cookies got burned. More than half was still alright so Celesso-san tasted one and said, This is delicious She then proceeded to take half of what was left of it. I also tried it and it didnt taste bad so I left them together with a letter in the kitchen that said. Im Caam who moved into room number 2. I hope to get along with you So far, Ive only met the slightly odd residents of this apartment. CH 27 Chapter 27: That time when I went to observe what Ill be doing at work I woke up early so I decided to go to the kitchen to make a light breakfast. The meringue cookies were no longer there. Well, thats better than having leftovers I guess. What I made was just bread with some lettuce and bacon in it. It would have been even better if I just had eggs, tuna and mayo to add to it but I cant do anything about things that arent there. It would have been nice to have white rice, grilled fish, and natto. I want to eat that but rice is really hard to find. What was the process of making natto again? Get some soya beans and wrap them in straw? Manufactured natto is good and all but I wonder if it would be fine if an amateur makes it. Ara, good morning. So you can make sweets as well. Youre unexpectedly diligent. It was delicious Ah, good morning. I just didnt want to waste anything so I decided to make that using the leftover ingredients That was made from leftover ingredients? Moreover, the fact that you were able to make sweets with that is quite amazing you know? Well, it was just leftover egg whites Is that so? After saying that, I finished eating my bread and drank my milk. She wasnt surprised at all about it only being egg whites Oh yeah, I was told by the gatekeeper-san that I should report to him when I find a place to live. Does this building have a name? Clinochlore Ok. Thanks I wonder what it means. I think it has a nice ring to it though I headed straight for the guild afterwards. Ever since the first time I came here, Ive already had a job in mind that I wanted to accept. Id like to take this rank 1 quest of repairing the protective wall Certainly. Please present your guild card and wait for a moment She said that and started writing something on a paper. Here you go. If you show this paper to the gatekeeper, you will be exempted from paying the toll fee. As for the construction sites location, after exiting the gate, walk along the wall towards the direction where the sun sets and you should be able to see it. Once you finish the job, you should receive a mark of completion from the person in charge. That badge would be necessary in order to raise your rank so please dont lose it. Do you have any questions? I dont have anything to ask right now. I just plan to go to and talk to the person in charge for today to ask about the stuff I need to know and such. I actually plan to start working tomorrow. Understood. Your rank would increase once youve accumulated enough badges. In your case, you would need 10 badges to raise your rank to 2 Okay. Then, would my rank increase to rank 3 if I just keep on collecting badges and come here once I have 30? If I take quest 1 rank lower than mine, I have to complete 20 quests, right? Im sorry about this but that would make the process complicated. Once youve collected 10, please hand it over as soon as you can Okay That seems pretty inconvenient. I immediately went to the gate and after reaching a small guardroom-like place, I called out. Excuse me, I came since Ive already decided on a place to live Your name? When I heard that, I just honestly replied. It didnt take that long for him to find my documents this time. So? Which place have you decided to live in? Its Clinochlore Ah, That place. I see Well, just do your best Uhm, you became quiet there for a bit there. Is something the matter? Its just thatthat place has become something like a gathering spot for weird people. Lately, Ive been thinking that place is cursed since only weird people want to live there for some reason. I was just a bit surprised Ha Well, I guess my neighbors are a bit eccentric I know, right? The landlady has a beautiful appearance though so she fits into my strike zone I can understand that feeling. It seems like Im living in some kind of famous place. I just hope that doesnt mean that Ill be encountering dangerous kinds of people from now on. I immediately exited the gate after that. Walking westward, I was able to find people who were working so I went to the person who looked like he was in charge. Excuse me. I got some work from the guild but, is this the right place? Aa? Ah, thats right. This here is the reconstruction site. Are you the newcomer? Yes. Please treat me well I gave an energetic reply. It would probably be better to be concise in a place like this. Are you starting today? The plan is that I would be starting tomorrow. I just came today to ask what I about what I need to know about working here The tools are compiled over here. You can bring your own bento or money to buy lunch. You can also bring a towel to wipe your sweat with if necessary Understood. Is it okay if I observe for a bit? Just dont get in the way That said, he went back to work. He really looks like an uncle who makes a living by only working as a blue-collar worker in public works jobs. He also looks really scary especially with that horn growing on his head. Well, compared to Ichii-san he isnt that scary. I started observing and it seems like they are making some bricks. They first mix a soil-like material, sand, and water and mix it. Next, they put it in a mold and dry it. After drying, they carry it to the kiln for firing. After that, they load the finished bricks into a cart and transport them. I dont know where but Im sure its a place that needs repairs. With that, I ended my observation. Im not sure what Ill be doing but Ill just use Physical Augmentation if I have to. Ill use it at 10% if I have to. Oh, its the soon to be newbie! Lets go to eat !? Hm? Did he say something? In any case, youre heading back inside, right? Then, you should come with us. We can also do our introductions at the same time Rogerä I tried to reply like that for a bit. After entering the gate, we immediately headed to a diner. There, everyone took out their bread and ordered either short order meals or just the daily special. Lets start with the introductions first. Im the boss so you can just call me that. What about you? My name is Caam Well then, since a dark blue skins rare, how about we call you Kon or Yoru1 Thats way too simplebut as a nickname, I guess that makes sense. Im Kitsune Im called Macho Tsuno2-san There are still others who arent here so just introduce yourself to them next time Rogerä Those were some terrible nicknames By the way, Tsuno-san was called that since he has 3 horns. I wonder if hell hit me if I call him that. Well, whatever. Kitsune-san was, as you would expect, a fox beastman. I havent seen any of them at the village so its the first time Ive seen people with fox ears and tail. Fox spirits are nice! If I think about the fact that there are fox women, it makes me feel restless. I want to mofumofu them. Ill probably get hit by Suzuran though Well then Kon, todays my treat. Tomorrow, you should come to the site once the sun has risen 1/10th above that mountain Okay. That should be around 8 am. I understand. And also, thanks for the meal Ou, dont mind it since this place is pretty cheap. You can just introduce me to a nice girl at the red-light district next time Ah`, well Ill do my best I guess Ill look for that Sweet memory place. That was terrible. I was naive for thinking that everything will be fine since it was still noon. Im not sure if this is a standard in this world but it seems like the red-light district in this town is also open during the day so they were already aggressively inviting customers. They kept hugging my arm and pressing their breasts against me. I also saw some underwear, or better yet, they were only in their underwear. Skill?Charm Resistance: 4acquired. As expected`. I can still vividly remember when I got caught by that onee-san with large breasts and a lot of exposed skin. Even though my resistance increased, my will faltered for a bit when she pressed her breasts against me. Walking along the street, I found the shop where Celesso-san was so I decided to enter it. Im a bit reluctant about entering these kinds of places but I was unexpectedly calm when I resolved myself. I was told to refer him so Ill have to know the estimated price since it would be terrible if the place I told him was expensive. Wait, I dont even know what the normal rate is Welcome~ Hmm, what a really nice body. Shes assigned by the entrance so she has to be presentable since shell have to deal with guests. I didnt come here to buy today Do you just want to drink~? No, not that as well. You see, I was recently asked by a colleague to introduce him to a nice girl from the red-light district. Since I happened to know of this places name, I came to check it out Im not sure if it was wise to give her an honest reply like that but I had no choice. I have to make my intentions clear since theres a good chance Ill get coerced into trying out their services. Her expression suddenly changed but she still maintained the minimum amount of hospitality needed when serving customers. Is that so? Well then, this is just fruit water but please drinking while youre looking inside. Here you go` She suddenly got out of customer serving mode but she still let me in. I wonder what would have happened if I mentioned Celesso-sans name. I just accepted the fruit water, sat in a corner and carefully looked around the room. The plan for now is to just look around the room and try to remember their main features. They drink from time to time drinking for a while, they head to the second floor once they get deeper into their conversation. They still charge for the drinks but everything else after that is up for discussion, is that how it goes? I havent visited these kinds of shops even in my previous life so I wouldnt know but its not really interesting to watch the events unfold while sober. A few of the shops girls sat beside me while I was in the middle of my observations. They would snuggle up against my body and ask, How about it?. To my relief, they immediately decide to leave once they find out that Im not interested. Now that I think about it, I guess I should have just ordered sake at the very least out of courtesy. I already had already more or less memorized the characteristics of the girls they had so I was about to go home when Celesso-san came down the stairs with some guy and glanced at my direction. Our eyes met but she didnt come to talk to me until she had escorted the other guy out. Well, I guess thats the proper etiquette in these kinds of situations. Didnt you say you wouldnt partake in this kind of activity since your girlfriend would kill you? If you changed your mind, should we go upstairs right now? She was grinning as she said that so I told her the purpose of my visit. Then, I guess I should take a break With that said, she sat in front of me and had her meal. While she was eating, she kept doing things like licking her lips and other seductive actions like that so something started growing. I was already done with my observations but I continued doing that to distract myself. I didnt change anything in particular with my methodology and just kept on memorizing the characteristics of the women coming down. Hey, are you sure you didnt come to buy Yeah, how many times do I have to say it? Its rare for a man to come to these sorts of places without indulging in a womans services, you know? Dont you see any girl youre interested in? Your eyes kept on shifting just now and I noticed that you were only staring at the girls She noticed all of that even though she was still eating? Is it because of her job? She also pays attention to the customers gaze and conducts I guess. Ive decided on a place to work. The boss of that place treated me to lunch but I was told to refer him to a cute girl at the red-light district next time. Since I just came to this town, I dont know anybody else here so I just decided to come to the workplace of Celesso-san who I just happened to meet by chance yesterday. This might be impolite but have already more or less memorized the characteristics of this shops girls It was probably really inappropriate but I can no longer take back what I said. Hmm, then, how would you describe me? Height is slightly shorter than me and has large breasts. Has purplish hair thats close to pink. Wears a black leather outfit that has a lot of exposed areas. How was that? Hmm, so thats the method you use. Its certainly quite rude. Then, how about that girl who just went up? Lets see you try and describe her now that you can no longer see her Fufufu`, she laughed while saying that. She is a head shorter than me and has small sheep-like horns. Looks really thin and has a slightly immature face. Hair color is pale blonde. She only has a few exposed areas in her outfit so she gives this pure image Un, thats Saitee3 alright. What are you doing to do with all that details you memorized? Well, he told me that a sexy girl with large breasts would be good so Ive been only looking for that and Ive already six of them so theres that Your memory is quite good but its a bit creepy Un, I can somehow hear her favorable impression of me crashing down. Then, what about your type? The girl that I like is my type Ara`, how specific. Then, how would you describe your girlfriend? Uhm, well`. Shes taller than me, is really slim and has no breasts. She has shoulder length smooth black hair and likes meat. Ah`, she was also able to blow a goblins head off just by swinging her spear so shes really strong. To be honest, my strength doesnt even compare to hers. She even forcefully assaulted me one time So, does that mean you like assertive girls? It seems like shes really interested in it. Her facial expression is gradually turning into a grin. Nonono. We both like each other but she just got impatient since I was being timid about it and wasnt making any moves. She even tried to entice me but still didnt do anything so she attacked me, or something like that. They just use that to tease me about being a wimp these days though Im almost forty inside though. You hanged in there didnt you. Onee-san is worried about you, you know? Im glad that someone understands Isnt that girl a bit similar to your girlfriend? Shes gentle though so you probably wont be satisfied. Should I put in a word for you for when you get lonely? you totally didnt understand, did you? Dont compare the Succubus race mentality with other races, okay? It was getting awkward so I immediately changed the topic. Ah, thats right. Regarding the price, it seems like there is some kind of negotiation happening but how much do you usually charge? I just want to ask since I havent entered any other shops Ara`? You just asked something rude, didnt you? Ive been saying rude things up until now so isnt it all the same? We both laughed with that. This place is just a bit more expensive compared to the other places. About 3~5 large copper more expensive No I was asking about the average price Thats bound to change every time, you know? Itll depend on how much the girl is asking and how willing the customer is to pay Thats good enough. Thank you very much. Ill tell them that its 3~5 large copper more expensive compared to the other shops Sure sure. Ill be waiting. Bring a lot of people okay? I bought ingredients for dinner and went home immediately after that. I met the landlady as I walked in so I greeted her but her nose twitched so she probably smelled something from me. She started giving me a cold stare afterwards so shes probably misunderstanding something but anything that I say here would just be excuses so I just kept quiet. Its troubling how excellent the nose of a person from the beastman type of race is. ~Idle Talk~ Celesso-san, who was that guest who was not a customer earlier? Someone who comes to these kinds of shop and doesnt even drink would stand out, you know? Ah`, that was the kid who moved into the room next to mine yesterday. He was looking for a job today but when he found one, he was treated to lunch by the boss and he was apparently told to introduce him to a cute girl from the red-light district. He knew of this place since I told him when I introduced myself so thats the reason why he came here Hmm, then hell come here sooner or later, right? I have taken a liking to him so you dont mind if I start aiming for him, right? Thats probably impossible since that kids he has a girlfriend back home waiting for him. Hes also really faithful to her since it seems like shes really scary person. She was able to blow a goblins head off with just a spear so it seems like shes really strong. If he cheats, would be left half dead. His girlfriend has a really good intuition as well. You might be able to invite him to talk while having a drink but youd get rejected once you draw up close and pressing your breasts against him so just give it up. Too bad~. Is it really okay to just sit next to him while drinking sake I wonder? This is like one of those unrequited love situations, right? Please lend him to me, girlfriend-san Just try to negotiate if you meet his girlfriend It seems like people from the succubus race are just naturally brazen. CH 28 Chapter 28: That time when I started working without any problems I was able to learn what I had to do at work without any problems. That said, I didnt really have to learn anything since it was just mixing together the ingredients for making bricks though. As for my work schedule, I decided to follow a five-day cycle where I would work for four days then take a single day off. Its nice that I got this job through the guild since I am able to more or less choose which days Ill go to work. I always make sure that Im already at the site 10 minutes before the start of operations. The starting time isnt always the same since they dont have clocks in this world so I have to do that in order to avoid being late. I didnt really need any particular skill to get through the first day since the work assigned to me was just to mix the clay. All I had to do was gather the clay using a hoe-like thing, add water and mix it. But on the next day, You need this much clay, this much sand, and this much lime. Just use your intuition and experience when measuring it. Mix it properly so that the finished product wouldnt be inconsistent. Next, you add in water. Mix it until it has a uniform consistency, okay? With that said, I tried to somehow memorize the different viscosity levels. I tried making one at first and went to show it to the boss. Is it like this? Well, I guess its good enough Oh, so this is good enough Since I dont really need to make any particular changes to it, except for taking short breaks and lunch break in between, I just kept on repeating that task over and over again until the work day was over. Since Im out of ingredients to make food, Ill go and buy some before going home. After that, Ill go to the nearby bathhouse, make dinner, do some training and go to sleep. Lifes really easy if you have a constant daily routine. During my days off, I deal with the laundry that has piled up. Landlady-san saw me doing that and said, Youre surprisingly diligent for a man or so she says but I dont have anyone else with me so I dont have a choice but to do it myself. Naturally, I use a washboard and bucket to wash my clothes. I struggled at first but I soon got used it. Its a pain to rinse them so I just create a water ball and place all of them inside and spin it around like a washing machine. When they saw that scene of me doing laundry, the neighbors kept on saying things like how skillful` and Magics supposed to be used for monsters and enemies right? Or so they say but Its convenient if you use it like this, right? Humans are beings that seek to make their lives easier, you know? Well, theyre demonkin though. After I finished doing my laundry, I decided to explore the town so that I can be acquainted with the shop owners around here. I just want to make this clear but I wont be passing by the red-light district okay? By the way, I also tried making pastries on my days off. I feel like castella cakes and pudding are relatively simple to make so Ill try challenging it! First of all, Ill start with a simple pudding. I just need eggs, milk and sugar to make it. I dont have those cups used for pudding though. Well, I have those ceramic cups so Ill use those instead. Ill just make sure to take it out of the cup before eating it. I cracked the eggs into a bowl and beat it with a whisk. After that, I add the sugar and milk to the bowl, mix it and pour the mixture into the cups. Next, I filled a pot with water and boiled it. Meanwhile, I started making the caramel sauce. For this part, Ill just need sugar and water. Using firewood for that would have been a waste so I just produced a flame in my hand using fire magic instead. Once the egg mixture was finished, I poured the caramel sauce on top of it. All thats left is to let it cool in the refrigeratorwhich doesnt exist so I just placed the cup in a container with a bit of water to cool it. Im Caam from room number 2. Feel free to eat these since I made enough for all of us here. Please wash your own cup after you finish eating. If there is anyone who doesnt like sweets, you can just give your share to somebody else Okay, thats good enough! While I was at the dining hall enjoying my pudding, a small girl arrived. I wonder whose kid she is? Hello. Im Caam from room number 2. Nice to meet you. Do you want to eat pudding? Ha? Dont treat me like a kid okay? Even though I look like this, Ive lived longer than you think She kept on glancing at the pudding while trying to read the letter. Sorry about that. Im Caam whos staying at room number 2. I apologize for not being able to introduce myself earlier but I just couldnt find the opportunity to meet with you Mn, thanks for introducing yourself. Im Tolena(ȥ`1) from room number 7. Im from the fairy race thats why my bodys small. Thanks for the meal She started eating after saying that. Her eyes slightly narrowed and the corners of her mouth were starting to rise at first but face started to warp. I wonder if shes trying to hold herself back from looking like shes enjoying the pudding. Thats the room above mine right? Please take care me from now on So this is the girl who lives in the room above mine. Even though she looks like a kid That horse really doesnt discriminate, does he? Yeah, ditto After that, I immediately headed for the public bathhouse and went shopping for dinner. When I came back to the kitchen, all of the pudding was gone. Well, leaving a favorable impression would be for the best. Still, Im curious about the three remaining residents that I havent met yet. I wonder if well meet anytime soon. Its been ten days since I started working here. I usually make my own lunch at the same time as breakfast but I still go together with everyone to the diner at lunch. I would still eat the bento I prepared but if theyre out of the daily special, I still order something that would complement my meal. You can cook your own meals! Thats amazing Thats how they reacted when I first brought along my bento. I hope you guys arent making light of the skills of a bachelor who has lived alone for a long time. By the way, my lunch today is an egg sandwich. I happened to find mayonnaise being sold so I immediately bought some. Its acidic level is pretty high thats why its okay even if its stored at room temperatureor at least thats how I remember it. The shop selling it is really eco-friendly as well since the storekeeper said, If you wash the bottle and bring it back the next time you buy some, it would be 2 coppers cheaper After I finish mixing the aggregate, I stuff it into molds, deliver them to Kitsune-san using a wheelbarrow and come back to do it all over again. If I get careless with how I do it, I would probably hurt my back. To make it easier, I just decided to use magic to mix it. For some reason, the others started gathering around me. You can use magic!? Why are you working in this kind of job? Wouldnt it be even more profitable if you do subjugation quests? No, well` Im a coward so I dont like scary and painful things. Thats the reason why I just looked for jobs where its unlikely for me to die. When I saw that there were day labor jobs in the guild, I decided to work here. It was still necessary to register at the guild to accept work though. Now that I think about it, Im slightly regretting that I just honestly filled up the registration form Oi, how much longer can you keep on mixing like that? Have you tried it out before Hmm`, I just did it to an unused field back in my village but I was easily able to plow 10 of them. Taking into consideration Kitsune-sans stamina, shouldnt I just continue to mix the same amount I usually do? Oi! Somebody assist Kitsune to keep up with Kons speed! Try to mix until you reach your limit. If its like this then our efficiency would immediately go up! Increase the number of kilns as well! Somebody inform the guys who are fixing the wall The boss started shouting so that everyone could hear. Oi oi, why did this just turn into something serious? The ratio I used was still more or less the same but the amount I used gradually increased. Eventually, we ran out of one of the ingredients and I ended up with a with a four-meter diameter mud ball. I was always in a state where Im constantly mixing something so it just ended up like that. What about its weight you ask? Im not really sure. If you compare it with water of the same volume, wouldnt it be even heavier? Boss`, what should I do with this` YOU IDIOT! YOU OVERDID IT! I was scolded. He was the one who told me to rapidly mix it though Incidentally, everyone else was starting to create a commotion. Since there was nothing he could do about it anymore, the boss gathered as many people as he could and assigned them to help in putting the mixture into molds. As for me, I just made the mud ball float and started helping the others to mold them. To be honest, I wasnt expecting that Id be able to make something that big float. Ive made water balls float before but I guess mud balls can float as well. To make it easier to mold into shape, I cut cube sized portions from the mud ball. This somewhat feels like Im working in some sort of food factory and what Im doing right now is cutting a chunk from a large clump to carry it off. Since we no longer had any more ingredients, our work ended early today. Even though we didnt have the chance to have our lunch break, everyone was still moving around energetically. Were going to fire these at the kiln tomorrow. We wont be able to fire all of them at once so the remaining bricks will just have to be sun-dried. Well then, thats all for today! Good work today! Alright! Doing any more will be impossible for today so lets go out drinking! Let our empty stomach do its work this time! Its still 3 in the afternoon though Well, I guess thats alright once in a while. Ah`, I have to stop by the guild so Ill just meet you there. Ive already completed 10 rank 1 quests so its about time for my rank to increase Ou! Well be at the usual place so you definitely have to come, aight! Got it boss I walked towards the guild while eating the egg sandwich that I was supposed to have for lunch. There, I handed over the paper bearing 10 marks of completion signed by the boss to the onee-san at the receptionists counter. We have to update the rank on your card so could you take it out for a moment please? Since I didnt have any particular reason to refuse, I just handed it over to her. Come to think of it, I just came here immediately after work ended didnt I? Im dirty and I still reek of sweat so was it okay for me to do that? Well, I guess its fine since there are also other people here returning from some kind of subjugation request and their armor is covered with blood spatters. The rank up process went without a hitch and I successfully reached rank 2. The number 2 was properly displayed in the rank section of the card as well. As the receptionist gave me back my card, she said Congratulations on ranking up Its just rank 2 you know? Oh well, it doesnt really matter so I just replied Thanks It would be difficult to do it after drinking so I decided to buy ingredients for tomorrow first. When I arrived at the bar near the gate where we usually go to, they were already drunk. I also couldnt find Tsuno-san around so I wonder where he went. Ou! Youre late. Hurry up and start drinking already! Got it`. Fruit wine please, and give me the daily special as well Oi oi, youre going to eat while drinking? Dont you understand the taste of sake? This is why the younguns these days dont know how to drink Well, I cant help it. Im really hungry. Youngsters would choose their appetite over a drink you know? Would they still choose their appetite over pleasure I wonder After someone said that indecent thing, everyone started laughing loudly. I stopped minding them and just continued drinking. Hey, Kon`. What happened with that matter with the red-light district? Isnt it about time? Kitsune-san started leading the conversation in that direction. Do you really want to go that much? A-ah, Im also curious about that matter Macho-san said. Ah, thats right. According to the person herself, their establishment is 3~5 large coppers more expensive compared to the regular shops. The place is called Sweet Memory and it seems like everyone working there is a part of the succubus race. Their guests dont seem like shady people so I think the place is alright. Well, the red-light district in itself is pretty shady place though I said that as a joke but everyone started to get worried. Kon, have you been there before? Would it really be fine? Huh? Ah, yeah. I even drank fruit water there you know? T-then, its alright Hmm`, the person herself said something about being sucked dry but she wasnt talking about vitality or magic power right? If thats the case then youd be a really important guest to them since you can use magic Ah`, I was thinking that she was speaking literally but I guess theres also that kind of meaning to that as well. Phew, that was close. Well, even if I enter the shop, I wont partake in their services anyway so Im safe While I was explaining that, I drank all of the sake that was in my cup in one go. I want to see that at least once! Next time you have a chance, introduce her to us. Its fine to bring her along even if its in the middle of work Even though the boss said while under the influence of alcohol, it seems like he seriously wants to meet her. Does he want her to crush a brick barehanded in front of his eyes? If its Suzuran then Im pretty sure she can do that. Our drinking party ended once everyone had reached their limit. Its still half past 5 so I wonder what should I do after this. I have poison resistance so I didnt get drunk but Id still rather not take a bath immediately after drinking. I guess I should just go home. When I arrived home, I met the landlady again. After doing my greetings, her nose once again twitched but this time, she just frowned. Sake just after lunch?She didnt actually say that but I could somehow tell from the look on her face so I just said, Well, its just once in a while After that, I just had a light meal for dinner and then went to the bathhouse. The warm water felt good but, unfortunately, but I got involved with 4 drunk, slightly dirty adventurer-like men on my way back. Sure, it takes 5 minutes to reach my apartment from here but getting involved in something like this within that distance? Whats with this encounter rate? I just continued walking while ignoring them but just as was about to pass through them, one of them was called me out. He tried grabbing me but I caught him, lightly throw him over and ran away. Peace is the best. Violence is not the answer. Thats all thanks to Satou-kun who taught me judo techniques when we were messing around during breaks back in my high school days. You place your own foot by the heel of the opponents leg and pull his body to make him fall over.2 I thought this knowledge would end up being useless but, its a good thing that I was able to remember that! It started getting noisy behind me but I ignored it and just ran while making sure I wouldnt sweat that much. I immediately went to bed once I got home and started thinking about stuff about work. The bricks we molded today will have to be fired tomorrow. With that amount, even if we increase the number of kilns, it probably wont be enough. Waitwere out of materials, right? What would happen to my job now? While thinking about that, I decided to go to sleep. Meanwhile, the horse was singing loudly while playing his lyre next door. Theres a loud banging sound at his door. Thats the landlady perhaps. That guys probably drunk right now. So this is what happens if you dont drink in moderation. Ill keep that in mind. I probably wont be getting drunk any time soon though. Shut up!I love you Kiska3-san! Please go out with me He shouted with his uselessly beautiful voice but, Ughh! After that, the door was slammed shut. I wonder if he got slapped or punched. It became quiet all of a sudden It seems like I wont get tired of living here for a while. CH 29 Chapter 29: That time when I felt like I was somewhat cursed We ran out of ingredients because of that huge mud ball I made yesterday so I am now assigned to assist with the firing of the bricks. The craftsmen are the ones who are actually in charge of monitoring the temperature and stuff so all Im doing is chopping the firewood. I shouldnt really get involved in that kind of meticulous task anyway since Im an amateur and all. Although, if its just something simple like throwing the firewood on to the fire then, itll probably be okay. Skill?Physical Augmentation: 3acquired. After continuously swinging the axe for three days, I guess its only natural that it would go up. During lunchtime, the boss said, Kon, for some reason, I feel like youve suddenly become muscular lately Its only natural since Ive been swinging an axe a lot you know` I just said to try and gloss it over. Even if Im just using the skill at 3%, it seems like its level would still go up and my muscles would also increase a bit. Once work was over, I did my usual routine of buying stuff for dinner and passed the bathhouse on my way home. Found you, you bucket wielding dark blue son of a bitch! Dont move from there, you bastard! Over here, quick! So youre here! Were going to get you this time! A few of them came from a different path but a four-person group who were looking for me appeared. These guys are the drunkards that I met the other day, right? Ill ignore them for now and just pass by them while act like Im thinking, Hmm, I wonder who are these guys talking about. Is there someone who looks like that behind me I wonder? Wait. Dont run away! Ah` I should have known that something like that wouldnt work. It didnt take that long for all of them to gather around me once more. Too bad that its not 8 oclock right now.1 Ha? Whatever could it be? Were you not able to find that person with dark blue-like skin? Weve been looking for someone with red eyes and dark blue skin in this area for a while now and we couldnt find anyone but you. If its in this area, youre the only one who fits that description, you bastard. Dont you remember? How dare you embarrass me the other day with that strange skill of yours I pretend to think hard about it. Ah` those drunk guys the other day, right? Just when I thought I would be getting involved with drunkards, he suddenly fell down so I just took that chance to run away. If you got injured because of that then, I apologize. And thank you very much for that valuable information as well2 I grinned after I said that to rile them up for a bit. If they let their blood rush to their heads then Ill take that chance to run away again. You, dont you know who we are! Were the rank 5 party Dragons Fang! We need to save face over here you should expect some payback Hmm`, what a very chuuni-esque name. Well, I guess thats fine since its easier to remember. Still, theres always a party somewhere with that name, huh. Ah`, then would we be even if I just fall down? Theres nothing behind me right? I checked whether there was something behind me then proceeded to fall over but they didnt take it that well. You bastard! Stop joking around! What else do they want from me? Should we beat you black and blue for the time being? He he he. We didnt drink sake for a while just for this Uwa` what a vulgar laugh. They must have a lot of free time if they stopped drinking just so they can go and look for me. Wait, how do they even deal with acts of violence in the town? They dont have their swords equipped right now though. Ah` whatever. So you guys want to deal with this like that, huh` After saying that, I immediately started my preparations. Image?Dry and fine sand appearing in my hand?Execute After I confirmed the feeling of sand filling my right hand which was free, I immediately throw it while trying to hit their faces like a child whos throwing beans during setsubun. Once I determined that they got hit, I ran away at full speed. Honestly, I didnt really want to use sand since I just got out of the bath but Ill just wash it after I get home I guess. Uwa! You bastard! Suddenly doing such a cowardly move! Shit! It seems like I hit right in the eyes so they didnt see me run away. Yup` a peaceful resolution really is the best. Thinking of such things, I entered the apartment while hearing they kept yelling out some things. As I entered the apartment, I happened to pass by Hengst-san. I heard people yelling some pretty terrible things. Get back here! You coward! or something like that. Was there a fight, I wonder? Ah` I got caught while I was on my way back from the baths earlier, so I threw sand in their eyes and ran away Those types are really persistent so you shouldnt put it off since itll just be a problem for you later on. You should just deal with them in one go. Its all good as long as you dont kill them You just casually said something terrifying there. Oi. Well, Ill just think about next time Take care, okay` Its annoying how uselessly beautiful his voice is. I guess I should report this to the guard tomorrow. Today is my allotted day off so Ill go to the guards office after I finished doing the laundry. I went to the landladys room and knocked. This is Caam from room number 2. Is anybody home? Just a minute After saying that, I had to wait for around three minutes before I heard the sound of the door being unlocked. What is it? I just wanted to ask where the town guards office is. Do you know where is their nearest office is located? Hmm`, the nearest one is by the gate Is it fine to go to that place, I wonder? Ah`, so its by the gate. Thank you very much After I said that, she closed the door. Seeing the door get shut in front of my eyes had an unexpected effect on my heart. After that, I also heard the sound of the door being immediately locked. Un, Im going to cry now. Taking the usual path, I take my time checking the stalls on the way to the gate. I guess Ill buy something sweet before I go home later. There was a small door right next to the gate. I heard that theres a guard station located here but` Just as I said that the door opened. Oh, you dont have work today? It was the gatekeeper who I got acquainted with, or at least Id like to think were acquainted. Well then, Ill hear you out so sit down A bunch of guys tried to pick a fight with me yesterday. I was wondering how I should deal with them so I came here to ask for advice. We didnt have anything like this back in my village Hmm`, you can just shout for help I guess. If you cant escape, as long as you dont kill them, you can fight back. If you were able to call for help then Im pretty sure that someone would eventually come to your aid. I mean, the residents of this town tend to have a strong bond with their neighbors so they would immediately come if something happens. If you arent able to call for help then youll have to deal with it yourself since nobody would come. You should try buying some time though since somebody might come just as youre about to be killed Its unexpectedly vague isnt it? Well, I guess Those kinds of people turn up in places where there are a lot of adventurers. I got into a huge mess back when I was in a large town near the royal capital and the people there were acting like it was just a daily occurrence so nobody came to help. Large towns are scary I pretty much know who they are though. Should I describe them? Sure, go ahead. Ill write it in my notes Theyre a rank 5 party that goes by the name Dragons Fang. They have 4 members and all of them are men. There was a muscular beastkin with a beard and an aquatic type demonkin whos nimble and thin. Im not really sure about the third one but I think were a bit similar so I guess he is of medium build but the last one was wearing a robe so hes probably a magician. I guess thats all of it So theyre affiliated with the guild huh. Ive already filed the report. Try to be careful when youre going out. And thanks for the coming to report Still, those guys are idiots, arent they? For them to voluntarily give away their name They probably thought youd get surprised and apologize once you hear their name and rank. They really are idiots, arent they? While holding his quill pen, he leaned on his chair and spread both of his arms wide. Well, its nice since that makes it easier to identify them While we were chatting for a bit, the number of people at the gate suddenly increased so I just decided to go home. The crepes were tasty. They used a lot of custard cream and filled it with seasonal fruits boiled in sugar water. Its not that different from the crepes in my previous life but, as expected, they dont have any fresh cream and chocolate in this word so there obviously wouldnt be any chocolate sprinkles or chocolate sauce. Its been a long time since I last ate crepes. I havent eaten any ever since I came here so I feel like it tasted even more delicious. Ah`, I guess should I make sweets when I get home? I suddenly felt like it. I found a stall selling oranges on my way home so I bought 5. I wasnt sure if I have enough sugar left so I also bought some. When I finally got back, I immediately went to the kitchen and thoroughly wash the oranges. After that, I cut them into thin round slices and put them in a pot with water to boil. Once it started bubbling, I discard the hot water and repeated that process for 2 to 3 more times. Since it would have been a waste to just throw it away, I took the first brew, added some sugar and drank it. Its just a simple herb tea. I guess the orange peel can be also be considered as a herb since they are used in orange peel tea. Next, I filled the pot again with water, added sugar and stirred it until it dissolved. Then I added the orange slices and let it simmer in low heat until all of the water has evaporated. I still have let it dry it after this. I cant just throw it into a microwave since they dont exist here so I tried using warm air I produced from my hands using magic dry it. It was taking too long so I just placed it in the oven and adjusted the firewood so that it would only let off a low heat. The orangey and sugary smell was so good that I wanted to reach out and eat it right away but I just decided to be patient. I take it out after a while. Its still a bit damp so I spread it out over a clean cloth so that it would absorb the remaining moisture. While waiting for that, I started making chamomile tea using tea leaves I brought from home when an unknown person entered the kitchen. Shes a bit shorter than I am, has silver colored hair tied in a ponytail, beautiful dark-colored skin, and pointy ears. Shes wearing a baggy shirt but I can tell that she has a nice figure. Shes probably ano, Im absolutely sure that shes a dark elf. Hello, Im Caam from room number 2. I havent had the chance to meet you so I wasnt able to introduce myself. Nice to meet you Fra?che3 from room number 5 I felt like thats all she had to say and didnt want anything to do with me anymore so I didnt say anything else after that. I thought she would quickly do what she came to do and leave but, even though she has finished drinking her water, she hasnt left the kitchen yet. I wonder why. Shes also somewhat fidgety. I wonder if its already dried enough. While thinking that, I picked up a piece and put it in my mouth. Un, its pretty good. Did you make those sweets? Eh? Ah, yup. Thats right I got to eat the one you made a few days ago and it was tasty. Thanks Ah`, no need for thanks. Like I said in the note, I only made that since I felt like it. Just like what Im doing right now. Is it okay if I have some? Ah`, so she wants to eat some. She has a surprisingly cute side to her as well huh. Go ahead. I just planned to leave half of it here anyways so just take some from those Saying that I place half of it in my own wooden bowl and left half of it in one of the bowls left in the kitchen for shared use. After leaving another note, I was about to return to my room when, Hmmm` what a nice smell. So its oranges this time` While saying that, Hengst entered the room so I decided to go back to the kitchen to engage in idle chatter with him. He obviously couldnt use the chairs there since they were built to be used by humanoid races so he just folded his legs to sit down and reached his hand out to eat. Its delicious, isnt it? A man whos good at cooking is pretty rare, right? There are men cooking in restaurants, right? Theyre not really that rare you know? Well, you can also make sweets so youre pretty amazing, Caam-kun. Dont you think so too, Fra?che-san? Men usually aim to become strong but if he can cook even though hes weak then its sufficient What a harsh way of putting it. Well, its just something like a hobby for me you know? I had to learn it since theres nobody here who would cook for me If its a hobby then you should try to improve it. That way, itll be fine even if you dont take a husband4 and wife as long as you can eat. Geez, thats why this weak man is They kept on eating the dried oranges while saying that. It seems like those treats are going to be popular as well. Its cheaper if you make it yourself you know My oh my, how thrifty. Good for you. Youre still a weakling though Well, isnt Hengst-san a playboy? Youll make a move on any every girl you meet, wont you? Not just anyone, Ill only call out to maidens. It doesnt matter how many as long as their still a maiden What he just said was somewhat really rude to women, wasnt it? Seriously the worst. Reflect on your actions you stupid donkey She gave him a pretty intense glare. You look scary you know? Hmm` Please dont get jealous because Im not speaking words of love only to you` This horses spirit pretty tough to break. Fra?che-san decided to continue ignoring him. As a fellow man, even I think youre the worst. Well, its every mans dream to have a harem but as for me, I only want to love one person We come from different races so our values would differ. This is just a normal thing for us Is that so? Well, please be careful you dont get stabbed by some woman If I get stabbed from the front, Im not generous enough to just give them a hug Haa, well, just take care of yourself This horse is wearing me out. And please leave some of that for the others With that said, I was about to immediately head back to my room when. Come to think of it, dont you have troublesome guys after you? The shouting I heard yesterday had something to do with you, right? He said while putting a dried orange in his mouth. I replied, Well, I guess Your opponents are a four-person rank 5 party right? If you like, as thanks for these, Ill help you take care of them The word sure gets out fast huh. Thanks but its alright I said that while grinning. Even though youre a weak bastard5, you still think you can win against four people? And the word didnt have to get out fast since I could hear them from here So you have a pretty good hearing then. Weak as I may be, I still have my own way of fighting. It all depends on how you make use of that cowardice. As long as you have the will to survive then youd be able to do something about it one way or another Saying that with a smile, I produced an obsidian knife in my hand and throw it towards a fly that was hovering by the wall. I hit it and it got stuck on the wall. The correction offered by the throwing skill is seriously the best. I wasnt expecting it to hit though. Ooh`amazing Certainly, I was getting ahead of myself when I called you weak. Caam, I apologize Oh? I got promoted from bastard. That feels a bit nice. So? Where did you take that knife out from? The horse said that while nibbling on dried oranges. I returned to my seat and demonstrated various magic. They got excited about that and we no longer had that strained atmosphere we had earlier. Still, why has it suddenly been decided that Ill be the one to make lunch? The landlady came in halfway so I ended up making enough for four people. You really can do many things with pasta. Well, I guess thats just how it is. While thinking about that, we finished eating lunch. They evaluated the dish very highly. It doesnt seem like the landlady discovered the small hole I made on the wall. Its been a while since I had the time to laze around my room until dinner. I was about to do my usual training but just decided to stop for today. Its my rest day after all. Taking breaks is also important. After dinner, I went to the baths and came across those guys again. I didnt change the time, the path I took and how I looked since then because that would have been quite bothersome. And besides, now I can do whatever as long as I dont kill them so, although reluctantly, I decided to just deal with these guys. You bastard! Are you an idiot! Using the same time and the same path to come here. Well get you this- BANG! a deafening sound and a blinding light interrupted their speech. While the four of them were in agony, they yelled out You coward! Everyone be careful My eyes! They probably cant hear each other though. I obviously protected my eyes and filled my ears with clay using magic to act like earplugs beforehand so Im alright. I immediately activated physical augmentation at 10% and started dealing with them one by one. I hit the first one with a flying knee. You could hear a cracking sound as he landed and his legs were bent in all sorts of weird directions. The second one was still crouching and holding his ears so, without holding back, I gave him an axe kick to the back of his head. The third one was also holding his hands on his eyes as he kept on shouting some things. I ignored his ramblings and just hit his chin with a fist-sized stone I produced in my hand using magic to shut him up. The fourth one also had his hands on his eyes while rolling about on the ground so I just went ahead and buried my heel on his face. I think I probably crushed his nose. I also think that they probably cant hear me as well but Ill still say this anyways. If youre attacking somebody, its better if you beat them up first before you do your speech, you know? Youll look like an idiot if you keep on rambling on like that. Just treat this as a very expensive lesson for you After saying that, I restored physical augmentation back to 3% and made sure that Im not experiencing any kind of muscular pain Un. I guess everythings alright. Nothing hurts. Because of the sudden loud sound that came out of nowhere, the residents living in the area started to come out so I had to explain to them the situation. A plump oba-san said, Arent you guys the same ones as yesterday? You were up against four people, are you alright? Well, I just dealt with them like this I said that while pointing at four people who are groaning and unable to get up. Theyre not dead so its okay, right? Do you know how long would the guards take to arrive? I dont think it would take that long. I mean, it was a pretty loud sound and Im sure that somebody has called for them by now While we were conversing, a few people came out from the mob and surrounded the four people so that they wont be able to run away. After that, a few guards arrived and took away those guys. They also took me with them. Well, thats only natural I guess. I still need to explain the situation after all. Were not the ones at fault! That guy just suddenly threw sand in our eyes and attacked us! They kept on asserting that in a loud voice so the guardsmen gagged them with some cloth so that they would be quiet. Those guys were drunk a few days ago and started to pick a fight with me. I didnt mean to injure them but one of them tripped on my foot and fell over so I used that chance to run away. Then, they tried ambushing me yesterday so I threw sand into their eyes to ran away. I even reporting them to the guards today. I was told Its fine to defend yourself as long as you dont kill them I didnt really want to get involved with them but I thought it would just get even more troublesome if I just leave them be so when they tried attacking me again today, I fought back. Ah`, dont worry about it. Weve already received two reports about a four-person group who tried picking a fight with a dark blue skinned person in that area. And also, you, you say you came to the report them today? Yes. Im sure that I came by to report it today. I even saw the guy writing something he even told me that theyll also inform the guild. That may be the case but the party Dragons Fang has already done something like this in another town an that got them deported. Because of that, we wont be deporting them this time. Were sending them to the front lines instead What do you mean by front lines? Dont you know? Theres a fight for the border with the humans right now. Because of that, were sending them any excess war potential we get Ah`, but I pretty much broke them though Thats alright. Well just ask a person who can use healing techniques to forcibly heal them. Theyll have to pay for it themselves, of course. Ah` is that so? By the way, what will happen to me? There wont be any particular actions against you since you backed away when they tried picking a fight with you a few times. You just had to drive them away since they were being persistent so youre not in the wrong. However, if someone from the other party ended up dead then both of you be punished together and off to the front lines youll go Okay, Ill be careful from now on After that, I asked about the rules of this town and then decided to go home. I was carrying my bucket with me the whole time. Welcome back. That was terrible, wasnt it? Im sorry for all the trouble. Its okay. I wasnt really inconvenienced in any way. Well, at the rate it was going, they would have probably barged in here and start destroying things so at least it didnt come to that. So? Did you get charged with anything? They said I wasnt at fault so they let me go. They told me that I would have been sent to the front lines if I accidentally killed one of them though hahaha, I laughed as I said that. Ill be troubled if that happens, you know? I mean, if you suddenly get sent to the front lines, who would pay your rent? Ah`, thats right. Dont worry, Ill try not to die as much as possible. Ill also make sure I wont get sent to the front lines You do that, okay? With that said, the landlady returned to her room. I went to the kitchen and started sighing. Haaa` so she was even more concerned about the rent than my well being Because of that, I put even more sugar than usual into my chamomile tea, drank it and decided to go back to my room to sleep. As I was leaving the kitchen, Fra?che-san came and asked about the situation. I see When I told her I beat them, she just said. and left. She didnt ask about the loud noise but I guess she was more or less worried about me. Ha` it sure was a tiresome day. Im sure that this is all because of those guys. They just wouldnt quit. CH 30 Chapter 30: That time when I went back home to the village During our lunch break, I decided to speak with the boss while everyone else was eating their meal. Boss, Id like to take a three-day leave starting tomorrow Ou, is it about the rumored girlfriend of yours? It sure is nice being young! He said that in a loud enough that everyone else heard it. Their smirking faces were ticking me off but Ill just ignore them. Ive been working at the same place for almost thirty days now so Ive become pretty close with the guys there. After that discussion, we left the diner and went back to our work. At that time, Since youre leaving, take us to the red-light district already` Kitsune-san kept hitting my back while saying that. A lot of things happened so we didnt have any opportunity to go to Sweet Memory. Even though they know that theres a certain extent of danger in going there, it seems like they still want to go. Theyre already starting to become restless. Well, although you say together, Im not going to avail their services so all that Ill be doing is accompanying you Itll be fi~ne. She wont find out Nonono. Tsuno-san, you can only say that since you dont know her Th-theyre right. You should just do it so that you can experience the taste of other women The taste of other women, you say Thats pretty rude you know, Macho-san After saying that, we went back to work. We encountered no particular problems so we were able to finish in no time at all. Ill be going back tomorrow so I should go and buy a souvenir. Because of that, I decided to take a different path going back to my apartment. For my parents, Ill just get them a spice set. I remember Suzuran asking if it looked good on her that time when I gave her a hair ornament so I decided to get her a pair of silver earrings. Im not sure if she just thinks that its not necessary to dress up or shes not interested in that kind of thing but Ive only seen her wear accessories a few times. She wasnt even wearing the hair ornament I gave every day. She just wears it during festival days or something like that. If its this, then I think it would suit her black hair so I dont have any particular problems in choosing it. I should ask Mirs advice on what to get for Suzuran next time I come back. Shes always wearing some kind of accessory so Im sure shed have some kind of idea what to get her. I mean, I dont even know the size of Suzurans finger in the first place so I wouldnt be able to buy her a ring. Getting back to my room, all thats left is to complete my preparations for tomorrow. When I informed the landlady that I would be away for about three days, she said. Ill just sell all of your belongings if you dont come back so you dont have to worry about rent I was only able to let out a strained laugh to that while convincing myself that it was just a joke. Its really hard to get this person to open up. Its like shes putting up a thick wall or something. The sun has risen and I was making my breakfast and lunch while waiting for the gates to open. I didnt get to take that many breaks on my way to this town but this time, Im going to take my time going back. Oh`, dont you have work today? Yeah. Ill be going back to my village for a bit. I was told by my girlfriend that we have to meet once every thirty days so I have to go back I see. Im sorry to say this but youll still have to pay the toll fee once you come back. Make sure you dont leave your money at home, okay? Also, make sure you properly flirt with your girlfriend while youre there. Its much better than spending all your money at the red-light district We continued with that trivial exchange for a while. Id like to think that Ive already gotten pretty close with the gatekeeper-san since we are already able to do something like this. I reached the halfway point towards the village and, although its a bit early, I decided to take a break and have my lunch. While I was resting, I noticed goblin monster was lying in wait in the thicket. After confirming that no one else was around, I created a Stone Bullet and shot it at the goblin. *Pew!* 1 You could hear the sound of the bullet tearing through the wind. *Thud* Without even letting out a scream, it fell forward and only its upper body was sticking out from the thicket. Everything above the mouth was blown to bits so I wont be able to sell it. However, if I just think of it as some kind of experimentation fee then its pretty cheap since I havent used this magic against monsters before. Ill need to destroy the evidence after this. If I just leave it as is, wild animals and other monsters around here would deal with it but because it fell over at a place that is visible from the gazebo, I have to do that. Dragging it away by its feet would have been a pain so I just used the magic Fireball to reduce it to cinders. Its just a normal fireball this time, not an extra-large one2 Nobody else is here so I tried saying that. I guess I should experiment with fire and water compound magic later. Aside from that goblin, I didnt encounter any other monsters as I approached the village. I wonder if I should consider my peaceful journey home a good thing. As I got closer to the village, I heard somebody call my name. Oooiii! Caam` Even though I can only see the tip, Im sure that it came from the watchtower. I cant see that far but I think that was Schinken so Ill wave my hand for now. As I continued walking, Schinken approached me. Its been a while. Did your arms get thicker? What kind of work are you doing? We can just talk later. I mean, youre still in the middle of work, right? Its fine if its just this much. Standing watch at the watchtower gets pretty dull at times so its inevitable for me to have free time Even if it gets dull, you still need to be vigilant After having that light exchange, I decided to head straight home. Im back` Nobodys here. Thats pretty sad Well, the suns still high up so I guess thats natural. Ill just leave the souvenir I bought on the table and went out to meet Suzuran. She was taking care of the birds like usual so I called out to her. Im back Then, she ran up to me and said, Welcome back Why does it feel like somethings out of place. You came back earlier than I expected expected. I thought it would still take 5 more days for you to return Huh? Why is this girl suddenly talking like this? Ah. The place Im working at right now hires by the day so I take a day off after working for a few days. It just so happens that today is one of those days so thats why I was able to come back earlier. Heres your souvenir Thanks She doesnt usually smile like this before. I wonder what happened. Youve started talking a lot more, huh. I wouldnt have thought youd change this much in just 30 days Un. Thats because I had to take care of the chickens. Once they lay their eggs, a lot of people want to buy them. I had to speak more than usual because of that. I also realized that I havent been talking to Caam that much so you would not be able to understand the things I want to say if I stayed like that Woah. Ive never heard her speak that many sentences before. The onee-san talking in charge of the ponds told me. I should speak more since I have a beautiful voice Oohh` we also have her to thank for this, dont we? Ah`, about this souvenir, I just bought this since Suzuran doesnt dress up all that much. That doesnt mean Ill get you something like this every time I come back. This is just to commemorate the first time I earned money in town. It was slightly embarrassing to say that but I had to make sure I get my feelings across. Thanks. Is it okay for me to open it? I nodded. Even though her actions werent anything special, I still thought it was really cute. I think she would be even cuter if she was a bit shorter than me and with upturned eyes but that might be asking for too much. While I was thinking about that, she opened the paper bag and put an earring on one ear. How does it look? She combed her hair back so that she could show it to me. That gesture made my heart skip a beat. Yeah, it suits you That was all that I could say while pretending to be calm. I thought she would just wear both of it right now but she took it off, put it back in the bag and said, Ill put this in my room so you can just wait in the living room After saying that, I just entered Suzurans house which is Im already accustomed to by now. Well, she doesnt usually wear accessories like that so it cant be helped. After waiting a while, she came back carrying tea. It the tea that Ive gotten used to drinking whenever I come here. Its nice since Ive only been drinking chamomile tea in town. While drinking tea, I told her what happened during my close to 30-day stay in town. So you won a fight against 4 people. Caam doesnt usually like to fight so thats quite rare coming from you Thats because the person living in the room above mine and the one next door told me, Its fine as long as you dont kill them. Just settle it already. Before I actually fought them, I already ran away twice. Its just that they were really persistent so thats how it ended up Before I noticed it, its already evening and Ricoris-san has already returned. Ara`, its been a while` Ah, sorry for the intrusion After that, we continued talking even more. You know, while Caam-kun was away, our daughter has become a lot more talkative. That makes me so relieved. I mean, without Caam-kun here, I thought she would go back to her usual taciturn self Yeah, Ive already heard it as well as the reason why. Anyway, has there been any changes with the village? Lets see`. I guess the village chief has been pretty annoying ever since you went to town That old man has already been relying on me too much. Still, its true that with my magic, I was able to reclaim unused lands, create a water reservoir, make a new type of sake and various other things though Oh` did you just come back rightnow? Ah, pardon the intrusion Oi, you just came back and youre already flirting? Huh? What a terrible misunderstanding. You, the reason you went to town was for the daily employment, right? What rank are you right now? Im sure you registered with the guild to make it easier to get those kinds of jobs, right? Have you been taking subjugation requests? Well, er, Im still rank 2. The job I took was to repair the towns outer wall so all Ive been doing is mixing ingredients to make bricks everyday Oi oi, if youre a man then you should do subjugation request, right? If youre not strong, then how are you supposed to protect Suzuran! I think your daughter is already pretty strong though. She has already become the embodiment of strength after all. Of course, I didnt say that out loud. Im a coward. I dont like painful or dangerous things so I decided to earn money in a safe environment. If the time comes where I have to protect her, Ill just do something about it at that time Still, youre Hails son, you know! You shouldnt embarrass him! Father. Caam got into a fight while he was in town. He said he won against 4 people Ah, damn it`, thank goodness she didnt add any unnecessary information on her follow up. Oh What rank were they? Were they armed? Um, all of them were rank 5. The four of them were always together so I think theyre probably in a party. As for their weapons, they werent armed since we were within the town Then, are you saying that you beat four rank 5 guys in hand to hand combat? Wellpretty much. I didnt kill them though After saying that, I decided to tell them how it started. Wasnt that a cowardly move? Nn`, his methods may have been a bit cowardly Suzuran was just drinking her tea without saying anything. Honesty and fairness no longer matter once youre in a fight. Furthermore, even though they were the ones who picked a fight, they didnt come at me and just continued rambling on. In order to win, I just gave them a surprise attack But still, you know? Hm`, I cant really say` Its fine as long as Caams safe Still, what do you think about him throwing sand in their eyes I think thats fine as long as hes alright. He was up against 4 people after all Hmm` Since Ichii-sans here, that must mean that my parents are already home as well. I guess I should go home now. Uhm`, Ill be heading home since I think that my parents are already home by now Sure. Youll be here for a while, right? Ill be going back to town at noon the day after tomorrow Take care of Suzuran for a bit while youre here Yes After that, Suzuran started hitting Ichii-san. I wonder if shes embarrassed. I was able to receive that on my stomach so Ichii-san is really tough being able to receive that on his shoulder. Oh well, lets just go home. * Im back` Ara, welcome back. Since when have you been back? I didnt realize Just a bit after noon, I guess How was it, living over there? Im getting used to it. The place Im living at has some pretty interesting people Interestingyou say? Well, for now, how about you try telling us about them Theres a unicorn who looks like a centaur since hes half human, a succubus who works at the red-light district, a dark elf onee-san who seems cold at first but is actually prone to worrying, and a strong-willed member of the fairy race whos looks like a little girl but is actually older than me. Even the landlady is someone whos really blunt. Those are all that Ive met for now. When I went to the guards room to report where I was staying at, the person called it a hangout of weirdos I-I see. Theres something pretty worrying about the fact that he can say that just by knowing the name of the place youre residing While telling them about my situation in town, they told me that I dont need to bother buying them souvenirs. This feels just like that time in my previous life when I thought about sending money to my family. They just sent me the money back. While drinking tea and engaging in trivial conversation, we heard a knocking sound coming from the door. When I opened it, I found Wurst standing there. Good evening. Well be borrowing Caam for a bit, okay? After he gave a quick greeting to my parents, I was forcibly taken away. So? Whats up? Of course, the place he brought me to was the bar. Schinken and Speck were also there. Their partners are not with them so this is probably an all-male drinking party. Ive repeated the same thing a number of times today so explaining it was easy. However, once I finished` Well, Caam is pretty strange as well Speck I wasnt expecting to be hurt by those words. Sowhat do you think about me throwing sand at their eyes? Was it an underhanded move? I can understand why they would say that was a cowardly move if it was a match but that was a fight. There are no cowardly moves in a fight, at least, thats my opinion Hmm`, rather than say it was cowardly, you just reacted according to the situation. You were up against 4 people so it couldnt be helped I think *chomp chomp* You didnt kill them so I think its fine *crunch crunch* You had 4 opponents, right? Thats tricky but if I had to say, it was a bit cowardly I guess *munch munch* As expected, they each had their own opinion about it. Well, I think its better for them to receive the beating than me so thats why I didnt hesitate to do it. Ichii-san told me No matter many youre up against, you should still do it fair and square. Im not strong like him though *gulp gulp* We continued chatting while eating and drinking. I remember doing something like this in a family restaurant during my college days. Once they got drunk enough, the topic shifted into their nightly activities. Ah, un. Its okay, I guess. She likes to be spoiled so I was surprised at first (Schinken) I got used to it butI get troubled since she suddenly has these really violent moments sometimes (Speck) Its normal but I just wasnt expecting for her to be the one to proactively ask for it. While I was taking care of the kids in this area, I heard her say I want one too so I was just surprised (Wurst) Because its been a while since you came back, youre going to do it, right? Our conversation suddenly headed in that direction. It seems like theres an unspoken agreement between the villagers about the vacant houses at the outskirts becoming a place for those kinds of activities. Well, its Suzuran were talking about so Im sure she already has plans arranged for that. I just hope she doesnt come right now while were still drinking *gulp gulp* I finish off the remaining fruit wine in my cup. Which reminds me, hows the distillery coming up? Its going completely according to the headmasters instructions. The school has already become his secondary priority right now It would be nice if someone could help the headmaster change, right Right Their voices overlapped as they said that. It seems like his fixation for liquor has already gone overboard. I guess Ill go take a look tomorrow. After that, we all went our separate ways. Since I earned a lot in town, it became my treat. Why does it always have to be the treat of someone whos working away from home whenever he comes back? Incidentally, I wasnt assaulted by Suzuran today. Would it happen tomorrow, I wonder. I dont know if it was because it has been a while since I slept in my own bed, or because I was tired of my walk home, or because there was nobody singing next door but I feel like I was able to get a good nights sleep. As for my plans today, Ill check out the brewery first then spend the rest of the day with Suzuran. Its nice that I dont have to make breakfast myself this time. Since I have to go to the brewery, I was trying to finish my meal quickly when suddenly, a loud knocking sound came from the door. I heard that Caam-kun has come back! I want to meet him! My parents were still taken aback because somebody started shouting all of a sudden so Ill just open the door myself. Ooh, Caam-kun! I wanted to hear your opinion about a little something Its still morning but my mood has already taken a turn for the worse Yes, what is it? What should we do with the village from now on? Rather than talk about it here, lets head to the assembly hall * So? Do you actually have something planned for the village? Thats right. Ive come up with some ideas and I want you to see which ones are good Fumu fumu Was what the village chief murmured while frantically taking down notes. Those are just rough ideas I thought up until now so please ask the other villagers for their opinions as well. I still want to travel and learn many things so hopefully, the village chief will be able to lead the development of the village without me being here No, well, its just that I didnt think that things would grow to such a large scale Your family has led this village for generations so please prove to us that youre worthy of your lineage. If that doesnt work, please employ capable people and ask their opinion about various things. If all else fails, why dont you just retire and let your son try and take over? That boys still not good enough yet. Then the chief has no other choice but to it by himself Muu. Fine, Ill try to do it! Ill arrange a discussion with the headmaster and the people from the dragon race so that we can deepen our relations with them Un un, I was able to get him to do it by himself somehow. I didnt really want to have anything to do with village or town administration, politics, and laws. Even if somebody gives me a territory somewhere, I really dont know how to manage it. We continued talking a bit more after that and he has already decided on the villages policies to some extent. It gives me some sense of relief that he has started moving on his own. Ill be saved if with this he no longer needs to come to me every time I come home to ask about my ideas. Oh` these guys sure are fired up The energy levels in the distillery couldnt be compared to when they first started. Ou! Its really interesting. The villagers are quite passionate about it so theyre saying that we should get another still. Were always running out of firewood so theyre thinking about using coal instead. Regarding that matter, it seems like theyre selling those at the headmasters hometown so he left while saying Leave it to me! Ill get it for as cheap as possible Ah`, un. No matter how much of a discount he gets, he still needs to transport it back, right? Whats he going to do about that Its a three-day hike up that mountain, right? I said that while pointing at the direction of the headmasters hometown. he probably hasnt thought about that Thought so` Its a really funny story, right? A creepy voice started talking. While I was still a bit surprised, I turned around. So its the headmaster as I had expected. You frequently appear in these situations after all So, about that story. Want to hear more about it? His eyes suddenly turned into that of a reptile so it was pretty scary. Even if I say that its just my hometown, its a bit unreasonable to say that Ill transport it myself. With that distance, transporting coal would obviously take time and cost money but I could probably reduce the time by getting zealous youngsters who were willing to help. There were no problems with money as well but if you can only load so much into a cart since I believe that its wheel and axle would get damaged So he tried doing something like that. Then why didnt you just turn into a dragon and fly back? Ah, so he can turn into a dragon. I thought their horns are the only dragon-ish part of them. How many round trips do you think would that take? My stress would start to pile up and Ill eventually lose all my scales you know?3 Muu. Its true that you cant carry heavy things when flying Then, cant you just come up with else? Youre smart so you must some other ideas, right? This damn shotajiji. So hes starting to be dependent on me as well, huh! Wouldnt charcoal work as well? Charcoal? You mean those things left over after burning firewood? You can use those? Well, its true that I havent seen them using it in town as well but what else do they have in this world? There really is a severe lack of books in this world. Ah, geez. Whatever, Ill just say I heard it from someone else. I got to know a well-informed old man back in town so I asked him. He says it burns even longer compared to firewood Even though hes small, he still placed his hand on my shoulder. Can you teach that to us? He said that with a smile, his eyes werent smiling at all. Rather, his eyes once again turned into that of a reptile. Its really scary so please stop it. It cant be helped so I brought over a small pot and a few branches and started explaining. When you burn wood, it turns into ashes, right? While saying that I burned the wood chips I had in my hand. However, if it doesnt get exposed to air while its burning, it turns into charcoal I placed a few twigs inside of the pot and lightly cover it with the lid. Then, I produced fire from my finger to heat it and show it to them like some sort of science experiment. As the twigs start to carbonize, a liquid-like substance started dripping at the bottom of the pot. Its wood vinegar. Ooh` Theyre like children who are excited seeing the results of the experiment. Then, after the twigs have completely been carbonized, I take them out and set it on fire. 4 Did it not work? No, its already burning. You just cant see the fire While saying that, I hold the side thats not burning bring it closer to their hands Hou, it certainly feels hot Wurst got curious so he came closer and also held his hands out. How can we make this in large quantities? I drew a simple illustration on the ground. You use a kiln to make it. However, it wont work if you just use the kiln normally. You have to seal it up and create small vents on the bottom and an outlet on top Un un You pack the wood tightly inside and set it on fire. You need to do that so that air wont be able to circulate inside. After a while, white smoke will start to come out. I continued explaining while pointing at the drawing I made on the ground. Un un After that, the white smoke you saw before would become clear so when that happens, you plug the vents like covering a pot with its lid to top the air from flowing in I see, I see Then, after letting it cool naturally for a few days, you take the charcoal out and its done Ooohh!!! You can also let the smoke condense because that liquid has its uses Uwoahh!!! I didnt realize but the number of people listening has already increased. I was surprised. By the way, charcoal also has a deodorizing effect. You can put it in your bath as well. Ooh!? It can get rid of the bad smells that soap cant I guess theyre probably thinking of something like a potion. I dont know anything about alchemy so I have no idea how to make it though. I dont even know what materials could be used. I should have accepted a few quests for gathering medicinal herbs as well. Then, lets immediately`! Making the kiln would take time. Stacking the wood and burning it until the smoke becomes transparent would also take time. Even cooling it down would take time. It doesnt actually take that much time, but Ill be leaving tomorrow so it would be impossible for me You could visibly see the headmasters enthusiasm die down. After that, we went to the assembly hall and I gave them even more details about the blueprint I drew on the ground earlier and made it easier to understand. I also taught them how to extract the wood vinegar and described how to use it. I also asked them to add a simple roof over the kiln like those on the rent houses. With this, the matter with fuel has been resolved You guys might overdo it so please dont clear out the trees in the forest. That would cause a lot of problems later on I feel like that would cause pollution, natural disasters or even the decrease in wildlife among other things. I hear that you will no longer be able to catch fish in the sea if you cut trees in the mountain as well5. Well, were at the plains so I havent seen the sea yet though. While I was doing this and that, it has already gotten dark. Im worried that I wont be able to take care of Suzuran today. While I was doing that, Mir came and scolded me. Even though its been a while since you came back, what the hell are you doing! Suzuran is waiting for you at one of the vacant houses near the outskirts of the village so head on over to her quickly! She was already pretty angry but when I asked her the exact location, she got mad even more. I dont know which house youre talking about so it cant be helped. I headed to the location I was told. When I arrived, I was greeted by Suzuran. Welcome back Im not sure whats going on but she was laying out what appears to be dinner preparations on the table. It was a splendid karaage festival. Un, could you please stop thinking that everyone would like the things you like? I also love karaage but theres got to be a limit. Even though I like it, Id lose my appetite with that amount. Ah, Im back Un, this is probably a setting where a couple started living in their new home for the first time. You can take a bath first So she was heating up the bath until now. Im really grateful for that. While I was relaxing in the bath, Suzuran came in and said, Can I take a bath with you? I didnt hear any rustling sounds when she undressed so she probably took off her clothes someplace else. This girl is quite a schemer. She called out first so I was able to prepare myself but because it was so sudden, I was still surprised. Let me wash your back I got slightly embarrassed when she said that but Ill just keep that a secret. Wash me this time This is also a secret but when she said that, I once again got embarrassed. The karaage had already gotten cold so we also made chicken soup while reheating it. We talked while eating then I did my laundry first before we slept together. There was already that thing in the bath earlier but Suzuran let herself get spoiled while we were under the covers. We had a conversation while in bed. I didnt have any siblings so I think that having a lot is nice. I couldnt really just brush her off like that so I just said, Well, once the first one gets grows up a bit, well think about it then I knew it. The task of making breakfast fell onto me as expected. To improve the karaage we had yesterday, I added some vegetables to it and put it in-between bread. I was able to make a lot of these simple karaage sandwich. I should also prepare a bento for lunch. Then, a nude Suzuran started to get up. Shes still not fully awake yet so I was looking forward to her reaction since its been a while since we did it but once she finally woke up, she hit me at full strength. Why!? When I complained, she said. Its okay when its dim but its embarrassing if you can clearly see me. Id like it if you would leave the room once you get up or so she says. Ah`, I started seeing stars for a while there. Did I not faint just because of my resistance? Thank goodness I didnt lose any teeth. After eating breakfast, we thoroughly cleaned everything that we used except for the sheets which we brought back with us. It seems like those are the rules. I escorted Suzuran home and when we got there, Ichii-san greeted us with a terrifying smile and started hitting my shoulders. He was making a face that was saying, Although I said Ill let it pass this time, did I say you can stay out until morning?. I was really afraid, to be honest. Ricoris-san also greeted us with a gentle smile but its not offsetting how scary he is. Even if you dont hit me, I can tell what you want to say just by looking at your face. Well, shes your one and only daughter after all. While I was experiencing an unpleasant morning that I havent felt for a while, I went home. My parents had a broad grin so I just decided to go back to town. My mother kept saying, I wonder if well get to see the face of our grandchild soon. I pretended not to hear that as I went out. I really wanted to say She wont get pregnant today as well, you know. Lets not get ahead of ourselves, mother. I bid farewell to the three idiots as I was about to leave but, they all tapped my shoulder and said Congratulations on staying there until morning. Is there a rule that says when you should come home when you use those vacant houses? HUH? While complaining, I headed back to town. It was also really peaceful on my way back. CH 30.5 Chapter 30.5: A day in the life of suzuran AN: Its just a short side chapter today Like usual, I had planned to wake up early. But, when I actually got up, the sun was already high up so a considerable amount of time has already passed. Ive been like this ever since back then so it cant be helped. When it was time to go to school, Caam would come to wake me up while being glared at by father. However, ever since he left for town to work and study, nobodys here to wake me up anymore. Back when I was still going to school, father and mother would try to wake me up but I was bad at getting up so they probably just gave up. Since Caam left after we graduated from school, I have not been able to wake up by myself. Hmmnn` Im still a bit sleepy. However, its bad for working people to not get up so I will get up. It seems like there are jobs in town where the work hours are fixed but in my case, I dont think that Ill fit in there. My sleepwear consists of a baggy hemp shirt and short pants. I simply kick them off and wear the usual clothes that I always wear. Father and mother are living in this village right now but back in their hometown, theres something called a monk. Its a job that does similar work to that of a priest and they wear easy to move in clothes similar to this. The color is not flashy and is comfortable to wear so I unexpectedly like it. When its hot, I just wear shorter sleeves and pants and placing a towel over my head but mother doesnt approve of that. She would always say, Youre a girl so try to at least be a bit fashionable I like it since its comfortable and easy to move in though. Its a bit inconvenient being a girl but you endure it to look pretty I often get told that a lot as well. Mir certainly dresses up a bit and always smells good and even Kuchinashi dresses up from time to time and smells good as well but I wonder if its really necessary to go that far just to be fashionable. If you dont start making an effort, Caam-kun would eventually get taken by some other girl you know? I dont like gaudy things and Im not really worried about Caam being taken away because even though he may ogle other girls, he wasnt looking at them in a lewd way. However, since we havent been getting any closer, I started to get a bit worried. I was a bit surprised when Mir and Kuchinashi started hugging Caam when we were all drinking sake together. He was also not looking at them in a lewd way at that time but I remember having this prickling feeling in my heart. I got drunk and suddenly kiss him. When that happened, the prickling feeling disappeared and it caused my heart to beat faster instead. With the help of the adults, we were about to sleep together when he said, I dont want to do this kind of thing while youre under the influence of sake so lets just do it next time I felt something hurting in my chest a bit when he said that but even so, I was able to get over my needless anxiety. When we went to town for the first time, with the help of Mir and Kuchinashi, I was able to make arrangements in an inn for lovers at the red-light district. Thanks to that, I was able to have my first time with Caam. I felt bad since I had to corner him so that he couldnt run away but I was just desperate at that time. After that, we would sleep together occasionally. Caam doesnt want to have children yet so I have to endure. I know the process of making a child since I secretly asked the female teachers at school to teach me. To make it short, what they taught me is that Its all good as long as I do it on safe days However, when I said that to Caam, I learned that, Its not always absolute While I was thinking about why Im reminiscing about this right now, I gave the birds their late breakfast and collected their eggs. After that, I had my late breakfast as well. The water level of the pond that the ducks use has decreased quite a bit so Ill fill it up later. The person who buys eggs will come by today so Im going to sell them. Im saving all the money I get from selling eggs. Caam is working while hes studying and Im saving up money as well so Im thinking about asking him whether we should buy or just rent out one of the rent houses at the outskirts of town once he gets back. I cleaned up the utensils I used and then went out to fill the pond that the ducks use with water using the waterway Caam made. Not that, thats for the drainage. Thatll lead to another river somewhere! I remember Caam saying that while fussing about random things. To be honest, I dont really understand it so for me, it doesnt matter where the water comes from as long as it gets filled. After that, Ill clean the chicken coop. They say that the chicken droppings can be used as a fertilizer so I just gather them all in one spot and scatter wheat straw left over after the harvest over it. Once I finished cleaning doing that, I separate the weaker chickens and the ones who didnt produce any eggs and place them in different cages. One for selling at the meat shop and the other will be for eating later. The dismantling process was bloody so I had father do it at first but I learned how to do it since it was necessary. It was difficult but its easy once you get used to it. These days, aside from making sure I dont get splattered with blood, I dont have any more problems. I dont have to sort out a lot since we dont have a lot of chickens but that doesnt mean I dont go out. I go to help out the onee-san in charge of the villages ponds every day. Good day, Al-san Her name is actually Meeraal1 but she told me to call her that so I did. Hello. You can check the condition of the ducks for me as well. Its easy to finish that kind of task so I went to check the notice board if there were easy to accomplish tasks similar to this. Since there was none, I just went home to have my lunch. While I was nonchalantly drinking my after meal tea, the person who wants to buy eggs came by. When he saw the that the chickens were in different pens, he said, Is it alright if I also buy some chickens today? It was almost evening when we finished with the exchange so I brought in the laundry and once again gave the birds their feed. While I was doing that, I heard somebody behind me saying Im back I immediately ran over and replied, Welcome back I was so overcome with emotions at that time. It wasnt like this when we saw each other every day so I wonder if the reason my chest is throbbing like this is because we havent seen each other for a while. When he gave me the accessory he bought as a present from town, the throbbing sounds of my heart grew even louder that I was starting to wonder if Caam was able to hear it. Thats how loud it was. After asking if I could open it, I saw a pair of nice-looking silver earrings. I tried to putting it on my left ear and combed my hair back in order to show him. He had an astonished look on his face for an instant before saying It looks good He tried to act calm but I could easily notice it. I mean, he averted his eyes for a bit and the left side corner of his mouth raised up for a bit. I got too excited so I decided to go to my room to hide for a bit. Mother has said before that its not good to be too clingy. For the time being, I brought out tea so that we can talk and leisurely pass the time by. Father and mother came home soon after that. They started talking about how underhanded throwing sand in their eyes was but for me, its all good as long as Caam is safe. During dinner after Caam went home, they both said. Dont go and meet with him for tonight. Hes probably still tired from travelling and all Hell probably go out and drink with those three idiots, right? Father was completely intimidating Caam with his glare but he hasnt explicitly said that hes against our relationship. Wurst and the others probably want to see him too so Ill be considerate for today. Even I understand that much so thats why Im just making preparations for tomorrow right now. Im really looking forward to it. At worst, I can just ask Mir and Kuchinashi to help me look for him. While looking at my accessory case has become slightly heavier today, I noticed that the corners of my mouth started to rise up a bit. I got embarrassed so I just decided to go to sleep for today. CH 31 Chapter 31: That time when I had a confusingly unlucky day Un, it was peaceful on the way back. However, once the gatekeeper I was acquainted with noticed me as I got to the gate, he said. Hey, hey! Youre pretty loaded, right! Hurry up and take it all out! He suddenly said that while laughing so this is probably just an act. There are not a lot of people at the gate so Im sure he has some free time. I was the type that could easily read and go with the mood back in my previous life so why dont I try getting into it this time as well! H-hiiiiii! This is all that I have. Its true, honest. Please forgive me` I took out the exact amount needed for the toll from my wallet and handed it over. Tsk! Fine. Ill just let you off with this much for today While saying that, he tapped my shoulder and let me through the gate. Oi, wait Crap! Its my superior officer (Whats he doing here) That guy you were playing around with as well Thought so` Theres a saying a hedge between keeps friendships green. That saying is even more appropriate right now since youre still on duty right now. Do you understand? Yes. Im sorry I was also given a warning while he was examining my papers. So youre called Caam. Youre at fault as well. You may have become close with this guy since you frequently pass by here because of your work as a laborer at the protective wall construction site but I hope you understand that you shouldnt be joking around while hes still in the middle of his duties Yes. It is as you say Ill let you off with just a warning for now but next time Im going to sentence you community service and youll get your salary cut yes That sermon in the guardroom took around 10 minutes before we were let off. Sorry about that. Next time, Ill pick a better time No, lets just not do that at all Even though Im almost forty inside, I just went along with it like a young man in high school. To make up for that, Ill treat him next time. I returned to my room and put down my things so that I can go out to shop for ingredients for dinner. However, when I went out, Torene-san was there waiting for me. Uhm, can I help you or something? Ive been feeling lonely during these past two days you were away Ill pay you so make me some sweets! She had a desperate look while saying that. Whats this about? Um` what exactly do you mean? What Im saying is that Ive been waiting for those sweets you make on a whim. Thats how it is so please, Im begging you Even if you look at me with those imploring eyes If you dont make some, Ill start crying in your room you know! Youll die you know! What are you suddenly saying in such a cute voice? She looks like a little girl but if I remember correctly, the horse next door said that shes a banshee. In my previous life, its said that when you hear somebody crying, its a sign that someones going to die though. Even if she cries inside a specific room in an apartment complex, wouldnt the probability of it being me still be pretty low? Ah` yeah, sure. I understand. I was about to go out shopping anyway Im already sick of the sweets around this area so I wanted to eat something different Haa Is that so? Then, Ill leave it to you So it has already been decided Ah`geez what a pain. Fine, Ill just make both at the same time. Since Im doing as told, I wonder if theyll start thinking that Im a pushover. * I already bought the ingredients for dinner and those sweets. I guess I should start making those sweets first. While the BGM of a famous 3-minute cooking show1 was playing in my head, I started working. *tere te te te te, tere te te te, tere tetete~*2 Right now, Im receiving the stares of two people in front of me. So it increased by one Why is Fra?che-san also here? Hm? I came since I heard Torene-sans voice. Youre making sweets right? If so then I wanted to have some too Youre usually so respectable so itll trouble me if you say that with such a smug face. Yeah, yeah. Its fine. It doesnt really matter if its just one persons share or five. Ive already given up I arranged the ingredients in front of me Im paying him to make it so if youre having it together with me, you should shoulder half of it Fine fine. Ill also pay so stop glaring at me. It seems like Im going to be paid for my efforts for making sweets. So, what are you going to make? Just a simple cake Cake you say!You can make cakes!? Its just a simple one, okay? To be honest, there are only a few hobbies you can do here in this world so it couldnt be helped that all that I could do was cook. There are no games here after all. Well, the hero apparently introduced Reversi and Chess in this world so there are those I guess Hmm` that seems pretty reasonable. That makes sense. Now then, the cakes I know how to make are pancakes, pound cakes, and chiffon cakes. Among these, the cheapest one to make is pancakes but that doesnt really look like a cake so I guess Ill just make a chiffon cake. I could turn it into a layered cake if I just bake a sponge cake right now but I wont since its pretty tiring to manually make the frosting. They dont have those chiffon cake pans here in this world so I guess Ill just put one of those iron cups that adventurers use in the middle of the baking pan. Still, its quite tough working with somebody watching you. Well, I have no choice but to do it though. First I separate the egg yolks from the whites, place them in a bowl and mix in sugar and flour. In another bowl, I beat the egg whites and gradually add in sugar until stiff peaks. When thats done, I add the meringue to the batter in three parts and fold it in. After that, all I have to do is coat the pan with butter and put it in the oven. If you stick in a skewer and it comes out clean then the cake is done. Because of the enticing smell, a landlady, a horse and another person I havent seen before were added to the number of participants. First impression: Reaaaally scary I didnt notice them since was facing the oven to check if its done so when I turned back, he was already sitting in one of the chairs. I was so surprised that I almost leaped out but since hes here, I thought that hes probably one of the residents so I was able to resist letting out a scream. Thank you, that one game I like. Thanks to you I ended up not screaming. If I had met him at the corridor in the middle of the night then I might have screamed and wet my pants. As for how scary he is, hes about 2 meters tall, has red eyes and a greyish black, hairless, and moist body. Would it be easier to understand if I say that the opening of his mouth reached the base of his ears and has razor-sharp teeth?3 Hes wearing his leather armor and his sword is still attached to his waist. I wonder if he just got off from work. Please wipe the blood splatters off first at least. Ah, nice to meet you Ah, so youre Caam. The names Folly[ե]. Thanks for all those sweets. It was delicious Huuuh? He looks scary but is very polite. Is he actually a really nice person? Wait, what race is he even from? One of the aquatic ones? Well, I shouldnt really worry about that. Ah, okay I could only reply like that because his response was completely different from what I had imagined. Hmm``` Its sweet. And also fluffy Its cute how shes flapping her feet. Hmm`, this is so Please dont vigorously chew on it with a serious face. Hmm`. Its really tasty, isnt it` The horse continued eating it with a smile on his face. I havent received any proper comments about it so I cant really tell how it turned out. ?????? Dont just quietly eat there. Please give me some kind of comment. Umu the softness is similar to that of a chicks feather. The sweetness is also just right and the taste of the egg even complements it. If its like this, it really is strange why youre working day labor jobs Thank you very much for that kind comment. Wait, he cant really hear it if I just say it in my head, can he? Un, its okay. Compared to the freshly cooked western sweets I ate in my previous life, its neither good nor bad. It truly is just okay. Thank you for the meal Youre welcome It was the same in my previous life but even in this world, the easiest way to get along with someone is through their stomach. We started chatting after having that afternoon snack. They asked about how about how did I manage to catch a fly on the wall using a knife and where did I take that knife out from so I told them how I did my throwing practice in the village. I talked about how I practiced with stones first, then a knife and an axe as well as how I refined my knife magic. So you can also do something like that Fra?che-san suddenly said something like that with a serious face. Could you teach me how to do that? Asking someone to teach their own personal magic is the same as asking them to hand out their personal treasures but could you somehow make an exception an teach me? She suddenly bowed her head as she said that. Well, I guess its impossible. Just teaching your magic like that is`Ah, its okay Huh!?So quick! You agreed to that really easily! And here I was racking my brains out on how to express how I feel but you just brushed that off with that phrase! Ah`, sorry bout that but when I was still going to school back in my village, there was a time I taught everyone in class a trick to using magic. This may be a different way of thinking compared to other mages but I taught everyone in the village so that it would make our lives even easier After saying that, I produced an obsidian knife on top of my palm. Lightly grabbed it and swing it around like a teachers pointer while taking out a lump of obsidian. To be honest, this black knife is made from this stone. This stone was formed from glass so it may look like glass but its actually a rock. That means this is originally naturally produced. I believe it comes from lava that has cooled down and solidified or something like that. When you break off a piece of this rock, that piece would have really sharp edges FumuHmm`Really? There are times when broken glass can cut stuff right? Its the same as that. Please use the image of a hard broken glass that becomes a knife. Ohh` Its amazing how everyone said that at the same time. Im sure that Fra?che-san and Folly-san understood that but I dont think Torena-san does. Thats pretty easy to imagine, isnt it? Un un. And arent you underestimating me a little? It certainly is easy to understand. Have you thought about actually trying to take up the teachers cane? No, well`, I really think its best that we just leave that to people who really like studying. Besides, I wont be able to do it since I only have one way of teaching and Im afraid of permanently changing the students lives. Ah, and about this things weakness, once the magic power you use in making this runs out, it will disappear. The stronger the impact it receives, the quicker it would disappear as well. Because of that, if you use this as a sword, it could suddenly disappear and the worst thing that could happen is youll die. Since its still glass, its brittle so I strongly recommend you use it just for throwing UnderstoodKa`yIll make sure not to forget Theres also the compensation given by the skill though. Like that, Torene-san immediately tried throwing a knife. However, instead of sticking to it, the part that hit the wall was the handle so it fell to the floor, broke in half and disappeared. Ah` She sounded pretty disappointed but Id get pretty depressed if she actually managed to make it stick on the first try. I could understand it if it was somebody who has always been throwing knives though. Fumu *Thunk* Like this? *Thok* UmuYey The two of them did a high five and seemed to be pleased. Folly-san, I wont be able to see you as anything but someone who does that kind of thing all the time so please stop it. My imagination is going out of control, or should I say, your smile is really scary. That the face you see just before your neck gets bitten off. It was already dinner time so we ended our conversation and I started cooking once again. Ill just skimp out today and use some of the ingredients I used for the cake to make french toast. Eh? You put the bread into that egg and sugar mixture? Are you going to bake that? Ah what a nice smell` Looks delicious`` I was going to explain the step by step procedure to make it but decided to just make it quietly. Okay, its done` I would probably have to explain why its called French toast so Ill just tell them its a pseudo-pancake. Ooh`, please let me try a bit~ This girl whos older than me but looks like a young girl cutely said that. If you just look at her appearance, I think that this person is cute. However, she gets overbearing once in a while, just like when we first met. Ah`, sure go ahead. Ive already given up and I knew you were going to say that so thats why you guys can just go ahead and take some I said that as I was making the second batch for me to eat. Lets see Im not sure if he likes sweet things or he was just really interested but I was a bit surprised when Folly-san also took one. Hahtoday wasnt such a good day for me. Ever since I came back, I was scolded, made to make sweets and a part of my dinner was taken from me There was also Folly-san who was really scary. Well, whatever. I guess I should just go to bed so that I can wake up early tomorrow. Because of the long walk back, I was able to sleep surprisingly quickly. CH 32 Chapter 32: That time when I was invited to a subjugation quest Part 1 My rank increased by one just a few days after I returned to town. I was already able to complete 20 quests a rank lower than my current one so right now, Im already rank 3. I was also congratulated for ranking up this time. I dont think its an achievement worth praise though since Im sure anybody can reach rank 3 if they just work as a day laborer for a living. Well, I just wont mind it. This probably isnt an unusual thought but I dont really think I have anything I can feel grateful for because of the adventurers guild. Even if I do, its just to the extent of helping people find other work when the job they took has been canceled due to rain. It might be silly but thats what I believe. One night a few days after I reached rank 3, I heard four knocks on my door. Do they also do that in this world? Its Folly. Caam, are you there? Yes. Come in So were going to be alone in a room together This is going to be bad for my heart. Excuse me He said that as he went in and casually looked around my room. Here you go After I offered him a seat, I also sat down. Ah`, I guess I should brew tea You dont have to bother since Im going to be leaving soon. You previously said that youre working as a day laborer but, did you register at the guild and pick that job from the ones posted on the wall? Er, I guess If so then that makes things a bit quicker, can you let me see your guild card? Uhm Why do you want to see it? While asking that I started taking out the card out of the box on my shelf. Right now, theres an emergency quest issued by the guild so I was told to find as many participants I can as possible Eh? Riding a carriage, if you leave the gates in the morning, youll be able to reach a foot of a mountain just a bit before it gets dark. It has been confirmed that theres a large outbreak of monsters there so it seems like they want to increase to the fighting force even if just a bit. Even if you dont fight, they say theyre also looking for people who can work behind the scenes helping out in treating the wounded and distributing rations. The guild actually just posted this quest today. If its Caam then the food is sure to be delicious. If you dont want to fight then its good enough for you to just stay in the backlines Ehh? I was presenting my guild card to Folly-san but I was surprised so my hand suddenly stopped. If youll excuse me While saying that, he took the card I was about to hand out. Ah` it was already too late. I should have realized it when he asked about me registering at the guild. Hou, so youre able to do both the vanguard and rearguard roles. You can also use all the attributes. Compound magic? Well, I can just ask that later. Thanks, you can have this back Ah, okay Umu, if hes like this then hes already good enough. Even if he did launch a surprise attack against his rank 5 opponents, its still a fact that he was able to win in the end Please stop talking as if youre the only one here. Uhm`, are you perhaps, inviting me? Of course. Even if its just a single person, its better to gather as many people as we could. Were even recruiting some from other towns as well. I already talked with Fra?che and she says shell also go Its difficult to refuse if you say it like that`. Fine, Im still more or less affiliated with the guild so Ill just accept You have my thanks. I didnt think you would accept since I assumed that youre shy. I thought youd be uneasy being surrounded by strangers Eh`, rather than shy, its more accurate to say that I just avoid interacting with other people. Ive never met anyone who could tell the difference between those two though. So, whats this compound magic? Id like a simple explanation please Because of that, I produced a ball of lukewarm water on top of my hand. This is the result of combining fire and water magic to make hot water. I made it so that its similar to the temperature of the water at the bathhouse so its alright to touch it Ooh, youre right. It really is warm I always get this kind of reaction every time someone touches it whenever I show this magic. Well, if you wait for a bit, it can get even hotter though Like a 98 degree boiling water. That must be pretty convenient whenever you want to wipe your body Well, if its just something like a bath, then I can fill it up easily If thats the case then I can honestly say that it was a good thing I came to ask you. Its not really pleasant being covered in monsters blood so youll be a huge help to everyone. We leave the morning the day after tomorrow. Well only come back once the number of monsters decreases so I still dont know when that will be. Just ask the guild for more details. Well then, Ill leave it to you After saying that, Folly-san got up and left my room. Un, to be honest, I really dont want to go. It might be because I was originally Japanese but do so I feel like this doesnt have anything to do with me. Well, I really should stop bringing values from my previous world here. Its already time for work but Im thinking of skipping today since I still have some preparations left to do. Boss. Im really sorry about this but please let me take another break from work starting today Why? Are you going back to your village again? No. An acquaintance of mine thats living at the same place told me that there has been a confirmed outbreak of monsters nearby so the guild is asking its members to participate. It seems like fighting ability doesnt matter since theyre also looking for people who will work behind the scenes I see. Come back alive, okay? Boss, thats what you call a flagdie Yes. Ill make sure not to die Once you come back, I treat you at the red-light district Kitsune-san, thats also a flag Y-you should write a letter to your girlfriend Macho-san, thats a flag as well Ill make sure not to die and at worst, Ill just stay at the back lines until the end. Please just think of it as if Ive just come down with the cold so I have to stay in bed for a while Sure. Just come back By the way, it seems like the boss is actually working full-time here rather than through the guild so he doesnt have to do stuff like this. After that, I went to the guild to ask for further details. Uhm, Id like to ask even more details about the matter with the large monster outbreak Understood I was told the location of the outbreak and the gathering of adventurers from other towns. I heard about those yesterday so I already got a general idea of the situation. As for the equipment youll need, bringing your own weapons, armor, tools to maintain those, as well as sleeping gear would be enough. You dont have to bring your own water, food, potions and the like since those are included in the provisions that will be provided by the guild. Other things that you may want to bring are a change of clothes and a towel. You may bring any of your indulgences that you deem necessary like alcohol and tobacco but a heavy baggage might slow you down so please keep that in mind when youre deciding what to bring. This is an emergency quest so there are no particular requirements when it comes to rank. Because of that, depending on your achievements, you may be able to increase your rank. If you want to raise your rank then please do your best That was really cute. She said that with a sweet smile so it made my heart slightly throb. Understood. However, I think daily employment jobs suit me more so Ill just raise my rank by doing those Is that so? Those types of jobs are pretty safe after all. However, there are also people who undertake these kinds of quest dreaming of getting rich quickly only to lose everything once they die. If you ask me, I still cant decide which ones better Anyway, to register for the quest, please present your guild card She started writing something on some documents. I couldnt see what it was since she was over the counter. Here you go. Thank you very much. Well then, the departure is tomorrow just a bit after the gates open. Please be careful because even though were also sending a second team there, it still takes a day to reach that area so youll have to wait until the next day for reinforcements to arrive Understood. Thank you for being so thorough I dont need any of those luxury items so I wont include that in my preparations. Bringing my weapons, armor, some sugar and salt, apples and hard biscuits would be enough. Now that I think about it, most of the stuff Im bringing are ingredients but its better to be safe since it might be necessary for me to make some homemade oral hydration solution while Im there. Plus, even though they say that food will be provided, it would probably just be some kind of soup with something that wont spoil easily like dried meat so I should make up for the lack of dietary fibers and vitamins as well. Some cabbages and lemons or limes would probably be enough for that. Next would be protective equipment. I currently dont have any since I dont need to fight in my current workplace. Because of that, I went to a weapon and armor shop to buy one but there doesnt seem to be anything that catches my eye. Lets try asking for the meantime. Excuse me. Do you have a shield that would compliment something like a two-handed sword, a spear, or something like a halberd? Ha? What kind of specialty weapon do you have, sonny? I cant help you if I dont know what that is I was starting to get worried that I wont be able to find any so I just told him honestly. A shovel desu *Bffft* He spat out the beverage he was drinking and started choking on it while some of it dripped down his nose. Shovel, you say? sonny, are you sure youre sober? No, it can definitely exceed its intended use since its tough but cheap. Plus, because of its length and with it being slightly tip heavy, dont you think that it feels like a combination of an axe, a sword, and a spear? Can you show me how you use it? I borrowed a short spear from the shopkeeper occhan. You hold it like this Hmm`, how about you try out this buckler first I attached the buckler to my left hand then held the short spear like how I would hold the shovel and tried swinging it around. It doesnt seem like its restricting my movements and doesnt feel uncomfortable. Ah`, I forgot to say but I also use a machete and a crowbar I can somehow understand the machete but how do you use a crowbar? You can use it for hitting, stabbing and catching your opponents weapon. Since its just iron formed into a rod-like shape, even if it gets hit with a weapon, it wont easily get damaged. It really is a versatile tool. Depending on how you use it, it can be used for everything Sonny, it might be bad for me to say this but dont you think it would be better if you dont use any defensive armaments? No matter how you look at it, I cant imagine any situations where youll need a shield while using your shovel. However, if you think you really need it then Im still going to sell it to you. This is still a business after all Is that so? I guess youre right. If I deem it necessary then I come to buy one next time. How about armor? Hmm` While uttering that, he looked at my entire body. I guess leather would be good. Theres hard and soft leather. It can also be made from materials brought back from subjugation requests like an ogres hide but that might not be possible since the material needs to be cleanly skinned and with no wounds By the way, how much does leather cost? Hard leather costs 2 large silver. The soft one starts from 2~3 silver to 1 large silver Im sorry but Ill have to pass on that. Ive only been in town for around thirty days so I dont have that much money yet. Please just give me some leftover leather thats a bit on the thicker side What will you do with it? Wait, never mind. I shouldnt pry too deep. No matter what you do with it, I can no longer use it anyway so a large copper coin would be enough Thank you very much No need for thanks. Come again Sure Hm, even though they were just leftovers, that was still quite surprising that I only got it for that much. Well, at least I now have something to protect my body. I guess I should also check out a clothing store. Ye~s, welcome~ With that youthful demeanor, a cute dog-earred onee-san who seemed to be nice came out. Im sure she had a lot of men fawning over her when she was younger. Well, that has nothing to do with me though. Excuse me. Do you have overalls that is made out of thick fabric thats the same color as my skin? Either that or something thats dark green We have both of those you know~ Then Ill take them Kay~ That would be 5 large copper~ I also need a few sheets of a black cloth thats a bit on the larger side and is thick. Do you have some kind of thin leather straps as well? We also have those~ hmm`, 5 large coppers would be fine for the thick cloth but Ill have to ask 1 silver for the leather strap She has a really relaxed way of speaking but its not like I hate it. If shes like this then Im sure that weaker men wouldnt be able to resist. Even now there was a guy outside with flowers in hand while deciding whether or not to enter the shop. Again, that really doesnt have anything to do with me though so I just handed over 2 silver and 5 large copper then left the store. Good luckWha! I suddenly called out to the man so he was surprised. Ill be cheering him on. Once I got back to the apartment, I sewed sewing on the thick leather on the insides of the elbows and knees of the clothes I bought. After that, I went to the garden, made a warm waterball and tossed in everything that I bought while adding the usual current to make it spin. Im washing it to remove that peculiar smell of new clothes. Ill finish doing the rest of my laundry while Im at it. Its good that the brand new smell is already gone but well, itll probably be dry tomorrow if I hang them. The next thing I have to do is to inspect my equipment. I took out the previously remodeled rucksack and placed a sewing kit and medical supplies into the pouches. The sugar and salt that I bought today were in bottles so I wrapped them in a cloth to make sure it wont break. The fruits would be okay inside a paper bag I guess. I placed my clothes in a leather bag so that it wont get wet before I placed it inside the rucksack then rolled up my slightly dirty blanket and fasten it on top. After this would be the weapons check. Its fine if I just leave the shovel as is so Ill work on the machete. I wonder if I should sharpen it at a slightly steeper angle. Even if I make it really sharp, I shouldnt really expect it to stay like that after cutting monsters a few times. When it comes to the crowbarUn, I like you just the way you are. Ill just say that because even if I want to improve it, I dont really know how. Should I sharpen the flat part? The part that pulls out the nails? I dont really need to tamper with this, do I? I was thinking of making something like a tactical vest next. I cant actually make the real one so I stacked up several thick black cloths and firmly sew them together while leaving an opening for the head and arms. Ill only be wearing this on top of my regular clothes like a jacket so I attached leather straps by the opening to secure it. Of course, the straps I placed were long and narrow ones similar to that of the MOLLE. On the front part of the vest, I attached two sheaths with the opening facing the upper right for my throwing knives. Its in an easy to take out location plus I theyre only fastened there so I can easily adjust their position. By the left-hand side of my waist, I made several rings to attach my crowbar to. This is so that the crowbar wont be swinging around randomly while Im moving. Then at the back is where the machete will be placed with the handle facing the upper right. I was thinking about putting it on the opposite side of the crowbar at first but decided not to since I thought that it would get in the way if in case I get thrown off or fall over. Well, it doesnt really matter though since I can just change it any time. To check if nothing is actually getting in the way, I first tried jumping up and down then lay down and start rolling around. It seems to be alright. Depending on the situation, I can place small pouches in the area near my stomach or in the back. So that I alter it to suit any situation, Ill just leave some spaces open. Now for my regular knife, I attached the sheath to one of the leather belts and placed it on my right thigh like a gun holster. I placed it there so that I can easily take it out by extending my right hand. I also attached elbow and knee pads so that I wont get hurt if ever I have to crawl around. Aside from that, I still have to carry my rucksack with me so I made sure that the machete wouldnt fall while Im wearing it. Un, it doesnt seem like there are any problems. After that, I packed all that was necessary in my rucksack and tried to check the overall weight by running around the town for about an hour. I received some weird gazes but wasnt able to find any particular problems with my equipment. Since I wont need it until we reach our destination, Ill just put my belt along with the crowbar back in my rucksack and only my shovel will be left outside. All thats left is to wait for my clothes to dry off then all of my preparations are complete. *Knock knock* Its Fra?cheIll be there in a sec Are you done with your preparations? This is pretty much your first campaign so I cameto WHATs WITH THAT SHOVEL! Cant you see? Its my main weapon Nononono, thats a farming tool, right? Dont you know? Depending on how you use it, it can be a tool or a weapon Heeeeey, Folly! Can you come to Caams room for a bit` She called out to Folly-san for some reason. What is it? I can hear you even if you dont shout. Youll bother the neighborsa shovel? Fra?che-san presented my shovel to Folly-san in order to lead the conversation that way. Is it really that strange of a weapon? It seems like this guy plans to wield a shovel to battle Why a shovel? Didnt you have enough to buy an actual weapon? Even though I said its alright for you to say at the back, thats a bit Im not sure why the shovel is receiving this much criticism but Im going to defend it. Isnt is fine? The shovel has just the right length and its center of gravity is even close to the tip. Striking, cutting, stabbing, you can even defend against strikes with it. Look at it, if you properly sharpen the tip, isnt it similar to an axe!? Since it was originally a farming tool, its tough but cheap! Theres nothing greater than this! Okay, okay. I understand so just calm down. If it turns out to be useless then Ill just have to ask you to go back. Just keep that in mind Yes So, how is its actual performance? Lets see it in action for a bit in the garden * Well then, here I go? Im going to hit your sword from the side so Ill leave it to you Understood. I know that youre coming at me so Ill do something about it somehow Well then While saying that, I made sure to hold back my swing. Clink! The sound that was louder than I expected as my shovel hit his sword. I think that he didnt expect it to be so heavy since he almost dropped his weapon. tsk```. That caused my hand to go numb. If you hit someone using a shield then they probably wont be able to use it for a while (Folly) Hmm`, you told him how to defend earlier but how do you think it would fare against an arrow? (Fra?che) Well, if I see it then I can just cover the area of my head. The worst that could get hit in my body is my arm or just the armor Im wearing. It has a curve so I think doing that might be dangerous for those around me though (Caam) Mu` I can understand its strengths but, how do you actually use it in battle? (Fra?che) Lets see If I use it like a two-handed sword then wouldnt I work well as a vanguard? (Caam) I guess thats right. Well ask you to be a vanguard then. What about your armor? (Folly) After thinking about something for a bit, I was assigned to be a vanguard for now. I bought some dark green and indigo blue clothes from the clothing store earlier. I just sewed in soft leather at the elbows and knees to protect those areas. I also made a vest Wait, I was thinking about modern-day combat when I decided to make this, didnt I? I wont really get if Im only told to get armor so thats why I just bought these dark green overalls with a camo effect and the dark indigo one to blend it the darkness. The mask and cloth on his head was only added on the LN version. Youll die with that kind of outfit on, you know? (Fra?che) Huh? She sure was full of confidence when she said that. Were going to a place with a lot of tall thickets and trees right? (Caam) There certainly is as you say but (Folly?) Please wait for a bit (Caam) With that said, I picked up the half-dry green clothes and put them on. I went to the thicket by the apartments courtyard and cut off a some of it. Image?High Viscosity Liquid?clad in my body After that magic was activated, I got the leaves I cut and attached it to my clothes, face, and hair to make a makeshift ghillie suit. I fully cover myself and just left a bit of space for my mouth and eyes. How is it? Ill be able to ambush enemies with this if I hide in a thicket. Ah`. Un (Folly) I wont say anything anymore. Just do as you like (Fra?che) The first one didnt really mind and the other seemed like she had already given up. I used water magic to wash myself all over since I was sticky all over so I once again had to dry the clothes. Well, Im sure Ill have to ask you a lot of stuff starting tomorrow. I practically have zero fighting experience after all Sure, sure After saying that, they returned to their rooms. It doesnt seem like the style of battle of my previous worlds is popular in this world. Instead of launching long-range attacks while wearing inconspicuous clothes, they would rather just do preemptive attacks head-on. Well then, its not really necessary but I guess I could make some hard biscuits to bring along. I already have the ingredients anyway so can just go ahead and make them. First, I mixed in sugar into the batter and alternately add in the milk and wheat flour. Once thats done, Ill cool it in the fridgewhich doesnt exist so Ill just place the bowl on top of a bucket filled with ice. After it has cooled down, I rolled it out to make it thinner and cut them into squares to make it easier to store. I already preheated the oven to 200 degrees earlier so I placed them inside and bake them for 10 minutes. Un, once you get used to it(the stone oven), its surprisingly easy. While it was baking in the oven, the smell of the batter attracted Celesso-san and Torene-san. Im going to be bringing this with me tomorrow so Ill just let them try one. So hard! So they said but this was made with preservation in mind so it cant be helped even if you complain. As you would expect, it doesnt seem like they would still be expecting a second serving. After that, I did a final check on my luggage to make sure that my preparations are complete. Im not really looking forward to it but I cant really go without sleep so I just went to bed at my usual time. Its all good as long as I dont oversleep. At sunrise, three people were already gathered at the kitchen having a light meal. Were you able to sleep well? After having such trifling conversation like that, we immediately decided to head for the gates. Before the gates were actually opened, there were already a few adventurers waiting there while chatting. Everyone else was wearing armor made up of some kind of pelt or holding some kind of shield. Because I was the only one with a shovel and a homemade tactical vest, that attracted some curious gazes but I decided to mind it. After a short while, the gates opened so we got on the carriage and headed towards the quest location. I wont have anything to do for over half a day while were traveling so I decided to resume my image training that I havent done for a while. The guys from nearby towns probably arrived earlier than us since the base was already set up complete with the tents and cooking area. They let us borrow a single tent so we just took out what is necessary for the exploration and left the rest of our luggage there. Ah`, is it really just fine to leave our luggage inside? (Caam) Everyone here is supposed to take turns monitoring each others luggage. Adventurers have this oddly strong sense of camaraderie so while there are still cases where they snatch each others spoils, its rare for there to be a person wholl steal your luggage among them. However, it would still be better for you to bring your valuables along with you (Folly) Thats right. Well for me, I just bring along my bow and arrow, dagger and money and just leave the rest behind (Fra?che) When it comes to expeditions like these, you have to walk around while carrying heavy things like water and foodstuff. There are also cases where youll have to do night watch so its pretty troublesome if you dont aim to be as comfortable as possible (Folly) Hmmm`, then I guess Ill just bring my dark green overalls, my weapons, salt, sugar and money (Caam) Once you finished your preparations then lets set out immediately. Were entering the forest so stay vigilant (Folly) His voice was the same as usual but there was a certain feeling of tension in the air so I also decided to reply this way. Roger * After walking for a while, just before the entrance to the forest, we discovered a large group of monsters. I have visual confirmations of the monsters. I might say this a lot from now on but this is really exhausting (Caam) We have no other choice but to do it though You have a surprisingly good set of eyes, dont you? (Fra?che) If you want to do FPS games as a hobby, even if you dont want to, youll eventually start noticing the silhouettes of people and stuff while surrounded by nature. It cant be helped right? Its a large outbreak of unknown causes after all. Lets just act by ourselves as a three-person group for the time being (Folly) Got itRoger Umu. So Caam, what is your actual combat experience? (Folly) A mock battle with some classmates during a class at school, some goblins and wild animals during my free time, a goblin during our school trip to town and I once threw sand on the eyes of four idiots who picked a fight with me. Thats pretty much it, I guess I actually have a few more experiences aside from that like the time I experimented with my stone bullets so if worst comes to worst, I can just shoot the monsters butwell, lets just make sure we dont get into a situation where I have to use it. So you practically dont have any combat experience, huh. Im sorry about this but Ill have to ask you to observe them first and decide whether youll be a vanguard or rearguard (Folly) How about this. Ill deal a preemptive attack with my bow first and keep shooting arrows while theyre heading here. Then, once you enter battle, you should stay aware of your surroundings since Im going to give you covering fire while you do that (Fra?che) Im okay with that. What about you Caam? (Folly) I thought for a bit and concluded that I wont be able to make a surprise attack myself. Im also fine with that since I cant do a surprise attack myself but once that goblin group gets within the 30 paces, Ill start throwing a few obsidian axes at them. After they get even closer, Folly-san should move over to the left side. Because of that, Fra?che-san, please avoid attacking at Folly-sans right side (Caam) Understood. Well then, lets go. Ill leave the timing up to you, Fra?che (Folly) Got it (Fra?che) With that said, she tightened the draw on her bow and started deciding where to aim. The first arrow hit the neck of the one behind the goblin standing in front. As one would expect, only an elf could do that with such amazing accuracy. After the 2nd arrow defeated another one, a single goblin finally noticed and they started charging at us. While they were doing that, another one got defeated by another arrow that pierced its eye. Once they entered my range, I threw a few axes before picking up the shovel that I had laid down. While I was setting it up, Folly-san was backing me up and defeated two of them in a blink of an eye. I also arbitrarily swung down my shovel and split the head of a goblin together with its stick that it used to defend. Nearby, Fra?che-san was able to shot an arrow through another one. After that, I followed up on the ones I killed with the obsidian axe by pushing the tip of the shovel on their necks. While I was doing that, Folly-san was able to defeat another one. I was able to contribute more than I was expected (Caam) I agree? Are you sure that was all of the combat experience you have? (Folly) Right? (Fra?che) Considering that you didnt hesitate leaving the left side to me, did you do that because I had my sword equipped on my right hand? (Folly) Theres also that but I also thought that Fra?che-san would find it easier aiming at the right side since there is less cover over there (Caam) Thats pretty accurate judgment. Well, well probably have no problems for a while. Now then, how about we start taking dismantling the corpses. (Folly) We only had a few encounters after that. Itll become dark if we dont head back now. Lets go back already I tried suggesting that since based on my biological clock, theres only an hour left before sunset. If we dont hurry, itll get even darker and well have to go back while being even more vigilant. Id like to avoid that at least. While looking at the direction of the setting sun, Fra?che-san said. I guess youre right. It certainly would get dark if we dont head back now Then its decided. Lets go back We all came to an agreement so we decided to get back. When returned to the base camp and it was even more lively compared to this morning. Women who were running around cooking. Stalls that were selling preserved food. Signboards that say Weapon and armor maintenance. And beautiful women who seem out of place. I can understand if its in a relatively safe place but is it really alright to do business here? Well, I cant see any stalls selling vegetables and fruits so bringing those with me turned out to be a right decision. There was a beautiful onee-san who started inviting me but I politely declined. After I did that, she started to invite every single man she came across with. Un, diseases are scary Once we got back to our tent, I checked to see if there was anything missing from my luggage. There have been no signs so far. Well then, lets discuss our plans for tomorrow. In my opinion, I think its better if we also head towards the same direction tomorrow. How about you? (Folly) Since its already dinner time, I grabbed my utensils and lined at the ration distribution area. They had some dried meat soup and stale black bread there. The dried meat soup was only flavored by the dried meats salt content and nothing else. It really was made by just shredding dried meat like I said yesterday. At least Ill be able to put cabbages in this. It seems like bringing those along was also a right decision. As for the taste It exactly what you would expect from a salty dried meat in hot water. Theres nothing else I can say about it. If it was a person doing a food report on TV ate this then they would probably be able to squeeze out a few more comments but this is the limit of what my taste buds could convey. The natural salts and the slightly hard meat are really suitable for making soup. What? Thats only the taste of the ingredients you say? Can you identify the taste of the ingredients? I can say that but would that be alright? Well, Ill just take a leaf from the cabbage I brought, shred it and put it in the soup. As for the black bread, I dip it in the soup before eating it. Un. Salty. After dinner, I went outside our tent and created a waterball. I placed my shovel and machete inside and lightly wash away the blood. While I was wiping them off with a cloth, somebody called out to me. Excuse me. I also want to wash my weapon, is that okay? Eh? Well, I dont really mind though Thank you very much After saying that, he dipped his weapon in the water to wash away the blood. Now that I think about it, there are no ponds or rivers in this area. The water they use for cooking probably comes from those barrels we brought along. While I was thinking about that, before I noticed it, a long line had already formed in front of me so I started getting worried. My waterball is slightly larger than normal so I can put three weapons in there to make this even more efficient. Once the water turns red, I just throw it over an area where nobodys standing. Im not sure why but they seemed amazed every time I do that. The first person was about to pay me but I refused. It was a quite amusing watching everyone gather around and dip in their weapons on the waterball. Skill: Offensive Attribute?Water: 3 acquired. Hmm`, I didnt do anything particularly special so why did it go up? Well, whatever. When Folly-san reached the front of the line, he finally noticed me. So your the cause of this line It seems like he was a bit surprised since he wasnt expecting to see me there operating the waterball once his turn came up. Theres someone making waterballs for the sake of washing weapons free of charge. Furthermore, once the water gets dirty, he just lavishly throws it away. Because of that, Woah! Hes an amazing magician, isnt he? that kind of conversation keeps popping out, you know? After he washed off the blood, he sat next to me and wiped his sword with a cloth while saying that. Oh`, that kind of rumors are already floating about? There are no available water sources in this area so everyone was probably thinking they had no choice but to clean off the blood in their weapons with just a cloth. Thats the reason why that rumor spread out quickly This time, he soaked the cloth in oil and started wiping the sword with it. I guess that kind of sword immediately gets rusty if he doesnt do that. I wouldnt be able to stop doing this until we go home, would I? (Caam) Thats probably true. Its going a quite smoothly so just hang in there a bit more (Folly) Thought so. Well, all I have to do is sit here while maintaining this waterball so its relatively easy for me. The only question now is how long would this subjugation quest take. We wont be able to complete this quest unless we dont know the cause. Well, just be careful you dont overexert yourself Still, it would incite a riot suddenly stop this, wouldnt it? I only planned to say that as a joke while laughing but, Right. They might have already started thinking that youre supposed to help out with washing the weapons by providing a free water source. It was your mistake for not asking any payment. Im sure complaints would come out if you start asking for money tomorrow Thought so` Well, I guess its fine since all that I have to do is keep this water ball floating while Im here. I guess I can be thankful that its not really causing me any pain at least. At any rate, arent you about to run out of magic power soon? Feeling tired? Uh, not really feeling anything different in particular This is nothing compared to the time when I helped out with the harvest or when I plowed all those fields. If thats the case then wouldnt be being a magician suit you even better? With that kind of skill, I think youd be able to find better work anywhere be it for the nobles at the upper-class districts or even a teacher, teaching magic to children of nobles and rich people in larger towns There are nobles in that town? You have a point but, although I may be able to use magic, I dont know how to conduct myself in those kinds of situation. Just the thought that I might offend someone is already making me shiver. If thats the case, then I think its better for me to just swing around my shovel on the frontlines Ah, that was the last person in line After saying that, I threw away the waterball in an area without tents then stood up. And also, as I said before, I dont think Im suited to be a teacher. Well then, Ill be returning to the tent I wont be able to act as a magician in the back lines as well since Im afraid my attacks would lead to friendly fire. I was going to ask him to be our magician but he skillfully avoided it It seems like Folly-san was murmuring something behind me but I wasnt able to hear it. Well then, lets review our plans for tomorrow. Like what I said earlier, I was thinking that we should head towards the same direction so that we can advance even further I dont have any particular problems with that you know (Caam) I also dont mind (Fra?che) Hey, dont just end the discussion right there. What are we going to do after this? Is this really okay? Ah, I made some baked sweets that wont easily spoil. Do you want some? I couldnt bear the silence so I looked for the hard biscuits in my rucksack and presented it to them. Hou So thats what it was. Good grief, and here I was wondering what was it you were making yesterday in the middle of the night. It would have been better if you just slept early in preparation for today! Geez! Ill be having some With that said, she took some anyway. Whats this? This dark elf is really amusing. So hard! Its pretty hard, right? Celesso-san and Torene-san had the same reaction when I let them try some yesterday It seems like all that was needed was something to start with to get the conversation going. I actually thought that Folly-san would be able to easily chew it so Ill just keep on believing that he only said that since it was harder than he thought. Well anyway, after that I went to bed earlier than everyone else. CH 33 Chapter 33: That time when I was invited to a subjugation request part 2 It was a bit noisy when I woke up. They have probably already started distributing rations since it was a bit noisy outside. The other two are still asleep so I just got up without minding them, picked up my tableware then went to receive my meal. Theyre serving dried meat soup and stale black bread today as well. They just added some chopped onions to the soup to make it from yesterday. Its a good thing that I brought some spices along this trip or I would have been regretting it right now. Well, I guess this is better compared to the war in my previous world where the rations they had were only those dry bread called hardtack. They say that those things wont break even if you hit them with bullets and are sometimes compared to an iron plate. While thinking of such things, I swallowed the bread that has become soft after holding it in my mouth for a while and finish off the soup. For dessert, Ill be having a lemon thats nutritious and filled with vitamins to compensate for the rest of the meal. Honestly, if it was going to be like this then I should have made these into dried fruits. Im already regretting that I didnt. Ara, your early. This is pretty much your first expedition so I would have thought youd still be tired (Fra?che) Well, theres nothing I can do about that anymore since Im already here but it became surprisingly easy once I was able to accept it. Its a different story if Im told to kill a demonkin or a human though. It would be nice if Im able to come up with a resolution when that time comes. Haha (Caam) I guess so. They say once you experience killing, its similar to getting rid of your virginity. Im a girl though so I guess Ill be getting rid of my purity. Taking that into consideration, you could say that Im still a virgin but if a person has actually experienced killing someone then the air around them becomes different. If thats what would happen then I would rather not lose my virginity. Sorry, that was kind of vulgar, wasnt it? (Fra?che) No, not at all. I dont mind (Caam) Whats this? Youre having a conversation about killing? (Folly) A person who Im sure has experience killing people just came out from the tent. Ive seen my fair share of people with that kind of experience and you can classify them. Some have resolved themselves to lose something while others already have something broken within themselves. A-ah, I really dont want to be one. I also wont know what Ill do at that time Thats unexpected, so he hasnt done it before. Or rather, it seems like you can experience PTSD like symptoms in this world as well. Well, I guess thats natural. Well then, whats for breakfast today? Its the same as yesterday. They added onions to it though Is that so? Well, Ill just be thankful that I get to eat a warm meal I guess youre right I lazed around while waiting for the two of them to finish eating. Like this, I was able to observe everybody else in the camp. There were only a few of them who were feeling tense. Im not really sure if this is rare or something since its my first time doing this kind of job. Well then, like what we discussed yesterday, well continue advancing towards the same direction Roger We encountered 5 groups of goblins consisting of 5 to 10 members. We didnt really feel fatigued by that but since its almost time for lunch, I started preparing our meal and we took our turns eating and standing watch. I took out an apple that I brought, divide it into three and share it with the other two. Lets go in even deeper Because of that, we decided to move forward. We got close to a mountain deeper in the forest. As we were looking at a steep cliff, I smelled a faint stench. Whats this smell (Caam) What is it all of a sudden? (Fra?che) No, its just that, I got a whiff of a curious smell. It a mix of a livestock shed and somebodys butchering an animal and draining their blood. Its just faint though (Caam) Understood. Lets stay vigilant while advancing (Folly) Fra?che-san nose started twitching as she tried to ascertain it. Thats right, it certainly is there. It would be better if we do that. As we advanced by the cliff for a while, a considerable amount of abnormalities appeared. There wasnt a single sign of wildlife to be found, not even birds at least. Also, the number of corpses devoured by some large creature kept increasing as we got closer. We might have just hit jackpot. Prioritize staying vigilant of your surroundings, muffle your actions and erase your footsteps Roger Ah, please wait for a bit Using the experience I gained from making bricks, I made mud and slathered it all over my body to get rid of my scent. Furthermore, I covered myself with sticky liquid and attached grass that would blend to the surroundings. I kept receiving strange looks from the two but I just didnt mind it. In my previous life, I imitated videos I saw on the internet before about some guys from the special forces rolling around as they pass through swamps during their training. It felt pretty terrible. However, its not impossible to do once you have resolved yourself. Ill go scout for a bit. Please stay vigilant while waiting for me here. If something happens, Ill make sure to notify you somehow After saying that, I crouched down on a bush and slowly advance while trying to avoid making a sound with my footsteps. After I leisurely advance for 20 minutes and continued forward until I could see the foot of the cliff. While making sure that theres nobody around, I slowly move forward. As I got even closer, I noticed that the stench got even more intense. It also got even noisier. There are a total of 8 goblins there. Five of them were the normal ones but two of them were holding a staff and one had a bow. The last one looks bigger than the others. I wonder if that guy is the boss. All of them have weapons equipped. Why the hell are these guys armed? GIYAGIYAGIYAGIYA! They were laughing like that while eating the meat of what I think was a deer. So these guys are the one leaving the corpses around here. With this, we now know whos responsible. I slowly returned using the same path I took and came back to where I left the other two. So that they wont get surprised, I throw a pebble in front of them to attract their attention. However, I was really surprised when Fra?che-san suddenly pointed her bow towards me. I whispered. Its me. Im going to be showing myself now so please lower your bow After saying that, I stood up from a crouch to show myself. Both of them had a look of relief and let out a sigh. Geez, I didnt notice you at all. Ive been staring at that direction for a while now but, for you to be able to hide from an elf inside a forest, thats a big deal you know? I should apologize for making fun of you the other day Skill?Concealment: 3 acquired It was at level 1 before but it immediately went up to 3. Being able to hide from an elf in a forest sure is amazing. I dont mind. More importantly, At the foot of the cliff ahead, there are a 5 who look normal goblins. Aside from those, there are two of who are holding staves, one has a bow and theres also another one whos bigger than the rest Hm`, I think its safe to say that the first five are just a part of the goblins subspecies. The remaining ones are probably a goblin mage, archer and a high goblin Oioi, dont they resemble opponents you would encounter in a game? Dealing with the mage and archer would be difficult enough as is but the high goblin is considerably troublesome as well Ah, so theyre troublesome after all. Lets try to come up with some kind of strategy I raise my leaf covered hand into a salute before saying. Ah, after scouting ahead, I was able to form up a plan but, is it okay? Lets hear it for now As I said earlier, they are located at the foot of a cliff. It looks like a small impact can cause the cliff to collapse so well split into two groups and Ill use my magic to cause a landslide. After that, Fra?che-san and I will start to whittle down their numbers by using long-range attacks from the thickets. If we still dont wipe them out after all of that then well move on to close quarters combat. At least thats how it should go but I could just shoot them all down with my stone bullets to make it faster but I dont really want them to see it. It would be a pain to explain if they asked me how I did it after all. I sure picked a bothersome way of life. The worst that could happen if I get found out is Ill probably get recruited to fight wars. I think thats a good plan. What about you, Fra?che? If youre going to cause a landslide then it would better if you just target the goblin mage and archer while youre at it. Im not really sure if I can pierce the high goblin with my arrows to be honest since its really tough. I should just try to aim for its eyes or mouth I guess Then well do just that. While Fra?che-san is aiming for the high goblins eyes or mouth, Ill be triggering the landslide. After that, well aim for the mage and archer as well as the remaining ones alive using long-range attacks. What do you think about that? I have no objections I as well Then with that, lets go You just accepted the plan of an amateur, you know? After that, we slowly advanced towards the foot of the cliff. There, we found the group who were still eating raw meat up until now so we decided to start what we had planned. Well then, Ill be separating from you guys for a bit here. Once I start moving through the thicket, please start slowly counting and start the plan when you reach 300. Ill leave the timing up to you Im going to move while making sure Im not detected so I allocated a slightly longer time for me to reach the designated area. * Fifty seconds left, its more than enough time but I might be wrong since they might be counting faster than I am. Im really not sure when to start so Ill just concentrate and keep watching those goblins. Im approximately 50m above our target. Theres a boulder sticking out by the edge so I can just use earth magic to push it out. This cliff seems to be fragile so if I move something that huge, itll probably give in. It should be any moment now. My mouth is getting a bit dry because of the tension but I should remain focused. Theyre still laughing while stuffing their mouths with meat like earlier. Theyre laughing while eating something tasty. If its in situations like these then you can say that theres not much difference between a human and demons. As I was thinking that, an arrow pierced the large mouth of the high goblin so I activated my magic. Wow. Shes almost 200 meters away but she was still able to shoot an arrow through its mouth. Well, I guess thats to be expected since archery practitioners are able to easily hit something 50~70 meters away. I really think thats amazing, to be honest. Image?The boulder in my line of sight?detached from the cliff?Execute The boulder fell then a sound like that of a rumbling stomach resounded as the cliff collapsed. The goblins were caught unaware so they were frantically trying to get a grasp of the situation but it was already too late. The next arrow hit the goblin archer in the torso and my obsidian axe hit the chest of one of the goblin mages. The remaining goblin mage produced a fireball at the tip of its staff and was about to fire it at the direction the arrow came from but at that moment, a boulder fell on it. *Bam! Bam!* Boulders started raining down so the monsters started running around. There are only two goblin subspecies left standing. Seeing that, Folly-san moved to deal with them but the goblins noticed that and started running away so I aimed my obsidian axe there to disrupt them. Folly-san immediately closed the distance, decapitated the first one and stabbed his sword into the other. That went well. At any rate, Im thankful that the falling boulders didnt reach up to here I agree. I also didnt think it would go this smoothly. Well, I guess its just because we planned ahead of time Thats right. Ill leave the collection of the materials to you. Im going keep watch I took out the knife from my thigh while Folly-san got his from his waist and we were about to get started gathering the materials when. GOGAAAAAAA! The high goblin got up and let out such a loud roar as it moved a boulder out of the way. Since I was the one closest to it, it came rushing at me. So the cerebellum nor the brain stem werent located inside of the mouth after all! Damn it! While saying that, I immediately covered my eyes and activated Stun Grenade in front of me. Because of the short distance, both of us were directly hit by the flash and the thunderous sound. My eyes are somewhat alright since I can still see, albeit with some difficulty, but the same cant be said for my ears. I pulled out the machete from my back and cut off the hands of the high goblin who was running wild while holding its eyes. After that, I threw away the machete and took out the crowbar to stab it in the eyes while beating it with the shovel. Theres no way this wont reach your brain, right! You piece of shit! Fuck! Fuck! I shouted that while beating the fallen high goblins head with the shovel. I wont be satisfied until I hit its head ten more times. Stop it! As I heard that, somebody restrained from me behind while somehow trying to calm me down. That ones already dead so calm down! Haa, haa. I tried to catch my breath. Once I calmed down, I could see that its head was already smashed and its grey matter scattered around. It cant be helped since its your first time but dont just go on a rampage like that! A really scary Folly-san scolded me with a terribly grim face. That immediately caused me to regain my senses. That was close, the worst that could have happened was that I might have attacked him if I saw him like that while I was still not myself. I mean, he looks really scary after all. Sorry Well, at least youre okay. We werent able to move for a while because of that really bright light and extremely loud sound. Even though I still had difficulty hearing, my vision started recovering so I had to stop you when I saw you continuously bashing your shovel like an axe at that high goblins head. You should just leave the dismantling to me and just sit down and take a rest by that boulder over there. Fra?che will continue to stay vigilant while keeping watch. Roger This is my first time being in a real battle like that and its totally different than in games as expected. I laughed at myself as I produced a small water ball in my fingertip. After drinking that, I was able to regain a bit composure. I took a deep breath so that I can completely calm myself down but the adrenaline rush still hasnt settled down. My heartbeat is starting to get annoying since its ringing in my ears. I think it would have been even more horrible if that was a demonkin or a human. This reminds me of the conversation we had this morning. I came to my senses because of the sudden tap on my shoulder. Have you calmed down? Well, somewhat Fra?che-san had a worried look while checking up on me so I replied like there was nothing wrong but I think Im still not my usual self. I dont feel like vomiting so I think Im alright but this is probably shock or something because of that unforeseen situation so for the meantime, Ill just preoccupy myself by focusing on preparing for our withdrawal. Tearing off the hide of this high goblin would be the worst part of this, wouldnt it? Its quite stinky after all (Fra?che) Well, you can make soft leather armor with that so just endure it. The selling price for that is surprisingly high you know? (Folly) Thinking about just the cost of making soft leather armor then its sure to be pretty expensive just by itself. We used the same path going back so we didnt have any encounters but the problem was the materials that we gathered were really smelly. I also forgot that I was wearing my ghillie suit so when we returned to the base camp, everyone started becoming agitated while shouting. Its a monster I havent seen before`! One guy even started charging at me so Folly-san shouted. This guys an ally! Hes the one who helped clean your weapons with that waterball yesterday! Hearing that, they stopped but they didnt let their guard down at all so I created a slightly larger waterball and went in it. After washing all the leaves, blood, mucus, and mud, I got out and said Ah, excuse me then sent the filthy waterball with all of those things to a faraway place. Do you not remember this face? Once I said that, everyone sheathed their weapons while saying. The heck! So it was just you after all They were clicking their tongues while they dispersed. Iya` my bad, my bad. In the evening while I was eating my meal, I sat down and kept on making waterballs to wash everyones weapons. Hey sonny, I heard you that you were able to defeat a high goblin. Is that true? An adventurer who finished washing his weapon suddenly began talking to me so Y-yeah was the only thing I could reply. Although, when it comes to that high goblin, even though I dropped a boulder over it, it still didnt die and started rushing at me so I panicked and drove in the crowbar in its eye. I cant really say that can I? Actually, being able to still get up after getting hit by that boulder at that height, that guy must have had a really amazing vitality. At night while we were nibbling on hard biscuits, I was really surprised by that really loud sound and that really bright light you know? I wasnt able to see and hear so I didnt know what was going on. Theres nothing that I could do in that situation but stay still (Fra?che) Thats right. Its my first time experiencing something like that. At that time, I just dropped to my knees and just wait for it to pass. That was magic, right? (Folly) Well, yeah Its supposed to be a non-lethal weapon for suppression and crowd control so thats why its like that. Ah`, I wont be able to teach you that okay? I immediately followed up with that. The two of them became a bit dejected after that but I just ignored them We continued patrolling the area while exterminating the monsters from the outbreak a few days after that so we were able to more or less decreased their numbers. Because of that, they said that it would be better to send around half of the adventurers back so I conveyed to my companions that Id like to go home. Then Ill go home too. Ill already earn more than what I was expecting because of that high goblin after all (Fra?che) Right, I guess its true that there wouldnt be any problems if we go home now. When we get back to town, Ill hand in the subjugation materials to the guild first and once I receive the money, Ill split it in three and pass by your room to hand it to you (Folly) And so after that, I endured the pain in my butt for half a day while traveling back to town. When we arrived, I just tossed my luggage aside and immediately headed for the bathhouse. I fully enjoyed my bath which lasted for over two hours. He created a water ball and let us wash the blood off our weapons for free you know? He was a really amazing magician after all A conversation with that kind of topic was happening in the bath but I just pretended not to know anything about it. I was taking out my luggage and maintaining my weapons once I got back from the bathhouse when I heard a knock on the door. Yes, its open was what I said so Folly-san came in. Here, take it. This is your share. And this one is the certificate of completion Two large silver and three silver coins were handed over to me. On the paper is the details of the emergency quest and the name of the person who participated. Below that is a list of monsters names, the number defeated as well as the total amount of money earned. The materials gathered from that high goblin sure was expensive. Just as you would expect from something that will eventually turn into a soft leather armor. The amount of money I received may be small considering that that was an emergency quest but my rank is still low so it probably cant be helped. I should just be thankful that I even got two large silver for all of my efforts. Yes, I have certainly received it I said as I accepted. Aside from the matter with the high goblin, I wasnt sure wed be able to win even with that surprise attack but because of Caams quick-wittedness, it didnt end up being a really hard fight. For that, you have my gratitude. Well, because of that, Caam almost got into a dangerous situation so Ill apologize as well. If only I was the one closer to the high goblin at that time After saying that, he bowed. Please stop Flustered, I said that to make him raise his head. Ill be relieved if you feel that way. Im counting on you the next time something happens Folly-san struck my shoulder while saying that then he went back to his room. Ah`, thats right. I was asked by the receptionist to tell you to stop by the next time you show up at the guild. I think its about you ranking up He finally closed his door after saying that. So it went up again, huh I wanted to stay at rank 3 and just take my time there but thats impossible to do now. Its been quite a while since the last time so even though I cant get drunk, I want to drink. I probably just want to get some things off my mind. Using that as an excuse, I made my way towards the first-floor bar of the inn we used when we first came here during our school days. Even though they call themselves an inn, its so rowdy at the first floor that Im wondering if they only have guests who dont care about the noise. If it was me, Id probably just ignore it and sleep so I probably would have no problems with that. Oba-chan, its been a while. I came since I feel like drinking today After saying that, I headed straight to the bar. Ara, it has been a while, hasnt it? You still go back to your village sometimes right? Yeah, once every 30 days Is that so? By the way, were you the one they say that defeated a high goblin alone during this times monster outbreak? Its the current talk of the town you know? Haa? Could you tell me what you heard? I heard that a young man with an unknown race that has dark blue skin defeated it using a crowbar and a shovel What kind of rumor is that? Ah`, I was with some acquaintances at that time you know? We were able to do it somehow by launching a surprise attack. It was really difficult to kill though Then, lets celebrate you returning alive! Drink a lot okay! Count me in After saying that, I got seated at one of the tables and was thinking about what to order when I saw something that had a familiar name. I was really curious about this Beryl Sake. Excuse me`. About this Beryl sake Ah, that. Thats the name of your village, right? Theyre making a new sake there, didnt you know? Well, I just wasnt aware that it was already being circulated around. But this is still wine. If you leave it in a barrel for 2 to 4 cycles of the seasons then the smell would get even better and the color would turn into deep amber. I was telling that to the bartender who was on the other side of the bar. Sonnys village is great! Because of that, this glasss my treat! Someone I didnt know sat by my side and poured beer into my glass. Thanks! After saying that I immediately drank the beer up in one go. I ordered the fruit wine earlier so itll probably get served soon. Ive already drank the beer so I wonder how the fruit wine turned out. You sure are a good drinker! As expected of someone from Beryl Village I started interacting with the people who have gathered. Soon I was able to drink the fruit wine and it wasnt half bad. It might not be famous right now but Ill be happy if it gradually starts building up a reputation. Then, after that, one of the drunkards came up to me and said. Hey kid, are you perhaps the one who defeated that high goblin alone during this times monster outbreak suppression? Doesnt he exactly match that guys description? Something like that started so it was about to get troublesome. Theyre already drunk so they probably wont believe me no matter what I say about defeating it alone so I decided to get them even drunker by randomly pouring sake on their cups. They ended up getting really drunk as a result of drinking my creation that I call an unknown cocktail for bad situations. Well, it was just a combination of beer, wine, and distilled liquor though. I didnt really get drunk but I got into a good mood so I paid the shopkeeper 1 silver and let them him the change to make up for all the trouble I caused. As I was about to leave, an uncle I didnt know said Ssonny isstrong He gave me the thumbs up while muttering something on the floor so I also did the same in reply then went home. This Poison Resistance of mine is starting to be a problem, I really cant get drunk at all. When I got back, the landlady had a look like she was asking So its sake this time, is it? However, she then changed it into a Well, I guess it cant be helped look and said. Welcome back I wasnt feeling particularly hungover the next day so I decided to show up at work. Oh`, so you came back alive didnt you, high goblin killer Whats with that lame nickname? Youve been the talk of all town you know? So you were pretty strong after all. Iya`, when I heard about a dark blue skinned guy who came with the adventurers from Aegirine single-handedly defeated a high goblin, I knew that they were talking about Caam Why were you able to say that? Thats because you can do anything with your magic so Im sure you did it in using that Wellnot really W-weve been talking a-about going to the red-light district o-once you came back you know Ha!? Lets head there immediately once works over Ah`, I wont be able to stop you no matter what I say, will I? Fine, just stop calling me a high goblin killer. It sounds lame WHY! Its cool, right! I was really surprised when Tsuno-san who doesnt really talk that much suddenly shouted. We probably wont be able to reconcile with that since my tastes and the tastes of the people in this world differ so much. * Welcome` Like last time, the girl with the NICE BODY who was standing at the entrance greeted us. Obviously, were now at Sweet Memory. Ara, Caam-kun. Welcome~. So you came here together with your workmates this time Celesso-san came and addressed me with an alluring voice that she doesnt normally use at the apartment. Is this how she is when shes together with someone at work, I wonder. Well, whatever. Over here please` We were led to our seats and after a while, 5 women came out and sat by our side. They say that they are all succubi but each and every one looks different. Theres one that has sheep-like horns, one with bat-like wings, a pale blue-skinned one, one that has a lot of exposed areas and another that only has few, a voluptuous woman and a petite girl. The one seated next to me is a head shorter than me, has light brown eyes and a grey, almost white shoulder-length hair. She has a pink ribbon as well although she doesnt have any exposed areas and her clothes dont have any frills. Im not really planning on doing anything though so if shes like this then its okay I guess. Hello~, my names Latte~. Would you like anything to drink`? Do you want to head upstairs already or is there another girl you prefer from the ones that came out? Ill just ignore the other things she said for now and just order sake. Then, how about mead. Yes~. Ill go get it right now, okay~ After saying that, the sound of her leather boots echoed as she walked away. While the other guys were ordering their drinks, they also picked out the girl they like so the one to bring out their drinks was that girl. They started chatting after that but it was actually just the guys talking about work or their acts of bravery when they were younger while the girls were just saying Woow~ Well, as expected from someone in this line of work, theyre good listeners. Latte-san kept on snuggling up and pressing her breasts against me but I endured and just calmly drank my sake. After a while, the boss became pleasantly drunk and started pointing at me. Until yesterday, that guy was out subjugating monsters on that recent outbreak I cant help but have a bad feeling about this. He was able to defeat a high goblin practically by himself and yet hes still working as a day laborer repairing the protective wall of the town. Its strange right! Even though hes that strong! Un, even though he added practically, the phrase by himself would probably stand out even more. Hes like a blue collared worker whos getting carried away when he goes out to drink with his co-workers. It seems like they also have those kinds of people in this world. Even though I made sure not to say anything about myself, you went ahead and ruined it Eh~thats amazing~ Even the girls who werent with anyone started saying that. They might get even closer so Ill just drink sake for now so that I can steel my heart. Im really thankful I have Charm Resistance Is this your first time in a place like this? Are you nervous? Its cute how nervous he is` It is as they say, this its my first time in this kind of store. However, when it comes to sexual stuff, I already did that with Suzuran. Or rather, should I say, my only experience is with Suzuran. Well, in this world at least. I started thinking, Un, its so softUn, she smells so nice but I remembered that I really dont want Suzuran to hit my face with all of her strength. If Im unlucky, my head may have to say farewell to my body. The worst could be that Ichii-san might consider joining in as well. I have a scary girlfriend so Im not looking for action As I expected, when I said that, all of them went away. The others got into a nice mood and are probably enjoying themselves upstairs right about now so I just continued to drink sake to kill time. Meanwhile, even though she can just leave me alone and take another customer, Latte-san who was seated beside me kept on grinning while snuggling up to me while engaging in meaningless conversation. Shes eating fruits and drinking sake while talking to me but, is how she just does things I wonder? Well, its better than someone whos really persistent I guess. Well, whatever. Ill just enjoy the softness and smell while Im drinking. Which reminds me, Caam-san~ Hm`? I thought that it was quite cute how she had upturned eyes while saying that since shes a bit shorter than I am. If you somehow get the permission of that scary girlfriend of yours, would you sleep with me? BFFFTT! I magnificently spat out the sake I was drinking. Fortunately, Kitsune-san who was sitting in front of me earlier was no longer there. *cough cough!* Iyaplease dont ask me that. Youll be killed at worst. And even worse than that, Im going to get killed as well I wont know if I dont ask, will I`? She puffed her cheeks while she said that. This succubus is pretty sly, isnt she? If there are sexy ones like Celesso-san then there are cute ones like Latte-san as well. I learned something new today. Is it just me or is their race actually trying to cater to all of the needs of society somehow? While I was thinking about that, she pressed her breasts against my arm and placed her head on my shoulder as she got even closer to me. I ate the cheese-like drinking snacks while ignoring her but she shook her head as if to rub her face on me. I still havent had a bath since we came here straight from work so Im dirty you know? I dont mind`. I like the scent of Caam-sans sweat or rather, Caam-san is still pretty clean you know? Anyway, let me have that cheese youre eating, please. A`hn She came got closer with her mouth wide open. Its this like birds feeding their young? No, this is going to end badly, right? After seriously contemplating it for three seconds, I thought that it doesnt really matter that much so I feed her the remaining cheese that I was eating. This Latte-san is pretty persistent about smelling my scent. I wonder if this is how men are when they try to get a whiff of the scent of a woman. Well, the person herself said she likes it so Ill stop minding it and just drink my sake. Since she asked for the one I was eating, was she aiming for an indirect kiss or were her motives actually pure after all? I dont really get this girl. Ara`, youre still here? Celesso-san sat in front of us and said that. Iya`, Ive already told you the reason multiple times you know? Even with all that, youre still getting in a good mood with Latte, arent you? While looking at the person by my side, I replied. She could drink and serve other guests without minding me but she wont leave and just keeps me company. Thats why were now like this. Even though she could be making money if she were with someone else Latte-san started tracing her hand over my chest to my stomach. She was only her way to my crotch so I gently brushed her off. She gave up and just rested her head on my thigh. Well, Im not really sure what she liked about me anyway Its love at first sight you know? Haa is that so? Thats right! Thats not something you should say while youre resting your cheeks against my thigh. Well, lets just leave it at that. Anyway, can you face towards my knees instead of my body? It makes me feel like were doing something indecent This is that kind of shop after all~ Latte, you should only do that kind of thing once youre upstairs, okay`? He doesnt want to go upstairs so at least let me get the smell of it *sniff sniff* The smell of what exactly? I told you right? Hes pretty obstinate so you should just give up Im doing this precisely because I dont want to give up~ *Suu`haa Suu`haa* I try to project my thoughts to as far away as possible to a place beyond the universe. I still drink my sake though. Clear your thoughtsClear your thoughts Right, Caam-kun? Somehow, enlightenment is still far from my reach. About what? Even though shes like this, it hasnt caused you to hate her, right? Eh? Well, she hasnt caused any real harm so theres no reason for me to hate her is there? I see. If thats the case then Im glad. If you dont mind, I hope you and visit from now on Ill end up on the streets if I come to this kind of place to drink every day you know? If its just once in a while then however Eh? Really? Yay~ While saying that, she still remained stuck on my thigh and kept sniffing me. j-just a similar service to this time, okay? Y-yeah I didnt have a place to rest my hand since there was someone elses head on my thigh so, thinking that she wouldnt mind, I place my hand on her head. While I was doing that, I casually created a beautiful ice sphere to put into the fruit water I was drinking which lead to this. Hm hm~. His magic power, I can feel his magic power through his skin~ She said that in an alluring way that something inside me almost went wild. As expected, the Succubi race are sensitive to magic power after all. Kya`, it got slightly bigger~ Once she said that, I forcibly pulled her head off of my thigh and transferred to another seat as I waited for everyone else to return. Sorry~. I wont do it again so` While saying that, she came close and once again placed her head on my lap but this time, she faced away from my nether regions. After a while, Kitsune-san who was the first one to go upstairs came back. So you really didnt go for it after all Yeah. Well, thanks to that I was able to enjoy myself drinking sake I say that while trying to avoid stating the real reason. But still, it looks like that girl has gotten really attached to you so it would have been fine if you just went at it upstairs, you know? Kitsune-san, youre only able to say that since you dont know my girlfriend at all. Ha-ha-ha. I said that with dead fish-like eyes. Sorry bout that He drank some fruit water while saying that so I produced another one of those spherical ice in my fingertips that was just the right size for the glass and asked. Would you like some ice? Sure With that said, I immediately placed the ice inside of his glass. Meanwhile, this was happening on my lap Hmmnn Ill just leave her be Say, how come that girl is showing that kind of reaction? Ah`, thats just her reacting to my magic power. I was really troubled earlier when she started saying things in an alluring voice so it seems like shes holding back because of that. Well, either way, its still pretty erotic though I bet Like that exchange, we continued having random conversation. Once everyone has returned we decided to go home. Come again okay~ Latte-san enthusiastically waved while saying that so I just replied. Sure Regarding the cost, Im not sure about the market price but it seems like theyre a silver more expensive compared to other shops. I only paid for my drinks though so Im not really sure. Well, this places cheaper compared to the shop with the beautiful onee-san I used to drink at in my previous life though What was that? You didnt sleep with that white haired girl earlier? You sure are a wimp I said this to Kitsune-san earlier but Boss, you can only say that since you dont know my girlfriend You might not think anything about it but this is seriously a matter of life and death for me I-is that so? My bad. Still, its thanks to your recommendation that we were able to go to that place. Up until now, we only heard about the shop filled with succubi since everyone was slightly scared to go there ourselves. However, although a bit expensive, its a good place, isnt it? Rather, it was so good that I thought it would cost me even more Everyone nodded with that. What theyre saying might be a little vulgar but I guess theyre just trying to be polite. Well then, Im off here I parted from the rest of the guys as I made my way back to my apartment. As expected, if I met with the landlady as is then shes probably going give me that cold stare again so I guess I should pass by the bathhouse before I go home. After thoroughly washing myself and soaking for a good while in the water, I felt like I was glistening like a certain smiling bodybuilder. Since I was just at that kind of place, I still have some personal needs that have to be taken care of but Ill just sleep it off once I get back to my room. After I got home, I came across the landlady in the dining hall so I greeted her but she gave me a cold glare. Huh? Was she still able to smell it even though I made sure to wash myself thoroughly? Beastkin are sure are amazing. CH 34 Chapter 34: That time when Suzuran came to town Part 1 AN: The first half is written through Suzurans POV. Even though Im weak in the mornings, I did my best to get up. I washed my face and brushed my hair in front of a well-polished copper sheet. I took off my usual worn-out sleepwear and wore my everyday clothes. I normally dont eat anything in the morning but Im going to out today so Ill eat properly this time. For lunch, I received a bento from my mother for the first time in a while. I felt a bit nostalgic because of that. Inside a thick leather bag, I placed a change of clothes and my bento. After putting some eggs in a straw basket I prepared yesterday, everything that I will be bringing is already in place. Once I finish putting on the hair ornament and earrings that Caam gave me, my preparations are complete. I equipped the spear that was leaning against the entryway and said, Im off even though nobody else was home. Im going to Aegirine today where Caam is working. The reason for that is because I felt bad that hes one who has to come back home every time. And also because I wanted to see the place hes living in that I heard about the last time he came home. I already told father and mother about this five days ago so I think it will be fine if to leave without telling anybody. When I first told them about it, father start groaning but mother said There havent been a lot of monsters and animals roaming around along the roads lately and she knows where to find him so shell be fine. And besides, shes plenty strong enough so even if she gets attacked, Im sure she can do something about it After she said that, it seems like father finally yielded. Later, You can defend herself from men as well, right? Mother said in a small voice so it doesnt seem like father heard it. When I consulted that with Mir and Kuchinashi, they said, Just kick them in the groin, thatll get em! so Ill do just that if I get assaulted. They also said, The balls attached in-between a mans legs is something like a weak spot for them. If you attack that then they wont be able to move for a while or faint from the pain. You can stop them with that so try to aim for that place if you can I will make sure to keep that in mind. Un, if Caam has that then other men probably have those as well. Still, I never considered that to be a weak spot. Next time I touch them, Ill try to do it carefully like how I do with eggs. Ill have to pass by the pond to get to the road to town so Ill greet the onee-san while Im there. Good morning. Im going to town for a bit Ara, you going to Caam-kun? Take care okay? Well, if its Suzuran-chan then I dont think theres anything to worry about I wonder why they say that they dont have to worry if its me? Is it because of my strength after all? Well, aside from the eggs, I dont really have much to worry about. I also saw Schinken, who was on the watchtower located at the outskirts of the village, waving at me so I waved back. Leisurely walking for a while, I thought, Was it this kind of scenery back then`? While thinking that, I entered the building without walls and ate my bento. When I took out the bento from inside of the cloth container and opened it, what I found was bacon, cheese and vegetables sandwiched in-between bread. Even though I told her that I dont like vegetables While saying that, I removed the vegetables and threw it away. After eating, I removed the cork from my leather water pouch, drank it up in one breath and decided to take a short break while lazily looking at the clouds. I frequently see Caam creating a waterball on his fingertip and using that to drink so I tried to imitate it but I failed. Although theyre especially skillful compared to everyone else, even Schinken and Mir cant do it. We learned from Caam before that I should imagine scooping out water from a bucket using your hands so I tried doing that but the best that I can do is just to make water come out. Caam is good with magic, can do anything, and hes smart as well so hes really amazing. I mean, he was even told that he no longer has to come during our third spring of attending school so that he could work for the village. After he did that, the fields were expanded, new houses and wells were built and the number of villagers increased. We no longer have to kill the pigs, cows, and sheep during winter since our food stocks have increased as well. He also made a new sake and created a small stream so that we can make ponds to raise fish. The village chief and even the other adults as well have come to rely on him so thats why I think that Caam is really amazing. I thought he was just a boy who lived nearby and was nice enough to wake me up in the mornings at first though. But, before I noticed it, I had already come to like him. I was a bit pushy and did stuff to egg him on among other things but Im really glad that Caam became my boyfriend. Father may say mean things about Caam but I know that he has already recognized him. Meanwhile, mother had nothing bad to say about Caam from the start so she has always been cheering on us. Caam might have said that the reason hes going to work is to study but I think that hes doing that so he can also earn at the same time. To be honest, I wanted us to become a couple and live together but we dont have money so we cant build our own house. Renting one would also require money so we have no choice but to save little by little. *Rustle* I only moved my eyes as I glanced towards the direction where the sound came from. I was able to see faint traces of movement coming from the closest thicket because it moved even though there was no wind. Ill just bring my spear closer to my side for now. This spear was something that was given to me by my mother. It may look like its made from wood but it seems like its insides have been hollowed out and replaced with iron. Because of that, it wont break even if I handle it roughly or to block strikes from a sword or axe so its turning out to be a really amazing thing. I was in a daze while recalling that so the goblin suddenly came out of the thicket and started charging at me. Did it think to attack because of that? I suppose that monsters are clever when it comes to this kind of things. Grabbing the spear, I swung it sideways while holding back a bit and making sure that the base of spearhead would hit its head. I would usually use full strength when hitting it so only its head would fly off but because I held back, its whole body got blown off this time. I was worried about its blood getting on me but Im glad it didnt since I didnt cut off its head. I bent the tip of the spear when I used that part to hit the head of a goblin when we went out for our first subjugation. Mother got a bit mad because of that so thats why I now make sure that I hit the base of the spearhead when I swing. Spears are supposed to be for stabbing you know? Kuchinashi told me that but rather than stabbing, I feel like the swinging motion suits me better. I would get blood on me if I try to strip off subjugation parts and I dont want that so Ill just leave that as it is. Un, I already rested enough. Lets do our best for the latter part of the trip. The sun was already pretty high when I reached the town. There, I was called out by the gatekeeper-san. Have you been to this town before? If you have then state your name and the name of your village or town I wonder if theres some kind of problem with me honestly saying the purpose of my stay. Well, whatever. After handing over 5 large copper coins, Do you know where I can find the apartment called Clinochlore? Im asking since I dont know its exact location Ah, that place You should go` He became quiet for a second there, I wonder whats wrong. Well, thats fine since I was able to find out its general location. Entering the gates, I continued for a while along the path that I was told. Just as the gatekeeper-san said, once you pass that corner of the landmark building, you can see the apartment. So this is the place where he lives You cant find any garbage scattered in its vicinity. Its a clean place. I cant say the same for the building next door though. Can I help you? Our rooms are already full you know? Its a cat-eared woman. She has slightly glazed eyes but her aura is a bit scary. It has a similar feeling to when mother gets mad. Theres a person named Caam who lives here, right? Can I meet him? Thats certainly true but, how are you related to him? We came from the same village. Im Suzuran, Caams girlfriend Ahh, so youre the girlfriend he frequently talks about. From what I heard, your characteristics certainly match so you must be the real deal, right? If so then come with me, Ill guide you to his room. Well, if youre lying then Ill just have to report it to the guards after all Thank you very much Her bluntness is scary. Its probably that master key thing but all that jangling makes me feel like shes coming for me to unlock all of my secrets. This here is Caams room, go ahead. If its the same as usual then hell be back when the sun has already reached the peak of that mountain After saying that, she went off somewhere. Is it really okay to enter? I went inside and saw a plain bed, a round table, a chair, a familiar shovel leaning by the wall, a shelf filled with a lot of things, and a convenient looking rucksack. This is probably the correct room, right? I placed the eggs on top of the table, my spear next to the shovel, and my luggage next to the rucksack then sat down on the chair. There are leftover snacks on top of the table but I wont take any since this is still more or less somebody elses room. Ill just wait quietly. A few days after I came back from of that mysterious monster outbreak and the following day after that thing with the red-light district, I am now at the guild presenting my guild card. Caam-sama, was it? Due to the merit of subjugating a high goblin, your rank will be raised to 4. We need to update the details on it so could I ask for your card? Yes Then, please excuse me After saying that, my card was taken away. It seems like the staff working on my card was the same as the last time. With that, your rank has been raised to 4. Congratulations After saying that, my card was handed back to me. She said that in a businesslike way this time as well after all. I wonder what would happen if I reach rank 10. Well, that doesnt really matter since I wont be working that hard. Five days after that, the workday is over and tomorrow is my self-allocated rest day. Because of that, Ive decided to completely exhaust myself today. Muscle training first, take a bath then go to sleep. Ill go with that I guess`. While thinking about that, I was unlocking my door but it was already opened so I received no feedback. I wonder if I forgot to lock it. I made sure I did when I left this morning though` While mumbling that complaint, I entered my room only to find Suzuran there. Welcome back I went back outside and shut the door then starting from the entrance, I counted the number of rooms. The landlady, the horse, my room, and Celesso-sans. Un, it doesnt look like I made any mistakes I said that out loud to confirm it. I opened the door once again after making sure and confirmed that Suzuran is here after all. Welcome back Im back. Iya`, that surprised me. I would never have thought that you would actually be here I was able to find myself here by asking the gatekeeper. Here, I brought eggs as a present Thanks Its nice that I dont have to buy eggs today. Why are you here all of a sudden? Just another five days or so and I would have gone back home as scheduled I felt like it would be difficult for you to have to come home each time. Thats why I thought that if we alternated then it would make it easier Hmm`, I guess thats true. Was your travel here alright? Were you not attacked? There was a goblin but I knocked it away. Its head didnt come off this time so I was able to finish it without getting blood all over me Hm`. Still, be careful okay? Okay Shes wearing the hairpin and earrings that I gave her so shes more or less fashionable today. If this was back at the village then I would have never been able to see this. Then, I told her everything the things that happened these past few days. Is a high goblin strong? I dont really know Hm I was in a panic at that time so I dont know as well however, it was able to survive getting hit by a big boulder and an arrow shot at its mouth so wouldnt that make it strong? Hmm`, if it was able to move for a while after getting hit by an arrow then its probably close in strength to a boar or a bear Right`. Add an ability to use weapons or magic to thatmonster are definitely scary. I want to avoid taking subjugation quests as much as possible. Safety is the best Thats right. If Caam dies, I Theres nothing I could do to change it Exactly`. Although, the thought of her going on a rampage subjugating monsters to avenge me is scary. Ah, its already this late. Im going to make dinner. Do you have any requests? Whatever is fine as long as its not vegetables. It would be better if it was meat Thought so I took out the pasta and bacon that was on the shelf. Ill also use the milk that I bought and some of the eggs that Suzuran brought so that I can make carbonara. The two of us went to the kitchen. I started cooking while Suzuran sat down and patiently waited. If you look at her, youll probably say that she looks like one of those traditional Japanese dolls. She has horns on her forehead though. The noodles are almost done I guess. At that time, Lalalala```. I wonder what I should eat todaaaaay~~~ a horse with a stupidly beautiful voice entered the kitchen. Oh my, what a cute girl`. My name is Hengst, yours is? Suzuran desu Ah`, so youre Caam-kuns Hn hn, If only you werent taken then would have immediately courted you right at this momentwhat a shame She had an expressionless look on her face as she glanced at me. She was asking with her eyes if she could do something about him so I closed my eyes and I lightly shook my head as a gesture to convey to her to just give it up. I just thought that you were a new girl that Caam-kun found in town and he was trying to bring you to his room. Ha-ha-ha` Thats not true, okay? Im not such a playboy to do something like that Shut up you stupid horse. I might have a fist enter my ribcage because of that. I added the pasta to the frying pan with the sauted ingredients and mix in the beaten eggs and milk to finish it off. Here you go Thanks Aa, Ill be using the remaining firewood okay`? Go ahead With that said, Hengst started frying something. Judging from the smell, is it bacon? When I returned to the village last time, I pretty much told her about this place so she knows about the shared areas of this apartment. I also told her a bit about the characteristics of the other residents but Suzuran doesnt seem to care that much. Thanks for the meal Youre welcome I quickly washed the frying pan and dishes. We were about to go back to my room when Celesso-san entered the kitchen. Geez, I have a bad feeling about this. Ara, Caam-kun. Is that girl behind you the aforementioned girlfriend of yours? Shes cute, isnt she? Shes quite tall though th-thank you very much I dont know if shes just ignoring the comment about her height but since she doesnt get called cute that much, she got a bit shy. Are you going to make love other in your room after this? Is it going to be really passionate? If its going to be loud then its better if you just rent another room you know? That bad feeling of mine was spot on. Ah, noIll keep that in mind(Caam) I can easily get you a special rate so come and ask me okay? (Celesso) Ill keep that in mind (Caam) After saying that, I led Suzuran by the hand and we returned to my room. What did she mean by that? Ah, that person works in the red-light district. Thats why I think if we go to her, well be able to rent a room cheaply Hmm` Have you been there before? yes Its difficult to keep a secret from Suzuran so I just honestly told her. Its better than her finding out that I lied. Who did you do it with? The atmosphere became somewhat tense. Scary. I didnt do anything. I swear to father and Ichii-san that I definitely havent done it When it comes to gods in this world, Im not sure if how religious they are so I cant really say I swear to god. If were talking about gods that I know then theres only that sleazy gentleman though. Hmm`, What circumstances led to you going there? Remember that quest to suppress that large outbreak of monsters I told you about earlier? When I came back from that, my workmates told me, Lets go!. I wasnt exactly able to refuse at that point so I got taken along. I only drank sake there I wont mind it since you didnt do it. I heard a story of a man who has three wives so I know that men are creatures who wish to have a lot of women. What does Caam think about that? Tell me honestly Back in my previous life, it was unthinkable to practice polygamy. Do they have that here? What about polyandry? I dont know anymore! Right now, I can say that I wont do such a thing What do you mean by right now? I already have Suzuran back in the village so I dont want to have one here as well Then its okay if its a girl from the village? Its the same for the village as well. I just really dont want to betray Suzuran. Huh? Did the atmosphere get less tense? okay. Its okay with me if you do it with other people, what would you do if I said that? I dont know. I dont want to do something irresponsible Thenwhat if I and another girl got into the same bed as Caam together? What would you do? Id probably just get swept away by the situation. If its someone like Mir, Kuchinashi, and Tryapka-san who have partners or if I know that theyre somebodys wife then I absolutely wont do it I got it. To be honest, I was really worried when Kuchinashi said Caam might be getting along with another girl in town, you know? Has the atmosphere has completely returned to normal!? I see, I caused you to worry Its okay. If I found out that you were getting along with another girl then I guess I would have just given you a punch to the chin with all of my strength. At least thats what I think Wouldnt I die with that? Even if Im lucky, Ill still get a concussion right? Look, I dont want to betray Suzuran so Ill just honestly tell you this right now What is it? While I was drinking at that shop, there was a girl who said she fell for me at first sight and started clinging on to me. Celesso-san who you met earlier already told her to give up since I was obstinate and already have a girlfriend but she said she doesnt care about that and just continued to stick close to me. She did that even though the other women stopped whenever I told them that I have no intention to sleep with them I see. So thats what it was Even with that, you still didnt do it right? Aa, thats right Show me where that shop is later. I want to talk with that girl I understand. Lets go there tomorrow Un Incidentally, the atmosphere at that time didnt become tense as well. (Ara`, this ended up being something interesting`) [Celesso] (Exactly`) [Torene] (In what way?) [Hengst] (I dont get it) [Folly] (I dont understand it too you know?) [Fra?che] (This is about Caam-kuns girlfriend came over from their village and asking if he was flirting with other girls. Caam-kun is an obstinate child so even when he came to our shop, he didnt buy the services of any girl. However, there was one girl who fell for Caam-kun at first sight so she started fawning over him. It seems like that was the cause of this conversation. Good grief, that girl is really too honest for her own good) [Celesso] (That doesnt really matter, does it? There are a lot of girls after all) [Hengst] (Stupid horse! There are also men who only want to love one woman. Caam isnt like you who would go after anybody as long as theyre a maiden) [Fra?che] (If there are people who choose only one partner for life, then there are some who prefer a large household as well. It seems like Caam is the type who prefers to be with only one) [Folly] (Right. Even us elves, we normally only have one partner. Although, there are those who take two or three partners on a whim as well) [Fra?che] (According to him, shes really strong and has a really good so shes scary but now that Ive met her, I cant really imagine her being that scary. I wonder if there is a chance that Lattes hopes could come true with this) [Celesso] There are some really low whispers coming from the first room. Hey What? A bath? Theres a bathhouse nearby so do you want to go together? There are at least 5 people in the next room. Three women and two men I see. Thanks (It seems like weve been discovered) [Hengst] (This is bad`) [Torene] (lets just give it up. I can already hear footsteps coming) [Folly] (The worst) [Fra?che] (Arara) [Celesso] *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!* Hey`, what is it? You should at least try to be a bit more graceful when you knock, you know? He tried to feign ignorance but as expected, it was already too late. Hengst-san, can you open the door completely? Well, you seeI have a woman with me and shes naked right now T H A T S O K A Y SO P L E A S E O P E N I T I strengthened my grip on the doorknob even more. No no no, thats obviously rude to her, right? Eavesdropping on someone elses conversation is also rude, right? Both of us were smiling while not budging an inch. Caam, leave it to meSure` I moved over and at that moment, BANG!!! With a loud sound, the door was opened. Inside of that narrow room, there were 4 people who were standing by the doors blind spot and smiling bitterly. The people here wont be getting any sweets for a while. T H A T S F A I R R I G H T? After declaring that with a big smile, I decided to go back to my room. Nooo! My sweets!(Torene) Mu, thats harsh since his sweets are tastier compared to the sweets being sold around here(Folly) Too bad(Fra?che) Hahaha, it cant be helped right`(Hengst) Ara`(Celesso) Iya` at any rate, the moment he changed with Suzuran-chan, the door was suddenly opened. It seems like she really is strong as he said. I was really surprised you know?(Celesso) Hey wait a minute. Celesso! This is your fault you know!(Torene) Werent you the one who just went along with it!? Take responsibility for your own actions! It would have been fine if you didnt come you know!(Celesso) They really are unusual people(Suzuran) I think so as well Shall we go take a bath?(Caam) Un(Suzuran) Once we separated a bit from the noisy group, I held hands with Suzuran. I should enjoy this warmth even for just a little while. So Caam can make sweets as well I just make some when I dont have anything to do after work. I can make those since I learned from watching others Want to eat Sure. Tomorrow, okay? Un What a wonderful smile she has right now. Its the same look she has when she eats karaage. We walked and talked for a while then we eventually reached the bathhouse. After my bath, probably because the concept of time is still pretty vague in this world, I had to wait by the entrance for around 20 minutes before we were able to go back to my room. Suzurans hair was still wet so I produced warm air in my hand, got a comb, and gently combed it. I thought that her hair is really pretty especially considering that there are no shampoo and conditioner in this world. We leisurely pass the time doing that in silence then after a while, we entered the bed. CH 35 Chapter 35: That time when Suzuran came to town Part 2 Even though it was a bit cramped having the two of us in this narrow bed, that didnt mean that we couldnt sleep in it. Since I usually wake up early, I slept by the outer side of the bed while Suzuran was next to the wall. However, that turned out to be useless since I was made into a splendid body pillow for her so I couldnt get myself out of bed. I tried to carefully peel her off but her body was firmly glued on to me. Because of that, I was able to feel something slightly soft so I wonder if theres some developments on her ironing board chest. Well, whatever. Its my rest day today so Ill just stay in bed. Leaving her as is, I enjoyed being able to sleep until who knows when. * Okay, three hours have passed since that and shes still asleep while looking really blissful. I need to go to the bathroom soon I tried to forcefully tear her off of me but haa, its impossible. I should try shaking her like how I did when I used to wake her up. Oi, wake up *shake shake* If it leaks it would take my dignity along with it so*shake shake shake* Hngh~~ Im begging you! WAKE UP! *shake shake* Yes! Im free! * Phew. That was close Leaving the toilet, I came across Torene-san. She was still wearing her night clothes so she got a bit embarrassed about that. Well, it was just a loose hemp shirt and short pants though. Good morning M-morning. Im sorry about yesterday, okay? Ah`, dont mind it Really? If so then thats good She cant maintain eye contact for some reason This is pretty unusual, I mean, youre usually already out and about this time of day Ah, shes probably misunderstanding something. Youre probably misunderstanding something. I woke up at my usual time but its just that I couldnt get out of bed because Suzuran was embracing me. Since I was starting to reach my limit in various ways, I just had to forcefully peel her off me Is that so? My bad She probably started misunderstanding things because of what happened last time. Well then, I still have to prepare food for the sleepyhead in my room so Im going back Huh? Does that mean your girlfriend cant cook!? She can but she can only do meat dishes though. If I just leave it to Suzuran, well be eating nothing but meat. No bread even, just meat. When I recently I returned to our village, she sent me off with just a pile of karaage While having a complicated look on her face, she said. My condolences Thank you for your concern I replied while sighing. I woke Suzuran up when I got back to my room. With her hair disheveled and eyes that are still sleepy, she said. Morning Morning. So, what do you want to do? If you just wait a bit longer, it will be noon soon. Do you want to eat breakfast now or just wait for lunch? Want to eat breakfast. Also want to eat lunch Yeah yeah. Got it, gluttonous princess I head towards the kitchen and made toasted bacon and cheese sandwiches for the gluttonous princess. Meanwhile, I just made vegetable sandwiches for myself. After that, I returned to my room. When I got back, she still had bed hair but it looks like she has already finished changing clothes. Thats good. If I had been any quicker, I would have gotten hit. Ive been told not to look when its bright after all. It took me a while to make breakfast but I wonder if she still did it in a hurry. Here you go. This one is for the gluttonous princess Thanks. Lets eat She immediately started digging in. Heres your milk Nn` It doesnt seem like she can talk right now since her mouth is busy eating. I guess I should start eating as well. Itadakimasu It would have been better if I just made some toasted sandwich for myself as well but I had to use the cabbage otherwise they would have gone bad. Crap. Now that I think about it, it makes me want to eat them even more. I removed all the vegetables from my sandwich then said. Would it be okay to exchange one of my sandwiches for yours? I felt like eating a toasted sandwich all of a sudden *munch munch munch**gulp* Okay. Here She placed one of her sandwiches on my plate so I gave her one of mine in exchange. Hmm`. the melted cheese sure is delicious` Suzuran nodded in reply. Before long, both of us finished our meal. Thanks for the meal After quickly washing the dishes, I went back and decided to brush her hair since I dont have a mirror in my room for her to do it by herself. Its the first time Im having my hair brushed by you, right? Didnt I do it for you last night as well? It doesnt count since you were just drying my hair yesterday Yeah yeah, your gluttonous highness. What kind of hairstyle do you want today? Ill leave it to you. And also, stop with that gluttonous princess Sure sure Its okay to do any kind of hairstyle I like, right? For Suzuran, I guess a ponytail like the one that those female samurais have will suit her. Either that or the hairstyle honor students use with their hair parted in a 7:3 ratio so that we can make use of her silky straight hair. Aside from her suzuran hairpin, I dont have anything else to hold her hair with! My choices are limited because of that, damn it! A braid would also be good but it would be a waste of her silky hair. Well, I say that but she just usually wears a towel over her head so even just letting it down would look good. Hmmm`. I kept brushing her hair while being troubled with that. Ah, whatever! At this rate, shell just end up with her usual style. Hn`, but still, I want to make use of this suzuran hairpin but I also want to do a hairstyle that Suzuran hasnt used before. I started parting her hair in the middle from the back. Then, I move it to the front by the side of her neck and tie it. Then, Ill attach the hairpin above her ear to make her look docile. Un, she looks like a black-haired version of a G**mancer or a Wh*te Mage who appears in the Tactics version of Fi*** Fan****. For an even modern reference then I guess you could say that she looks like Yu**ki Yu**ri but hers looks more like sidelocks. Shes wearing a jinbei but this hairstyle it still suits her, doesnt it? If she takes off the pants, shed really look like a G**mancer. I think Ill give her a samurai-like ponytail tomorrow! What do you think about this`? She touched her hair to check what its like. I-I think its good. Do you like this kind of hairstyle? Un! (I cant really say that its cute how she looks like a Wh*te Mage and G**mancer, can I?) Then, I wonder if I should do it like this for a while Its okay. Ill give you a different hairstyle tomorrow You still know more? Yes, quite a few more They only have limited variation of hairstyles in this world. They only either cut it short, leave it to grow long, tie it at the back, or do it in a braid. Then, Ill leave it to you tomorrow as well The whole time I was behind her, I spent a long time going Hmm`, hmm` so she would obviously think that it was strange. Then, should we go now? Un Where do you want to go? The diner we went to the first time we came to town Ah`, sure sure I occasionally eat there so I know where it is. Because of that, we just took our time heading there while strolling around the middle-class district. While wondering if theres anything good at the shop where I bought the earrings last time, we conversed and bought various treats as we made our way there. That there is called a crepe. Its insides are full of custard cream and fruits boiled in sugar water Will eat Occhan, two please Here you go. Come again! His voice was really deep. You dont expect that kind of voice from someone managing a crepe shop. Well, whatever. Its all good as long as its delicious. Tasty She said that with a massive grin on her face. Calm down okay? Dont be in a rush. Youll get the cream all over you Suzuran continued eating while not worrying about that. At least, shes not stuffing it into her mouth like a hamster and is dividing it into three parts before eating it like what a girl should do. I already ate half of it but do you want the rest of mine? Un After saying that, she received it from me and started chewing on it. Was it really that good? Well, we cant really taste that many sweet foods back in the village I guess. After that, I bought candy from another store since I wanted her to try it and see what she thinks but she suddenly decided to buy about fifty pieces to bring home as a souvenir. I just hope it doesnt melt and get all sticky. It seems like she doesnt dislike sweet things so I can just buy some for her the next time I go back to the village. As we continued looking through the wares of various stalls, we eventually reached the shop I was looking for. Welcome Huh? Youre the onii-san who bought earrings here the other day, right? Is the girl next to you your girlfriend? Thats right Then, has she been wearing that recently? Yes. Its this, right? While saying that, she moved her hair aside and showed him her ear. Ooh`, it really suits her, doesnt it`? I remember you saying that wanted to buy something that would make her look docile. Now that I can see her wearing it, compared to a showy appearance, I can understand that a quieter feel fits her better. That hairpin and your black hair really go well together you know? Its quite detailed, isnt it? What kind of flower is that? Is that also a present from your boyfriend? Yes. I made that myself Hee`. Onii-san is amazing, isnt he? Wouldnt it have been fine even if you didnt buy anything from my place? Well`, as expected, I wouldnt know of a good place to buy silver myself. You see, I only made that hairpin by putting together the things I could find Suzuran continued to browse their merchandise while we conversed. Nevertheless, its quite unique, isnt it? What is it made from? Its made from glass Glass, huh Onii-san is really skillful, isnt he? Im hopeless when it comes to sculpting though. I cant do anything thats more detailed than that one Its easy once you get used to it you know? I can come up with the design in my head but once I start carving, it just turns into wooden chips I guess it cant be helped. Well then, your girlfriend has been staring at the same thing for a while now What? Is there anything you want? This bracelet Looking at what she pointed at, as expected, it was just a plain silver bracelet. It doesnt even have any stones or ornaments to decorate it. It really was just silver that was stretched and molded into the shape of a C. She didnt like showing off originally so I guess shes already fine with something thats practical. I see. Something without any decorations will probably suit you as well. Is it okay if she tries it on? Its fine She put it on her left wrist and even though it doesnt have any decorations, you can clearly see her give a nod of approval. It seems like shes pleased with it. Do you like it? Un, this is good compared to the others that would just get in the way Get in the way, you say want me to buy it? Its a bit expensive you know? I guess it is considering that it costs 7 silver but, well, it doesnt have any ornaments so Im probably only paying for the material and the labor. I earned a lot with the subjugation quest the other day so its fine. Just leave this to me Is it really okay? Getting to see her asking cutely while tilting her head makes it all worth it. Then, well have this please Thank you very much After saying that, I handed over the 7 silver coins. Here you go, a cloth bag for that but you probably want to leave while wearing it, right? Yes Then, Ill just give it to your boyfriend With that said, we left the shop. Judging from the position of the sun, its already about 1 pm. That shop is probably about to open soon. Its lunch already so should we go and eat? Un She knows shell be having karaage so shes really happy. Welcome. Ara, so you came together with your girlfriend this time. Does that mean youre having karaage today? Its unexpectedly convenient that she remembers us. Yes! What an extremely vigorous reply. Ill be having the daily special and shell have karaage. Just serve it as is for the first plate but please remove the vegetables from the succeeding plates I dont really want to spend most of my time eating her cabbages after all. Sure thing. Got that pa! Ou! How nostalgic. It was two summers ago right? I cant forget seeing a slender ojou-san who was heartily eating karaage as she gave all of her vegetables to her boyfriend It was the same back in our village as well. She immediately fell in love with karaage the first time she ate it so when we got back, she started raising chickens. Nowadays, shes also keeping ducks as well Ara. Ojou-san, dont eat too much that you become like me, okay? Yes! This is bad. That reply means shes no longer paying attention to the conversation. Thats the reply she gives when she doesnt have anything else in her head besides karaage. Shortly after that, the karaage was served so she vigorously ate it and immediately asked for the 2nd and 3rd plate. Once those were served, she easily finished those as well up to the 5th plate so I started worrying if she would eat even more but I just stopped thinking about it. By the way, mine was fried pork seasoned with salt and pepper with shredded cabbages. It wasnt bad but as expected, the dish was no pork shogayaki. On our way home, we happened to see a weapons shop. She wanted to stop by so we entered it. Welcome Once she saw the shops merchandise, she immediately pointed at the brass knuckles and said This please However, as expected, I shouldnt allow it. Were going to have the talks after this so buying that will have to wait for tomorrow. Sure thing! That would be Nononono, stop! Stop! Cancel the order. If you want it, we can just buy it tomorrow. Im really sorry about this! After saying that, I grabbed her and pulled her out of the shop. Youre going to have your talks after this so Im going to have to stop you from buying it. If you want it then just get it before you go home! But No buts! This makes it seem like Im turning into her mother or something. She probably had a hard time giving up since she kept on glancing at the weapons shops direction but I just ignored her and went home. After we returned to the apartment, I started preparing to make sweets. I have lots of eggs right now so I can make either a chiffon cake or pudding. Making it is easy once you get used to it. The only problem is the pan that Ill use to make the chiffon cake. I still dont have that so I guess Ill just stick with my alternative which is putting an iron cup in the middle of a pan. There was the usual tasty smell of baking sweets but theres nobody coming. Thats probably because of that matter yesterday. Well, I may have overreacted at that time Because of that, I made a bit more this time and left a note for them. Does that make me soft? Well, has another meaning as well. 1 When I returned to my room, while eating the sweets that I made, I saw Suzuran smiling as she stared at the bracelet. I found that quite charming. Thanks for the meal. The figure of Caam making sweets looked really cool Youre welcome. And thanks for the complement Meanwhile, all I can only make meat dishes Rather than cant do, isnt it just that you dont want to do? You should eat your vegetables as well you know? Dont wanna. Doesnt taste good If you dont eat those then you wont get any bigger you know? is something I really wanted to say but aside from her breasts, shes already big enough as it is so I stopped myself from saying that. After taking an after-meal break, we leisurely passed the time until evening. Well then, shall we go to the red-light district?2 un The air became slightly tense so I started to wonder if this really is alright. Welcome~ It was the usual girl with the NICE BODY. Over here please` I immediately took my seat. Two girls sat next to us, got close and asked what we would like to drink. For now, just give us mead for two Oka`y Both of them stood up and went on their way. This is really that kind of shop? Ive only been to this place so I wouldnt really know After a while, the two girls came back. We brought back your mead~ Do you have a certain girl you like? Well call them over` Ah`, I wonder should I do. I dont really see them around but I guess I should just ask. Is Latte-san here? And Celesso-san as well Im sorry but currently, those two are still in the middle of serving other guests Its okay. Well wait How about you? Im alright. You can go elsewhere Ara, a girl3? I didnt realize it Eh? Really? Hmm`, certainly, unless you look closely, you cant tell that shes a girl. I thought that he was definitely a man since there are some who look like that after all4 Well, it seems like there are people who bring their girlfriend along to this kind of place as well Thats true`. They must have really strange tastes? Bang! Suzuran hit the table while holding back so that she wont break it and glared at them. I was sure that she was a man since I was sticking close to her earlier. But if thats the case, why would he just choose a drink rather than pick a girl hed like to sleep with? I guess it must be true But she didnt have any, right? Thats right The girls who were with us earlier kept on staring at us but I just ignored them and continued drinking my sake. Should I get rid of them? Theyre going to be really persistent no matter how many times you tell them to go away so just give it up That girl5, does she already know that Caam already has me? Im sure she does If so then I cant understand why Well, it seems like since theyre Succubi, falling in love is a pretty big deal for them really? Sorry for making you wait While we were talking about that, Celesso-san came over our table so we had to cut our conversation short. Ah, hello (Caam) Good evening (Suzuran) How did your date go yesterday? (Celesso) It went okay I guess (Caam) Celesso-san then moved her line of sight towards Suzurans arm. That silver bracelet It really suits you, doesnt it? Its nice that you were able to find something good Thank you very much She didnt get shy this time even though she was complimented. Is it because shes currently at her enemys territory? We talked for a while then Latte-san descended from the stairs. As she was going down, she noticed me so she rushed over while calling my name. Caam-ku~n She jumped at me while saying that.6 Oi. You should at least send off the customer you were with earlier before you come here. Look, hes sending me a glare because of that. Scary. Ive heard that a mans jealousy is scary after all. Kya` While saying that, she started rubbing her head on me. Suzuran who was sitting in front of me looks like shes about to explode so could you please stop it? Stop it. We came here to talk today so please calm down While saying that, I grabbed her head and forcibly tear her off me but she immediately came back. How should I deal with this girl? See? I told you right? (Caam) un (Suzuran) Ah, this is bad. We wont be able to have a civilized conversation with this. Furthermore, Suzuran is staring daggers at her while letting out her razor-sharp bloodlust. We can just talk like this, right~? Latte-chan? This is a really serious talk you know? You see, the girl sitting in front of you is Caam-kuns girlfriend after all She has a smile on her face but her eyes arent smiling at all. Shes also using a lower voice than usual. So this is how shes like this is when shes angry. Sorry She suddenly became obedient. Having you sit next to him would only bring us various troubles so Latte, sit over here. Suzuran-chan can stay beside Caam-kun Whats up with this four-person interview? Moreover, everyone else is looking at us as well. Then, we should introduce ourselves, right? After that, you can state what you want to say. Caam-kun and I are just here to stop both of you from running wild okay? YesUnderstoodKay~ Suzuran desu. Ive been with Caam ever since we were kids. The first time we did it was two springs before Latte desu. I fell for Caam-kun at first sight. Even though I knew that he already had Suzuran-san, I still wanted to be together with him There was a moment of silence but the first one to speak was Latte-san. Suzuran-san, please lend Caam-kun to me Caam isnt an object to lend out When a succubus falls in love, its in their instinct to want to sleep with him. Thats why Im begging you I already told you that hes not an object right! Then, what should I do Stop treating him like an object. Also, you were sleeping with another man earlier right? If you actually fell for Caam at first sight then I cant understand why you would still continue receiving guests. I thought that usually, if youve come to like a person, then youll refrain from doing that in order to be with him. Am I wrong? Its different for Succubi you know? Sleeping with our prey and sleeping with the person we love is completely different Suzuran took a sip of her fruit water, took a deep breath then continued. Im not sure I understand how its different. Is it different because one is done with love and the other is loveless? Thats right. Your heart gets filled with happiness when you sleep with the person you love. Suzuran-san can also understand, right? If its that then I can understand. Caam didnt lay his hands on me at all even though I was enticing him so I was a bit forceful during our first time. Because of that, I can understand when you say that your heart gets filled with happiness when you get to sleep with the person you love since I also felt the same You see? Then its fine, right? There are people in this world who have a lot of wives after all. Those people doesnt show any favoritism and showers all of them with their love. All of their wives get along as well. Thats why if I gain Suzuran-sans approval, the possibility that Caam-kun comes to love me will increase Wait. Theres something a bit odd about that (Caam) Then, does that mean that you hate me? (Latte) If I had to choose between like and dislike then Ill have to pick like. However, thats only because I havent found something I dislike about you yet. That also applies to Latte-san as well (Caam) If you dont hate me then its fine you know? That might lead to you falling for me after all Hmm Huh? What the heck are you talking about? Thats right. There certainly might be a chance that Caam will fall for you however, I wont allow that to happen Right. Thats good, you tell her. I dont have any interest in polygamy after all. Why! Is it because youre jealous!? Latte-san got heated up by that so Celesso-san tapped her shoulder and told her to calm down. As long as you work in this kind of place, I absolutely would never allow it. Ive been thinking hard about this yesterday before I went to bed but Caam is working in this town while I stay at the village. He only comes back to the village once every 30 days so we only meet at that time. Because of those circumstances, I thought that Caam would come to like some girl other than me but that didnt happen. I thought that thats probably because he decided to only love me so I tried asking him what he would do if he fell for another girl and I said that its okay to cheat on me but he still said he wouldnt do it. He even told me what happened when he first came here without me askingBut you, youll sleep with Caam who you love but youll sleep with guests who you dont love as well. Youre doing that kind of thing thats why I wont approve of you. If you want Caam to love you then it should be fine for you to only sleep with Caam Then, Ill resign from this job. If I say that, what would you do? Would you accept me? yes. Ill allow it as long as Caam is the only one you keep company BFFFTTT``` *cough cough cough*7 I magnificently spat out all of the fruit water in my mouth and started coughing. It seems like I hit Celesso-san a bit with that. Im sorry (Caam) Its okay. With that timing, it cant be helped (Celesso) If I remember correctly, theres a person living in a nearby village who has three wives. When I heard that story, I didnt really think it was strange for someone to have multiple wives. Thats why if you can give all of your love only to Caam then Ill accept it (Suzuran) Then, Im going to retire from this job! (Latte) Haa Celesso-san was shaking her head while letting out that sigh. Also, I have conditions before you get to sleep with him What is it! As I said earlier, while Im in the village, I can only meet Caam once every 30 days when he comes back since he has to work here. Every time he goes back home, he has to leave the town in the morning only to reach the village in the afternoon. In the morning two days after that, he already has to go back to town. Hes in town most of the time so that means the chances for the two of you to do it would increase. I cant accept that. Unless both of us have the equal opportunity, I wont allow it Woah, the bloodlust shes letting off is making my skin tingle. Its also amazing how that isnt causing Latte-san to waver at all. Is it okay if I go to Caams village then? Im not talking about that yet. I just want us to have equal opportunity to sleep with him which is just once or twice every thirty days Latte-san pondered about it for a bit. Uhm What about my opinion? Caam should just shut up Okay What a terrifying glare. This must be the scariest one Ive seen from her. There was nothing I could do but immediately reply that. Okay. Ill quit my work and will only sleep with him once every thirty days. Is that okay? Yes. Thats good enough, Latte-san After saying that, she put out her hand. Thank you, Suzuran-san And Latte-san grasped that hand she let out. I have one more condition What is it`? I have to hit you once. If I dont do that, it wont feel like this discussion has really ended EHH!? O-okay, i-its fine as long as I dont die. Then, can I also add a condition as well? Up until now, you have an overwhelming lead when it comes to the time spent with him right? We wont sleep together but its okay if we just meet? okay. Accepted. Ill know if you sleep with Caam anyways. With that settled, Im sure that Caam wont approve of this but Im going to hit you now. Ill just do it on your stomach, you would end up being too pitiful if I do it to your face after all Cant you stop her somehow? (Celesso) This is bonding between women desu. Because of that, I cant. Or rather, I dont have the authority to stop it. Suzuran is really strong so even if I try to pin her from behind, shell still be able to swing her fist like Im not there. Plus, I already feel like crying since she wont even listen to my opinion (Caam) *Thud!* She fell to her knees and started vomiting.8 Though so`. Or rather, dont hit her if you know I wont like it. Suzuran sure doesnt pull her punches. Caam. I know this might be unreasonable but Ill hit you as well. `sorry about this. Take this in exchange for my feelings Haa? What do you mean by that. Was what I was about to say when I got hit. Ive already received the exact same strike in the past so I was somehow able to endure it. And by endure I meant that I only vomited a little in my mouth. Good job me. Skill?Damage Resistance: 3 acquired. As expected`. Or rather, the people of this shop sure reacts fast. They were able to immediately begin cleaning up after Latte-san. Even though I hit you quite strongly this time Did you get stronger? Thats becauseIve been traininga littleafter work I dont think shell understand even if I explain my muscle training to her though. Or rather, it hurts so much I cant even talk right. It seems like the talks have been settled. You guys should take a break while Latte recovers. Girls`, somebody bring us more fruit water please Arent you a bit too excellent in your job being able to issue out orders after all of that? How come youre still treating us like usual guests? Well, were still guests so it all good I guess. I have never bought a night with Celesso-san though. Latte took the fruit water that was handed to her, rinsed her mouth with it and spat it out on a bucket. She repeated that a few more times. *gulp gulp gulp*nha` After drinking, it seems like she has already recovered a bit. Iya`, Ive received requests to hit or get hit by guests but as expected, I havent experienced something like that` Of course. That thing you received earlier wasnt part of any play after all. Still, I should apologize. Im sorry No no, I as well. I can understand how complicated it is to have to share the person you love with somebody else Well, it would normally be treated as an affair after all. Its all good since it has already received her approval though. Its already too late for me, isnt it? I have to be prepared to get killed by Ichii-san. Hey, Suzuran? (Caam) What? At worst, Im going to be killed by Ichii-san. You know that right? (Caam) Ill explain it to him thats why you can relax (Suzuran) Is Suzuran-sans father a scary person~? (Latte) Really scary. How scary you ask? He has scars all over, and his armlets see, it has the same thickness as Latte-sans waist. Hes really perceptive as well. Even if he just lightly threatens me, I would immediately give him all of my money at hand and run away. Hes that scary. Hes a really good person inside though (Caam) R-really! That makes me a bit worried (Latte) Sure, he looks scary but, hes still more or less my father so dont badmouth him (Suzuran) Ah, sorry (Caam) You still have more or less accepted that he looks scary though. Relax, Im sure I can convince him. Well then, shall we head upstairs? (Suzuran) Ha? (Caam) I mean, even though we came here for that discussionuhm, we can also do it here, right? (Suzuran) She just murmured the end of her sentence so she probably got embarrassed saying that. Err, since we didnt do it yesterday, you would obviously want it right? I know that we havent done it in a while but you know what kind of situation we are in right now, right? Eh? As expected, isnt it unwise to do it here? Right? I looked at Celesso-san as I asked that. Youre thinking of renting a room in this situation? Just look around you, as you would expect, that would be unreasonable Then, what if I say that Ill join them? If thats the case, would you allow them to use one of the rooms? (Latte) Haa? Wait, I cant follow where this conversation is going (Caam) I guess thats right. Even though you said you would quit, your employment is still valid for today so it would be fine as long as Suzuran-chan says okay (Celesso) Okay (Suzuran) Haa!? Wait a minute. You guys, dont you think theres something strange about that!? (Caam) Well then, lets go upstairs~! (Latte) With that said, Latte-san got a firm hold of my right arm and started clinging to me. Not wanting to get one-upped by her, Suzuran also did the same to my left arm. Please save me Celesso-san Take your time upstairs okay~ She said that with a gentle smile and a look on her face thats telling me to just give up. yes Someone once said, The best method doesnt always lead to the best outcome. I definitely agree with that. I planned to have Suzuran talk with her to make her give up but that Suzuran ended up accepting her. It was a terrible idea to send her as a negotiator. Theres also a saying like this, Rather than the practical, aim for the best choice. If you do that then your choice will always be the practical one. Ive already given up but is it okay if I just do my best from now on? Even in my previous world, I have no experience dealing with two women at once you know? At least, I can use those kinds of videos from DVDs, images saved on my PC and games as a reference. Wait, Im actually going to have a threesome right now! What am I going to do!? * Er, okay. Although I didnt impart any of my previous worlds knowledge to Suzuran, it was for naught since Latte-san was teaching them to her while giving her a practical lesson. Like this? While saying that, Suzuran started putting it into practice. That right`. You can tell from how Caam-kuns reacting right? Yes, they took on this kind of system while taking turns. Moreover, while we were in the middle of it, Latte-san turned into some kind of coach. After they each had two turns, it became completely different from those Ive seen in pictures and videos People who practice polygamy and those that make harems sure are amazing. Is there some convenient magic that can increase my vitality? Do I have to stimulate a certain part of my body? Make a brain secrete a special hormone? Or should I dull the senses of that part? Is it all of those!? Do I have to do all of those!? well, thats not really necessary, is it? Im sure that I wont have to do any more than what I did todayno, Ill make sure of it. After this and that, 2 hours have passed since we began. I was feeling quite sluggish as I walked down the stairs. Meanwhile, both of them were glowing as they descended with me. While the girls of the shop where whispering about as they glanced at me, Celesso-san came over and said. Thanks for the hard work`. For the time being, Caam-kun and Suzuran-chan can just go home. Latte is still in the middle of work so she cant go with you. Dont worry, she will no longer be available to accept nor service any guests. We have already discussed the fee earlier so all in all, youll just have to pay 1 silver. That is for the alcohol expenses and the rent for the room. Actually, theres still the cost for the girl you hired but you dont have to worry about that since you guys are special. Ah, this was only for today okay? Next time, please use an actual lovers inn. The owner of this place is running that kind of business as well so do you want me to get you a discount? That way, you have other places to use when this girl is on her day off Shes really set on advertising that place. I handed over 5 silver to Celesso san in exchange for all the trouble we caused. Thats for all the trouble we caused. Just give the rest to the girls who had to clean the vomit and the girls who were glared at turned away earlier. Well then, well excuse ourselves for today This kind of thing is just normal for us. It might turn into a bit of a rumor but aside from that, we dont mind at all. Its the worst is when sake gets to the guests heads and starts arguing though. However, you still have to pay for the room okay? After saying that, she gave back the extra money I handed to her. Im really sorry about all of that Suzuran apologized as well then we decided to go home. We decided to go to the baths after we got back to my room. On our way back to my room and as we made our way to the baths, we conversed but we didnt discuss anything about what happened earlier. After our bath, when we got back to my room, like yesterday, I produced warm air in my hands while brushing her hair. Sorry She said that while crying. About what? I tried replying in as gentle a voice as possible. About that thing with Latte-san Ah`, I dont mind okay? You dont love her, right? Well, I dont dislike her. Im still looking for things about her that Ill come to like but its alright as long as I fall in love with her. Thats why you dont have to mind it What are the things you like about me? To be honest, its your surprisingly playful side or how I cant leave you alone. Although, that makes it seem like Im a mother worrying about her child doesnt it How come? Well, you cant wake up by yourself in the mornings, you dont like to eat your vegetables and you dont express yourself that much. You started getting more talkative recently though so only the first two are left I see However, the deciding factor is probably because youre cute Eh? Even though I dont have any breasts? Even though Im taller or stronger than Caam? Your height and breasts have nothing to do with it, okay? Theres nothing more to discuss about that Then, what do you like about Latte-san? Ive only met her twice sohmm`, I guess I like how cheerful she is. Anyway, theres something Id like to ask. Is that okay? Why did you allow Latte-san? I first thought that I was never going to allow or recognize her but when I look at her, I noticed that shes the same as me in that she likes Caam so much that she became desperate. She kept saying that she likes Caam so I set a condition that sleeping with other people was definitely not allowed. If that was impossible, I was going to have her give up but even though shes a Succubus, she was resolved enough not to sleep with other people and just love one person so I thought that she was really serious about it. Thats why I see. So in a way, you saw yourself in her Un WellItll work out somehow Sorry, okay? Caam is kind so it might seem like Im taking advantage of you like that I dont mind okay? Stop apologizing already. And also, wipe your tears Un Should we go to bed already? Un In bed, Suzuran curled herself up, buried her face on my chest and it seems like shes was quietly weeping. Because of that, I continued gently stroking her head. Before I noticed it, she was already asleep so I also decided to go to sleep myself. CH 36 Chapter 36: That time when Latte came to my room AN: This happens on the next day of the previous chapter. *yawn* So its morning already Like yesterday, I was turned into a hug pillow by Suzuran while she was asleep. As expected, I just cant stay in bed like I did yesterday so although I feel bad for making her get up on my usual waking time, I immediately woke her up. Wake up. Wake up` I nudged her with my elbow. Of course, I also hit her breast with my upper arm while doing that but I couldnt really feel anything while doing that. hng```? She probably remembers the sensation of being woken up since she got up relatively quickly. Her eyes have gotten a bit swollen so I couldnt really tell at first but once I confirmed that she was already awake, I went to the kitchen to make breakfast and her bento since she was going to change. I was going to make some karaage for her but we werent able to go out shopping for ingredients yesterday so she has to just bear with bacon for now. I just made the same toasted bacon and cheese sandwiches as yesterday for breakfast and just normal bacon and cheese sandwiches for our bento. Of course, I made sure to put in a lot of bacon for Suzurans. Well, I just purposely cut the remaining bacon into thick pieces to make it seem that way though. *knock knock knock* I knocked just in case then called out. Im coming in, okay? Un It seems like shes embarrassed getting seen when its bright so I just knocked just in case. Im sorry about this but its toasted sandwiches again for today. And heres your bento. Ill do your hair for you after we eat so lets eat now before it gets cold Thanks for the meal We started talking as we ate. What are you going to do for today? Ill check out Caams workplace for a bit then go home Got it. Then, shall we head there together? While bobbing her head up and down, she continued munching on the toasted sandwiches. After eating, I quickly tidied up the tableware then went back to my room to do her hair. This time, Im going to do the other hairstyle I like that I told you about yesterday Nn` Her reply sounded like she was feeling good getting her hair brushed. After combing her hair back, I just tied it to a ponytail using a string at a slightly higher angle than usual. I dont have a Hachigane for a complete look though. That ended unexpectedly quickly. Ive already decided on it ahead of time so thats probably why. Because I thought it would have been sad not to use it, I also attached the suzuran hairpin to the string. Un, fits right in. Well then, its a bit early but I guess we should go. Here, Ill hold your luggage for you Thanks We left the room and was about to go out when Celesso-san called out to us in front of the kitchen. Caam-kun, Suzuran-chan. I know that you might get caught in the morning rush but can I have a bit of your time? Y-yeah Suzuran just quietly came along. Sorry about yesterday okay? Well, I was surprised, but it was mostly because of what Suzuran did. And besides, I was the one who wanted to clear up that matter as soon as possible anyway Ara, is that so? That would have weighed down on my mind after all. I didnt want so I thought that it would be best if it was made clear. Thats the cause of everything that has happened this time Hm`m Well, the result ended up like this so no matter what happens, I just have to accept it Ara, how manly of you. Is Suzuran-chan really okay with this? Yes. I also experienced something like love at first sight so I can really understand how Latte-san feels. It seems like there are other people in this world who have multiple wives so as long as Caam doesnt cheat, Ill allow him that. I also already apologized to Caam for just deciding by myself last night and he has already forgiven me Hmm`, then its fine. I was worried about you because youre still young but since youre handling it properly, I dont see any problems. Sorry for calling you out at such a busy time okay? No, its okay Well then, see you. Suzuran-chan, you take care of yourself on the way home okay? Im offLater Sure * Oh? Caam, did you bring someone with you today? Is he a new worker? (Gatekeeper-san) She is the girlfriend I told you about earlier (Caam) Eh? Ah, sorry (Gatekeeper-san) Its okay. Everybody always makes that mistake. Even more so because of the hairstyle she has today (Caam) Still, Im still sorry (Gatekeeper) Dont mind it (Suzuran) My bad. Its because I styled your hair that way (Caam) I said its okay(Suzuran) Shes quite tall but if you look closely, you can tell shes a girl since shes cute. Cool looking girls are nice as well (Gatekeeper) Thank you very much (Suzuran) She became a bit shy after that. Is it because she was called cute after all? Will she start wearing a cuter hairstyle from now on? Then, I take it that youre going home already? (Gatekeeper) Yes (Suzuran) I promised to come home once every 30 days but she was the one who came over this time so that really helped me out. Well then, well be going since Im going to be late (Caam) Well, because of what happened, I think Im even more tired this time compared to when I went back home. Ou. Sorry for holding you up. And also, youll have to treat me to a drink later for making me feel envious, okay? (Gatekeeper) Please spare me from that (Caam) After saying that, we headed towards my workplace. Good morning` (Caam) Ou, early as usual. Is that girl your girlfriend? Shes pretty tall. Her chest is small as well (Boss) Ah, she got a bit sullen. Do you just prefer those kinds of girls? (Boss) Were childhood friends so I guess it was something that just happened since were pretty much together all the time. Our houses are close to each other as well You dont say And so, ojou-chan, your name is? (Boss) Suzuran desu Is that right! I heard from Kon that youre supposed to be stronger than him so I thought that you would be some kind of manly girl but youre actually pretty cute. How enviable, make sure you take care of her okay! He said that while laughing as he hit my back. Boss, that hurts. And Suzuran, youre too quick to recover! Kon? (Suzuran) Ah, thats my nickname. You see, my skin is indigo or dark blue(Koniro) right? Thats the reason why they call me Kon. The boss over here is the one who gives everyone their nicknames. Thats also the reason why I dont know everybodys real name (Caam) Well, its easy to tell who they are from their appearance right? Oh, perfect timing, Kitsune, Tsuno, and, Macho has arrived (Boss) Its true. I can immediately tell whos who (Suzuran) Right!? Its nice how easy it is to remember (Boss) certainly (Suzuran?) While we were talking about that, those three approached us. Whats upM-morningSup Oh? Is this that girlfriend of yours that you keep talking about? How enviable (Kitsune) H-how heroic (Macho) Well`, she just looks that way because of her hairstyle today. Shes cute if you undo it (Caam) Really? I want to see that (Kitsune) Are we okay time-wise? (Caam) Its fine if its just a bit (Boss) Thenis it okay? (Caam) Just do it like again this afterwards (Suzuran) I took off the hairpin and untied the string. Then, I had her gently shake her head to make her hair flow down to return to her usual style. Its amazing how theres not even a single crease in her hair after that. Ooooh`, she certainly is cute (Boss) Thats right (Kitsune) C-cute (Macho) I dont think Macho-san stuttered this time because of how he normally is. Yesterday, she looked like this I quickly parted her hair from the back, bring it to the front and just held it in place by her neck to show them. Isnt the one from yesterday better! (Boss) R-right (Macho) I liked the one she had earlier though` (Kitsune?) Huh`, their opinions differ. Well, whatever. I received a comb from Suzuran and once again set her hair to the same hairstyle she had earlier. Hmm`, the impression she gives sure does change depending on what hairstyle she has (Boss) Everyone nodded their heads in agreement to that. Oi, is she really that strong? Try letting her grip Machos hand so that we can see (Boss) With that said, Macho-san reached out his hand although a bit embarrassed. Thats unexpectedly cute, Macho-san. His hand is too big so I cant grip it. Wont be able to put my strength into it if its like this. Would only be able to grip with just 3 fingers (Suzuran) Ou. Then a finger is fine. Just do it (Boss) Nghah (Macho) Ah, this guys already finished. Okay, stop. Stop! S T O P I T`. No matter how you look at it, hes already in pain right!? (Caam) Buthes not saying it hurts or telling me to stop yet (Suzuran) Hes just enduring it you know! You should at least notice that. Its no use, he may look unfazed but his wrist is already bending so that must really hurt. T-then, lets just see how strong she really is. Ill leave it to you to get us something we can use as a reference (Boss) I took a brick that broke in half while being baked and gave it to Suzuran. Just do as you like with that Got it After saying that, since she also couldnt show her full strength as is, she broke the brick in half like it was a cookie. She split it again in half until it was just around an eighth of the whole brick then started gripping it. Opening her hand a little, something like damp soil that was squished was left and the rest of the brick that became dust started trickling from her palm. Ooi, Macho, can you do something like that? (Boss) Macho-san quietly picked up the remainder of the brick, formed it into an easy to grip shape. Even that took a bit of force to do. Once it got a bit bigger and easier for him to grip, UOOOOOOO! He shouted that while gripping it with all of his strength but, although the corners got a bit rounded, it was still in pretty much the same shape. Its impossible (Macho) thought so. Iya`, even though shes cute, shes also really strong (Boss) hahaha They all had a dead look in their eyes while letting out a dry laugh. I think so as well. Thanks for that, Suzuran. Here, you can wash your hands with this (Caam) While saying that, I produced a waterball and she washed her hands in it. Well then, Ill be taking my leave. Ill leave Caam to you (Suzuran) S-sure! Take care on your way home (Boss) Shed probably be alright though they said that in a small voice. She probably heard it but just pretended not to. Caam. You can just give me those brass knuckles next time as a souvenir. Ill pay for it so Got it`. Take care on your way home, okay? Alright! Lets start our work for today as well! Roger! I feel like Boss and the others have decided by themselves to pretend that that didnt happen. * During our noon break at the usual diner. Kon Sorry for dragging you to the red-light district the other day. Did you guys have a fight because of that? (Kitsune) Hm? Ah`, dont worry about it. Especially since Ive already cleared that up with Suzuran (Caam) It seems like theres something up. Spill it out` (Boss?) You see, I didnt want to make her feel like I was betraying her by hiding the fact that a girl has come to like me so I just honestly told her about what happened at the red-light district (Caam) What happened then? Remember that white-haired girl the other day? She said she wanted to meet her (Caam) Was everything okay? (Boss) Both of us received a punch from her in the stomachbut at least thats the only thing we got (Caam) Konthats not what you would call okay you know? (Boss) Uhmsorry bout that (Kitsune) S-sorry (Macho sorry (Tsuno) I was able to endure it but that girl vomited so we ended up causing trouble at the shop (Caam) It totally didnt end well, did it? (Boss) The other three nodded. A womens quarrel is quite brutal, isnt it? (Kitsune) It wasnt anything like that you know? Because of that meeting, Suzuran ended up allowing it (Caam) Allow? What did she allow? (Kitsune) Her sleeping with me (Caam) Bfft Uwa. Kitsune-san, thats disgusting. Well, I also did the same though. Why did it end up that way (Kitsune) According to Suzuran, it was because she thought they were the same and also because there are other people who have multiple wives as well. Thats why it ended up like that (Caam) Well, even I know someone who has two wives but still (Boss) I also thought it was strange why that happened. Ah`, she also added some conditions like not sleeping with anyone else aside from me and they have to have the same opportunity to sleep with me which is once or twice every 30 days. If she doesnt abide by that, shell get hitor so she says (Caam) S-scary (Macho) Yeah`, shes really scary, right? Well, Suzurans father is scary as well so I at least want to be spared from a combination like that (Caam) Why are you still here? Shouldnt you be running away by now`! (Kitsune) Huh? Then whats that girl going to do about working on that shop? (Boss) Would you allow me if I said Ill quit this job? Then, I quit! was what happened so shes no longer working there. Everyone was looking at us at that time so it was quite embarrassing for me. Well, even though she already quit, she still didnt get to go home that day. It seems like she no longer had to take any guests after that though (Caam) It sure turned into something amazing. Well, but stillsorry about that (Boss?) Dont worry about it. Whats done is done so theres nothing we can do about it (Caam) So, what happened after that? (Boss) Lets just say it was something that led me to say You dont meanright now!? (Caam) Not just that, tell us everything that happened from yesterday evening to this morning` (Kitsune) When we got back to my room, she started crying and kept on apologizing to me (Caam) Is that really all? You just ended it at that even though it has almost been 30 days since you last met? Hm? (Kitsune) Thats the end of it! (Caam) Thats a lie. Its already impossible for a young man to endure it for 30 days so Im sure of it. Furthermore, if you miss this chance, youll have to wait for 60 days in total. Thats would be too hard for you (Kitsune) U-uhm thats not true you know? (Caam) Suzuran-chan didnt seem annoyed so something must have happened. Spill it (Boss) Macho-san, youre starting to creep me out. To be honestuhm after that was settledthe three of us did it together (Caam) Its decided. Youre treating us today! (Boss) Wait a minute! Why!? At least tell me the reason! (Caam) Everyone stood up and headed for the exit. That just happened since Latte-san decided to join in and Suzuran just allowed it for some reason thoughDont leave. Please listen to me. Uwaaaaaaaaa! Theyre so horrible. Its making me want to cry. They completely used that as a topic against me during work in the afternoon. The story has spread to the guys who Im not that close with so even they were glaring at me. A mans jealousy is really unsightly. Well, with that said, it seems like I can still joke around with everyone so at least theres that. If things had stayed the same, I would have quit my work for certain. On my way home, I bought ingredients until my wallet turned lighter. When I returned to my room, somebody suddenly knocked on my door. When I opened it, Latte-san forcefully came in, jumped at me and rubbed her head on my chest. Welcome ba~ck`. Thanks for working hard at work~. If you have anything that needs washing then just leave it to me I wanted to deliberately make an expression of someone who has a painful headache at first but my head is actually hurting. Why is Latte-san here? Ah, and its fine since I just let my laundry pile up so I can do it all at once Then, do you want me to make something~? Im pretty good at cooking you know`? HaaI can make it myself though. Well, for now, Ill just leave it to you. The ingredients are over there so feel free to use them How co~ld. You can be even less formal you know` I can cook enough that I can even make sweets but make it yourself if you want. Ingredients over there so as long as you dont use it up, you can do what you want with it My wording got a bit weird there. Well, whatever. Yey~, you started speaking casually. Im glad`. Next is for you to stop attaching san to my name. Please call me Latte-chan. Go ahead! Eh? You want me to change it now? Seriously? Shes starting to irritate me. Well, Ill just look for something that Ill like about her so I wont get mad. If I dont do that, its like Im betraying Suzuran who allowed her to be with me. Then, Latte, make dinner Un, okay~ After doing something in the kitchen, she came back with macaroni gratin. It didnt contain macaroni inside though. Fry bacon, spinach, potatoes and onions in butter and let it simmer in milk. Thicken it with wheat flour, add the pasta and top it off with grated cheese and panko1 then put it in the oven to bake. At least thats what I think she did. Un, its good. Iya`, I was really surprised. I didnt really think you can actually cook so I was nervous since I thought you would just bring back some kind of charred meat. But looking at it right now, I honestly want to hit myself for thinking that Caam-kun, how mean of you to say that. Ive been living by myself for a long time now so even if I didnt want to, I had to learn how to do it you know? Eh? Youve lived by yourself for a long time? How long? Hm`, 10 end of the year festivals have passed I guess *clang* I dropped my fork into the iron bowl containing my portion of gratin. can I know how old are you right now? Geez`, you started talking formally again~. And also, its bad to ask a womans age you know~? Twice! Shes twice as old as me! I thought she would just be a few years older but I wouldnt have thought it would actually be over 10 years. To be honest, I thought you would only be just a few years older than me How old is Caam-kun`? Ill be 10 soon Hee`, I thought you would be older than that. I mean, the way you think is not child-like at all Well, Im forty years old inside after all. Then, how old did you think I was? Same age as me or just a few years younger I guess`. Ah, dont get put off by me because of our age gap okay? Well, you dont have worry about such a thing, ahdont worry about it. Its hard to know a demonkins real age just from their appearance after all. Conversely, there are also people who have lived for over 500 years but still look like a child. Like the headmaster from my village for example After changing the way I spoke, we continued our conversation. Then`, depending on the appearance, you would be okay with the age gap, right? Uh`, un. Its alright Then, it seems like Celesso-san is okay as well` Why? I mean, Celesso-san would be *Bang!* A loud sound of the wall being strongly hit from the neighboring room interrupted our conversation. Would be? N-never mind desu Ah, un Ah`, I get it. Youd get into trouble if you said it, wouldnt you? I understand. Thanks for the meal Youre welcome~ Ill go and wash the dishes Ill leave it to you okay~? After saying that, I headed to the kitchen to wash the dishes. A Celesso-san who had a different air to her than usual seemed to have followed me there. Youre getting along pretty well, arent you? I have to look for things that Ill like about her after all. I didnt dislike her from the start you know? Youre really kind, arent you? Well, I wanted to have only Suzuran as my partner but since she was able to win over Suzuran, Id feel like I was betraying her if I dont do that Isnt that a good thing? From just one person thinking about you, that number increased to two As I thought, the Succubis way of thinking and mine will never match. I only want to love one person after all. I cant understand the reason why you would want to add more to that Ara. Then how about you just think of it like this. Just say that one is the legal wife while the other is the concubine. Its pretty common among royalty you know? Im not royalty though so I cant relate As I finished washing the dishes and started wiping my hands with a towel, she asked. Then, what if your wife says that its fine to cheat on her? I still wont do it How stubborn. It doesnt matter if your women increase by one or by ten, you should love them all the same I sat on the edge of the sink, folded my arms and carefully thought about it before I said. That may be what the head thinks but the heart might not feel the same way yet. I still need a little more time Between like and hateyoud pick like, right? Of course. WellI still havent found a part of her I dont like though so theres that. Well, Ill just try not to hate her but if that becomes impossible to do then Ill just consult it with you I just hope that it doesnt come to that. Shes pretty much like family to me after all. Yeah, Im also hoping for that as wellShes also like a sisteris not something I should be saying, is it? I dont really understand you at times. There are times when youre childish but there are also times when youre calm and collected like an adult Didnt you hear earlier? Im just turning 10 this year you know? That may be true I guessAh-, thats right. Tell Latte what would happen if ever she reveals my age while Im not around, okay? Yeah, got it With that said, she left the kitchen. Celesso-san will always be Celesso-san. Shes worried about her but, well, its not that easy to move away from the mentality of someone from my previous life. Even here, rather than polygamy or polyandry, having one partner is the norm right? It cant be helped that Im having these kinds of thoughts. After thinking about it for a bit, I left the kitchen and went back to my room while sighing. When I got there, I caught Latte sniffing my laundry. TLN: Theres a partially NSFW image here. I wont post it just in case but if you want to see it, Click Here *Inhale* *Exhale* x32 Ahhh, Caam-kuns scent Haaahaaa In her hands, what she had was my underwear. Seeing that, I quietly closed the door and knocked at the neighboring room. Ye`s Its Caam whatever could it be? I felt like my spirit was instantly about to break so I came to consult How quick! She opened the door and came out while looking at me with scorning eyes and said. whats the matter? I explained. Please try opening my door quietly What is it? Good grief While complaining, Celesso-san opened it. Haa Haa Caam-kun. Ahhh! Caam-kun, Caam-kuns scent! I cant help myself~! She quietly closed the door and disappointingly shook her head. Theres nothing I can do about that Err There definitely isnt The atmosphere earlier has completely disappeared and Celesso-san went back to her usual self. I understand. Ill just manage somehow. Thanks for trying Sorry okay? Noits alright. I just wanted to see if there was anything you could do to help. And also, the cause of this was because I didnt do the laundry yesterday so I dont want to go back to my room yet *sniff sniff* The scent over here is stronger I guess`. Aa`a, I should have come by Caam-kuns room after he came back from his bath. That way, I would have enjoyed freshly worn underwear today. Did I messed up my timing, I wonder`. I would have to give up smelling his sweaty, after-work scent though` While saying that, she continued rummaging through my laundry basket even more so I just decided to take a seat and continue watching her. After 5 minutes, Hn`. Caam-kun sure is late`. He should have already been back bynow. S-since when have you been there? Ever since the part where you were enjoying the smell of my underwear while saying, Ahh, Caam-kuns scent That means you were here from the start, right? Yeah, thats right. Do you have something to say for yourself? Please take off the underwear youre wearing right now and give it to me! Thats wrong isnt it!? Arent you supposed to apologize!? Dont just say what immediately comes to mind and think about it for a little. Do you understand? While saying that, with a smile, I gently pinched her cheeks and lightly stretched it. Haim shorieee Okay, good girl I already apologized so your underwear, please! Im going to use it tonight! If thats no good then Ill also take off what Im wearing right now so we can trade! You still decide to say after thinking about it!? Because of that, I wouldnt want to give it to you even more. And also, please return the underwear you secretly put into your pocket Ahwas I found out? I told you Ive been here from the start right? What are you even thinking! Your skirt pocket is already small enough as it is even under normal circumstances so I can easily identify that its there since its bulging outgeez You went back to your usual way of speaking you know` Im scolding you right now so of course it would go back. Now, hurry up and put it back in the basket ka`y She returned it while being incredibly disappointed. Shes like a dog whos walking slowly knowing that its being scolded. After that, we had tea while chatting. I really wanted to enter the bath so because of that, I politely asked her to go home. I gave her a pat down before I let her leave so as I did that, she started making weird noises. I just ignored that and continued checking her. This time, I found my underwear hidden on her sleeve. Are you related to the C*ty Hunter? 3 When I asked, it seems like she swiped it while I was in the kitchen making tea. I didnt think she would still do this but I guess I was naive. Well, Ill just walk her until we reach the bathhouse then well go our separate ways. Im really tired mentally so Im going to take my time soaking in the bath. When I got back, I immediately entered the bed and decided to go to sleep. After all thats happened, Ive confirmed that I dont get bored whenever shes with me. Ill just do my best to think of that as something I like about her. ~Idle Talk~ Earlier that day. *knock knock knock* Somebody was knocking on the door. Its Latte. I came because you told me to yesterday` Welcome Pardon the intrusion~ * So, what did you want to talk about`? Its about that thing yesterday. You, do you really swear to only love Caam from now on? I do The light atmosphere she had earlier completely disappeared and Latte started replying seriously. Its admirable how you responded immediatelyI told you yesterday that I think Caam-kun truly wants to love nobody else but Suzuran-chan, right? Yes However, Suzuran-chan thought that you two were the same in how you fell for Caam-kun so you were allowed to love him. Did I remember that correctly? Yes You are more or less from the Succubus tribe so you know that our concept of chastity is different from other races right? I know So in other words, you got in between the two of them as if saying, Let me join in too! even while knowing that. Do you understand what you did? Yes It would be different if you got secretly involved with Caam-kun behind Suzuran-chans back but since you went through Caam-kun to get in touch with Suzuran-chan, I hope you realize that youll forever be in second place. This situation is different from people in high positions who have a legal wife and several concubines after all. This might seem like Im betraying the two of them but even if Caam-kun and Suzuran-chan has already accepted it, I still havent so just keep that in mind Understood. Ill keep that in mind Then its fine. Caam-kun will be back soon so just relax until then Got it With all of that said, she poured tea into their cups then they spent the whole time in awkward silence. Only after hearing a sound coming from the neighboring room did they start talking once again. Take care. Good luck to you Was what she told her as she saw her off. Ka~y. Im off After she said that, Latte left. Welcome back~ Hearing that next door, she shook her head as if saying, Good grief, poured another helping of tea and stuffed her face with sweets made by Caam. Shes cute but quite a problematic girl. If she was my real daughter then I would seriously be troubled With that, she continued to complain. AN: It seems like Succubi more or less have some sort of code that they follow. It feels like the Latte, who was already weird from the start, has become even weirder. Since its amusing, Ill proceed in that direction. CH 37 Chapter 37: That time when I got to know the seventh resident Its been 10 days since Suzuran went back home. After work, as I got back to the apartment, I met a stranger in the kitchen. No matter how you look at him, he seems to be human. Would it be alright to start talking to him I wonder? Well, hes relaxing in the kitchen of an apartment in the middle of town so I guess its safe to assume that he wont be hostile. Ah, hello Hn? Ah`, you must be Caam-kun. Ive heard about you from Torene-san earlier. Youre staying at the previously empty room number 2 since around spring right? Torene-sanhuh. Since hes using honorifics, this person is probably younger than her. Err, yeah. This introduction might be late since you already know me but it is as you say, Im Caam from room number 2. Pleased to make your acquaintance Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself. The names Johnson. Im sure that you already know this but Im the one staying at room number 6. Best regards. Ah`, I think you can tell from looking but Im human. Ive been away for a while since I went back home to my country As he said that, this guy with blond hair and blue eyes held out his hand. Ive never experienced the custom of shaking hands since I came to this world so I immediately took his hand shook it right away. Please treat me well Yeah, same to you There are things Ive been wanting to ask for a long time now and he came at just the right time so Ill just try asking him. There are some things Id like to ask you. Can you wait here for a bit? Sure Hearing that short reply, I returned to my room, removed the cloth from my bento, wet it with water magic and wiped my body with it. After that, I returned to the kitchen. Thanks for waiting No, I didnt wait that long. Well then, what did you want to ask me? This might be rude but since I havent met any humans so there are various things Im curious about. Aside from this town and my village, I havent been anywhere else Hmm`. I dont really mind but Ill just answer what I can With that said, I thought that I should also drink tea so I added hot water to the teapot using magic while we continued talking. First of all, how do the humans see the demonkin? If I dont ask this now, I will never know the answer to it. Ah`, so youre curious about that after all. They also have churches here right? The ones to worship god Yes but I havent been visited it before If its a self-proclaimed god though then Ive already met one myself. Haha. Well, the demonkin arent really that religious after all. The humans, however, absolutely revere god. Whenever anything happens to them or they need to consult something, they would immediately run to the church. Well, the priests of the churches in small villages are just underlings so they actually do simple counseling but for the higher-ups, its different. A big-shot from the church once said, We humans are the ones chosen by God. The demonkin are savages and are practically the same as monsters, They are inferior to us humans. They are even more troublesome than monsters since they have gained intelligence so this world would be better off without them Since humans are taught that god is absolute, they all take whatever those big-shot priests say to heart so thats the reason why they are in a feud with the demonkin. Its a really simple reason right? Johnson-san rested his chin on his hand and placed his elbow on top of his other hand as he made a bitter smile. It doesnt seem like he respects the god and the priests at all since he said that like it doesnt matter to him. After I finished brewing the tea leaves, I poured myself some tea. Do you want some? I presented the teapot to him. Ill have some then Because of that, I poured tea into Johnson-sans cup. I see. So thats the reason for the conflict Yeah. There are also some humans like me who arent religious so thats why we are able to interact with you guys without any prejudice. We know that you arent savages I thought so. If you werent then you wouldnt be living here right? Right` I can already understand the reason for the hostility so what I want to know next is about the human civilization Its pretty much the same as yours know? We have a monarch, nobles and commoners. There is a disparity of wealth even within the humans. In that aspect, were not really that different from the demonkin. As for the special beings, the humans have a hero while the demonkin have their demon lord. Were the same in that aspect as well Were not that different, arent we`. Thats just what I thought hearing our lessons in class though I see What did they teach you there? Im quite curious about it Well, I havent met one before but from what Ive heard in class, a country would have a king and nobles governing it. If theres strong person in that specific area aside from the king, that person becomes the demon lord and protects that country Thats what they called here but they have the same role as a hero, right? I guess it really is similar. It also seems like as long as theyre strong, anybody can be a demon lord For us humans, only the chosen one gets to be a hero` Ive heard about that but I also heard a story that said that heroes are summoned from another world as well Ah`, that. I guess it certainly might seem like theyre summoned What do you mean by that? Well, I mean, heroes usually are those young men with black hair and black eyes that you dont really see a lot. Some of them who are already adults but are still a bit shorter than us as well. They say that those people bring along with them the knowledge and technology to make convenient things. They even say that theyre the reason why all those sweets started appearing on the market but I dont really know if thats true. That was just something that I heard that from my grandfather after all. And we havent seen a new tool developed recently as well It seems like most of the people summoned here are Asians so Im sure that there are Japanese people here as well. Well, their existence is unclear but there are a few rumors about kings of various countries acquiring some kind of rare weapon so theres that Hn`, a rare weapon is it? I guess its probably something thats made from Orichalcum, a metal made by the gods First time I heard of that So metals like orichalcum exist after all! Well, thats probably because the best equipment that people like us can get is just made out of mithril. Its still really expensive though Hee, I also didnt know that Well, I only what I heard from someone I know who is working in a famous weapons shop in the capital Then I definitely wouldnt know of it I think they also have those in the demonkin side you know? Even Mithril? seriously? This world became fishy all of a sudden. Well, as the god from Earth said, they used games as a reference after all. Thats why there was a possibility that they have those here as well. Do you guys affinity with magic? Of course. If its magic then our magicians are capable of using it. Ive heard that all of you demons can use at least a little of it though I guess so If its just simple magic like producing a small flame or water then even my friends who are from the goblin and undead race can use it. I see, so you can use it too. What kind of chant do you use? Eh? Chant? I cant use magic so its impossible for me but it goes, Oh spear of flame, pierce through my enemies! Fire Lance!, or something like that With both of his hands raised, he recited something that sounded like an incantation then called out the name of the magic. The name was in human language so I wasnt able to understand it. We dont do anything like that We were taught to just use our imagination to activate it Hmm`, so this part is also different. Can you try using magic? Ahokay To demonstrate, I produced the usual Waterball in my fingertips and let it stay there. Oooh`, amazing. How do you manage your magic power? I just try not to use it too much since Ill start feeling sluggish Hn`, so that part is the same. Iya`, I just found that out since there are no magic users in this apartment. I also just found out that there is magic you can use inside the house Well, you wouldnt think of using magic aside from attacking after all. Thats something I heard in my village as well As expected. I wouldnt have been able to imagine something like that up until earlier After that, I threw away the waterball into the sink and this time, I produced a lightball to illuminate the dim kitchen. Its amazing how Caam-kun can use two attributes Is that so? Un un. There are humans who go to a magic school that cant use two attributes after all. Even the court magicians in the palace can only use four or five so it would be a big deal if anybody says they can use all of them I see`. So it really is amazing, isnt it? Im one of those that can use all of them though. What should I do about this? Is it okay if you talk about money next? Sure. The humans and the demons both have a port city so theres more or less the possibility for currency exchange. Theres no particular exchange rate as well so a gold coin is equal to a gold coin and a silver coin is equal to a silver coin. Youll get charged a fee for that exchange though. And also, if its around the borders vicinity then you can use either sides currency. If the worst happens, they could just take the currency from their respective countries and races and just make their own there Speaking of continentsthere are probably others out there besides this one. That sure is a blunt way of putting it but sure, if same weight is the same then the number that they could make would also be the same I guess I guess thats true if all theyre doing is just melting then mixing it together but thats done by guys at the top so I dont really know about it. Im not a merchant after all Can we talk about the language next? Both of us dont have any difficulties understanding each other though Were using the common language after all so no matter what side youre on or what race youre from, youd still be able to communicate1 Then, what about the demonkins or human language? Thats right. Caam-kun sure has thought about the things he wants to ask pretty well. Youre speaking the common language but I think thats just because the harbor is just 15 days away by carriage from here. If we were even a bit closer to the center of the continent then Im sure youd be using the demonkins language as well Then, what would happen if I didnt know anything but the common language? I think you would be just fine. No matter what country or area youre in, you can just soak in the language if you continue to try to communicate. Thats why even if you cant do it right now, youd be able to speak the language in time so theres no need for you to worry I continued to ask trivial details regarding the demons and humans side while drinking tea. After that, I started preparing for dinner. Ah, thats right What is it? Youyoure good at cooking right? I even heard you can even make sweets as well Yeah, I guess Then, in exchange for the information I gave you from todays conversation, you should treat me to a meal As he said that, a timely sound coming from his stomach resounded causing us to be silent for a while. A large serving is it? You have my gratitude As for a large serving dish I can make quickly, itll have to make something using the pasta noodles again I guess. It might be dull but carbonara will have to do. It doesnt use up a lot of ingredients and doesnt take that long to prepare. After I finished cooking, I scooped out a large serving on to Johnson-sans plate and placed it in front of him. Iya`, I just came back from a long trip so Im pretty much running low on stock. I was honestly troubled for a while there Is that so? That must have been a pretty tough journey With that said, I decided to start eating as well. Thanks for the meal Iya`, if I just endured it at that time and not have gone to the red-light district, I would still have some money right now You just decide to talk about that now that we have already started eating? Would ya still make some for me if I said it before we ate? I would have to think about it first Right`? Thats why I decided to keep my mouth shut until we started eating Haais that so? So he wasnt relaxing in the kitchen but instead was just at a loss about what he was going to eat since he doesnt have any money. This guys an idiot for taking the bait when he went to the red-light district. Iya`. When I came back, I thought I would still have enough to eat for a few days but after I went to the red-light district all of that money just flew away its fine already. I cant ask you to return what you already ate after all. You can have whats left in this frying pan over here Thanks mate! Yer a life saver!2 He started using a Kansai dialect all of a sudden I guess Ill try asking just in case. ʤϵˤǤ 3 Hm? Was that some kinda spell? No, never mind So hes not Lets not do that again unless that person actually introduces themselves as a hero. Haa. Thanks, that was delicious *Burp* Dont just let it rip all of a sudden. At least try to cover it up a little. Its nothing So, what about sweets? You still want to eat more? I have a second stomach for dessert after all Why did you just say something that you would normally expect coming from a girl? Well, I can relate to that second stomach thing though. Fine. It doesnt matter anyway since weve already come this far. Cant you compensate me a little for it though? I already did with the information earlier right? I already canceled that with the large serving earlier I started making a chiffon cake as we were having that exchange. Because of the sweet smell it was letting off, Celesso-san, Fra?che-san, and Torene-san, aka. the female group gathered in the kitchen. No matter what they say, its a fact that women like sweet things. C-celesso-san A-are you off work right now!? Yes, thats right Then, can I take you to a lovers inn! The other two girls sighed while shaking their heads. Its fine but do you have any money? Its outside of work so I can give you a discount but youll still have to pay for the inn you know? Then how about my room! NOHold it right there The other two women were the one who refused. Ahh, it must be because theyre right next door to this persons room. How about Celesso-sans room? I live next door so I hope you could spare me from that We wont make any noise so its fine right? He glanced at Celesso-sans direction but she lightly shook her head. It seems like this person is the type who makes a lot of noise. Its not I wouldnt really mind it if its just the sound of a creaking bed since I can endure it but its a different story if they start letting out their voices. Aside from that, Johnson-kun, what are you going to do about the bill? Can you even pay? Caam-kun, lend me some money! I glanced at Celesso-san and she once again shook her head. So you still have other people you owe money to. I cant. Please quietly eat this cake and just go to sleep Aaits the worst Even if you say that in a dejected way, my response would be the same. Fra?che-san He started kneeling at Fra?che-sans foot. Why do I have to lend you money. For these kinds of situations, you should use the money you earned yourself I guess thats reasonable. He then moved on to the next person. Torene-san *slap!* He received a slap that resounded in the room which was a clear sign of refusal. That slap sure produced such an amazing sound. Ah, damn it Wheres Folly-san? He left to go on a subjugation quest two days ago How about Hengst-kun? I havent seen him come back yet today Shit!shit! Do you really want to do it that much? Aa`ah, look at what you did. The landlady came over since it was noisy. Ah, Kiska-san. I paid you about 120 days worth of rent after I came back from my country right? Please let me borrow at least 30 days worth of rent I dont mind but if you arent able to pay because of that reason, Id immediately kick you out you know? If youre fine with that then Ill go get it She probably heard what our conversation was about. What should I do I think it would be better if you just gave up. Ignoring Johnson-san who dropped to his hands and knees and hung his head, the four women encircled the cake that was still warm and started eating it. As I was about to return to my room, I heard Torene-san saying I get to have the extra one today as she grabbed another slice of cake. Thats probably Folly-sans share, right? Didnt Torene-san just eat Johnson-sans share? Wait, what does she mean by today? If nobody tells Hengst, he probably wont find out so I guess I should have another piece as well Wait, Fra?che, dont you think you should lessen how much you eat between meals?! Just leave it to me4 But didnt I let you eat my share while I was out during that subjugation quest? But rather than cookies, I think cakes are even better! I also think that cakes are better! So it wasnt just Torene-san It seems like the women of this apartment are bonding over some weird agreement. The landlady just quietly finished her own share and immediately returned to her room afterwards. Ah, she didnt even tell them she was leaving * Evening of that day, I was awakened by a nostalgic feeling. In an empty white room, a guy who looks like a gentleman is all alone. So hes just by himself today What is it, kami-sama? I have not said anything like Demons are inferior to humans so destroy them!okay? I know. Religion is just that messed up so I dont want to get myself involved with them. At any rate, I understand that the humans convenient looking church is just there to manipulate citizens If so then thats fine. Anyway, lets change the topicDo you want me to give you increased vitality? No need An immediate reply, is it? But what are you going to do if their number increase once again? Ill give it my all to make sure that they dont You will have to come here again if they increase you know? I just pray that I wont have to. Ah, thats right. Orichalcum exists, doesnt it? Yes, I thought it was interesting so I just went ahead and used it. You wont find it by searching through grass inside a fenced area where cows are being raised okay? 5 I obviously know that Could you make sure to acquire some Orichalcum in the future? He said that with a smile but he wasnt really amused. If somebody aims for the orichalcum in Caam-kuns possession in the futurehow would you feel about that? What I do think, you say that would obviously be the worst Well, please look forward to it I wont Anyway, theres also spatial storage and magic stones you know? you dont really care, do you? At worst, its fine even if this planet gets destroyed You really feel like this is a game, dont you? by the way, dont laugh when you see how completely different the humans churchs statue of me looks Dont just boldly gloss it over Well then, farewell So he ran away. I woke up after that. Getting up like that is just the worst -On a later date- Ive been curious about why the place Im currently residing in is called a den of weirdoes. Because of that, I brought the gatekeeper I became close with to a bar. Of course, Im also treating him today to make up for that time when we were scolded for joking around. Hey, Ive been curious about this but which part of Clinochlore makes you say that its a den of weirdoes? Ha? You still dont get it? I guess Youre also pretty weird yourself after all Ha? Well, whatever, just listen. Lets take a look at the residents. Theres that horse who would make moves on anyone as long as they have no experience Umu Then theres that black guy who has a scary appearance That persons really polite and an overall nice guy though Well, it doesnt seem like hes caused any problems yet but that weird onee-san from the succubus race with the NICE BODY is a different story. Shes almost always involved in some kind of trouble. Whenever we patrol at the red-light district, theres always something happening at her place Umu, I can somehow get that Theres that time with Latte after all. Theres that slightly high-handed girl from the fairy tribe that looks like a kid no matter how you look at her Yeah, I agree You also have a rare dark elf living there. Just her being there is already a miracle I guess so That so-called miracle was scrambling with the others for a piece of cake though. Theres also that human. I dont know why hes here but that in itself seems fishy He has his reasons but I guess I can understand Ill just ask you about that later. Then theres you who combined the ingredients to make bricks to form a huge ball using magic. A magician who is doing physical labor. That rumor has circulated all over the town you know? Seriously? wait, so youre including me in that too!? And finally theres that taciturn but strangely blunt landlady. That pretty much summarizes everyone right? Uh`, no. Not even close. I remember a time when she came to warn the horse about being noisy in the middle of the night. When the horse tried to woo her, he either got slapped or punched Reallywell anyway, you. Have you heard that rumor about a guy who defeated a high goblin? theyre probably talking about me I knew it. Still, its just a rumor right now but you should just accept that youre better off as a magician. I dont even know why youre still working to repair the protective wall Monsters are scary and I dont want to die after all. Thats why I want to earn money safely rather than easily Why dont you just take a subjugation quest already NO. Its scary Scary you sayeven though you can use that kind of magic? Of course. Besides, theres nothing better than not dying Uwa`. This is going nowhere Thats right. Its really terrible. Even though I dont want to, youre forcing me to take up subjugation quests. And besides, I dont have a party and I cant just make one since I dont know anyone close to me who needs one Then who did you go with during that monster outbreak suppression? I was just invited by that scary black guy and we went together with that rare species-san Then you could just join them right? I told you, I dont have any intention to take on subjugation quests We continued drinking while having that kind of unproductive conversation. CH 38 Chapter 38: That time when I was called out by father to have a serious fight TL: kizen ED: Kat Five rest days have passed since Suzuran came to town. I think that were going to have a lot to discuss when I get back to my village, so Id like to take an even longer leave this time After imparting that to the boss, I started traveling back to the village. To be honest, every step I take feels really heavy. Aside from the brass knuckles and fifty pieces of candy, theres nothing heavy in my rucksack though. Im sure that this day is likely going to end up being terrible. When I finally reached the farthest watchtower from the village, an arrow suddenly pierced the ground about 5 meters ahead of me. Since the area by the highway hasnt been cleared yet for the planned expansion of the fields, while trying to comprehend the situation, I leaped towards the slightly overgrown grass and ducked for cover. That was a pretty late reaction, wasnt it? It would have been bad if this were an actual battle, wouldnt it? I would have never expected to get attacked in the village after all. However, the next arrow didnt come no matter how long I waited. If I think about it for a bit, that must have been Schinken right? Thinking that, I raised my head a bit and saw Schinken. He wasnt holding his bow but was running towards me. Does that mean hes not hostile? Well, Ill just stand up for now. Sorry about that. I just had to talk to you no matter what before you entered the village Well I can somewhat understand. So? What is it? While I was removing the dust from my body, he repliedIt seems like that thing about you and Suzuran has already spread all throughout the village As expectedHaa, I let out a sigh.This concerns your life so I just thought whatever and shot an arrow while making sure not to hit you, but I didnt think that you would jump in the grass to hide I never would have thought that I would get aimed at before I reached the village as wellI tried being sarcastic but I didnt get a reaction. Well, I think I might have just made everyone in the village my enemy though.Its not that. Sure, Suzurans story may have already been passed along the village, but more importantly talks about you getting killed by Ichii-san have started to come outI guess thats to be expected. Shes his only daughter after all.I have already prepared myself for that. As I was walking here, I thought that it would be nice if its just something like getting hit once Wurst and Speck are worried for you too. Were hoping that you can still show up later at the bar tonight I hope that as wellI passed by my house first to leave the rest of my stuff. After that, I took the brass knuckles and bag of candy, then headed towards Suzurans place. To be honest my steps feel really heavy now. I know that Ichii-san still isnt home yet, but that isnt stopping my stomach from hurting. When I reached Suzurans house I found her giving the chickens their dinner. Ah. Welcome back Im back. Since Suzuran doesnt like really like accessories that much, Ill just give you this brass knuckles as a present. And this candy is a souvenir from me Thanks. Ill brew you tea once Im done with feeding, so just wait for a bit Aa, thanksWith that said, I was going to leisurely watch her until she finished feeding the chickens, but it ended surprisingly quickly. Im finishedAs she said that, I followed her inside the house. As usual, I sat down and waited, then thanked her once she brought me my tea. After that, I mustered up my courage in order to ask about that matter. I heard it from Schinken on my way here, but it seems like it turned into some kind of major rumor I guess so. I heard it from Mir and Kuchinashi though. Since it became quite exaggerated, I just let it be Well, I guess thats true, but you still need to explain it properly right? I already did you know? To father, mother, and everyone else as wellBy everyone, I guess she means my parents, the three idiots and her women friends. Well, thats most likely the reason why the rumor propagated, but oh well, it cant be helped. So, how did it go? They were angry at first, but they eventually gave in so there are no problems over here. More importantly, what about Latte-san? Theres also no problem on my side. She dropped by, but I escorted her home before I went and had my bath. Shes pretty clingy as usual though. Aside from me asking her to stop rummaging through my laundry, I dont have any problems with her. And also, just so you know, we havent done that thing even once Un, thats goodWith that, the two of us idly passed the time by until Ichii-san arrived. Ou, I heard it from Suzuran but you sure have some guts to show your face around hereHe complained about me showing my face, but it couldnt be helped. Shes your only daughter after all, so I can somewhat understand how you feel. Even though I didnt have a daughter in my previous life, it was me that caused this to happen. I also want to talk about it from my perspective, so I ask that you listen to it first That attitude of yours is admirable. Fine, Ill hear you outAfter that, I told him about what happened at that time from my perspective.Well, I guess thats pretty much the same as what Suzuran told us The reason for this is because I couldnt give a clear refusal. At that time, everything would have been fine if I just didnt go to the red-light district It cant be helped. You were just going out with your workmates after all. If you didnt go, your relationship with them would have been strained. In the end, no matter what the reason is, I think that whats important is that Suzuran has already given her approval. If my daughter has already accepted it then theres nothing more I could say. Still, if you make her cry, Im going to use your face as a punching bag, got it? He said that while projecting a really terrifying thirst for blood at me but I shouldnt waver.I understand. I wont make her cry Good. What I can get from all the things you said earlier is that you at least have some integrity so Ill just put my faith in that. But still, I cant do anything about who falls in love with you, so you should discuss and decide how to move forward with Suzuran and that other girl Understood YesWith that said, Ichii-san stood up, got two cups and sake from the shelf, and then proceeded to pour me some. Can I take this as a sign that I received his approval? In silence, we looked at each others eyes, brought our glasses together and drank it in one go. I wonder why were doing this mens exchange? Ah, I guess Im a man as well. Caam, Ill just say this to you beforehand, but it seems like Hail is up to something. Take care of yourself. When that guy gets awfully quiet, its usually when hes already boiling up inside. Theres a certain air around him so you can tell. He pretty much consented when Suzuran told him, but hes probably thinking about something else I understand. Ill be carefulAfter saying that, I was about to go home when Ricoris-san came back. Geez`, all you do is drink Hearing that, he repliedI only had this one cup! Thanks for the treatAfter saying that, I decided to go home.Take care of yourself Yes When I arrived home, mother was there. She started asking about Latte so I told her my side of the story as well. Since Suzuran and my story was pretty much the same, mother finally gave us consent. Anyway, rather than that, Im more worried about your father. He was really mad about that you know? I heard about it from Ichii-san earlier Ive already prepared myself Really? If so, then thats goodWhile mother was preparing for dinner, father came back. Seeing me, he said,Theres no need for words, take up that specialty weapon of yours and go outside. I believe what Suzuran-chan said, thats why I consented, but as a man if youre going to take a woman as your wife, its unacceptable if you cant protect them right? Thats why, show me your strengthAfter saying that, he wore his soft leather armor, equipped his short sword and buckler, then went outside. that person stops listening when he gets like that. I dont think he intends to kill, but you probably should still be careful Got it mother. Its just a little father and son quarrel Dont kill each other okay? yesIt feels like this isnt going to be your usual conversation, but it cant be helped. He probably wont consent to it if we dont fight. Thinking about that, I returned to my room and placed the crowbar by my waist and the machete on my back. Then, after taking the shovel in my hands I went outside. Standing 10 meters away from father, I gripped the shovel with both hands and took up my stance. As I said earlier, show me your strength Understood. You wont consent unless we do this right? YeahAfter he said that, father charged towards me with his shield in front. So fast! Jumping backwards, I raised a 2 meter square earth wall that was 50 centimeters thick to kill his momentum. Right? Left? Or perhaps above? As I was thinking about where fathers attack will come from, he just plunged straight through the wall. It seems like just by using his momentum he was able to break through. Him plunging into it while his eyes were still open just goes to show how serious he is. I was thinking about adding a stone wall, but it was already too late. That didnt really kill his momentum, so when father got closer, he swung his sword from right to left. Shit! Compared to our previous battle, his swing is several times faster! Grabbing the short end of the crowbar, I used it like a tonfa to block the sword. Since I cant swing the shovel quick enough with one hand, I let go of it and produced an obsidian kunai in my hand. Flicking my wrist, I threw it while aiming at his face, then at the same time pulled out the machete to attack him with it, but he just knocked the kunai away with the pommel of his sword and blocked the machete with his shield. didnt I tell you to come at me seriously? After taking a deep breath, I replied.That was me being serious though Stop thinking of me as your parent. Come at me with the intent to kill. Was defeating that high goblin just a fluke? Let me experience your magic first hand. Pick up your shovel as well. Ill give you time to do it Father set up his shield in front of him and got into a low stance. Thinking that the high goblin thing had probably got even more exaggerated to some extent as it was passed along, I took another deep breath.Yeah, yeah. I guess father saw through me Well then, Ill take your challenge, just dont complain to me later. Also, since I let go of it in the middle of battle, I dont think I should pick it up. Ill just leave the shovel where it is Ha! Say that again after you surpass meHe lowered his stance even more and prepared to move towards me. With a quick glance at fathers feet, I immediately start preparing for my own attack. Image?under the feet of the person 7 meters in front of me?5cm diameter? 20cm long ice spikeActivating that quick mental image, an ice spike pierced through fathers instep, causing blood to come out. I wont be able to hear again, but I have to do thisThinking that, I shut my eyes and activated Flashbang at the bottom of fathers feet to strip away his ability to see and hear. Seeing father with his sword and shield in front of his face, I threw my obsidian knives at him. They pierced deeply into the back of his right hand and his left shoulder causing him to curse in pain, or at least thats what I think. While taking my distance, I moved towards his back and hit his shoulder twice. After that, I took my distance again and went back to his front. I might get attacked if I remained close after all. I got it. Its my defeat I havent regained my hearing yet, but judging from the way his lips moved while dropping his sword and shield and pulling out the obsidian knives, I assumed thats what he said, so I canceled the ice spike. Due to that, father dropped to his knees and collapsed on the ground. A stream of blood started coming out. Well, I guess it cant be helped if father finds out. He wasnt showing any signs of movement, so I hurriedly rushed over to use recovery magic on him, but with a terrifyingly loud sound, the door burst open. It seems like my hearing is starting to come back. What was that sound just now! Dear!Seeing the ground covered in blood, mother ran over in panic.Didnt I tell you to stop before it turned out like this!She started crying as she shook my shoulders.Caam, carry him to the clinic! Theres no need motherI brushed mothers hands away and held out my own hand against the wound. How can you say that! Are you saying that youre okay with your father dying?!While shaking my head, I said in a calming voice,Its not thatHaving another one find out wouldnt change anything I guess. As I used recovery magic, a bluish-white light shone causing the wound to start closing. Since I know to a certain extent about the human bodys structure and how muscles work, I used that knowledge to forcefully stimulate cell recovery. Thank God for Japanese health and physical education classes. Still, that was the first time I saw my easygoing mother raising her voice like that. After a while, father opened his eyes and mumbled. Uu uu. So I guess I lost Thats right. Didnt I tell you to stop before it ends up like this! Sorry Kaa-san. Even though theres no pain, I cant work for a while like this. I cant use my right hand and I cant even raise my left arm. I also cant use both of my feet. Aa this is the worst. Im really sorryUn youre not feeling any pain because I already used recover magic to heal your wound. I think a scar would still remain though. Its alright dear. Caam has-At that time, I placed my index finger on my lips to stop mother from talking. Keep this a secret from everyone okay?Although there is nobody else around, I want her to tell him in a way only the two of them can hear. Because of that, mother got her lips close to fathers ear and whispered. Caam used his recovery magic to close your wound. Thats the reason why you dont feel any pain. Blood is no longer coming out and if you wait a while youll be able to move again. You might be surprised, but it seems like he doesnt want anybody else to find out about it, so dont tell anyone about it okay?Covering his mouth, he bobbed his head up and down in reply. Checking to see if it really doesnt hurt anymore, father open and closed his hand, raised his arm and rotated his ankles. Judging that it was probably alright, although a bit unsteady, he started standing up. Sorry bout that Caam. I doubted you. You are strong. Strong enough to protect those two YesWith that said, I went back inside the house and checked the condition of my equipment. The crowbar just had a slight dent on it. As expected from a lump of iron. After father took a bath to wash away the blood and dust, we both sat down and he poured some sake for me. Is this a peace offering? While I was thinking that, he also poured some for himself. With this weve patched things up YesHe raised his cup while saying that, so I did the same and then both of us drank it all up. Iyaa, who would have thought youd grow this strong? It was impressive how quickly you decided to let go of that specialty weapon of yours in order to block my sword at the start of the fight. You reacted well on the spur of the moment Well, I just thought that it would have been impossible to react to it with a two-handed weapon so I decided to switchIn FPS games, a single mistake in judgment can instantly result in death after all. By the way, why didnt you pick up your weapon like I told you to? I would have been attacked while I was picking it up in the middle of the fight. Unless I find the right opportunity or the fight has ended, I dont think Ill be picking it up. And I cant do something like kicking it up and catching it in the air as well Thats right. Are you really sure that you dont have any experience fighting people? That I was the first? Well yeah. I guessIt was just an online competition though. Well, you can be proud of winning against me. Back in our adventuring days, we were known as the powerful Ichii and the skillful Hail after all. They eventually changed it into fierce god and hurricane though [TL: The kanji is actually translated as gale or strong wind but it lacked impact compared to fierce god so I just went with hurricane. And besides, Hurricane Hail sounds cooler]He chuckled and it looked like he was reminiscing something as he poured sake into his cup and drank it. I kinda feel like those names belong to mask-wearing, motorcycle-riding characters. Well, I guess its better if its something simple so that its easy to remember. Like the party name of those Dragons Fang guys who got sent to the front lines. Whatever you say, dear. Whats important is that both of you are alive. Caam, youre going to go out drinking after this right? These are just side dishes but you should eat while you waitSince I couldnt refuse, I picked up some cheese and ate it. I thought you were a magician type who is only good at magic, but it seems like you can do other things as well. It would be better if I call you an all-rounder. Things that I cant do you can even use recovery magic as wellThe end of his sentence trailed off, but it wasnt like I couldnt hear it. Because of that, I looked him in the eyes and once again placed my index finger on my lips. When he saw it, father nodded while giving a bitter smile. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE`!Together with that loud voice was a violent knock on the door, so I hurriedly opened it. There, Wurst, who had a flustered look on his face, checked the condition of my entire body.If Caams safe, then what about Hail-san? What the hell did you do? Whats with that blood stain! Hes your father isnt he!?Ah, crap. I forgot to remove the blood stains. My bad, my bad. Taking a step back to let him look inside the house, he saw father drinking sake while having a curious look on his face. Seeing that, Wurst feebly dropped to the floor. Phew, so you two are safe wait, if thats the case then whose blood is that? Uh-oh, this is bad. W well then, were off to the barWhile Wurst was standing up, I turned over the bloodstained ground with magic, then forcibly dragged him to the bar. It was still soft, but Ill just tread on it tomorrow. Reaching the bar, the three idiots have gathered there like usual. Wait, if you include me, does that make us the four heavenly idiot kings? Well, whatever. After enjoying the sake for a while, Wurst finally broke the ice. Its about time you tell us what happened What happened? Im curious as well When I was on my way to fetch this guy, I saw a pool of blood by their entryway. Thinking that maybe one of them was seriously injured, I hurried over, but when I looked inside their house both of them were fine So fishy` Muu`Since it cant be helped, I related to them what happened in front of our house earlier.Ive been keeping this a secret until now, but I can use recovery magic. I healed my father, left the blood there, and we went inside to have a drink. Thats the reason why both of us had no injuries when you saw us. Keep this a secret okay?With this, the people who know my secret have increased. So, does that mean you beat Hail-san? Well, yeah Being able to defeat that Hail-san, as I thought, Caam sure is amazing! Amazing! Hey it might be too late to ask this, but is my father really that amazing? Of course! Its the Hurricane Hail you know?For some reason, Speck got fired up. Did he choose to use 2 daggers because he admired him? Well, father may have shown an uncool side to him for a moment but once youre cool, youre cool.More importantly, how is she? That Latte-san from the rumors Im also curious about it Un un Ah, if I had to sum it up in a few words then she feels like a slightly gentler version of Tryapka-san at first. Thats right, she frequently clings on to me to rub her face and she digs through my laundry basket to find something that has the scent of my sweat since according to her it has a nice smell~. Shes also earnest So shes not like her at all!Speck shouted as he hit the table with both of his hands. Well, I did say that it was only at first.How old is she? Shes says shes 10 years older than me. Whether or not thats true, Im not sure Isnt that double of your age? Well, she seems like shes just a little bit over the age of 10 though What does she look like? Shes a head shorter than me with white, shoulder-length hair, cute, has a low level of exposed skin even though shes a succubus, and she has more of a chest compared to Suzuran It would have been better if you died Un un Thats why, Caam, its on you today HAA!? Are you serious? Thanks for the treatAfter reluctantly paying the bill, I went home and decided to make another hair ornament for Latte. She kept telling me to make one for her too after all. I guess I shouldnt really show preferential treatment. If I made Suzuran a suzuran flower made of glass, for her it would be Milk. I mean what else can I really do? I cant really think about anything else but that famous flower. Itll also suit her white hair I guess. Theres not a lot of latte-colored flowers and most of them dont look that pretty I guess Ill just go with that. There probably isnt anything that wouldnt suit her. While thinking about that, I imagined the three colors of the Cosmos flower in my head. I went with pink as the main color and a little bit of white and red to balance it out. It was unexpectedly troublesome because of the large number of petals. It was even more work than just attaching a green stem to a white orb. Skill?Craftsmanship: 3 acquired. I wont say anything about that anymore. With this, the hair clip is finished. I hope it doesnt break when I go back. Hmm` I guess thats it for today. -Hails POV- Like I said earlier, show me your strength After saying that to my son, I hoisted my shield in front of me. I guess the distance is about 10 large strides away. I got it. You wont consent if we dont do this right? YeahI ran at full speed and with just three strides left, an earth wall appeared in front of me. How foolish. He just simply elevated the soil and turned it into a wall. I was able to see how thick it is just before it rose up, so considering the walls thickness and my current speed, there would be no problems if I plunged into it as is. Dirt might get into my eyes a bit but it cant be helped. I cant close my eyes since I dont know what my son has set up for me. After preparing myself, I broke through the earthen wall and started my attack, but my son was surprised for some reason. Like that, I swung my sword horizontally. Ill stop before I hit bone but this is more or less a serious swing so Im not sure what hell do. Forgive me if your arm falls off However, if he gets defeated like this, he wont be able to protect his women. Now then what will you do? I dont know what he was thinking but he took the nail puller on his left hand and lined it by his arm to block my sword. Then he dropped his heavy shovel. I thought it would have been impossible for him to block it earlier. Excellent quick thinking. After that, he used magic that I havent seen before to produce throwing knives. However, he just threw it by flicking his wrist so there wasnt much force behind it. It was disappointing to be honest. He also pulled out his machete at the same time to attack me with it, but I just dealt with the flying objects by knocking them down with the pommel of my sword and blocked the machete with my shield. Did he throw it with his wrist just for this? I can now understand why there wasnt much force behind it, but if he trained a bit more so that his actions would be smoother, then that would be a pretty good combination attack. Didnt I tell you to come at me seriously? That was me being serious just now though My son took a deep breath. I guess I should talk a bit more to give him time to prepare.Stop thinking of me as your parent. Come at me with the intent to kill. Was defeating that high goblin just a fluke? Let me experience your magic first hand. Pick up your shovel as well. Ill give you time to do itSo that Im ready to start anytime, I raised up my shield, lowered my stance and waited. Yeah, yeah. I guess father saw through me Well then, Ill take your challenge, just dont complain to me later. And also, since I let go of it in the middle of battle, I dont think I should pick it up so Ill just leave the shovel where it is Ha! Say that again after you surpass meI think what hes saying is correct. Be it one-on-one or a melee, you cant just pick up something once you drop it. But still, Im looking forward to how hell do without his main weapon. I lowered my stance even more and decided to wait for him to come at me since I was looking forward to what hell do. Looking at my sons eyes, I eagerly waited, but after looking at my feet for an instant, he suddenly closed his eyes. To be honest, I was curious why he made that face but I have to concentrate right now. While I was thinking about that, a sharp pain suddenly ran through my feet. Whats this?Thinking that, I looked down and saw something piecing through my thick leather boots. It was an ice spike-like object thing sticking out of my feet. Its the worst. I didnt think he could cast his magic this far. I could have still fought even though theres no sign of those things coming off, but it was already too late. An intense blinding light and a deafening sound filled the area all of a sudden. It sounded even louder than a large monster hitting a building and it wouldnt lose out to a dragons roar. With that simultaneous attack, I cant see anything even though my eyes are open and my ears feel like Im inside a really quiet room. I cant do anything about it. Since I had no choice, to defend myself, I covered my face with my sword and shield. However, that was a mistake. After I did that, I felt something hit the back of my right hand and my left shoulder. It felt really hot, like there was a foreign object stuck in my body. Its probably those throwing knives he made using magic. Throwing out curse words, I thought that I would have been able to prevent that if my armor just extended over my shoulders but I didnt like it since I couldnt raise my hands that way. I regret it, but it cant be helped. I dont know whats happening right now and I cant hear anything so I cant decide what action to take. While I was like that, I felt two hits to my shoulder from the back. A-ah, my son is behind me right now so Im sure that he can just deal with me who is now helpless whenever he wants.Its my lossI dont know if he could hear that but when I dropped my sword and shield and pulled out the knives, the uncomfortable feeling on my feet was gone. He probably made the ice spikes disappear. Because of that, I fell forward. Somebodys shaking my body. Stop it, blood would flow out even more. Aah, how am I supposed to work tomorrow? My hands and feet are useless now as it is. Recovery magic and medicines are not omnipotent and its expensive as well. Because of the pain in my hand, shoulder, and feet, it seems like I fainted for a bit. When I opened my eyes, my son was looking after me. My wife was crying. Ah-ah, I made her sad. So I guess I lost Thats right. Didnt I tell you to stop before it ends up like this!? Sorry Kaa-san. Even though theres no pain, I cant work for a while like this. I cant use my right hand and I cant even raise my left arm. I also cant use both my feet. Aah this is the worst. Im really sorryIt wont just end with my apology since I also wont be able to earn any income starting tomorrow. Dear, its alright. Caam already- Then, after my son stopped my wife from talking and with a finger on his lips, he said.Keep this a secret from everyone okay? With that, my wife came close to my ear and saidCaam used recovery magic to close your wounds so you shouldnt feel any more pain because of that. Blood is no longer coming out, but you should still not move around for a while. You might be surprised, but it seems like he doesnt want anybody else to find out about it so dont tell anyone okay?Did she cover my mouth with my hand so that I wont interrupt halfway? After moving my head up and down, my mouth was finally released. Hearing that, I tried it out, and as if everything that happened was just a lie, I could now move my hands once again and raise my arm. The hole in my leg was closed as well. The color is still a bit different where the wound was healed, but its not like you can easily close up such a big injury just like that. Seriously, what the heck is with that guy. Well, I guess I should start acting like a father from now on.Sorry about that Caam. I doubted your abilities. You are strong so Im sure youll be able to protect those two YesBecause my body is covered in blood and dust, I decided to enter the bath so that I can feel refreshed. I guess we should drink sake after that. Drinking sake together with my son whos all grown up, I yearned for a situation like this you know? While thinking about that, I took out the sake and some cups from the shelf. Then, I poured sake into the cups for me and my son. I feel like he should be the one to pour my share but Ill just ignore that. Its embarrassing after all. With this, we have reconciled Yes I was the only one embarrassed. Oh well. Raising our cups, we drank it all in one go.Iyaa, who would have thought youd grow this strong. It was impressive how quickly you decided to let go of that specialty weapon of yours in order to block my sword at the start of the fight. You were able to react well on the spur of the moment Well, I just thought that it would have been impossible to react to it with a two-handed weapon so I decided to switchSo both of us thought of the same thing. I may have been underestimating my son a little. By the way, why didnt you pick up your weapon like I told you to? I would have been attacked while I was picking it up in the middle of the fight. Unless I find the right opportunity or the fight has ended, I dont think Ill be picking it up. I cant do something like kicking it up and catching it in the air as well.Thats certainly right. It seems like we thought about the same thing in this part as well. Thats right. Are you really sure that you dont have any experience fighting people? That I was the first? Well yeah, I guessHe may have experience fighting monsters, but this being his first interpersonal battle might be a lie. If this was his first then hed be terrifying once he gains some experience. Well, you can be proud of winning against me. Back in our adventuring days, we were known as the powerful Ichii and the skillful Hail after allI got embarrassed while saying that.Well, they eventually changed it into fierce god and hurricane thoughSince I was now embarrassed anyway, I also said that to turn it into a funny story while under the influence of alcohol. As I chuckled, I poured some more sake into my cup. Whatever you say, dear. Whats important is that both of you are alive. Caam, youre going to go out drinking after this right? These are just side dishes but you should eat while you waitHe meets up with those three to drink whenever he comes back. They also did the same last time. Well, its been a while since they last met so they probably have some stuff they want to talk about. I thought you were a magician type who is only good at magic, but it seems like you can do other things as well. It would be better if I call you an all-rounder. Things that I cant do you can even use recovery magic as wellIt seems like he heard it since he once again placed his finger on his lips. Seeing that, I just nodded while letting out a bitter smile. What the hell happened here`!Along with that voice, there was a violent knock on the door so my son went to deal with it.If Caam is safe then what about Hail-san! What the hell did you do? Whats with that blood stain? Hes your father isnt he!?How noisy. Well, I guess I used to be an idiot like that back in the day. I already lost, so I guess he can just do as he wants. While thinking that, I drank sake to show him I was alright as he looked from the entrance. My son sure is terrible at his endgame though. Wurst-kun then feebly sat on the ground.Phew, so you two are safe wait, if thats the case then whose blood is that? W well then, were off to the barI guess Ill just leave the rest of the troublesome things to my son. While laughing in my mind, I decided to go and have a drink at Ichiis place. Sleet, Ill just go to Ichiis place to have a drink You just got your injury cured, so dont overexert yourself okay? Yeah, Ill make sure not to fall overAlthough I said that, as I was about to go out, the footing that I stepped on turned soft that I almost fell down. Was this done to forcibly remove the traces of blood I wonder? He sure did a terrible job cleaning up. Did he decide to remove the traces of blood for now and just tread on it tomorrow? Well, thats fine. I guess Ill just tread on it for a bit. After that, Ichii and I drank, and influenced by my drunkenness, I let what happened at home and about being able to use recovery magic slip. Of course, Ricoris-san and Suzuran-chan also heard it.?Sorry, my son, it seems like your father is a big idiot. ~Idle Talk~ In the bar.Kon really looked like he was going to die, didnt he? Since hes going back to his village, hes going to meet that Suzuran girls father right? If that girls like that then how strong would her father be? He can probably easily squish something like your head, cant he`? S-scary lets just pray that he comes back alive from that. We cant do anything else but thatEveryone nodded while drinking sake with their work friend. Still, she sure was a cute girl wasnt she??S-she certainly is cute But even so, if her parents are scary, Ill just have to give up. I dont want to die-ssu. If Kons stories are true, then her father looks really scary you know? But still. Itll be bad for him either way, right? There are a lot of cases in society where it doesnt work out well after all. I guess its fine to treat him if he comes back alive from that Right! I dont like being sad, so lets just drink to that! Lets pray that Kon comes back from there alive as well! Ou!With that, the sign of the start of their second round resounded in the bar. CH 39 Chapter 39: That time when I played around while calling it training TL: kizen ED: Kat The next morning, I woke up and ate breakfast at my usual time. Even though I prepared myself for the possibility of the village chief coming by, theres still no sign of him so I thought about exploring the village for a bit. I dont think a lot has changed in just a month though. Hn`? I was thinking of fixing the spot where I removed the traces of blood from yesterday, but it seems like somebody already did it for me. Was it father? Well, thats fine. Ill just tread on it for a bit as well. Well then, I guess I should head over to Suzurans place. Un. As expected, Suzuran still hasnt woken up. Theres nobody by the pond and birds are begging me for their food. Although I feel bad for the ducks and chickens, Id also feel bad for waking her up so I guess Ill just go to the distillery for now. Good morning Good morning Hmm~ I like being greeted this way. Its like a true craftsmans greeting. Yo, Caam. Whats up 1 Hn? Ah, I was just wondering how the change from coal to charcoal that we decided on last time went. Im also curious about the state of the charcoal production Ah`, we had some difficulties with the charcoal at first, but the workers are starting to get a hang of it somehow, so were gradually shifting to that. We were pretty devastated at first, though, since we just ended up with ashes Well, of course, I mean, I may have told them to do it but I still think they would fail the first few times. Well, its fine if theyre starting to get used to it. What about the distilled liquors? Production has steadily increased. We just dont have a place to put them. Weve already expanded the warehouse but as a precaution, weve started discussing building another one in a different location It seems like everything is going smoothly, so thats good. Ive even seen Beryl Sake in town you know? I didnt drink it though Why not? I just thought it would be good to try something else since I can drink it anytime I want whenever I come back. By the way, if you have time, I can give you pointers on how to construct the charcoal-making hut We can do it right now since Im free all morning. Well start transferring the distilled liquor into the barrels once the sun gets a bit higher, so lets just do it now Hm, then Ill leave it to you. Where did you decide to put it anyways? Ah`, its at the place you used as a training area. Or was it called a practice area? Were planning to expand it once we clear the area Seriously? Why? Do you have anything you dont want to be seen hidden there? No, its not that. It just seems like theres a lot of things you need to consider nearby That may be true, but we had to put it someplace discrete. Well, you could probably see the smoke though We continued our conversation while changing our location. He confirmed that there wasnt a lot of things that have changed since my last visit. Were here Hmm` I guess its okay. It wont get wet because of the rain and it doesnt seem like air would leak out. You made it just like how I told you right? Well, yeah, but they were surprised when we told them to make the smoke vents at the bottom, but they seemed to understand why when we actually tried making it. All the fumes would just escape and the charcoal wouldnt be made after all. Actually, we made two at first, one for the people saying, Why is there no chimney on top!. The stuff made from those guys kiln ended up being useless, so we had to destroy them Well, even if you do make a mistake, you can just learn from it after all. Theyll eventually come around once they inevitably fail, so you can just go ahead and let them do what they want Also, cracks would seem to decrease after washing our hands and feet in a mixture of that liquid you said would come out after the fumes settle and hot water, so its becoming even more popular. The beastkin people say that it causes their noses to crinkle up though Well, it smells terrible after all. Ah` that reminds me. Are you planting saplings after you cut the trees? Why should we do that? Ah`, I forgot to tell you this earlier. There may be a lot of trees in the forest right now but if you just keep on cutting them, you would eventually cut through all the trees. They need around 20 cycles of seasons to fully grow right? Thats why, if you dont replant the trees you cut, the forest would get destroyed. Youre certainly right Ill pass this on to the village chief I dont want to see treeless mountains and ruined forests after all. Even more so in my birthplace. Ill leave it to you. By the way, the village chief didnt come to our house today. Whats up? If it was like usual then he would have been there first thing in the morning. Im not his parent, but is he finally going to stop depending on me? The village chief isnt here right now, you know? He went together with the others who are in charge of making charcoal to the dragonkins village. They say that its for when they run out of coal to dig out Well, they certainly would run out eventually, so I guess they went there to teach them Thats right. I dont think they know about that thing about planting seedlings so they would still have to go back, wouldnt they? I feel bad about it since its my fault Its fine, isnt it? They said they have to go back to the dragonkins village a lot anyways I guess its all good if it doesnt cause any trouble Right. I have to go back soon but, what are you going to do Caam? Ill try going to my training area since I havent been there in a while, so Ill be there till noon. It might be in bad shape right now, but thats fine since its going to be cleared out anyways. And besides, I didnt have a lot of opportunities to use that place Is that so? Well then, Ill be going now Ou. Do your best at work Now then, what am I going to do about this mess? Theres barely anything even left The chairs have rotten and the color of the stone I used to grind the poisonous plants faded over time. Well, I may feel sentimental, but its just the chair and stone going back to nature so to speak. I just used them when I came here to practice my throwing or a new technique after all. Was it like this? I thought that as I stepped 30 meters away from the usual tree and started throwing my obsidian knives and axe at full strength in turns. *twok!* *thud!* *thunk* Such sounds can be heard as the stuff I threw at full strength hit the spot where I aimed it. It doesnt seem like my skill has grown dull. Lets try applying the image I use when I use my Waterball to it next. Image?an obsidian kunai without the handle?created above my head?and maintained there?shot forward at the speed of 150kph fired at will As I did that, the diamond-shaped object appeared and is floating on top of my head. After thinking shoot in my head, the kunai started flying towards the tree in front of me. *Thunk!* Together with that sound, it pierced the tree. That thing hit the exact place I aimed at. Who would have thought I would get it the first try. Its like when you use a special technique in a fighting game where you dont have to press any buttons to aim it. Ten seconds later after that, the kunai naturally vanished as usual. I repeated that magic multiple times, but it would always vanish 10 seconds later. I guess the time for it to disappear would depend on how much magic power I put into it or how strongly it hits, but, well, there wouldnt be any problems as long as it hits. I guess I should try to increase the number next. This time, I produced three knives above my head and then shot them. *th-th-thunk!* Hmm`, its within a 5cm radius of each other. I guess thats good enough. Lets try lining them up vertically this time. *th-th-thunk!* It deviated a bit but it pretty much still hit the middle. It went askew by more or less 5cm but it still lined up. Im sure it would be a bit cleaner once I get used to it. After that, I tried shooting while walking and running but, surprisingly, it still went to the place where I looked. Ah`, the next one would have to be that, wouldnt it? Like the less severe kind of FPS syndrome where you always see a dot from those reticle sights. Or at least something close to that. I guess its worth trying it. Image?a small red dot of light at the center of my gaze?Activate Oo, it came out! Cool. Its like looking through a dotted sight While thinking that, I once again tried shooting the kunai but this time, I was doing it like a character inside a game in my previous life. While activating my mock red dot sight, I produced a kunai on top of my head at the same time. While focusing my gaze on a spot of the tree that I wanted to hit, I shot it. *Thunk!* After hearing that sound, I went closer to confirm the hit. The kunai got stuck at the place where I was looking at so, even though I was by myself, I shouted for joy. Oh yeah! Getting carried away, I continued firing around ten more kunais. Go! F*nnel! I activated it while saying a certain hikikomori young man who just received a sandwich from his childhood friend. Its not going to let out beams though! 2 All of the kunais hit a spot within 10 cm radius of where I aimed it. This is pretty useful, isnt it? Ive already done Ka M* H* M* Ha and M*ns beam before, but it was just something along the lines of those flashlights that you use to see when theres fog. Lets try mixing that up. Image?obsidian kunai?shooting out after a powerful beam of light from the tip?activate Light stretched out from the tip of the kunai thats floating on top of my head but as expected, it neither burned or punched a hole through anything. Still, its kinda surprising to see a light come out from the tip of the kunai. What I called training before has now completely turned into play time. I created an obsidian sword and covered it in a red light. While making *vvvuum! vvvuum!* sounds as I swing it around, I lifted my left hand with the palm facing forward like I was using the force. It seems like Ive fallen to the dark side. I am your father3 What the hell am I doing? After that, I came across 3 rabbits by chance so I used my kunais to kill them. Its going to be noon soon, so I have to go back to the village. By the way, Im able to turn my dot sight on and off at will. It would have been unpleasant if I just left it on all the time after all. Before going home, I passed by Suzurans place since I thought Id share the rabbit with them but, when I got there, she was in the middle of strangling a chicken. I saw the chickens head fly off as it cried out in agony while I was presenting her the rabbit. Thanks The smile she had on her bloodstained face made me feel nervous. What are you going to do for lunch? Want to eat at one of the vacant rent houses? Were going to use it tonight anyways She cutely tilted her head as she said that. I didnt have a reason to refuse so, while she was wiping the blood off her face, I agreed. Then Ill leave this rabbit at home first before I head there Got it. Until then, Ill strangle the ones well eat todaykoke``! *thud!* Because the chicken struggled, she pushed it down. Then, like a hatchet, she hit its neck with the knife. I let out a conflicted smile as I saw the chickens head fly off while I was placing the rabbit at home. That one is probably for dinner. While carrying the utensils and the chicken who was still dripping with blood, the two of us headed to the rent houses. Caam, youre bad at plucking the feathers Sorry Try not to tear the skin off Okay Make sure no feathers are left on the pores Yes I thought that it would be good enough if I just simply pluck it out, but that doesnt seem to be the case. You have to skillfully pull it out towards the direction where the feather grows while making sure it doesnt break under the skin. Itll be troublesome if those get left behind after all. Because of that, you need to carefully pluck the feathers and take your time if you arent used to it. It looks like Suzurans already used to it though since she looks really skillful with her hands. With that over, she burned the remaining hairs away from its skin and then cut its stomach open to deal with the entrails. After that, she placed the rose-colored meat into a bowl, seasoned it, covered it in wheat flour, then turned it into karaage. She really is only good at meat dishes. It would have been perfect if only she ate her vegetables with this Lets eat As usual, Suzuran is eating nothing but the karaage. Even though I bought vegetables and made them look pretty, shes completely ignoring them. Should I just give up? Hey Un? What is it? Did anything happen after I went home? Ah`, one of the residents who I havent met before came back. That person was from the human race you know? Hmmm` She doesnt seem that interested in it. Or rather, dont just end the conversation like that. Yesterday, father asked me to have a serious fight with him because of that He went to our house to drink with my father so I know about it. Caam has become pretty strong He kept saying things likeIf youre going to take those two as your wives, you need to be able to protect them. Thats why, show me your strength as he faced against me in front of our house. I nearly lost my left arm because of that you know? But you won right? Well yeah. I really wanted to just talk it out but it seemed like that was impossible once he got into that state Father was surprised too you know? He was like He won against Hail!? It makes me somewhat happy that Ichii-san said that. I mean, that person is a symbol of fear and power for me after all Hes really scary with that face and those thick arms after all. Hes still pretty much my father so dont say such sad things Sorry sorry Well, hell certainly be my father-in-law after all of this. Our meal ended after we consumed that karaage mountain. Thanks for the meal Youre welcome Well then, what are we going to do next? Should we just laze around? How about a light work out on the bed? She blushed a little while saying that. Thats bad for my heart you know? Thats a really attractive proposal, but lets just leave that for this evening Its not like I dont want to do it, but it would be pretty awkward if somebody walked in on us while were doing it since its still broad daylight. Or rather, Suzuran, whats this all of a sudden? Didnt you tell me you dont want your body to be seen when its bright? Then, how about I teach you another simple way to prepare chicken Hm`, thats fine I guess Suzuran washed the tableware while I was out buying the necessary ingredients so I was able to immediately start cooking once I got back Oka`y. Good afternoon everyone~eh!? For today, well be making something that I think anyone can make. A simple roasted chicken. Here are the ingredients Hn? One whole processed chicken, butter, onions, carrots, and potatoes. The vegetables here are just the ones that I wanted to eat. You can add other vegetables you like as well. You can also pick seasonings of your choice to mask the smell as well aside from salt and pepper Hey Caam? First, lightly pierce the chicken with a fork. Next, rub salt and pepper on the outside as well as inside the stomach then place it into a bowl with some fruit wine and fragrant herbs. Let it sit in there for a while to soak in the flavors. You can now start preparing the vegetables you want to eat at this time Hey To give it a uniform taste, you should turn it over from time to time. And heres one that we let sit for a while *thud!* !? After that, well now put the vegetables inside the stomach but first, you should spread the butter all over it to prevent it from sticking to the pan, as well as making the vegetables inside taste even better. Once you start roasting it, you should take it out at times and use a spoon to scoop out the juices that came out and pour it over the top of the chicken. Then, by the time you think It should be completely baked soon I guess, it should be done I just ignored Suzuran whos giving me some weird looks. Well, something like that There were times where I felt like the time just flew by. What was that? I dont know as well Magic? Hmm`, close, but its not really magic. Probably Its movie magic (editing) I guess. got it Un, it might be a bit early for dinner but it will no longer be delicious once it gets cold so lets just eat it now. Look, the sun is already hidden behind that mountain you know? un Suzuran had a look like she didnt understand anything I said as she glanced at me. I cut the bird in half. I also divided the vegetables evenly between us as I arranged our food on the plates. Lets eat With that said, while ignoring the fork, knife, and vegetables, Suzuran immediately went for the meat, grabbing it with her bare hands and sinking her teeth on it. Are you a pirate or bandit or something? A-ah, geez Your hands and mouth are already dirty. You wont make such a mess if you just ate it a bit more carefully. Hey Suzuran, cant you be a bit more refined when you eat? Its easier to pick up using my hands and its easier to eat if I can directly nibble it That may be true but youre going to be hated if you dont eat a bit more elegantly you know? Its okay as long as Caam doesnt dislike me Okay then, if you dont eat more elegantly, Im going to dislike you, you know? *clank!* Hearing me say that, she dropped the meat she was eating on top of her plate. Shes about to cry and has a look on her face that makes it seem like the world is about to end. This is pretty cute in and of itself. Fine fine. I wont hate you but if there are other people around or were eating with somebody else, dont eat like that okay? After saying that, I gave her a towel to wipe her mouth and face. I wont tell you to use a fork and knife but cant you at least eat it like this? After saying that, without using a fork and knife and while making sure that I dont make a mess with my hands and mouth, I ate it like how you would eat chicken from Sanders-sans to show her. Like this. And also, nobodys going to take it away, so you should calm down when eating Im sorry Yes yes, Im not angry and I dont hate you so eat it slowly okay? Un What am I, your mother? Hey, couldnt you eat it if its just something like a potato? The juices from the chicken and the butter have absorbed in it so couldnt you at least try it? I picked up the potato with a fork and was trying to get Suzuran to try it. Is it tasty? Why are you so doubtful? Well, its pretty bland by itself but you can easily change the flavor since it absorbs the water or oil around it. Its really tasty now because of the salt and melted butter you know? Its cute how she looks like a squirrel or a hamster while shes nibbling it in silence. Then, could you try the carrots next? Please stop showing me that disgusted look. It also absorbed the same taste as the potatoes so I think its easier to eat right now you know? She tried nibbling on the carrots a bit but she immediately stuck her tongue out and spit it out on the plate. How slovenly. And also, the look on your face is kinda erotic so stop it. I mean, if you hate it so much you dont want to eat it, then just dont. Impossible Yeah yeah, just leave it there together with your onions. Ill eat them myself I wonder if she would eat glazed carrots. Thanks for the meal Sure, youre welcome While the two of us were washing the dishes, I tried asking. Would you eat the carrots if theyre sweet? Do you mean like candy? Im just going to boil them in sugar water I cant imagine the taste It still has the taste and smell of a carrot but its sweeter, I guess Ill try it next time so make it Yeah yeah, but you have to finish it all okay? I wont do ecchi things with you for a while *Gofuu!* As I said that, she retorted by sending a sharp elbow to my side. Because of that, I swore in my heart to never do that kind of joke again. Ill also try to avoid standing at Suzurans right side as much as possible. Well, its going to be the same either way I guess. While we were lazing around after dinner, Suzuran said. Caam, prepare the bath Sure` After giving that replying, I immediately went to the bathroom. Which one do you prefer, hot or warm? I can just add water if its too hot right? I guess shes right. Because of that, I started filling the tub with water thats probably a bit hotter than usual. I didnt check the temperature though since I thought we could just adjust it after we get in. You can go in now` So fast Well, magic is just that convenient` Only Caam can do something like that. Caam is amazing as expected Yeah yeah. Well then, should we go in together? un I wonder, why is it that she can act aggressive at times, but still get a bit shy when Im the one inviting her? Well, I havent really been that proactive about it I guess. * Our fingers and toes are now wrinkled and puffy. I continued regulating the heat as we soaked our bodies after we finished washing it, but I wasnt expecting that we would stay there for that long. Aaah`, bath too long, body feels heavy Here you go, fruit water Ah`, thanks~ (She might be wearing a shirt now but its loose so I can still see her breasts and the nape of her neck. At this rate, Im going to want to push her into the bed even more) She seems to have noticed me looking at her breasts. Is this the part where I tease her? Forming her hands into an X, she hid her breasts by covering it with her knees. Iya` Suzuran, ecchi~ Ugh! ouch Her face was completely flushed as she hit me in the stomach. Be a bit more gentle when hiding your embarrassment, please. After that, while her face was still completely flushed, I grabbed her hand and forcibly dragged her to the bed. The date already changed by the time we went to sleep. Entering the bed after getting into the mood is nice, but forcing Suzuran to the bed doesnt feel half bad. ~Idle Talk~ This is during the time Caam rolled into the thicket to hide from Schinkens arrows. There was a male cat-eared beastkin with a medium build and without any distinctive characteristics who visited Caams workplace. Excuse me`. I heard that theres a person named Caam whos working here Ou, thats right but hes not here right now. Hes going to be away for 3 or 4 days Is that so? Do you know a way I can get in touch with him even faster? Lets see I guess I can tell you where he lives. Is that fine? Please! Its a place called Clinochlore Ge! Is that true? Yeah, its true. If I remember correctly, a slightly taciturn cat-eared woman runs the place. You can just tell that person to tell him once he gets back I I understand. Thank you very much Clinochlore huh That place was called Den of Weirdoes wasnt it? This is terrible. Would a letter be okay I wonder? (Is that black-haired cat-eared person the landlady? Shes pretty`. This is starting to make me nervous.) Uhm`, excuse me. Are you the landlady of Clinochlore? Yes. Were full right now. Youre better off finding someplace else No, I just have something to give to a person named Caam After saying that, I handed over the letter and was going to leave but the landlady just stared at it. A relationship between men wont be productive you know? Of course, thats the same for women as well Haa!? No, youre wrong. This letter is about a designated quest from the guild desu. I heard he was away after all What a terrible misunderstanding this woman is making! really? Then Ill certainly hand it over If you would please Yeah (Geez, if just the landladys like that, then what about the other residents here Good grief. Shes still pretty though`) With that, the cat-eared man will just have to wait until his message reaches Caam. CH 40 Chapter 40: That time when I was invited to a temporary party TL: kizen ED: unedited I lazed around with Suzuran the next morning so it was almost evening when I reached the town. I inserted the key into the keyhole but when I turned it, I couldnt hear the sound of it opening. I thought I might have just forgotten to lock the door but when I opened it, Latte was there. Caam-ku~un, welcome ba`ack~ Latte suddenly jumped at me and rubbed her forehead on my chest. Im back. And also, how did you get into my room without the key? I tried asking while patting her head. Eh? I just asked Kiska-san to open it for me you know~? Haa, my head hurts. Now that I think about it, it was the same during the time Suzuran came here as well. Should I just completely let go of my previous lifes common sense, I wonder? Yeah yeah, Im going to put down my luggage so let go of me for a bit. I also have a souvenir for you Really!? That makes me happy~. What is it, what is it~? It might not look good since I just made it myself but its a hair ornament similar to the one Suzuran has. It has a different shape though After saying that, I took out the Cosmos hair ornament that I carefully wrapped so that it wont break and showed it to her. How cute`. What flower is it? Its a Cosmos1 I dont know if theres a flower like that in this world though. Hmm~. The pink and red on white is pretty, isnt it~?. Hey, put it on me~** Really? Well then After saying that, I took a quarter of her forelocks and used the hairpin to hold it by the side of her head. Un, it really suits your white hair well Let me see, let me see~ She took out a really small mirror from something that looks like a small bag. Is that some kind of makeup pouch? Thanks~. Ehehe` With a smile on her face, she kept touching the hairpin and looking at it from different angles. Thats pretty cute in a different way from Suzuran. While she was doing that, there was a sudden knock on the door. Coming~ Why are you the one answering it!? Sorry for ruining your fun time but there was a letter that came for Caam After saying that, she left. Hmm`, whats this? An invitation to a temporary party? I havent read it thoroughly yet but I can probably guess what this is about. Hn~? What does it say`? Well, to summarize, Ive been asked to help obtain an undamaged slimes core Hee`Undamaged, is it`? That would be difficult you know~ Well, I havent fought a slime before so I wouldnt know It would immediately weaken once you damage the core so you try to aim for it when you attack but before you even reach it, it would move its core around to protect itself. Its also hard to cut is because the soft part can recover quickly. Thats the reason why you need two people to deal with it. Taking that into consideration, asking to obtain an undamaged core is pretty unreasonable, isnt it~? Hmm`, I see. Well, it seems like I can meet them at the guild to ask questions so Ill just go and hear them out Ehh? Already~? But I wanted to flirt with you a bit more~ Yeah yeah, once I get back okay? Ill be going now because it seems like the other party wants to get in touch with me as soon as possible Kay~. Im just going to roll around on your bed Dont make a mess okay? I wont! Im just going to sniff your pillow! Ah`, sure sure. Just dont strain yourself After saying that, I left for the guild branch. Ahh~, Caam-kuns scent` As I went out the door, that happened. I would really appreciate it if you would lower your voice a bit more Seriously * There werent a lot of people as usual when I entered the guild so I just headed straight for the rabbit-eared onee-sans desk to try and ask her. Excuse me. My name is Caam and I received a letter from someone called Fader inviting me to be a part of a temporary party but, have you heard anything about this? Yes. Could you present your card and wait for a moment please? With that, she pulled out some documents and quickly flipped through them. After that, she took out one of the sheets. Here it is. There certainly has been a request from Fader-sama to form a temporary party. It says here that he will be waiting at the bar by the gates for a few days for Caam-samas reply. Im sorry to be a bother but if youre heading there, could you please take this documents with you? Got it. Ill try going there since I wont know anything if I dont hear his story Then, to confirm that it has been received, could you please sign here? Okay After signing, I received the documents then decided to go to the bar by the gate. After entering the bar, I called out the clients name then an imposing, cat-eared young man came to me and asked. You are Caam-san, right? Ah, yeah After I replied, the young man guided me to a table to sit down. Then, cutting to the chase, he immediately asked. Are you here to accept? He seems to be in a hurry. I more or less got the gist of it from your letter and by asking the receptionist onee-san. However, I dont know the full details so I cant accept it yet. Thats why Im here Ah, yes. To put it simply, it seems like an alchemist acquaintance of mine suddenly had a need for an undamaged core of a slime so they came to ask me Yeah, I see. So, why did you ask me? That is Thats because youre a pretty famous freelance magician in this town Ha? Me? Yes. Youre pretty famous you know? Youre mixing ingredients to make bricks even though youre a magician. Getting carried away, you mixed it into a huge mud ball that was seen all over town. Also, during the monster outbreak, even though it was just to wash away the blood, you made multiple waterballs. Moreover, you can even take on the vanguard role as well Ah`, I had no idea We might be moving too quickly but Id like to talk about your compensation Yeah, I dont mind Im sorry to be rude but can I ask how much you make in a day? Hmm` I make 8 large copper a day making bricks in that Rank 1 quest of repairing the protective wall. There is a risk when fighting slimes how about we double that to 1 silver 6 large copper. We can also split the subjugation parts equally between us so, how about it? Eh? Just that much? Eh? Is that strange? Was it too expensive I wonder? Hes considerably shaken for some reason. No That is To be honest, thats too cheap. For someone like Caam-san who has a high amount of magic power and can continuously produce those kinds of magic without breaking a sweat, it would be rediculous to hire you for such a cheap price Even if you say that, I havent really been hired before. Even that large monster outbreak was a request from the guild. I dont really know the market price because of that. How much do you think would be good? Its best to ask what you dont know. Lets see, it would usually depend on your own rank and the strongest monster you defeated on your previous subjugation request Hmm`, is that so? Then how would that work for someone whos Rank 4, can do both vanguard and rear guard roles, and subjugate a high goblin by himself? I really have no idea about this so to spare us from all the trouble, lets just go with the amount I said earlier But If I can also get paid for today then I dont see any problems. Also, please dont tell anybody else about this okay? Id hate it if rumors get out about me being cheap to hire. Even though Im like this, Im actually a coward and I absolutely hate dangerous things. If possible, I just want to live peacefully you know? Eh? Ah, okay. I understand Uhm, will it only be Fader-san and I? No, theres one more person. My partner Stilo will be joining us making it three Understood. Where is the place were going? Leaving the gate, if we just head straight, well reach a swamp inside a forest in half a day using a horse H-horse is it? We stood up from our seats and he came close to shake my hand. Then lets head out tomorrow morning. I think I can finish my preparation immediately but is it alright if I just prepare my own things? Yeah. Well prepare other necessary things so it would be enough if you just focus on your own equipement After that, we went over everything once more to make sure we didnt miss anything first then we separated. First, I should tell the boss about this. After telling him that Im going to be away for a little while longer, I started making my preparations. For the time being, six portions of some kind of portable food would be good I guess. Taking this opportunity, I also bought stuff for dinner. Latte is probably still doing something to my futon so I dont think shes eaten dinner yet. Im back` Ah! W-welcome back~ Oh`, uhmtake your time. Ill go make dinner Err, she was on top of my bed, embracing my laundry in the nude while in ecstasy. Ill just act like I didnt see anything. Iya`` I was careless since Im used to living alone. This is probably how mothers of middle school boys feel. I really want to consult with Celesso-san right now. After making dinner, I went back to my room. There wasnt a particular awkward mood between us as we ate together. Or rather, we just acted like nothing ever happened. Hey`, now that I think about it, how did it go with Suzuran-chans father? Did he get mad after all? I was almost killed by my father Why!? Suzurans father said he cant complain if his daughter has already decided on it but my father was like, Do you have the strength to protect your women?. Because of that, we had a fight a serious fight before dinner Was that because of me? Probably I wont specify how I won against father though. Uhm, Im sorry that that happened because of me Sorry sorry, we shouldnt be talking about this while eating. Thats right, I joined a temporary party and were leaving starting tomorrow. We plan return after two days but you dont have to mind me and just do whatever you want to my room U-un. Thanks. It that really alright~? She was a bit timid a while ago because she felt guilty but shes probably alright now since she went back to trailing the ends of her sentences. Its fine. Ill ask the landlady to make a duplicate key so when thats finished, Ill give it to you Ehehe~. Thanks~ Ah, naturally, Ill give Suzuran one too Of course`. Giving me one but not Suzuran-chan is absolutely forbidden! Well yeah, we would get killed after all. After we finished eating, I started preparing for tomorrow. Latte was interested in it so she clung to my back to watch. I could feel her breast hitting me but I think thats probably on purpose so I just decided not to mind it. Say Caam-kun~, you weapons and armor are pretty unique, arent they~ Really? The shovel is really convenient to say the least But still`, what about your armor? It wont be able to defend against swords, spears and arrows you know? She traced my back with her fingers while saying that. Either way, if the spots without armor get hit, I could still die so I figured it would be better if I just had one thats easy to move in It was like this in my previous life as well. You may have a bullet-proof vest but if you get hit in the head or an artery in your arm or leg, youd die. On certain TV shows experiment where they equipped pigs meat with armor from the Middle Ages and shot it with a crossbow, it still pierced deep enough to hit the meat. Also, you may not get cut if you get hit by a sword or an axe but the impact looks like it would be enough to break a bone or two. Thats the reason why I decided not to depend on armor and just opt for something thats easy to move in from the start. The things Im bringing with me are the usual medical supplies, food, sugar and salt, and some fruits. As an insurance, Ill bring along with me some recovery potions but if the worst happens, Ill just have to use my recovery magic. Hmm`, its true that there are people who prefer to fight with light equipment and I havent seen magicians who wears armor so I guess its the same as that. After saying that, she once again clung to my back. This time she started rubbing her cheeks against me. Im more or less done with my preparations but I didnt stand up and just let her do as she pleases. Then she became quiet and gradually stopped rubbing her cheeks against me. Im not sure if its because of her excitement but she got even closer and started tracing her tongue from the back of my neck to my ear. I give up. I have to leave first thing in the morning but with the mood were in right now, I cant really tell her that I dont want to do it today, can I? I still want to go to the baths after this though`. While I was thinking that, Latte went around and faced me while sitting on my lap. Then she started pestering me by kissing my neck. * Okay It might The may be an old man inside but the body is really is that of a 10-year-old. 2 I was engulfed in a completely different mood from Suzuran. I was still able to take my bath but it 3 hours later than planned. Its good that I was able to sleep before the date changed though. I dont want to be sleep deprived and be a bother while were out on the field after all. CH 41 Chapter 41: That time when not just clothes, even my body almost melted TL: kizen ED: Unedited My butt hurts There were some proper roads when we went to that large monster outbreak subjugation last time. That is not the case this time though since were headed for a swamp inside a forest. Manning the roofless carriage was a person called Stillo who is a part of Faders party. This person is a calico cat-like cat-eared beastkin whos also pretty good looking like his companion. If he was just a regular cat back in my previous world, he would most certainly end up in a research center because of how rare he is but when I asked him about it, it seems like there are a lot of males with calico pattern fur. Well, this isnt earth but trying to do a bit of surveying of the cats while Im in town would probably alright. Incidentally, it seems like he and Fader-san came from the same village and as adventurers, they take on subjugation requests from the guild. Iya`I try to choose a better lane as much as possible but` Since the carriage is shaking so much that its changing your voice, it might be better if you focus on the road to make sure things advance smoothly even just a bit. I cant ride a horse so I wont complain. And besides, after acquiring an undamaged slimes core, we have to put it in a bucket full of water so we need to use a carriage. Rather than resent Stillo-san, Im grateful to you for being our coachman While laughing, Fader-san, who is seated in front, kept checking on the rope thats holding the barrel every time the carriage shakes. Judging from the suns position, its about to be noon soon. Are we just going eat our lunch after reaching the designated area I wonder? Well, Ill just let them decide. Fader, its about to be noon soon. What should do we do`? Stillo-san looked over for a moment and said loudly. What does Caam-san think? I can still bear my hunger so I dont really mind whether we continue forward or eat now to let the horses rest In my previous life, I used to spend long holidays training myself to survive for 3 days with only a laymans knowledge, a days worth of food and 8 liters of water in a situation where a huge disaster happens and the supply lines get unexpectedly cut off. Compared to the hunger I experienced at that time, getting lunch delayed by just a few hours is no problem. Then, Im really sorry about this but can you wait until we reach the forest? With our speed right now, the sun would have lowered two spots from where it is right now by the time we arrive Understood Did you hear that? Stillo just raised his hand in response. A few hours later, a forest could finally be seen. Is that the forest with the slimes I wonder? Ah`. We might have arrived later than planned because of the rough terrain but we have plenty of time to hunt before it gets dark. Well then, lets start preparing our meal immediately After eating my rye bread and dried meat then washing it down with water, I started preparing my equipment. Since were not dealing with humanoids this time, I just wore my armor normally without turning it into my improvised ghillie suit then waited for the two to finish. Even if were just trying to get an undamaged core, as expected, it would be rude if I dont take any equipment. 1 Uhm`, why did you just take the shovel out from the carriage? Is that perhaps your weapon? Stillo-san came and asked me with a curious look. Eh? Is there something wrong with it? Eh? Eh? Ill just have to show these guys how great the shovel is later. As for the twos equipment, Fader-san has a long sword while Stillo-san has a short spear. Well, although I say short, its still 1.5 meters long. Fader-san entered the forest first as a vanguard. Meanwhile, Stillo-sans going to stay behind to guard the carriage. I want to get along with Stillo-san a bit more so Ill just chat with him at dinner. The inside of the forest isnt what you could call thick since the sunlight can pass through the trees and you can even hear the birds chirping. There are hardly any monsters around so its not really that different from the forest thats close to our village. Also, you probably use this place to look for medicinal herbs if you took on that kind of quest since it seems like there are a lot of them growing here. I dont know what kind of medicinal herbs these are though. Please stay vigilant because were going to reach the swamp where the slimes are dwelling in just a bit Roger Saying that, I equipped my shovel as we continued to walk. Im told that slimes are slow moving beings so well be safe as long as we dont receive a surprise attack from the shadows or it falls on us from above the trees. Still, the probability isnt zero so it would probably be better if we just remained cautious. After advancing for a bit, something thats a meter in diameter was bouncing around as it blended with the background. Even though it was bending with the background, you could immediately tell that its there because of its translucent green color. Thats it, right? It can form some kind of shape but it cant maintain it. If I had to compare it to something then it looks like a water balloon thats been placed on the floor I guess. Yeah, thats right. The thing were after that red core in its center. We need to get it without damaging it Got it. I dont know how you would normally defeat those though so please teach me Sure, no problem. Those guys immediately move their cores around once they get hit so it would usually require a really quick attack or two people attacking it from both sides. Well, just watch After saying that, Fader-san pulled out his long sword and swung it sideways while aiming for the core of the slime but the core just shifted upwards. He did it again but it just avoided it again. After that, he came back to where I was in a hurry to avoid getting attacked. As you can see, it would just move its core out of the way so thats why it would usually take two people to hunt it How about those things methods of attack? It hurls itself at its prey while stretching out its body in order to cover it Does that mean that our clothes would get dissolved if we get caught by it? Eh? Hn? I guess that was a weird question. I cant help having the image of a female knight or adventurer getting caught by mistake and having all of her clothes dissolved after all. Never mind. What happens if you get caught by it? You would suffocate and get dissolved by it until theres nothing left How big can those guys get? That just depends on how big of a prey those guys are trying to consume. If it had tried captured me back there then it would have just grown to accommodate my size. This it might be impossible but if theyre trying to capture an orc, an ogre, or a dragon, then it would probably grow to that size as well. Then, after it reaches a certain size, it would split into two. The split halves would just be half of their original size but they could just gradually grow back to their previous size again Oh, I see Do they absorb their preys volume or something? I wonder if it would still grow as big if I just bring it some large monsters corpse. How would you usually do it when youre trying to get an undamaged core then? You can freeze it and just shave off the outer part until you reach the core. However, if you overdo it and freeze the core as well then it would just break once it thaws. Finally, you can just gently scoop it out of its body then place it in water so that it wont break. You need to use thick leather gloves to protect your hand but even those only last for 3 tries Its probably getting destroyed because of the damaged cells when it gets frozen. Its kinda like a frozen sashimi, isnt it? Got it. Ill manage somehow For some reason, the slime didnt attack us while were talking. Its kinda like those shows where they dont attack the hero while hes in the middle of a transformation scene. While thanking the strange slime, I attempted to extract its core while not damaging it. It really looks like some kind of fluid with how jiggly and bouncy it is. I dont know if its acidic or alkaline though. Well, compared to the brick mixture, its probably softer. While thinking that, like that time I was mixing the ingredients for making bricks, I loaded magic into the slime to disrupt the fluid in it. Having done that, the core in the center started moving so I just continued what I was doing. It was putting up quite the resistance but after a while, the core finally got really close to the surface so I wrapped it with a water ball, extracted it from the jelly-like part and made it float on top of my hand. Halfway through, I heard somebody saying, Uhm, are you going to freeze it?but I just ignored it and continued what I was doing. Phew. It was resisting quite a bit but that didnt really use that much magic power compared to mixing bricks Ahokay It seems like Fader-san was quite astonished by what I just did. Did he think I was going to freeze it and just shave off little by little until I reach the core? I think that its probably made up of mostly water if it can be frozen so thats why I was able to immediately decide to use this method. Uhm, should we go back to the carriage for now to store this? Ah`, yes yes. It would be bad if it gets damaged after all Fader-san hid a thick leather glove in his pocket. Although I saw him put it away, I just decided not to ask about it. * Stillo-san who was guarding the carriage saw us coming out of the forest said. Oh`, that was fast. Were there any problems? There were no problems but something different has come up. Take a look at Caam-san With that said, the two of them looked at me who has a slimes core floating on each hand. On our way back, we came across another slime so I tried to see if I can do it with just one hand. I succeeded so thats why we have two right now. Ahh, this is a really serious matter, isnt it? We dont have any more work left to do Thats not it. He was able to do that even though I just gave him a simple explanation about the core and showed him how it moves when you cut the slime with a sword Uhm`, could you please open the lid of the barrel? Ill fill it with water using magic s-sure Using the same trick with my kunai, I produced a waterball in front of me, dropped it into the barrel, then slowly put the slimes core in it. Although we just planned to get two, lets just continue to get some more. Theres a high demand for undamaged cores, right? Y-yeah It seems like what I did was completely beyond there expectations so they could only give a half-hearted reply. Uhm, could I talk with you for a second? What an awfully serious face youre making. What is it? Its about your pay. Since we havent really done anything, at the very least, the rent for the carriage Well spit it between us of course. Thats what we discussed from the beginning after all. And besides, I didnt think it would be this easy so Id feel bad if Im the only profiting from all of this You might say that Im being too honest here and I do think that it may come back to haunt me sooner or later but its better than getting resented. Looking at the position of the sun right now, I thought about the time it took for us to reach here. Considering how long it would take to go back with our luggage in tow, then it would seem like the gates are already closed by 8 pm. Since were going to camp anyways, we can still continue hunting for two more hours. Well, I guess I should just ask first. I thought about what you said yesterday and if were going to camp outside the gate, what do you think about going back inside the forest three or four more times? Please let us discuss it for a bit Understood Saying that, the two of them moved a bit further away to discuss it. Well, I guess Ill just eat my dried fruits for the meantime. What you do mean were camping outside the gates? That was just something I said as a joke during our negotiations. I said that if we can get the necessary amount quickly then well go back and camp outside the gates Well, theres nothing more we can do about what you just said but still, if we enter the forest 3 more times, that means were going to get 6 extra pieces right? Ah, thats right. However, I also said that if we couldnt find any, well have to camp in front of the forest while taking turns standing watch. Do you think we can use that as an excuse? You wont lose anything by trying so why dont you try to negotiate with him Got it Ah, he came back. Are you done with your consultation? Ah, do you want some dried fruits? His face looks a bit cramped. Oh, oops. Was I a bit too familiar? Was it rude of me to talk with something in my mouth? Uhm, you see, I am terribly sorry about this but as the result of our discussion, since it seems like it would we would earn more, would it be alright if we just camp in front of the forest like I said yesterday? Sure, I dont mind. I told our supervisor that Im taking a slightly longer break from work after all Oiiii, why is this person so easygoing? Are you really the Caam-san from the rumors? Indigo blue skin, a day laborer making bricks, living in that den of weirdoes Clinochlore, he certainly fits that description right? I can hear you, you know Then, well leave it to you Yeah, Ah`, I have a suggestion Wh-what is it? Can we increase our efficiency? Ha? * After that, we entered the forest and I had Fader-san pick out which slimes core to get. That one is good Understood That ones core is small so its no good Understood What we did was instead of using the magic I used when mixing the brick ingredients on the slimes immediately after finding them, we gather them all first on a waterball2 floating in the sky. Since its up there, there would be no problems even if they started struggling. I still have to be careful they dont get too violent that they damage their own cores though. After finding 10 of them, I start kneading them then we go back to the carriage to store the cores. After putting the cores in the barrels, I just dispose the large number of coreless jellies on a spot where the sun hits. When I asked what I should do with those, they just told me. Other slimes would grow really big and multiply if they absorb those so please put them someplace thats unobstructed where they can dry out vanish like ice After hearing that, I decided to limit our remaining trips inside the forest to 10. Im kinda scared that theyll go extinct after all. Its already evening so its starting to get dark. This is the 36th piece, right? After putting the final slime core we collected inside the barrel I just randomly threw the leftover jelly remains of the slimes back to the forest. We dont have any barrels left Even if we shove more in there, it might hit against each other and get damaged. It was a good thing we brought bit more barrels than usual It cant be helped. Who would have thought we would get this much Thats right. Even I didnt think it would go this smoothly. Well, the price would go down if we bring back too much so I guess this much is alright Its the law of supply and demand after all. Thats right, isnt it? I think so too Well then, since it would be dangerous to travel with the carriage in darkness, lets just camp here Uhm, I have a question What is it? Camping in front of the forest or a bit further away from the forest, which one is safer? A bit further away from the forest would be the safer option but as expected, letting the horses travel like this would be dangerous Could we travel for a bit if its bright then? Saying that, I looked at Stillo-sans direction. Yeah. Its possible if we just drop our speed Then lets get some distance away from the forest. Im a good for nothing coward so I would feel better if were just a bit safer Why did they pull back after I said that with a huge smile? Isnt it a fact that safer is better? But what about the source of light? Ill make it. Well, I havent tried this before so Im not sure if Ill succeed so please let me try it once Haa Image?a 300 meter tall?1 million cd3 bright spotlight?that disappears after 60 seconds?execute Well, its just something like a flare. Ive seen it in videos before so its easy to imagine. I dont know if theres stuff like magnesium or sodium nitrate here but since I can produce a flashbang using magic, its possible to make something like that. Using that image, a great light source appeared above, brightly illuminating the vicinity. Amazing. Its like he made a sun I havent seen anything like this before Looking at my test, the light gradually became dimmer until it finally disappeared. It was a success. Nocturnal monsters are scary so lets go The two of them were giving me the kind of looks that are saying What the heck is this guy sayingbut I just decided not to mind it. Okay then. Shall we start preparing for our departure? After we finished with our preparations, I activated the short duration Flare then we departed. A while later at a place where you can barely see the forest, Stillo-san said. If its here then we can clearly see our surroundings and its much safer compared to the forests vicinity-ssu With that said, we then started our preparations for camp. They began setting up the bonfire using firewood that was probably gathered while we entered the forest. They were going to use the sparks from a flint to light it so they were glad when I produced a lighter-like fire on my fingertips instead. You got burned? 4 It has been decided that were going to sleep immediately after eating because were going back first thing in the morning so my plan to mingle with Stillo-san was canceled. As for the night watch, we would do it in three-hour shifts decided by lottery. I was first. While they were asleep, I took out a piece of slime that securely wrapped and placed inside my leather bag. Of course, this is so that Ill know how much you can melt with it. I placed a piece of the slime thats the size of making a ring with your thumb and index finger on top of a cloth place at the back of my hand. After 5 seconds, it made a hole through the cloth and I immediately started feeling pain on my skin so I hurriedly flung it away. Looking closely, theres a circle-shaped scald on the back of my hand. A-ah`, if its like this then its impossible to just melt through clothes. I wonder what would happen if I dilute it in water? How much pH level does it need to have for it to just melt clothes but not the skin anyway? Even if you enter an alkaline or acidic hot spring with a towel, your skin gets smoother but the towel doesnt dissolve after all. The cloth would start to fade if you kept doing that for a few years though This is seriously useless. Also, slimes are unexpectedly scary creatures. While thinking that, I healed the scald-like marks on the back of my hand using recovery magic then stayed by the fire as I continued staying vigilant for any presence while waiting for the bowl of water with a small opening thats used to tell time empty out. After confirming that the bowl has emptied out 12 times, I woke up Fader-san who was next. Fader-san, its time Hnn Ah, sorry. You can go to sleep now While yawning and taking off his blanket, he looked at me to make sure I was asleep. * It seems like nothing happened after that since Stillo-san, the last one to stand watch, greeted me. I slept on a different bed today so I woke up in a bad mood. Good morni`ng Morning-ssu. Nothing in particular happened-ssu. Heres some tea. Thanks I put in a slightly larger amount of sugar into the tea to wake me up. After that, I took some bread, dipped it into the sweet tea then ate it. Stillo-san was giving me a strange look. Whats wrong? I just sweetened the tea and made the hard bread softer right? This makes me feel like Im drinking sweet black tea while eating some softened rusks right now. Well, Im actually drinking tea but I dont have anything to soak the bread with though. It cant be helped, lets just eat it as is. While I was nibbling on my bread, Stillo-san went to Fader-san to wake him up. Oi! Wake up Argh`, I got it already After he was violently woken up, he met eyes with me and said. Ah`, good morning Did meeting eyes with me cause me to him to fully awaken? He returned to the usual way he speaks. Since it was still dark, the three of us surrounded the campfire while idly passing the time by. Once the sun started peaking out of the mountain, we started moving out. After putting out the fire and confirming the conditions of the slime cores, the carriage slowly started moving. Were going to take it slow on the way back. Thats good since I wont have to worry about my ass hurting this time. * The towns protective wall can finally be seen-ssu Its almost over`! I just confirmed that it doesnt matter if were traveling slow or fast, my butt still hurts. Even Fader-san seems like hes in pain. I guess I should make a cushion next time. Well, we still have to get the goods examined at the gate but it will be all over once we reserve the requested amount and give the rest to the guild so just be patient okay? Hes been cycling through sitting down and standing up for a while now so it seems like it really hurts for him. Next! Whats this? You guys came back really quick. You finished everything in just a day? After saying that, he started checking the goods. Oi, arent these undamaged slime cores!? Getting this amount in just a day Ah, so Caam was with you. I now know why. You can go ahead and enter then With that said, we peacefully entered the gate. Someone you know? The repairs for the protective wall is done outside the gate after all so he remembers my face from passing here all the time. That aside, we get involved with each other quite a lot so weve gotten close Really`? I wonder if I can be on good terms with any of the gatekeepers as well Its pretty convenience you know? Caam-san. Getting too friendly with him to the point that he starts getting sloppy with the inspection is going to be a problem you know? Right. If we had just left it to you back then, that guy would have just let us in without asking us anything * Well then, shall we sell the rest of the subjugation materials then? UnderstoodOu After saying that, Fader-san put let the carriage to the back of the guild. Iya`, Caam-san really was a huge help. Who would have thought we would be able to complete it that quickly. I also cant believe we manage to get that much Me too. I couldnt believe that slimes would be easier to deal with than mixing bricks Would it be okay if we invite you again next time? Sure, as long as its not dangerous. Dont count on me too much though. I want to live a safe and carefree life after all. Hahaha! As expected, I wouldnt know whats safe and whats dangerous for someone with that kind of amazing magic, would I? Iya`, isnt it kinda awkward if you say it in front of the person himself? And besides, Im a coward and dont want to die so I dont like battles. Thats not good now, isnt? Well, Ill tell our leader to not invite you as much as possible. That guys just the leader of a two-person party though Stillo-san is pretty interesting. Im back. Out of 36 pieces, we only need two so I sold the other 34 pieces. They sell for 5 silver a piece so I got 1 gold and 7 large silvers. I asked for it to be changed into silvers so I got 170 silvers in total. If we divide this between us then Its 56 silver, 6 large copper, and 6 copper coins right? Well, you cant divide it evenly though. You calculate really fast, dont you? Thanks Lets divide it between us immediately then. Hmm`. I dont have anything other than silver so I guess Ill have to go and exchange them again Then lets do it like this. That amount is just for the subjugation materials you sold, right? To make thing simpler, lets just change my daily wage to 4 large copper and 4 copper coins so that all you have to give me is 57 silver. If we do it like that then the two of you would get 56 silver and 5 large copper coins each. If we divide it like that, you would also be paying me my wages at the same time I dont want to cause any misunderstanding by just explaining it orally so I took a stick and wrote my calculations on the ground. If Caam-san is fine with that then I dont see any problem with it. Me too-ssu. But still, arent you losing out on that deal? I already earned in one day what I would have earned in 70 so you wont hear any complaints from me. You can just think of those 4 large copper as some kind of handling fee. And besides, thats a pretty cheap price to pay for getting some connections. Ah, I already told Stillo-san this earlier but please dont invite me if youre going to a battle I see. If thats what Caam-san says then Fader-san looked pretty troubled while saying that. Well, being a money grubber would just invite resentment after all. Id rather get comrades here rather than make enemies. Then, I guess its time for us to split our ways. Though I want to celebrate, I think it would be bad if I dont hand these over to our acquaintance right away Yeah, thats true. If I have the opportunity, let me treat you guys next time Thank you very much. We look forward to it. Till we meet again Thank you very much Thank you as well After saying that, I immediately entered the guild and decided to deposit the 57 silver coins. I dont want to be walking around with all that money on me after all. Ah`, I still have to ask the landlady about the price of making duplicate keys. Because of that, instead of depositing it all, I decided to leave a bit more on hand. Its still daytime but I felt sluggish so when I reached my room after taking a bath so I went to sleep. ~Idle Talk~ After coming home and handing the undamaged cores to their friend, the two of them entered a bar. Its true. Caam-san really asked if there was a slime who only melts clothes Is he really somebody whos famous? I dont know but when I told him there wasnt, he looked really disappointed Seriously? Isnt he a massive pervert then? He was really generous though. He can use magic, defeat a high goblin and is clever as well but its kinda disappointing the way he thinks though Its because of that. He lives at a place thats called a den of weirdoes so hes bound to be a bit different from us I guess thats right. Lets just forget about all of that Thats right. Lets just drink to forget. We earned a lot after all After saying that, the two who just earned some money drank until late at night. Because of that, without a doubt, a new strange rumor will start to spread around. CH 42 Chapter 42: That time when Latte came with me during the harvest festival Part 1 TL: kizen whos going to act like he didnt just take an unannounced break ED: Filip The season has changed to fall. You can sometimes still feel the summer heat but it has now become much easier to bear. It was almost evening when Suzuran reached the town. She went directly to my workplace and before heading home, we passed by the meat shop to buy some meat. Incidentally, my workmates couldnt make eye contact with Suzuran when she came by. She was wearing her jinbei since it was hot so they kept getting distracted by her armpits.1 I already received the duplicate keys I asked from the landlady so I gave her one. I just came home so I wanted to laze around with her but I have to wipe my sweat first. To do that, I had to take off my shirt. Suzurans gaze was starting to bother me a bit but just decided not to mind it. Before long, Latte also came to my room so I decided to make some barley tea. It was also hot today so after I boiled the dried barley, I cooled it down for a bit. Iya`, the tea that Caam-kun makes is really delicious, isnt it`? Whats this? Why did you change your tone? Suzuran didnt say anything but she nodded in agreement with me. Ah, I forgot. They are going to harvest the wheat soon so thats why you should come back home. It would be really terrible if you didnt. We have the manpower but there are a lot of people relying on Caams magic after all Hmm`. Is it that time already? I guess I should ask for a slightly longer vacation so that I can go home ahead of time I want to go to Caam-kuns village too~ Ah`, I dont mind but you should know that were just going to be walking there Hn~. Thats fine with me. And besides, I havent greeted Caam-kun and Suzurans parents yet~ When I looked at Suzurans direction, she was just drinking her tea with an unconcerned face. Ah, does that mean she doesnt want to have anything to do with that? Well, lets just talk more about that while having dinner. Ill go make it now The old man at the butcher shop had some deer meat so I asked which parts good since Suzurans here. I was thinking about making a sauce but I think Suzuran would like the meat as is. Lattes here though so it would probably be better if I just made some. Should I just use the remaining apples to make a compote as a substitute? Well, I guess I should make some anyway and put it on saucers so that everyone can just choose what theyd like to add to the meat. I cut the deer meat into thick slices and cover it with salt and pepper. I have to let that sit for a while so guess I should start making the compote. Its really just some fruit simmered in sugar water but Im going to add some lemon juice instead since that already has some sugar in it. Ill just let it simmer until the lemon juice has evaporated. After that, I started grilling the meat. I did them on medium rare where theres only a slight redness left on the meat. What about the vegetables you ask? Since we have a girl who doesnt like them, I just put them on a separate bowl. Of course, I made enough for multiple helpings. Here you go`. Sauted venison. I seasoned it with salt and pepper but you can also add this apple sauce if you want. Since Suzuran doesnt like vegetables, I placed them in another bowl I placed the plates on top of the small table. Ohh! Looks tasty~ Since Suzuran is just gonna stuff her face with it anyway so the ones that have bones are there to make it easier to eat Thanks. Lets eat How fast! At least wait until everybody says it I took away the meat from her hands causing her to be a bit sullen. Even a dog, with just minimum training, will be able to wait a bit for his food after all. Well then, lets eat Lets eatLets eat~ After we said that, Suzuran once again grabbed a hold of the meat, sank her teeth into it and tore it off to eat. This feels kinda like the food scenes from Gh*bli movies. It would be nice if she ate it in a way that made it look delicious though. Hmm`. Im not really fond of thick slices of meat but this is delicious~. When the faint sourness meets with the sweetness of the sauce Caams cooking is the best~desu As for this one, shes eating it gracefully using a fork and knife. The two of them really have exactly opposite personalities. Well, Im glad to receive such praise. Looking at Suzuran reaction as well, as the cook, it makes me happy After dinner, its time for my bath. For some reason, Latte had a change of clothes in my room so it has ended with the three of us going together. I took the same amount of time as the last time Suzuran and I came here but the two of them werent coming out at all. I guess thats fine since although fall has already begun, theres still a bit of the summers heat left. The insects are bothering me though. After 20 minutes of waiting, the two of them came out. Iya`. The two of us washed each other so thats why were late Suzuran just nodded with a slightly flushed face. Its good that you two are getting along but try to not do anything weird in public Ka~y After saying that, Latte went home to her own house while Suzuran and I went back to my room. Im not sure if she did that because she was being mindful of us but she has my gratitude. The next morning, I woke up half-naked. Right next to me, Suzuran, who is also half-naked was clinging to my arm. You look really happy but I hope youd forgive me for pushing you away since its really hot. I wiped my body then wore a shirt before waking Suzuran up. I picked up the upper part of her jinbei and threw it at her but she didnt wear it. I feel sticky. Want to wipe my body first. Caam, make water. Slightly larger amount She was still half asleep when she said that. Ah`, does this mean that its alright for me to look? Without saying anything, I produced a balance ball-sized waterball and Suzuran plunged into it to wash her face.2 Her slovenliness even shows here huh? No, well, I guess thats just how she is. Taking out her face from the waterball, she started wiping her face, hair, and body with a towel. After doing that, she changed her clothes. Thank you very much for the show 3 As a man, its a pleasure to watch a girl changing clothes so I was staring hard while she was wrapping her chest with a cloth in her underwear since Im not getting hit this time. I was going to turn yesterdays meat into todays breakfast and lunch but since its also a bit hot today, I want to be spared from having meat this early in the morning so I just made a simple breakfast. I also took out all the moisture from the bento and let it cool down sufficiently before wrapping it. This time, theres the harvest and the harvest festival so she has to go back home. Because of that, I decided to see her off at the gate. You didnt stay for too long but take care when going home okay? Saying that, without even a wave goodbye, she started on her way home. Id like it if she was a bit more sociable sometimes but I guess I have Latte for that kind of thing. Well then, Ill do my best to make bricks again today. Thirteen days after Suzuran left. I wanted to go home ahead of time so I told the boss Its the harvest time in my village so Ill be away for a long while Youre a day laborer so you dont really have to ask me permission every time Its the first harvest festival since I came to town so I want to stay home for a bit longer. After getting home from work, while I was taking a breather, Latte came by as usual. This has already become our daily routine. We didnt do anything in particular and passed the time like usual. Only when we finished eating our dinner did we start talking. Well then, tomorrow morning, were going to leave once the gate opens so you should come earlier Cant I just stay over? Ah`, I dont really mind but we wont do it today, okay? Fine~ Saying that while puffer her cheeks is pretty cute. While we were having that conversation, there was a knock on the door. It was Celesso-san. Pardon for intruding Ah, come in. We still havent cleared the dishes though I took the chair in the corner of my room and placed it near the table. You dont have to worry about me. I have something to talk about with Latte so is it okay if I borrow her for a bit? I dont mind but please bring her back okay? I obviously know that. And besides, its fine if Caam-kun also listens Does it have anything to do with me? I heard that Latte is going to Caam-kuns village tomorrow to meet with your parents so I just wanted to give her some advice Ah, if thats the case then it doesnt really matter if Im here or not. Well, I wonder if it would be better if Im here Ill let you decide Then, Ill stay Lets do it here then, okay? It wont take that long. You tend to be mischievous and kinda fickle. That eccentric behavior of yours does stand out but make sure not to be rude in front of their parents okay? Yes Are all succubi like this? To avoid such remarks, think carefully about what youre going to say and do. Also, I do think that you know where you stand between the two of you but just make sure that you dont embarrass Suzuran-chan Yes After the harvest, there would usually be a harvest festival but make sure not to drink too much that you start to come on to other people. If somebody tries inviting you or says weird things, to protect Caam-kuns honor, make sure you reject them properly. Did you remember all of that? Yes If somebody touches you, just aptly deal with them. Its fine if its just that much, right? While she was saying that, she also glanced in my direction. YesI dont think there will be any problems. And if something happens, Ill just manage somehow This is the first time I saw Latte with such a serious expression. Thats not good enough. Make sure you protect Latte! Y-yes! That forcefulness of hers caused me to stutter for a bit. Thats all. Also, think properly about what you will do so that you wont become a hindrance I understand After saying that, Celesso-san left. Iya`, that was scary`. Once in a while, Celesso-san gets like that, especially if it concerns a fellow member of the Succubus race` Well, if she thinks about you that much, doesnt that make her a really good person then? Being around that kind of person can be considered a blessing you know? Thats right~. Thanks~. Let me do the dishes today, okay~ Yeah. Thanks I guess there are also times where Latte becomes serious`. I wonder which side of her is the real one? While Latte was washing the dishes, Celesso-san arrived. Latte, you understand right? Latte stopped what she was doing and looked over. I understand. Ill make sure not to show any weird behavior and protect the honor of those two If thats the case then good. Enjoy yourself Was she relieved because my reply didnt contain any hesitation I wonder? Different from the air she was letting off just now, she said that in a gentle voice.4 Im back~. How are we going to prepare for tomorrows trip~? Hmm`. Were going to stay there for a while so how about bringing a lot more change of clothes? If you dont mind reusing them then just two sets will be fine. We can also just get you something else to wear from there Hmm`. Then I guess Ill just prepare three sets of clothes~ I have other clothes there since Im going home so you can bring more than that since I can help you carry them, you know? But still~. Is a change of clothes really all that were going to bring? She looked a bit disappointed saying that. Then its decided okay? Lets meet at my room tomorrow~ Just when I thought that, she immediately goes back to her previous way of speaking. Yeah yeah. Lets go take a bath now then go to sleep or we wont be able to get up early tomorrow Kay~ Next morning, I woke up with Latte clinging to my arm. Why do both Suzuran and Latte like to cling to my arm I wonder? Well, in Lattes case, she has fuller breasts so it feels a bit softer. Since were going to leave this room vacant for quite a while, I dont want to just leave ingredients hanging around. Thats why todays breakfast and lunch will just be something simple. Well then`, shall we go to my house? Speaking of which, where do you actually live? Fufu`n. Ive been keeping that a secret until now after all since I didnt want you to come Well, since you come to my room every day, there was no need for me to do that. You see, I live in the middle of the lower class district so its a bit further away from the gate. Is it okay if our departure gets slightly delayed? As long as the sun hasnt started going down then I dont mind After saying that, we gradually went even deeper into the lower class district to where Latte lives. I could see slightly dirty vagrant-like people roaming around. Are you telling me that shes been living in this kind of place? It feels like this place is halfway towards being called the slums you know? Were here~ After saying that, we entered a pretty old bar. Its still early but the bar is already running and was completely filled with smoke. Ever since I came to this world, I havent seen any but is this the product of tobacco, I wonder? Skill?Poison Resistance: 4 acquired. Skill?Confusion Resistance: 2 acquired. Why did this cause poison resistance to go up? It even caused confusion resistance to go all the way up to 2. Ah`. Try not to breathe too much of that smoke okay~? You might get addicted to it. The room Im renting is on the 2nd floor~ What the heck? Was this smoke actually from one of those dangerous kinds of drugs? Moreover, there are a lot of dangerous looking customers here. Then, while the customers were glaring at us as we made our way towards her room, a one-eyed beastkin who I wasnt sure if he was a dog or wolf, called out to us. Hey boy. That girls stopped taking customers recently so youre better off goin home Did he get ticked off because I was together with her? To threaten me, he got his face close enough that his breath was reaching me. Latte, this person is? He was a customer before. Hes probably jealous of you. Hes drunk and has taken some of those drugs so its fine if you dont take him seriously Did she get pissed that he didnt use her name when referring to her? She replied to me in a lower voice than usual that honestly gave me the chills since you wouldnt be able to imagine that coming from her considering her usual cheerful self. Ah`, yeah yeah. Im not really a customer, I just came to help out so its fine. Once we enter the room, well immediately come out Ah`, I got it. Youre probably the rumored bastard thats been making passes at Latte lately, right? She works at the red-light district after all. Did you fall for that hole after sleeping with it for a few times? If thats the case then youd be better off just going back to your mother to suck on her teat Does this world have a provocation resistance or something? Im not getting mad at all. It would be different if the one saying such things was a foreigner but I wont get intimidated if its just somebody like this. What surprised me though was that he pulled out a knife from his waist while he was saying that. Behind him, there are people who are saying stuff like Dont kill him, okay?` while laughing. Even the master5 was acting like it doesnt concern him. Ah-ah, why did you have to pull it out? I really didnt want to start a commotion you know? I started by grabbing the wrist of his unarmed hand and rotate towards his back, take the knife off of his other hand and point it at his throat, causing some of his hair to fall on the floor. Iya`, its a good thing Ive seen this in games and movies. Its also a good thing that I learned how to do this in full detail from Watanabe-kun. I feel like that guy probably ended up being a policeman. This is all thanks to the peerless protagonist of the chinmoku series6, hebi no hito, and Watanabe-kun. Iya`, its scary so could you put away this knife? You see, if you dont then the tip might just dig into your throat I tried saying that as nicely as possible while smiling at the others. O-oi. If you kill me then youll get sent to the front lines. Did you know that? Youre the one who pulled this out earlier, right? Youre an idiot for pulling out a knife just to threaten somebody. I knew that you didnt plan to kill me because if you did, you would have started slashing at me the moment you pulled it out. Although you didnt have the intention to kill, you could cause a lot of blood to come out if your hand slips for a bit so I took it because Im sure that nobody wants to die because of that While saying that, I increased my physical abilities by 10% and strengthened my grip on his hand while bringing the knife closer to his throat. Oi! You guys! Dont just look, help me! A-ah, he started making even more of a fuss. People who look like his companions started rising up from their seats so I gave the mans back a powerful kick, sending him flying towards their tables scattering their food, drinks, and the drugs they were smoking. I just observed the situation for a while because if they all come at me, I would have to respond appropriately but it doesnt seem like thats the case this time. Ah`, isnt that good enough already? Master, Im sorry for the trouble He just lightly nodded after I said that. It doesnt seem like he has anything he wants to say. I think silently wiping the glasses like that looks refined and cool but as expected, hes probably just doing that because manufactured glass products are still expensive in this world. Well then`, shall we head upstairs? Seeing the result of our exchange earlier, Latte called out to me. Thanks to them deciding not to back him up, the commotion we made didnt get any bigger and we were able to proceed. Heres my room~ She let out an atmosphere that was completely different than earlier. Did she already forget about it? The buildings old so it has an overall dusty look but the inside of her room has been kept pretty clean. While I was thinking that, she started setting up a large shawl bag and various change of clothes on top of her bed. Looking closely, she even has some dirty7 but easy to move in clothes set up. So she did have some clothes that are like that. I didnt think she would at all.8 Hmm`. Caam-kun, would this be good? Thats fine, isnt it? You even have work clothes after all Then, Ill go with this~ After saying that, she stuffed all of her clothes inside her bag and the small articles inside of the pouch-like thing. Those are her cosmetics and accessories I guess. Taking a quick look inside her dresser, I saw that she had some cute but slightly risqu panties. I wanted to ask her to put it on for a bit but I wonder if she would oblige? Huh? Wait, arent those scanties9? Or would it be better to call them low leg panties instead? I havent seen any garters in this world and everyone just uses string panties. Even the cotton shorts that feel nice to touch that I use are just tied to my waist using a string. With such a small amount of cloth, where do you even put the string in that? Kay~ My preparations are comple~te After wearing her shawl bag, she stood up. The bag was heavy that the shoulder strap is causing her breast to get even more defined than usual which made me give a huge thumbs up in my mind. Thank you very much, artisan who made that shawl bag. Got it. Shall we go then? With that said, we started our departure with a light mood but I was slightly afraid of what the reaction of those guys downstairs will be. When we reached the 1st floor, there were no signs that they were even willing to meet eyes with me. Seeing that there wasnt any need to cause a commotion, we immediately headed straight for the gates. 10 Reaching the gate, we encountered my gatekeeper friend. Oh`. Do you not have work today? Its harvest time at our village so Ill go home to help out. Really? Is that person also going with you? He probably figured out our relationship in an instant so he didnt hesitate to ask. Thats right Yes. Since I have the opportunity, Ill go there to greet Caam-kuns parents I see. I heard all about it from Caam at the bar so I dont think youll encounter any opposition there but just do your best Yes~ Well then, take care After they had that short conversation, he came to me and started hitting my shoulder strongly. Please stop. Its honestly quite painful. Ill just treat you to a drink later. I still prepared my shovel in case we encountered a monster but we reached the gazebo without any problems. Because of that, even though its still early, we decided to have our lunch. Were just having a simple bacon and cheese sandwich though. Dont mind~Its tasty you know~ She said that as we started leisurely eating together. There were some unnatural movements by the bushes but I decided not to mind it and just continue on towards the village. When we reached the village, Latte told me that she wanted to greet my parents first but as usual, theyre not at home at this time so we just went straight to my room to put down our luggage. By the way, I wasnt attacked by Schinken this time. So this is Caam-kuns room Mufufu. Latte started doing that weird laugh before driving into the bed and rolling around in it. Ah`, its the bed that Caam-kun has used since childhoooodd!! She started acting wildly so I gave her a chop to the head to make her behave. Ouch~ I didnt put any power to that so it doesnt seem like she reflected on it at all. She started sniffing on my pillow next. Geez, stop it already. After letting her do as she wants for a while, she started opening my drawers to take out my underwear so I finally pinned her from behind and forced her to sit on the bed. Good grief, what am I to do with you? Are you a child or what? Once she calmed down, she became interested in the contents of my desk. She saw the broken glass inside the small box so it seems like she shifted her curiosity to that. Hey hey~, did you make that hair ornament here? Hm? Ah`, thats right. I make those here. Im just renting a room at Clinochlore so there are a lot of things I cant do there. I even made those glass beads you saw before here Hmmm`, you also have other things here, dont you? I wonder if this is what other boys desk look like? Who knows? Im not really sure. Since it has a mirror, some accessories and a few cosmetics that you would normally find in a girls room, wouldnt that be completely the opposite of what a man would have? I wasnt really organized back in my previous life. My desk at work would just be covered by a mountain of papers. I didnt even organize them after pulling out some from the middle of the stack. Even my rooms PC was surrounded by things that would be convenient having nearby. A cup, my seal, remotes, a phone charger, a clock, nail clippers, a thermometer, an ear pick, and various other small accessories were all packed there and within arms reach. Hmm`. Is that how a boys room is supposed to be? Aside from Caam-kuns, I havent really visited anybody elses room before so I dont know Really? Well, Its best not to think about it too deeply. Then, we were going to idly pass the time as usual but since it seemed like my parents are back, we decided to go to the living room. Im back` Ara`. Welcome back. That girl with you is Latte-chan, right? Nice to meet you. Im Sleet She greeted her with a smile. Mother is acting the same as usual huh? Nice to meet you. My name is Latte Latte, on the other hand, felt like she was a bit nervous while she said that. Ara ara. You dont have to be so nervous. Youre already a part of our family after all Y-yes It sure is rare seeing Latte like this. After that, they continued with their small talk while we waited for father to come home. This is making me feel somewhat tense. Eventually, father arrived and once everyone was gathered, we once again did our self-introductions. We didnt experience any problems and it seems like father has already accepted Latte. I have something to say Latte suddenly interjected. I havent seen her with such a serious look before. What is it, Latte-chan? Im really sorry for getting in between Caam-kun and Suzuran-chans relationship as well as causing a rift in your familys relationship Seeing the serious look on her face as she said that, my parents silently waited for what shes going to say next. I thought that an apology wouldnt cut it so I was going to prepare a present for the both of you but I havent met Hail-san and Sleet-san before so I didnt know what you liked. I couldnt ask Caam-kun and I didnt know what to choose so I wasnt able to prepare one. Because of that, I just prepared some reparation money so please accept it I havent seen her this serious before. Im not sure where she hid that but she pulled out a coin wrapped in pretty paper and placed it on the table. Based on the size, is that a gold coin? Latte-chan, since you have already shared a bed with Caam, you are already considered our family. Thats why we cant receive something like that from you But! Latte-chan, I also feel the same. If we accept that, it wont feel like we have truly become a family. Thats why it would be better if you just used that money for when you, Caam, and Suzuran-chan start building your family yes. I understand Latte started tearing up a bit. Unable to stand seeing that, mother went to the kitchen to make some tea. Thus, all of us remain within that slightly awkward situation while silently drinking tea. Then, seeing that Latte has already finished her tea, my father said. Since you already introduced yourself to us, shouldnt you go and greet Suzuran-chans parents as well? If so then you better go there before it becomes completely dark I understand. Thank you very much. Please treat me well from now on Latte bowed her head after saying that. Likewise Nice meeting you too Receiving those kind works, she started smiling again. Youre a girl so you look even more beautiful when you smile. You should keep smiling from now on as well Yes Then, were off Take care, okay? With that said, we stood up and left for Suzurans house. Its just a short walk there but the two of us just walked without saying a word. To be honest, it felt awkward. I mean, I didnt think she would do something like that. Im not really sure how I should approach her. While I was thinking about that, we arrived in front of Suzurans house. Were here but are you really alright? We can just keep walking for a while more so that you can calm down Uun, Im okay. Caam-kun, Ill leave the knocking to you With that said, I knocked on the door an waited for somebody to come. Yes~ Judging from the voice, this must be Ricoris-san. Good evening`. Its Caam. Theres something important I want to talk about. She opened the door and said What is it I wonder? Noticing Latte, she smiled and gave her a mellow greeting. Welcome Go ahead. Come in , she started saying that as she guided her inside. They didnt have enough chairs so Suzuran brought one from her room. After finishing the introductions, like what she did with my parents, Latte also offered them reparation money but this time, the paper was folded differently. Although the papers different, are you telling me that Latte managed to prepare another two gold coins? Its probably better if I dont pry too deeply, isnt it? We wont accept that so put it away But! Its going in the same direction it did earlier. Im sure Ma will say the same thing as well. We dont need it Thats right`. We cant accept that so youre better off putting that away. You didnt cause us that much trouble and we arent angry as well. Thats why you should set that aside for your future. Even Suzuran isnt bothered by it at all. Right? While drinking tea, she bobbed her head up and down. She wont understand if you dont say it properly Im not angry. In fact, I got even closer to you when we took a bath together the other day. You might be shorter than me but it feels like youre my older sister So it was at that time Well, I guess something like that happened since they really took their time. Thanks Suzuran-chan She didnt just get teary-eyed this time, she now started crying. The people of this village sure are nice. I didnt even have to do anything at all. Oh, I guess I was the one who knocked down on the door. I want you to stay at our house today Reading the mood, Suzuran interjected. But Latte tried to disagree but she lost to Ichii-san and Ricoris-sans half forceful persuasion. Then, Ill just bring Lattes luggage here Judging that the timing was right, I said that before going out to get her stuff. It kinda feels like I got left behind but, oh well. It seems like Ill have other things Ill be busy with other things tomorrow aside from the harvest. CH 43 Chapter 43: That time when Latte came with me during the harvest festival Part 2 TL: kizen who has been hit by RL hard and is still recoving ED: Filip During breakfast, father said. Its still early but were going to get started with the harvest The village chief told us that we dont have enough help this year since most of the people who moved here are busy helping to build their houses. Because of that, we ended up just going with our usual operation where I use my magic to cut the wheat while the others place those in carts to carry them to a silo in the village. Un, we have a good yield this year as well. It kinda makes me want to run through them. 1 Well, I might damage them so I cant do it though.2 At any rate, the arable land sure has gotten wide nowI mumbled to myself. It seems like they got help to clear out the wastelands and gradually expand the fields while I was away. It looks like theyre using the new fields to grow tubers, tomatoes, and eggplants. Meanwhile, they raising grapes and apple seedlings in the area thats close to the forest. I remember when I was told that I didnt have to attend my third year of school. The village chief told me to work for the sake of the village and that led to me plow the fields using magic. And look at how far weve come from that now. While I was reminiscing about the past, we decided to head back so that we can have our lunch. As I was thinking about whether Suzuran and the others have already eaten, I was caught by the three idiots so I just decided to eat with them. Alright`. Lets eat I dont really mind but what about your partners? If I can, I want to eat with Suzuran and Latte too you know? Ah. Everyone went to meet Latte-san and told us that guys arent allowed to come Thats harsh Right`? Speck with a disheartened look on his face sure is cute. I meant cute in an animal kind of way. Because of that, we thought why dont we gather us guys as well to have a talk likewise? Un un Hou So, how everything going in town? Its only been 40 days at most since I previously came back so why the heck would you think that something would change that quickly? No no. This is you were talking about so Im sure that a lot of people have already asked you to do a lot of different things. Theres that incident with the high goblin and slime after all Thats right Nothings new okay! Nothing at all. I still mix the ingredients to make bricks as usual. Theyve been letting me try being in charge of the firing lately though How boring Its good to have a boring life you know. I might go bald if it just changes all of a sudden Why will you go bald? Youll start losing hair when you have a lot of things to worry about If thats the case then I wont go bald, right! Thats right, isnt it? You probably havent been troubled by anything in your whole life right? Well, werent you a bit troubled about being stalked by Tryapka-san a while ago though? Eating our lunch became even better with those trivial conversations. 3 Suzuran-cha~n. Its lunch time~ Got it I headed towards Suzuran-chan whos in charge of even more physical work than the men and was going to ask her to go together to where Caam-kun is when 3 women that she seems to be close with arrived. Uhm~. This people are? Friends I wont know who they are with just that though~. Suzuran. She wont understand you if you put it that way. Nice to meet you, Latte-san. My name is Mir Ah`. So all of these people are Suzuran-chans friends~. Ah. Nice to meet you~ After that, the remaining two also introduced themselves. Kuchinashi-chan and Tryapka-san right? Ill make sure to remember it. For a while, Latte-san was all that the village has been talking about you know? This place has gotten bigger recently but its still not at the same level as the town yet. Even so, almost everyone already knows about it just from the rumors They told me that it was because of Caam-kun that the village has gotten this big. Ah`. I hear that a lot from Caam-kun. Im sorry if I troubled you No no. UhmI even heard some rumors about Caam getting seriously killed this time because of Suzurans scary father Hmm~. Her breasts are large`. Im jealous~. Thats right. That also became a hot topic at that time that even my mother was starting to get worried What beautiful silky silver hair she has~. And arent her breasts also a bit larger than mine? That was the same for my household you know? They even talked about it in school right? It seems like the students were really interested in that topic Isnt she as big as Celesso-san? Her plain clothes have gotten dirty and loose but its still clearly defined. Mu`. Why am I being surrounded by women who are bigger than me here I wonder? I mean, Im already big enough as it is but still While I was thinking that, I glanced at Suzuran-chan who was silently throwing away the vegetables of her sandwich before eating it and thought. Well, everyone except Suzuran though I was being bitter even though everyone else was making an effort to get along. Well then, I guess we should start working again Ah`thats right. I ate too much so I dont really feel like moving yet though. You always tend to overeat when you go back home Isnt that a good thing? That just goes to show how delicious your moms cooking is Well yeah, I guess After saying that, we resumed with the harvesting of the wheat. Its the fifth morning since I came back to the village. Just like last year, the harvest ended pretty quickly so the villagers are now starting the preparations for the festival. We were asked by the werewolf and werecat old men to help out with the dismantling of the meat, and due to Suzurans suggestion, Im currently next door doing just that. Iya`. Suzuran-chan sure has more talent in this than her old man. That guy would just go to town cutting it after all Thats right. Even though Suzuran-chans also strong, shes pretty well mannered too. I guess thats a girl for ya They were just talking there while leaving Wurst and I unattended. I wonder if theyre doing that because they think that being with a cute girl is better than staying with the guy group. Also, I dont know if this is her first time butchering a pig but theyre certainly teaching her more kindly than they did with me. Its really terrible, isnt it? As for Latte, she is out there helping with the preliminary arrangements for cooking. Its nice that shes starting to get used to living in the village. After that, although the impatient old men group went in early and started to drink sake, the festival eventually started. The village chief was supposed to make a speech but it seems like he doesnt care anymore since he is already drunk. The three dragonkin girls are also here so we started talking about sake. Weve been trying out using various kinds of wood and fruits recently but as expected, it will take a long time before theyre completed Thats true`. The color is also gradually changing right? Yes. The taste certainly changed a bit and the usual strong odor is still there Well, that should have been expected right? Also, please be patient and wait for a few cycles of the seasons before you open it Its true that for a long-lived race like us, it wont feel that long but its hard to wait if the sake is right in front of our eyes She laughed as she said that then she gulped down her sake. That was a pretty manly thing she just did We continued chatting after that then a drunk Schinken suddenly grabbed me and took me to the table where everyone was seated. Right now, Im sandwiched between Suzuran and Latte. The two of them were already drunk and were clinging to my arms. I cant drink and I cant even get anything to eat like this. What the heck am I supposed to do here? Oh`. Youre already flirting, arent you? I cant get anything to drink like this though After saying that, Latte took a cup and brought it closer to my lips. Drink carefully okay? Ill drink it but I want some snacks to go with it too Nn Hearing me say that, Suzuran took a piece of meat and put it in my mouth. Wait, thats too big! Cut it into smaller pieces first before you shove it in my mouth. What the heck is this I dont understand it either A-ah, I want to get healed by patting Specks head right now. Kinda like an emotional support animal. Thats probably impossible though since Tryapka-san has gotten a hold of him. So this is what happens to people with plenty of wives. Ive decided. I wont love anyone else other than Mir As I said that, Kuchinashi smiled while rubbing her belly. Kuchinashi! Are you expecting a child!? A surprised Mir slammed her cup on the table while asking that. Un. It usually would come three times by now but it hasnt come even once so I think I probably have one in my belly right now Congratulations! Heres a toast for Kuchinashi and Wursts child! Mir got fired up by herself and started drinking up her sake. Iya`. I wouldnt be relieved just yet until she safely gives birth but congratulations. This calls for a celebration, am I rightdad? I guess Ive become a parent now. Will this be alright? Is it really alright? Wurst said that with cups on both of his hands and his eyes swimming about. I guess hes starting to panic. Wurst-kun~. There is a first for everything and its understandable for you to be anxious because of that but you have friends like these that you can rely on so dont be ashamed to rely on them okay? I gained a bit of freedom because Latte separated from me a bit in order to pat Wursts shoulder. Thats right! And isnt Wurst popular with kids? You would make a great father because of that! Kuchinashi is kind as well so Im sure your kid would end up being happy Nn`, shee? Even Shhpeck is saying shome good things! Get a hold of yourshelf! Latte-shan already shaid it but ip shomething comesh up, make shure you rely on ush okay? She has started to slur her words because of all the sake she has drunk. Mir really is warming up to the role of the Deplorable Beauty, isnt she? I think she would eventually start saying things like I cant drink anymore. Because he has said a good thing, Tryapka-san grabbed Speck and started patting his head. I really havent seen this person talk or do anything for any matter that doesnt involve Speck. I also want a child Hearing Suzuran say that, even I started to become anxious. We dont have that many savings so I personally think that we cant afford to have one yet. Thats why we should wait until we save up a bit more money What are you saying! I dont even have money, much less savings! Well just have to manage somehow He was so shaken that it feels like hed collapse. Wait, is it really okay for Kuchinashi-san to be drinking sake like that? Ah, whatever. Ill just think that its probably fine because shes a demonkin. The women group started talking about wanting to have kids after that. Once they started discussing names and such, Tryapka-san suddenly grabbed Speck and took him away. With that as a trigger, we decided to end the day here. Schinken dealt with the pretty drunk Mir while Wurst and Kuchinashi shyly held hands as they went home. Well then, what are we going to do? While I was thinking that, they said. Should we go to our usual place? Because of that, we decided to go there. Ah`. Ill also bring my luggage, okay~? As Latte said that, she jogged in the direction of Suzurans house so I called out to her. Do you even know the way there? I heard it from Suzuran-chan earlier With that said, we went ahead of her but we just took our time walking there. * While the two of us were drinking tea, Latte arrived. It hasnt been that long since I finished making the pot of tea so she probably rushed over here. After a while, I noticed that the two of them looked uneasy so I asked them why. Whats up with you two tonight? Its because girls have some preparations they have to do~ Latte pulled Suzuran to the living room after she said that. It cant be helped so I washed the teapot and our cups then was going to sit down and wait when Latte suddenly came in just wearing a semi-transparent, overly decorated underwear. Tada~ Look~. Take a look at this babydoll. These pink frills are cute right~? Youre getting excited right~? Its a good thing I already finished my tea because I would have spat it out by now. It certainly has a lot of frills. Oh boy`. It even has laces. Un, its cute. I didnt expect that you would bring something like that She usually wears frilly clothes so it doesnt look out of place when shes wearing it. In fact, it suits her pretty well. Fufu~n. Actually, I also have one for Suzuran-chan too~ Seriously!? Its true. When she came to town the other day, I noticed that she could use some improvements with her underwear so we discussed it and I bought one for her~. Come on. Dont be shy. Come out~ After she said that, she pulled on the arm of the blushing Suzuran who was hiding by the corridor. I dont think she hates it because if she did, theres no way Latte would have been able to pull her out. Tada~. A camisole for Suzuran-chan. Its black so that it will match her hair~ Ah, un. To be honest, this perfect combination of cute and sexy is going to be dangerous for me. Looking through the gap in the black cloth, I saw some pretty revealing string panties. The dress is a bit short so it shows her belly button and Ill also give it extra points for not being too gaudy. It really suits Suzuran well. I like her usual self but a bold Suzuran is good too. W W-will you take me to the b-bed? She blushed as she said that with her head tilted and her hands clasped together in front of her chest. This must be something she practiced with Latte because she would never have said something like that otherwise. It would have been harsh of me to let her stay embarrassed like that so I carried her in my arms and brought her to bed. I was worried about what Im going to do about the door but Latte opened it for us. Its nice seeing those frills from the back. She has well defined back muscles as well. What a beautiful back. CH 44 Chapter 44: That time when I was asked to go to the front lines TL: kizen ED: Filip It has been 7 days since I came back to town. Work has now ended and I was about to return to my room when I was called by the landlady. This afternoon, a guild staff member came with a message and a letter for you. I inserted the letter into the gap of your door. I think youll know the details if you open it but since Im already here Ill just tell you. If I remember correctly, they said,Once you hear this message and read the letter, please come to the guild house immediately. Got it. Thank you very much After hearing that, I went towards my room and I was about to go inside to grab my guild card when the letter that was inserted into the doors gap fell. I guess I should bring this along with me as well. I jogged towards the guild branch and then I went to the receptionist onee-san. Its Caam. Im here because of the message While saying that, I placed the unopened letter on top of the counter then sat on the chair. Its good that you came before dark. Simply speaking, you have been elected for compulsory enlistment. Please ask our branch chief for further details Ha? okay? After saying that, I entered the counter from the side then was led to the branch chiefs room on the second floor. The onee-san knocked and said. Caam-sama has arrived Come in Hearing that, she opened the door, bowed, then let me in. Every single one of the onee-sans actions was so refined that it makes you wonder why shes just working at the branch office. The branch head was sitting behind the desk stamping and signing documents. When he found a good time to stop, he looked at me. His appearance is that of a really old werewolf. So youre Caam-kun. Ive heard the rumors about you. Well, lets leave that aside for now With that said, I was led towards the sofa to sit. Then, the branch chief sat in front of me with some documents and a high quality-looking rolled paper thats sealed with seal wax. I think youve heard a bit about the situation at the receptionist desk but you have been selected for conscription. These are the official documents regarding Caam-kun selection. By the way, this paper here is the official document that was sent to me. It more or less has the same contents just in an itemized-like form He laughed as he handed the rolled paper to me. May I open it? Of course, those documents are for you. Even I am fairly interested in its contents so its certainly something that you would want to read He said that in a carefree way but his thinned eyes and smile looked like he just stumbled upon his prey. I removed the seal, unrolled it and found two sheets of paper. One was the directive and the other was a personal letter addressed to me. Taking a quick glance at the letter, it said something like Ive heard of the rumors about you, I wish for you to cooperate in sending reinforcements to the fort on the front lines, Its a relief that a demon-kin like you is affiliated with the guild . I havent given it a thorough read but I think I know enough of the details so please look over it as well I can read it too? Is it alright considering the contents? Yes. Its just the directive and a personal letter so I think its probably fine After saying that, I handed over the letter then he started looking over its contents. While he was doing that, the onee-san knocked on the door and said. I have brought tea Hearing that, the branch chief just gave a quick reply and then the onee-san came in, handed us the tea, bowed again, then exited the room. It certainly is just the directive and a personal letter Would it be alright if I asked some questions? No problem. Also, you dont have to force yourself to talk that way you know? Okay. Im wondering who this Cravatte Terno(åƣƥ) who signed this letter is. I havent associated with these kinds of people so I would like it if youd let me know1 Hes one of the pretty influential nobles whose territory is near the front lines. It seems like his grandfather made a great contribution to this kingdom, however, Cravatte-dono who is willing to defend his territory without sparing any effort so is also a relatively commendable noble. You wont hear a single rumor about him putting the tax collected from the people into his own pockets 2 Is that so? Its the first time Ive heard anything about a noble. Its the first time Ive heard of somebody having a last name as well. If speaking of nobles, Im finding it hard to imagine somebody other than those fat and lustful ones that I know about. Rumors about you have reached his ears so thats why he made a personal request to the guild and sent out these. He would be a really reliable supporter to have Really? Hes ruining my plan to live in peace though. Then, what am I supposed to do in this situation? Going by the letter I received, you need to quickly pass through the next three towns to rendezvous with the transportation corps as an escort while at the same time being added as a part of the reinforcements. Then, once you reach the battle area, youll transition from being an escort to fighting in the frontlines Haa Is that so? You sure sound unmotivated Is it okay if I go with my own interpretation? Sure To make the story short, this is telling me with guarding the reinforcement unit convoy as a ruse, help us defeat the humans attacking fort in the frontlines. Hows that? Thats pretty much it As he said that, the branch chief took a sip of his tea. I dont think its necessary to expressly use such a roundabout way of saying it right? It probably cant be helped. I mean, you cant really expect the directive to just sayHitch a ride with the reinforcement convoy then come help us chase away the guys attacking the fort Ah. It seems like this branch chief has a pretty impish personality. I guess thats true. What happens if I refuse? You would most likely receive some kind of punishment Most likely? Does that mean that its also possible that I wont? That would just be up to Cravatte-donos discretion. Although I dont think hell force you due to his personality, it would be setting a bad example to others if he doesnt give you punishment so he probably has no choice Haa`, my head hurts I see. I understand. What do you think I should do first? I replied while sighing. Depending on what preparations you have to do, you can ride on the prisoners carriage to Tephroite. From there, you link up with the troops and travel together towards the fort on the frontlines Prisoners, huh? Wait, do you have that many prisoners in this town? It seems like the order to frequently dispatch them to the frontlines came from above. Im not sure why since thats completely out of my jurisdiction but it seems like they send them off once they have 6 people gathered Then, does that mean that theyve already gathered six people right now? No. Were in a hurry this time so were just sending three, four if we include you. Thats why when your preparations are complete, Ill inform the big-shots in the vigilante corps so that you can depart on the next day Thinking about the cost for transporting 6 people, theyre going to be in a deficit, arent they? Well, theyre probably getting the money from somewhere. Theres always a lack of manpower in the front lines so thats probably why they requested for prisoners to be regularly sent there Prisoner warriors huhWill that be alright for the command line and moral I wonder? Is that carriage safe? Theyre going to have shackles on them so they probably cant kill you at least Its the worst, isnt it? If you want, you can just go to Tephroite on your own you know? I cant ride a horse so please just let me go together with those guys Its pretty unusual to meet someone who doesnt know how to ride a horse. Well then, its decided. As soon as youre done with your preparations, speak with the receptionist. Youll be informed of further details at that time Ah. What are we going to do about the food when traveling? The prisoners will be provided with the minimum amount provisions and I think the soldiers watching them are going to bring their own necessities. I dont really know the fine details surrounding that but if you have a certain amount of money, you can just buy stuff at the towns along the way. There are even some prostitutes working away from home in the front lines so you can buy their services there if you need it So basically, it would be better if I bring some money along with me. Got it. Well then, Im going to excuse myself After saying that, I went out of the room. While thinking about what preparations are necessary, I left the guild and went straight back to my room to write it all on a note/memo. I dont have a choice but to go through all the possibilities while moving forward. ?How much time it takes? Unclear. For the time being, it would be ideal to take along an ample amount of goods. Also, pay rent in advance. ?What are the other things necessary? Its possible that well be given provisions but I dont know for how long so I should bring my own preserved food and other luxury goods. ?Would it be enough to just bring one pair of shoes? Its uncertain. Bring at least one more pair as reserve. ?What clothes are appropriate for the climate? Its almost winter so dressing warmly is indispensable. ?Special equipment thats fit for the terrain. Its a battlefield with a fort so its probably on level ground. Should prepare clothes that can blend with the surroundings. ?Necessary medical supplies. Its highly likely that potions will be provided but I should prepare a few of my own. Ill also recall the survival lessons I learned so that I can apply it once Im there. ?Protect oneself ?Have an accurate grasp of the situation ?Utilize all of your senses and never be impatient ?Dont forget where your current location is ?Overcome the fear and panic ?Be able to come up with on the spot plans* ?Value your own life ?Manage your stress ?Have a realistic take on the situation ?Dont forget that you have your own problems I guess that should be it. Among those things, the most difficult ones are controlling my fear and not succumbing to depression. Ive killed monsters before but I havent killed a human nor a demonkin yet. Theres also a high possibility that the humans will use the demonkins who are prisoners of war as meat shields. I wonder if I can resolve myself to kill them at that time? Well, lets just leave that to the future me. No need to think about it right now. After that is a letter I guess. Im raising my own death flag here but its better than not sending one. I have been elected by a pretty influential noble to go to the frontlines. The reason for that is because it seems like a rumor about me being a magician is being spread around. Well, you dont have to worry about me so please just continue living like usual. When youre done reading this, please show it to other people close to me as well Un. Ive already made it sound as trivial as I can. I just left out the going to the battlefield part out of the letter. Well, its probably better like that than sending such a serious letter. While I was writing that, as usual, Latte dropped by my room. She saw my memo and the letter so my going to the frontlines was exposed. Well, I didnt intend to hide it though. What the heck does that mean! Its unusual for her to raise her voice like that. Nn? Ah`, I have been personally selected by a noble to go to the frontlines. It seems like theyre expecting for me to do something there with my magic Why are you being so calm about this!? You could die you know!? Hmm`. I havent been to a battlefield before so Im not really should how I should act. Ive been told that I need to go there as soon as possible so I cant go back to the village to inform them. Thats the reason why Im writing a letter This is the worst What kind of face do you expect me to make when I hand this letter to Suzuran-chan! Its okay. I- *slap!* Together with that dry sound, pain ran through my cheek. Ahh, I guess I have been slapped. Sorry While saying that, I gently hugged her and stroked her head. She probably about to cry since her shoulders are trembling. Perhaps even I am just trying to keep myself preoccupied in order to deal with it somehow. However, its already an unmistakable fact so I hope you just accept it After saying that, Latte cried for a few minutes while hugging me. While we were like that, I noticed a sound coming from next door so, like last time, everyone has probably gathered in Hengsts room to eavesdrop on us. I actually noticed those sound a while now ago. Seriously, what am I to do with those guys. Err` so you see It has been decided that Im going to the frontlines In the kitchen, disregarding what happened before, I tried reporting it to the others in a lighthearted way. Its so that they wont worry that much. Why are you acting like its nothing! I was just yelled at by Folly-san in a terribly loud voice. Dont shout at me! I dont even know how I should react to it since it was just decided all of a sudden! I shouted back in reply. My badHe apologized but the air in the kitchen became heavier. Well, it would be enough for you to remember a guy like me if I dont come back. Please dont grieve for me okay? Thats probably unreasonable though While everyone was sitting in that gloomy mood, the landlady put her hand on my shoulder and said. You shouldnt look at your enemys eyes when youre about to kill them okay? Youll just get drawn in. If you get into a contest of strength with your opponent, you should aim for the moment he exhales. Well, Ill just leave the things in your room be for a while After saying that, she went back to her room. Then, everyone else did the same in succession. If Suzuran-chan and Latte-san cries, Ill comfort them while making a pass at them. If you dont want that, you better come back Oi, you stupid horse. Latte and Celesso-san are staring daggers at you so you should probably stop. If you die, Ill come looking for you in the other world to beat you up Celesso-san, you might be smiling while youre saying that but your nails are starting to dig into my shoulder you know? Well, if the worst happens, just run away. You can just think about the consequences afterwards Folly-san, thank you very much for the useful advice. Please make us some sweets when you come back Then Im going to ask for a chiffon cake Un, the human representative in this town is here as well. Do you want to come along too? Once they all finished saying a few words to me, everyone dispersed. I went to the baths after that. Latte proposed that we sleep together but considering the situation, we just left it at cuddling. Isnt it better to do it in this situation since we wont be able to meet for a while you say? Well, doing it like this would mean that its still possible for us to keep our promise with Suzuran okay? Now then, this morning, there are a lot of things to be done! I should bring my own emergency rations just in case we stop receiving food supplies while there. Because of that, I decided to make some hardtack, the so-called iron biscuits that were used during the civil war. Its so hard that it was believed that it wont break even if hit by a bullet. However, the purpose of that was to make it last a long time so I guess thats reasonable. Also, for my indulgence, Ill also make some hard biscuits.3 Latte said she wanted to spend the entire day with me today, so I immediately got started making it before breakfast. Its really easy to make. After deciding the quantity, its just knead and bake. After it was done, Latte snuck a bite on the hardtack. This is soft and delicious you know~? Well, you see, after three days, it would be so hard that it would be difficult to break. Because of that, anyone who tries to take a bite on it like you did just now would have their teeth broken Aside from the information Ive read, I dont know anything else about it though. I havent even eaten any but I still said that. Well, thats better than not saying anything I guess. We had our breakfast after that then I went to the boss to explain the situation. Make sure you come back alive okay! He said that while in tears as he hit both of my shoulders. Even the other workers started hoisting up some really nice death flags for me. Let me treat you to sake next time. I know a place that has delicious rice so lets go there next time To be honest, I didnt actually dislike you Well, there was one that wasnt an actual death flag at least. Now then, on the way back, Im going to shop for consumables, luxury goods and clothes. For the clothes, I decided to head to that dog-eared onee-sans store. Huh? That guy next to the onee-san Ah`. It seems like his confession turned out well. Excuse me. Do you have any grey or white clothes that are a little bigger in size? If you dont then at least sell me cloth of those colors Hmm~. We have white clothes but we dont have anything grey~. Do you perhaps also need some pants? Eh? Ah, yeah Oh`. As expected~. Youre the boy who bought a set of dark blue clothes some time ago right? It was a pretty unusual purchase so I remembered. However, Im terribly sorry but we dont have white pants Just some layered clothing that doesnt stand out then No nevermind, Ill take that dark brown set. Please give me some white and dark brown cloth as well Okay~. Got it~. Dear, could you please bring out the goods? Caam-kun. That really is such a strange purchase, isnt it~ Hmm`? Its pretty normal if you just think about it as everyday clothes though. Its an advantage wearing inconspicuous clothes when fighting monsters or if youre in the middle of battle. These are so that I can blend in with the background. The white ones are for when its snowing while the dark brown one for blending in with the ground. I also wanted grey for long range battles so that Id seem blurred out to deceive the enemys eyes a bit. Its a large purchase but its almost winter so I wanted to have an extra layer of clothing as well. Its the same concept as an assassin wearing black clothes at night but instead, Im doing it at daytime Hmm~Hee~Hou I received three different replies to that. It seems like while I was explaining that, they have finished bringing out the goods. Thank you very much` Hey hey~ Where are we going next~? I guess we should go looking for the luxury goods. Although I already have the hardtack, I want some bittersweet dried fruits as well. Ill buy some tea, walnuts, and candy too Why candy~? Eating something sweet relieves ones tired body, or to be more accurate, it revitalizes the spirit They probably wont understand if I say things like nutrition in this era. Thats why I should just stop trying to explain any further. I mean, for food, they would probably just have hard-baked bread and dried meat. Personally, Id rather eat walnuts and dried fruits instead. I wanted to make my own from lemons but since Im short on time, it cant be helped so Ill just have to give up on that this time. It would be nice if I can purchase those on site. We went home after that. I then spread out a cloth on the floor and lined up everything that Im going to bring along. ?Clothes (many) ?Luxury goods (sweets, tea) ?Medical Supplies (My self-bought potions) ?Needle and thread (To stitch deep cuts and fix clothes) ?Rope (Just in case I need it) ?Leather bags and several sheets of oil paper for waterproofing ?Parchments (For my notes) ?A larger amount of rock salt and brown sugar ?A utility knife ?Cooking utensils ?Hand mirror ?Distilled liquor (For various purposes) ?A small box for small articles ?Blanket ?A small knapsack ?Weapons ?5 silver and 30 large copper coins Thats all of them I guess. Will all of these fit in there? It will After saying that, I rolled my clothes instead of folding it, wrapped it all in oil paper and placed it inside a leather bag in order to waterproof it. Dividing all the small articles I bought, I placed them in the pouches attached to the sides and the front. Then finally, I placed everything that Im going to use frequently inside last so that they would be near the opening for easy access. As for my blanket, Ill just fix it on top of the rucksack. Once I made sure that all of the attachments were fastened securely and no longer moving about, my preparations were complete. See? I managed to make it fit somehow Nnnnn``! Dont you think it would be heavy though? Her face was starting to go red from straining trying to lift it up but she eventually gave up. Well, it might be a bit on the heavier side for me but its not like I cant lift it. since its not like its any heavier than Suzuran and Latte. Next up would be my weapons. I wonder if these would be enough. Will it be better if I get a crowbar thats a bit longer? I guess this Itll get heavier though. Its best if I could just use one hand to swing it Well, whatever. Ill just go with what I have With that said, I attached the crowbar and machete to my pack and held the shovel in my hands then tried jumping around a few times. What are you doing? Im checking some things out. Like if its still rattling, or if its balance is shifted to one side, and whether or not its impeding my movements Nn`. Thats pretty thorough, isnt it~ If I dont exercise proper caution, it would increase the possibility of me dying after all Looking at the gatekeeper, father and then at Folly-san, youd understand but in this world, the usual choice for protective equipment would be either just a full plate armor or leather armor. Ah`, its evening already? I should hurry up and report to the guild. I took off all of the equipment Ive been wearing up until now then went to the guild. When receptionist onee-san met eyes with me, she said. Over here please She immediately led me inside without any need for me to state my business. Well, I was just here yesterday after all. Just like what happened yesterday, she immediately left after letting me in the branch chiefs room. Are you done with your preparations already? Yes. Its the first time Im going to such a place so I just gathered everything that I could think of. If I still need anything else, Ill just procure them on-site Thats good. All thats left is for me to inform them that youre already finished with your preparations. They made sure that theyre ready to head there at any time so you can just head to the gates tomorrow morning to depart. Youll be picked up in front of the gates. Dont be late okay? Understood Im not really sure if theres anything else. Did you already tell your parents about this matter? I came from Beryl village so I didnt have the time. Because of that, Im just going to send them a letter Is that so? Im sorry that this had to happen on such a short notice Dont worry. One of my girlfriends is going to deliver my letter back home4 One of? How many do you have? I have two desu. The first one is back home in our village since I just come here to work. Uhmthe other one just kinda happened while I was here I just gave him a brief explanation about that. I see. Two huh. Make sure you dont die okay? Old man, thats a flag you know? Yes. Tomorrow morning it is then. Be at the front of the gates once they open to get picked up, did I get that correctly? Yep Well then, please excuse me After saying that, I passed by the onee-san who was about to bring us tea so I said. Ah, Im sorry that I wont be able to stay for tea before running back home. When I got back to my room, Latte, who has already finished making dinner, was waiting for me. Welcome back~. It went quicker than I expected Well, I just had to report to them after all. Thanks for making dinner Un. Lets eat it before it becomes cold~ Yes yes Itadakima~suItadakimasu Even though Im going to the frontlines tomorrow, we didnt talk about that matter at all and just ate dinner as usual. Shes probably just being considerate of me. Let me wash the utensils okay? She headed towards the kitchen after saying that so I decided to visit the landlady to pay rent in advance. I knocked on the door and once it opened, I said as I handed over the money. Heres the advance payment for 90 days of rent If it was like usual, she would just give me a short reply but it was different this time. Ill leave your room as it is for 150 days. Its impossible to wait any longer than that so at that time, Ill just hand over your luggage to either Latte or Suzuran Ah`, okay. Thank you very much After I said that, she immediately closed the door. Well, thats just the usual thing for her after all. Finishing her task, Latte and I went to the baths. Shes also going to stay over today but like yesterday, we decided to just sleep together. She wasnt clinging to me today but instead, she has her back turned towards me. Is she already asleep I wonder? Just when I thought about that, she started speaking in a low voice. Hey, youre going to come back, right? I cant really say. I havent really heard anything after all. I was just called so Im not sure if this is going to be dangerous or relatively safe I see. I will absolutely make sure that your letter reaches father-in-laws and mother-in-laws, as well as Suzuran-chan, Wurst-kun and the others. Thats why Im also going to leave tomorrow You dont have to be in such a hurry you know? Well, I guess its bad for it to be too late as well` After saying that, our conversation ended. I thought for sure that we were going to do it today but in the end, nothing happened. When I woke up the next morning, Latte was already up and preparing breakfast and my boxed lunch. Then, right in front of my eyes, she cut off a few strands of her hair, placed it inside a leather pouch and handed it to me. This is a p-protective charm Where did she learn of such a thing I wonder? Do I need to do it as well? I asked in reply. No, since I dont want it to become a memento I was given a pretty clear refusal. Then just let me do it so that if I dont return, youd have something to bury back in the village Why would you even say such a thing She had a terribly sad look on her face as she said that. Just in case There shouldnt be any need for that kind of thing! Latte seriously didnt like it so I just decided not to do it. Until the end, even as I was about to leave, she didnt show any indication of her usual clinginess. Take care Her voice sounded like she was about to cry but was just trying her hardest not to so Im off! I gave her a slightly vigorous reply so that she would feel at ease. Reaching the gates, the usual gatekeeper who yawned sleepily was already there. Noticing me, he said. Oh? Whats this? You look like youre about to go away somewhere for a while. You asked to help with some kind of subjugation request again? Nn? Ah`. Im going to the frontlines He didnt say any more than that and just pat my shoulder before going back to start their preparations to open the gate. I wonder if thats his way of saying goodbye. Well, if I ever come back, I guess Ill treat him to a drink. A short while after the gates opened, a carriage arrived and an armor wearing reptilekin coachman asked. You Caam? Thats rightI replied. Get on He pointed towards the back without saying anything else. After confirming that I already got on, the carriage began to depart. Inside, there was a soldier who glaring at the shackled prisoners. All of the prisoners were beastkin. The first one had cat ears, the second one had dog ears, and the last one had fox ears. Although Im already used to seeing strangely muscular old men with animal ears, Ive determined that when traveling, its definitely still the best if they are cute girls. Ah, how do you do? Im Caam. It might be short but I look forward to working with you Thinking that it would be better than staying in this unpleasant atmosphere, I gave them a lighthearted greeting and introduced myself. Stop talking with the prisoners! The soldier who was sitting in front of me shouted. Okay then, have it your way. Lets just travel from now on in this wake-like state. This is going to be a terrible trip, isnt it? Since I wasnt a prisoner, I decided to make some adjustments that would improve my journey even a bit. Thinking about that, I placed my luggage in front of me and unfastened the blanket so that I can put it in my seat to make up for not having a cushion. Dont just do whatever you like! He yelled at me again. The prisoners where grinning but should he really be angry at something like this? Ah, well, Im not a prisoner so Saying that, I didnt mind him and just continued putting my blanket on my seat but I was hit. To be honest, it hurt quite a bit. Didnt I just tell you not to do that!? You bastard. If you keep on having that rebellious attitude, Im going to put shackles on you! As expected, being treated like this, even as a former Japanese, I cant help but be angry.5 Only a saint wouldnt get mad at this you know? You see, I dont really know how influential this Cravatte person is but just because they received an order from a noble, I was immediately sent off to the frontlines by the guild even though Im not a soldier. I have to go even if I dont want to you know!? I cant even complain that Im being sent together with prisoners. Since Im only affiliated with the guild, not a prisoner nor a soldier, you cant force me to follow your rules. Im not planning to do anything to your prisoners so just let me do what I want for fucks sake! Or what, are you going to kick me out of this carriage? Does that mean youre willing to take responsibility and replace me as the summoned magician!? Tell me your name so that I have something I can tell the guild when I go back and they ask me for a suitable reason. I can just return to my usual daily life after that While saying that, I grabbed the collar thats peaking out of his armor then twisted and pulled it using physical enhancement causing the guy to rise up from his seat. So, what now? Are you going to let my ass sit on a blanket or are you going to take responsibility? You choose The prisoners were laughing so hard while the other soldier/coachman was looking at us. Oi oi, look at the road for crying out loud! What are you going to do if the horses suddenly ran wild? D-do as you like! However, dont you dare conspire with the prisoners, you got that! Youre the best manThe prisoners commented. Shut up! was what the soldier had to say to that while hitting them. Rather than the soldiers, I feel like I can get along even more with these prisoners. It was already evening but weve just reached the first village. We spent approximately 10 hours traveling. Walking speed is about 3~4 kph so considering that we traveled faster than that, it seems like were now pretty far away from the town. It feels nice that it doesnt take that long to get to the nearest town to our village. Still, this village is pretty deserted, isnt it? The village we arrived at has no vacant houses or an inn. We can go to the guard station but we dont have beds for you guys. You can just sleep in the stables at the bottom of the guard station. Im going to give you your rations right now. Eat it gratefully. As for Caam, I dont mind if you negotiate with the villagers for a place to stay but were leaving you behind if youre late. Also, while youre at it, go and draw some water from the well to give to these guys. Oh, and if anybody escapes, Id happily turn you into a prisoner as well After he said that, he distributed the same hard bread and dried meat we had for lunch. It seems like hes pretty bitter about what happened earlier. Youd think that wed at least get some kind of soup once we reached the village. Or are they saying that I should negotiate that too when looking for lodging? The prisoners had a rope tied to their handcuffs earlier but it seems like theyre given a longer rope at night so that they would be able to do their business if they have to. If they really wanted to, couldnt they just run away with that? was what I thought. Once they saw the soldier enter the guard station, the prisoners started talking in a low voice. Man, youre the best. You dont seem to be a prisoner like us and youre not a soldier so theres no reason for you to follow the rules Thought so`. Its really hard to deal with an inflexible guy like that. That guys neglecting his duties as well. Isnt it his job to fetch water for you guys? I really wanted to point that out earlier For now, lets discuss what were going to do about food. Lets also try to deepen my relationship with these people. While nibbling on the bread, I used my magic to make hot water then placed it into a cup with tea leaves to make tea. I decided to give them some too since they might choke on that hard bread if theres nothing to drink. Thanks. I havent had anything warm to drink after I was caughtsaid cat ears Yeah. They didnt even give us soup at least said dog ears . Whats worse is when they actually make us skip meals Then finally, the fox ears added. These old men really arent cute at all. Still, it really is true that youre a magician. Ive never heard of anyone making hot water before you know? Thanks to that I was able to drink some tea that I thought I would never get to drink anymore Thats right. Wed get found out by the guys at the guard station if we light a fire so that really helps Ive heard the rumors about you. Youre that guy who made a gigantic mud ball and took out a high goblin by himself right? Its possible that it was me but still, the rumors have grown so big that it also possible that it might not be me you know? No no. I was actually there when you made that mud ball you know? It was between spring and summer if I remember correctly Ah, there was a witness here Ah`, yes. Thats me As I said that, everyone laughed while muffling their voices. This might be just the sentiments of a fellow traveler who is also being treated as a sacrificial pawn but its better like this than doing nothing. Tell me your namesI said. Whats the use of telling you the names of guys who are certain to die in the upcoming battle? Because of that, they didnt tell me their names. Do you guys want to wipe your bodies? When I asked that, they rejected me while saying. You might get yelled at if we became clean all of a sudden Well, they smell a bit but it cant be helped. I guess Ill just do it on my own. We had nothing else to talk about after that so, even though its still early, I decided to go to sleep. Surprisingly, these old men might actually be nice people. Dont expect me to share my blanket with them though. CH 45 Chapter 45: That time when the enemy launched a surprise attack so I launched one myself too TL: kizen ED: Filip It was the afternoon of the fifth day after I left Aegirine when we finally arrived at our destination, Tephroite. We didnt come across any other villages aside from the ones where we took our breaks so we arrived a day earlier than expected. Also, while we were traveling, Ive raised the status of the prisoners in my mind into unpopular old men. Thats because of all of the time I spent with them while we were traveling. Although I could have stayed in an inn in the villages we passed, I decided to sleep together with them in the stables at the bottom of the guard station while saying, I want my body to get used to sleeping on the ground as an excuse. Because of that, we didnt end up in such a gloomy mood while we were inside the carriage on the way here. Since I was basically free to do what I want during that time and I had a bit of time before I went to sleep, I asked the old men to tell me stories of their friends who have been in the army. If you go out to the battlefield, you should bring some handy things with you if you can Hearing such things, I realized that it would be better if I have some tobacco on hand so I went out to buy some.1 That completely slipped my mind since there isnt anybody around me who smokes, plus there are only a few shops that sell them. In exchange for the information, while the soldiers werent looking I snuck in some fruit wine and a hearty soup that I bought from a bar. They were all sobbing as they started drinking the soup in my cup in turns and the sake straight from the bottle. Who would have thought that even after becoming a prisoner, I would get to drink a hearty soup and some sake. Really, thank you I wanted to know why they were caught so I tried asking. It seems like they got into a dispute and cut off an arm of one of the members of a rival party during a raid subjugation request. Their entire party was held accountable, so thats why they were imprisoned. It kinda feels like they were all just imprisoned so that they would have a lot more prisoners to send to the frontlines though so from then on, rather than prisoners, Ive started labeling them as the Unpopular old meninstead. I could probably also attach that label to the werewolf and werecat old men back in the village but I think those guys would be popular with those that prefer the rugged type look. The fox eared old man looks gallant though so I think he was popular in the olden days but Ive already given them the title of the three unpopular old men so it cant be helped. Incidentally, as for the wine bottle, I had to return it to the bar in the middle of the night. Once we reached the town, the old men were taken to a pretty large military cage while I was led to the room of some big-shot in the army. So your Caam from the rumors Whats with that shabby appearance? I wont even bother asking about your armor but werent you able to buy a decent weapon at least? Ive heard of the rumors but Im sure what Cravatte-sama heard was just an exaggerated version of it. Youre just a Rank 4 underling of the guild without any training after all so youll just get in the way of the army That was what the high-handed commanding officer told me as he was scanning documents in his hands. Whats with this shitty pig? I understand Hmm, isnt that quite a praiseworthy attitude Yes, even without saying anything, I understand that Im just a civilian without any experience Its good if you understand. Now leave Well, theres just one thing I want to ask. In the directive that I received from Cravatte-sama, it says that Until your departure, you will receive your accommodation expenses from Tephroites military affairs representative. Id like to receive the said accommodation expenses please Dont know! Im not giving you anything Even though its written here? Hes starting to get mad so I decided to fan the flames a bit more. Shut up! Go away! Understood. Ill just go and report this incident to Cravatte-sama directly Oi, wait! Saying that, he tried to stop me by saying that so I went out of the room to run away. Since I remembered the path that was used when I was being led there, I exited the establishment at a quick pace. After that, I began to make my move. I went to the inn near the gate and asked for the price of their cheapest room. Then, after finding out where Cravatte-samas residence is, I made my way there. Unlike the one in Aegirine, this towns upper-class district is surrounded by a high wall and it seems like theres only one gate to get inside. Im not really sure if theyll let me in but Ill try and see if showing them the directive works. Reaching the front of the gates, I was stopped by the guard as expected. May I ask which of residents here you have any business with? Do you have a written invitation? Theres a chance that somebody from the upper-class districts is expecting some important guest so they were acting in a really polite manner. If I had to guess, the soldiers here arent from the military but are most likely employed privately by the people living here. I dont have a written invitation but I have a directive that I have received issued by Cravatte-sama. I have something I wish to inquire with in regards to that so I was thinking of making my way there Understood. We have been informed by Cravatte-sama that although he is currently busy, we can let anyone whos looking for him in as long as they arent a merchant. Let me guide you there Thats good. If I was turned away, I would have had to use my own expenses to stay at an inn. I followed after the soldier. We passed through a few intersections but we just kept on walking on a straight path. After reaching a dead end, I was led to one of the larger residences there. We are here You didnt really need to guide me here you know? You could have just pointed towards the path and told me to follow the road to the end then I could have handled it myself from there. If you did that, there would have been no need for you to abandon your post. Thank you very much After bowing politely, started to go back. Nn`, if only all of the soldiers were like this, Im sure that I would get along with them better. Looking at our exchange was another soldier who said. Welcome. Please let me guide you in This guy is probably privately employed as well. Contrary to his robust and intimidating appearance, he said that in a hoarse voice.2 From the residences gate, we walked around thirty meters before we reached the actual front door of the mansion. Its a guest for Cravatte-sama. Please let him in The muscular man said that to a dog-eared girl wearing maid clothes who answered after he knocked. Then, he went back to his post. Ah`, this maid outfit looks nice. Its really plain and puts more focus on functionality so you wont really mind if you get it dirty. Its completely different from those with the high exposure frilly mini skirts. As expected, a maid outfit should be like this. Dear guest, if I may ask, what business do you have with our master? While I was thinking about that, she suddenly started talking to me so I was a bit surprised. I showed her the directive and told her that even though I met one of the big-shots in this towns military, I didnt receive the funds that were promised so I came to report it. I understand. Please just leave your luggage over here and follow after me After saying that, she lead me to some kind of parlor room. As I was waiting, a fox-eared maid brought me tea. Cravatte-sama is on his way so please wait for a little while longer She immediately left after saying that. From the way her sharp eyes were looking coldly at me, the fox-eared maid gives me the impression of being a total sadist. Makes you excited, right? I didnt have to wait that long before a refreshing Borzoi-like man entered. Is this Cravatte-sama? I stood up and bowed but he just said. Ah`, dont worry about that. You can just be at ease. Nice to meet you, Caam-kun. Ive heard all of the rumors about you. I havent heard the full story but it seems like that greedy pig said something to you, didnt he? That greedy pig you say? This person just said something amazing without smiling. Yes sir. I showed him this directive while bringing up the matter about my accommodation expenses but` I dont mind if you just talk normally you know? I dont really like formalities after all I was interrupted. The fox-eared maid earlier was behind him staring daggers at me so I was afraid of saying anything imprudent. I brought up that thing about my accommodation expenses but he just told me, I dont know! Im not giving you anything!. When I tried asking again, he just told me to shut up and leave. If he needed to prove my identity, I was going to pull out my guild card but I had no chance to do it Ah`, is that so? That pig doesnt have anything else in his head aside from lining his pockets with his money so hes probably unwilling to give that to you. I gave him 10 gold coins though Give me a moment He told the fox-eared maid behind him to get something. Hes probably going to give me the funds himself. Ah Id also like to ask when well depart for the front lines After 3 days I think. You should just do your preparations early and wait at the gates at that time since well gather everyone in front of the gate before heading out. Tell the commander of the transportation corps that I sent you. Youre pretty easy to recognize with the color of your skin and your weird equipment so you dont have to worry about them doubting you Is this guy really the noble who rules this area? Ive heard that hes a really nice character but compared to the nobles I know from manga, he doesnt have any trace of majesty at all. After a while, the maid brought back a tray with a cloth bag and handed it to Cravatte-sama. He placed it on the table to confirm the contents then handed it to me. Thats probably enough, right? I was surprised when I saw that there were 10 gold coins among the other coins inside. Isnt this too much? No, its actually too much. While Im on standby, renting a room in the inn near the gates is enough for me. I just came here to report that incident regarding one of the higher-ups in the military I panickily withdrew. Just take the amount you need then. You see, as much as how I would want to see that pig punished, it would difficult to dispose of him right now Master, any more than that and She interrupted with a really cold voice. Ah` Im terribly sorry about that. I shouldnt really be complaining to a guest After that weird exchange, I decided to just take a single silver coin. Is that really all you need? Yes. One nights stay is just 3 large copper and 5 copper coins after all But what about the remaining 5 copper?3 It wont hurt my pockets even if I cover the remaining 5 copper by myself What about your meals? Ill just take care of that by myself Thats no good. I was the one who summoned you so I dont want you to experience any inconveniences as much as possible He handed me 2 silver coins. He probably realized that Ill just reject it if he hands over a huge amount. I would have been troubled there if he decided to forcefully give me that absurd amount of money. Hn? Is it not enough? Should I take out one more coin? No no no, this is more than enough I immediately replied that while putting the two coins inside my wallet. He probably knew I would react that way if he tried giving me more so he did that in order to make sure I couldnt refuse. He is good at understanding somebodys state of mind. This is probably as expected of a noble. Then, after bidding farewell, I returned to my room at the inn and then waited till evening to go to a bar. This town is so big that I think Ill find one or two soldiers drinking in one of the bars by the main road. There will probably be some guys affiliated with the guild as well. It doesnt seem like theres an order to ban them from drinking even though theres a war happening for some reason. Oh good, there are a few here. I thought I saw someone wearing it at the gate earlier but theres someone wearing a thin plate armor complete with a full face helmet placed on a chair. Theyre a pair of beastkin. I should build up my courage here. Excuse me, Ill treat you to sake so could I ask you something? What is it? He gave a quite a vigilant reply but thats understandable if someone you dont know starts talking to you at a bar. I wasnt ignored so we can at least continue. What do you soldiers think are the necessary things to bring when going to the battlefield? Huh? Is that it? Lets see` He enumerated stuff like food, weapons, arrows, etc so I simply wrote all of them in my memo. His companion whos drinking across him also added. Oil would be good as well so that we can lubricate the moving parts of the armorAh`, that would be nice to have too. We can also use it to prevent rust Ah. Thank you very much. Miss waitress, please bring us two of the same drink to this table After saying that, I gave them my thanks and then left.4 Hmm`, oil huh. That completely slipped my mind. Well, I dont wear armor after all and you dont really go to a battlefield to cook in the first place so I didnt bring any with me. Im sure that theres some oil thats used specifically for armor in the fort but I dont really want to spend time looking for it. Well, instead of looking for that kind of oil, Ill just buy a bit of oil thats used for cooking as a substitute. Also, if I can find tobacco there, I should buy it too. Ill probably find the addictive stuff as well. I wonder if those are good for something. Three days later, I quickly finished my lunch then went to the guild branch to replenish the funds that I spent. After that, I went outside the gate to wait. During my three day wait in this town, I had the chance to go up the wall so I decided to observe the militarys training. At that time, 3000 men lined up horizontally were training with the Testudo Formation that the Roman Army used to defend against arrows from above. There sure were a lot of beastkin soldiers in this town. Hn` this isnt good, is it?I thought. If it was a melee similar to a castle siege then I could probably manage somehow but if its on the plains then Im sure itll end up with us just lined up while charging in. If this was during the time I was still alive in Japan, we would just be gunned down or fall victim to mortar fire. I dont know what the humans are doing to deal with a magic battle but they would probably just focus fire at this group. While I was recalling that, a reptilekin old man started talking to me. Are you Caam-dono? Yes. Thats right. Are you the commanding officer of the Transportation Corps? Also, you dont have to use formal honorifics I understand Caam-san. You can just call me Yaoul(䥦`). Nice to meet you Same to you Uwa`, what a really polite person. Even though I said that theres no need for honorifics, he still didnt remove it. Ive had a bad impression of the soldiers because of all that Ive met until now but its nice to know that theyre not all bad. Ill just go over it again but Caam-sans duty is to guard the Transportation Corps. Please stay at the end of the caravan Understood. Wheres the carriage? Let me lead you there. Please follow me We walked past a line of soldiers and continued on until we reached the very last carriage. This carriage is at the end of the caravan so please put your luggage here. I think theres still some space for your rucksack inside but if theres none, please just put it on top of a barrel Got it Uwa`. How lax. If I had to say which one is preferable, I think it would be better to be strict if were talking about a military but I personally prefer for it to be lenient. However, it would be easy for a commando unit to attack us so Id like it if we were vigilant at least. In the modern area, a unit transporting goods frequently gets attacked by guerrilla units or targeted by an air strike after all. With that lax mood, the pig started his speech about sending reinforcements and supply to the base in the frontlines. Or rather, Im not really sure if thats what that pig is talking about since Im pretty far away. Based on what I can hear, it seems like it would take 5 days on foot to reach there. Five days you say? Arent we going to be at a disadvantage if we take that long to get there? Well, what do I know? I lived during peaceful times back in my previous life and even in this world, I live somewhere thats unrelated to all of this after all. As I was thinking that, everyone else in the unit was already getting along while I was walking quietly by myself. Or rather, everyone is chattering so loudly that its starting to be annoying. -4th day of walking- Hey Keith, we might get ambushed by the enemy soon. There might be scouts wandering around so be careful Thats true. Its about time so we should focus We were walking behind the caravan while maintaining vigilance. We really are at the end of the line. By the way, Keith here is a dog-eared guy who seems to be also hired from the guild. During these few days, I found somebody who was also hired from the guild so I got along with him. Instead of the droopy dog ears Ive seen until now, he has the short upright type. Thats too bad since I think that droopy ears cuter. Ah, Im talking about the animal okay?5 We continued walking while being as vigilant as possible. We need to pay attention to the back as well. Hey, are the beastkins noses good? Ha? Yeah, its good. Then please pay attention to unusual smells as well Gotcha While we were walking, I noticed the unnatural shaking of the slightly tall grass on the plains. It might be just a goblin but it could be a human as well. I looked at Keith but since he was facing downwind, he didnt notice it. Because of that, I created a small water ball and launched it on his feet to get his attention. We decided on a signal if either one of us notices something beforehand so we dont need to vocally call out to each other. I point two fingers to my eyes then look towards that thicket while pointing at it with the same fingers. This is the sign we decided for an enemy. They might find out that were on to them if we act poorly so I extended 3 fingers and slowly folded them one by one as a countdown while I prepare my preemptive attack. Dot sight, on.Image?a small red dot of light at the center of my gaze?Activate I aimed at the direction of the enemy then started casting magic to flush them out. *Boom!* Flame burst out as if a flammable gas was lit on fire. Enemy on the left side! Together with that shout, I produced an obsidian axe while the holding my shovel in my left hand then charged at them in one go. Keith started shooting arrows to the humans who stood up out of confusion. Meanwhile, I drive my axe into the thigh of one of the humans while hitting the others in the head with the handle of the shovel. I didnt really want to use it like an axe hoping that they would faint. They have helmets though. After that attack, we found out that there were 10 enemies in total. Is this equivalent to a single squad? As for Keith, every single one of the humans hit with his arrows were splendidly hit in the vital spots or the thick blood vessels in the thigh. Im sure that they would die even if we leave them alone and there wouldnt really be any point in treating them. Its probably best for me to prepare myself to kill soon. The soldiers who came rushing after that surrounded the few people who were still alive. Hearing the noise, Yaoul came. What a huge achievement. Thank you very much for clearing them off before we were attacked. Please tie the ones that are still alive. We can either use them as bargaining chips or torture them for information. Iya`, we have to make use of this opportunity After saying that, they finished off the ones that were dying while they guys I hit were tied up. O`i. Its clear. We can now proceed` The caravan began to move forward again after that but I continued being vigilant of the surroundings. It would be troublesome if there are other scouts after all. While Yaoul-san was thanking me, I didnt stop paying attention to my surroundings. I pointed towards a thicket at a distance away. That thicket over there moved even though theres no wind Because of that, Yaoul-san got the nearby soldiers to run to that thicket. The spears that they pierced into the thicket just went straight into the ground so it was probably nothing. Fourteen from the first unit were done in, four captured and only I was able to escape. It was a crushing defeat. They either had someone with really good senses or they were cautious. We were suddenly fired at with magic. That was probably a mercenary I see. However, our mission is to destroy the goods theyre transporting so we somehow have toNo, we need to make sure to destroy those to prevent food, weapons, and medical supplies from reaching the fort. If we manage to do that, it would give us a huge advantage I agree but our forces have been dwindled down so Im not really sure how we should approach this We need to link up with the third unit whos lying in wait in the forest ahead. We need to somehow decrease the demons numbers there Understood. You can also include my second unit to our numbers Got it. Move quickly An hour has passed since the attack. Since theres still a chance for another surprise attack, it was decided to greatly reduce our speed. Everyone was starting to gossip about how we were was almost attacked. Yaoul-san, can I have a moment I ran to the very front of the caravan because I had something to tell Yaoul-san. Theres a forest ahead and if I was the enemy, I would launch a surprise attack there. Since Im not attached to the military, please let me go on ahead I dont want us to get attacked once were already in the forest after all. Hmm`. Its true that you arent a part of the military but youre tasked to guard the Transportation Corps. However, since we already have the guys from the Infantry Corps guarding the front and our backs, I wonder if its alright. Im not really sure but thinking about it from a different perspective, would you still be considered an escort if youre far away from us? Well, I guess I can just leave that to Keith-kun. Be careful okay? Run away if it gets dangerous Understood After saying that, I picked up my shovel then went back to the carriage to change into my dark green clothes. I covered my self with mucus then rolled over some grass I cut using wind cutter to make my improvised ghillie suit. I received some strange looks coming from the Infantry and Transportation Corps but I just ignored them and passed through some bushes as I head into the forest with only my machete in hand. I dont want to kill but I dont want to be killed even more. Thats why hopefully, there arent any dangers there. Its way better than having to kill somebody. The path is being maintained but this forest sure is deep. It seems like taking another route would take more time so we need to pass through this forest. I was informed about what dangers to expect and what monsters are lurking there so it seems like they have a map and other documents regarding this forest. Its just theres no way theyre showing that to someone like me who was just hired from the guild. Thinking of this as something like a games event, I tried searching for places where enemies could possibly appear. I dont really feel like doing it but since this is a job, theres no choice but to do it. While saying that in my mind, I prepared myself. Entering the forest ahead of everybody else, I crouched down and slowly walked away from the main path while trying not to make a sound. After traveling approximately 1 kilometer away from the entrance of the forest, I found exactly four infantry units. If the Transportation Corps was surrounded on both sides by them, they wont be able to run away. At least, thats how I would attack if it was me. I tried listening in for a while but I couldnt hear them so I slowly changed my position. After 15 minutes of moving closer and traveling another 700 meters, I was starting to hear their voices. Its about time, right? Not yet, just a bit longer Ill just go piss then Im not sure what theyre talking about since they arent using this continents common language but Im sure these guys are the same as the ones earlier. After talking with each other, one of them went off on his own. I guess its going to be that guy then. I can hear my a heart pounding so I took deep breaths to calm it down as I got closer. It seems like they were still on standby in the forest until the attack so they didnt have armor on. The human who got separated from the rest of his unit approached a tree then started untying the string of his pants. It seems like this person left his unit in order to urinate. Going off by himself like this, it seems like were being underestimated. I already have no choice but to do this. I decided on this myself so theres no way I can back out now. Ive decided that Im going to cut this humans throat using my obsidian knife but I was unsure which way I should hold it. I can already hear the splashing sound of urine so I take one more deep breath as I got even closer. I eventually decided to use the overhand grip so I used my left hand to cover his mouth then pierced his throat from the side. I kept my hand on his mouth just in case he struggles after that but his body just convulsed for a bit then slowly dropped to the ground. My heart started beating even faster but its not over yet. I need to deal with the enemy while staying hidden. I once again crouched and slowly got closer while counting their numbers. Fifteen people? With the one I defeated earlier, there would have been a total of sixteen people on this side. If I remember correctly, the group we encountered in the plains earlier had 14 people. It seems like the enemy really wants to make sure that the transportation corps doesnt reach the front lines. At least, thats what my intuition says. They decided that if they were to attack, it would be better to do it from both sides. I noticed that my throats getting dry and Im panting like I just did some light exercises so I shut my mouth in panic. I dont think Ill be able to defeat all of them with my knife so, even though I dont really want to use it, it cant be helped. Ill lift the ban on the shot magic. I can create multiple stone bullets and fire it like a machine gun but it would be troublesome if those shots miss their vital spots. I dont need to use gunpowder to fire them so it doesnt make much noise. But since they arent wearing any kind of armor, these things will hardly make any noise at all. Ive tried this out with different kinds of animals before so Im sure of that so my last choice would be While thinking that, I resolved myself to kill all of them. Image ? 10 bead-sized malachite balls ? @400mph ? all shot out within a 3cm diameter I aligned the red dot in the middle of my gaze to the humans torsos then while trying to recall the shotguns in games. Then, I started launching malachite bullets one after the other. I can hear the sound of the small pebbles piercing through flesh. My first shot took out two people. The second one completely tore through one persons torso. The remaining enemies have already noticed me but its already too late. Even when the humans saw their associates suddenly getting blown off, they werent able to react immediately because they still couldnt understand what was happening. They couldnt even utter a word because of their confusion. This is just a super realistic game. This is just a super realistic game. Its just a game that lets you smell the scent of entrails and feel the warm blood spraying on your face I muttered to myself in Japanese while forcefully changing the scene in my brain as I mechanically deal with the enemies one by one. Hahaha, I dont need to reload with this, do I? Aside from the pump action part, I can just keep on shooting out bullets indefinitely. Is that all of them? Ah, there might be more along this path. Should I just take this path and take them all out from the front? Should I plunder? I might get shot in the back if I do that though. Its the enemy groups camp after all. Ah`, thats a nice duck. This will be of use to the team. Eat this! Emerald Spl*sh! While muttering those things, I continued dealing with the aftermath. Im not sure what Im talking about but all of the 15 people stopped moving and turned into tattered carcasses. Looking behind, vanguard unit of the infantry corps was starting to come into sight. Judging from their speed, Ill have just enough time to finish up before they get here. I went off the path again and ran while crouching for around 30 meters before I spotted another group of enemy soldiers heading in our direction. Because of that, I started being careful so that my footsteps will not be heard. I found a blondie. Ill keep my head down for now until he strays off the path a bit more. I wouldnt want to get found out by everyone in the forest after all. While making sure that my allies will not be hit by stray bullets, I started shooting at the enemy group. Fu`. Thirty one kills, zero deaths huh. Im in good form today, arent I? Haa damn it. What the hell am I doing? Hahaa Damn it` I laughed as I looked at the remains in front of me. I dont really feel like it but lets try searching something useful from their drops As I was talking to myself, I found a leather pouch from the lower half of someones body. I picked someone who was at a relatively safe spot and started rummaging through his things. Human currency and tobacco huh. Well, thats better than nothing. Ive heard that I can convert this somewhere after all. Judging from the color, is this a silver coin? I now have 13 pieces of it Taking the items, I push aside the grass stuck on my back and placed them inside one of my back pockets. After that, I started waving both hands while shouting at my allies. O`i I shouted as loud as I could to get the guys from the infantry corps to notice me. Then, a sheep beastkin who looks like a commanding officer riding a horse approached me. Identify yourself bastard! Ah, I was using Japanese just now. Furthermore, my whole bodys covered in grass and blood right now so I would obviously look suspicious. Im Caam who was hired from the guild to guard the Transportation Corps. I received permission from Commander Yaoul to enter the forest to locate and deal with the enemies first. Please be careful from here on since there might still be more of them Understood. Wait, these defeated enemies are!? They were hiding by the bushes on both sides of this path Saying that, I used my index finger on both hands to point. Understood. Ill have my subordinates confirm it After saying that, he went back and got the first four soldiers in the line and have them confirm it. A while later, the four of them came back with teary eyes and their mouths dirty. I have confirmed that there were more than 10 humans here I agree. I dont think theyre any less than 10 humans on this side Whats with that report! Say it clearly! The four were flustered as they replied. It is difficult to do a proper headcount because their injuries are so severe. There are some without a body but there are some with a body but without a head as well. Well, actually, there was only one who died because his head was cut off Ah`, was that the guy who was urinating? Its the same for my side too Is that really true? Why were their bodies damaged to that extent He asked that while looking at me. Since I was employed to guard the Transportation Corps, after finding out that there were more than 15 of then, I thought that everyone would be in danger if I didnt hurry and eliminate them so I used magic to clear them out I I understand. Ill put that in the report. You can now go back to your post Roger Monster I, who was covered in blood and grass, received glares from the members of the Transportation Corps as I passed by them. Whats wrong Caam? You seem like a different person you know? Yeah, just dont mind me Your voice is also kinda low. Try and settle down a bit okay? I know. Just leave me alone After I said that, both of us returned to our posts. Keith keeps on giving me this worried look. Is there something strange about me I wonder? Once we got out of the forest, we stopped to rest so they started distributing our rations. It was hard baked bread and dried meat as usual. Hey, how long are you going to stay in that? You dont take off your armor while eating in the battlefield so Im doing just that We continued eating silently after that but Keith was looking at me like I was pitiful for some reason. After we finished eating, I was silently gazing at the sky with vacant eyes when Keith started talking to me in a low menacing voice. Its fine already so take that off Wipe off your body as well since you reek of blood But there might still be some enemies ahea` Just shut up and do it! I can pretty much understand whats wrong so thats why you should listen to someone whos more experienced than you I wonder if Keith noticed that this was the first time I killed somebody. While I was talking, he said that while hitting me in my stomach. He then grabbed my collar and got closer to my ear as he said that in such a serious voice you wouldnt think would come from him considering his usual demeanor. If you get it then change your clothes fine I went inside the carriage after that. First, I produced a large ball of lukewarm water to wash away all the grass and blood from my body. After that, I wiped my body and dried the canopy of the carriage that got wet then I hanged my wet clothes to dry. Dont you have anything that you can use to distract yourself from such thoughts? If you do, then you should use it After saying that, he went away to some place. Something to distract myself huh For some reason, I feel like smoking the tobacco that I obtained earlier even though I didnt really smoke that much in my previous life. I jammed the minced grass into the pipe then produced a fire in my fingertip using magic in order to light it. I choked on the smoke when I first tried this in my previous life but that didnt happen this time. I wonder if thats because my Poison Resistance is showing its effects. Whenever I breathe in the smoke, an indescribable taste fills my mouth. It feels weird. Im not sure what this feeling is or if its even good. I know that you dont really inhale the smoke from a cigar or a pipe and you just enjoy its taste but I think that the smell of the burning batter of baked sweets, caramelized sugar, and fresh fruits are better. However, since I already lit this, I cant just put it out. I also cant give it to somebody else since nobody else is around. The beastkin have a keen sense of smell so most of them probably wont like this. Since it cant be helped, Ill just finish whats left. Wasnt this thing that Im doing called retrohaling or something? Ah`, this is terrible. I dont need nicotine, just give me sweets. While blankly staring at the sky and thinking about that, Keith came back and was staring at me at a short distance away. Hey, is this your first time smoking? Yeah, this is my first time. I justpicked this up a while ago by chance. But I think that it would be better if this will be the last time. I might get discovered by the enemy just from the smoke and the scent after all. So? How do I deal with this? How would I know! Just cast that aside and dont dwell on it Thought so After saying that, I threw away the ash left on the pipe then stepped on it to put it out. I placed my spoils of war inside my rucksack then took out a piece of candy to put in my mouth but because of the tobacco, it had a different taste than usual. This is bad Im not going to smoke anymore but I think theres a serious possibility that I might get fat because food tastes so good. Our break eventually ended and our caravan continued onwards. We didnt experience any surprise attacks this time. Once evening came, we started setting up camp. As for our meals, they just gave us a light soup and hard baked bread so I immediately consumed those then. After that, I started heading to a certain place. I decided to visit the prostitutes. Its easy to figure out where someone with a bag full of money is going at in the middle of the night. Because of that, Keith was seriously making fun of me. I just wanted to be soothed you know? I think Ill go too Why did you make fun of me when youre going as well! I lined up at a small tent in the corner of the camp then started looking for a suitable prostitute. Looking at the woman standing in front of that small tent receiving customers, its easy to understand what this place is. I walked while being beckoned by women wearing risqu clothing, looking for a girl that I want. I found one. A fox-eared beastkin woman. Is it okay?I asked. Yeah, sure After that, the woman led me inside of the tent. Since I dont know how to move forward from here, Ill just be honest and ask. This is my first time so could you please tell me how this works? Lets see To begin with, you need to pay first then Ill attend to you until times up which is indicated by the water in this device running out. Since there are a lot of you in this camp, we arent allowed to accompany you for the whole night. So? What will it be? How much? 5 large copper coins for one round Im sorry if this is rude but that seems quite cheap, isnt it? There are a lot of men here and we can just decide to finish up quickly if we feel like it as well. There are a lot of guys who leave once they let one out after all. Ah, because it would be troublesome to deal with it afterwards, you have to let it out outside, okay? Also, you cant be violent Thats quite the frank explanation, isnt it? Also, catching some kind of disease pretty scary. I got the gist of it After I said that, the woman entered the room first. Once I paid, the woman started taking off her clothes but I stopped her. Whats this? Do you prefer doing it with clothes on? Well, thats fine by me Fufu, she giggled as she started filling the device with water. Then, she rolled up her skirt after that exposing her bushy tail. She was about to take off her underwear next but I also asked her to stop that. You have pretty eccentric tastes, dont you? After saying that, the woman lied down so I immediately sat beside her and started caressing her tail. W-wait a minute, what are you doing! Im caressing your tail. Im going to stroke it, hug it, fluff it and puff it Didnt you come here to embrace me? Since I already paid, I can do whatever I want as long I dont become violent I think the idea of the customer being able to do anything once they pay is horrible but Im at my wits end here. While we were discussing that, I made sure I was tightly fluffing her tail. Well, I guess thats fine She deemed it acceptable so let me continue doing it. After caressing her tail for a while, she started talking to me again. We beastkin dont let people we dont really like to touch our tails you know? Then why are you letting me touch it? *Mofumofumofumofu* Im working right now so that doesnt really apply *Fusafusafusafusa*1 Is that so? Even I didnt plan on doing something like this you know? However, I experienced something really unpleasant today so I wanted to do something that would cleanse my soul *Fluff fluff puff puff* Whats with that? Is that why youre doing something like this? Yeah Then, cant you just do this with men? That wouldnt be cleansing at all I see Moreover, do you think a man would be happy having another man touch his tail? I dont think so Right? Even I dont want to cuddle with a mans tail While we were having that conversation, I made sure to properly caress her tail. If its an animal, it doesnt matter if its male or female but when it comes to demonkin, the appearance is extremely important you know? Right, thats certainly true As I continued playing with her tail, I started wanting to touch her ears too. Can I touch the ears on your head? No I see Ill just give up on that then However, if you tell me about what happened today, I can let you do it just for a bit Shes probably just using that to get some information about the rumors that were floating around while we were moving earlier. Im someone who usually only does day labor requests from the guild so I almost never accept any kind of subjugation requests. Thats because Im extremely cowardly, I dont want to be injured and I dont want to be killed. However, that changed because a friend invited me to do a subjugation request. Even killing a live pig or sheep was impossible for me but because of all the rumors of my achievements from that one subjugation request, I caught the attention of a noble leading me to be sent to the front lines. This afternoon, I experienced killing something that isnt a monster nor an animal for the first time. You could say that I just lost my virginity I guess I see. Thats the same illness that new soldiers get, isnt it? Whats important is that you dont dwell on it too much Moreover, I killed 31 in one go. I can still recall the sight of warm blood scatted all around and the smell of entrails in the air. I can also remember the way the body of the human who I slashed the throat from behind convulsed as he fell down. Its making an already unappetizing meal even more unappetizing Without noticing it, I start shedding tears. I see Ill let you touch my ears for a bit It seems like I gained her permission. *rustle rustle* The fox-eared womans face became slightly flushed as she trembled. Im not sure if shes embarrassed or just ticklish but Im sure shes just enduring it. Enough already After she said that, she brushed away my hand so I went back to touching her tail. A while later, she said. Its time Because of that, I immediately stopped what I was doing and said. Thank you very much for hearing my complaints. It is as if I was splashed with water and my soul has been refreshed even if its for just a bit Youre welcome After saying that, she unrolled the cloth covering the entrance and showed me out. Once I got back, Keith said. That really took a while, didnt it? You look really refreshed. Dont get so into it that you forget about the time alright? I actually enjoyed it in a different way than what he was implying but I just didnt say anything to correct him. I hope that tomorrows breakfast is a lot better than todays lunch and dinner. ~Idle Talk~ Inside the carriage the day after Caam mofumofud. You know, the rumored person who defeated the 30 humans who were about to attack us came to our shop yesterday Eh? That weird person who stuck grass all over his body? He didnt have grass in his body but from his complaints, I think that he was actually the one from the rumors Whats with that person with grass all over his body?Ive heard about stories of that grass person defeating 30 humans who were about to attack us you know? That was all that the prostitutes were talking about yesterday afternoon. So, how was he? Was he good? Was he big?2 It ended with him just touching my tail. At first, he was saying things like Its alright if you dont take your clothes off and You dont need to take off your underwear as well. Because of that, I was starting to think that he was a pervert but he was actually just a really weird person. I feel like hes just someone who deep down is really kind Eh~. Whats up with that~? It was his first time killing anybody, moreover he killed 30 in one go. Because of that, it seems like he caught that condition that newly recruited soldiers experience Its impossible to get just by killing 30 people you know? Are you sure that hes just kind?34 But if it wasnt for that grass person, dont you think that our carriage would have been attacked as well? Didnt he defeat them even though it was difficult for him? At least thats what I think I guess thats true. Ive heard that that person was just conscripted from the guild. I guess thats probably why he would need to force himself to do that Then, lets just say that hes a weird but nice person The carriage was filled with laughter after that. Thus, a strange rumor started spreading around. ~Idle Talk 2~ Caam-kun has gone to the front lines! -Suzurans reaction- I see Is that all that you have to say!? How cold-hearted, Suzuran-chan! I mean, I just cant imagine Caam getting so injured that hed die (He can use recovery magic but it seems like thats supposed to be a secret) -His parents reaction- I see I wonder if hell get to play an active role there I wonder~ Is that all? Arent you worried about him? Hes our son after all (He can use recovery magic) -Suzurans parents reaction- So hes finally going to a battlefield huh! Hes finally going to a place where he can go all out Im sure he will Arent you worried!? Well sure Yeah (He has recovery magic so hell be able to manage somehow) (He has recovery magic so Im sure hed be alright) -3 idiots reaction- Frontlines huh Thats unusual for such a cowardly guy like him. It was an order though so Im sure that it couldnt be helped Thats true Un un Arent you worried? I mean, its Caam after all That evening while lying in the futon in Suzurans room. Everyones reaction to the news was so terrible. Why isnt anybody worried about him? Latte decided to go to sleep while grumbling. CH 46.1 Chapter 46 Part 1: That time when there was a melee in front of the fort and we didnt know what to do as we watched from the side The morning of the next day, the leader of the unit who looks like an insect with feelers growing out of his head did a speech in a loud voice. While he was doing that, I was carefully eating my meal. I went through all the effort lining up to get this warm soup after all. Well be moving on foot from this point onwards! Well be able to see our destination, the fort, once we cross that hill! The fort is an important location in the frontlines where the supplies are delivered and injured soldiers are treated and at this moment, the humans are trying to snatch it away from us! Our job will be to repel them! Just take whatever is necessary from your luggage in the carriages. You can leave the rest to the remaining 10% of the group that will stay behind. In case something happens, we can send a messenger here so you should look for someone who will receive that message! Our victory is certain! Thats why Id like it if you savor your meal and eat it slowly! So in other words, hes saying that this might be our last meal so we should savor this meal. Well, I guess you dont really say it in such a blunt way like that normally. Might as well savor my meal as he said. Oi, Caam. What do you think were going to do? Who knows? We were just told to act as a supporting unit so we can just move independently as a commando unit right? Even Yaoul-san wasnt sure since he said that its out of his jurisdiction so lets just take it easy and try not to cause trouble Thats true. Lets just all mobilize together Whats with this Lets all go together atmosphere building up here? After we finished eating breakfast, I took my small rucksack and rushed to finish up the inspection of my equipment. If I take too long, the people from the infantry corps might make a fuss. Oh? Its time, isnt it? Yeah, it seems so. Are we going to say at the end of the line like last time? We already finished guarding the Transportation Corps so our task right now is to eliminate the humans whore swarming the frontline base, however, the two of us werent sure what were supposed to do. Were being treated as mercenaries and there arent a lot of us here so aside from providing us with meals and other consumable goods, were pretty much ignored. Nn, I guess we should go then` Right` After saying that, our group started walking. We sounded very relaxed as we conversed so the everyone around started glaring at us. Come to think of it, are there any other units who have people that were dispatched from the guild? I dont think so Does that mean that Cravatte-sama didnt hire anyone else besides the two of us? Ah`, thats probably the case Since we were so casually conversing, the members of the infantry corps started glaring at us as we followed them closely behind. Is that the hill? As I said that, the soldiers were already starting to line up side by side and the cavalry unit setting up behind the hill. Theyre split into two groups so theyll probably cross the hill from both sides. Well, I already saw that in their training so that is to be expected but I wonder how theyll fare when were in battle. While I was thinking that, we decided to take a look at the situation at the fort. Theyre still so small I can barely see them but at the bottom of the gently sloped hill 700 meters ahead, there are human soldiers besieging the fort. In front of them is a moat thats surrounding a square rampart. The rampart was around 300 meters wide on one side and 10 meters tall with arrowslits on top. Since I can see people moving around on top, I guess the wall is at least 2 meters thick. The entrance should probably be a drawbridge. Can they accommodate these much reinforcements I wonder? Im not sure if theyre still alive in there though. I want to be able to sleep in a soft bed and a roof on my head soon. The grounds completely bare with no trace of grass. I guess it must have been thoroughly trodden on. I cant even see any trees and only a few bushes nearby. How annoying. We cant ambush them so I can only wear my brown clothes. The moat was around 7 meters wide and looks to be about 3 meters deep. How deep the water level is then? Im guessing that its enough to drown the humans but cant really tell. Wait, dont tell me its just a meter deep. Even if they botched up the construction, thats still too little water. The distance between the ramparts and the moat is pretty wide so they wont be able to cross unless they had a really long ladder. I see that the humans have a siege tower but it doesnt seem like itll be of any use (with the moat right there). Now that I think about it, how do they do trigonometric functions in this world anyway? The wall is 10 meters tall and its about 7 meters away from them so the ladder length should be Well, so long enough to reach it I guess. Un. Its no use even if somebody acquires that knowledge, they probably wouldnt know where and how to apply it. Well`, the worst thing about all of this is the insufficient water level. They would probably give up if it was deep but they can just enter the moat if its actually shallow. It would be difficult to move through the water if it at least reached their waist though. They are already in the water so even if the guys defending the fort pour boiling oil and water from above, they might just get away with only moderate burns. But even so, the unsanitary conditions in the battlefield among other things make it so that theyll probably suffer for a long time and will eventually die from those injuries. Well, they might also survive but thats just what I presume. Is that a handcartwheelbarrow? The humans have those at hand so while theyre being shot by arrows, the humans were frantically digging and transporting soil to try and fill the moat. Theres water in it though so its just turning into a bog. The guys in the fort are still holding out against the humans catapult right now but there are only a few guys aiming at the humans operating that mango-something whatever its called. Or is that just an even bigger trebu Geez, Ill just call it a stone-throwing weapon. Why do these weapons have such complicated names? Well, the smaller one has a shorter range so I guess they picked that one to target. They would obviously bring those out after all. This is bad, isnt it? [TL: Mangonel=ޥ󥴥ͥ and trebuchet=ȥӥ奷å Those words are a mouthful for the Japanese I guess] I wonder why the humans still havent used that stone-throwing weapon yet. Well, I guess that has nothing to do with me. Oi. It seems like were going to be attacking soon Roger. Im going to change my clothes so give me a moment After saying that, I changed into my brown clothes then mixed water with the soil to create mud to cover my face and hair. Alright! With this, Im completely brown!1 You really are a strange guy, arent you? I cant really deny that The people of this world just dont get it yet. Charge```! Ohhh`````! A large number of people vigorously charged towards the hill then split into to the left and right paths. Looking at the right path, we can see the main entrance so youd probably be behind the fort if you took the other path. Oi, did we get left behind? Hm? Ah`. Well, it cant be helped. Were just hired help after all. Lets just look at the flow of the battle before we take action Noticing their loud voices, the humans turned around, put up their shields, then poked their long spears through the gaps. A formation that emphasizes defense is good and all but can they stand the force of a horse running downhill I wonder? Ah, their formations collapsing. Well, its impossible after all. From there, the humans were starting to recover their disarrayed formation but they were suddenly attacked by a large group from behind. They guys who were attacking the fort were forced to go on the defensive as a response the charge so they were still able to somewhat recover but their numbers were clearly not enough. After that, the prisoners who were only equipped with just a sword and shield started mowing down the humans as stones were flying at them. They may be prisoners but that still some pretty crappy equipment, isnt it? I wonder if it cant be helped since theyre just considered as disposable pawns. Well, I cant really say anything about equipment considering that I have my shovel, crowbar, machete, and thick clothes. I wonder if those unpopular old men are still alright We need to cut the rope to prevent that stone-thrower from attacking. Well, I guess we should go and give them support. I soften the ground near it with magic then turned it over burying a lot of the humans nearby while I was at it. Its magic! They have a magician with them! Stay vigilant! A flashy looking guy started waving around his sword while saying something. Well, I wouldnt be able to hear them from here though. Hmm. Well then, I guess we should go as well` Huh? Did you do that? Yeah He was pointing his finger towards that scene so I just lightly replied. You really are an idiot, arent you! You usually wouldnt be able to do that you know! He violently retorted. Well, I was able to do it though Haa Well, whatever. So, what are we going to do? Theres a melee up front so were going to go around them. If we go through the other side of this hill using the left path, well be behind the fort. Lets just do that so we can proceed safely After saying that, we moved towards the other side of the hill while making sure we werent noticed as we went around them. I poked my head out a bit to make sure the coast is clear and to examine the situation. It looks like the humans cant do anything. They cant even set up their ladders on the ramparts because theyre busy dealing with our troops as theyre getting shot by arrows from above. It kinda feels like everything will somehow be alright even if we do nothing. This is just a conclusion I came up with but do you want to hear it? What is it? It kinda feels like we wont get our turn at this rate While I was saying that, Keith also poked his head out. Ah` It looks like he got what I meant. I wonder how it looks from the front Dont know. Are we going to go around again? I guess so We were already clear of the hill so we decided to go another detour to reach the right side while making sure that the humans dont see us. We havent done anything yet, have we? Yeah While having that kind of exchange, we lowered our bodies as we made our way to a shrubbery located near the right side of the rampart. I really appreciate the reliability of the plants in these kinds of situations. Im not sure how intense of a battle theyre having on the left side but its just a battle between the laddermen versus the guys throwing boiling oil and water over the ramparts and the archers here on the right. Meanwhile, the exchange of arrows between the attackers and defenders continues. Shall we start giving them support while making sure to avoid shifting their attention to us? Y-yeah After saying that, I shot out a boiling WaterBall. I choose boiling water instead of the normal one since I took into consideration the splash radius and figured that I might as well target the guys who are climbing the ladder. Ive always thought about this but how exactly does the water ball in games do damage? Is it from the impact of being shot out or does it have something to do with the quality of the water used? I guess that might be it since Ive heard that its possible for the waters surface to have the equivalent hardness of a concrete wall depending on the angle and speed you hit it. Im sure it would really hurt if a buckets worth of water that was traveling at more than a hundred kph hit you. Giyaa```!Arghh~~~ Feeling the heat on their backs, the people climbing the ladders jumped into the moat by themselves in panic. While I was observing that, the soldiers on top of the wall peaked over and shot arrows into the moat. They probably want to make sure that theyre dead. Even though theyre speaking a different language, it seems like youll be able to understand the scream no matter which world you are in. Keith, will your arrows reach them from here? It will but my aim might be a little wonky at this distance Im sure that it will reach them though Theyre about 200 meters away after all. I guess its hard to predict where the arrow would land at that distance. I see. We wouldnt want to hit our allies so it cant be helped. I guess Ill use my magic then. Ah`, we might get noticed if I do that. Is that okay? Do what you want. I wont say anything about your magic anymore Roger~ I generated a 500 litters worth of boilingWaterBall 20 meters above and dropped it towards an area where there were a lot of humans. Ive seen that amount in a large tank at a hardware store so it was easy for me to imagine the size. As if a large water balloon exploded, the hot water scattered around in every direction causing a large amount of steam to come out. The soldiers who got hit by the hot water screamed and jumped into the moat. When the steam cleared up, the demonkin soldiers who had no idea what just happened came to their senses and started firing arrows towards the digging humans and topping down the ladders. Ugh``` While groaning, Keith had a weird look on his face as he looked at me. It seems like you have something you want to say I know I said that I wont comment about your magic anymore but you really are an oddball, arent you? Is that so? Even as I said that, I continued producing another hot water ball for my next wave of attack. After doing that a few times, the soldiers started running away. It seems like theyre about to approach our direction. Hey, I still need to aim my waterball at the guys attacking the wall so Ill leave these ones to you Yeah yeah. I got it After saying that, he started eliminating the humans running towards us by shooting arrows at them one by one. No matter what you say about Keith, theres no denying the fact that his accuracy and rate of fire are really good. That might be the reason why he was also chosen by a noble. After Keith defeated a few more people, instead of running away to our direction, they spread out left and right sides of the rampart. Ill just leave the guys coming this way to you. Theyre not running towards us just yet so it doesnt seem like we were noticed Got it While examining the situation, I let loose another water ball but that no longer did anything because of how spread out the humans are. Even if I didnt do anything, the soldiers on top of the ramparts could have dealt with them with their arrows. They have to worry about the hot water if they group up but then there are the arrows if they decide to split up or run away. And no matter where they run, theyre bound to get attacked so the humans no longer have a chance in this fight. Dont you think thats enough? Ah`, I guess so. Theres no need for me to produce any more waterballs We decided to lay low in the bushes for a while. OHHHHH`````! A few moments after that, we heard loud cheers coming from the fort. There were still a few vanguards from the prisoner troops roaming about the entire battlefield has been mostly cleared up(of soldiers). Is that it? Were already done, right? We stood up from behind the bushes and approached the out of breath prisoner soldiers. Is it over? I think so The prisoner soldier we approached was a panting bloodstained beastkin who had bloodshot eyes and was being vigilant of his surroundings. Im sorry to be rude but is that blood yours? Are you injured? Its from the enemy so dont worry about it I see. Then, lets go group up with the others We began to walk after that. It made me feel depressed knowing that well have to walk while avoiding the mountain of corpses. I didnt want to see any dead bodies but I cant avoid doing that since they are everywhere. Its the worst. After most of the soldiers have gathered and even the carriages carrying the goods arrived they lowered the drawbridge and a flabby creature wearing clean and gaudy clothes and whose race I didnt know came out. In a high-pitched voice, he said: Thanks for the reinforcement Did he get so fat that it started squeezing his vocal cords? I cant even fathom a guess as to what race he is. Thank goodness you arrived on time The insectkin who is probably the one in charge of the place said that as he beckoned the caravan. All of the goods are fine as well. Well be able to continue fighting with this Then the flabby creature butted in and address the troops. Nobody will get mad at us if we splurge out today! Because of that, while youre cleaning up, well make a nice hot meal for you! OHHH```` Un, I certainly think that its important to raise the morale of the troops but you would probably jump on any reason to eat, right? Shouldnt you also attach debuu to the end of your sentences? Hell be saying something like Im hungry. Bring out the food debuuWhat are you doing debuu! Finish off the humans quickly debuu![TL: equivalent to oink oink I guess] While Im coming up with such wild ideas, Keith was giving me a weird look. While gathering the arrows from the soldiers corpses our troops were finishing off the not yet dead but suffering humans lying around. After that, they piled up the corpses on one place then set them on fire. The smell of the burning humans started to reach my nose so I ran upwind to escape it. Or rather, why is it that the cleanup time takes longer compared to our time in battle? As for the ones who ran away earlier, the lightly injured ones and the ones wearing flashy-looking armor were bound and gathered in front of the gate. Ah`, I really dont want to know what will happen to them after this. What do they even do with the survivors? Just as I was thinking that, when I looked back, their heads were already separated from their bodies. A-ah, I knew I shouldnt have looked Muttering that, I searched for my luggage on the carriage and decided to stuff my face with sweets. Its already past noon based on the position of the sun so I decided to look for Keith while walking on the slippery blood-soaked ground. O~i, have you had your lunch yet? Before that, you should go and wipe your face Yeah`, I didnt get covered in blood this time so I completely forgot I shoved my face inside the Waterball I created then wiped it off with a cloth. Thats a really convenient magic, isnt it? Right? Want me to teach you? I tried saying that while grinning. I cant use magic Well, my bow skill is pretty trash So what? You want me to teach you that in return? No. What Im implying is that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses Damn right`. How bad are you with the bow anyway? Ill somehow manage to hit anything but my target. It also kinda feels like the arrow would fly straighter if I just threw it Whats with that? Let me see it for a bit He laughed as he handed me a bow and arrow. Then, he then started commenting as I did my demo. Ooh, what a nice form Ah`, it kinda seems like youve been cursed by god. It doesnt seem like it will fly straight no matter what you do While we were doing that, we heard some soldiers shout, Its meal time````! as they were walking so we immediately decided to follow them. It had more ingredients in it this time but they still served the same bacon soup and hard-baked bread. Theyre still pretty stingy when it comes to splurging out, arent they? Well, theyve just restocked the supplies so I guess it cant be helped Theres just bacon in it so it doesnt really make me happy Nn`. Damn right You know, the carriage I rode to get to Tephroite had prisoners in it Whats this all of a sudden? Well, I was thinking about searching for them since Ive heard that there were a few of us from the demonkin side who were injured I see Yeah. Moreover, Ive heard that almost all of the injured were from the prisoner group so Im a bit worried about them Lets go then. We arent soldiers so they probably wont say anything I guess thats true. Sorry about talking about this even though were eating Dont mind it. Its actually better that way since the smell of that burning corpse mountain thats starting to reach us We quickly finished our meal after that then I walked towards the area where the prisoners were gathered. CH 46.2 Chapter 46 Part 2: That time when there was a melee in front of the fort and we didnt know what to do as we watched from the side TL: kizen ED: Filip There were around 200 prisoners in total. That is quite a low number compared to the number of students youd see in an assembly hall at a slightly larger school.1 I started walking around the area while searching for them so everyones gaze was gathered at me. Theyre not here. They didnt die, did they? I quickly headed towards the area where theyre treating injured soldiers and saw both the dog-eared and fox-eared old man. Old man! Caam!? Near them was the cat-eared old man lying face down. Looking closely, you could see that theres a large wound on his back with lots of blood coming out. It seems like theyve tried stopping the bleeding using the dog-eared and fox-eared old mens shirts. What about the treatment? They dont have enough medicine so they said theyre putting off the treatment for the prisoners. We wanted to stop the bleeding at the very least so we used our shirts What the hell? In the end, theyre just treating you as sacrificial pawns It was a bit noisy so, while groaning, the cat-eared old man opened his eyes. Yo Caam. I screwed up. Haha He said weakly. I couldnt bear it any longer and was about to find a nurse or a medic or somebody who can use recovery magic but the old man put his hand on my shoulder and said. Theres nothing we can do about that. Thanks for being angry for us2 I cant even use my recovery magic since I would definitely get found out and overworked if I used it here. Its alright if I use my own, right? After saying that, I went back to Keith, who I entrusted with my luggage. I took the box with the needle and thread, the potion bottle set I bought from the store, some distilled liquor and several sheets of cloth then ran back to where the old men were. Cat-eared old man, this might hurt a bit so can you handle it? More painful than this? He gave a joking reply but I didnt mind it and just started with my preparations. I gently bent the sewing needle to turn it into a surgical suture then placed it inside a hot waterball I created together with the thread. After that, I took a cloth, dipped it in the hot waterballthen used it to clean the wound. If I remember correctly, you stitch it in the middle first then gradually work your way outwards until the wound closes.3 While I was thinking that, I sanitized my hands using the distilled liquor then took out the needle from the hot waterball. This might hurt a bit so please bite on this towel for a while I began suturing his wound after that. The other two old men were watching but they understood that I was treating him so they didnt say anything. Once I was done, I sprinkled the potion all over the wound, folded the cloth I brought a few times, applied it to the wound then used the remaining cloth to wrap it around his body. I think that the pressure from this should also stop the bleeding. The potion should also help in closing the wound. A small blood stain started to appear on the cloth but after a short while, and the stain didnt get any bigger than that. Has the bleeding finally stopped? I-I think its probably alright now. It has already stopped bleeding after all Probably!? This is the first time I did something like this after all ISo I was just a test subject I only knew what treatment to administer but Im just an amateur so I dont know exactly how to do it okay? Well, its all good if it stopped bleeding Im gonna sleep After saying that, he took a deep breath then closed his eyes. Then, the dog-eared old man came to me and said. I cant thank you enough. I dont know how to pay you back right now but Ill do whatever you ask once were free and if we get out of this alive. Thank you, really He held my hand tightly while shaking it as he said that in a low voice. Its okay. I know you so I couldnt just overlook it. Also, Ill leave this to you three so make sure youre able to return it to me someday While talking in an even lower voice, I took out 2 potion bottles out of my potion box then gave the rest to them. But, we dont know where Caam is from Remember the sake I used earlier? This Beryl Sake? This sake is named after the village where it was made, thats where Im from While I was saying that, I shook around the sake I had in my hands. The village near Aegirine? Thats right Got it. Ill be sure to pay you back for these potions All thats left is to wash your clothes We went back to talking normally after that. Ha? I mean, its covered in blood desu. Itd be difficult to get rid of it if it dries after all While saying that, I put their clothes inside the now just lukewarm waterball and made it roll around. Ah, crap`. I should have brought soap as well Once their clothes were clean, I wring out their shirt before giving it back to them. After that, I moved on to fixing the cat-eared old mans clothes. I noticed that the other prisoners around us were looking at us bitterly. Im sorry but I dont have to do anything since you guys are unrelated to me. I can wash your wounds but Id like it if you would spare me from suturing your wounds and giving you potions. Knowledge is a fortune you can bring anywhere with you so I think that you should try learning useful things that could be helpful to you in the future The three of us were chatting as I sewed the cat-eared old mans clothes when one of the soldiers who was treating the other injured called out to me. U-uhm. I have a request Hah?4 Hes a part of the group who said they were putting off the treatment for the prisoners and left the old man to die. My mood turned sour after I realized that and even I was surprised at that low threatening voice that came out. I know that you are angry at us for not treating the prisoners even though we were just following orders. But even so, I still have to ask this of you Okay. Im agreeing to hear you out for now but just know that my response might be different Yes Were currently running short on clean cloths and water. Because of that, we were wondering if you could give us some water with that magic you used earlier. With that, well be able to clean the injured soldiers wounds and wash the used cloths Ah` As I uttered that, almost all of the people around had their gaze set on me. It seems like I wont be able to avoid looking like a narrow-minded, horrible bastard if I refuse here. I guess its alright if its just that. But still, getting called a horrible bastard seems kinda cool. Like those AT pilots.5 No no no, I shouldnt be thinking about that right now. I need to remember that this would benefit everyone. Fine, its okay if its just that Thank you very much I was in a bad mood so I gave them a snobbish reply. They immediately went to get a bucket after that so I produced 2 waterballsthat were a bit bigger than usual. One was hot and the other was just lukewarm. Please just draw from that. Ill add more once it gets smaller Thank you very much It seems like they were really grateful. Well, theyre going to use this for a good cause so it cant be helped. Since Ive already gone this far, I guess Ill help them out some more. Ah`, if anybody wants to wash their bodies, Im going to produce another one so please come with your own cloth ready I created anotherwaterball then made it float. Once it became muddy, I threw it far away then created a new one. Hey, is Caam actually someone amazing? It seems like he actually is I heard the fox-eared old man behind me say that so I looked back and showed them a smile. After a while of doing nothing, a combat medic whose supposed to be treating somebody right now came over and asked. Arent you experiencing any symptoms of magic power deficiency? Hm? Whats that? Ah`, is that the sluggish feeling I experienced during my first time harvesting back in the village? Im still alright. Thank you very much for worrying about me I understand. Please tell us if ever you feel unwell After saying that, he went back to curing the injured soldiers. Ah` what a nice way to pass the time. I have the lovely sound of groaning as my BGM and is accented by an occasional Gua! and Ahhh!. While I was thinking about that, Keith arrived. I didnt think you were coming back so I just came here instead. I have something I need to do so I brought you your luggage He handed my rucksack and equipment back to me after saying that. Thanks. Are you going to the prostitutes now? Im not like you He went off to somewhere after giving me that slightly annoyed reply. However, looking at his figure from behind, you can see his tail rapidly swinging about. That guys pretty bad at lying, isnt he? Hes the same as me. Ah`, I wonder how long I should stay here It seems like its about to end soon so I started to brew some tea to drink while observing the treatment of the remaining injured soldiers. Didnt tea have disinfecting properties in it? That was green tea, right? I wonder if its the same for the plants in this world? How long will I remain in such a dangerous place like this I wonder? -Idle Talk- Evening of that day. Hey, did you see how that catapult was destroyed? Yeah. It looked like the ground suddenly crumbled swallowing the humans who were near it Do you know who did it? Someone from the reinforcements most likely. If not then one of the magician here in the fort As I thought While they were talking about that, another soldier joined in. I was on the defensive side but did you see that large waterball appearing in the sky and dropping towards where the humans were gathered? The humans who were confused jumped into the moat because of that. There were talks about how that waterball must have been made out of hot water because of how much steam came out. That helped us out a lot. Dont you think thats the same person who destroyed the catapult? Hot water? Now that you mention it, there wasnt enough water to use to treat the injured so I heard that one of our combat medics asked a guy from the hired group earlier today to give us some with his magic. Not only did that guy agree, he even gave us some hot and lukewarm water. It was a lot too Oi oi. If thats true then those guys must have been the ones covering for us right? I guess so. We knew that their reinforcements were gathering by the right side of the hill and we were bracing for their attack but no matter how long we waited, they didnt come. This is the 7th day since they attacked right? Because of that, we were almost out of arrows, tar, and the soldiers were losing morale so we werent expecting to be able to push them back. We didnt know where they were supporting us from so we really didnt know what was happening at first Such an amazing guy came. We might actually survive this Yeah. It seems like we can hold out until winter -Idle Talk 2- Inside a large tent the night before the attack. Forgive me for bringing this up while were eating but I have received a report that the soldiers we sent to disrupt the supply line of the demons still havent returned What!? Were they able to delay the transportation of goods? Or could it be that they were all killed Even though we sent close to 50 commando units? Yes. Ive tasked several people to not participate in battle so that someone can give us a detailed report just in case something happens. Due to that, I was certain that a report would arrive. They were supposed to be here yesterday but it didnt seem like even one of them would come back Did you try to send more units? Or is it possible that they took another path? No. We were sure that the demons would take their usual transportation route so we had 45 men waiting in the forest but we also assigned several people to check the other routes. Since they were keeping watch for the entire day, considering todays lack of report, I think the demonkins reinforcements will most likely arrive tomorrow at noon. I suggest we send some soldiers defending the base as insurance I understand. You do just that. Select 200 men from the ones stationed to defend the base CH 47 Chapter 47 Part 1: That time when I was stationed to help with the defenses but was actually the one in charge of odd jobs TL: kizen ED: Filip Im being openly harassed. I was made to clean up the corpses in the moat by myself. I had to make temporary repairs to the wall that was damaged by the catapult all by myself. I checked the water channel leading to the moat was clogged up all by myself. There was no one to change shifts with when I had to stand watch at night. I couldnt even go to sleep the next day since I had to sort stuff out in the warehouse. And lets not forget that theyre not even giving me proper meals. I wrote a detailed account of these things in my diary. -1st entry- 3 days since we defeated the humans surrounding the fort I woke up early, ate the same dull breakfast, then was assigned to clean up the moat. After pulling out the sunk corpses out of the moat using my waterball, I extracted the arrows from their bodies, stripped off their armor, place them on a cart, then threw them in the area where we burned the other corpses the other day. I still need them to dry up so after piling them up, I moved on to repairing the damaged rampart. I kneaded a mudball with just gravel and regular mud. I used that to fill in the holes located at different places of the rampart as temporary measures for the rain and the wind. They forced this task on to me by saying. Youre just hired help so you do it. We soldiers need to be prepared since we dont know when the enemy will attack after all. And besides, your pay is already decided so shouldnt you work for it? The person himself brazenly said that in my face so I reluctantly agreed. What about the prisoners you say? Unfortunately, since theyve already completed their job, they already went back together with Yaoul-san and the others two days after the goods were delivered. Although the cat-eared old mans wound was just starting to close, he was forcibly taken with them. Even most of the prostitutes went back home. Only those who want to earn a bit more have remained in the front lines. The others took advantage of the carriage carrying the injured to go home so there are only a few of them left. Thats the reason why the task of disposing of the dead bodies was left to me. Keith has good eyesight so he was sent to the highest part of the fort as a lookout. Whats with this overwhelming sense of unfairness? Isnt this comparable to the black companies in my previous life? Well, I guess working in one of those companies would be better than going to the front lines. I looked at the sun by chance while I was immersed in my work and noticed that lunchtime had ended a long time ago but I wasnt called to eat. What the hell? No matter how you put it, this is making me want to start my own one-man rebellion. It still took them about an hour before I was called. When I got to the mess hall, they looked pretty irritated while giving me a cold soup that doesnt have anything left in it, hard baked bread, and dried meat. Since its already cold, I held the cup of soup in one hand and produced Fire in the other to heat it up before drinking it and eating the rest of my lunch. It seems like they only give me my share after the soldiers have finished. Are they treating me like this because the unit who brought me is no longer here? I wouldnt be complaining if I at least have some help but since theres none I would like to say at least one. Ill just make sure to write everything down on a memo pad Im using as a journal so I wont forget. I also had to dispose of the corpses in the afternoon. Starting from the gate, I moved to the left going around removing the bodies from the moat. While I was doing that, I looked up and saw a familiar fox tail. Its the fox-eared prostitute. So she didnt leave While I was thinking that, she smiled and waved at me so I did the same in return. That gave me some of my motivation back. Once evening came, I was able to finish cleaning up the corpses in the front and the left side of the moat. Its been a while since I felt this worn out from using up my magic. I was exhausted but as I thought, when I was called for dinner, I was still given the same treatment as earlier. To distract me from my exhaustion and annoyance, Ill just drink tea with brown sugar in it. By the way, since they said there were no vacant rooms left, Im just sleeping under the stairs so that I wont get in the way. -2nd entry- 4 days since we defeated the humans surrounding the fort While I was drinking tea last night, I received the announcement Mana Increase: 2. Did it go up because I used up my mana yesterday? How much do I usually use anyway? Im not really sure. I pretty much did the same work as yesterday. If I had to say what was different, I guess I no longer had to repair the wall since I already finished that yesterday. The corpses I gathered yesterday had already dried up so I tried asking for oil or something to use as an accelerant but they just told me: You can use magic so do it with magic. Dont waste oil Even if its dry outside, theres still a lot of water inside so that would be impossible We continued arguing about that till the sun had already set half way. After that, I continued disposing of the dead bodies inside of the waterway until evening. Like I had expected, I was only called after all of the soldiers have eaten and it was still the same cold soup as yesterday. I was also given the same hard baked bread and dried meat. Since I didnt use up my magic today, I went to talk with Keith. It seems like that guy gets called at the same time as the soldiers and receives warm soup. Seriously, why am I the only one treated like this? -3rd entry- 5 days since we defeated the humans surrounding the fort The humans blocked the water canal at the back of the fort so clean water doesnt flow into the moat. It might smell because of the stuff that collected there but it cant be helped, go and clean it up! I was some typical sounding stuff like that. It didnt bother me since I was planning to head there the day before anyway. Since I dont trust those guys, Ill just bring all of my luggage with me. I walked for a while until I saw a river. A large amount of sediment has accumulated there blocking the water supply. I used magic to clear it off and after confirming that theres nothing thats preventing the water from flowing, I decided to head back. Ill just walk slowly though so that the soldiers are already done eating by the time Im back. Is it because its already autumn? Theres a fruit that looks like a mandarin orange growing near the river so I took some with me to eat. Ill just eat these as a source of vitamins. I would have squeezed out its juices if I had some empty bottles with me but unfortunately, the only bottles I have already contain distilled liquor and oil so Ill just have to give up on that. If this was like my previous world, I could have just reused the PET bottles lying by the river. I guess Ill also bring the peel with me so that I can dry it and make herb tea. Im sure Ill get the same cold soup again so Ill just make tea beforehand. When I got back, I found out that I was being accused by the of pilfering the warehouse goods by the bald mouse-looking guy. Its a good thing that I didnt get my turn guarding it so they didnt have anything against me.1 -4th entry- 6 days after we defeated the humans surrounding the fort Theyre still trying to mark me as a thief. Theyve been calling me out for everything and keep on pushing random work to me. Keith also thought it was strange so he tried to talk with the soldiers but that didnt do anything. Although I think it would be nice if I get sent home, Im not willing to do that at any cost. 2 The guys finally stopped trying to mess with me so I was able to go stand watch with Keith. Iya`, you can see pretty far away after all Yeah, the vision you get here is the best Shall we do our magic lessons then? Oi oi, werent you completely overworked up until now? You should just make this a day where you dont use magic Why are you trying to ask me to take a day off all of a sudden? Well, I just considered that as training. If you dont do that then you wont be able to master anything I guess thats true I just did as he said and sat on top of the tower cross-legged to try and come up with ideas. I thought of things and decided to create some kind of scope. An actual scopes internal structure is complex so I guess I should just go with something a bit simpler. First, I need to make the objective lens. With magic, I produced Fluorite and shaped in an ellipse. Ah`, its starting to look like a magnifying glass. Its also showing everything in reverse. Next would be the erecting lens that makes the image upright. The reticle is added to this part. After that is the ocular lens which makes the image visible to the shooter. What should I do about the reticle I wonder? Image ? a red cross of light in the erecting lens ? with red lines at fixed intervals below the center line ? execute Ah, it appeared. It looks exactly the same as the line youd see when looking through a scope or ACOG I said that out loud without thinking. Well then, I guess I should try looking through it. Ah`, its not coming into focus Because of that, I tried moving it around to fix it. While Im at it, I also encased the scope in obsidian. Once its showing the image properly, its done. What are you doing? Its still a secret After saying that, I took two thick logs and went outside then drove them in the ground until it was the same height as me and at 400 and 600 meters away from the gate. Hey, Im back Ive been looking at you for a while now. What the heck were you doing? I decided to go all out and share with him my game knowledge. As a bow user, are you aware of a bird called falcon? Yeah. Its a famous bird for having good eyesight. Itll be able to see a mouse in the ground even though its usually flying high in the sky Then this would be easier to explain After saying that, I handed over the scope I made with magic earlier to him. Try looking through that Keith gave me a weird look as he tried peeking through the scope but it immediately changed into a look of disbelief. Whats this What the heck is this!? Let me explain. You see this small fine sand grains here? While saying that, I showed him the sand I gathered on my hand. Yeah What happens if you look at this using this crystal made of fluorite? It looks bigger What about if you hold it like I did earlier? Everything is upside down Its upside down right now but if you add this After saying that, I made Keith look through it with the erecting lens. Its upright now It can even make farther objects look even bigger if you add this plate-like crystal No way You can see things at a distance clearly Thats what this is for After saying that, I handed the scope again to him. Those floating crystals you showed me are inside of this right? Thats right What about this line? That is what indicates the center of what you are looking at What about the lines at the bottom? You saw those logs I propped up right? The first one is 400 paces away so if you align the top of the log with the long horizontal line, the center should be at the 2nd line from the top Yeah If you do the same with the other one at 600 paces away, the center should align with the 3rd third line from the top Thats true It basically lets you know how far your target is345 it disappeared I made that with magic so it would disappear once it runs out Whats with that! I created twoObsidian Knives and placed it on the ground. To put it simply, for some reason, things that are produced out of nothing using magic would eventually disappear. It does that even quicker if it receives any impact After saying that, I took one of the knives and used it to hit the ground. After doing that 4 to 5 times, the knife disappeared into thin air. It would disappear immediately if it received a strong blow so you can only use this to defend against a sword or axe once. Even if we just leave this lying here in the ground, it would eventually disappear after a while6 No shit! Can you make me one?7 Well, do you have crystals and transparent fluorite as well as a way to polish it while making sure that it doesnt break? If its someone from the dwarf race then Its probably impossible right? Even if they can make it, wouldnt it be really expensive? Wouldnt it be better if you just learned magic? Hmm` Ill think about it Just let me know whenever youve made your decision. You should remember that if you do decide to learn it, youll be able to make these things even when Im not around After that, I decided to test out the scope. Keith, dont tell anyone about the magic youll see here. Do you swear on whatever gods name you believe in or to your parents or a respected master? What the hell are you talking about? Just say whether youll swear or not I said that in a serious tone instead of my usual light-hearted one. I dont know I see. Well whatever, just keep looking at those logs I produced a stone bullet while Keith wasnt looking then tried looking at the flags hoisted on the corners of the rampart to check the wind direction. Since it doesnt look like theres wind blowing, I guess Ill just aim my dot sight at the center of the log then. I hit it. I dont know exactly where but I can see that my shot caused the log break in two. I hit it just a bit below the center point I guess. What was that? I used my magic to hit it Even though I didnt see you cast anything? Oh but I did. Anyway, next will hitting the next one The bullet dropped a bit when I aimed at the center of the log at 400 meters away so this time, Ill try aiming near the top. This logs height is quite smaller than the one at 400 meters so I placed my left hand on my right shoulder, and my forearm on my cheek as a makeshift gun stock. After that, I looked through the scope, aimed at the log then took deep breaths. Suu```` Haa```. Suu``` Ha After the last exhale, I held my breath, counted for 10 heartbeats, then launched my Stone bullet. This time, I was able to hit the center. Good thing I didnt miss. How are you doing that!? The log broke again! You can just say that I hit it using magic but at the same time, you could also say that Im not actually hitting it with magic After saying that, I got up and brushed off the dust on my clothes. Well, I guess its just like an arrow you cant see. Now lets go eat our lunch. Ill probably get warm soup if Im together with Keith sure As we were about to go to receive our meal, the bald mouse approached us said. Caam, youre still on watch. Go back! Hearing that, Keith replied to oppose him. Let me go back then. Caam, you can just go ahead and eat before me After that, the bald mouse just stormed off with his face reddened. Haa What should we do with this blatant harassment? Dont worry about me. Thanks for your concern Its been a while since I was able to have a filling and warm soup without me having to heat it so I immediately poured it into my stomach. It has been decided that Keith will be the one to change with me. Caam, you will be on lookout tonight! We dont have anybody to switch with you so youll have to work hard till morning! Make sure you dont miss anything! The other soldiers were looking at me like theyre looking at a crook. Keith looked like he wanted to say something but I looked him in the eye while shaking my head to convey to him that he shouldnt bother. This guy I could poison or assassinate him but I cant since I would immediately get blamed. I guess Ill just do it even though I dont want to. While thinking that, I went to the highest point of the fort to come up with even more ideas for my new scope magic. I know the theory behind infrared and night-vision scopes but Im not sure what image I have to use. Because of that, those will just have to wait until I manage to come up with an idea. I wonder why Im suddenly getting assigned to stand watch at night without any relief. -5th entry- 7 days since we defeated the humans surrounding the fort I was up all night so Im really sleepy. However, Im not able to sleep because Im stuck with sorting out the items in the storage room. They probably intended for me not to sleep. Im currently at my wits end right now because, at this rate, Im going to be forced to stand watch tonight as well. Its night time and as expected, I was ordered to stand watch. Theres no way I wouldnt get mad after all of that so I took some of those plants that cause addition when smoked, shredded them, then I snuck into that guys room in the middle of the night. Once there, I lit up the leaves, blew on it until it smoke came out, then left it under his bed. It wasnt hard to do that since he didnt lock his door and there were no witnesses either. -6th entry- 8 days after we defeated the humans surrounding the fort. The other soldiers looked like they were starting to worry about me but they still didnt say anything. They would probably get in trouble if they did. Im starting to feel like the taste of the dried meat theyre giving me is getting thinner. As usual, they didnt call me for lunch while I was standing watch, but this time, they didnt even give me bread when I went there myself. Keith was really angry at that but I just didnt think about it. Before I noticed, it was already evening. Keith came over to tell me to sleep so I just did as he said. My head is starting to hurt. By the way, as dawn was starting to creep in, a certain room was once again being filled thick smoke. Chapter 47 Part 2: That time when I was stationed to help with the defenses but was actually the one in charge of odd jobs TL: kizen ED: Filip Seventh entry 9 days after we defeated the humans who were attacking the fort. Cravatte-sama came to the fort to lift up the soldiers morale. In order to avoid me telling on the unreasonable demands he pushed on to me, the bald mouse immediately approached him and in order to converse privately with the lord of the castle, the two of them entered a room. After that, he still continued following Cravatte-sama no matter where he goes. I wonder if anyone will tell him about my situation? Well, whatever. Ill just go to the top of the tower. [ED: Cravattes PoV] Where is Caam-kun right now? Caam is currently standing watch at the highest point of the fort I see. Lets go there No no, let us have somebody call Caam here It would be dangerous for you to go all the way there and your clothes are going to get dirty as well I dont mind. Things would get dirty if you use them after all. Its just a matter of what degree After saying that, I asked a soldier nearby to lead me there but he interrupted. Let me lead you there then I then followed bald mouse-looking fellow until we reached the stairs. Up here? Yes. However, it would be dangerous so we will just have him come here I dont mind. I want to see the scenery from up there It seems like this fellow is up to something But Dont make me repeat myself After saying that, I started climbing the stairs. [ED: and its back] Even though my head hurts due to the lack of sleep, I still diligently wrote stuff in my journal while mumbling complaints. As I was absentmindedly looking at the surroundings, I heard someone climbing the stairs. Is that Keith? Hey, Caam-kun. What a wonderful view you have here Cravatte-sama! I stood up and straightened my posture. Theres no need for titles. Theres nobody else here and they wont hear us down there Ah`, okay. I understand He still wants me to be less formal as expected but he didnt have that carefree attitude he had when we first met. Is it because hes currently in the battlefield? I overheard your complaints earlier. Is there somebody harassing you? Ah`, you could tell? That high-handed bald mouse-looking guy keeps on making me do unreasonable tasks What do you mean? Ah`, it would bothersome if I explain everything by mouth so Ill just give you this I cant really explain stuff properly in my current condition anyway so I just showed him the stuff Ive been writing these past few days. As he turned the pages to my journal, his expression kept on getting warped. Is all of these true? Yes. There are still some that I left out of there. Do you want to hear it? No, if its disadvantageous to you then its fine Okay then. Why did you come all the way here? Are you here to raise the soldiers morale? Hm`, I havent heard anything about you in the reports so I just thought it was strange how its written like you werent taking an active part in anything. Want to see it? Sure After saying that, he took out some fine quality paper. From what was written there, they made it seem like the forest attack didnt happen and the goods were just safely delivered. The catapult was also defeated just by the combined effort of the soldiers. They even said that it was prisoners that disobeyed orders and pushed too far who eliminated the humans flanking behind. My mood just kept getting worse as I skimmed through the pages. Ah`, I also heard about what happened from the rumors being spread by the prostitutes who came back. They said that someone used magic to defeat the catapult even though there were no magicians inside of the fort. They also said that the soldiers split up in order to attack the right and left side but due to that, they were late in assisting the heavily bombarded right side. It seemed like the humans were already annihilated when the prisoner unit finally reached that area though. You also helped in saving the injured soldiers. Those were all of the things I heard from the prostitutes who came back you know? Well, youd get anywhere quicker if you arent marching together with an army after all. Ive heard this from five different sources but is what I said accurate? Yes. Thats pretty much it I see. I understand. For now, you should come with me. Ill be going down first. Ah`, by the way, I heard that even with all the soldiers in this fort gathered, it would take them 3 days to clear the corpses in the moat. However, it seems like Caam-kun was able to do that while repairing the walls at the same time within just two days After saying that, he didnt wait for my reply and just descended the stairs. Welcome back. How was the view? Aa, it was the best. You have an extensive view of the surroundings up there and youd immediately find out whenever an enemy is approaching Caam, youre still on duty. Go back Seeing me come down, the bald mouse said that in a different tone than usual. It feels like hes making me out as the bad guy. I asked him to come with me. You should come too, Gebiss-kun With that said, we entered a place that looks like a council room. Cravatte-sama sat at the head of the table meanwhile, I and Gebiss sat opposite of each other. After that, he called out to one of the soldiers guarding the door and said. Ah`, you over there. Tell Keith-kun and the fox-eared prostitute to come here. Bring with you five soldiers and one combat medic who doesnt seem to busy as well Understood! After saying that, the soldier immediately left. Seeing that, the bald mouse started to get a bit anxious. A while later, the five soldiers, a combat medic, the fox-eared woman from that time, and Keith entered the conference room one by one. It seems like all members are here. I have something I want to ask all of you. It concerns how Caam-kun over here has been treated recently. It seems to me like he has been experiencing terrible, terrible injustice but what does everyone think about that? I agree. They make sure that hes the last one to eat and is purposely given soup thats pretty much just water. Theres also the fact that its already cold when he receives it. There was even one time where he was made to skip his meals. He also had to clean up the moat and repair the walls all by himself Keith, thank you. I guess Ill give you a bit of sake tonight. Umu. I also want to hear the other soldiers opinions After Cravatte-sama said that, everyone just looked at each others faced unable to speak. Then, the soldier who was looking at me with concern during that one mealtime finally said something. It wasnt a mistake, even I saw it myself! Hey Hearing that, the others around him said that in a low voice. I guess that confirms that theyre being forbidden to speak. Well then, what about the combat medics? It seems like Caam-kun was able to assist you with various things, however, none of that is written in this report. Based on a rumor from a reliable source, didnt you get your supply of hot water to use in curing the wounds of the injured soldiers from him? It seems like that hot water also benefited the members of the prisoner unit who wanted to wash their bodies After saying that, he took out the report and placed it on the table. Yes, that is correct. It was I who asked Caam-san to give us some hot water after all. We were given an order to only treat the prisoners last so I saw him cure a prisoner with his own potion. He might have been someone he knew but we didnt think that prisoner would make it. Ah`, so he was that guy. I was mad at that time so I didnt really see his face clearly. Hou After uttering that, he dipped his quill pen in ink then started writing something. Well then, how about the fox-eared Ojou-san? According to the rumors, we were only able to prevent the humans surprise attack due to Caam-kun discovering it. Is it also true that he prevented our troops from being attacked inside the forest because he defeated the humans hiding there? Yes. I saw him entering the forest covered in grass while we were inside our carriage. He came to our tent to buy our services that night so I remember him clearly. I listened to all of his complaints at that time Ah, you dont need to elaborate more than that No, please continue I have been ruthlessly sentenced. At first he just told me that he hasnt experienced killing anything aside from monsters and animals but then it started looking like he was experiencing that illness new soldiers get. After that, he started caressing my tail a lot while calling it cleansing his soul Aaaaaaaaaah`! Together with that scream, the light in my eyes vanished as I looked up to the ceiling. I can hear everybody talking about me in a low voice. Dont worry about it Its possible for everyone to contract that disease. And besides, this woman works by selling her body nobody can question what you want to do after youve handed the money. If its to heal your soul then paying money to caress her tail is fine. Now what else Ah, thats right. What about the matter with the catapult Yes. I saw it myself. While we were frantically dealing with the humans climbing the walls, the ground underneath the catapult suddenly caved-in I even heard the other soldiers saying that there are no magicians capable of that inside the fort The other soldiers who realized that they can no longer be forced to keep quiet started talking one by one. I was right beside Caam at that time so the catapult, it was definitely Caams magic that destroyed the catapult Really? The report said that it was defeated due to everyones cooperation though Now that the report was mentioned, the bald mouse started looking pale. For some reason, hes starting to look like hes aged all of a sudden. This must be a mistake! I can hear you clearly so you dont have to shout. Keith, Ill leave it to you Pardon me As your punishment, youll have to stand and wait in front of the door. Understand? Hearing Cravatte-samas words, I looked at the bald mouse but he was hanging his head so I couldnt see the look on his face. I dont know if Keith is up to something but he happily escorted him out the door. Now then, the final matter will be about the attack behind the fort. The report says that while an intense melee was happening in front, the flanking humans were dealt with prisoners who disobeyed orders. Is that true? Thats inaccurate. We werent expecting the reinforcements to attack our post so we were surprised. Thats when a huge ball of water suddenly appeared in the sky and launched itself towards the humans. Moreover, that water was boiling hot and it traveled towards the enemy at such a great speed that we ourselves were already thinking about jumping into the moat. That huge waterball caused a lot of steam to form so we werent able to see what happened next but once it cleared, there were no humans left and the prisoner unit arrived. After that, Caam-dono, whose entire body was the same color as the ground, and Keith-dono came out from behind a bush Ah`, so this guy was part of the forces defending the back side. Caam-kun, frankly speaking, why were you over on that side? We didnt receive a command from the army before the reinforcements began their assault so we just moved as a commando unit. The right path led to a melee in front so we just took the left path. The humans over there were distracted by our cavalry unit so we just used magic and arrows to deal with them Did you not get seen? Like what that soldier said earlier, I was using magic while we were hiding behind a bush. Because of my attacks though, the panicked human soldiers started running our direction but I just left those guys to Keith I have more or less understood the situation. Now, the reason why I came to this fort in such short notice is because of the rumors I heard about Caam-kun and Keith-kun who, even though they were not soldiers, I expressly requested them to come here. Based on the rumors, the two of them played a very active part however, there was no indication of that in the report that I received. Isnt that strange, Gebiss-kun?123 No, you see. Ah, this must be someones plot against me! Someone must have switched the report while it was en route! I definitely wrote the correct details on my report! You say that but when comparing the report you sent this time to the previous ones, the handwriting look completely identical. Even the idiosyncrasies you have when writing are the same like the places where the ink blots or trails off. A subordinate even told me that the paper and ink have the same scent. If I remember correctly, you smoke inside your room right? The smell of tobacco was also left on the paper Did he ask that dog-eared maid I wonder? Who needs handwriting analysis when you have her?4 Do you have any other excuses? UWAAAAAA!!!! The bald mouse suddenly screamed and started to rush towards Cravatte-sama so I hurriedly created two Obsidian Kunai and threw them at his exposed right wrist and left arm to obstruct him. Did he decide to attack him because he couldnt run away? Its like the phrase: A cornered rat will bite the cat. Cravatte-sama is a dog though. He groaned in pain, immediately extracted the kunais, then pressed down on the wound to stop the bleeding. Now then Gebiss-kun, were discussing your punishment but For Caam-kuns work in cleaning up the moat, he will be given additional remuneration for his troubles. Upon investigation, it seems like it would take the soldiers in this fort three days to complete the clean up so he will receive the equivalent of all salary the soldiers will receive in those three days. Of course, that money will be coming from you, understand? You should have received that much for all the years you have been working till now. Ah, youre also going to be demoted to a regular soldier and once the next batch of supply arrives, you will be immediately sent to the front lines The tendon on his right wrist is already severed so I wonder if hell be alright. Also, Keith looks like hes disappointed that he didnt get to do anything. Ah`, Caam-kun, you can do whatever you want with him as long as you dont kill him. Well, I guess it doesnt matter since he will just get thrown in the battlefield after all He said that in a surprisingly cold voice. Weve just met twice now but I havent heard that kind of voice from him before. Well then, Ill have to go to this fellows room or else we cant give Caam-kun his pay. You, stop this guys bleeding and put him in a cell. Ill entrust it to Caam-kun how he is treated afterwards. And you, lead me to that guys room After saying that, we immediately left the conference room. Oh, crap That addictive plant is probably still burning in that room right now As Cravatte-sama approached the door, he immediately grimaced from the smell. Was that fellow even using contraband goods? I guess I should just confess right here. Uhm`, Cravatte-sama, could I say something? What is it? Uhm, this is well, its my fault What!? In order to vent out my frustration for the harassment I received each day, I got a friend to teach me how to use it and Ive been burning those plants in this room for two days now HA`HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I see, I see! It cant be helped. You were being persecuted after all so you had to do it! You had to do something like this to make up for all the harassment you were experiencing! He was laughing while holding his stomach. It seems like he found it really funny Anyway`, where was he keeping his money I wonder~? He started rummaging through the desk like a child. Oh`, so the report that did not reach me was in such a place!5 While acting unnaturally surprised, he plied it all on top of the desk. Once he finished examining those papers, he then moved on to searching the chest under the straw bed. Found it. It must be here. Mu` we dont have the key Where did he hide it I wonder~? After saying that, he took a knife from his waist then stabbed open the pillow to look inside. Since it wasnt there, he moved on to searching on the walls for hidden rooms. Once he found a section that was out of place, he used his knife to forcefully take down the wall. Found it` He was excited like a child whos hunting for treasure. Is this really how a noble should be? Is he releasing all of his stress since that fox-eared maid with the icy cold stare isnt here? Doesnt he know that the soldiers are watching him? He accumulated quite a lot, didnt he`? With him being safely holed up in this fort and hardly visiting any towns, I guess he had no choice but to save up a lot. Right? E-even I am surprised. I use my pay to buy supplies whenever I go back to Tephroite after all The soldier he addressed looked troubled while responding.* You, it might improper of me to ask but how much pay do you receive? Eh? I receive 7 large copper coins a day Its quite small isnt it? Especially for someone working in such a dangerous location. After this matter has been resolved, I will give the soldiers a small raise. Is 1 silver enough for a new recruit I wonder`? That much should be enough since American soldiers who have only been in service for less than two years get around $2,500 per month. If we convert their new salary to Japanese Yen, they receive about 6~7 thousand yen a day.6 Good for you, you also get to receive your hazard pay. Hmm`, how many soldiers are permanently stationed in this fort? There are around a hundred soldiers if I remember correctly Please wait for a moment, I will just check the documents After saying that, he started skimming through some papers. Ah`, here it is. Un, you were right. There are more or less a hundred permanently stationed soldiers here. If we include the officers and all the medical staff then there are around 120 all in all. With the raise they just got, the salary of 100 soldiers for five days* would be equal to 500 silver or 5 gold coins. I will be looking after this money for now so once you leave this fort, you should come to me first, okay? Aside from that, Ill also be giving you your pay for the escort duty and for the rest of your stay in this fort. Ah`, I wonder if a gold coin would be enough for your recompensation?78 ah`, understood If you dont manage to come back, I will make sure that that amount will reach your family so you dont have to worry. Keith-kun, make sure that everything I said today will be followed okay? Yes! If Caam-kun suffers from an unfortunate incident, I want you to inform his family together with me. Is that okay? Yes! Good. After I drink some tea, I will be going back with this money so everyone should go back to their duties Understood! With that said, everyone started trickling out of the bald mouses room. So, in the end, why did he decide to do that to Caam? It was probably enmity. Aside from the documents, he also wrote a diary and it looks like he was afraid of losing his standing to Caam-kun so he wanted to get him to go home. He thought it would be even better if he gets defeated during an attack due to fatigue. Good grief, didnt he consider that I would go after him if treated someone I went through all the trouble to mobilize like that?9 Everyone there didnt know what to say since Cravatte-sama replied in my stead so they answered by saying Y-yes, probably Caam-kun, how are you doing to deal with that fellow? Ha? Eh? Ah`, I still havent thought about it There would be no problems no matter what you do as long as you let him live okay`? After saying that, he turned a different corner from us. Hes an elusive character who doesnt show up until theres trouble. But once everything settles down, he starts acting like a child Everyone nodded at Keiths words. Ah`, it seems like from tomorrow onwards, Ill be able to return to my normal life. [ED: Not a PoV change, but this is the "interesting part (insert evil laugh here)] Inside the prison. Caam, what are you going to do about this guy? We could make him go into the cell where the tied up humans are and let them beat him up but that probably wont do any good Hiii! Even if we torture him, he still needs to be alive you know? thought so Want to do it anyway? Hiiiiiiiiiiii! No, I dont have that kind of tastes after all For now, lets just make him experience the same things I did You mean manual labor? We cant let him out of here you know? Lets just start with giving him cold soup with his bread and dried meat. We will make him walk around his cell without breaks. We wont let him sleep so hell have to walk non stop. We will let him sit when eating but well monitor him so that hell finish it as soon as possible okay? G-got it If he starts sneaking in breaks, you should keep poking him with that stick until he continues. Just call me once he collapses Understood!10 Noon of the next day. Caam-san, Gebiss-dono collapsed Hmm`, Ill go there after I eat I quickly finished my meal then went to the dungeons. Ah`. Once he wakes up, give him water with salt and sugar mixed in it then let him walk again. You need a large cup so give him the one we use to drink beer. Six spoons of sugar and half a spoon of salt for two cups. Just give him another if he faints again. He probably collapsed because his body lost too many fluids11 Ha? You know those guys who collapse from training in summer? This guys experiencing the same thing I see Ah`. Thats right, you should also make him skip a meal (In a way, I feel like this guy would be better off getting tortured. Is this what they mean when they say that a kind person is scary when angry?)12 You may now sleep Is it truly okay? It is Thank you very much Hes suddenly turned docile now. Well then, I guess I should let him eat that thing which wont kill him but make him suffer. Ill go get that thing I prepared just for this day. ~Three days ago in the kitchen~ Excuse me, could you please give me an egg? Also, please lend me the kitchen I dont mind, but what are you going to do? Its a secret Starting off, I cracked the egg in a bowl, whisked it, then added salt and sugar. After that, I placed the mixture in a wooden cup and steamed it until it had a pudding-like consistency. Youre putting salt in the pudding? Its just something that looks like pudding. Thank you very much for the egg I left the kitchen after that. Once the pudding was no longer hot, I covered it with a lid then left it in a sunny place on the tower. At night after the sun had set, I brought it with me under the blanket.13 After doing that, a mold colony appeared. The things on the surface are opportunistic organisms so he probably wont die Ill add this in with a slightly cooled down soup. Everything will be complete once its mixed together well. O`i. Give this to him once he wakes up. You must never eat this and you should also make sure you dont spill the soup. Wash your hands if you spill it and change your clothes as well (Just what did Caam-san put in this soup? Poison? Even though he was told not to kill him?) [T[TL: Disclaimer: A disgusting scene is about to happen. Although its not that graphic, if youre sensitive to those things, turn away now. Just read the last two or three lines.]p> Ive been watching him since yesterday but hes still alive. Was it a slow-acting poison? Ahh, my stomach hurts```. Ahhh~~~ Dont stop walking! My stomach! Its going to come out! (Ugh, how disgusting. How come its pretty much just water thats coming out. What in the world did Caam-san do?) After that, he couldnt walk anymore and just held down his stomach while lying down. Even though there was a pot in the corner, he couldnt hold it in and just let it out at his feet. G-give me water A`, ah, got it. Wait for a bit14 Everyone had the same soup so how come nobody else had a stomach ache? Even the human prisoners are safe. Seriously, what the heck is happening? When I looked at Gebiss a few days after that, he was already thin an had sunken cheeks. I also started to hear people gossiping things like,You shouldnt make Caam-san mad and Even though hes with a prostitute, hes an oddball who will only caress their tails. Isnt everyone too loose-lipped? CH 48 Chapter 48 Part 1: That unfortunate time when the demon lords army came to visit TL: kizen ED: Filip Its been 30 days since Gebiss was sent to the front lines. Its also about time for snow to start to fall. Right now, I am repairing the ramparts with 10 other people. Thats because of a letter from Cravatte-sama that arrived together with the Transportation Corps who came to replenish our supplies. He told me to form a team to conduct repairs on the ramparts. He also said that I should take charge of that task because I already have experience doing this kind of work. Along with the letter, the Transportation Corps also brought with them the necessary stone bricks for the repairs. Was this requested by that guy who I thought was just the embodiment of excess fat in order to mitigate the damage of that embarrassing incident? That wasnt necessary you know? Well, thats what I thought at first but he seems like a pretty decent guy. I understood that because he brought up the topic of building a relay station in order to make sure that our supplies arrive safely while we were eating. Moreover, I heard that hell even shoulder more than half of the construction cost. Thats probably why hes being depended upon by Cravatte-sama. It seems like he even made sure that the materials arrived safely. Anyway, once I heard that, I felt like I should do this for everyones sake. Since I accepted being a foreman, I made a request for around 10 soldiers and it was immediately granted. With that settled, were now casually repairing the said ramparts. Even though I now have a better impression of him, I still dont even know the name of that lump of meat, to be honest. I wonder if well be able to finish this within three days While I was thinking about that, I heard the soldier standing watch shout. Its the demon lord army```! Theyre heading over here` Demon Lord? So they really exist This will be the first time I see one. Okay, todays work will be over soon so stop looking around and start moving your hands` As I was saying that, the demon lord army reached the front of the gates so the lump of meat went out to meet them. If I had to estimate, their army probably only has 200 members. Well, if every one of them is strong then a 200 man army should be all that theyll need. The humans have been getting full of themselves lately so we thought of coming to the front lines before the winter actually comes. Because of that, we will be borrowing the area in front of your gates for a while Sure, go ahead. If it would be alright with it, please let us share a bit of our food with you No need! We have prepared our own provisions so you should just give those should be given to your soldiers! I see. At the very least, I hope you dont mind if we share our firewood with you so that we can keep everybody warm You have my gratitude That lump of meat sure is a nice guy. Hes not high-handed at all. The demon lord too. I got a glimpse of the demon lord from where we were working and if I had to summarize how he looks in one word, it would be Big. Hes probably around 2 meters tall, muscular with grey skin and swept-back white hair. He looks like someone youd find in a game as an enemy. Or rather, why are they even wearing such thin, short-sleeved clothes when its going to be winter soon? Looking at him kinda reminds me of Granade. She immediately left town after we finished our schooling though so I dont know what shes up to now. While I was thinking about that, I finished cleaning up the tools we used to repair the ramparts and was about to enter the gates when somebody called my name. Oi, is that you Caam!? Its been a while Do I have someone I know in the demon lords army? Moreover, its a woman. Hm? Who is Wait, Granade, is that you! Why are you here? The one who called me was a one-eyed muscular cyclops woman who was also wearing the same thin shirt as the other members of the demon lords army. Thats my line, why are you at this base in the front lines? Well, a lot happened Whats this, someone you know? The demon lord interjected. Yeah, hes a friend from my village. Hes a smart guy who can use magic but hes not smug about it. Hes the reason why our village was able to expand so quickly you know? Hou After hearing that, he started appraising me. What a skinny young man! HAHAHAHAHA! You should eat more meat! He said that while hitting my back which almost blew me off my feet. It hurt so much I was about to throw up. After our introductions, Granade invited me to have dinner with them outside the gates. Granade, why are you with the demon lord army? Ah, you know how it was peaceful in the village right? I left the village because I wanted an opportunity to go wild. However, there werent even any satisfying subjugation requests in the nearby towns so while I was struggling with that, I got picked up by a wandering demon lord. He was pleased with me so right now, Im acting as his personal guard and his lover1! Ive even accompanied him in bed at night you know! She said that with a smile but hearing that all of a sudden caused me to spit out the soup I was drinking. Oi oi, why did you do that!? Well, at least youre alright She came over to slap my back while saying that. Did she think I was choking or did she do that because I spat out? Im not sure. Or rather, please dont make me imagine a muscular couple doing it in bed. I guess that just shows that love works in mysterious ways. Theyre probably doing double biceps by the bed and complementing each others body like, How ripped! Naisu Katto!. They might be even smearing each other in vaseline2 Iya`, Maou-sama sure is peerless(in bed) I dont need to know that! I really dont want to hear that at all Oi oi, dont talk about that. Its embarrassing Whats with this playful flirting? Im sure he has said something like Give birth to my child and other absurd stuff like that before. What is that look for? Even I was defeated by Granades fierce attack. She assaulted me in the middle of the night you know!? Haa I cant even interject You see, I wasnt interested in either strong nor weak men but when I first saw Maou-sama, I thought to myself I want to bear that persons children I didnt expect that those words would be coming from this ikimen with boobs. Hearing that, the demon lord became shy. No way, this demon lord is cute? Now then, Caam. Lets hear your story I told them about how I was training while I worked in Aegirine town, the matter with Latte, the subjugation quest, and why Im here right now. Hou. Youre pretty capable, arent you? This guys good with magic and hes versatile as well. Thats why hes able to do anything I cant do everything okay? I immediately denied that. Ill go easy on you so have a match with me Nononono, Im not a match for someone as great as Maou-sama I dont want to die after all. I didnt become a demon lord just because I wanted to you know? My strength was noticed so I was given the title of demon lord. Im not that amazing so you dont have to be that formal But I heard that when you were going wild in the battlefield, you grabbed a dead human by its feet and used it to blow away a guy holding a shield. You also pierced through the stomach of a guy wearing armor with just a punch and smashed the head of someone with a helmet like it was a watermelon. You even crushed a soldier wearing a full plate armor, right? Whats that? Scary Huh? You didnt do that? Of course not! All I do is just charge through the front lines to mess up the enemys formation during a war! It would be up to my subordinates to mow down the enemy after that! I believe that the one on top should always be ahead of everyone else leading the charge! Or rather, the guy who spread that in Caam and Granades village is the one whos scary I see. How gallant of you Of course! After saying that, he struck a pump up pose with his muscles. That doesnt mean Im going to compliment your muscles though Am I right in guessing that you fight with your fist? Naturally! Compared to a sword that would immediately break and an iron pole that would frequently get bent, a fist is always reliable! Stop purposely doing poses, please. So I was right` It seems like there are materials called mithril and oricalcum in this world but if I receive a weapon made out of those, I would still be brandishing those like a stick!*** Thought so` It really does seem like he favors doing things by force. Now, lets do it! Ill go easy on you so fight me! So he didnt forget For some reason, his subordinates were goading me to accept. Even Keith and the other soldiers who were free were looking at us from the top of the ramparts. This demon lords voice is really loud Oi! It seems like Caam-san and Maou-sama are going to have a match! What did you say!? Lets go! Nows not the time to be eating! Hearing that there will be a match, almost all of the soldiers of the fort climbed the ramparts and rushed out the gates. Was there such a lack of amusement here that this incident turned into such a huge deal? Whats with this? Cant I just run away? Why is there a voice inside my head thats telling me Cant escape like its some kind of game!? Caam! Here are your weapons! After saying that, Keith tossed me my shovel, crowbar, and machete. Keith-kun, were going to have a looong talk later okay? Well now, I might as well watch too That high-pitched voice came together with the appearance of the lump of meat. How come he managed to find the time to walk over here at a time like this even though he would usually just hole up in his room Haa Please dont kill me, okay? Got it! Ill get hunted by that Suzuran woman you talked about earlier if I do after all What about the rules? While saying that, I placed the machete and crowbar in their usual positions then set up the shovel in my hands. There are no rules in war you know!? Well, as long as we dont kill` While he was talking I closed my eyes then casted Flashbang in front of me. Because of that, Maou-sama screamed while covering his eyes with his left hand and coping around with his right but I just ignored that and went behind him, then gave him a kick in the butt to make him fall down. After that, I took a distance then waited for him to stand up. A surprise attack with flashbang was effective as expected`. Its okay to assume that the fight has started after he said that there are no rules in war, right? I even waited until he said that not to kill. Everyone was screaming that what I did was unfair. There are no rules in this fight you know? Silence! There were no rules so by the time I said not to kill, the match had already begun so there was nothing unfair about that. Nuu I was taking you lightly because youre a magician but Ill have to change that way of thinking. His eyesight still hasnt recovered as he said that. Uhm`, during the time when you were blinded and fell down, I thought I could have seriously injured or killed you but could those muscles even be penetrated by an edged tool? Thats true, it was possible that I would have died. With this, I will properly acknowledge my defeat! However, it was just a possibility. I would have just stopped and edged tool with my bones and if I strain enough I could stop an arrow before it hits me Are all demon lords this monstrous? While I was thinking about that, everyone around started celebrating. Hey Caam! Drink! As he said that, a subordinate of his came over with sake in hand and gave it to me. Are they expecting me to drink it straight from the bottle? Ah, okay. I gratefully accept After saying that, I drank the remaining sake in the bottle in one go which caused even more cheers from everyone. This atmosphere is starting to feel like a sports meet, isnt it? Isnt Caam amazing! He even defeated a demon lord Granade wrapped her hand around my neck while saying that. Her breast was hitting my cheek but since it was mostly muscle, it felt like my cheeks were hitting pecs rather than breasts. It doesnt make me happy at all. Even Suzurans is softer! Ah`, I should also offer you sake from our village in return. Please wait for a moment I went back inside the fort to get the Beryl Sake that is still havent used yet. After coming back, I poured it into a cup until it was half full then gave it to him. I just poured it beforehand because it might overflow from the sake cup I was reluctant to give him more. I dont know if this much would cause him to get drunk after all. Its fine! Nuhahaha! Look, if its just this much then I can finish it in one breath! With that said, he downed the contents of the cup and shook it until it was empty. Mu, this is quite strong After saying that, he fainted. Its poison`! Everyone was panicking and his subordinates started letting off killing intent but one of them said. Im strong against poison so Ill drink it to make sure Because of that, I let that representative drink a bit of the sake. Uwaa This is strong If you drink a cup of this in one go, even Maou-sama would faint Hearing that explanation cleared their suspicions. Once that commotion was over, I went back inside the fort to met up with Keith. Iya`, now that youve bested Maou-sama, I wonder if you would also become a demon lord in the future? Demon Lord Caam it has a nice ring to it Nonono, thats impossible. I dont like fighting after all I was feeling tired so after giving him that reply, I decided to lie down on the bed that was provided for me. Before I lied down, I stared at the half-empty bottle of Beryl Sake and sighed. Its going to be winter soon I wonder if it would be alright for me to go home While thinking about that I decided to have a drink before I go to sleep. To make it taste like fruit wine, I took a piece of dried fruit and held it in my mouth before drinking the sake. That sake has a pretty intense scent so dont drink it if youre next to me was what Keith said but I just ignored him. Argh` My head hurts What happened to Caam? The bonfire was still alight and Granade was sleeping next to me. Everyone else was also asleep due to drunkenness. Well, thats fine as long as they dont catch a cold. Geez, what the hell was that sake? It knocked my lights out What an interesting guy. Not only did he beat me, I also lost to his sake. Beryl Village huh I dont think that areas a part of my territory. I guess I should send Granade to negotiate. I should also buy me some of that sake later. I wonder who I should send After uttering that, I drank some water then went back to sleep. Chapter 48 Part 2: That unfortunate time when the demon lords army came to visit TL: kizen ED: Filip I woke up at the usual time, ate the same breakfast, and were now about to begin our work at the usual time. However, theres something different today. A bunch of people are huddled up and asleep in front of the drawbridge. Well, I guess we should just ignore them and start our operations. As usual, prioritize your safety first. Inform me immediately if you discover anything strange. If theres anyone who doesnt feel well, dont force yourself and let me know. Well then, begin! Safety, promptness, thoroughness, and camaraderie. Is that all of it? After I said that, we began transporting the mixing materials and stone bricks. Some of the workers managed to step on a hand or foot as we were doing that but nobody woke up so we decided to just leave them there and start working. Theyre really getting in the way. Or rather, what use are these personal guards if they wont even wake up when they get stepped on? A while after we began our work, the members of the demon lord army started waking up one by one but the ones who stood out were the guys holding their heads while drinking water. How unhealthy. Well, I dont have anything to worry about as long as they dont say anything about excitement & enjoyment. That would mean that they might to decide to pillage Beryl after all.1 I want to avoid conflict if it isnt necessary. Ah`, it smells like theyre making soup. Even though I already ate a lot earlier, I cant help but feel hungry after smelling that Thats true`. It sure has been a while since I ate stew` Once we get back to Tephroite, Ill bring you to a nice bar A few soldiers who are helping with the repairs were having that exchange. Is it the same as the reaction a Japanese person will have when they smell freshly cooked rice? After that, once everyone from the demon lords army finished slowly eating their breakfast, they started clearing up their luggage. As for us, its already around 10 oclock so its about time for a short break. As if to forcibly end that peaceful time, the soldier standing watch shouted. There are a lot of shadows approaching the front lines! Stay on guard! Is it the humans? Its probably a bad idea for them to attack while Maou-sama is here. How unfortunate for them. Their line is pretty long you know!? Its probably a large scale attack. Switching to emergency status! After that was said, a tense atmosphere filled the air. Alright, well end this here today. You guys should prepare for battle. As for me, Ill start my preparations once I finish using these leftover materials. Im sure were still going to be fine based on the speed of their march so please dont panic Understood! After saying that, we began quickly collecting all of the tools. Maou-sama, if its alright, were going to move the materials inside the gate okay? Caam, stop talking in such a carefree way! Youre going to lower the soldiers morale! I was scolded by Maou-sama. Looking closely, the easy-going atmosphere of yesterday was gone and everyone has started wearing their armor and checking their weapons. We can see the enemy so I dont think we should be in such a rush, but well, even Im not done with my own preparations yet so who am I to say anything. The weathers fine, the skies are clear, and theres hardly any wind so if I had to guess, theyll be here before noon. At this rate, by that time, the backlight here would have already shifted. Although, theres no mistaking that the humans are in a better position than us even in terms of war potential. But, since the forts stone bricks are white or greyish, if there are no materials in the way, well probably be able to manage here ourselves especially with those clothes Oi! You guys move the materials inside the gates just like he said! The rest of us are going out to meet the enemy! Aye! With that, I went back to my room. I took the white cloth that I brought and laid it out on the bed. After that, I took some ink, diluted it in water, then splatter it all over the cloth to make random spots on it. Once that was done, I did the same with the wall using mud. To test if it would actually be difficult to see, I hung the entire cloth over the wall. Hmm`, I guess thats good enough What are you doing Caam!? Hurry up! Hey Keith, what do you think about when looking at that? I pointed towards the cloth hanging on the wall. A dirty cloth No, not that. I was asking if you think it matches the color of the stone surrounding it Ah`, a bit I guess Thanks. It would be pretty difficult to see from a distance with this After that, I ripped the cloth into strips then wrapped it over my head, arms, torso, and legs. With that, todays camouflage is complete Youre still as odd as ever I see I can say the same for you who stayed behind just to watch With that said, I prepared my equipment and then we positioned ourselves above the ramparts near the drawbridge. As we got there, they have already started boiling the oil and water. Sorry about that. It took a while to finish our preparations. It was just a half-hearted apology but the commanding officer there didnt get mad. After saying that, Keith tapped my shoulder then said. Well then, Ill be staying up top so dont die okay? Gotcha Isnt this where you say you too? Do you actually want to die? Why? Havent you heard that its easier for you to die if you talk about children, a wife, or a lover on the battlefield? What you were doing was similar to that. Ive heard that our exchange earlier would also make it easier to die Really? He gave me a wry grin. Well, whatever. Just go already Yeah yeah Thirty minutes after that, the humans stopped at just around a kilometer away and started putting their ranks into order. Ah`, I cant tell even with the scope. Hey, based on your experience, could you make an estimate as to how many of them are there? I couldnt really see so I asked a nervous soldier nearby. Uwee? Are you asking me? I-I dont know! Ah`, un. Sorry After that, we heard a bugle-like sound coming from the human army so theyre probably going to start to advance. Theyre doing the same thing as last time`! Theyre thinking of surrounding us again! The same strategy from last time but on a larger scale is it? How bothersome. I should consolidate the information. Hmm`, what a beautiful square formation`. Id estimate that theyd be able to surround at least three sides of the rampart. Since each side is 300 meters, if one humans width is about 1 meter, there are probably around 900 of them. Considering that they have at least 900 men, its also possible that they have enough to surround the entire fort. If theyre not just in a single line and theyre arranged in a 3030 formation then you probably have 3600 people at most to surround the entire fort. Thats if they do split their forces though What are you murmuring about over there? The soldier next to me asked as he frantically looked towards the battlefield. Hn? Ah, just calculating how were going to win Haa When I checked the condition of the demon lord army, it seems like they still havent charged yet. Theyve come to a stop 200 meters away from the humans. Looking at the humans army this time, I saw that there was a large number of archers and lighter equipped soldiers manning siege equipment who were frantically drawing their weapons behind the main army. I didnt want to think about them but there were also demonkin prisoners of war with crude shields and sticks standing in the front lines. You demonkin trash! Our swords and spears are always aimed at your backs no matter where you are! Remember, we can kill you anytime! Ah`, un. Gotcha. Then, after another sound of the bugle was heard, the prisoners and the infantry all came charging towards us while a large number of arrows were fired from behind. Why is this scene so familiar? Its like those movies! Damn it! Image ? above the fort ? a downburst ? an extremely small one ? will remain active for 5 minutes ?Execute Im just winging it so I dont know if it will work or not but dont underestimate a former earthling! Ill produce a downward current even when there are no cumulonimbus clouds around! Skill ? Offensive Attribute?Wind: 3 acquired. I didnt use it for offense though! Its a sudden gust! I cant stand! While saying that, the enemy soldiers that were caught in the center were forced to lay down on the ground. An extremely powerful gust blew at every direction with the fort at its center and the arrows that were in the sky were forced back and down and pierced the earth. The humans had 2 archer units with around a hundred members each. They even managed to shoot out a second and third volley but not one reached our location. The resulting rain of arrows caused the prisoners of war and the enemy soldiers to start running about, but because of the strong winds, they slowed down to a walk then eventually dropped to the ground. Now! Lets go! Maou-sama was also caught in the middle of the strong winds so Im not sure if hes aware of whats happening to his surroundings but he issued the order to attack. The others, seeing their leader charge off, also followed suit. Maou-sama, arent you a bit too quick!? Image ? a cracked stone wall ? 100 meters ahead ? 300m wide, 30 meters tall and 50 centimeters thick ? with a 10 degree inward curve ? Execute Together with a loud rumble, a wall thats as tall as a 10-story building appeared a bit behind the demonkin prisoners. However, looking closely, its slowly starting to collapse. It was being affected by the downburst so it started crumbling towards the enemy side. The sound of rocks hitting the ground resounded in the area. I feel like a heard someone scream for a moment but it was drowned out by the sound of the wind and falling rocks. I made it so that this wind would go on for 5 minutes but it seems like 2 minutes would have been plenty. While I was thinking about that, using the ramparts as a shield, I waited until the wind stopped. Bit by bit, the wind started weakening. I dont know if the mana supplying it was cut off but when everyone peaked their heads out to look, the debris of the stone wall that was there earlier was no longer there, just the gory remains. Well, stones that weigh more than a hundred 100 kilograms flew at them after all. As expected, this is what happens if I dont test this beforehand. They would be lucky to be alive even if I lowered the walls height to 5 meters. I felt piercing gaze pointed at me. When I looked behind, it was Keith who was giving me a terrifying glare. Ill just ignore that guy I tried gesturing an apology to him but an arrow was fired at me. The arrow hit the gap between the stone bricks by my feet and when I looked at him, he had a smug look on his face. Iya`, its amazing how you can aim at the gap between the stones Keith-san. Well, Im not really sure what Im going to say to him later though After that, I sat down looked at the soldier next to me then said. Sorry, Im feeling slugging because I used too much mana so dont expect any more from me Eh? Ha? Okay Was that Caam-sans doing just now? Thats unreasonable right? It prevented the arrows from reaching us and also annihilated their first battalion While I was resting, I heard comments like those from a distance. I actually wanted to go to sleep but that would be inconsiderate of me as expected. I used the battlements to look at the battlefield from time to time and when I asked, it seems like what I did actually annihilate most of the enemy soldiers. I wonder if that managed to lower the enemys morale? Maou-sama was slightly taken aback because he wasnt sure what was happening but once he regained his senses, he once again issued a command. Lets go! Theres no need to stay on the defensive anymore! Nows the time to attack! Ou! After saying that, they treaded through the gory remains. Since the vanguard no longer existed, they were able to deal with the archers quickly and move in to attack. Somebody tell them to stop it. Thats a sure way to get yourself surrounded you know? A while later, once the humans managed to regain their footing through all of the chaos that ensued, all of the laddermen grouped up and ran past the demon lords army. Thats actually pretty good counterattack for an army without a vanguard. The archers on our side started aiming for them but even so, the ones who managed to survive set up their ladders then started climbing up. Did they not have soldiers to surround us? The laddermen were all focusing on the front. Does this mean that were now on the cleanup phase? While I was thinking that, I heard a loud bang nearby. Looking to my side, I saw a ladder on the battlements and when I poked my head out to peak below, I saw someone running up. Ah`, at least use both hands and feet when climbing, please. Its scary seeing someone run up at this angle you know?2 Iya`, how dangerous. Hes also a man so if he slips, hell deliver a smiting blow to his nether regions.34 Once he reached the top, I shot him with magic. I created a buckets worth of hot water then threw it at him. Because of that, the human who was in high spirits because he managed to reach the top fell back down to the moat while screaming. Iya`, that was scary~. Whod have thought that they would run up here While saying that, I made the ladder fall into the moat as well. Thats true Arent you still feeling sluggish for using up too much mana? A soldier holding a spear gave me a wry smile while asking that.5 Hey, what happened to the siege weapons? Arrows started flying towards us once again so while ducking behind the walls, I casually asked. The soldier next to me gave me a reply while holding his shield at an angle as he stared at the distance. Demon lord army focused their attack on it first. The humans tried to fight back but it was futile and everything was settled quickly Thanks. Want some candy? I took out the candy pouch inside of my pocket then put candy in my mouth as I said that. N-no thanks, Im alright Got it. Just let me know if you ever change your mind` R-roger Hearing him say that, I took out a rock salt from my other pocket, used the blunt side of my machete to break it into small fragments then put it in my mouth. After that, I created a small waterball to replenish my fluids. Ahhh~~. I feel heavy~ Just tell me if an enemy come okay? Since youre feeling sluggish, is it really alright for you to use your magic to drink? Hm`? Iguess? At any rate, the humans sure are unlucky, arent they? Things might have ended differently if they attacked while Maou-sama and his army was still on their way here Caam-san, you dont have much self-awareness, do you? Your magic destroyed most of the enemy army you know!? Oh`, is that so`? I just wanted to help decrease the battle time you know? After I said that, the soldier next to me gave me weird look. Oi oi, stop looking at me like that. I wont get motivated by that look unless its from a beautiful woman you know? We conversed for a bit after that but aside from when the laddermen managed to reach our location, I just lazed around looking at the sky and Keith. Keith was shooting arrows from the top of the tower but he would look at my direction from time to time with a smug look on his face. Since I couldnt peek out, I was uncertain of what to do. Ah`, Im starting to feel a bit better so I guess I should give our boys some backup~ That fast(to recover)! After I that sluggishly said that, I peeked out and saw that the archers behind were providing them with covering fire. Few of the lightly equipped soldiers were somehow able to reset their formation. They took the shields of the partially annihilated vanguards and were steadily approaching the fort. They were employing a passive strategy and were desperately defending the siege towers as they approached. I dont know if its because they realized that since it was pretty useless last time but theyve now changed the length of the bridge so that itll reach the ramparts. They wont have to fill up the moat with that change. Well, itll still get destroyed though. Ill just use the same magic I used to defeat the catapults from before. While thinking about that, I continued dealing with the remaining siege towers. Hey hey, how is the demon lords army doing? I asked another soldier who was holding his shield up to defend against the incoming arrows. How would I know!? Theyre probably dealing with the human bigwigs right now, right? Its wonderful finishing a battle in half a day without doing anything! What Caam-san did at the beginning was pretty huge though Ah`, that. I just did that to defend against the arrows and rattle the enemys vanguard a little. It ended up being too much though. The rest was just due to the stone wall collapsing. Thats all I did. Our success is due to the enemys morale came crumbling down once the demon lords army dealt with the enemy archers All you did you say? That in itself was a pretty big deal you know? Itll just end up sounding sarcastic so you should stop saying that Thank you for the advice. Well, just let me know if something big is coming. You have better visibility after all Roger A while after that, I tried to peak to see whats happening on the battlefield. It seems like the humans were unable to fully regroup after the thing with the stone wall happened earlier so by the time the demon lords army captured and tied up the humans with flashy equipment, they pointed at them with their fingers and laughed at them. Then, before evening came, a black haired human wearing fancy armor realized that they already lost so he ordered their retreat. He had those with minor injuries run away, those who were late in running due to injuries deal with the corpses, and those who were seriously injured finished off. Although the demon lords army didnt come out of that battle uninjured, it doesnt seem like there were any casualties. Is this army actually quite amazing?While I was thinking about that, everybody else was gathering the corpses towards the wreckage of the siege towers. Oi Caam Whats up Kei` ugh! As I looked back, I received a nice punch to the stomach. Were you trying to kill me!?6 He didnt sound mad but he wasnt in his usual mood either. Sorry. I wasnt thinking when I did that. That was totally my fault I said that while kneeling with my hand on my stomach. then its all good. We were able to survive that rain of arrows because of that wind so there were probably only a few casualties. Considering that, Ill forgive you Thanks7 Dont thank me while looking like that It hurts after all Well sorry about that. However, I was in the brink of death myself because of you so Im sure youll forgive me It was my fault so dont mind it I see. Want to go caress that prostitute womans tail again? The pain was starting to wear off so I stood up. Well, I cant help but feel a pain in my heart every time after all. Im afraid that I might get used to this You dont have to get used to it though well, I guess thats true. By the way, Keith, are you going to meet with that favorite prostitute of yours later? His tail was wagging so Im sure he was looking forward to something. D-dont be stupid! Im not! I see. Well, as for me, Im tired so Im going to sleep After that, his tail started swinging even faster. Keith, arent you much easier to read than Speck? I was invited by the demon lord and Granade after that but I refused using my tiredness as an excuse. Once I finished eating in the mess hall, I lied down on my bed. It seems like 80% of the prisoners of war are still alive. I feel bad not being able to save all of them After thinking that, I went into deep sleep. ~Idle Talk~ While the demon lords army was celebrating. Granade, tell me more about that guy Caam While drinking sake, he asked Granade that question with a serious look on his face. I dont know much. I can only tell you the things I know when we were still in our village. With his magic, he made well, tilled the wastelands and harvested the wheat. I havent seen him use that kind of magic back in the village you know!? I see. I didnt think that magic he used was even possible. To be honest, that guy scares me. Im seriously worried That guy is kind and I havent even seen him get mad once. Hes just an honest and easygoing person so Im sure it will be alright Even if we dont anger him directly, what if something happens and he turns against us? That uncertainty is what Im afraid of. To be honest, I dont want to have anything to do with him. Someone whos usually gentle is scary when they get angry, right? Thats what I think After saying that, he emptied the contents of his cup into his mouth. Just when I thought the battle was starting, he shows us that magic and partially destroys the enemys forces. It was because of that that we were able to reach the enemy archers that quickly. I think its good that almost everyone in the fort was unharmed but he practically did that all by himself. In just that moment, he managed to lower the enemy forces morale you know? Do you think he had that all planned out? I dont know but back in our village, he was smarter than anybody else and he even finished school a full cycle of seasons ahead of us So hes smart. Thats making me want to have nothing to do with him even more Caam also came up with the sake you drank yesterday you know? A`ah, I give up. I wasnt even able to win against that sake you know!? In order to get rid of that depressing atmosphere, he filled himself with a large amount of sake. ~Idle Talk 2~ During the time when Caam wasnt in the mess hall. Oi, that magic surely came from Caam-san, right? Probably. Weve already established that theres nobody else here that can do something like that during the previous attack by the humans, right? But still, how did he do it? There wasnt a single arrow that reached us you know? What kind of magic is that? How would I know? Why dont you ask the person himself? But that stone wall sure was amazing right!? It was even taller than the flag on top of the tower you know? But still, I was really annoying trying to clean up those tattered corpses you know!? That sucked If it wasnt for that magic, we would have been surrounded again you know? If youre not going to be thankful then just dont say anything at all. I just endured scooping up the entrails after all. Thats because you had it good. Werewolves like me have a better sense of smell you know? I can still smell it right now As for me, I was beside Caam-san at that time. Before he fired his magic, I heard him counting how many humans were there. I heard him mumbling about that so I asked what he was doing and he told me he was calculating how were going to win I really cant tell what that person is thinking Thats trueYeahI agree He even asked me if I wanted some candy. You shouldnt be able to just thoughtlessly have some candy in that kind of situation you know!? He licked on some salt after that He sure did Even though he was feeling sluggish for using too much mana, he still used magic to make water for him to drink. He started feeling sluggish again after that I cant really tell if hes smart or an idiot sometimes Im pretty sure you guys now know that the rumor about not getting him angry isnt a rumor at all Thats right. This fort might collapse if you make him angry. He must have been holding back when he gave Gebiss that weak poison Have you guys heard about that other rumor? I heard that Cravatte-sama thought Gebiss was using those prohibited plants when he went to check Gebisss room but it was actually Caam-san who burned those dangerous plants while he was sleeping to get back at him. They said it was spread out by the guy who went with them you know? Were lucky that this fort didnt get destroyed because of that harassment Yeah With that, the rumors about Caam became even more outrageous. The rumors about him like Leisurely licking candy in the battlefield and Instantly annihilating half of the humans army were spreading out. CH 49.1 Chapter 49: That time when we talked while calling it an interrogation TL: kizen ED: Filip Its been five days since we were attacked by the humans and Im currently in front of the dungeon. I am here to meet with the human prisoners. There was someone who was more or less standing guard at the dungeons entrance. I guess I should probably talk to him so that I can enter. Do you need something Caam-san? Hm`? Ah. Were already done repairing the ramparts so I was thinking of helping out with the prisoners to kill time A-are you going to torture them? No no no no, thats not it okay? I dont have that kind of hobbies after all. I just wanted to pass the time with the prisoners, thats all Its not really a good idea to get into contact with them Even if Ill only speak with them? Even so, thats still Please let me check how the prisoners are doing then Haa With that, he opened the sturdy door with a key. I wont take responsibility for anything that happens okay? I wont be able to help you after all Thanks~ You really take everything lightly dont you After descending the stone staircase, I was approached by another soldier standing guard. Whats wrong Caam-san? I just wanted to chat with the prisoners for a bit You shouldnt try talking with those guys you know? Or rather, you wont be able to Well, I wont know till I try After saying that, the guard led me to a place with a lot of relatively docile prisoners. Unlike the bald mouses cell that was made of stone with a sturdy door and a single window, the prisoners of war are being held in an iron bar cell. Its like prisons you see in movies. *clang clang clang* Oi ya bastards! Let us outta here! No. *clank clank clank clank* Son of a bitch! Ill kill you! Not that one. A-ah~ I want to smoke~ Too apathetic and has no life in his eyes. No. Hes reading a book Did they not confiscate their things I wonder? I guess this guy will do. Excuse me, is there anyone here who can speak the continents common language? Theres none you know? He absent-mindedly murmured as he read his book. I see, it cant be helped. I guess Ill look somewhere else. By the way, what are you reading? A story about a knight who goes on a journey to save the princess Hmm` Caam-san, it seems like that one can Hn? Ah, I know. I was just thinking of testing out how long hes going to play dumb That book reading fellow isnt looking at us after all. This ones tough to crack.1 How are your meals? Ah, its absolutely terrible. Its nothing but hard bread, dried meat, and soup. I cant stand it. Its a lot more than the provisions we get before we were caught though What are you on about you bastard! You should be thankful were even giving you food!Were still talking so please just bear with whatever he says for now How unpleasant. This crude fellow is really inconsiderate, isnt he? I dont understand what you just said but I dont think you were talking about me It seems like he really doesnt understand I dont understand what youre saying I said it seems like you really dont understand Thanks for translating No problem While we were having that conversation, this guy didnt stop reading his book. Id like to ask you something. Could you teach me the humans language? I dont mind, but what do I get in return? Mu`, this one is pretty strong-willed Im not a soldier so you shouldnt expect a reward from me. The best I can do is give you some of my things What do you have? How about human currency and tobacco? Not interested How about treats? Im listening How about hard cookies I made before I came to this fort? I dont like hard things I only have brown sugar left you know? Then Id like tea with lots of sugar to drink while Im reading Sure sure, Ill get it now Oi, what did you talk about? That demonkin wanted to learn human language so I asked for some sweet tea in return How about us? I dont understand what theyre talking about but since the negotiation has ended, I went out of the dungeons to get the sugar and sweets. Im back` thanks Im sorry but please open this humans cell so that I can enter. I want to be taught in peace Isnt it dangerous? Im still handcuffed though What he said Caam-san, youre way too reckless I dont think this human whose name I dont know is dangerous though Totally not dangerous`2 See? Haa Theyre both the type thats difficult to deal with Well, as long as Caam-san will be liable You have my thanks. Want a bribe? No thanks! With that said, the soldier opened the cell, moved the other prisoners, then locked it after I entered. Well then, Ill give you the reward first After saying that, I filled a cup with hot water then took out the pouch with tea leaves and brown sugar. Let me know if you want some more So youre the magician who produced hot water in the battlefield well, yeah After saying that, I also prepared my own tea then took out my memo pad. I really want to drink properly brewed tea but we dont have the equipment so Ill just have to endure Ah, well, everyone will wish for their cruel end if someone brought the tools to make that in the battlefield I guess thats true After that, we started with our lesson as we sip our tea. Well then, why dont we start with self-introductions since it fits with the current mood Ill leave it to you My name is John3 Mai nemu ees Caam4 Thats it. Well work on the pronunciation later so lets just start with you speaking it okay? Just teach me like how a mother would teach her child how to speak Im a man and I dont have kids though We started with stuff that would come out in daily conversations after that. I kept writing the important words in my memo. Can you understand? Unexpecteddifficultunderstand Then, please give me some candy You mean this? Thats sugar That continued even when we were having lunch. BreadDried meatSoup, John pointed at our food while naming them one by one. The words I was getting taught was rapidly getting fired out so I was writing them down on my memo while frantically memorizing them. Is this a chair? No, that is John Ive been teaching you for three days now but what do you think? Normal conversation fine, I think Hmm`. Caam, youre unexpectedly smart, arent you? I think this is easier than learning German and Russian. Thats was just the vocabulary though. I still have to work the pronunciation and learn the characters of the language. Even if I tried learning all of the human letters at this time, the memo pad I brought wouldnt be enough. We can only cover something like a syllable chart at best for now. That not true. I am having a hard time here I have no idea what you guys are saying. What are you going to use that knowledge for anyway? Keith, who was observing us, started grumbling outside of the cell. If I manage to reach conversation level at least, Ill be able to convey to them that Im not hostile right? Hm, but you dont have to be in such a hurry right? Snows going to start falling soon so theres no more time Okay, now say that in human language Soon snow fall no time Well, thats good enough for now I guess We decided to chat while we were having lunch. How will us prisoners of war be treated? Who knows` Well, I had already given up at the time I was assigned to head to battle. All hope was lost now that we became prisoners of war Uhm, well, my bad The ones at fault are the churchs higher-ups. While saying things like the demonkin are inferior to the humans, they decided to start this war just to expand their territories. These skirmishes have already been going on for several years now. Since there are so few humans who know this continents language, they lack contact with the demonkin so its easy for the churchs teachings to spread out I wonder if the humans just dont want to learn the common language. Well, thats how it is no matter where you go. Thats all there is to it. They werent contented with just using their position to pilfer money, they even desire to expand their territory thats true. Well, ones who suffer in the end are us commoners There might be some good people within them you know? We have the lord of this fortress for example Theres not a lot of those kinds you know? Now then, Ive already taught you enough of the human language right? Im starting to lose interest in the tea and Im getting tired of teaching. Its cold because its going to snow soon right? If thats the case then both of our forces would probably call for a cease-fire. I wonder what will happen to us. It would be nice if we get used in a prisoner exchange though After saying that, he stood up, went to the soldier standing guard and said. I wish to go back to my previous cell I wanted to thank him for everything he taught me but after he returned to the cell, he no longer was responding to me. Several days later There were a lot more carriages arriving than usual and everyone in the fort was already starting preparations for when snow starts falling. Keith and I also received an order to return to Tephroite from Cravatte-sama. Good thing it wasnt just a letter this time Yeah It would probably have said something interesting if it was just a letter though. But still, were not really with the army so it would have been weird for us to stay here even longer We finished up our preparations to leave after that. I didnt have an opportunity to use the oil and cigarettes I brought back in Tephroite so I decided to just leave those on the shelves in the barracks. I also decided to leave the remaining distilled liquor to the soldiers. We didnt have anything to guard on the way back so our caravan went on a leisurely pace back to Tephroite. It sure is hard camping with these kinds of temperature though. Once we got there, we immediately went to Cravatte-samas mansion. Hey, its been a while. I just saw this in the reports but it seems like the humans attacked the fort just as the demon lords army came. Im not sure if that was a lucky coincidence or not but good work this past 40 days you two Thank you very much I also heard that you used wind magic to defend against the enemy arrows, wiped out half of the enemys army with a stone wall, and dealt with the siege towers while Keith was giving our troops cover fire with his bow from the top of the tower. Rest assured because all of your achievements were properly included in the report this time We were going to continue checking if there were any disparities with the report but the fox-eared maid stopped us by saying, Sir, its about time Ah`, I see. Well then, about your pay. Because of the previous incident, Caam-kun will receive an additional 6 gold coins. The money has already been deposited so just verify it with the guild okay? It would be bad carrying such an amount with you after all Then, we were each given something that was wrapped in high-quality paper and sealed with sealing wax as we left the mansion. They seem to be having a hard time Yeah, it looks like things are going to get even busier. Caam, what will you be doing after this? After I get back to Aegirine, Im going to go home to my village for the New Years Festival I see. As for me, Ill be going to the inn Im staying at here in Tephroite. Take care in going back Yeah After that, we went to the guild to confirm our pay then told each other, Lets meet again somewhere, as we parted ways. I immediately searched for a carriage after that. The one I found was going to leave the next day so I had to stay in an inn but negotiations went smoothly after I offered to be their escort. Its been a while since Ive entered a bath and ate something other than hard baked bread. I could have just dug a hole and filled it with hot water using magic when I was in front line base but there was never a time I was alone so had to be content with just wiping my body with a cloth. I wanted to enter a bath so much that I was in tears. As a Japanese person, I even took a bath during a hot summers day in my previous life after all. Baths are the best! Delicious meals are the best! CH 49.2 Chapter 49 Part 2: That time when we talked while calling it an interrogation TL: kizen ED: Filip Several days later There were a lot more carriages arriving than usual and everyone in the fort was already starting preparations for when the snow starts falling. Keith and I also received an order to return to Tephroite from Cravatte-sama. Good thing it wasnt just a letter this time Yeah It would probably have said something interesting if it was just a letter though. But still, were not really with the army so it would have been weird for us to stay here even longer We finished up our preparations to leave after that. I didnt have an opportunity to use the oil and cigarettes I brought back in Tephroite so I decided to just leave those on the shelves in the barracks. I also decided to leave the remaining distilled liquor to the soldiers. We didnt have anything to guard on the way back so our caravan went on a leisurely pace back to Tephroite. However, camping was hard with these kinds of temperatures. Once we got there, we immediately went to Cravatte-samas mansion. Hey, its been a while. Now, about your pay, there was also the previous incident with Caam-kun so he will receive an additional 6 gold coins. I just saw this in the reports but it seems like the humans attacked the fort just as the demon lords army came. Im not sure if that was a lucky coincidence or not but good work this past 40 days you two Thank you very much I also heard that you used wind magic to defend against the enemy arrows, wiped out half of the enemys army with a stone wall, and dealt with the siege towers while Keith was giving our troops cover fire with his bow from the top of the tower. Rest assured because all of your achievements were properly included in the report this time We were going to continue checking if there were any disparities with the report but the fox-eared maid stopped us by saying, Sir, its about time Ah`, I see. Well then, the money has already been deposited so just verify it with the guild okay? It would be bad carrying such an amount with you after all Then, we were each given something that was wrapped in high-quality paper and sealed with sealing wax as we left the mansion. They seem to be having a hard time Yeah, it looks like things are going to get even busier. Caam, what will you be doing after this? After I get back to Aegirine, Im going to go home to my village for the New Years Festival I see. As for me, Ill be going to the inn Im staying at here in Tephroite. Take care in going back Yeah After that, we went to the guild to confirm our pay then told each other, Lets meet again somewhere, as we parted ways. I immediately searched for a carriage but I was told that I had to wait till the next day for one thats heading to Aegirine so I had to stay in an inn. Its been a while since Ive entered a bath and ate something other than hard baked bread. I could have just dug a hole and filled it with hot water using magic while I was in front line base but there was never a time I was alone so had to be content with just wiping my body with a cloth. I wanted to enter a bath so much that I was in tears. As a Japanese person, I even took a bath even during a hot summers day in my previous life after all. Baths are the best! Delicious meals are the best! Well, then. Till we meet again` Ou! You were also a huge help! After saying that, I parted with the merchant carriage I escorted. Once I was done with the formalities and entered the gate, a familiar face showed up from the guard office. If it isnt Caam! Long time no see. Im not dead yet okay? I said that in a joking manner but he suddenly hugged me and hit my back. It hurt to be honest. Alright! Lets go drink! My treat! But my luggage Dont worry about that! What about your work? Ugh`. My stomach hurts`. Please let me leave early today! It cant be helped then! Quickly go home and rest! Whats with the sudden act? Moreover, isnt this guy the same superior officer that cautioned us the last time? Hes quite the nice guy. I still have some people Id like to greet so just a bit After saying that, we went to our usual bar. There, I was asked what happened so I gave him a brief explanation. Ive always thought of this but why are you just acting as a laborer in town? Ive said before but I just want to live a safe and peaceful life alright? The lower the possibility of death, the better. Safety is the best I didnt give him the full details but he still treated me to two beers before I went back to my apartment. Im back`. Landlady, the key please~ Welcome back. I only have the spare key though since Latte decided to stay in your room on her own Eh? She just decided to live there on her own you know? Shes usually out shopping at this time though so youll need a key Ah, okay Hmm`, so shes staying there. I wonder if I should be worried. You look manlier than before. It seems like you have gained some experience in killing. Congratulations Thanks? As usual, I still dont know what the landlady is thinking. After telling me that Latte is staying in my room, she unlocked the door using the master key for me. Wait, why did Latte even ask for a key when I gave her a duplicate before I left? I started telling her what happened. Halfway through, Celesso-san arrived and joined in. After that, we waited for everyone to come back then we went to a nearby bar to celebrate me coming back alive. Well then, as the landlady, Ill take the lead. Congratulations to Caam for losing his virginity. Kanpai! Who was it that left Kiska-san in charge? Look at what youve done. Everyone is looking at us right now. Wait a minute. As expected, thats no good! Fine, Ill do it. Uh`, ahem. Does everyone have a cup of sake in hand? Im going to start okay`? Well then! Heres to Caam safely coming back! Kanpai! Kanpai!Oppa`i1 With Torene leading this time, everyone simultaneously emptied their cups. Now then, the human over there, you know what you did, dont you! So? You came back alive but did you get injured? My spirit was shattered a bit but I managed to recover somehow The cure was definitely women, right? Asking women to cure that always works without fail after all Oi, stop it you stupid horse. Latte is sitting next to you, you know? My oh my~. Since you are not responding, does that mean that its true~? Celesso-san, you too. Please stop. Please stop grinning as well. Please stop it. Why are we talking about that all of a sudden? You were gone for more than 30 days without us hearing from you so thats to be expected right? So? What do you have to say for yourself? Only once the look on their faces changed into a serious one did I realize that their simple query had turned into an interrogation. It cant be helped so instead of hiding it, I told them about how my heart became weak from my first time killing and how I bought a prostitute but just stroked her tail. Hmm`, is that really alright? Im not convinced He did avail their services but he didnt do the act you know? But he still bought one They started arguing about that. Listening to their conversation, it seems like they made bets on whether or not I would buy a prostitute. If buying=sleeping together then we dont need to hear more details. It would be settled by answering whether or not one was bought. What I did falls under a grey area though so it seems like they cant come up with a decision. You shouldnt bet on such things you know? However, it seems like instead of money, they are betting on the sweets I make. Everyone was desperately pleading their case. I was really surprised that even Folly-san was participating. Its fine if we call it a draw right? Im going to make a lot after all Wait, it wont be interesting that way! Please look somewhere else if you want amusement It seems like Celesso-san has gotten a bit fired up now that her favorite thing is involved. As if that topic had nothing to do with her, the landlady was quietly sipping her drink in peace. Its amazing how indifferent you are to this you know? Once the gambling talks have calmed down, they persistently asked me what happened so I had to keep talking until the date had already changed. Even though Caam-kun bought one, in the end, he didnt sleep with her. Good boy, good boy Latte was pretty drunk so she couldnt walk on her own on the way back so I had to carry her on my back. While I was doing that, she kept stroking my head. For some reason, realizing that Im now once again experiencing this ordinary life has brought me to tears. I started sobbing so Latte patted my head even more while saying, There, there. Ah`, good morning Latte already finished making breakfast. However, since I overslept, it has already become completely cold. Dont worry. Its not like you could help it. Its been a while since you slept on your own bed after all It no longer smells like its mine though After saying that, I washed my face then decided to eat breakfast while still wearing pajamas. You can just take it slow for a while, right~? Dont tell me youre going to start working again today I guess it would be unreasonable if I do that. Thats right, I should go and give my greetings to the boss and the others. Ill also inform them that I still wont be back for a while while Im there since Im thinking of going back to the village tomorrow. Ill just have the others wait a bit more for the sweets Thats right, you need to let them know immediately that youre already back. But, if you make them wait even longer, they might start to riot. Especially Celesso-san and Torene-san Hmm, then I guess my plans for today are set Ah`. Dont wash the pajamas youre wearing right now okay? Eh? Why? Because it has Caam-kuns scent! You already kept on sniffing me in bed yesterday right? Smelling it from the person itself and on close is a completely different experience! Caam-kun is diligent so Im sure you already washed your clothes before you came back! Ive decided that Im going to wash it! I produced a hot Waterball in front of her, took off my pajamas, then threw them in there. That makes it so that even if she snatches them away, there wont be that much scent left in them. Ah```!She said with her hand stretched out in despair. I took off my clothes but I didnt say I was going to give them to you! After that, I reported my survival to the boss. When I told him Im not going to be back for a while because Im going to go back to my village, he said: You obviously just came back! Take it easy for a while! Everyone says you should come back when youre in top shape I thought he was going to ask what happened in the battlefield like what Ive been doing these past few days but our conversation ended with that. Now that thats done, I should make sweets next. Its been a while so I made more than usual. After they finished baking, I took the chiffon cake out of the pan and placed it together with the pudding on plates. Its bothersome so Ill let them add the caramel sauce later. A while after that, while Latte and I were eating dinner in our room, we heard a dispute coming from the kitchen. Wait! Lets divide it evenly! I want to eat a lot of pudding so give me a bigger piece. Ill trade it for my chiffon cake Please wait! You should leave some for the guys as well. If we dont tread carefully, it might cause a civil war after all. Especially Folly since that guy seems to have a sweet tooth! Thats right! We had a shortage of supply until now so we should divide it evenly! But its pudding! I made a lot more than usual though2 Theyre really obstinate when it comes to sweets, arent they~? The same thing happened when Folly-san bought baked sweets the other day I see I honestly dont care either way. Now then, lets finish this up quickly so that we can pack our luggage for my homecoming. That way, we can take our time setting off tomorrow Roger~ How strange. I could have sworn I saw a wonderful PaiSlash the last time I went home.3 However, shes wearing thick clothes this time so theres no sign of that at all. Moreover, even the frilly short skirt has now changed into thick pants. It seems like there is no such thing as stockings in this world even though underclothes exist. Why Just, why? If they had those then this world would bow down under the might of the black stocking PaiSlash combo. Until last year, I thought it was only the village that didnt have stockings, but not even the town has them. It severely decreased my motivation. Well, I guess I should just give up. Well then, shall we head for the village? Its currently just the right time when the sun has already started rising and the coldness has started to get a bit bearable. Even if we leave right now, we would still reach the village just before it gets dark. Since were in a hurry, its inevitable that we start sweating so we just made sure that our walking speed wont cause our bodies to become cold. Once we reached the gazebo, noon had already passed for quite some time. Im back`Thanks for having me~ Oh, its Latte-chan. Welcome. Ara, youre unharmed as I thought Mother, why did you greet Latte first before your own son? I managed somehow. I heard it from Latte but why was everyone not worried for me? Thats right`, you havent met with Suzuran-chan in a while so shes starting to get restless and a bit irritable recently Ah`, got it. I dont want to get hit so Ill just put down my luggage then immediately go out to meet her As for me~, I will stay here to make dinner with mother-in-law~. Take your time okay~ Yeah yeah, Im off Latte is already surprisingly close with my family without me noticing it. Well, I think anybody can get along with my mother with her personality. I knocked on the door and waited for the for it to open. Im back Welcome home After saying that, she stuck a bit of her tongue out to lick her sticky lips. It makes my heart race every time she does that but it has even more destructive power right now because of her slightly flushed face. Have you calmed down? For now. That will have to do for now until we sleep together tonight Right here? There are no available vacant houses so we wont do anything today so just sleep over Ah`, can I go home and eat first? Its been a while so it would be nice if I got to eat together with my family okay. But dont bring Latte I know. You dont have to remind me then its fine With that, she got off of me and dragged me to the living room. Ah, good evening Ou, so youre alright Well, more or less Im not really sure if hes talking about me coming back from the battlefield or from Suzurans room though. Dont just put it off like that. Youre perfectly healthy and it doesnt look like you were even injured. Thats already amazing considering you came back from the frontlines you know? It seems like he was talking about the battlefield. Ah`, we were just defending the fort near the frontlines after all. I didnt even consider writing a letter at that time so Im sorry Dont mind it. We werent really worried so that would just have been a waste of time Well, I really dont know how I managed to come out of the frontlines. There was even a huge battle with the humans reached the fort before I went home O-Ou. A castle siege huh? It seems like it ended pretty quickly I continued telling him what happened after that. I ended up telling my father-in-law everything before my parents Well anyway, after we had that conversation, I temporarily went back home to have dinner. Im back` So you came back safely after all Well, yeah Ive heard that line a thousand times already so I just gave them a half-hearted reply. For now, why dont we celebrate our son coming back safely! After my father happily declared that, we started eating dinner. Hou. The demon lord army, huh Thats right! I was really surprised when I saw that even Granade was there We slowly ate our meal as we drank sake. Shes that tall, one-eyed girl right? Thats right. She suddenly called out to me while I was there. The world sure is a small place, isnt it? I dont know how wide it is though Its pretty common to recognize somebody in the battlefield after all. Its not that common for them to be in the demon lords army though. Humans were invading his territory after all so thats probably why he came We continued having our meal while talking about what happened on the battlefield. It would have been unpleasant to talk about the bloody details so I skip out on that detail. It was already the second time Latte heard that story so she just kept smiling while listening to us. When I told them that Im going to sleep over at Suzurans house, Latte said. Un, I understand. Ill just borrow Caam-kuns room It seems like we now have a daughter My parents laughed as said that while sending me away. Whats with these parents? Arent you guys way too lenient? After knocking of Suzurans houses door, I was surprised at how quickly it opened and I was dragged inside. I thought my arm would come off. After getting dragged to her room, I was ordered to immediately change into my sleepwear and get in bed so I just complied. Its scary since her eyes are bloodshot and shes breathing roughly after all. She didnt attack me like I was expecting but I was turned into a hug pillow instead. No matter what I did, she clung to me the entire time. It doesnt seem like she was worried for me but she probably got lonely. Hey Suzuran, I have something I want to say what? You see, For the first time, something other than an animal or a monster Well, they were humans though I ended up killing 30 humans during my first time. My spirit took an immense hit because of that Suzuran didnt utter a word and just silently listened. Although I felt bad since I already have the two of you, I ended up buying a prostitute. Dont misunderstand, I didnt sleep with her. I bought a beastkin girl like speck and just stroked her tail for the entire time. I just wanted to confess that to you Father and mother told me that its possible that Caam would buy a prostitute in the front lines. Thats why I was told to resolve myself for that time. I felt a pain in my chest at that time but father said that it cant be helped since there are many things that cause people to get worked up in the battlefield. I heard that even father did the same thing What the hell are these parents telling their child? But Caam just stroked her tail, thats all. If thats the case then I forgive you. Its the same as petting a dog or cat right? However, I would like it if you dont do it again that much Un, I understand. I dont know what will happen next time but Ill make sure that I dont do it again She kept hugging me even after our conversation ended. By the way, I started to worry when her hug got a bit tighter as I was telling her about buying a prostitute. Good thing my body wasnt split into two. ~Idle Talk 1~ A mother who can calmly ask the difficult questions Hey, Latte-chan. Have you asked what my son did to handle his lower body affairs while he was in the front lines? Hearing that, Hail-san spat out the sake he was drinking and started coughing. Uhhh Yes. I already asked Do you not think anything about that? Yes. His spirit got broken since it was the first time he killed something other than monsters and animals. Because of that, he bought a fox-eared beastman prostitute. He only stroked her tail the entire time though Ara`. That kid is really quite earnest, isnt he? Right? Darling? Y-yeah, thats right. Well, maybe it would be better to say hes faithful rather than earnest It would be nice if darling would follow his example as well Wait, that only happened before we met! Well, thats fine. What does Latte-chan think about it? Hmm`. He only touched her tail so I guess its fine. Its just like petting a dog after all This might be terribly rude but as a former prostitute, what did you think about what he did? Lets see`. I think that it could have easily been considered as an insult to the woman. I guess that would depend on the pride of the prostitute in question though`. As for me~ No, never mind That was close. I almost said it. ~Idle Talk 2~ Dog and Fox Only the faint sound of writing could be heard in the quiet office. You remember Caam-kun who came here the other day right? The maid who was jotting down notes by my side didnt reply. I heard that when he bought a prostitute in the battlefield, instead of lying with her, he just stroked her tail. What do you think about that? When asked that, the fox-eared maid with the icy glare didnt reply. Moreover, I heard that it was a fox-eared girl that she bought is that so? She replied with just the least amount of words to end the conversation. Shes always like this during the daytime. Can I touch it? *Tsk* I heard you click your tongue you know? Shes so uncute while shes working. Lets just continue this conversation later this evening please Yes yes. I know that beastmen only let their beloved person touch their tail but I wonder if its different for prostitutes I dont know. I dont mind if were talking about someone from the same tribe but please stop putting us together with that prostitute. Its unpleasant Really not cute at all. Shes really spoiled at night though. I really dont get her. Its fine if its at night, right? She didnt reply but when I looked at her face, it was bright red. I really dont get her at all. It seems like the ice becomes lukewarm during the night. CH 50 Chapter 50 TL: kizen ED: Filip AN: Still just scraping along and just as irregular as ever1. At last, hes finally going to become a demon lord. There were still a few days left until the end of the year festival so while I was at the village, Latte, Suzuran and I stayed at the usual vacant house that we borrow. Even though we were pretty much lovers who were living under the same roof, this worlds society doesnt officially recognize a married couple2 if they dont have a child. I want to have a child soon Suzuran has been pestering me with that so I made arrangements for an environment where we can live away from everybody else by renting the vacant house for 30 days. While we were preparing for the festival, I saw Kuchinashi for the first time in a while. Her belly was already quite big but I wonder how long till she gives birth. Since the parents come from different races so Im not really sure. It seems like its much more difficult for the baby to form if the parents are not from the same race after all. When I asked Wurst, he told me that it would usually just take a hundred days for the goblin race. Im not sure if thats just what they were taught or if they actually start counting that from the time the woman misses a period but it seems like the saying that goblins are really fertile was actually true. Im not sure if its the same with the monster goblins though. I dont know if it was spurred on by Kuchinashis pregnancy but Mir and Tryapka-san started talking about preparing for their own. Their discussion also reached a drunk Suzurans ears so thats why she started wanting her own as well. Well, I guess even Granade is doing it. Whats with this baby making boom thats going on with my classmates? Thanks to what the bald rat did back in the front lines, I managed to get 6 gold coins from that quest. If we add that to our current savings then I think well be able to manage somehow if we make one now. With that out of the way, the two of us strived to fulfill our the desire to make a child. For some reason, Latte was just propping up Suzuran instead of actively participating. To be honest, my body is thankful for it but Im a bit worried. Shes probably just being mindful though. But still, to think that even though were doing it everyday Shes been telling me when her safe days are before so there more or less is a way to tell when theyre fertile but, I wonder if that part also got PTSD from the battlefield I took my time going back to town after the new year festival ended. It would have been troublesome to rent it every time I came back so we just went ahead and bought the vacant house that we usually rented. We also made Latte move out of her apartment on the second floor of a bar in the lower-class district and had her move to Beryl. The price for the materials, labor, and all other things, the house cost me a total of 2 gold coins. The price seems unreasonable if we compare it to my previous world but it seems like that amount is just a bit more than usual.3Well, it probably wont be a problem if we spend that much since the cost of living is cheap. We confirmed that Suzuran was pregnant three months after that. We had an arrangement where Suzuran and I would take turns visiting each other every 30 days but with her pregnancy, it was just me who went back and forth to the village. When I finally told the boss that we were expecting a child, I was ordered to stop working and just go back to my home town. Before that though, by the time spring had come, the unpopular old men trio came to our village to visit. It seems like theyre here to fulfill their promise to return the potion I used. I was still going back and forth from the village to the town at that point so when I was finally back, we had our reunion in tears. I welcomed them into our home and listened to their story. It seems like their sentence got reduced by quite a bit after surviving the battlefield so after winter has passed, the went back to the battlefield. Once theyve worked off their sentence and also earned money, they found their way to the village. It seems like they liked staying in the village so theyve decided to migrate. At this time, Wurst and Kuchinashis first child was born so we held a party together will all of our friends. Schinken and Mirs and Speck and Tryapka-sans child were also born safely after that. As for our family, Suzuran gave birth to our child just before the harvest in fall so it was quite hectic. It only took around 300 days before the child was born so I guess it was more or less the same length as humans. Aside from having a horn like Suzuran, the child pretty much looked human. Tears started falling the first time I held the child in my hands but even though she just gave birth, Suzuran lightly tapped my thigh and said. Get it together, Otou-san That made me come to the realization that Im already a father so I sobbed even more. Suzurans child was a girl so the first thing that came to mind was the Lily of the Valley from Suzurans name so I named her Lily. Even Suzuran liked that name. After that, father and Ichii-san who saw their grandchild for the first time started acting so mushy that it seemed disgusting. Its as if a dried persimmon turned sweet. Their dignity and intimidating aura had already disappeared. Meanwhile, mother and Licorice-san immediately started teaching us ways on how to take care of a child. I probably wont forget the moment Suzuran said, It seems like milk still comes out even with small breasts for the rest of my life. As for Latte, once she learned of Suzurans pregnancy, she kept asking me for one too. At the time of Lilys birth, her stomach already quite big and she gave birth to her child just before the end of the year festival. It was also quite hectic this time. While Latte was resting in bed after giving birth, she looked at her child with a smile and said. He looks like a girl The child Latte gave birth to was a boy. Since I didnt know the names of any of her relatives, I just decided to go with Miel to go along with his mother.4 I dont really know what kind of names they usually give here in this world so I just gave them something that has to do with their mothers names. Incidentally, when I tried asking Latte about her parents, she just said Dont have any so I decided not to pry any more than that. Does papa want a drink? That question suddenly popped up while I was thinking about things. Papa looked like he wanted to drink milk together with Miel you know~ She continued pressing on that issue. Stop it, Im starting to look pretty deplorable. Both parents decided not to play favorites and love both children equally.5 As for me, Ill be happy if we manage to raise the children healthily. Hey, hey, look, its your grandpa When I heard Ichii-san who said that in the kind of voice that Ive never heard from him before, I decide to just leave that out from this wonderful memory for the sake of his dignity. For the time being, I decided to stop working in town just stay in the village. Like some kind of Jack of all trades, I grew wheat in the fields in front of our house as well as act as the villages advisor. During the end of the year festival the year that the children were born, all of the residents of Clinochlore aside from the landlady came to give their blessings. Celesso-san, Im begging you, please stop making Latte drink sake when her child hasnt been weaned yet. Or rather, it hasnt even been a month since she gave birth. I wont really be able to explain to them why so I just told them. You shouldnt get drunk, we still have to look after the children after all We can just leave them to your parents~ After saying that, they continued to drink. Im starting to worry about her child. Suzuran, you too. Stop feeding Lily meat. Im also worried about this one but for an entirely different reason. Spring of the following year after our children were born, I was asked by the village chief to assist in teaching some of our techniques to the surrounding villages. He said it was to reduce the disparity of wealth among other villages in the vicinity. The kids were still small so I couldnt take them with me on this business trip but because of that, we began sharing Beryl Villages techniques on proper well digging, land reclamation, and making canals. We even reached the poor villages as we got closer to Aegirine and Tephroite but, for the time being, were just going to help those villages get a start by cultivating new land. We also told their chief to go to Aegirine to look for immigration applicants from its residents to give them some kind of plan. Once we made sure that they wont starve through the winter at the very least, we moved on to the next village we were going to teach. After that, village chiefs would frequently hold a conference meeting with me sitting in so that I can add in my opinions. Autumn of the following year, the total yield of the other villages increased compared to last year. Even the poor villages said,We might be able to go through the winter this year without anyone dying of starvation so perhaps they had some pretty decent results. That same year, I was also asked by the school to be a guest lecturer and teach the kids about magic. I need you to teach them how to create an image in a way thats easy to understand Being asked that by Birke-sensei, I used the same water and bucket exercise from before but I also added a stick burning exercise where I told them to think of the stick as their finger. We did that until all of them could at least use simple magic. Incidentally, everyone also experienced fainting when the mandrake Gaike-chan was pulled out. Now that youve experienced what happens if you pull out a mandrake, make sure youre careful when you find one okay? I just told them that as an excuse. I still havent seen a mandrake out in the wild though. A year after the children were born, they were now crawling around energetically and grabbing things as they learned how to walk. Their field of activities has now expanded so theyre at a point where you cant take your eyes off them. Half a year after they were born we were already giving them porridge instead of milk. For some reason, Latte really liked that dish to the point where she would eat up Miels leftovers. She even asks for seconds so I started making bit more. As for Suzuran, she was trying to feed Lily some salt-dried meat that she chewed on until it became paste so I gave it my all to stop her. She told me that she wants her to eat meat no matter what so I boiled some chicken tenders, shredded it, then added it to the porridge. They could only say simple words back then but now that theyre one, they can already say short phrases and we could more or less understand what theyre trying to say. They should start weaning soon so I started giving them pureed apples and milk cookies that are not that sweet. The wives of the three idiots also requested for those so I made some for them as well. It would have been troublesome to do it every time they would ask so I gathered them all in our house to teach them. Out of all of them, Mir was the only one who burned her cooking because of her clumsiness. As expected of a deplorable beauty, she never fails to meet my expectations. It couldnt be helped so the next day I called Schinken and taught him instead. He was even better than Kuchinashi but he was no match for Tryapka-san as expected. Hes probably the versatile type whos able to do whatever you teach him. While saying that it was for a womans pride, Mir asked me to teach her again but she only improved a bit so I just told her to asked Schinken to teach her so that she wont ask me again. Even though hes the husband, he turns into a wife at home. Even if Suzuran, Latte, and Schinken dont mind it, I do okay? Ara, I knew that you were good with your fingers but I didnt know you could make sweets as well. It would have been better if you were born as a girl Even my mother, who doesnt look like a grandmother at all with how young she looks, is saying that. I wonder if she wanted a daughter. 2 years later The children are now 3 years old and theyre already playing around the village. Theyre always around Wurst and Kuchinashis daughterPrimula, Schinken and Mirs sonPerna, and Speck and Tyapkas daughterReika who were the same age as them. They all play every day and just come back home to eat. It seems like they also made other friends but theyre particularly close to those three since they know their parents. Aside from that, since I always bring out treats, they would usually hang out in our place. I was also thinking of bringing them along to my old base in the forest since it probably wont be as dangerous to go there right now compared to back then. However, Latte would glare at me every time I try to take the kids there so its impossible. Arent you being a bit overprotective? If you really want to go to the forest then teach the children magic first okay~? After she told me that, I took some yarn and used it to demonstrate to the children how to use mana to manipulate it. I taught them that they would be able to form the yarn into any shape they want as long as they have the correct image. What I was doing was similar to balloon art but instead of using a balloon and forming it into shape with my hands, I used yarn and magic. They were really amazed when I formed the yarn into a shape of a bunny and started making it jump around using magic. Otou-san is amazing! Papa is amazing! The two of them each have their own way of calling me. I wanted them to just stick to one but Suzuran taught her daughter to call me Otou-san while Latte insisted that Miel call me Papa. I thought they would both insist their own preferences but that didnt really happen. They dont start teaching you magic in this village until youre 5 years old so I think its too early for them but Latte was eager for them to learn it early. Well, I guess I should at least make then learn how to control their magic by having them practice until they can make the yarn slither like a snake. I would teach the children magic and we would use the evenings to practice. Miel was pretty good at it but Lily was struggling a bit. Thats probably because she takes after her mother but I want her to at least be able to produce water and fire. Well, Suzuran was able to produce a flame that looked like it was coming from a flamethrower from the start so I think shell be able to learn simple but high output magic. The kids are now 4 years old. These days, even the surrounding villages have now started flourishing. As for me, Im still leisurely working the fields. Ive even begun helping take care of the birds that have been migrated from Suzurans house. Im troubled because Ive started thinking that theyre cute and Ive gotten attached to them so I cant bring myself to kill them. I wonder if this is happiness~ Just as I was thinking that, an unknown Demonkin suddenly dropped down from the sky. You seem quite strong. Dont you think someone that strong should become a Demon Lord?was what was suddenly asked of me.6 Haa? Even though hes smaller than Latte, hes letting out an impressive amount of intimidating and bloodthirsty aura. Its clear from the that this guys dangerous even though he looks like a kid. Hmm`, it seems like youre having trouble keeping up with this conversation Yes, you came out of nowhere and asked me to be a demon lord after all I see, I see. Then, lets discuss it in full detail. That is your house over there, right? Lets talk there After saying that, he immediately barged into our home. Suzuran was extremely vigilant at first but she probably instinctually thought it was dangerous so she didnt attack him. For the time being, I asked him to take a seat. He thanked me when I offered him some barley tea so it seems like he does have a bit of common sense. Now then, I wonder where I should start. Ah`, thats right. The Demon Lord whos based on a certain uninhabited island was killed by a summoned hero. Thats why I want you to be his successor thats really sudden, isnt it? Thats not true. We have been observing you for a long time now. Its sudden as far as youre concerned though What the heck is this guy saying? Is there anything in specific that you want me to do there? He sipped his tea after saying that Ah`, this is delicious, isnt it? It certainly does seem like the Demon Lords are free to do what they want based on the one I met when I was in the fort on the front lines. Youre asking me to become a Demon Lord even though there might be a risk of getting defeated by the hero? Thats right. There arent any demonkins around this area that are as strong as you, you see. Youll be fine as long as you remain inconspicuous. And besides, that territory is located close to the humans port city and our border so demonkin and humans dont fight each other over there I will support whatever Caams decision may be. Im sure thats what the children think as well so you dont have to worry about us7 But still`, the kids might have a hard time you know? Then how about this. I will teach you the magic circle for transfer magic so that you can come back to this village any time you please. Ill even add some human slaves and tools for reclamation. What do you think? You sure say it like its that easy We have an unmanaged territory so we want to fill that position up quickly after all While we were having that conversation, Latte came back. Ah, hello~She gave that greeting before joining our discussion. Please let us discuss it with her first Thats fine After saying that, we briefly filled her into what was happening while drinking barley tea. Caam-kun! You should accept to become a Demon Lord! Every Demonkin yearns for that title you know! I havent seen her so excited and talking so loudly before. But the previous one was killed by the hero you know? Isnt that because he was an idiot? If its Caam-kun then Im sure hell be alright! I dont know where that confidence of yours comes from but its an uninhabited island you know? Ah, I said that but a cargo ship docks there once every three days. Weve also confirmed sightings of members of the harpy tribe and other aquatic races there so it not totally uninhabited. Its just that nobody has settled there yet. There are also some that get washed up there from time to time. The island is big so youll need around 5 days just to go around it. It looks exactly like a grain of barley albeit a few cracks here and there if you look at it from above After saying that, he took out a map from his breast pocket and showed it to me as Suzuran gave him a refill on his tea. It looked exactly like a grain of rice with the rice germ as a gulf and a cape for the top part. Its huge. Its a mystery why this island hasnt been touched until now Rather than say its untouched, it has just been a cycle of the Demon Lord getting subjugated by the hero after they reside there so neither demons nor humans have had a chance to approach How terrible Its fine if you think of it as just the same as what you did to make the surrounding villages you know? You have the ability, knowledge, and even good sense. Moreover, your strength belongs to the Demon Lord class. Arent you the perfect candidate then?! He spread both of his arms like he did some kind of speech. Please dont spread your arms while youre still holding your cup okay? Look, some of your tea has spilled out. Even Lattes telling me You should just do it~. What does Suzuran think? Like I said, Im fine with whatever as long as Caam doesnt die While saying that, she took a sip of her tea. Ah`, yeah yeah. Well, we can just come back anytime with that transfer magic formation of yours so well be safe right? It has a lot of limitations though. You can only transfer something thats within an area thats the same size as this table. And even loading a fixed amount of mana takes a bit of time. You also cant use it while on the move. Thats why its impossible to instantly use it to run away when youre in danger Even though you want me to become a Demon Lord and move to an uninhabited island, you sure arent trying to hide the dangerous parts, arent you? I dont like lying after all. Although I can just not talk about it, my morals wouldnt allow me to Ah`, such a commendable sincerity8 Dont you think so? Fufu, even though he giggled with a smug look on his face, troublesome things are troublesome. Well, thats fine. At any rate, even if I refuse, youre going to find a way for me to become a Demon Lord right? Oh, so you do get it Then please dont say that were going to negotiate from the start We did negotiate though. I offered to give you the transfer magic formation as well as slaves and tools right? Were you offer something else if I continued to refuse? I would have increased the number of slaves increased but I was going to give you all of them anyway That just makes the humans seem like a freebie Well, theyre slaves after all. Im asking you to do something dangerous so its necessary to do this much right? Yeah yeah Then its decided. For now, Im going to the current strongest Maou-samas place in order to report your consent to be a Demon Lord Before that, I have something I want to ask Sure, go ahead Which direction does the sun come out on the island? It comes out from here, the recessed part of the island So this side is east huh. What about the edges of the island? Are there cliffs? Is it just sand? Its all just sand. Theres a mountain in the center as well. I guess its some kind of volcanic island. What kind of monsters live there? It mainly consists of goblins, giant spiders and hornets that live in the forest. There are harpies that come out of the mountain as well. Those ones are monsters though We should probably be careful of monsters. How about the water and food situation? Its a vast island with plenty of sources for spring water. There are various lakes in the center of the island as well. As for food, there are lots of fruits as well as wildlife so you can live off those. There are bears though so if you dont want to lose slaves, you should be careful of them I wonder if theres naturally heated water there since its a volcanic island. Since theres a mountain, the rainwater probably gets accumulated underground so I also wonder if its going to gush out because of the pressure(of the heat). I cant really say. It seems like food will last for a while as well. If the worse comes to worst, I guess I can just cram as much wheat as I can into that magic circle. Because I had a predecessor, how much of the land has actually been reclaimed? Hmm`. If you walk to the forest starting from this recessed part, there is a clearing where the castle was constructed. There is also a place for the slaves to stay nearby so you could say that from recessed part to the castle has been reclaimed Theres a wide area thats probably 10 to 15-minute walk from the gulf. Theres an area for slaves next to that but Im guessing that its probably inferior living space compared to the main one. Well, I still havent been there yet so Im not really sure. Are there any poisonous creatures? The Giant Spiders and Hornets that Ive talked about before are poisonous. There are also snakes but I dont think anybody has been bitten by those yet We really need to take measures against those monsters. What about the weather? Do storms pass by that island? Or does summer occasionally not come to the island There are stormy summers there once in a while but its usually pretty calm. It does rain from time to time and its summer there when its summertime but thats all that I know It doesnt seem like the island experiences cold summers and although there are typhoons, they dont seem to occur that frequently. How do we get there? You take a carriage towards the direction where the sun comes out for fifteen days until you reach the port city. Then it will take a cargo ship there which would take another 5 days. Ah, do you know what the sea is? Its a really large lake with salty water. Thats where salt comes from you know? I wonder if I was underestimating how far inland this village is. I still havent seen a world map even now so I cant really tell. It seems like they use the term sea for that kind of body of water but it seems like the onee-san in charge of the pond hasnt been there before. But still, if youre going to describe the sea so someone who hasnt seen it before, that description is certainly the most fitting. Are there parts of the island that are particularly dangerous? Theres a place on the top of the mountain where even boulders get melted. Although, I guess its fine as long as you dont approach that place. It seems like the humans who get close to that place fall somewhere though Its a volcanic island so I guess its natural for there to be lava. Im also not really sure but the mountain top might be covered in mist. Hmm` Is there anything else? Nothing else comes to mind. I want to ask a few more questions but I cant think of anything anymore Are you sure? What about the slaves origins? Who knows? Who knows, you say They were already slaves when I took charge of them so I dont know Haa, I see Yeah. Are you now satisfied? I dont know Shall we go and report your acceptance then? Yay~! Caam-kun is now a Maou-sama~! I am now a Demon Lords queen~ Shes really excited for some reason. Is that really something to yearn for? While I was thinking that, I looked at Suzuran and she was just drinking tea and acting like usual. It seems like its not really the case. The demonkin who came to negotiate went outside and took a few steps away from our entryway then closed his eyes to concentrate. After a while, a magic circle 2 meters in diameter appeared letting out a bluish-white light. Get on this, Caam-kun. Iya`, I finally got to know your name. I would have been troubled with what to call you if your wife just referred to you as dear Ha ha ha! He laughed as he reached out his hand. Ill show you how to make this magic circle so just get on for now. It should activate once you pour even more mana into it Well then, Im off. Ill leave it to you two to explain to everyone what happened if I dont come back Caam-kun is really easy-going, isnt he? Even though hes about to meet the strongest Maou-sama Theres no point in stressing out about it after all After saying that, my field of view turned hazy and after feeling a familiar floating sensation, we arrived in the middle of a small room. This is a storeroom outside of the Demon Lords castle. Its primarily used for setting up transfer magic circles. You should take care when going outside though since if youre not careful, you might get killed I dont think Im going to come here after this you know? O`i, open the door`! It seems like the door was locked and it cant be opened from the inside. Or rather, there were neither door knobs nor a keyhole inside so you really would have to wait for someone to open it. After hearing the heavy click of the lock, the door opened and we met with an armored soldier. So this person is the new Demon Lord. If you would like to visit this castle in the future, please shout just like earlier and well open the door for you After saying that, he shut the door then went back to his station. Well then, lets go over here We entered through a large gate at the main entrance and I was guided to the room where the Demon Lord is. Just like what youd see in movies or games, he was in sitting crossed-legged in a throne in the middle of a wide room with his chin resting on his hand. He looks like a pretty standard Demon Lord if you ask me. Hes wearing a black cloak and has sheep-like horns growing by his temples. I cant even compare him to the one who led me here because Im certain that their strengths are worlds apart. The hero is really amazing for actually challenging the demon lords it seems. He has to defeat this guy right? My condolences I guess. Wait, I wonder if it would be fine for me to act like usual. The guy who came to negotiate was probably just a subordinate of this Demon Lord. He approached the Demon Lord and handed him some documents. So you came. Its unusual to find someone who can only speak the continents common language when we demonkin have our own. Well, you have lived in a place thats close to the humans border so I guess it cant be helped. Anyway, thats fine. You dont have to mind me and just speak in your usual way Ah`. Yes, I understand I didnt know what to say aside from that. The Demon Lord only spoke again once he finished reading through the documents that was handed to him. Fumu. Although I feel bad for getting in the way of your happy life together with your two wives and children, Ill have you become a Demon Lord. Well, it has already been decided that youll become one at this point in time so I will now give you the crest which signifies you becoming a Demon Lord. Its something thats really beautiful and intricate you know? what is it? It will be done immediately so you dont have to worry because you even wont feel any pain.9 You can choose where you want to put it. Even the forehead is fine you know? It was a good thing you accepted because thats would have made everything pointless if you just died when we fought The Demon Lord grinned as he got closer. Was that some kind of a joke among Demon Lords? They just told me a while ago that youre the strongest Demon Lord so I totally dont want to challenge you okay? Or rather, dont come here with that thin, curved sword under your mantle that is obviously not just for decoration. Its scary okay? I immediately raised my hand in salute and asked for permission to say something. I dont mind. Speak About that crest, can I ask how big it is? After saying that, he took off his top and showed me a 5cm in diameter crest by his chest. The design is that of a snake with wings of flame coiling around a sword. Also, the Maou-sama sure has a cool looking six-pack, doesnt he? Ah`, so thats it. Please place it on top of my foot then After saying that, I took off my boots and the cloth thats in place for socks. Hou. Youre quite the unusual fellow, arent you? Im curious as to why you decided to put it there. Tell me The Demon Lord suddenly stopped and asked me for the reason. I thought it was just a thin, curved sword but looking closer, thats actually a katana, isnt it? It has a circular hilt with some kind of design engraved to it and even the grip has some unique characteristics. I dont want to stand out as much as possible you see. However, I couldnt just have it placed at the sole of my foot because I thought it would be rude if I had to show it to another Demon Lord Even the top of the foot is already pretty rude you know? Ah`, is that so? I wonder where would be good then How about at the back of my neck? I started touching my chin as I contemplated. Well, whatever. I dont particularly mind if you have your crest it there While saying that, he lightly raised his hand and engraved the seal on top of my right foot. It really was quick, and it didnt hurt as well. Ah`, I forgot to ask. Can this be erased? Like if Im going somewhere`You cant Ah`, okay Then, like a ninja, the guy who led me here came out. Alright, Im going back now. Ill leave the rest to you After saying that, he retired to a passage by the side of the throne. What was that? Did he just sit on his throne just to meet me? Is he actually just a shut-in!? This is the part where he goes back to the throne right? Congratulations on becoming a Demon Lord. Well then, here is an illustration for the transfer magic circle. To use it, you imagine the place you want to go to while activating it Youre really nonchalant about it, arent you? Does this kind of thing happen all the time? We dont usually appoint a new Demon Lord unless one dies He took out a piece of paper from his breast pocket and handed it to me after saying that. How would I use this if I cant use magic? You can do the same thing I did when we came here. You wouldnt be able to come back of course So they wont be able to go home I did my best to imagine our houses entryway as I gathered up mana while imagining the magic circle I was shown earlier. Hmm```` Its pretty difficult to imagine, isnt it`? While complaining, a magic circle lit up under my feet. Its amazing how you were able to do it on the first try! Ah, wait! This part over here is wrong He pointed out a mistake in the character placement on the left-hand side of the magic circle. Its certainly amazing to be able to do this on the first try. After pointing out mistakes for a few more times, I was able to make a proper magic circle. Then I added even more mana before activating it. I had the same sensation where my field of view turned blurry and I felt a floating sensation before we appeared in front of my house. You were able to reach your target location in just one try. Iya`, thats really exceptional you know? You only had a few mistakes with transfer magic circle as well I wonder if hes praising me. Well, I guess that makes me happy either way. Well, you can do anything with magic as long as you can imagine it after all. All you need to do is practice Then well go to the uninhabited island 10 days later after lunch After saying that, the subordinate flew away to somewhere. Well, with that, Ive now become a Demon Lord That evening, I went to the bar with the three idiots and told them what happened over drinks. Iya, Im sorry for everything Ive done till now Im really sorry Please forgive me The three idiots made eye contact with me and apologized. Stop joking around okay? Its doing terrible damage to me after all Thats the point`! I mean, its impossible for us to talk with Caam in such a formal way after all They started tapping my back while saying that. The other villagers there started making fun of me saying things like As expected! We have a prodigy over here you know? Good for you, Maou-sama! I prefer it to be like this compared to everyone suddenly treating me differently. Hearing the news, the unpopular old men group also came over to congratulate me. I just thought of you as a high-spirited young lad who would just run into enemy soldiers but its praiseworthy for you to get this far! Thats right! Treat us to a drink, Maou-sama! Im glad that these three are also still treating me the same way. And with that, I became a Demon Lord. [TL: and my territory was an uninhabited island. Damn it author, you missed that opportunity, ED: I agree] CH 50.5 MaouMuji Chapter 50.5: Childbirth TL: kizen ED: Filip It has been ninety days since the end of the year festival, and I guess its about time for the weather to start warming up soon. Suzuran came to town as per our usual arrangement and while we were in bed, she told me. That thing that comes every month didnt come this time. I probably have a child in my belly Because of that, we decided to be prudent and just let Suzuran stay at home while I come and visit. I told the boss of Suzurans possible pregnancy so I asked if I could go back to the village for a short while. When they heard that, I was taken to the bar and we had a grand celebration. So thats why the two of you been flirting this whole time. You finally going to have a child huh! You did it when you went back for the end of the year festival right? Why did it take this long! Well`, we didnt have money and we dont have our own house yet and I didnt want us to just be barely scraping along without any savings. Thats why we had to wait for a while Y-you also had to add Latte-san into that consideration ah`, thats true, isnt it? My stomach sure had a hard time during that time~. It only took a single punch there from Suzuran before she forgave me then they bonded after making a promise between women. Hm`, it would be more appropriate to call it a pact I guess. Well, whatever. Then, theres also the fact that one of our friends from the same generation back in the village had a kid with her partner. She was one of Suzurans friends as you would expect. Because of that, she and her other friends started wanting one too. It might have been enhanced by me going to the frontlines but her pestering reached the critical point by the time the end of the year festival came. Eventually, I yielded to her demands and that ended up making Suzuran a happy wife``` Yay! That sullen atmosphere was immediately turned around. After saying that, I drank the entire cup of beer in one go. How enviable`. I also want one of my own~ Kitsune, dont you have a girl you frequently visit in Sweet Memory? What happened to that? Theres no hope in that in the first place`. She only wants to wring me out you know? After saying that, he also drank his beer in one go. So, how is Suzuran-chan right now? I was told Im going to hit your face if youre not here in the village by the time I gave birth Thats pretty scary I feel like I might really die this time Thats probably true Its unusual for me but I was already contented with getting to feel drunk to this extent so I went back to my apartment. There, I found Latte waiting for me. Welcome back~ You know, Ive been thinking that I also want a child of my own soon Is that alright~? Hm`. Why are you asking something like that all of a sudden? It would be rude if I had a child before Suzuran-chan right? Now that Suzuran-chan has missed her time of the month, she should be pregnant right? Thats why. We cant~? Its unfair if you tilt your head like that okay Well, I pretty much already knew thats what she was aiming for though. Yeah yeah, just not today since Im drunk, okay? Also, youll probably go wild so we cant do it here. Because of that, you should make arrangements to reserve an inn at the red light district and let me know when so that I can leave that day open. Ill pay for accommodation fees Hmm~. It probably wont be a safe day for me in about 5 days~. I also want to do it a day before and after that so I want you to leave open a total of 3 days Wait a minute, let me just make things clear, are we going to go there after work? Also, are we staying there overnight? Kya`! Can we really stay overnight~? Caam-kun is unexpectedly amazing, isnt he~? I thought that you could only do twice every round but to think that it was actually still not enough!? Iya~n Id be good with the same arrangement as the end of the year festival you know? Id be happy if you accompanied me for three days straight after work Okay, I got it Fifty days after that, Latte came to me and said. My time of the month has been quite delayed and I kinda feel terrible as well. My stomach feels queasy~ Shes probably experiencing morning sickness. I have never seen Suzuran like that though. She just kept on eating meat like usual. Well, I guess that might just be because they both have their individual differences when it comes to pregnancy. Latte told me she wanted to go to the village so a few days before our departure, she started vacating her room above a bar in the lower-class district that she has been residing in and temporarily place her luggage in my room. She says that its because she wants to live together with Suzuran. I wondered if thats really alright at first but it doesnt seem like I have anything I need to worry about. They even had a secret agreement once again without me noticing it. Im sure I wont get to hear any more from her than this. Im only going to bring the necessary things this time so Ill leave it to you to bring back the rest a little at the time Got it. Well, looking at the all of Lattes things, I think that it will only take me 3 roundtrips to bring them all I left a few on my underwear so Ill let you use them if you get lonely okay? Yeah yeah. Thank you very much Mu` how insincere~ Youre absolutely not going to use it right~ I might use it you know`? Yeah right. Well then, lets go~ Now that I think about it, have you told Celesso-san about this? I already did while Caam-kun was working~ How about your close friends at your previous work? I told them over tea during one of their days off~ Thats good then What about Caam-kun? Im sure that youll receive complaints from Torene-san when you come back for not leaving any sweets while youre away Its fine if she still has complaints while shes eating but Im pretty sure shell just remain silent Thats true isnt it~? It would be bad taste if they still complain even though you went out of your way to make them~ After that exchange, we started to depart with a lot more luggage than usual. PaiSlash are the best. Im almost done transporting all of Lattes stuff to Beryl so all thats left is to clear up my own things. That said, I dont usually buy anything aside from the necessities so that didnt really pose any problems. I feel bad for Suzuran, Latte, and the others but I cant go home yet because ten days worth of rent would just get wasted. Thinking that now should be the right time, I finished up saying my goodbyes to my workmates. I also started saying my goodbyes to the residents of Clinochlore but that didnt end smoothly like expected. Give me cake before you go home Uhm Pudding, please Im good with whatever sweets you make Since it will be the last time, Im going to use all of the ingredients I have okay? Just so you know, itll get dried up over time and Im not even sure how long it will last With that, I started making a large number of sweets for them the next day. I made a lot for them to stock up so Ill just pray that they wont get an upset stomach Particularly with the pudding. Well then, thank you for taking care of me until now Feel free to come over whenever you have the time. Just think of it like visiting your seniors After saying that, instead of immediately going back to her room like usual, the landlady accompanied me to the entrance to see me off. Wait, was she actually someone whos pretty old? Just how much older is she! It seems like you made some cakes for us to eat when youre no longer herethis is troublesome isnt it? I dont know what time that girls work starts after all As expected~. Since I told them that pudding gets so easily spoiled, it was already gone by the morning of the next day. I dont know what those three were thinking eating all of them like that. I also heard Celesso-sans voice coming from the kitchen so she probably joined in as well. They had a pudding party in the middle of the night so all four of them are lying down on the kitchen floor holding their stomachs in pain. After that, I left Clinochlore. Ah`, theres the gatekeeper next. Hes known about this for a while now but Im not really sure what to say. Ill be staying at our village from now on Ou! Lets have a drink whenever youre here okay? Later That was unexpectedly easy. Five days after I came back to the village, I started working as a counselor for the village chief as well as a kind of handyman for the village. Once I got home from work that day, I found Suzuran sleepily staring at the evening sun by the window. She had a smile on her face and looking at her other hand, she was rubbing her belly. Noticing me, we had the usual. Welcome back Im back. I felt the urge to rub her belly as well so we both did that leisurely. When Latte came home from work, she said. Ah`, how unfair~. Touch mine too~ Because of that, I also rubbed hers too. As for Lattes job, she was in charge of feeding the animals and milking the cows. Ill keep at it until my belly gets a bit bigger okay~ Im not really sure if thats just because its different in this world or if its because the women are strong but I wish shed take on a safer job at least. Im sure working as a receptionist would suit her well. Theres no guild in this village though. They took turns cooking dinner before I came back but now that Im here, I try to do it wherever possible. As for the days when I come home late, Latte makes it in my stead. The reason for that is simple. If we leave it to Suzuran, shell only make meat dishes. Because of that, we restrict the meat dishes we make. After Suzuran has finished setting the table, we started eating. Lets eat For today, I boiled vegetables rich in beta-carotene and chicken tenders to turn into a salad. As for the dressing, I just used lemon juice, salt, and pepper to break down the fats. I found some beans in this world for the first time so I decided to cook it together with chicken meat without the fat and tomatoes seasoned in salt. I was really surprised when I asked what theyve been eating before I came back so I made sure to improve their eating habits. Of course, this is for the sake of the children. I mean, they told me that the majority of their meals just consisted of chicken meat after all. For the sake of the child in their bellies, I added various nutritious ingredients as well as reduce the salt content of their meals a bit. However, since Suzuran hates vegetables, she would not eat anything but meat. She reluctantly ate the tomato and bean dish but she refused to even touch the salad. Suzuran, Just because Im serving you vegetables doesnt mean I hate you. I dont really mind the lifestyle youve gotten used to of just eating meat and bread up until now. However, you have a child growing in your belly right now so Id really appreciate it if you ate it She sent me a terrifying glare but I cant yield here. This food will help the child in your belly grow. Suzuran might not want it but the child needs these kinds of food. Whatever you eat goes all throughout your body so that goes to the baby as well. Thats why, please eat it, okay? After I said that, Suzuran looked really displeased as she started eating the vegetable salad with a sour look on her face but then her expression changed into a happy one when ate a lot of the chicken meat from the tomato dish to remove the taste. Isnt clearly showing your preferences a bit too much? As for Latte, she was eating her bread by steeping it into the stew. Well, I guess eating it that way also makes it delicious. I mean, even I used to steep my sliced bread into corn soup. After our meal, I served them some caffeine-less barley tea. For some reason, warm drinks are popular here so that really helps since I dont have to worry about their bodies getting cold. Im a man so I dont have a lot of knowledge about them but Ill do as much as I can if its for the kids. Caam-kun, todays meal was bland as well. Cant you add a bit more flavor to it? It would be bad for the child in your bellies if we use to much salt. Thats why please just endure it for the sake of the children Un`. Okay Suzuran is already satisfied getting to eat meat even if it has a thin taste however, it seems like Latte is unsatisfied. Its about time to start the harvest but Suzuran is close to giving birth as well. Suzurans belly got even bigger and she now frequently feels the baby moving. Because of that, I try to stay as close to the village as possible so that I can immediately come back if something happens. This time, I went with Wurst to the bar. Shall we try making one barrel of wine thats so sour its undrinkable? While we were discussing that, the fox-eared old man who was out of breath entered and shouted. Caam! Suzuran-san is going into labor! Haa!? But she wasnt having labor pains this morning you know? This is bad Wurst!1 Thanks old man! After saying that, I used body strengthening and ran with all of my strength. However, even if that magic strengthens the body, it doesnt affect the heart and lungs. This is starting to look bad as expected. When I bust in through the door, I saw my parents and in-laws restlessly moving about. Even though Lattes belly was also quite big, the stout cat-eared midwife showed no indication of doing anything herself and just kept giving out instructions. Caam! Hot water! The angry roar of the midwife reverberated. Im not sure how long theyve been waiting for that so I just went ahead and filled the tank in the bathroom and take the necessary amount from there. That way, we can also add water to it if we need to reduce the temperature. Caam! Stay by Suzurans side, massage her back, and say something to reassure her! Thats the only thing men can do during childbirth after all! Yes! I sat by her side and started massaging her back. Caam What is it? After this Give me plenty of meatokay? Also, headpats *Haaa haaaa* She was breathing heavily while covered in large beads of sweat. Okay. I got it so just go to the most comfortable position for you and think of things that can help you relax Birds. Pigs Deer. Sheep. Cows. Wild boars. Rabbits. Ive heard that you can eat snakes, frogs, and bats as well Why are those all animals with edible meat!? Just how much do you want to eat those? While I was thinking that, I started stroking her head. You can eat snake and frog meat so Ill try making it for you after this Promise? I got it so just make sure youre comfortable She could now keep up with the conversation so she has most likely calmed down. Nnn` Together with that groan, she grasped my hand with all her strength. Her grip was really tight that I thought my hand would break. It was already a miracle that my hand did not break with how strong Suzuran is but a bruise appeared on my wrist after a while. Ah, even though I know nothing about it, Im sure it wont be long now. While I was thinking that, the midwife pulled me away from Suzuran. From now on, the men are not allowed in here! If any of you come in, Im going to douse you in hot water! Yes! *Bang!* She shut the door. That oba-chan is really scary. Son, you were also driven away by that person huh? You should thank her later okay? Yes Oh yeah, it seems like Suzurans going into labor. Well, theres nothing for us men to do from here on out Thats true. When I was in Caam position, I just kept pacing around because I had nothing to do Me too Youre pretty calm arent you son? Well, panicking here wouldnt do any good after all. I can only believe and wait I see. Its embarrassing that my son is calmer than I am Thats right Hail, you should follow my example Right. You mean I should imitate you nervously shaking knees? Thats better than aimlessly loitering around the door right? At that moment, the door suddenly slammed open. You guys are so noisy! If youre going to panic, do it a bit more quietly! *bang* She once again vigorously slammed the door. That midwife sure is scary. If I had to guess, an hour has probably passed. We couldnt hear anything but a distant groan-like scream up until now but it was immediately followed was a cry that came from a baby. However, the door hasnt been opened yet. Is it because of the placenta? A while after that, the midwife came out holding a baby covered in a clean towel. Its a cute girl who resembles her mother. Look at that horn! She said that while showing the baby to me. After that, we were finally let back into the room and the first thing that caught my eye was a crushed pole. I wonder if that was prepared to help her endure the pain. And by crushed, I dont just mean theres a neat hand mark on it, I mean that its literally crushed. If I continued what I was doing earlier, my arm would probably look like that right now. While I was looking at the crushed pole, the midwife gave the baby back to Suzuran then gave me a pat on the back. Go ahead. You can get closer Thank you very much After saying that, I approached Suzuran. Ill leave her name to you. For the time being, why dont you carry her? I havent received anything as important as this so while I was holding my child who still cant hold her own head up, tears started falling. While I was quietly sobbing, Suzuran lightly hit my thigh and said. Get your self together, Otou-san That made me come to the realization that Im already a father so I sobbed even more. While I was crying, Licorice-san took the baby from me and left the room. When I lied down by Suzurans side, she asked me. Wheres the meat? Sorry. Suzan will have to wait a bit longer okay? Liar She said that while smiling. She has an even gentler expression than usual which made me think that Suzuran has now truly become a mother. Caam, It seems like milk still comes out even with small breasts I let out a muffled laugh when she said that as she was breastfeeding the baby. I was really worried about that for a long time now. Why are you laughing? No, its nothing. Its good that it comes out right? Un, So, what should we call this child? Lets see. What do you think about Lily? I took it from Lily of the Valley which is what Suzurans name means. Sounds good Right? Actually, that name has something to do with Suzurans How come? Thats what Suzuran means in the language of a country thats far away Lily of the Valley is too long so Ill just settle for Lily like the other flower. Hmm`. So we both have the same name There are a lot of Demonkins with the same name right? Thats true Hey, Caam What? Do you want to drink? The other side is not being used She tilted her head while asking me that. Thats not really fair now, is it? thats a really attractive proposal but Ill have to decline. I dont want to use up Lilys share Just let me know when Yes yes After saying that, she held up Lily and started patting her back to make her burp. The way she did it made her look like a mother whos completely used to this. She was a really strong, taciturn girl when we were kids but now she somehow managed to turn into such a reliable mother. Well, I guess Ive turned into a father as well. MaouMuji Chapter 50.5: Childbirth TL: kizen ED: Filip Sixty days before the end of the year festival, I was finally able to persuade Latte with my tears to stop working. Geez`. I still wanted to work harder a bit more though~ She said that while puffing her cheeks. Morning ten days before the end of the year festival, I saw Latte looking like shes in pain and dripping in cold sweat. I thought it was a sign of her going into labor so I ran towards the midwife Oba-sans place. After I told her the symptoms, she said,Lets go to your house!then went ahead while leaving all of her equipment that she prepared in advance for me to carry. When I caught up, she was breathing heavily as she shouted. Caam! The hot water! This is already your second time so you should know what to do! Yes! I couldnt help but just say yes! this time again as expected. After that, I just continued to respond to Lattes demands until she went into active labor. Nn`, Massage the area around my waist` Here? Un. Thats it. Thanks` I wonder if its actually that painful that she has no leeway to give her usual peppy reply. aAArgh` She groaned even louder. I feel horrible. Theres this concentrated pain by the side of my stomach. It feels Im getting pricked by a needle I see. Sorry, I cant really comprehend how painful it actually is Nh`. Its a similar feeling I had when I still had that time of the month. Put your hand on my belly~ Massage it~ I put my hand on her belly then gently rubbed it. Ugh`` Aaargh` Are you alright? I asked worriedly but then the midwife came in and threw me out. She really incredible in a lot of ways as expected. Son, its your second wife thats giving birth this time but are you still able to keep calm? A little I guess But still, even if you say that its my second time, its still Lattes first childbirth so Im a bit worried Is that so? But still, Im really glad that father and mother, as well as Ichii-san and Licorice-san, has treated Latte like she was your own daughter I see Well of course. She loves you together with Suzuran after all. Also, seeing her makes me feel like Suzuran got herself an older sister Umu, she makes my wife happy as well because it seems like we have a daughter of our own. Well, shes pretty close to our age though Father, Ichii-san. Thank you very much. Even though Im completely worthless, you still let me take another wife aside from Suzuran Oi oi. I told you, you shouldnt mind it. I told you that I know some guys with multiple wives right? Well, I guess I didnt think that youd be one of them though. At any rate, you are Suzurans most precious husband so dont sell yourself short Thank you very much Hey! You guys are noisy! *bang!* Shes still as scary as ever After a while, we were startled hearing a shrill voice coming from inside of the room. I was about to storm inside but father grabbed my shoulder and told me to calm down. Mother was like that too you know? Thats why dont worry. The only thing you can do for her now is to be kind to her after she gives birth Yes Just like when Suzuran went into labor, the midwife came out with the baby shortly. Its a healthy boy. It looks like he inherited traits from both parents seeing that he has a beautiful ash grey hair I cant thank you enough Its fine so go ahead and take him Yes I still cant say anything else but that as expected. As I entered the room, I once again noticed the pole that was used to hold on to. However, it still looks normal this time. Its only Suzuran who made the pole end up in that state I guess. Ah`, Papa. I did my best you know? Congratulations. You now have a baby boy I already heard it from the midwife. His ash grey hair is the combination of mine and Lattes you know? It even looks silver depending on how the sun shines on it After saying that, I gently laid our son beside Latte. Its true`. So pretty~ She had a smile thats as bright as the sun before but now it has a much milder feel to it like setting sun. Do women change like this as well? Im a man so I dont know but it seems like Latte has become a mom as well. Three days after that we had the time to settle down, Latte asked me. What should we name this child~? Are you going to name him something that has to do with my name like Lily-chan? Lets see How about Miel? Fufu, its a girls name. Is there a reason for that after all? There is. Lattes name means Milk in the language of a country thats far away after all Eh~. Really~ There are a lot of countries where things are called differently you know? Anyway, Miel means honey over there. Its tasty when you add that to warm milk right? Thats why I thought that name would be compatible with yours Fufun~. A mother and child having good compatibility is kinda indecent isnt it~? Well, its fine if thats your reasoning. There are only a few people who know that that word means honey right? If so then I think its a lovely name Latte agreed with that name with a really gentle smile. As I was staring at Latte who was smiling while nursing, she asked. Does Papa want to drink? I wonder if the rest of the husband group gets asked this question as well. It was a really attractive proposal but I somehow managed to refuse. One night several days later, I gathered the three idiots at the bar in order to ask. First of all, congratulations for Miel-kuns safe birth Congratulations Thanks. So Lets get down to business. While Suzuran and Latte were giving their child some miruku(milk), they asked me Want to drink?. I honestly didnt know what to do. I couldnt help but be curious if youve been asked that as well so I made sure to gather just us men to ask Speak honestly. Were you guys asked that by your wives as well? Ah, yeah Nn` Un, she asked me you know`? It seems like everyone was asked that. Did they also entertain that proposal? Im really curious, to be honest. Did you drink it? Yeah. It was a bit embarrassing though I was interested in the taste so I just drank a bit Nn`, I was forcibly made to drink it Speck seems pitiful I see`. I guess I should also try just to know the taste. I dont really remember anything from when I was a baby after all` Thats true Ah` thats right, At this rate, it seems like all of our children will start attending school in the same year. Lets make it so that both parent and child get along with each other okay? OuYeahUn! After that, we had a light drink then went home before midnight. A baby crying at night it awful. I want to decrease the load on my wives as much as possible so I make sure to deal with it however, I cant breastfeed as expected. Refrigeration technology doesnt exist and there are no milk powders in this world so I cant just put it in a container to use for those times. I could just make some ice with magic to preserve it but Im worried about how clean the container actually is so I just did not bring up that idea. After they give the children their milk, I told them,Ill take care of the rest so you can go back to sleep. Thanks. Then, once I finish checking the kids diapers, I go back to sleep. Im in charge of cooking and laundry as well. There were small signs of them having the maternity blues but I made sure to consult with both of them and reassured them that A child is not just raised by their mother but instead by both of the parents so that they can get over it. Because I did that, it didnt take that long for their anxiety to pass. I thought that it was about time for us to feed them baby food soon so I made some porridge in a milk pan and started giving it to them bit by bit. Because of that, Suzuran tried giving her daughter some salty dried meat that has been chewed into paste so I had to stop her. I gave her a thorough explanation about why that was a bad idea but she became unexpectedly sad so I had to follow up with that as well. Rather than from time to time, either one of my parents and in-laws would come to see Lily and Miel pretty much every day. Im really thankful that they treat both of them equally, its just that, that sternly terrifying Ichii-san kept sayingIts grandpa you know~in a voice that Ive never heard from him before. I just decided to remove that from my memory to preserve his dignity. 1 The children were now energetically crawling about and grasping at things as they learned to stand up one year after they were born. Their field of activity has now expanded so were at a period where we cant take our eyes off of them. Half a year after they were born we were already giving them porridge instead of milk. For some reason, Latte really liked that dish to the point where she would eat up Miels leftovers. She even asks for seconds so I started making bit more. As for Suzuran, she was trying to feed Lily some salt-dried meat that she chewed on until it became paste so I once again gave it my all to stop her. She told me that she wants her to eat meat no matter what so I boiled some chicken tenders, shredded it, then added it to the porridge. They could only say simple words back then but now that theyre one, they can already say short phrases and we could more or less understand what theyre trying to say. They should start weaning soon so I started giving them pureed apples and milk cookies that are not that sweet. The wives of the three idiots also requested for those so I made some for them as well. It would have been troublesome to do it every time they would ask so I gathered them all in our house to teach them. Out of all of them, Mir was the only one who burned her cooking because of her clumsiness. As expected of a deplorable beauty, she never fails to meet my expectations. It couldnt be helped so the next day I called Schinken and taught him instead. He was even better than Kuchinashi but he was no match for Tryapka-san as expected. Hes probably the versatile type whos able to do whatever you teach him. While saying that it was for a womans pride, Mir asked me to teach her again but she only improved a bit so I just told her to ask Schinken to teach her so that she wont ask me again. Even though hes the husband, he turns into a wife at home. Even if Suzuran, Latte, and Schinken dont mind it, I do okay? Ara, I knew that you were good with your fingers but I didnt know you could make sweets as well. It would have been better if you were born as a girl Even my mother, who doesnt look like a grandmother at all with how young she looks, is saying that. I wonder if she wanted a daughter. By the way, the words they could say before werePapaMamaGranpaGranma. One time while I was holding Lily she said, Meat~. When we both looked at Suzuran, she just averted her gaze. Just how much do you plan to educate her when it comes to meat? Once they got a bit bigger, we let them play with the chicks and ducklings that Suzuran was raising in our backyard. Latte also lets them play with the livestock at her workplace whenever she takes them there. Their resistance will deteriorate if we become overprotective after all. We make sure that they thoroughly wash their hands after playing though. Miel doesnt like touching the large animals so I wonder if hes afraid of them. In Lilys case, shes pretty bold considering that the animals she plays with are all looking troubled because she hits them. Sorry about that, animals. Incidentally, Miel likes the rabbit that were raising to eat so much that if we leave him alone, hell chase after it to hug it. Thats why I think hes only afraid of large animals. It really is happiness to be able to raise the children healthily. It would be nice if this happiness continues forever.2 ~Idle Talk~ The wives afternoon tea party Hey, how are your husbands doing? Wurst hasnt really been doing that much to help me you know? As for Schinken, it seems like mother and father in law told him Youre a gentleman so you should make sure to lighten the burden on the womanso hes been busy with a lot of things. Mother also said some things to him so he now helps in looking after our child in the middle of the night Speck is even more of a mother than me. If I had to say why, its because he notices even the smallest of things. Im really thankful for it though Caam is really trying his best I see`. You told us that he was making meals for the childrens sake from the time she was still inside your belly after all. You just have to give the child milk when shes crying at night and he takes care of the rest. He even does the cooking and laundry and the weaning food he makes is pretty fancy as well`. He even lets us consult with him on some things. He prioritizes us and our children even though hes tired, doesnt he~? Its just that, he gets really mad whenever I try to give our child some dried meat Suzuran-chan nodded and mumbled a few words then drank her tea. Well of course. Giving a baby such a salty thingSuch a hard thing( ? ?? ?)Its a bit Everyone did not agree with her sentiments. However, I would like it if even Wurst follows their example. Caam made these cookies for the children right? He would gently comfort me but he wont do the cooking and laundry at all. Im envious of the two of you, you know? Thats true isnt it? Who would have thought he would be this faithful. If Suzuran wasnt around, I would have taken him for my own3 Yeah. He was really diligent when we were still going to school so there were rumors going around about him being slightly eccentric but Where did he learn how to do all of those things I wonder? Did he get that knowledge from the town? You might be on to something you know~? Ive heard from my senpai that she was taught by him how to make simple cookies with just egg whites as a gift after you guys moved in you know~? Has he made something like this before going to town? No Thought so He really is a mystery isnt he? As they continued talking, everyone stuffed their cheeks with the cookies Caam-kun made while drinking tea. ~Idle Talk 2~ A tea party several days later at the bar Oi, Caam. Itll make me feel embarrassed if youre too nice to your wives you know? You even made these cookies for the children We wont be able to measure up to that you know? Huh? Im just being normally kind as I give my wives the maximum amount of care and making stuff with the children in mind okay!? Thats the problem thoughYoure the only one who thinks thats just natural Eh? Isnt that a good thing? [TL: This one is probably Speck] Arent you guys way too harsh even though Im trying my best? Because of that, its Caams treat today Oh come on! CH 51 Chapter 51: That time when a lot of people saw me practicing the K*m*h*m*h* TL: kizen ED: Filip Right now, Im standing in front of a pile of bread, dried meat, and a large pot of cold soup by my feet. There are fruits, sake, utensils, and towels as well. In front was a beautiful sea with a wide gulf and a slightly extended cape while there were 25 buildings that probably housed the previous Demon Lords slaves behind. It can be probably be used as shelter against the rain and wind but I cant really tell since I still havent seen the insides yet. Im still not sure how I should treat the slaves in this world. I can only imagine how it feels to be given just the bare minimum meals and regarded as inferior so I brought all these food with me because I wanted to give them proper meals that would fill their stomach at least. You sure are nice, arent you? You would usually just use the slaves until they drop I think the work efficiency would fall if I do that though Thats what I mean when I say kind you know? The Demon Lords subordinate said that to me as we arrived at the island. Before we came here though, I kept going back and forth from our house to my parents house in order to practice the transfer magic. I also tried out how much luggage that magic can carry. I found out that as long as its within a two-meter radius from the center of the magic circle anything can be transported. As for the height limit, I was able to transport something thats as tall as me with both my hands raised so I guess around 2.5 meters. Anything that can fit inside that cylindrical area could be transported. If it exceeds that, it will get cut off and left behind. I havent tested it with animals and other demonkin but a part of their body would be left behind so I cant just do it willy-nilly. Thats why I deemed it dangerous to transfer with someone unless they stick really close to me. I still havent tried expanding the range of the magic circle yet but Ill just try to apply what Ive already learned for now. As for how I filled the magic circle with stuff, I had Latte stand nearby as I activated it and let her cram as much food into it as possible. At any rate, the Demon Lords subordinate sure is late. After we arrived on the island, he said. Ill bring the slaves so wait here I have been waiting in this spot for almost 30 minutes since he said that. I expected him to say something like Ill kill you if you dont hurry or Youll get lashed if you dont hurry to them but theres not even a sign of them coming via a transfer magic circle. Im bored This is an uninhabited island so theres not much I can do. I can only do simple things like: 1. Muscle training 2. Magic Practice 3. K*m*h*m*ha practice Cant I do number 3 right now then!? I did this back when I was still a kid but right now is the perfect time for it since Im currently alone in this vast island. I dont know when I can do this again if I miss this chance. I closed my eyes, took several deep breaths, then planted my feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. After that, I put my hands together then formed it into a cup then placed my cupped hands by the side of my waist as I concentrate the mana in my body. Once I gathered enough mana, I pushed my cupped hands forward then released it. K*``M*``H*``M*`` HAA```!!!! As I shouted that with all my might, light magic shot out like a flash. I also produced wind using magic to move my hair and clothes as the light stretches towards the horizon. Fuu. I might have perfected it this time Crap. He appeared behind me before I noticed it. H-hey, i-its n-nothing. J-just p-playing around I just smiled as I said that while approaching the Demon Lords subordinate. Behind him were around 50 human slaves with collars on their neck and both hands and feet bound by loose chains to allow movement to a certain extent. This is the worst. It wasnt just the Demon Lords subordinate but even the slaves saw it. There was also a gate like a distorted space behind them. Thats probably something like a transfer gate. I didnt hear the sound of it activating but I wouldnt have noticed it either way with how loud I screamed. These will become your property. The slaves know the continents common language so you should at least greet them. Go ahead After saying that, I had to greet the slightly dirty slaves with dead fish-like eyes. Ah`, okay. Uhm`, Im Caam who recently became a Demon Lord and this island has now become my territory. A Demon Lords dignity? I dont know of such things. Subordinates? I dont have any. Slaves? I dont need those! First thing I ask of you is for all to wipe your bodies clean. You can use the previous residents houses behind you. The men and women should split up into different groups and use a cloth that will be distributed to clean yourselves up. If you have family members with you, you guys should form your own group There might even be children here. This is the worst. Even though they should be playing energetically I should bring some candy with me later. Hearing what I said caused the slaves to make a slight ruckus as I started handing out a large number of towels one by one. Then, I produced a warm water ball and told them to use it to wet the towels to wipe their bodies. While they were doing that, I used earth magic to create a fire pit to heat up the soup I brought. I made a small table to place the food and the rest of the tableware needed for the meal as well. I also brought utensils with me when transferring here because I cant really just let them scoop up the soup with their bare hands. And besides, what kind of sick torture method is that? There were some who looked like they wanted to eat seeing what I was doing but I wont distribute it until everybody is finished cleaning up so I just smiled without saying anything. You seem to be a really kind Demon Lord arent you`? He grinned as he sarcastically said that. I cant treat them like objects after all After saying that, I saw the slaves who were done cleaning themselves form a neat line so I told them to sit down and make themselves comfortable. Okay, everyone is done now, right? Im going to distribute the meal now. I wasnt told how many slaves so I brought a lot of it. You can still ask for seconds even after it has been distributed to everyone so please take your time eating. You can go ahead and eat it after you receive it. You may also eat it alongside your acquaintances if you have any. Well then, well start from you please With that said, I started giving them a plate with bread, dried meat, and some fruit, as well as a cup filled with warm soup. The humans started eating after that but I could feel their unease. Theyre not conversing at all. I wonder if they were not allowed to speak or were they told not to speak when eating. Uhm, why isnt anybody talking? Its fine to make your meals more enjoyable you know? They started talking one by one but one of them came and asked me something. Uhm, is it okay if I ask something? I dont mind. And besides, Im not really sure how to treat you guys. I dont want to treat slaves roughly after all. Like I said earlier, I have no use for slaves. You guys are my partners in reclaiming this island After I said that, they embraced each other as they shed tears of joy. Ah`, ah`, how dangerous! You guys might step on the soup you left by your feet you know! You may think differently but arent you quite skillful in handling your slaves? They stopped being slaves the moment they were put under my custody you know? Even if you say that these guys are my slaves, its fine if I dont treat them as such right? After saying that, he activated his own transfer magic then went back home. Want more bread? Considering that there might be others who want seconds as well, just make do with a single piece for now okay? Soup? Im still not sure how much will be left so just have half a cup for the time being. Dried meat? Ah`, you can only have one for now as well. Fruits? Children take priority okay? I continued doing that until all of the food I brought was gone. After having eaten, they had a satisfied look of their faces. I can clearly see their eyes which looked like that of a dead fish up until now have regained their glimmer. Although youre still in the middle of your after-meal break, I would have to interrupt it because I want to get started discussing the detailed work plan for tomorrow. Ill just have you rest properly for today. Please go back to the houses you used to wipe your bodies earlier and sleep. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide you with your beddings. I havent even had the time to inspect if there are monsters nearby. I think itll be fine as long as you dont go too deep into the forest but as much as I would want to declare that its safe, I can only hope that that is true. Also, these remaining barrels contain sake in them. This belongs to everyone. Dont fight amongst yourselves when distributing it. Now then, I will be removing your shackles so please stand in line After I used that key that was left to me to remove their shackles as well as unfasten the collar on their necks and they once again jumped for joy. Ah`, thats right. I dont mind if you escape but this island is pretty much uninhabited and apparently, theres a cargo ship that passes by here once every three days so youll have to wait for that. Even if you run inside the forest, there might be monsters and wild animals there so I think your safest option is to just stay inside the house and sleep After I said that, I started looking around the vicinity. I first started by looking inside of the houses. I saw a simple looking cooking area which consists of a fire pit and a water jug as well as simple bed that was made up of stones stacked together and covered with mud to fill up the cracks. The roof was just made up of piled up tree barks and leaves until it became thick. It will protect them from the wind and rain but since the water in the water jug has probably been sitting there for a while, I formed the contents into a waterball to throw to the sea and replaced it with clean water. Hmm`, from what I can see from here, there seems to be a shoal just as you enter the bay. How is that even possible with this topography? This is quite a mysterious island, isnt it? After that, I went to visit the site of the previous residents castle. Taking a 10-minute walk along a side path from the housing area was a fairly spacious reclaimed land. The trees were already cut, the roots dug up, and the leveling of the ground was already completed. Its a shame that there doesnt seem to be a single tool left though. The hero probably took those with him after subjugating my predecessor. It took me about 300 paces to cross one side it was probably around 300 meters. Its even wider inner castle part of Osaka Castle, isnt it? Ah, this is similar to T*kugawas isnt it? There were several houses here as well. They could probably fit fifty to a hundred fifty people. Those guys were probably the ones in charge of reclaiming this area. I dont even want to think about how much those guys were exploited. A well has already been dug up and when I tried listening to the rock that I tried throwing in it, it seems like it has water in it as well. Im not really sure if its potable though. Im not sure if fresh water comes this close to the sea but it might be necessary to clean the well as well. Ill bring the necessary things with me tomorrow. I want us to be self-sufficient when it comes to food at least. I entered the forest and tried sensing the presence of animals and searching for footprints. There were lots of traces of excrements and footprints so I have also confirmed the existence of animals. There might even be deer, wild boars, and bears here. It would be bad if the humans dont stay wary of them. Well, I guess I should hunt something for their dinner. After walking inside the forest for a while, I saw something black that was lumbering around. Its a bear. It was staring at me before I knew it. Ah, the bear probably doesnt want to show its back to me. I wonder what I should do. I dont think Ill be able to bring home such a large prey. Ah, it stood up. Im not really sure if its doing that to intimidate me but since its dangerous, I guess I need to get rid of it. I shot its head with a slightly malleable stone bullet which caused its head to get blown off. I guess I should just leave it here for now and call the humans. As I was going back, I saw a deer so I shot a stone bullet to its head as well. Lets also recover it later. Arriving at the houses, I went over to where the men were residing and told them I killed a deer and a bear so I want to ask your help to carry them However, they were already drinking sake and all of the men in the house was already wasted. Ah, Maou-sama. Thank you very much for the sake They said that while raising their cups to greet me. These guys are hopeless. All of the men were already wasted. It cant be helped so I guess Ill just ask the women. Once I reached the womens side, I knocked on their door. After receiving a reply, I decided to go in. Uhm`, I took down a deer and a bear back in the forest and I cant bring them back all by myself so I was going to ask for help. However, the men are all drunk from drinking sake and the only ones not drunk are the children so They were scared and looked like they have given up in life but after they discussed something amongst themselves in a low voice, they finally replied. Good grief, those men. I guess it cant be helped I will also help okay? They were no longer exhibiting the same fear they had earlier so I gathered 10 of them and went back to the forest. After cutting up the meat into smaller pieces, I handed it for them to carry. Do you also eat its entrails?I asked them. Properly washing and boiling it gets rid of the bad smell you know? Because of that, I decided to just leave the preparations to them. Im sorry okay? Even though today was supposed to be for resting What are you talking about! Its more than enough for you to not treat us as slaves Just when I thought it has been a while since I ate dried meat, this time, I even get some fresh meat! Isnt this a lot better than my life before I became a slave? Right? Ahahaha, they all laughed heartily. Un, how do I put it? Women who are around this age are quite strong in various ways, arent they? We didnt have a bucket for the entrails so we took a tree branch to hang the intestines and went back. As for the liver, we covered it with a largish leaf to bring it back. Although I said I was going to bring the necessary tools tomorrow, I had to go back and buy cookware. Oh my, that was quick. Seeing me, Latte said that teasingly. It would be bothersome to grill the meat for that number of people so I just bought some salt from the general store and several iron plates from the weapon shop so that they can do it themselves. I also bought some wheat flour and other ingredients to make bread. The men will just have to ask the women group for some help in making dinner. I want them to be self-sufficient as soon as possible. I want to save money for my family after all. Ill just have to make the men who are currently drinking work hard tomorrow I guess. Incidentally, when I gave some candy to the frightened children, they all embraced me. ~Idle Talk~ The slaves before coming to the island At the basement where the slaves were being kept. Well then, as I discussed yesterday, I will now be handing you over to your new owner which is the new Demon Lord ruling an uninhabited island. Now, go quickly`. There will be a whipping to those who dont hurry you know~ He hit the stone floor with a whip as he said that. I will be creating a transfer gate to make things easier okay~? (This is the worst. If were going to just be abused by a Demon Lord then it would be better to just get locked up in this dungeon) (I dont want to die you know?) (I wonder what will happen to us I want to be able to protect my child at least) (Aah Are we going to be used every evening I wonder? I dont have the courage to kill myself at all. What should I do?) Once everyone had finished lining up, the demonkin that was the subordinate of the Demon Lord chanted some kind of spell. Okay, Ive connected to the other side so lets go After saying that, the empty space in front suddenly transformed into the sea. Once they entered the strange door, they saw a dark blue-skinned demonkin doing something. Is that guy the Demon Lord? They asked. However, what caught their eye was the food that was right next to him. They wondered if those were for them. K*``M*``H*``M*``HAAA```!!!! After doing some kind of strange post and reciting a strange chant, light shot out from his hands. Fuu. I might have perfected it this time He started talking to himself in a really satisfied tone. That was probably displaying his strength to us but nobody understood what just happened. After the Demon Lords subordinate started talking to him, he just said a few words and turned his head in shame. What a strange Demon Lord. Then, they learned that that Demon Lord was called Caam. He told them he doesnt need slaves, gave them towels and asked them to clean themselves up. The slaves decided to just follow for the time being but they smelled the delicious scent of soup. It has been a while since they smelled that so their stomach rumbled loudly as they gulped their saliva. It seemed like they would get to eat that food after they were done cleaning themselves. While they were eating in silence, they were told that its fine to enjoy their meal. After they ate, the Demon Lord began to remove their shackles and collars. What is with this Demon Lord? Isnt he completely different from the rumors? Its true. Hes really different from the rumors, right? Isnt this Demon Lord just a special case? From all the rumors Ive heard, their slaves were abused till theyre half dead and need to be saved by the hero you know? The slaves continued talking about the Demon Lord while drinking sake. As they got into it the person himself came back. It seemed like he was able to bring down a bear and a dear but because they were hammered, they didnt notice and just used that opportunity to thank him. They had bear and deer meat that evening. Since they were in such a nice situation, they thought that they should at least work a bit harder. After dinner, the women who saw the Demon Lord give the children some sweets and they concluded. Isnt he actually just a really nice guy? CH 52 Chapter 52: That Time When I Rescued A Dog TL: kizen ED: Filip I decided to hold a morning meeting after we had breakfast. The reason for that was because I needed to assign roles to the 50 people who were gathered in front of me. There were twenty-five men, twenty women, and five children. Uhm`, if theres anyone among you who has experience hunting or any other similar occupation please raise your hand After I said that, three men raised their hands. I dont know whether or not thats a lot but its nice there are some. Well then, Ill have you guys form a hunting party. Each one of you will be a party leader with two subordinates. You can conduct a test to select people who are good with the bow after this. Next will be fishermen. Does anybody here know how to fish or knows how to catch them by diving into the sea? This time, two people raised their hands. Both of you get one subordinate each so please select them after this as well. There are still some small boats by the sides of the houses left so please feel free to use them. Now, is there anyone here who can differentiate medicinal plants from wild herbs as well as edible plants and mushrooms? I didnt think there would be any but contrary to my expectations, one woman raised her hand. Youll also get subordinates as well. Please select two other women to help you and a strong man to act as your escort. As for the rest, youll be in charge of cultivating the land by the forest close to your houses as well as collecting firewood and other miscellaneous tasks. Now then, as for the children They looked a bit surprised and their bodies were shaking. You guys remember that I gave you candy yesterday, right? Can I know which one is the biggest onii-san or onee-san among all of you? One girl timidly raised her hand. I see. So youre the oldest Onee-san. Because of that, you will be in charge of looking after the other kids and making sure they dont do anything dangerous okay? This is a really important role you know? You can play but dont go into the forest okay? You can also swim on the beach but only in the shallow part. You can do that, right? I squatted so that I would meet eyes with the girl as I said that and she bobbed her head up and down in agreement. Alright, good girl Shes probably around 6 to 7 years old if I had to guess. I should give her some basic lessons later. Now then, please group yourselves according to the roles we set earlier. I will now be handing you your tools Hmm`, I wonder if six bows will be enough. Well, I guess Ill just give bows to the two of the most skilled in each group while giving the necessary materials for the remaining one to make his own. Is it possible to use a bears stiff tendon as a bowstring I wonder? Is it bad if its too stiff or would it be better if its more rigid? Im not really sure so Ill just leave it to the experts. I only have 6 bows so the leaders will get one and the other two will just have to share the other one until you manage to make another. You can use animal tendons and sinew for the bowstring right? If so then you can use just that I nonchalantly tried to lead them into making it themselves.1 Uhm, does that mean youre giving these weapons to us? If you guys dont catch any prey, these 50 people will starve and die you know? I cant just use my funds every time to buy you guys wheat flour right? Also, if you manage to catch a lot and make it into dried meat, if possible, I want you guys to trade or use it for bartering understood They look unsatisfied for some reason. Isnt that a good thing? Im even giving you guys your necessary weapons. Also, if you manage to find animals that can be domesticated, please report it to me. Discuss it with everyone if its possible to capture it alive After saying that, I handed the bows and arrows to them. Next will be the fishing group. Here are your lances and fish hooks. I made it from the antlers of the deer that I caught yesterday. You guys will have to wait for a bit for the string since Im trying to get my hands on some as quickly as possible. However, if you guys can also use the sinews and tendons of the bear and deer that I caught yesterday then feel free to use them Yes Now for the herb collecting group. Would a knife and shovel be enough? Or would a Nata be preferable? We dont need a Nata you know? I understand. Also, please feel free to use the basket thats in your houses Yes Because of my relationship with the owner of the general store in my village, I was able to buy 10 axes, 10 natas, and 10 saws. I will give these to the rest of you who will be in charge of reclaiming the land near the forest Yes First of all, you guys should take care not to get injured. You are no longer slaves so dont skimp out on your meals to the point where its hindering your capacity to work. Dont force yourself, take a break if youre not feeling well. As for the hunting group, prioritize you and your partys safety. It would be better if you just escape when you encounter a bear. For the fishing group, dont go too far. If possible, I just want you guys to fish within the bay. The herb gathering group should not go too deep into the forest. It should be obvious since I was able to encounter the bear that I hunted yesterday but you might get attacked by wild animals there. The rest of you should stay vigilant to whats happening around you. The remaining men will also be acting as the guards. If something happens, I want you guys to make sure you protect the women and children. Now then, here are the short swords and bucklers youll need to do that Roger Ah`, thats right. You might be alone with three women inside the forest but dont make the mistake of laying your hands on them okay? If you do, I might just personally turn you into a woman as wellremember that U-understood! I was politely speaking with them until now but I gave him a piece of ominous advice so he held his nether regions as he replied. Ah`, I also still havent ascertained that the water around here is safe to drink so make sure you dont drink any yet. It might be troublesome but just drink the water that I provided for the meantime. Ill be heading to the forest after this to search for anything useful as well as food and water source. You need to make sure you guys take proper breaks. Make sure you take afternoon breaks as well. I think Ill be back by evening but please just go ahead and eat dinner without me if Im late. Thats all After saying that, all of them moved to do their respective duties. Ah`, I almost forgot. The women of the reclamation group, please take turns in making everybodys meals every day. We currently only have wheat flour and meat from yesterday but if were lucky, we might get fish and edible plants this afternoon. Also, you wont have a supervisor here so feel free to take it easy Laughter resounded due to my last remark but thats better than having a tense mood in the air. Catch a lot okay? One guy said that to another as he hit his back. They seem to be close. Well, its all good as long as they dont go back to being scared like yesterday. First thing I did was visit the well thats located at the construction site of the Demon Lords castle. I tied a cup to a string and dropped it inside of the well to scoop out water to examine the water quality. Un, its dirty. I wasnt really sure if it would clear up as I keep flushing it or I should go in and clean it up so I guess Ill just do both. Ill also build a small shed around it so that trash wont go inside. I should check for poison now I guess. I dont really want to to be honest. I took off my shirt, folded it several times, then placed it on top of another cup as a makeshift filter. Hmm`, the water is still muddy but I guess it cant be helped. While I was thinking that, I took a little sip and held it in my mouth. I didnt experience any abnormalities in my mouth so I guess thats good. While hoping that it isnt just a slow acting poison, I formed the water inside the well into a water ball to forcibly empty it out. After that, I decided to move forward towards the direction of the mountain at the center of the island. After walking for about thirty minutes, I was able to confirm the existence of wetlands and watering holes on this island. Im not really sure if water has welled up or flowed into such places but this one is pretty shallow so it has turned pretty much into a marsh due to the mud and fallen leaves. We can turn it into a pretty small artificial lake if we clean it up a bit and I guess well be able to make it go through the housing area if we connect it to the sea. Ill try searching the perimeter a bit more for a stream or something but if I dont find any, I should come up with a plan to clean this place up. I started walking around the marshes and I managed to find a streamlet where water was flowing out bit by bit. Hmm`, its not that much, is it? Will it dry up if we dont get rain for a while? I guess it would be better if we made it so that a fixed amount of water would get stored and would just flow out once it exceeds that. We need to have a clear plan. Well, I shouldnt really be getting ahead of myself. I should just keep that in mind. For the time being, I should create a small, shallow pond thats close to the houses for agricultural use. Also, I havent seen any fish swimming in these waters at all. It would be great if we manage to get our hands on some freshwater fish since we could trade them but it cant be helped if there arent any. It would be fine if I just buy some every time I go home I guess. But still, I wonder if you could even find any freshwater fish in a port city. If there are then its probably not that popular. I wonder how much further to the center of the island. It takes around five days to do get across the other side of the island so if I walk for 10 hours a day at 3 kph, I could cover 150 kilometers. Dividing that number with by pi, the islands diameter should be approximately 48 kilometers. If thats the case then its 24 kilometers to the center. Im not really sure how high the elevation is there but if I had to guess, its probably 1000 meters above sea level at least. I wonder how wide the foot of that mountain is. It sure is problematic that I can only estimate these kinds of stuff. Its going to be tough walking on unpaved forest paths for 20 kilometers. Well, I still havent managed to settle down yet so I should stop thinking about reaching the center of the island for now. I dont want to get lost after all. Since the Demon Lords castle was going to be built in this area, there might a quarry here. Ill try looking for it for a bit. If there isnt one nearby, I will laugh at my predecessor for being such a huge idiot. I decided to look around the open area for the time being. After walking through an animal trail I found for a while, I found an area where the soil was protruding which led to a 5-meter cliff with the stone exposed. Un, its still untouched, isnt it? I cant even No wait, this area is just 10 minutes away from the supposed site so the quarry might be located at another place thats closer. Ill try searching for it a bit more. Even though there are plenty of edible fruits growing wildly on this island, theres not a single one of them in this area. While I was thinking that, I looked up and noticed that its almost noon. I guess Ill pass by a different area to look around for a bit before going back. I found another wetland on my way back and discovered a small red nut-like fruit thats as big as a thumbnail. I tried eating it and it tasted bittersweet. Is this a cranberry? I wonder if these were actually found in wetlands back in my previous life? Well, I shouldnt really mind the minor details. I guess should bring some back with me and tell the herb gathering group of this location. Also, I still need to confirm if there actually is a quarry closer to the planned site for the Demon Lords castle. Its probably inconvenient to have it located 10 minutes away after all. Once I got back, I decided to do a thorough search of the construction site. I found a hidden narrow pathway so I tried to see where it leads to. This time, I discovered a 50 meter stone cliff which was taller than the one earlier. There were even rusted tools left here. I was right to hold back my judgmental laugh earlier. In order to make use of this area, Ill make a few more houses and have the others live here. That plan will have to wait for a bit though. While I was thinking that, I heard a sound. *pant* *pant* *pant* *pant* Awooooooo, awooooooooooo *whimper* *whimper* Is that a dog? I tried getting a closer look and saw two dogs surrounding one that had large amounts of blood flowing from the side of its ribs. I wonder if it was done in by a wild boar. Dogs have been human kinds companions since ancient times so I cant just ignore it now that Ive seen it. Theres also the fact that Im a dog person. When I tried getting closer, the other two started wrinkling their snout and showing their teeth to threaten me. Do they not want me to approach their friend? They all look like Siberian Huskies with grey hair on their entire bodies. Do Siberian Huskies even exist in the wild? Im not scary you know~ I dont think theyll understand my words but I try to talk to them anyway. As I got closer, the scarier they made their faces look. I wonder what I should do. Im worried about the injured one but I cant do anything when theyre like this. Moreover, maybe its because its starting to weaken but the bloodstained dog doesnt seem like it can actually see me. Itll be bad if I dont hurry, wont it? For the meantime, I just sat there and started weighing my options. How should I deal with this I wonder? Do I just force it or should I wait for their wariness to fade? Theres no point in hesitating now. Itll probably die if I continue dawdling around like this. I decided to cover my entire body with mana and intimidate them. They didnt run away but they tucked their tails and showed me their bellies while avoiding my gaze. Ah`, sorry. Thats the pose of submission right? Well, I hope you guys forgive me because Im doing this to save your friend. I approached the injured dog and put away the raw meat that I think its comrades put by its mouth. Im not really sure what the reason is for that behavior but its comrades probably thought it would feel better after eating meat. Thinking about how his comrades felt makes me tear up a bit. Now that theyre letting me help them, I made sure that there was no one around then used my recover magic to make the bleeding stop. It looks like the pain has started to decrease so I began washing off the blood with warm water. After finishing the treatment, it struggled to get up at first then it started running around and snuggling against me. Good boy, good boy I squatted down and rubbed its head while saying that. Your hair is kinda prickly, isnt it`? How cute Seeing their friend active again cause the other two to approach us while wagging their tails. It looked like they also wanted their head rubbed so I readily complied. These guys sure are cute. After playing with them for a bit, they would follow me whenever I tried to leave. It looks like they got attached to me Well, I guess I should start heading back. It would probably for them to wait until dinner to eat but I guess its fine if I let them eat a little something to fill their stomach until then right? Do you guys want to come as well? Alright, lets go After saying that, I went back together with the dogs to our temporary base. As I got closer, I heard the sound of axes hitting trees and the earth trembling from them falling. Oh, how capable. Will they be able to start digging out the roots tomorrow? Good work. Are you tired? You feeling alright? Oh`, Maou-sama. Im fine but two men collapsed and are now resting inside of their respective houses I see. They probably pushed themselves hard all of a sudden The two of them were weak from the start so theres no helping it Please tell everyone not to force themselves during their work Got it. By the way, arent those wolves behind you? Where? Arent these dogs? W-wolves! Someone else shouted that while running away. it seems like they are indeed wolves I-is that so? Please be careful Why are you being polite all of a sudden? Thatll make me sad you know? I see. So guys are actually wolves. Im sorry for calling you dogs okay? *whimper* They whimpered as they snuggled against my feet. Well, I guess that means its fine. I wonder if I still have some meat left. Ah`, here they are. Seeing me hold some meat, they all jumped at me with their front paws on my chest trying to reach it. Wait, wait, wait. Im going to give it to you now so just give me a sec I guess it was unreasonable to expect them to be trained. I wonder if its already too late. After I gave them the meat, they started wolfing it down.2 These guys eat quite a lot. I kinda want a dog bowl for them now. I guess Ill just make one. If I cant make something similar to the ones from my previous life then one from wood is fine. As I was thinking that, guys from the hunting and fishing group came back bringing with them their spoils. Iya`, the area was pretty much untouched so we managed to bring back a lot We also got a quite a big haul you know Thats good. Now, as long as you have some wheat flour you wont have any more problems when it comes to your meals. The question now is if the cargo ship notices this island and comes here to dock. I guess we could prepare some kind of beacon tomorrow morning and have someone assigned to be on the look out Maou-samaare those wolves? It seems so. I helped them thinking that they were just dogs with rare colored fur but they got attached to me. Sorry for calling you dogs again. I rubbed their heads as I said that. *whimper* Can wolves even get attached I wonder? How would I know You guys We can hear you, you know? Ah`, doggies! Can we pet them? The kids came over and started making a fuss. Is it okay? These children are the children of my friends so dont bite them okay? Waon!34 After giving me some kind of reply, they went towards the children and sat down as they let themselves be pet. How clever~. I wonder if its fine to touch them as well. Well, just dont do it too hard okay? Also, if they start getting mad, get away from them immediately. Do you understand? Yes~. Waa, how soft~ Fluffy~ Good boy, good boy How cool`! Un, theyre really patient, arent they? If we train them, they could be used in animal therapy or serve as hunting partners I guess. I still have to confirm if there have been wolves domesticated by humans but we might be able to make it work if we raised them from the time they were born. Well, I guess Ill just think about them at that time. Theyre shaking their tails as they get rattled by the kids so I guess its fine. Were back. Ara, are those wolves? It seems so. They got attached to me after I helped them. Also, I just wanted to ask but is this safe to eat? Ive already tried eating some but As I said that, I handed over the cranberry-like fruit I found. Hmm` She hummed while she inspected the fruit. Then, she put it inside of her mouth and rolled it around to ascertain the taste. It seems to be fine. The bittersweet taste is nice. Please let me know where you found it later so we can pick some ourselves Got it. Lets also try to see if we can plant some nearby Sure While we were having that conversation, the children were jostling the wolves around as they pet them. They look like they have already given up so I guess I should be stopping them soon. Hey children~. It looks like the doggie wants you to stop soon so do you think you can do that for them~? Yes~ Good, good. I want to give these two doggies names. Do you think you can come up with some ideas for me? Un! Then, you should discuss it among yourselves and just let me know if youve decided on something. As for this one, Ill give it a name myself The wolf that Ill be naming is the injured one I saved. Well, its the one who has gotten attached to me the most after all. As expected, naming it Speck would be bad and naming it Dogmeat would leave a bad taste. Ponta? Josephine? No no no no, wait. That would also be quite bad in a different way. One of those is the name of my friends dog after all. Ah`, how about the nameWulflike that one infamous person named the puppy of his dog.5 Un, its decided. Wait, isnt that just wolf in German? That person isnt really creative in a way, is he? Incidentally, Im also the same. Onii-san has already decided you know~ What is it~? Its Wulf Borfu~?6 Well, theyre still kids so I guess it cant be helped. Thats right. Thats why you guys should talk a lot and give them names that everyone likes okay? Kay~ Now, you can discuss it over there okay? Un! After saying that, the two wolves ran together with the children. Its cute how innocent they are. A while after that, we gathered in the same area where we held the meeting this morning. Uhm`. I took a look around the surroundings for a bit and after walking along a side path from the houses you are using right now, I found an open area where the previous Demon Lord was going to build his castle. Once we manage to settle things over here, I was thinking that we should build buildings that could be used as workshops in that area. There are wetlands a bit past the castle construction area as well. There was even something that looked like a marsh with water flowing to it so if we fix it up a bit, we may be able to make the water reach this area. I still havent drunk any water from there so Im not really sure if its clean but I thought that if its really necessary, we can just boil the water before drinking it. Actually, I wanted us to dig a well here but we probably wont get any fresh water since were close to the sea so I wanted to discuss that alternative with you guys. After I finish exploring the surrounding area, Ill be able to help out with the reclamation so please endure it for now. And finally, I want to talk about seasonings. I think well be able to make salt with what we currently have so why dont we start with something simple like that first. Thats all from me I guess Ill go next then Since we have found wild boars, after we finish with the reclamation of the forest, I think we should make a fence or some kind of pit to put them in so that we can breed them I also have a similar suggestion. The fishes near this island arent wary of getting caught yet so I wanted to suggest that we capture as much as we can alive and keep them in some kind of tank Can I also say something? We found some potatoes growing in the wild that were probably abandoned by the previous residents so we were thinking of growing them together with the wheat so that well have plenty to harvest. Honestly, I dont think there would be any point in farming them if we dont get plenty of bags so Id like you to take that into consideration as well. Hmm`. Wild boars are pretty violent so they would probably just destroy the fence so a pit would be better. Its going to be a bit unsanitary but well just have to make the boar endure it until it becomes docile. As for where to keep the fish, I guess digging a hole by the waters edge until the sea water comes in then putting something there so that they wont be able to escape would be fine. Now for the potatoes, I think it would be best to get some so that we can also trade them but I might need to dig into my personal funds in order to procure them. I wanted for us to try and manage with only whats on the island but I guess we wont be able to do anything without laying in the groundwork. I guess Ill just go ahead and purchase them. Because of that, please make sure that you guys prepare a slightly wider field to plant wheat and potatoes What about the doggies~? Ah`, right. Uh`, while I was in the middle of exploring I managed to save an injured wolf so they got attached to me. They seem to be clever and obey when I told them not to bite but they probably would if you make them mad by hitting them with a stick or riding on them so just keep that in mind. I was thinking of just letting them run free as they patrol the territory every day. For their meals, I want them to eat together with us so that theyll also get attached with everyone. I also want to rely on their good noses so well have them help stand watch at night. Im going to name one and just leave the other twos names to the children. I dont know if theyve already decided but please listen to them if they ask for your advice I looked towards the children after that. Ive already told everyone about the doggies so if theres anything troubling you, dont be afraid to ask for help from me or any of the adults. Also, they might bite you if you do anything to anger them so be careful okay? kay~ Well then, lets eat That day, I was able to eat fish for the first time in my whole life living in this world. I started craving for white rice and soy sauce seeing the butterflied horse mackerel that was in front of me. I guess I should just buy some at a later date. ~Idle Talk~ Around noon when the women were preparing for lunch Hey, Maou-sama doesnt really seem like a Demon Lord, does he? So Im not the only one who thinks that. I agree Me too It seems like hes active with everyones welfare in mind. He bought these iron plates with his own money and brought them here with his transfer magic, right? He could have bought a bit more though Ive heard that there are limits to that magic you know? Thats why we were brought here using that gate like thing Well, at least were being given meals and not getting whipped Hes nice to the children as well. Not even the men here will look at the children in the eyes as they gently warn them. And besides, even in my village, I havent heard anyone say not to force it if youre feeling unwell you know? I wonder why hes treating us like this Want to ask the person himself? Im afraid to ask Hell probably give us an answer you know? Shall we ask him then? Eh? Our workforce would decrease and would bring trouble to everyone else if you force yourself and get sick or injured after all. Theres also the fact that I wont let myself get pressured doing something I dont want to do. And isnt being nice to children just normal? I think its wrong to hit children no matter how tired or having a hard time you are. I wouldnt want my own son and daughter to experience that after all. Well, if someone does try then Ill hunt them down and show them a Demon Lords wrath Or so he says Isnt he a lot more capable than the men or even the nobles back home then? Its a waste that hes not human Thats right`. He managed to become a Demon Lord so he must be strong, right? I wonder if hell take me as a concubine Stop that. He even has two kids so Im sure he gets along well with his wife Thats true` However, now we know that hes not only nice. He said hell hunt anyone who tries to harm his children right? Doesnt that mean that hes vengeful then? Hes really kind if you take that part away right? Yeah. Id like to have a husband like that. I dont think theres anyone like Maou-sama on this island though You should just find a compromise you know? Well anyway, didnt Maou-sama come back with three wolves that he manage to tame? I wonder whats up with that He said they got attached to him, right? Really, I wonder what hes thinking. I dont understand that Maou-sama at all For the time being, the women were able to understand why they were being treated kindly. CH 53.1 Chapter 53: That time when I met with a spirit-san and monster-san TL: kizen ED: Filip Please make sure no one gets injured today as well. Also, to those who raised their hands earlier, please stay behind for a bit because Ill be teaching you the way to make the fire signal Maou-sama~. Can we tell you something~? Nn? What is it? I crouched to look them in the eye as I listened. We have decided on the doggies names Oh`, thats great. You made sure to properly discuss it with everyone right? Yup! The grown-ups told us that the two doggies were girls so were going to give them names for girls How clever of you~. So, what name are you going to give them? Tanya and Sonia desu Russian names, huh. Moreover, arent those two names incredibly popular?1 What? Should I make Yakisoba bread? Should I also make a red suzuran-shaped goblet? I wonder if I should change Wulfs name to something Russian. 2 Those are lovely names, arent they? Un! Then, so that everyone will get along, you should introduce them to the adult humans later okay? Yes~. Were going to go and play today as well okay~? Just be careful Tanya, Sonya, Ill leave the kids to you Waon!Wafun Together with that cry, they started running around the vicinity of the bay together with the kids. Well then, Wulf, I guess youre coming with me After I said that, he stood from a sitting position and followed me. Hes incredibly clever, isnt he? The signal that Im talking about is simple. If you burn the leaves of live trees, white smoke comes out. In order to make it burn efficiently, you should first create a base by using three long branches and forming it into a small tent. Next, you create a platform by the center using smaller branches then you stack up wood and leaves on it with the dried ones at the bottom and the ones from live trees up top. You can just wrap larger leaves around it to protect it from the rain. After setting the dried leaves at the bottom on fire, since theyre that close to the source, the strong heat will naturally set the live leaves on top on fire. I will demonstrate it to your right now so please try to remember the process3 After saying that, I began collecting some driftwood and palm leaves lying around on the beach as well as some branches with leaves from shrubs growing near the coast in order to make the fire signal. Once I was done, I produced a small Fire on my fingertip then lit it up. The fire gradually spread and caused a cloud of thick white smoke to come out from the top. Please increase the number of live leaves if you arent getting enough smoke. Dont add any more dried leaves since it would end up being just a regular fire instead of a signal fire Understood Im sure youre going to have a lot of free time from now on so youll have to fight against boredom but please stay vigilant. Well then, Ill leave it to you guys to look out for the cargo ship With that finished, I returned to my exploration. Today, instead of going back to the Demon Lords castle site, I decided to explore the coastline. As we walked along the coastline, I tried talking with Wulf. Hey Wulf, do you want a similar sounding name to Tanya and Sonya? Ku~n Is Wulf better? Waon! I see, I see. Then, Ill continue calling you Wulf` As I said that, he started rubbing his body against my leg so I patted his head. Hes really cute, isnt he? After walking for a while, I discovered an unknown variety of palm trees that have fruits. I just found natures sports drink. I can come here to pick some if someone catches a cold I guess. I can even try making sugar by boiling the sap or use the leaves to make a Ryuuka-style saltpan prototype. 4 Two hours after discovering the palm trees, I decided to take a break and started staring at the horizon from the waters edge where nothing thats particularly interesting was happening. Hmm`, it doesnt seem like any large sized ship will be able to dock here. If were going to build a harbor, we can only do it by the concave bay area I guess While I was murmuring that to myself, I found a palm tree with plenty of fruits growing on it so I decided to grab one. I used a nata to cut the top, drink half of its contents then gave the rest to Wulf as I nibbled on an unripe banana that I got from a tree that was also growing in that area.5 There doesnt seem to be anything that can be used to float around here. Well, I guess I did find somewhere to harvest coconut milk and coconut oil from but those are different kinds of materials. I wonder if I would find some if I continue searching While I was thinking about that, I felt like I heard someone calling me out from a distance. I tried looking around but I couldnt find anyone. Oi`! It doesnt seem like I was just imagining it. I noticed that a certain tree at a distance that was shaking unnaturally. Well, it was actually waving at me. Because of that, I decided to jog towards that tree to have a look. Heyyo`. Nice to meet you. It sure has been a while since the last time Ive talked Once I got there, a sexy daikon6 I mean, a sexy tree started talking to me. There was a cloth thats covering her waist area but that just makes her look even lewder. Ah`, nice to meet you. I see that you speak the continents common language Of course, I have family in the areas that use that language after all. Plus, its a language you can use to communicate with humans and demonkin you know? It seems like Ive come across a slightly pretentious tree. Ah, sorry for not introducing myself. Im Palma Im called Caam You Youre a new Demon Lord that was sent here right? Well I guess What a relief~. It seems like this times Demon Lord is nice. The last one was terrible so I didnt talk to him at all Haa You were even nice to the humans so I thought that it would be fine to talk if it was with you Haa Uhm, what is it exactly that you want to say? It looked interesting so let me join your group as well I dont mean to be blunt but how exactly will you do that? It doesnt look like you can move from there at all Hmm`, I want you to to take the fruit thats coming out of that tiny sprout over there and plant it somewhere close to Caam-kun. If you do that, Ill be able to give you all kinds of advice regarding the soil and trees You mean this? While saying that, I pointed at the 20 cm tall sprout thats lifting up a coconut. Thats right. Try walking away for a bit` I heard a bossy reply coming from the sprout. This is what I meant when I said family. So? What do you think? Amazing, right? Well, Ive already met with another dryad called Birke back in my village. She was teaching magic there though You know Birke? That makes things easier. You can find that girl in different places even though she cant move right? Yeah. She would pop out of a potted plant in random places and just start talking all of a sudden Its the same for me. However, in my case, I use this fruit and that tree. I have the entire island covered you know? As for Birke, she needs to cut a part of her branches then plant it somewhere in order to move around Its the first time Ive heard of that. Does that mean she increases her numbers through cutting? If one has a lot of mana, its possible to do parallel thought processing so youll be able to move in two places at the same time. Look After saying that, I looked at the sexy tree back in the distance who then shouted, Oi~! See? yes Thats why you should let me join in on your group. Pretty please~7 It wont have any effect if you say that while youre in that body Then go back to my main body and Im sure youll get enticed! No thanks. I already have wives and children While we were having that exchange, I was walking back with her fruit body in hand when she suddenly asked me to stop. What is it? You can see that conspicuous red flower thats inside the forest from here, right? Is she talking about that one that looks like a hibiscus plant? Ah`, yes. I see it With that said, we took a slight detour through the forest and when we reached the flower, a girls upper body appeared from the center of the petals and started talking. Well well, if it isnt Palma. What are you doing with this guy over here? Hes the new Demon Lord who came to this island. Oh my, they sent out a normal one this time, didnt they? hello You see, Im currently under this childs care Why? It doesnt seem like it would lead to anything worthwhile Hes a nice Demonkin you know? I can tell since Ive been observing him from a distance. Does Fleur want to come too? Hmm` While she was thinking, Wulf approached her, sniffed around and started marking her. Kya~! What are you doing you wolf! Get away from me`!8 Ah`, I guess Im the only one who thinks theyre dogs Uhm, are you coming with us? Take responsibility! Ah`, yes. I apologize for what Wulf has done. What should I do here? Lets see This child is still young so dig the surrounding soil while making sure the roots dont get damaged then quickly move her somewhere with well-draining soil. Ill just warn you ahead of time that this child may start to weaken after you take her out so just make sure you treat her gently okay? Okay With that, the number of plants I have to carry has increased by two. One is a spirit and the other a Demonkin. CH 53.2 Chapter 53 Part 2: That time when I met with Spirit-san and Monster-san TL: kizen ED: Filip I immediately returned to our temporary base after that then went to the reclamation area to find some of the fallen trees. Once there, I used a bit of magic to cut one into chunks then gouge out the insides to make some kind of pot. Oh my. Quite industrious, arent you? Thats true, isnt it? If its like this, then it would be easier to transport us Take care of us until we become bigger okay? Yeah yeah Maou-sama, theres something Id like to consu WOAH! The fruit and flower just talked! We were seen. Well, I was planning on introducing them during their noon break so I guess its fine. I decided to discuss it with the humans while they were resting after everyone had finished eating their lunch. Uh`, Im not really sure whether you identify them as spirits, fairies or monsters but I became acquainted with a Dryad and an Alraune while I was in the middle of my exploration. Im also not really sure whether these are their underlings, family, or children but it seems like they use seeds and fruits in order to increase their numbers and talk through them using parallel thought processing I wonder if theyll understand the term parallel thought processing. Please treat me well Nice to meet you~ The fruit and flower skillfully turned into a womans torso and started talking. The humans were starting to make a fuss because of that so I decided to continue talking. Uh`, this is Palma-san and Fleur-san that I was talking about. Theyll give us advice regarding the soil and plants so if theres anything you dont know, please ask them Uhm, are they not going to attack us? I wont be able to do anything in this body you know? [Palma] Thats right~ [Fleur] It would be different if it was my main body but I cant do anything in this one Thats true you know~ Right. You can consider similar looking flowers and palm trees around the area the same as us so we would like you to be polite when dealing with them Well get mad if you step on us okay? Almost all of the palm trees in this island are my family so if you call out to them, I can just have them drop their fruit so you wont have to climb up Thats true After they said that, one child who lost to his curiosity approached a palm tree that was nearby and energetically shouted. One please! Its dangerous there so move away a bit okay~? After the child moved back 10 paces, a single fruit was dropped down. See? You understand that that one is also me, right? The potted plant by my feet started talking. However, I wouldnt be able to increase my numbers if you take the rest so there should always be at least two left okay? Well, I just wont drop any if theres only two left I guess Can I ask something Palma-san? [Caam] What is it~? Ive heard that you can get sugar from that tree if you boil the sap so I was wondering if you would be willing to cooperate in trying that out Hearing the word sugar, the humans started making a fuss. Sugar? Did somebody say sugar? Could you be more specific? [Palma] Im talking about the sap that comes out after cutting the leaves in half Ah`, youre talking about that. Im going to slightly weaken if you do that so Id like to receive a reward. If I had to be specific, how about periodically supplying me with mana? How exactly am I supposed to do that? Nn`. Well se`1Okay, wait. Stop! I had to stop her since the conversation was heading somewhere dangerous. There are children here after all. Then, lets just say Id want the one who will take the sap to give me some kind of fluid containing mana okay Maou-sama, you should immediately give her what she wants Youd lose face if you dont since you were the one who proposed it The humans started badgering me. If its just a fluid containing mana, would this be enough? As I said that, I produced a Water Ball on my fingertip then dropped it into the pot. A-ahhh, amazing. Whats this? Its quickly getting soaked into meee~! The small female torso kept hitting her cheeks and was frolicking about. EH!? No way! Let me has some too! *Splash* Nn. Nnnnn~~~. Uhhh. A-amashing~. My leaves Spray some onto my leaves as well~ I sprayed some onto her leaves since it couldnt be helped but this situation is starting to become kinda lewd, isnt it? Looking at such a sight might not be a good thing for the children so I guess Ill just do this either first thing in the morning or late at night. Im starting to get hard for some reasonMe too Its also having a bad effect on the men. Hmm`, I pretty much didnt even consider how the men will satisfy their sexual desire so its possible that mistakes would be made. I guess I should discuss that concern in the evening meeting. While I was thinking about that, I saw that the signal fire has been lit. You guys can continue resting. Ill be right back After saying that, I ran at full speed towards the cape. Once I arrived, I asked the one standing watch Where is it!? Over there! That certainly is a ship that passed but it doesnt seem like itll turn around and head here, does it? I thought so as well. I just lit the signal anyway just in case they see the smoke Well, since it cant be helped, Ill just have you guys persevere and come here to stand watch at least once every three days. If you see a ship, start the signal fire immediately. If you do that, they might think someones stranded and decide to come here Right. Lets keep at it and continue raising smoke signals guys! Im sorry about this but you guys will have to wait for your proper beddings for a while Its okay for me since this is heaven compared to the dungeon where we were staying before I feel bad for the children though since I just want to ensure theirs at least. We might have to ask the sailors to sell what theyre using at the worst Maou-sama is really nice, isnt he? Once evening came, we had our usual meat and fish seasoned with some wild grass for dinner. I should also try to do something about this lack in variety. After everyone was finished eating dinner, I started talking. Uhm`, I have something I want to discuss. Its a bit complicated so the children should play with Tanya and Sonia for the meantime okay~? kay~ What good, obedient children they are. Ahem`. Lets begin now that the children are no longer here. I noticed the men getting aroused seeing what happened to, Palma-san and Fleur-san this afternoon which is fine since its a very natural physiological reaction Most of the men lowered their heads in shame. Well, even I would be embarrassed if someone noticed that. Anyway, in order to prevent future accidents, as long as both parties consent and you guys keep it within range of common sense, I have no particular problems with you guys pairing up. I didnt prohibit that to begin with though The humans started getting noisy. Okay okay, calm down. Even though we have a small population, we still need to maintain order. The problems that would come up from letting you guys do that is making sure the children dont see and preventing conflicts caused by both parties not consenting. For the formerwell, I guess theyll learn about it eventually though I want you guys to still be careful. The problem is the latter. If you force the other party or coerce them, some kind of punishment will be given. I still havent thought of what punishment to give but I dont want it to reach the extent of handing out death sentences The humans were quietly listening to me speak so I continued. This doesnt just apply to the men you know? There are cases where women force men after all. For instance, women who fancy slightly slender, adorable men might not be able to control themselves and attack the said men. Well, even so, I still want to believe in everyones conscience. Also, I just want to remind you that our livelihood in this island is still not stable. You may still do the deed but if you think theres a possibility of you guys forming a child, please refrain from doing it. Im not saying you shouldnt give birth but I would feel bad for the children that will be born considering our situation right now. I want you guys to start planning for a child once our situation prospers a bit more. Thats all. Ah, as for where you can do it, please discuss it among yourselves whether youll use the vacant houses in the forest or by the cape. I understand that there are also some who enjoy getting seen and I also understand that there are people who want to watch. However, Id like you to keep in mind that there are some who wouldnt want to see other people doing the act as well. Also, a lot of people would probably complain of not being able to sleep for various reasons if youre too loud so please make sure to keep it down as much as possible Un, it would be really troublesome if theyre too loud after all. Oh and dont do it while youre deep inside the forest okay? You wont be able to perform your regular duties if you get injured from being attacked by monsters or wild animals after all. Also, dont lay a hand on the children okay? If you do, I might just accidentally cut off something that will prevent you from having any kind of relationships. Ever. Anyway, thats all from me I said the last part in a low voice in order to threaten them. After I finished speaking, they all started conversing with each other. There were a few couples who were already holding hands while the other men were still busy discussing something with one another. Well, we still have a few extra vacant houses so those can probably accommodate a few couples per day. It was a good thing I noticed that problem before something bad happened. Still, what should do if someone gets sick or something because they had multiple partners I wonder? Hmm`. It would have left a bad taste if I just ignored that situation and somebody ends up committing a crime though~. And theres also the fact that there are more men than women here. I just hope that the men dont end up deciding to pair up with each other due to desperation. They wouldnt do something atrocious like laying their hands on the children, right? Well anyway, Ill start trying to make salt and palm sugar tomorrow. I can leave that task to the women so once Ive established the proper method, I guess I could help out with the reclamation. ~Idle Talk~ Attracted to the beautiful spirit and monster? Hey, you know that fruit that Maou-sama brought back? That was one of those Dryads right? Right. Also, that flower was probably an Alraune. How come theyre here on this island? How would I know? Demon Lords have lived here for generations, right? They probably get subjugated by the hero whenever they try to do something shady because of that. That cycle has probably repeated countless of times so the mana generated from those fight might have affected the surrounding area Those two must have already lived a long life then Thats probably true. This place is a lot better than that dungeon but Im not really sure what to do with a Demon Lord, a beautiful monster, and a spirit-sama here Right. Anyway, that Fleur sure was beautiful, wasnt she? I wonder if she would keep me company if I encounter her main body Oi, dont tell me you still believe those stories But still, I was told by my grandpa when I was still a child that they are monsters who take the form of a beautiful woman in order to lure men you know? What a terrible grandfather you have for telling his young grandson that kind of stories But, you can see how beautiful that small flower is right? Then why dont you try asking her if you think shes such a fine woman. She might just accompany without necessarily sucking you dry right? Hehehe, you might be right ( Good grief. These human men sure are vulgar. I wonder how they would react if I loudly tell them that I can hear them) (Dont. You probably would have taken up their offer if not for that water made from magic right? You just cant especially since our bodies are this small) (thats true. I guess well just have put up with Caam-kuns mana filled water) (And besides, it would be terrible if they dried out and die, right~?) (Yeah. Well, it doesnt really matter since I still have a lot in stock. It doesnt have to be someone on this island so I can just find someone from the mainland if worse comes to worst) (As for me, I can use the birds to spread my seed or use that one child that was taken by the humans who saved the exploited slaves of the previous Demon Lord because they thought it was pretty so I would be fine even if this island sinks) 2 (Still, the best one at this is that Matango, right?) (Yep~. She was able to fill up an entire mountain with her spores right? I heard that she even has parts of her spread all over the main continent. Even I cant do that) 3 (Me too) (Anyway, now that Ive tasted it, Im starting to want to have Caam-kun to spray my roots some more with that mana filled water even if I know its going to rot) (Ah, I get what you mean. Caam-kun was a pretty good find, wasnt he~?) (Right~) CH 54.1 Chapter 54: That time when a group was gathered after I made some sweets TL: kizen ED: Filip Im helping out with the reclamation of the forest today I could use Wind Cutterwhich was useful for cutting short weeds and bushes but its impossible to cut trees with it. I wonder if its because of the hardness of the material? No matter how much I hit them with the thin blades, it only leaves small marks. Because of that, I decided to try and make some kind of chainsaw using magic. In order to reduce the mana cost, Ill try using ruby and sapphires first instead of going immediately for diamonds. I slightly raised the top plate by 3 millimeters higher than where it usually is and set it on an obtuse angle instead of the regular acute one since I dont have to worry about it being chipped. As for the distance between the left and right cutting tooth, I just set it to about a millimeter wide. I cant really hold it while its spinning at a high speed so Ill just make it float in front of my hand. In order to cut the tree, I first cut a notch on the side where I want the tree to fall. After that, I proceeded to cut horizontally on the other side but stopped just before I cut all the way through, then I inserted a wedge on the horizontal cut and just hit that in order to safely make the tree fall.1 It doesnt have an engine so you can only hear the sounds of the wood chips flying off while cutting trees. Its nice that it isnt loud, isnt it? Now that I have this, it feels like I could cut through anything. Before I started cutting the trees in the designated area, I had the roots and stumps that were protruding forcibly pulled out with magic and piled them to the side for the time being. Once that was done, I started working. After a while, I noticed it was almost 10 AM so I thought it was time we take a break. Its already the time between breakfast and lunch so you guys should take a little break. Ill just go and take a look at how the others are doing okay? After saying that, I decided to roam about for a bit. By the way, the mock chainsaw didnt look like it was overheating and there were no chipped blades after using it cut several trees. Once the tree falls down, everyone who was in charge of reclaiming the land would start cutting off the branches. Once theyre done with that, they would use their axes to cut it into reasonably sized chunks then carry it off to a vacant house that were temporarily using as our woodshed. Speaking of houses, I also used another vacant house to smoke meat and fish there so it wont go bad. Once we were done draining the blood, taking out the viscera and removing the meat from the bones, we washed the meat and fish with sea water then hang it in there. After that, we smoked it for an entire day and did what they call Cold Smoking. To be honest, I would want us to dry the meat and fish for at least a month but were still starting up so it cant be helped. Cold smoking considerable decreases the water content of the meat which is perfect for long term preservation but it takes a lot of time. Its really suitable for drying large cuts and dressed meat.2 You need to dry something that big before it rots after all. Meat doesnt last long even if you use either warm or cold smoking but since its a bit soft, it can be turned it into some sort of jerky. We would just cut the meat into thin slices and dry it with heat and smoke for 5~7 days. We could do just that if we had some sort of net but Ill just have to give up on that since we dont have anything we can use to dry such thin slices. If we used hot smoking, we could have added some fragrant wood to give it a better smell but we would have to eat those on the same day so thats no good. We should just do that when were barbequing meat. To complete our smokehouse, we had to look for a suitable wood that would burn properly and fill the house with smoke and find a way for us to see if the fire has gone out and to be able to reignite it from the outside. I tried touching the dried finished product but it was still kinda soft and the exterior was only a bit dry. Well, this will last for a short while but once the rest of our meat supply is gone, well have no other choice but to cook this half-dried meat. Thats fine though since well be able to pickle stuff or even make sausages once we managed to make our own salt. As for the rest of the spices, I dont really have a choice but to just leave it to the herb picking group to find them. Incidentally, I had to consult with Fleur-san in order to find some mild wood to turn into chips for smoking. I didnt choke or have my eyes water when I tried entering the smoke-filled room so her recommendation was really amazing. The smell wouldnt be a problem if we had cherry trees here but I was told that the smoke from the wood chips that were recommended for me repels insects and has antibacterial effects so we could preserve this smoked food for a longer time. Well, the wood itself is really tough though so its difficult to turn it into chips. The first group I visited were the children since I also had them do some work. Under Palma-sans and Fleur-sans supervision, they were tasked to gather sap from palm trees into a cup, collect them in a pot and boil it. Make the fire a bit smaller and stir it underneath while making sure you dont get burnt. If youre sweating a lot, you should go and ask Palma for some fruit and drink its juice Fleur-san who was watching over the cooking team was just mouthing off instructions. Well, I guess thats the only thing she could do in that form. If you become tired, you should tell one of the human adults and have them take your place okay? kay~Un As for the plan to make salt, I left that task to the women who really werent accustomed to doing mountain work. I hollowed out a large tree and placed branches that were linked to form the shape of the letter A inside. Then, I had the women split the palm leaves in half and tie them to all of the branches inside of the hollowed tree so it would form several layers. After that was finished, I instructed them to draw clean sea water and continuously pour it over the top. By doing that, it would produce water thats even saltier than regular seawater which we will boil to turn into salt. Is this how you actually make salt? The water evaporates due to the leaves getting warmed up by sunlight you know? Salt gets attached to the leaves because of that and so it gets washed down and dissolved again once you pour the seawater over it. The water would decrease as you keep doing that and you would end up with something thats even saltier than regular seawater which you boil in order to turn into salt. Its much more efficient if done that way. If you feel that the water is too heavy, you can just continue until you only have half of the original amount. The rest can be done after you have taken a sufficient amount of rest. You guys dont have to worry since Ill send a few people to relieve you later This really isnt at a similar scale to the Ryuuka-style salt making method but whats important is to be able to produce enough salt for all of the residents here. After taking a short break, I went back to cutting trees when the on child approached me. Maou-sama~. The sugar is done you know~? Oh, is that so`? As thanks for letting me know, Ill let you try the experimental sweets that Ill make with that sugar later okay? Eh? Sweets!? Yay~! Also, its dangerous to come near me while Im working so just approach an adult thats nearby if something happens okay? It wont be a laughing matter if they get cut by my pseudo-chainsaw after all. Ive pretty much confirmed what was in my surrounding before I started and told the others not to come near me while Im working but that doesnt mean that its absolutely confirmed that there will be no more accidents. After felling the tree I was working on, I raised the stump using magic then told the others that Im off to make sweets. Sorry everyone but theres something else that Id like to try right now. Can I leave the rest to you? All thats left to do is cut this log into smaller pieces to carry into the woodshed after all We understand. Were looking forward to the sweets youll make after all, right guys? After that, I went to where the children were working. Hmm`, I guess this much sugar should be enough. As I sampled a bit of the sugar that was produced, the confectionery that I could make right now came to mind. I asked Palma-san to give me one of her fruits and extracted the coconut milk out of it. Then, I mixed it together with wheat flour, palm sugar, and salt in order to make simple cookies. I wanted to put it into a pastry bag and just squeeze it out after I was done kneading it but since we didnt have that, I just made something similar with magic. We didnt have any butter but the cookies were able to rise somehow due to the small amounts of fats and oils contained in the coconut milk. We dont have an oven here so after cleaning it up, I used the smoking house instead. Since it turned out pretty well, Im considering turning another vacant house into some kind of oven. We could just make one out of stone though. While I was cooking, I noticed that the children were observing what I was doing from behind. I felt sorry for the children but I wont yield the first bite to them. I just wanted to be safe since it might still be undercooked or it doesnt taste good. I mean, I had to use animal fat to grease the pan after all. It sure would have been nice to have baking paper while making this`. Un, its average. While I was thinking about that, I gave each one of the children a single cookie but they didnt eat it immediately and just waited. I wonder if they waiting for me to give them permission to eat? You can eat those you know? After I said that, they all stuffed their cheeks with it. It seemed like they felt it would be a waste so swallow it immediately so the just kept it in their mouths to savor the taste. They were recently slaves so I dont know when was the last time theyve eaten sweet things but I want to make sure that they are happy. Its also possible that they didnt get to eat any even before they became slaves. Thinking how that may be true makes me feel sad for them. I have to go home during my designated day off so the kids would probably be lonely while Im away. I really cant not go though since Suzuran and Latte will get mad at me if I do that. Tashty~ The children were saying that as they stuffed their cheeks while I was thinking by myself. Hey, you shouldnt talk while youre mouth is full you know? After chewing on it some more, they finally swallowed. Maou-sama is amazing~. You can even make sweets after all! Well yeah. Lets just keep this times treat a secret from the adults okay? That way I can give you guys more once I distribute this to them Yes~! I also helped to make sure the children werent in danger you know? Yeah yeah As I said that, I dropped a Waterball by her roots. It doesnt seem like there were any odd noises that were heard after I cautioned them last night so they must have held back. I also havent caught anyone doing the kinds of sexual plays that I mentioned but they might eventually start doing those. The children probably wont understand that yet but still Anyway, I also gave the tree where we were getting the sap from some water while I was at it. I wonder if I should distribute the cookies while theyre having lunch or during their afternoon break. I decided to drop by the Ryuuka-style saltpan(Beta) before going back. It seems like they were doing just like I told so the amount of water has significantly decreased. Thanks for your hard work. How was it? Thanks. The water has already decreased a lot so we were thinking that we should start moving it to the pot to boil soon. Its really salty after all Then, I guess I should make a simple stove for you guys here. Please wait for a bit After saying that, I took some red clay from the area where the reclamation was being conducted then I kneaded it after mixing it with some sand and water. Once that was done, I leveled the ground using magic and started forming it into the shape of a plateau with a hole in the center. After putting the pot on top to make sure its level and started drying it by blowing hot air on it with magic then started increasing the heat of the fire inside. The water level decreased even further once we started boiling concentrated seawater and the crystallized salt kept floating up and sinking back down in the water. The job should be done after scooping those out and drying it in the sun. The salt crystals were kinda big but its no big deal. Hmm`. The one on this corner is a bit sweet, isnt it? If we mix this with coconut water, it would become a makeshift oral rehydration solution Sweet even though its salt? Whats an oral rehydration solution? Hm? Ahh, its salt make by the sea so its bitter and sweet you know? Why dont you try tasting it? As for the oral rehydration solution, it something that your body absorbs faster than just regular water so its better to drink that instead of water, especially on a hot day This kind of rough explanation should probably be enough for them. You really know a lot, dont you? As for the saltHm? It certainly is sweeter compared to the ones you can find on the continent Well, just like food, even salt has different kinds of taste I guess. The environment where its made is different after all. If there arent any problems, lets make a lot of this and add it to the stuff we can trade. Its almost noon soon so shall we head back? After saying that, we returned to the temporary base. I still havent done anything to add some variety to our meals but I guess its better than nothing. Once the hunting, fishing, and herb gathering group came back, I gave all of the residents the cookies I made and asked for their opinion. Ah, its been a while since I tasted something sweet Nn~ its nice to have after a long while. I really didnt think it would be possible though Thats true. I didnt think we would really be able to make sugar This tastes even better than the ones I make. Ugh, my dignity as a woman is Maou-sama is really skillful, isnt he? They all had different reactions. Im just happy that they didnt think it was bad. Un, its salt Yup, its just salt The salt just got meager reactions compared to the cookies so it was a bit disappointing. CH 55.1 Chapter 55: That time when we were able to obtain a source of honey TL: kizen ED: Filip After everything that happened, I still woke up at the same time as usual. During breakfast, I just decided to forget about yesterdays incident and start the daily morning meeting. Ahem. For today, lets carry the stones that we gathered from the reclamation area to the shallow area by the sea in order to prepare to build the fish farms. Im going to go exploring again this afternoon so please make sure that there are no injuries even when Im away After the meeting was over, everyone started making their own preparations but I noticed that the children were trying to keep their distance. They were also starting to prepare to do their tasks so I decided to just leave them be until theyve calmed down a bit. If that doesnt work then I guess it would be fine to just leave it to Tanya and Sonya to heal their trauma. With that mood, I began rapidly cutting trees and extracting the roots. The stones that were gathered from that would be transported by the others to the locations indicated by the fishing group in order for them to begin constructing the fish pens. As for the large stones that were too much for the humans to carry, I just put them inside a large Water Ball so it would be lighter and transport it myself. After eating lunch, I went to the wetlands to check on my handiwork from yesterday. Not a lot of water is flowing out but itll eventually get collected on the reservoir and which will flow out to the water channel. Also, the water wasnt as dirty as it was yesterday since the sediments have already started to settle. I wonder if I should take some measures to make sure the soil at the bottom doesnt get disturbed. Ill try to see if any of the humans have that kind of expertise and consult it with them. I was curious about the beehive I found yesterday so I went there to examine it further. Im not sure if it was actually a Yellow Jacket but I discovered a similar looking monster thats about 30cm long that was clinging to the beehive with its wings loudly buzzing as it was chewing on a honeybee. Even though its bigger, it doesnt seem to be that different from the Yellow Jackets that I know. I just hope its not smart and just moves on instinct. Whenever youre engrossed in something, you dont notice the fine details like when youre making meatballs for example.1 For the sake of obtaining honey, I shot the hornet with my Stone Bullet which punched a hole through its body. However, it seems like it had a pretty strong life force because even though it fell to the ground, its wings still continued buzzing while making a cracking sound with its chin. Hmm`, I dont really want to get close to step on it to be honest. Because of that, I created a small Stone Wall and just kicked it down in order to crush it. I also got on top of that wall and jumped several times to make sure that it was totally crushed.2 Looking at the hive, it seems like a considerable amount of honeybees were defeated but more than half of them are still alive so its still probably fine. Its more important for the queen to survive I think. Well, Ive heard that just three Yellow Jackets could even annihilate a pretty large colony of honeybees so I wonder if this means that they didnt suffer that much damage. Im not really sure about that but I decided to pick up the hive that fell to the ground and move it to somewhere safe. Since I had the opportunity, I also tried tasting some of the honey that was being produced there. Hmm`, I guess honey is commonly used as a sweetener in this world. I kinda want to drink warm milk with honey now Im not talking about Latte and Miel okay? When I looked at the stone wall, it already disappeared and what was left was the perfectly pressed 30cm long body of the Yellow Jacket that was lying there motionless. Is this one actually a hornet? Well, it looks exactly like a Yellow Jacket though. Hmm`, its a bit bigger than I imagined but it still is a terrifying thing either way if you see a group of these. Its a good thing they fly solo when looking for food. Its a valuable source of protein you know?3 No no no no, Im not going to eat it okay? Maybe the regular Yellow Jackets larva if I absolutely dont have a choice but having to eat one this size is too much for me as expected. You can even turn it into tsukudani and kanroni4if its this big you know? But even before that, this guy is pretty hard right? My oh my, thank you very much for helping my comrades I heard somebody talking behind me so I turned around to look and found a 20cm tall blond fairy with compound eyes. It had something that looks like a bees abdomen growing by its waist and was making a buzzing sound as it hovered. Iyaa, well. It just happened so Well, if that didnt happen then this hive would have been destroyed you know? Thats why, thanks Youre welcome? We both just stood there in silence after that. Since I had nothing to lose, I tried restarting the conversation. Im Caam by the way. Is it okay if I ask for a reward? Hmm~. Its okay you know? You want honey right? Hmm` does that mean that any information that one of them receives gets disseminated to the others? I dont really understand but Im thankful for that. Oh yeah, do you know of an Alraune that was living around here? Ah, that flower right? It gives us some of its nectar in exchange for helping it propagate you know? Then, does that mean that you guys get along? Totally! Shes already friends with all of us you know? Then thats good. Actually, shes currently in a pot thats in front of my house so do you want to speak with her first? O`kay`5 Before she could even finish what she was saying, the honeybee suddenly flew into the hive so I dont know what she was going to say. It seems like she was given instructions to do that. Once she got back she said Okay, shall we go? then followed after me. After we reached the temporary base, I called out Fleur-sans hibiscus flower body that was on a pot in front of the house I was staying at. What is it? The children are using fire right now so Im concentrating on that. Oh my, those are honey bees, arent they? Whats the matter? Their hive was attacked by a large hornet so I helped them and now it seems like were about to form a partnership He actually came on to me by saying Can I keep you? you know? Oh my, youre surprisingly aggressive, arent you? I was just aiming for coexistence though. Well, lets just get straight to the point. I proposed to keep the bees. That way I can take some of their honey from time to time but in exchange, Ill provide protection from foreign invaders. They seemed to know you when I brought you up so I thought it would be a good idea to have them talk to you first Youre leaving it to me to mediate, arent you? sorry about that Could you give me more details about what you plan to do? Ill hollow out a tree trunk then cover it with a lid on top and put the exit hole at the bottom so that rain and wind wont get in Fumu fumu Then, Ill open the lid from time to time in order to extract honey One-sided exploitation, is it? Absolutely the worst Thats not all of it you know? For example, if I put in 5 frames for the honeycombs, once its ready, Ill just take one, extract the honey, and put it back. After a while, Ill take the second one and repeat that cycle so that way, Ill only actually take a small amount. Also, there are plenty of Fleur-sans children growing nearby so youll have plenty of nectar to harvest. The bees wont lose out on this deal you know`! I looked at the honeybee while saying that. Hmm`. Well, if it were up to me, Ill say that this deal is better than being annihilated I guess~. This feels like were offering honey in exchange for protection though I cannot decide this by myself so I just reported everything you said to the queen Okay. Ill be expecting a favorable response Now then, Fleur-san, why are you here with Caam? I guess you can say that I just came along with Palma, a dryad I know. The water that he produces with magic is amazing you know!? It quickly spreads all over my body giving me energy you know!? Hee` You really arent interested, are you? She pouted as she said that. It doesnt seem like that water will be beneficial to us after all You can produce delicious honey from that you know? Caam is a really magnificent demonkin, isnt he!? Ill also report this to the queen Whats with that? Is she that simpleminded because shes an insect I wonder? It looked like that talk would continue on for a while so I decided to check on the kids but it seems like Fleur was still doing her job of looking after them properly. This parallel though processing thing is pretty amazing isnt it? Where did you go!? They were already finished when I got back so I was scolded. I thought that was a bit unreasonable since I just left for a bit to check on how the children were doing but at least their conversation didnt continue on endlessly. When the report got back, it seems like my proposal was approved. However, they would like to oversee the making of their hive. If I cant find a suitably hollow tree, I wonder if they would be fine making one out of the firewood? CH 55.2 Chapter 55: That time when we were able to obtain a source of honey The queen has approved of it you know~ The next day during breakfast, the honeybee from yesterday flew back and said that in front of everyone during breakfast. Queen? Are they talking about his wife? Ah, its bee-san~ This was an uninhabited island right? Looking closely, that a honeybee right? They must be talking about the queen bee Its a good thing that the misunderstanding that was building got cleared up immediately. I wouldnt want to get depressed again after all. Ah, thank you for going out of your way to let me know. I have to talk with everyone here after we finish eating but Ill start making it right after kay~ After instructing everyone to do the same tasks they did yesterday, I started making the said box. Hee`, if its like this then the bees would probably have an easier time. Rain wont get inside as well If they ask for it, I could even add a roof you know? I just have to set up poles around it and lay planks on top After hearing that, I placed the box on the north side of my house then put up posts around it. However, I just used leaves instead of putting planks on top. How about here? Its fine, isnt it? After that, a slightly bigger girl with the same bee abdomen attached to her waist arrived and started flying around the box, then entered it. She is pleased with it she says Oh, thats good Okay, since it has been decided that well be moving here, you should go to the place where you found our hive yesterday and bring a pot with you Pot? Well be bringing half of the honey with us together with the new queen when we move in after all.1 Part of that destroyed nest would also serve as your reward Ah`, the honey Thats right. It would also act as your reward for saving us you know? Well, its just our reserves though. And we cant give you the eggs and our young as well Ive heard that bee larvae taste delicious but Ill have to pass on that. It would be impolite to do that after all. With a pot in hand, I went to the place where the hive was but all of the bees were already clumped up on a nearby tree and looked like they were saying Hurry up and lead us to our new home!. Hearing all of that buzzing was really scary. I was told you can cut off this part She drew a line on the hive while saying that so I just followed it with my Obsidian Knife to cut that part off. Then, I placed it inside the pot and covered it with a lid. Well then, lets go With that said, she took the crowd of honeybees and went ahead. Mm`, its eerie how the sky turns dark when theyre grouped up like that. Well, whatever. Ill just go back on my own I guess. If I give this to the children, we would probably get a bit closer again. I would be nice to make sweets out of this but we only have wheat flour, meat, and fish so the only thing I could make right now is mead. Im going to make some honey toast for them. As for the adults, some kind of fruit soaked in honey would be good enough I guess. I could just give the children the same thing as well. Once I got back, the bees were already finished moving in. Okay then, Ill go and check how the other hives are doing. Ah, these children are actually timid and dont really sting so you can be at ease okay~? After saying that, she flew away. Nameless worker bee-san, thank you for your hard work. Its still early for lunch but I began making the honey toast to give to the children. I took the leftover bread from breakfast and cut them into thin slices, coated it in honey, then toasted it. Once that was done, I brought it to the area where the children were working. Hey, how about you guys take a little break? I was able to get my hands on some honey so I coated some bread with it and cooked it I said that as calmly as I possibly could, but deep down, I was really anxious to know whether or not Im being hated. Ah Maou-sama, hello Hello~ Crap, it seems like theyre still keeping their distance from me and their replies felt somewhat cold. However, I can no longer run away now that Im here. Do you guys want to eat? While saying that, I placed some plates containing the honey toast on a nearby table but nobody tried to eat them. Whats the matter? Its just honey you know? While saying that, I tried eating the sweet, golden brown bread and let them hear its crunchiness to show them that its safe but they still remained huddled up in a corner shaking. They also looked like they were about to cry so I just gave up and went away. Haa`, this makes me a bit sad While I was healing my psychological wounds by watching the worker bees that were busily moving around in front of their new home, I heard someone calling out to me. Maou-sama! A ship is heading here! Seriously!? I immediately dashed to the bay. ~Idle Talk~ The children I wonder if Maou-sama is really a scary person? He might just be pretending to be nice you know? But he gave us those honey bread earlier right? Even though we dont have a lot of bread, he still gave it to us He also let us taste the sugar first and secretly gave us those cookies so that he can give us more I definitely think that hes a nice demonkin and a nice demon lord after all Right`. I think so too` He looked really sad when he left you know? Everyone, lets go and say sorry okay? Thats right~. The adults were saying that he only did that so he could get along with the wolves better after all Tanya, Sonya, and Wulf are still getting along with Maou-sama so Im sure he is not actually scary. Thats why we should go and apologize okay? It didnt take long for the childrens cold attitude towards him to thaw. CH 56.1 Chapter 56: That time when I obtained the long-awaited bedding TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Captain! There is a smoke signal coming from the island where the Demon Lord was subjugated It might be victims that were left behind. We cant enter the bay so use the dinghy to check it out. If things look dangerous, you should immediately come back. Ill go and inform the merchant about it Roger! You guys make preparations to lower the dinghy! A Demon Lord might be there so the mercenaries should prepare as well! We were ordered to return if things get dangerous so be careful! Alright, were changing course! Ou! With that said, the sailors on board began moving hurriedly. Merchant-dono, Im sorry about this but we have confirmed sightings of a smoke signal being raised at the uninhabited island thats nearby. We cant just overlook that so Im letting you know that well be anchored here for a while I dont mind it. Im treating this as just a leisurely trip by boat after all Im thankful for your consideration After reaching the cape, I looked at the sea and it certainly seemed like the ships bow was facing in our direction. A short while later, the ships sails were folded and a smaller boat was dropped into the water with several armed men on it. Are they already back for another subjugation? Ive only been here for six days though I cant really say Well, just like what I said earlier, if I die, please have everyone board that ship home understood. To be honest, Im living a much better life now than before I was a slave, so it would be a waste to return but Ill ask everyone who wants to stay and who wants to leave Ill leave it to you We continued gazing at the small boat for a while and as they got closer, I saw that there were a total of eight people on the boat, six were the armed men while the other two were rowing it. Now then, what should I do? Should I call out to them while waving both hands? Were about to reach it soon but that person standing at the coast He looks like a dark skinned demonkin you know? Is that a new Demon Lord I wonder? If thats him, then I think we would have been attacked by now. That human beside him would also have already been killed a long time ago. Despite that, the two of them are just standing there and waving their hands. They probably just got stranded there If we get attacked, you guys retaliate with magic and buy us time to run away Roger O~i! O~i! A demonkin speaking our common language? Is it a trap? He looks really happy for someone who is laying a trap then. You guys really dont think they just got shipwrecked there? O~i! O~i! They did notice us, right? Yeah. They were looking at us so I think they did. Once the small boat was a bit closer to us, they stopped and the leader of the armed group spoke to us. Are you guys stranded here? If so then well help you out but we cannot trust that demonkin! If you want to be rescued then well have to tie you up until we reach the main continent! Are you alright with that? We arent stranded here! We live here! We wanted to exchange our goods, so we raised up a smoke signal to call you guys here! If its okay, I would like for us to begin the negotiations! After having that exchange, the mercenaries and sailors started to discuss while standing on top of the boat. Wait a moment! After a person wearing a robe who looked like the groups magician said that, he began doing some kind of chant then started moving his mouth as if he was talking to somebody. Once he was done, his robe fluttered a bit, and after a short while, something that looked like a fireball was launched from the ship as some sort of signal. That ship is a cargo vessel and our client is currently on board! We asked him and it seems like he has agreed to discuss a trade with you. That fireball earlier was his response so if you go to the ship, youll be able to speak with him! Are they making me go there instead since they cant guarantee their clients safely if he comes here? Well, Im off then. If I dont come back, just do your best to survive until the next ship arrives Eh? Maou-sama!? Wait a` Before he could even finish what he wanted to say, I replied to the mercenaries. Okay! Ill go with you since I really want to see this through! So, how do you want to do this? Swim over here! Once youre here, were going to restrain you! It doesnt seem like theyre going to disembark They really dont trust me, do they? Well, I guess that should be natural. Im a demonkin after all Leaving that aside, I entered the water and swam using the front crawl stroke until I reached the boat. Excuse me~ I tried to lighten the mood but they were a tough crowd. I noticed that one of the mercenaries had already prepared a rope so I tried to ask while smiling. Should I place my hands in front? Or would you prefer that I put them behind? Behind He said that in a low voice so I turned around, put my wrists together behind me and quietly waited for them to get tied. Oi, I was right so you owe me a drink now Tsk, I guess it cant be helped It seems like I became the subject of a bet. Well, I dont really feel like getting mad at this point so Ill just behave myself. As the boat went back towards the ship, only the sound of the paddles rowing could be heard. Oi demon, why do you want to negotiate a trade with our client so much? Well, were severely lacking a lot of things after all. Food, tools, bedding, we dont have enough of everything. Thats why I want to find a way to obtain those by any means. My top priority is going to be the food though Im not sure if they got ticked off by me saying by any means but the boat was suddenly filled with a murderous aura. You better not do anything weird. I dont want to be covered in filthy demonkin blood after all Oh, what a coincidence. I also share the same sentiment since I dont want to be killed Stop it you two After a while, we finally reached the ship. There was a rope ladder for people to use to go up to the deck but since both my hands were tied behind my back, I couldnt climb up. Because of that, they had another rope dropped down and tied me with it so that they could pull me up. Theyre treating me really horribly but if its for the other islanders sake, this much isnt that big of a deal. So youre the demonkin who wants to trade. Dont forget that we can kill you anytime if we notice you doing something weird Once I reached the deck, I was told that by the ships captain then was tied to a chair that they prepared beforehand. I was also surrounded by the sailors with their swords pointed at me. Im actually scared, to be honest, but isnt their reaction when encountering a demonkin way too exaggerated? Well, I dont really have any other agendas aside from negotiating a trade so I guess its fine. After being glared at for a while, a lanky man wearing flashy clothes stood up and started talking. Nice to meet you. You dont seem to have the same impression as the Demon Lords Ive heard from stories, so you must be just an ordinary subordinate demonkin, I presume? As for me, I consider those I trade with as a potential business partner so I try to get to know them first but I would like to ask first, what exactly is it that you want? To put it simply, my top priority is food. Id like to obtain wheat or potatoes if possible. I would also like fifty-one bedding sets if you have them. If you have plenty to spare then Id like to take sixty. If not, then at the very least Id like to have at least five. If you dont have any at all, I dont mind buying the ones being used by the sailors so I would ask of you to help me look for some humans who are willing to sell theirs. I can pay with money but I dont want to use it as much as possible so Id like to try offering a trade for those goods first. I still have other things Id like to acquire, but Ill just stick with the ones I mentioned for now The merchant folded his arms and looked like he was thinking of something. After that, he asked. I can understand you wanting to procure food but what do you need fifty-one bedding sets for? Also, for what reason are you so desperate that you would even be willing to buy at least five that are being used by the sailors? There are 51 people living on that island including me. Five of those are children. Thats why I at least want to guarantee the bedding that the children will use The merchant started groaning in a low voice while his arms were still crossed and after another while, he asked another question. I want you to answer my question honestly. If you do then Ill consider your proposition. Ive heard that the Demon Lord that was living on that island had recently been subjugated by the hero. Is that still the case or is there a new one? I have no choice but to brace myself for this. there is new one Everyone around started making a commotion. I see Is that Demon Lord, you? He was able to come up with that conclusion as expected. thats right They got even more agitated with some trying to attack me but they were stopped by the others. Why is it that you are willingly putting up with our treatment then? Its for the sake of the humans living on that island Stop lying you damned demonkin! Hearing my reply caused one of the sailors to say that and then try to cut me with his sword, so I reacted by making the chair I was tied to fall to the right side. His sword got deeply stuck on the ground, so he was probably seriously trying to kill me. Fortunately, my feet werent bound so I was able to maneuver myself to avoid the strike. Iya`, this is no longer a laughing matter, is it? Should I give them a little warning? Someone restrain this fellow. I absolutely dont have any intention of settling this violently so anyone who tries to attack him again will have to answer to me. Do you understand? With that said, the sailor that tried to attack me with his sword was taken inside while the others returned me to my original position. Im terribly sorry about that. There are a lot of sailors here that are quick to pick fights after all Its okay, I dont mind it. Ill let it pass since I didnt die but I might just retaliate the next time I get attacked Oh!? What was that you bastard!? You guys heard that? Even when hes like this, it seems like this bastard can still fight back if you attack him! What can someone tied to a chair do! Lets see you try it then you bastard! Watch how I become a hero with this! After saying that, another one tried to attack me. My hands were still bound, so I just made an Obsidian Kunai float, then launched it at the speed of a pitch from a high school baseball club pitcher. It went straight through his instep and got stuck on the deck. Hearing one of their comrades scream in pain caused their bloodlust to grow even stronger so I made around thirty more Obsidian Kunai to keep them at bay. I was in a hurry so they dont really look like kunais though. Haa`, I can only sigh at this predicament. Why must you keep on interrupting our discussion? Im going to get angry you know?(Caam) Well`, I actually want to have this privately, to be honest(Merchant) I wanted the same as well but I just quietly obeyed what you asked of me since I want to gain your trust. Thats all ruined now though Its now fine for you to put down those floating things so can I can restart my questioning? I would have done so even if you didnt say anything While we were having that conversation, I noticed that the merchant kept looking behind me. I was kinda curious so I tried looking around and saw the others slowly creeping in while grinning. They probably got closer while concealing their footsteps. Good grief, Im getting really sick of this. Im not really sure where exactly they are so I just made a stone slab thats 10 cm wide and three meters tall float 3 meters above my back that I can drop any time. Oooh` Why do you guys sound amazed? Thats just how desperate I am okay? Thank you very much So, what is it that you can offer? Two adult deer and 1 wild board that has already been processed. Theres also a bears skin. The meat was obtained by our hunters this morning so I guarantee that its still fresh. Weve already dealt with the innards as well. Also, we have sugar that we made from boiling palm trees sap, salt made from sea water, a bunch of thumbnail-sized bittersweet fruit, and a bit of honey. We have fish too but since youre traveling via sea, you probably have plenty of those in stock. It hasnt even been six months yet since we started staying on that island so we dont have much in terms of preserved food. We wanted to make regular dried meat but we didnt have enough salt as well as a place to dry the meat so we just tried a different method for preserving meat which was smoking. Well, it has only been a few days since we started with that so its not dry yet. If we add that then I can offer you some more meat The merchant in front of me didnt say anything so I continued. We also have some lumber from cutting down some trees since we started cultivating a field. If you have some use for them, I think they would float on the sea so you can just tie them with a rope and pull them along with the ship. Thats all that we have right now but if we manage to obtain wheat or potatoes, we plan to plant them in order to produce them here. I could also sell you some information since I know a method to make strong liquors. If you give me some time, Ill go home and get some samples to prove it to you. If you dont find anyone who is willing to sell me their bedding since Im a demonkin then I guess Ill just use transfer magic to go home and use my own funds to buy the childrens bedding Hmm`. Can I ask another question before we continue? Just now you said you are able to go back home, so why dont you just buy and sell the things you want there? Do stores in your home town not sell a lot of goods by chance? I wanted to see how far we can develop that island by just relying on the things we find there. It would have been simple to just rely on money at first but I just went with this method since I thought that it was necessary in order to properly manage my territory. Also, I want to try to increase the number of demonkins and humans living on that island, so just trading with fellow demonkins wouldnt really help with that goal. The humans that are currently living on the island were the slaves given to me when I became a Demon Lord. I freed them from their slave status and I brought the bare minimum supplies for all of us but its going to be tough to bring wheat enough for fifty people every time. I have one sacks worth of wheat that hasnt been grounded into flour yet but even if we sprinkle that into the newly cultivated field, we still cant harvest it right away. Thats why I also want to get potatoes since if we plant them now, it wont take that long for them to be ready for harvest Nn`, I see. Ive also heard that there is some kind of limit to that transfer magic, so you probably cant bring a lot, can you? I understand. For the time being, how about we cross out the things that you would need for your day to day lives on the list of things you offered for trading? I would appreciate that Dont mind it since I also get something in this deal. Even though I had to take a slight detour, I get to have a good relationship with a potentially great business partner I dont know the value of meat though. I havent had many experiences in these kinds of dealings after all I see The value of humans and demonkins currency is about the same right? More or less Well then, shall we check on the goods first? Captain, I apologize in advance but I want you to take me to that island Please be careful when entering the inner bay because as far as I can tell, theres a shoal surrounding the bay(Caam) Gotcha. Well also be taking some of that fresh meat you have. The crew is getting tired of eating dried meat after all (Captain) After saying that, they opened the sails, raised the anchor, and had the ship enter the bay. By the way, I was still tied to the chair the entire time. CH 56.2 Chapter 56: That time when I obtained the long-awaited bedding TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Oi! Dock the ship over here! Did they kill him? I dont know. But if they did then we have no choice but to ride that ship home Once they entered the inner bay, they dropped their anchors at an area that was still fairly deep, then lowered the small boat together with me who was still tied to the chair. I guess I should let the others know that Im safe. O~i~. Im still pretty much alive okay~ Being able to live and come back like that is amazing Yeah, it certainly is amazing considering his current condition After I got put down at the shore, one of my captors said. If you guys want to kill this Demon Lord then kill him. Well help you out. If he is necessary for you then feel free to cut the rope As he said that, he handed them a knife. Ah, this is a trial for me, isnt it? The man who received the knife immediately cut the ropes to rescue me. Iya` it was a good thing I treated them kindly. Okay, thanks. Can you guys go back ahead to the base and gather the others? After that, I began to slowly walk with the merchant in the same direction. Once we got to the base, I immediately filled everyone of the situation. Uhm` so I just decided to use the deer and wild boar as well as the salt and sugar for trading without consulting with others. Im very sorry about that After talking amongst themselves, they all agreed that they dont mind if that was what I decided so I immediately showed the merchant the goods. Hmm`, its still pretty much intact so its pretty big, isnt it?The nice flavor of sugar spreads out inside of your mouth, doesnt it?And this salt has such a mild taste compared to the strong ones were used to Was what his impression of the goods. After that, he showed me something that looks an abacus while saying. How about his amount? To be honest, I dont really understand that tool. Ive seen something similar but Im not sure if its the same thing You see, this tool was made by the hero-sama in order to make calculations somewhat easier to convey. The first part symbolizes copper coins, the next one large copper coins and so forth So its pretty much an abacus. From what he showed me, hes offering 2 large silver, 8 silvers, and 3 large copper coins.1 From my calculations, the 80-kilogram meat ended up being 1 large copper per kilo. I think the rest of the products were selling were included in that amount but I honestly dont have any idea about the market price. Although Id like to say that I believe you, I really dont know anything about the prices. I have no idea how much the wholesale price is compared to the sales price for example. Thats why I dont know whether or not that price you presented is fair. Of course, thats the same for the flour as well It was sold by the ton in my previous life after all. If I remember correctly, imported unrefined wheat goes for about 50 yen per kilo. One sack is around 60 kilograms, so does that mean that a 60-kilogram sack would also be 3000 yen? That should be 3 large copper for one bagful then. Im not sure if a bagful is the same weight though since I didnt think it was that heavy when I brought it from the village. It was just a bit heavier than Suzuran. A cup of flour is about 100 grams, right? I did this at home economics so Ah, geez. How am I supposed to know all of that! The amount of water needed is half the weight of wheat flour right?2 Anyway, how much wheat would we be able to buy with that amount? I havent bought any wheat when I was back in the village after all. Ive seen how much the market price of wheat is back when I was working in town but I still dont know its wholesale price. Be that as it may be but I cant do anything but ask you to put your trust in me I was writing stuff on the sand with a stick while squatting down when I heard that. Because of that, I just decided to stop thinking and replied. Understood. I will trust you However, I have with me the official documents from when I bought the potatoes and flour, so I can show them to you if you want Ah, please let me see them I left them on the ship so please come with us again when we go back to get the wheat Got it Our negotiations ended with that, then I gave the deer meat to the ships captain and received their currency as payment. I was told that they wanted to cook and eat right away so as service, I decided to provide them with the firewood. Its still wood from live trees instead of dried ones though. While they were eating, they saw water flowing from the water channel to the reservoir I made so they asked. Is this potable? Because of that, I just honestly told them what it is. When they heard that it was I who filled it temporarily with water made from my magic, they immediately told me that theyll pay me to produce some more. Even though the humans have their own magician in their party, they usually used water magic for attacking so it doesnt seem like they could produce fresh water. With that said, I started filling their empty ceramic water bottles as promised. Anybody who wants to drink`? While saying that, I presented to them a Waterball and told them they could also wash their bodies with it if they wanted to. They might want to wash away the salt from the sea off their bodies and clothes after all. Their clothes may be worn out but they shouldnt let their bodies remain dirty. Fuu`. It feels good~ Suddenly, one of them jumped right into the clean Waterball. Because he did that, the clean Waterball has now been soiled. While they were doing that, the magician from earlier approached me and said. I wonder how is it possible for you to produce such fresh water from nothing? I certainly want to ask for you to teach me but I decided to negotiate some terms with him before I agreed to teach him. Ill teach you if you also teach me the method of communicating over long distances like you did earlier If thats the case then its simple. You just use the wind to carry your message Is it the same concept as being easier to hear when speaking downwind? But how do you do it without anybody noticing? Its only a one-sided method of communicating huh. Then, does that mean that its useless if the other party isnt aware of it? I havent had any use for that kind of magic up until now, but when I do, it seems like there will be a lot of limitations Ill have to keep in mind. Ill try to make some improvements to it I guess. It might just get worse though. Thanks, now to keep my end of the bargain. You may think that this water came from nothing but actually, theres a lot of water stored in the air around us Huh? For example, you know how steam comes out whenever you boil water right? That steam is actually just really small droplets of water. You might not see it but there are a lot of those similar really small droplets in the air all around us. Whenever youre invoking your magic, you should just use the image of gathering all of those up. Think about it, whenever you boil stew or something and you cover it, once you take off the lid, you can see droplets of water under it right? Its the same concept While saying that, I made a small Waterball at the tip of my finger. In order to produce a lot more than this, you need to imagine collecting the droplets in as wide of an area as possible After I said that, the magician put down the meat he was eating and focused on his hands. His hands started getting a bit wet but it doesnt look like its going well. How about trying to imagine scooping it out instead of just gathering it? I tried using the method I told my classmates a while ago. After teaching him that, water suddenly started surging on his palm and even spilled to the ground. Its magic efficiency is really bad. There are still a lot of other areas where water magic would be more useful as expected. However, its still useful during times when fresh water cant be found. I appreciate it No problem How about you try applying what I taught you as well? Because of that, I decided to try it out by whispering to Wulf. Once the message reached him, he raised his head and glanced towards our direction. It seems like he heard it. The way he responded to my commands like sit made him really seem like a dog. That was a success, wasnt it? That wolf over there responded when I called it just now after all. I-I see. If possible, you should try it with a human though Ah`, sorry about that. Hey~, hey~. could you bring Tanya and Sonya over here? I tried using it to send a message to the children. Having done that, one of them started looking around searching for me. Once he found me, he brought the two animals along. Thanks. You can go back to eating meat now kay~ How was that? Un That was good I feel like he became speechless for a bit there but I guess its fine Sorry about that you guys, I just wanted to try something out. You can now go back to the others Wafun!Waon! After responding, they ran back. Hey. Do you not have any humans you are close with on this island? yeah Sorry Its fine. I have my wives, children, and friends if I go back home after all What a lonesome fellow you are Its annoying how I cant deny that After the sailors and the merchant finished eating, we went back to the ship in order for me to receive the goods. Once we were there, the chef approached me and said. Excuse me, could you please fill up this water jug that we use for cooking? I didnt have any particular reason to refuse so I filled it up. Then, one sailor asked. Our laundry is starting to pile up so if its alright, can you make another one of that water ball you made? Having brought that up, a lot of sailors who were lying in wait came out. Since it couldnt be helped, I made a waterball on the deck of the ship and returned to what I was doing. These are the documents of when I bought the items Written on the documents that he brought was the amount of bags that was bought and the price. Sealing wax and a signature were in there as well. I cant read the humans language but the numerical figures are the same so I can somewhat understand that was written. After doing some mental math, the price that we settled on earlier of 2 copper for a bag was a bit more expensive but I wont protest since he wouldnt get any profit if he just sold it at the same price. Since you have the documents, shall I sign it? The documents? Is that necessary? Ah`, please write the amount of wheat and potatoes that were sold as well. Ill write my name beside that. You might get in trouble with your country if the numbers dont match after all These are my personal stock so there are no problems you know? It seems like that part is a bit different from my previous world as well. Well, you can just say that I wanted a paper that would more or less certify what products and how many I bought I understand. Ill do just that After saying that, he started writing the things I asked for, then, in the end, I wrote my name on it. For the time being, I just made two copies in order to avoid any kinds of troubles. Especially the part about me. It would be evidence that I bought these from you after all Ah`, thats right. Youre a Demon Lord so we have to avoid doing anything strange that would cause suspicions With that said, he made another copy of that paper and gave it to me. Thank you very much Now, as for the bedding Hmm, I wonder what we should do about that As the merchant murmured that, the sailors who were washing their clothes said.3 Me! Ill sell mine! Im fine with sleeping on just the bed for a while so let the children have it Several others also had the same sentiments. Your slaves are really happy and energetic so I can tell that youre really kind. Thats why well sell them to you, so that youll be able to give them to the children at the very least as you said earlier What the hell? You guys too? After that, I was able to obtain 20 used bedding sets as well as wheat and potatoes. As for the rest of the money I gained, I used them to buy empty bottles, nets and some string that can be used for fishing. The merchant even added an extra dozen empty bottles for dirt cheap. We went back after that and while we were in the middle of unloading the cargo from the dinghy the merchant said. Lets meet again. At that time, you can sell anything you wish to trade once againYou see, were actually keeping bees over here so well be able to store their honey on the empty bottles that you sold us Ah`. So I guess we do have a reason to meet again After that exchange we bid out farewells, then they went back to the ship and sailed away. Everyone finished washing the blankets after that and while they were drying, the children approached me and said. Maou-sama, we are sorry about yesterday Uhm We were still a bit scared even though the adults told us that you just did that to get the wolves to understand you You even gave us those honey bread during our afternoon break Ah`. Un, Im also sorry for scaring you guys I patted all of their heads as I said that. ~Idle Talk~ Sailor whose foot was pierced POV Geez`. What the hell was that magic? And even though I was his enemy, he still used healing magic on me while saying Youll be discharged from service if you cant work right? Like, what the heck man. Mind your own business Youre just reaping what you sow you know? Who would have guessed he has something like that? If I knew then I wouldnt have attacked him I dont really want to argue with you, to be honest. Ive been taught how to produce fresh water using magic but its efficiency is really bad. Thats why when I saw him make that large water float I dont even want to think about how many of those he can make. Theres also that black knife that he threw. I dont know where he got that or what material it was made from. Honestly, its even unclear to me which attribute that belongs to. If I had to guess though, Id probably say it was dark magic. Also, for me, its already a big deal being able to produce as much as 5 flame spears at one time. Theyre not that big and I dont really need to be precise. However, just imagine how many of those waterballs he could make with his large mana pool and amazing control. Im sure that not less than half of our forces would be injured right now. Whats worse is that he could even use magic without casting. Oi oi, a magician shouldnt say such a thing. Im sure that he wouldnt be a match for us if we grouped up Thats why I said I dont want to argue with you okay? There seems to be an ability that can only be unlocked once you become a Demon Lord. Things that were procured: CH 57.1 Chapter 57: That time when I went back to the village for a bit TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko ?7th day since I came to the island First thing I did today was to give the children their beddings. As for the rest, I decided to divide it evenly between the men and women groups, so they can just take turns using them. Its a bit unsanitary but I cant be helped. Itll have the benefit of helping them relieve their fatigue though. Next, I spread out the net I obtained yesterday in order to make some more dried meat. After cutting the meat into thin slices and soaking it in brine from the salt production area, I laid it out on the net to dry. Once that was done I assigned some people to monitor the meat, then I left to once again explore the island. Weve been using the smoking room for a while now as an experiment but it doesnt look like itll be able to dry a large chunk of meat any time soon. Upon reaching the wetlands, I decided to head even further upstream to find out where the source of this water actually is. I already have a theory about it though. Im sure this would lead me to the mountain at the center and there should be several of these that can be found all throughout the island. If I dont find any animal corpses on the way then it would mean that there shouldnt be too many harmful microorganisms, so the water would probably be safe. Having to take a day to get to the center of the island is too much though. Because of that, I just checked the last place I could reach before it got dark. I didnt see any particular areas where bacteria had gathered nor did I see any animal bones and carcasses, so its probably relatively safe. I dont have a testing kit with me so I just have to believe that thats the case. ?8th day after coming to the island Our reclamation project has led us to a tree that looked to be several hundreds of years old. Just as we were about to start cutting it down, Palma-san interrupted us while saying. Dont! Not this child! Because of that, although it would be a hindrance to the fields, we just decided to leave it be and let it act as a shade or a rest area for the farmers. We also started planting the potatoes we procured in the land that we have reclaimed until now. ?9th day after coming to the island The water that I pulled from the wetlands was already clear so I boiled some of it and tried to drink it. There wasnt anything particularly off about the taste and the smell, and it didnt seem to have any salt content, so there should be no problems. I was still afraid of dangerous microorganisms that were left in the water, so I told the others to boil it first before they drink it. I really wanted to go to the source in order to confirm whether it was actually safe or not though. With that said, I decided to make another trip there. Since the water was now clear, I also decided to make another water channel on the way there. To make it a bit deeper, I sunk the ground by forming stair-like shapes on the sides. I also used branches from trees and large leaves to make some kind of curtain so there will be an area that can be used for bathing. I told the hunting group about the wetlands and instructed them to check it from time to time in order to make sure there are no animal corpses contaminating it. If they ever do find one and the circumstances around its death seem weird, they should report it to me. If that ever happens, then we should avoid drinking the water until it becomes clean again. We also saw a ship today but since it couldnt approach the island, we just watched it as it went by. Everything still isnt going as well as I thought it would, but fortunately, we were able to trade with that merchant the last time, so we were able to procure additional food and a few beddings for the meantime. Well be fine for a while because of that. Another thing that happened was the leader of the herb gathering group approaching me while saying. Maou-sama! Its ginger! Ginger! Well be able to treat colds with this you know!? Lets cultivate it in the fields! Once we get more of it, we can also cut it into thin slices and seep it in honey! She had a really cheerful smile while presenting the ginger they found. Looking at their basket, it seems like they found a large amount. I was questioning whether these actually grow in the wild but since we already have them, might as well put them to use. I dont know if she used her dirty hands to wipe off her sweat but there was a light brown line on her face. Well, aside from that, her smile was really dazzling and child-like. Iya`, thats kinda cute, isnt it? Im absolutely not going to commit an affair though! Would it make it in time for the harvest if we plant it now? Well, we should just plant it on one of the corners of the fields anyway, and just dig it up whenever someone catches a cold. I guess I can also make some ginger cake if we have managed to get extra ingredients. I wonder what I should use for a mold? Should I bring the one at home? Tomorrow marks the 4th day since the first time we traded with somebody. It should also be about the 10th day since I came here. I guess I should take a day off soon. I might catch a cold due to the fatigue accumulating from working non-stop after all. Alright, Ive decided. Tomorrow will be my day off I acted immediately upon that thought. I know youre currently eating your dinner but please listen. Tomorrow will be the 10th day since I came to this island. Because of that, Im thinking of taking a break from work. I think that everyone has also been working tirelessly these past few days so you should all take a break tomorrow as well. Actually, I think it would be better if members of each group were able to alternately take breaks but it cant be helped since we dont have enough people. Thats why I just decided that we should all rest Rest? Is that really okay? I dont mind it. However, please continue to prepare the meals and drying the meat. People from the hunting and fishing groups, we still have enough food right? Yes. We have some stored up so I think were going to have enough until breakfast the day after tomorrow One of the women answered instead. Then thats good. Tomorrow will be a day off so please rest your bodies. We dont have anything for amusement here though. Also, Im sorry about this everyone but Ill be going to go back to my home town for a short while. My wives and children might forget about me if Im away for too long Ah` But still, amusements, huh? Should I make board games I wonder? Making something like a Reversi board is really simple after all, since I just have to carve up some of the already chopped wood. I guess I should make one after this. I dont really want them to gamble while they play but, well, I guess it cant be helped. It would be nice if it doesnt cause a fight though. Theres also the thing about our currencyWe still have a small population so having money isnt necessary but I should start planning for that or it would end badly. Okay, Ill leave things over here to you. Well then, Im off After saying that, I activated the magic formation and in an instant, I was standing in front of our front door. I also brought Wulf along with me. Im back~ Welcome homeAh`. Welcome back~Otou-san, welcome back`Papa, welcome~ Is that a wolf? Its really attached to you, isnt it~? Ah, well, I saved it from the brink of death back on the island after all. There were two more female wolves back there, but since I left the kids on the island in their care, I just brought this one with me I seeHmm~1 As Suzuran stretched out her hand to pat his head, Wulf, who was sitting on alert immediately lied down and showed her his belly. Its what you would call a pose of submission. While stiffening from seeing Wulfs reaction, Suzuran looked at me as if asking for help. Wulf. This person is my wife so dont be afraid okay? Kyu~n, Kyu~n He continued showing his belly and didnt indicate any signs of standing up. It couldnt be helped, so she just squatted down and patted his head while he was lying down. Its alright. You dont have to be afraid, okay? After hearing that, he slowly started getting up. However, now he was trembling as if he was inside a cold room. Is it just the stress or is he really afraid of her? Well, its most likely because hes afraid of her though. Suzuran, try to pat him as gently as you possibly can She proceeded to carefully pat his head. She also patted the sides of his body to the base of his tail but he was still shaking and his ears were drooping down. I guess he just needs to get used to it. Up next was Latte, but this time, he wasnt shaking but was lightly wagging his tail instead. It doesnt look like hes afraid of her. How cute~ Youre called Wulf right? Nice to meet you~ Waon! Suzuran was looking at them enviously. W-well, I just came back so you can just take your time getting closer un As she said that, she continued to jealously look at Wulf who seemed really happy being patted by Latte. Wulf, these are my children. I hope you get along with them the same way as the children on the island. Waon! Try not to be too rough with him or hell get angry. Thats why dont forcibly get on him or pull on his tail okay? Got itkay Hmm`, theyre being educated separately by their mothers so their way of talking is quite different as expected. While I was thinking of that, they surrounded Wulf and started gently pat him from both sides. If one of the dogs gives birth to puppies, then we could probably keep a few of them here since it wouldnt hurt letting them have a few more companions. Also, though Im not expecting to do it every day, Im thinking of bringing them with me once our situation on the island is finally stable. I wonder if they would like to come? Well, I guess Ill just ask about it during that time. While I was thinking about that, I saw Lily wrap her hands around Wulfs neck as she hugged him. I wonder if shes starting to get attached to him? Well, its a good thing if they like animals I guess. Hey Suzuran, we dont have any livestock on the island, so is it okay if I take some of the chickens and ducks there? I dont mind. However, is there someone who will take care of them there? Hmm`. I can think of someone. For the time being, I should make their pen and prepare their beds so they wont just wander around and get attacked. As for how many Ill take, how about 6 pairs? Looking at the kids after that, I noticed the Latte has already mixed in with them in patting Wulf. Meanwhile, Wulf himself was just lying down and letting himself be harassed all over by cuddles. I dont know if Suzurans being considerate, but shes holding herself back even though it looks like she wants to pat him as well. Want to try feeding him a bit? Okay With that said, she immediately brought out a piece of uncooked chicken meat but I stopped her. Wait. We have to show him were the masters in this relationship so we shouldnt give him anything before we eat I see. Then Ill just set this aside for now and just give it to him after we have lunch It would be nice if you get to hug him, wouldnt it? Un After that, I returned the meat back on the cupboard then decided to roam around the village while trying to spend as little money as possible on things that arent necessary. I took out the mint, lavender, and chamomile plants that I planted in front of my parents house so that I can make some tea on the island. The honeybees can also use the flowers to make honey. Anyway, the mint sure has grown wildly. Its kinda like weeds now that I think about it. I was thinking about talking to my parents for a bit, but since both of them werent home Ill just come back tonight. Next, I went and bought corn seeds and beans that I wasnt able to procure during last times trade. If its just this much then its still within the limits of my own set rules. After that, I also brought needles and threads, several sheets of cloth, and more distilled liquor to sterilize wounds. Although they are clean now, they still only have their clothes from before, when they were slaves, so it would be nice if I could get some clothes as well. I have to put the poultries into cages, so I should go pick them up at Suzurans parents house later. Id feel bad for them if I just carry them by their bound feet after all. I should also meet with Ichii-san and Licorice-san while Im there. After I finished eating lunch with my family, Suzuran gave the chicken meat to Wulf. Then, once he was done with it, she patted his head. He wasnt shaking anymore so I guess he got used to her. Well, with that said, he still wasnt completely used to her though. CH 57.2 Chapter 57 Part 2: That time when I went back to the village for a bit TL: kizen ED: Gecko/Filip In the afternoon, I went to visit the onee-san managing the pond and fish farm area and told her that Im going to buy 10 sets of fish and aquatic plants. I told her that Id pick them up morning the next day and also asked for some tips on how to raise fish. I asked if the poultrys bathing area should be downstream or if I could just place the fish breeding area right next to it. If its freshwater fish then we could probably successfully raise them there. I guess their numbers will probably increase as time passes. Im thinking of not buying livestock for now. I might be able to manage to bring it along if its just some pigs or sheep. It would be impossible for cows though unless its just a calf. Do I not have a choice other than using a ship to transport them? As I was thinking about that while walking, the dog-eared old man from the unpopular old man group approached me. Ive known them for quite a while now but still dont know any of their names. Huh? Old mans just fine right? Were all pretty close after all! He laughed as he said that while striking my shoulders when I asked. Yo, Caam, hows it been? There are still a heap of things we have to do that I feel like my heads about to explode from it all. We still havent secured a stable supply of food and most of the ships that pass there every three days still dont stop for us. There was one that visited us the other day though I see. By the way, can I ask you something? Wont you take us along to the island with you? Eh? Theres nothing there you know? And besides, were still in rough times Thats exactly why. We still havent been able to repay you after all. We just returned the potion. If we go there, you wont have to worry on your own and youll have someone you can rely on He tapped my shoulder as he said that. The humans there arent prejudiced so its fine as long as you dont get into a fight with them. Youve fought against humans before right? Are you guys going to be alright with that? Ha? Dont worry about it. Its fine as long as they dont point their fangs towards us Hmm``. I understand. Ill come by here tomorrow morning to pick up some fish so lets just meet up at our house Got it. So, what should we bring? Some supplies and your weapons I guess. Youd probably want to bring weapon maintenance tools as well since theres nobody there to maintain them for you Okay, Ill let the other two know about it See you guys tomorrow After saying that, he left. I was thinking of transporting all of the goods in one go tomorrow, but there was a change of plans. Should I just transport the fish and poultry first? Hmm`, Im not really sure how well that would work. Well, Ill guess well just have to manage somehow. Itll probably be fine if have one of the old men stand behind me while the other two are on the side. In front will be the barrel with the fish and on top of that will be the cages for the poultry while Ill purchase a sling bag to hold the seeds. At least, thats how I imagine it will work. The old men arent that tall as well so itll probably be fine. Theyre still slightly taller than me though. Before going back home, I decided to inspect the charcoal-making huts. There, I listened to the stories of the workers and learned how they acquired the skills to operate the charcoal kilns. Then, all you need to do is to trust in your intuition and experience. Youll get the hang of it after two or three times After that, I passed by my parents house in order to give them a brief report on my situation. I told them that although were still having a rough time, its still more or less going according to plan. Ill try to come home as much as I can but please continue looking after my wives and children Before leaving I bowed as I said that, then I went home to have dinner. Hey, papa. Can I sleep together with you today? Ah! Me too Thats alright, however, father still has to meet his friends first before he goes to sleep. Are you okay with that? YesUn! Alright, good children As I patted the childrens heads, Latte came over and started rubbing her head against my upper arm. Seeing that, Suzuran also approached me asked for head pats so I also patted her head. Otou-san and Okaa-san get along really well~Ah, Mamas jealous! Its kinda embarrassing to be flirting in front of the children but I guess thats better than them seeing us not getting along. Sorry but I should go to the bar soon. Its alright, I wont be drinking After saying that, I gently pulled the two of them off my arms and left for the bar. Yo, Maou-sama! Oi oi, stop that I took a seat as I said that and asked for some fruit juice. After I did that, Speck started sniffing me and started scowling while saying. A beasts smell I hope hes not actually jealous. Ah`, a wolf that became close to me over there is currently at our house Hee`. Wolf, huh? You dont see much of them over here, do you? Thats right. They certainly are rare Hmm`, so its a wolf. I dont really like those guys since theyre really prideful Although Speck doesnt seem to be his usual self, we still drank like usual. I think his dislike of them probably stems from the fact that theyre polar opposites, since he doesnt have a speck(heh) of pride at all, kinda like a Labrador or a Golden Retriever. Or rather, he perfectly fits the mold of an idiot character. So, how was it? Whats that island like? Were currently staying at the slave residences near the shore a short distance away from the planned site of the previous Demon Lords castle. For now, were concentrating our efforts on reclaiming part of the forest area to use as fields. There are ships that pass by the island once every three days but only one came ashore so far. Riding on that ship was a merchant and we exchanged our meat and sugar for their wheat, potatoes and some of their beddings. There are other finer details but thats pretty much what happened recently What about the humans? They were slaves but I released them. After that, I let them clean themselves, gave them proper meals, and treated them nicely, so I dont think they have any complaints yet. I made them take a break from work today after all Hmm`, I see. Nothing good comes from abusing slaves after all The previous Demon Lord completely abused his slaves. Because of that, just as he was starting to build his castle, he got subjugated by the hero. This is just what Ive heard from the humans but apparently, the slaves were overworked and were hardly given meals. Even the slaves that were handed to me looked like they had already given up on life so I think all of them probably experience repression from someone powerful. I was able to put back the life in their eyes after giving them a warm meal though Is that so? There sure are a lot of cruel guys out there in the world, not just from the humans, but from the demonkin as well Thats right. Its not just pleasant things that happen out there after all Un Even were not exempt from that so we should be careful Well, thats why I try my best not to say things that would scare the humans there and act in a way that would make them feel like Im one of their companions. Thanks to that, I was able to narrowly escape death Oi oi, youre just going to make us curious about what happened if you say that. Come on, spill out the beans I told them what happened when I was on that merchants ship while leaving out the finer details. I told them about how the mercenaries gave a knife to the humans while I was tied to a chair and gave them the option to either save or kill me. Hmm`, well, thats the kind of thing that you would expect to happen to Caam though It a kind of situation that makes you say, Its Caam after all Thats right! Well, at that point I realized that it was a good thing I treated them kindly Well, its Caam after all! What a splendid harmonization. After that, we started talking about our children. Oh`, shes really lively you know? Mir frequently tells me that our child is exactly like me Mine also looks like me but it feels like she has a different way of thinking from me Well, it cant be helped that they look like us. Whats important is that were able to raise them happy and healthy Who would have thought that I would build such an inseparable relationship with these guys? After that, I started feeling like I wanted to have a drink so, in order to avoid that, I told them that Im going home early. Its too bad, but I guess it cant be helped. I have a few words to say to that wolf Before we split up, Speck approached me and said that in a serious tone and followed me home. Im back~Good evening Welcome back. Speck? Whats the matter? Im here for the wolf Is that so? Dont fight okay? Okay~ Uncle, good eveningGood evening~ Hey~, good evening. Thanks for always playing with Reika you guys~ After that, he went to where Wulf was, squatted down, and stared at his eyes. Alright, let me know your feelings After he said that, Wulf started barking like he was talking to him. Awoo AwooWau Wau I got it. Thanks for telling me Waon! Caam, as thanks for helping him, this fellow says he will follow you forever. Also, he says thanks for healing him even though you were being threatened since he would have died if you didnt Its kinda amazing how they can understand each other. I see. Thanks for letting me know Wulfs feelings No no, I just did it since I was curious. Well then, good luck! Thanks for having me~ I prepared some tea for Speck-kun though` Ah, Ill take a sip of it then After finishing his tea, he left so I decided to take a bath together with the children. While we were there, they pestered me to tell a story so I told them a few stories from my childhood. Once we were in bed after our bath, they asked me for another story so I told them about how I made my base in the forest. They were really interested in the practice I did they and pestered me to tell them about it so I gave in and told him about it but left out the thing about me drinking poison. Next time, teach me how to throw a knife okay?(Lily) As for me, I think I like magic more(Miel) Yes, yes. Youll go to school once you turn 5 so lets just do that then, okay? Now lets go to sleep so that we can get up tomorrow After saying that, just like the river character(), I slept while I was in between my two children. The center part was the long one though. In the middle of the night, a half-asleep Lily hugged my arm and started rubbing her face against it. Although they were small, her horns kept on poking me while she did that so I woke up due to the pain. These horns are an incredibly dangerous weapon, arent they!? Whats more, theyre at a lower angle than Suzurans so its incredibly painful. Ill probably get stabbed if she headbutts me. Well, I guess have no choice but to pray she doesnt do that again. Morning~ Morning After exchanging greetings, Latte noticed something weird with my arm. What happened to your arm? Its really red It got hit by Lilys horns when she rubbed her face against it while hugging me last night Ah` You experienced the same thing as well? I have you know~? It must hurt a lot Yeah I wonder if we should put some kind of cushion on her horns when we sleep together Its really sharp so I wonder if that would work~. It might be useless you know~? Thought so Well, we just have to bear with it Then, Ill go wake Miel and Lily while you wake Suzuran-chan up. Youll probably have wake up Lily though Got it When Lily was two years old, we found out that she was also bad at waking up. Its kinda funny how shes similar to Suzuran in that aspect as well. I probably wont be back for another 10 days While we were having breakfast, I said that as I apologized to the kids. You became a Demon Lord so it cant be helped, right~? Youre working right~? I will be fine you know~? Hearing their replies made me thankful for my wives properly educating them. After that, I started the preparations by putting the fish I received in a barrel, the chickens inside their cages, and preparing the container for the seeds. Then, all that was left was to wait for the old men group. Since I had time, I started to drink some barley tea but it wasnt long before I heard a knock on the door. Because of that, I hurriedly finished my tea, went outside, and explained to the old men how the transfer magic will work before leaving. Ohh! Is this that thing called a sea? Its like a really wide lake isnt it? Ive heard about it but you wont understand something like this just from describing it alone. This looks amazing! I wonder if this is how I felt the first time I saw the sea.[TL: Pun intended. Heh] The humans are starting to get noisy so I guess I should introduce them. Im back. As you may have figured, these are my companions Not just that, I owe this guy my life Well, I guess I did help out the cat-eared old man. I guess you could say Im their benefactor. Theyre going to be helping us out from now on so please get along with them okay? Nice to meet you P-please treat us well It was weak, but a few humans replied to them. Anyway, Ive brought back chickens and ducks. I didnt buy them for their meat though, instead, well let them lay eggs in order to increase their numbers. Im thinking that once we have a number of them, well be able to get a stable supply of eggs, and eventually some meat, so if theres anybody who can look after them, please report to me afterwards. As for this barrel, it contains fish. Well be raising them at the lake that Ill make nearby. Once we have plenty of them, Im thinking of putting some of them in the waters by the wetlands. That way, if the water has any dangerous substances, well immediately know about it since these fish will float if they die. Theyll also serve as a warning sign that tells us if there are changes in the waters quality. Please dont eat them until we have a lot of them. Well, the main reason is to avoid getting poisoned though. I also brought with me some corn and bean seeds. I think theyll make it in time for the harvest if we plant them right now. Fortunately, its pretty warm on this island so I think the corn will grow well. Beans thrive even in barren soil so after we harvest the potatoes and wheat, well plant this next and go with that kind of crop rotation. Well, well also plant these right now so that well get more of them though We can also use the chickens excrement as fertilizer. The ducks will also get their own pond. If we create an outflow to the sea then they could probably even get additional nutrients from the shellfish there. Even if they dont lay eggs, we could use their feathers for arrow fletching, jackets, or even more beddings. As for the corn were going to harvest, we could boil them, turn them into flour to make bread, or even use them as fodder. We could make some liquor with the corn but it seems like its difficult to regulate its alcohol levels, so I wonder if its the kind that has to be made in a distillation facility. It seems like nitrogen-fixing bacteria lives on the roots of legumes, so they will help in revitalizing the soil. Ive read that in manga and a certain famous novel after all. They were talking about clovers in that novel though.1 Anyway, it seems like theyre also really resistant to diseases. Because of that, we only have to worry about damage caused by birds and poultry. They have a high nutritional value and even grow in arid regions as well. To be honest, these beans are so strong that sprouts would probably still appear even if we just have a bean-throwing festival with children in the forest. Well, I pretty much thought about doing that when I bought them though. With that out of the way, lets first construct a fence so that the ducks wont run away. While you do that, Ill start making another pond thats shallower but wider than the first one which will be used by the birds to drink and bathe Once I decided on a suitable area downstream of the water channel thats at a distance away from the residences, I dug a concave-shaped hole and let the water flow in. While I was doing that, the others started gathering slightly thick branches and stabbed them in the ground in order to make a simple fence. After that, they tried to release the ducks to see if they could still escape. Just like that time when I made the pond at Suzurans house, they all began swimming and dipping their faces in the water.2 All thats left is to negotiate with the wolves Wulf brought along last time so that they wont attack them. Lets just put the chickens together with the ducks for now. Lets also make sure that the area around the pond will be livable for them Raising them free range might be a good idea but there are a lot of components Im a bit anxious about. I guess I should just make sure to decrease the number of those components then. It would be nice if were eventually able to see chickens freely grazing in the wild. Ive heard that theyre even seen eating small snakes after all. Next, I created another pond specifically for breeding fish. This time though, I placed the pond upstream. I also had to make a canal to let the water exit towards the sea with leaves weaved in the middle to prevent the fish from swimming away. Once their numbers increase then well release some of them by the wetlands so I hope theyll also propagate in the wild. Okay, like I said earlier, the water that flows to this pond comes upstream from where were residing. Thats why, if you see any of the fish floating here then inform someone immediately. Then, make sure that the information reaches me as soon as possible. Hmm`, I didnt notice it, but its already close to lunchtime, isnt it? Its a bit early but lets start preparing to make our meals While we were eating lunch, I noticed that the old men had already inserted themselves in the middle of the human mens group so it seems like they got along pretty quickly. I wonder if it would be better if I start mingling with them that way? ~Idle Talk~ The old men and human men Thats right. Im only here today because he saved me. Even if I dedicate my whole life, I dont think Ill be able to repay the kindness that he has showed me Huh? So you mean to say that Maou-sama can even heal wounds? I was watching everything from the sidelines you know? He slowly bent a needle, poured some strong liquor over it and the wound to clean them, then started sewing it close without hesitation. Once it was closed, he sprinkled a potion over a cloth then pressed it over the wound in order to stop the bleeding Im getting goosebumps just from listening Even the doctors were shocked seeing the wound you know? I mean, it was really terrible You can really feel the sense of camaraderie they had just from the story, cant you? I think Caams really kind. Even though he only spent a few days with us prisoners, he didnt give up and tried his hardest in order to save me. Im sure hell do the same thing if it happened to a human, right guys? Yeah`, thats for certain. I mean, when we first met, not only did he give us a warm meal, he also let us drink the liquor he brought with him. That just goes to show how kind he is Whats this? He did that to you too? When the guards werent looking, he went to a bar and bought some soup and liquor for us to share you know? It was the first time in a while that I became speechless and started crying Since we were slaves, we were really worried what the new Demon Lord would do to us but we were surprised when he suddenly treated us kindly. I even think hes way too kind at times you know? He even let us rest yesterday after all Hmm`. That kindness might turn into his weakness so I hope it wont be used against him3 Thats the reason why were here right? That guy is pretty naive after all Thats true. In order to get their trust, it looks like he didnt resist when they tied him to a chair on that ship you know? Well, it seems like he was still able to fight back though Its Caam after all Ive heard that he made some kind black knives without chanting and surrounded himself with them all of a sudden to defend himself on the ship Hou, so he can even use that kind of magic huh? I only know of him making those balls of water or stacking up dirt Ah, I also heard rumors that the human knights he defeated during the war were torn to shreds you know? That was done with magic right? What!? How!? Probably some kind of magic I guess. A shovel wont be able to deal that kind of damage after all Oh`, how scary. Lets make sure we dont make him angry That would be the best. Its not a good idea to make kind people angry after all4 So far, it doesnt seem like they have any problems getting along with the humans. CH 58.1 hapter 58: That time when pirates came just as things were going well TL: kizen ED: Filip\Gecko Its been 30 days since I came back from the village. We continued our reclamation project and the area weve cleared is now pretty wide. Our wood sheds already full because of that so we just cut them into chunks and piled them up in a way that they wont fall. Also, after several trials and errors, weve finally succeeded in making bricks so I started making a charcoal kiln. After building the basic shape, I coated it with mud which will provide additional insulation as well as reinforcing the whole thing then tried burning the cut up tree stumps and leftover firewood so that well get the feel of it. The first few attempts only resulted in ash, but recently, weve started being able to maintain its shape. Once were able to make enough of that in there we can just use them instead of firewood. Well also be able to use them for trading. We could also use them for smithing since I eventually plan to recruit someone with that skill, but we should just gather them up for now. We should also store up the wood vinegar thats the by-product of the charcoal making process since we could make bath related products to sell. It would be nice if we find a market for them though. Since our fields are wide enough, we finished up planting the wheat I brought so all thats left to do is to wait till thats ready to harvest. We also made a field specifically for the potatoes which sprouted soon after so itll probably be ready to harvest within two months. Well continue planting the ones we harvest to increase their amount in order to secure a stable supply of carbohydrates. We also planted the beans but after we harvest them, well just save them for the meantime and focus on increasing the number of potatoes and corn that we have. Well just get back to them once weve got more than enough stock of the other two. I was worried whether or not well be able to raise the corn here but it was a needless concern in the end. At this rate, the corn will be ready for harvest once summer comes. As for the fish, they have been swimming energetically so far. The aquatic plants have also started sprouting and Ive confirmed that they have already taken root I dont have to worry that theyll float away as much. I wonder if it would be better if we submerge some logs and boulders so that the fish will have something they could use as refuge? I should ask about that the next time I return to the village. I also have to ask about their breeding season and how to take care of the juvenile fish. The bees are currently doing alright and have already started forming their beautiful, amber colored, hexagonal shaped structures inside their nest. It looks like pollen is starting to block the entrance so they probably have accumulated a lot of honey by now, however, I will wait a bit longer till theyre able to stock up with more and build more nests. The bees might run away if I take some too soon as well. I guess I should start discussing with the honey bees how were going to harvest the honey. The Mint and Lavender are part of the same family of plants so theyre growing really well and rapidly multiplying. As for the Chamomile, its starting to sprout in its pot so Ill try planting it in the same area as the other two. I hope that these guys will propagate naturally even if we dont interfere. I mean, it seemed like the mint was genetically enhanced with how wildly it was spreading when I discovered them in the forest so there will be no problems as long as we periodically trim them so that they wont become overgrown and messy. Those plants can multiply just by planting a stalk or leaf after all, so if we dont do that, it will be really troublesome to get rid of them completely. As for the poultry, they still havent been attacked so far. The chickens have already begun laying their eggs and are currently warming them so well be able to see chicks soon. It looks like the plan to increase their numbers is going really well. Even if their numbers reach a point where it starts getting crowded inside the fences, we could just let them graze freely so there would be no problems with that. Anyway, since we had some eggs, I took one and used it to make sweet french toast to give to the children. They really liked it so I decided to make it again next time we get another stock of eggs. Whats this~? Its really tasty Maou-sama~! The smiles that children had at that time really healed me. There had also been several boats that came to the island so we were able to trade some raw meat and sugar among other things and earn some money. Because of that, the first thing I did was to secure everyones beddings and replenish our supplies. In order to keep our business partners happy, I created another bathing area for the people riding the boats to use to keep themselves clean while in the middle of their trip. I also sell them clean water along with the other stuff in order to get more income. Once we save up enough money from that and our trading, Im thinking that we should buy more livestock so that well have a variety of them. Anyway, I want to reach a point where we have enough leeway that we can offer our trading partners the fresh water for free. I was also thinking of making lodging facilities with hot springs in order to draw in more visitors in the future. I was told by that Demon Lords subordinate that the mountain at the center is an active volcano so Im bound to dig up one when I decide to look for it. Its my dream as a former Japanese after all! For today, were going to make a pathway that will extend until the area where the former Demon Lord was going to build his castle. Since the way there is dangerous, Im thinking of thinning out the trees inside the forest to let the sunlight pass through so it will be easier to see if there are bears or any other dangerous beasts approaching. For now though, lets just extend a pathway towards that area. I want it to be wide enough to accommodate about two two-horse carriages traveling towards opposite directions. That would be for the future though so for now, it would be fine if we just cleared enough for a single carriage and pedestrians to be able to use it at the same time. My predecessors supposed to be castle area is pretty wide and theres already a well there so Im thinking of constructing buildings and making that area our new home. Well anyway, for now, lets just begin our preparations After saying that, they finished their preparations and we started our work. As usual, I was the one in charge of cutting the trees while they chopped them into smaller chunks for storage and cleared away the debris behind me. It takes an hour to walk normally towards our destination but it will probably take a day to get there while cutting trees so I decided to just leave the stumps behind for now. Also, I know it was within my instructions but I actually dont know how wide a carriage is. Since I dont know, Ill just ask about it. This isnt anything to be ashamed of but I need to be careful since there are some people who think that it is and hold it against me. How big was a carriage again? Eh? I guess it is probably big enough Thats what the guy next to me replied when I asked. He didnt seem sure about it but one can probably fit through here. Its just wide enough to fit four people right? Thats right After that, they started arguing. No! It should be this big right? No no no, it should be a bit wider to accommodate the luggage in the middle! Thats a more expensive carriage youre talking about you know? Lets just use the largest one to be safe okay! Well, I guess its fine. While they were busy with that, I went ahead and continued knocking down the trees while maintaining the current width. Once we reached a pretty decent distance away from our starting point, we decided to take a break for lunch. While we were eating, the fox-eared old man came to talk to me. Caam, can I talk to you about something? What is it? Were short on hands no matter how you look at it. We wont be able to do anything at this rate. Were especially short on artisans. Thats the main reason why we cant build more houses. We dont have enough tools as well. It doesnt matter whether we bring someone from the village or employ someone from the outside, whats important is that we do something about it I know that. However, we dont have money and the crops are still growing so I dont think we should do that right now. Once we have enough money, only then can we recruit someone from the town or the village I see. Youre really kind, arent you? Youre not the type of man who forces others to obtain something. Well, lets just take things slow. I think the other two will be fine with that as well Thanks. Well, I guess I should just try asking the village chief if we could recruit some people from the village when I get back home Well, thats fine. I think you should do just that. Anyway, for someone who was suddenly thrust in here and given 50 humans slaves, I think Caams doing pretty well you know? Especially when it comes to the supplies We have fresh water, we can make salt from the sea water all around us and we can even make sugar. We also have some crops like wheat and for our meat, we can just catch some from the forest or the sea. For the time being, Ive made it so that we have our basic necessities so we wont diewell, I guess its still possible but all thats left is for them to go along with the momentum that Ive built up. I dont actually have any idea what Im doing and what I should do, but even if things get rough, I believe that things will work out eventually What are you trying to say? Im saying that its fine to just wait and not rush things. I mean, since storms dont last forever, if you just wait it out, youll eventually see the sun again after all Maou-sama! Its a pirate ship! See? While we were being patient, the situation eventually changed right? Thats why Im sure our shortage of hands will eventually be resolved and our money problems will be settled as well After saying that, I stood up and wiped the dust off my butt. You have a troubled look on your face you know? Well, I want to avoid conflicts if possible after all. However, the other party doesnt feel the same way. This kind of situation is inevitable since were on an island and we might get killed if we dont deal with them so even if I dont want to Ah`, this is starting to get heavy, isnt it? Make sure it doesnt reach the point where you destroy yourself okay? Unlike the body that heals over time, depending on the damage, its something that cant be easily healed1 Yes, Ill keep that in mind. Thank you very much for your advice. Well, even if it gets to that point, I can just go back to the village and get spoiled by Suzuran and Latte all I want After saying that, I left, passing by my house to get my crowbar, shovel, and machete, then went to the shore. Maou-sama, that is a pirate ship! Uwaa So they actually use a flag with a skull symbol on it Do they actually want everyone to know theyre pirates? What a bunch of idiots2 eh? Is that it? Eh? Should I be saying something else? No Its just that, were likely to be attacked here but youre just acting like its nothing But Im only telling the truth. Thats a pretty obvious sign that theyre pirates, right? Well anyway, everyone, I have a question for you. Should we hijack that pirate ship once they anchor at the bay, or should we sink it? Which option would be good? Personally, I already plan to reduce the casualties from both sides but Ill also still plan to charge them as much of the nuisance fee as possible Eh? Sink it you say? Can you really do something like that easily? Hm? Well, Ill probably manage somehow3 Is that so? Well then, I ask you, should we sink them, or steal their ship? Itll be pretty dangerous to steal it though since that would mean all of the pirates would have to disembark first Please sink it Gotcha CH 58.2 Chapter 58: That time when pirates came just as things were going well TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Listen up you bastards! There are rumors that a new Demon Lord is staying on that island! Not only that, its a stupidly kind Demon Lord too. He freed his slaves, lets them rest, and gives them proper meals after all. Hes also nice to children and doesnt use women the way theyre supposed to be used. The new Demon Lord is that much of a kind idiot! Any you know what that means? This will be a quick victory for us, boys! Alright, kill the Demon Lord and the men! Do whatever you like with the women! Ou````!!! Looks like theyre getting fired up about something, doesnt it? Hes probably giving his subordinates some encouragement, right? Hes probably saying something like kill the men, do whatever you want with the women No way! I dont want to lose our current stable lifestyle here! Please kill them! Hmm, then, I guess I should prepare to retaliate for when they start attacking Eh? Does that mean you wont attack them before they get here? Hm? Ah, its so we can claim that all we did was legitimate self-defense. If we attack first, they could just say that they were attacked all of a sudden when they got close to the island after all I dont think that matters you know? Theyre just pirates, right? Well, lets just do it my way just in case. Please step back, everyone. Theyll probably attack with arrows first before they disembark after all. The bay is pretty shallow though so they might not attack from this area. They could use boats but theres a chance they might not dock at all. Well, at any rate, theyre coming here so please fall back now since itll get dangerous. Also, please make sure that the children dont watch Ou! That must be the Demon Lord. Hes dark so you can tell immediately Captain! Everyone except the Demon Lord is retreating to the center of the island Theyre former slaves so they probably cant fight Three more appeared. Theyre probably beastmen Their numbers increasing by three means jack shit! Our arrows will reach them soon. Ill leave the timing to you bastards! Caam, weve armed ourselves for now. Hows it going? Just like I said, the people are gathering on the ship to shoot arrows at us as they approach the beach. I think theyll probably use that opportunity to reach the beach in one full sweep. Should we wait until the arrows reach us? What are you going to do? Talking about the accurate distance of arrows, its more or less 200 paces right!? If thats the case, theyll get here quickly at their current speed wont they? Well, well manage somehow Being nonchalant about it as usual Haa, the way hes acting makes it seem like the fact that hes going to kill a lot of people from here on out seem to be a lie Theyre coming Several arrows hit the shore but most of them sank into the water. However, thats more than enough for me to make the call. Its confirmed. Theyre attacking. We can now conclude that that ship is an enemy. Commence the attack! After saying that, I shot out a pretty large stone bullet to the ships mainmast to break their propulsion system. Even though their speed dropped, theyre still didnt stop due to the momentum they had so I produced a stone wall from the seabed to make a large hole in the keel. It also caused the ship to come to a complete stop so several people went overboard. Youre asking what kind of ship it is? How would I know! Im just sure that its not a yacht. I just used a stone bullet instead of just setting the sails on fire since I thought we might be able to salvage the cloth and use it for something. Since its already here, might as well make use of it. It must have been because of the large amounts of seawater flowing into the hole at the keel but their ship started sinking. It finally came to a full stop once the waterline had already sunk about two meters deep. It looks like theyre still about a hundred paces away from us. Oooh, theyre swimming towards us. How persistent Caam, youre still as ridiculous as usual, huh Hm? Its nothing There was a loud sound and when I turned to look, the mainmast looked like it was scratched by a dragons claw. Then, after hearing a cracking sound, it slowly fell. I havent seen a dragon before but Im sure this would probably the kind of damage it would deal if it were to attack us. If Im being honest, I still didnt know what happened. After that, we felt an impact coming from the hull that was like we were pushed upward which caused us to fall forward. Some of them even fell to the sea. We would only receive an impact like this when were being rammed by an enemy ship from the sides. Were being flooded by a large hole on the bottom of the ship! What? Why! I asked the guys from inboard. We dont know! A huge stone slab suddenly popped out of the floor! Then, after a while, it disappeared and let water into the ship! Oi oi oi oi oi oi! Whats with that! Were going to sink! Its fine since were over shallow waters! Thats not what I mean you idiot! What are we going to do with this!? Its fine if we just swim there and surround them with a bunch of guys, right? Thats it! Jump in the water you bastards! We can reach land if you just swim a little! What a worthless captain I am right now`. While thinking that, I also jumped into the sea. What should we do now? Lets give them a warning for now. If you can hear me, if you dont try to cause harm to any of us then we wont treat you roughly okay~? Shut up`! Im going to kill you shitty bastard! Just you wait! He said as he splashed around. I dont think they care about your warning Okay then. I guess that means the negotiations failed~ Even though its only a short distance, its amazing how they can swim with all of their equipment on them. You were even threatened. What now? Haa Well, just leave it to me They might listen to you if kill one as a warning. Granted, youll have to kill one of them but I think that it cant be helped Well see I took a deep breath then shouted as loudly as I could. Listen up you guys! Anyone who takes even a step on this island with their weapon drawn will be killed! If you dont want that, come out of the water with your hands above your head then lie down on the sand! Got that? Hou Thats the best I can do Well, considering that its coming from Caam whos pretty na?ve, thats good enough. Anyway, here they come Uooo```! I wont be beaten by a weak Demon Lord! Die you shitty bastard! He was holding a short, single-edged sword which was probably made with battles on the ships deck in mind. It looks like a cutlass so Ill just call it that. Since he was drenched, his clothes were slowing down his movements. That and the fact that sand isnt a stable surface to walk on meant that his sword slashes were easy to dodge. Because of that, I threw the crowbar at his feet to make him fall then hit the side of his head with the shovel. He stopped moving after that so hopefully, hes still alive. Okay! That just now was a 1 on 1 fight so I defeated him normally but if it turns into a free for all, Ill also use my magic. And if you decide to ignore me and start attacking the islanders, do know that Im going to shoot a pretty devastating magic attack on your backs Well, its just hot water or obsidian axes though. Who cares! Surround him! Were my threats and slightly forceful persuasion not enough? It wont be effective unless I actually show them, will it? I really dont want to but I probably have to sacrifice one of them. Because of that, I shot out a wind cutter at the left foot of the one who yelled the order and started charging at me. His leg flew off which caused him to fall onto the sand in pain. GIYAAAA`! IT HURTS! Shit! What was that?! My bad. I didnt intend to kill you but I had to use magic. I was just going to kill you at first, but it would be troublesome if it caused the others to fight recklessly to avenge you instead of being afraid so I decided to change my plans a bit Since they lost the merry atmosphere they previously had, I tried to say that in as low of a voice as I could to threaten them even more. I dont think Ill get used to this. The guy who was shouting in pain in front of me noticed that his leg was missing so he frantically tore off his shirt and tied it around his thigh to stop the bleeding. He was also spreading around his blood on the sand so he pressed the extra cloth on the wounds opening. I didnt know what would be effective against those who dont fear death you see. Thats why I decided to try instilling fear on to you guys first. How will you deal with fear I wonder? Well, you might die from bleeding out first though. Sorry about that, I guess I should rephrase my intentions. I want to show you guys the fear of the possibility that you might die After saying that, I shot out stone bullets at the guys left arm so that the entire left side of his body would be useless. He was screaming and writhing in pain but nobody came to save him. Im not really sure if the reason they cant move is actually fear, but now that he cant do anything about his wounds, he might really die. I was starting to feel a bit bad about what Im doing but by doing this, the lives of the 50 islanders and the other pirates will be spared. Id like to save the guy rolling around if we can as well though. I guess I should try to negotiate with them first. Now then, lets talk. Your ship is now broken so you cant escape from here. The palm trees and red flowers growing all over this island are like children to the demonkin I know so it doesnt matter if you run to the forest this since we can easily find you. If you run away, well make sure to find you and kill you. And even if we dont do that, bears, hornets and other ferocious monsters will. Ive heard there are goblins here and youll probably be able to find slimes around the swamps. However, we will spare you if you just behave and do as youre told. What do you think? Please let us talk about it first I guess thats fine I really cant get used to doing something like this. I could still hear the guy who was rolling around by my feet l groaning so it seems like hes still alive but he had already fainted when I turned him over. It looks like the amount of blood coming from his wounds was starting to lessen but he might really die if we dont do something about that soon. Shit. He was totally different from what we heard. What kind of fool would believe rumors of a kind Demon Lord! Were a bunch of idiots for trusting the stories of the people who came to this island Even if he was kind, a Demon Lord is still a Demon Lord I guess Right What are we going to do now? Shut up. You guys were also excited about it, werent you? We thought it would be easy since the captain was saying all of that you know? And yet, something like that happened Are you saying its my fault!? Werent you listening at all!? We just didnt say anything since we would get thrown to the sea if we oppose the captain! The people behind them also agreed. You bastards! Youve got to be kidding me! Dont tell me youll listen to me when things are good but turn on me when things go south! Are you saying you can save all of us then? Our life is important for us after all. If you can then Ill follow you. If the captain wants to run away and kill himself though, please do it by yourself You bastards! Dont fuck with me! Just as he was about to pull out his sword out of anger, he felt a force hit his hand causing his sword to go flying. They didnt know what happened but if they had to guess, they would probably say that it was magic. Hey, stop fighting. If you kill each other, the number of potential islanders that will become our precious labor force might decrease after all A few moments earlier Hm`. So theyre discussing right now huh? We can hear what theyre talking about with how loud theyre talking though. Haa, I might have no choice but to kill them if they do decide to run away. What I should do`? It would be better if they thought things out a bit, wouldnt it? Yeah Right`. But Im not that smart so I probably wont be able to convey my intentions properly It did seem like you were forcing yourself to threaten then Thats true. Well, dont worry about it since youre probably the smartest one of us here Understood. I just wont mind it! Also, I havent really used that kind of voice before so my throat hurts. Ah, I really want to stop his bleeding soon or else that guy is going to die Didnt we talk about killing one to set an example to the others? Well, that may be true but it just wouldnt sit right with me you know? If we can save them then we should Youre just a kind guy in a Demon Lords body, arent you? I cant say I disagree Dont fuck with me!At that moment, we heard someone shout and when we turned to look, one of them was about to draw his sword so I shot a stone bullet at it. Crap, that was close. Our potential precious workforce might diminish if they started killing each other, wouldnt it? That was close. Geez` What was that? This is starting to get really bothersome. It seems like they had a falling out since the captain was the only one who wanted to resist until the end while his subordinates, whose morale was already low, wanted to surrender. Its possible they would kill the captain then beg for their lives at this rate. Oh, the captain collapsed from being hit. It would be bad for my potential laborers if he dies, wouldnt it? Oi! Stop! I still have some use for him alive. That guy will die if you try to do more than that you know? But, we may get stabbed in the back if we dont kill the captain here Thats right. Well be killed eventually if we dont kill here I see I have an idea so just leave that guy to me. For the guys who want to surrender, drop your weapons to the ground then form a line After saying that, everyone started putting their weapons down in succession. Everyone except for the captain, huh. Its good that you guys are unexpectedly reasonable. Well, you did make your captain faint first though Our lives are more important after all! I see. Can you guys look towards the ocean for a bit? After saying that, everyone looked towards the sea without complaining. It seems like they are more or less willing to follow my instructions. While they werent looking, I began washing the Tom guys wounds with a Water Ball then cured his foot by reattaching the bone, reconnecting the nerves, and regenerating the skin and flesh using Recovery Magic. I also applied some Recovery Magic to the other guys head just in case. Im not really sure whether it was effective or not though. You can turn around now Toms leg is! I reattached his foot so you guys should explain the situation to him once he wakes up. I think hes going to have difficulty walking for a while though. Now then, Im going to explain what will happen from now on so listen I told them about the current state of the island and what were going to do from now on. I also told them about how we werent able to build new houses until now since we had an overwhelming lack of craftsmen and skilled labor. Because of that, I want to ask if you have cooks or people who could repair your ship on board. If there are then I was thinking of having them build the houses and decrease the burden of the women in charge of cooking We have people who can do that. I dont know if they can do anything other than simple maintenance and repairs though. Oi! I am the one in charge of the repairs on the ship. My father was a carpenter and I was always at his workplace watching him as he worked when I was a child. I didnt get taught properly but if youre fine with that then I can do it Alright. Having a bit of knowledge is better than none. Ill have you properly learn your job later though Yes sir Now, how about the cook? So, about the captain. Im going to keep this guy in my custody so could you two please carry him and follow me? Roger! We tied his hands up with a rope, put a cloth in his mouth, and covered his face with a bag then tied him to a palm tree that was far away from the childrens playing area. Now, lets go back Eh? Are we leaving him in this heat? Hell die you know? What are you saying when you guys were trying to kill him earlier? Are you feeling sympathy for him? Well, I guess thats understandable. Hes your former captain after all. Anyway, let me know if youre interested in how Im going to reform him. Ill show you exactly what Ill do Eh? If I dont break him like this, he may try to act like he has changed on the outside but we wont know what hes thinking on the inside after all. Well then, shall we go? Ah`, please tell the others to not let the children get too close to this place okay? Welcome back Ou. How was it? We tied him to a palm tree with his head covered up. Palma-san will let me know when he wakes up. Okay, lets go and start the meeting with everyone then After saying that, I gathered everyone and explained to them what happened. Because of that, theyve turned over a new leaf so I gave back these former pirates their weapons. Let me know immediately if they do anything bad since Im going to punish them Please introduce us as well Ah`, I forgot. The one who just spoke is Palma-san who is a dryad in the form of a palm tree. The red flower next to her is Fleur-san who is an alraune. The palm trees and red flowers on this island are their family or something Im not really sure about how that works but it seems like they can transfer their consciousness to similar-looking plants so if you think someones watching you, its probably them Please treat us well okay?Nice to meet you Hey, Caam-kun. That captain is awake now and hes going wild you know? Ive just been informed of the captains current situation so Ill be going over there for a bit. The pirates still have to fetch their cook from their ship but I hope you get along with them. As for you guys, I hope you didnt forget what we talked about earlier I said that of the former pirates with an intimidating smile. Y-yes sir! Its nice that theyre being obedient. MMM`! MMMMN````! He sure is lively, isnt he? Yeah Hey, captain. You can hear me right? MMM`! It seems like you can. I guess I should remove the bag on your head so we can talk Once I untied the cloth by his neck that was holding the bag, I was greeted with a terrifying glare. Well then, for the time being, Im going to remove the cloth on your mouth so please pay attention to your attitude and how you talk okay? The moment I took the cloth out of his mouth, he spat at my face. I see that you dont want to talk. Shall we go back then? I have to cover him with the cloth again so please hold him down After saying that, I showed him how I poured the water I brought to the sand, put the cloth back in his mouth, and once again covered his head with the cloth bag. Ill see you again tomorrow Are you not going to talk to him? It would be impossible to do that while hes like this after all. Its sad how I just wasted the water I went through all the trouble to bring, isnt it? I let him hear me saying that on purpose before going back. Three days later There havent been any particular troubles between the villagers and the pirates so far. Ive been visiting the pirates captain every day to try to talk with him but he just keeps shouting foul words at me so I continued to show him me dumping the water into the sand going back. I was actually thinking of making him drink seawater but the former pirates begged me not to. Well, I guess I can understand. It would be risky to do that since hell have to drink 3~4 times the more freshwater compared to the amount of seawater he drank. However, I think hes reaching his limit soon. Its his third day without an adequate water intake after all. He looks completely exhausted, doesnt he? Well, he hasnt drunk or ate anything for a while now after all. Its also a bit hotter today. He would probably be able to survive for 30 days without food if he just had water though. Without water, Id give him 3 days at best While saying that, I took off the cloth bag on his head. He was just staring at us blankly, his lips were dry, and he doesnt look like he could even recognize his former subordinates. Water I dont mind giving you some but do you promise not to cause trouble for me and the other islanders? Water Ah` I dont think he can understand whats happening right now. Anyway, do you swear? I once again showed him the water I brought. Ah aaa It was a dull reaction so I dumped it again to the ground. aa Seeing me do that, he just hung his head down and looked like he had given up on life. Hmm` was that too much? I felt bad for him so I made him drink water with sugar and salt mixed into it then had him carried away to a shaded area. After that, I made ice with magic and applied it on his neck, on the soles of his feet, under his armpits, and between his legs by his crotch. After a while, he had regained his consciousness so I silently approached, and sat in front of him. Can you understand what Im saying? He feebly nodded his head. This is your final chance. Choose, do what I say and live or die like this. Nod your head twice if you want to live or you can shake your head if you prefer to die He nodded two times after I said that. I see. For the time being, youll constantly be monitored and will be working beneath everybody else so make sure you remember that. You should also be prepared to die a painful death if you cause any kind of problem. Im going to get you some food now so stay here and wait I brought him some coconut juice and bread soaked in hot water with a bit of salt. You might hurt your stomach since havent eaten anything for several days so just bear it for now if you think its not enough After saying that, I removed the rope on his hands and moved them slowly to loosen the stiffened joints. Then, I took a spoon and slowly brought the food to his mouth. Once I confirmed that he had swallowed it, I repeated that until he finished all of it. Well, I do think well be able to use him somehow. He can be the negotiator if pirates come to bother us again for example. Ill let him rest for tomorrow so that he can regain his strength. Since hes weak, we should just feed him softer food for now. We should also make sure that he doesnt have any hidden weapons. ~Idle Talk~ The sailors conversation That Demon Lord was pretty nasty, wasnt he? How come? Its about how he dealt with the captain. The Demon Lord would visit him daily to talk but the captain just continued to resist and say all sorts of things to him. Because of that, the Demon Lord would just show the captain how he sprinkled the water all over the sand, put back the cloth bag over his head, then left him there till the next day without contact with anybody. He only gave him a chance to talk once Ou Yeah. The captain slowly got weaker because of that but the Demon Lord just kept pouring the water he had brought in front of the captains eyes How cruel Then today, when the captain was at his limit and was desperately begging for water, the Demon Lord murmured how the captains reaction was kinda dull then started showing him how he poured the water to the ground again What happened after that? The captain fainted because of shock. I thought that he wasnt going to make it until morning you know? Seeing that, the Demon Lord forcibly made the captain drink and started nursing him. In the end, Ive already gotten used to following the captains orders, but not sure how I should treat him from now on Why? We werent treated badly and we still have our weapons so wouldnt it be fine? Hes going to be constantly monitored and will be in a lower standing than us after all Really? Hes going to be in a lower position than us? Im kinda interested about that so lets start working in places where we can see how the captain is doing Yeah And since hell have a lower status than you guys, its natural that he wont be allowed to have weapons. Even so, dont overwork, ignore, bully, and try to kill him! Also, since hes still weak, Im going to let him rest for today. Thats all. Go ahead, apologize to everyone Everyone, please forgive me for my inexcusable behavior Hes treating him a lot better than I expected. Also, thats the first time Ive heard him talk like that Ah, thats right. Its also kinda true that the Demon Lord is kind. I guess na?ve would probably be the better word to describe him Thats true CH 59.1 Chapter 59: That time when I brought the shipwright to the village to train TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Im currently back in the village. I brought along with me the shipwright, as well as three other people who will be his subordinates. Chief`. Can you train these humans?1 The chiefs mother is a dwarf and he inherited their racial trait of being good with their hands. Because of that, he chose the woodworking path and is now working as a carpenter. Hes an innovator who uses those square posts you see in modern times for the buildings he makes instead of just the tree trunk stripped of its bark which is what is commonly used here. For some reason, foundation work isnt included in a carpenters scope of work in this world but hes an amazing demonkin who can do both. If there was anyone who wanted their house built as the village expanded, he was the one you went to. There were other craftsmen of course so he wasnt the only one. Its fine if you just give one persons worth of salary for the four of them so please let them live and work at the same place as the other workers Ou, Ive heard about it. There are no carpenters on the island so you guys are having trouble making your own living space. I dont mind employing them. My business has been booming recently thanks to you so I also dont mind paying all of them for their work Ahwell accept your offer then. I actually wanted you and the others to come to the island with me, but transfer magic isnt easy to use so I cant bring someone tall and not more than 4 people. We dont even have money to just use a regular ship as transport so thats why Ill just leave it to these guys to learn from you. Im asking you for this favor since this is the least expensive method Ou. The village got even bigger since that time so there are a lot of people asking for their houses to be built. Thats why this is the perfect timing since theyll be able to learn how to make them from scratch. If they have a talent for it, they will be of some use to you after just a cycle of seasons from now Thats pretty extensive, isnt it? They do have some knowledge on how to make one right now but I just wanted them to learn the proper methods and how to properly process the wood. How about just until they can properly understand the procedures and be able to build a complete house on their own? Ha? Is that all? If youre in a hurry, theyll probably be able to remember the process and all after finishing three houses. I dont really want to do a half-assed job though Hmm`, I understand. For the time being, Ill have them return to the island after they learned the job then, Ill make them come back after making a few on the island. My number one priority right now is for us to build houses a bit further away from the coast after all I dont know much about the sea but if you just want those build in a different place, should I lend you one of my men? They might still be amateurs but they should still be useful The humans over there really dont have any knowledge about that kind of work. It would have been nice if there was someone who can do carpentry work among them though It just depends on how you use them you know? They could probably just have them help in lifting up the heavy stuff or shave down the wood to make it straight right? The conversation continued like that and in the end, he let us borrow one of his skilled workers in exchange for the four trainees. Well, I guess he does have a point. Well then, Ill be coming back to the village from time to time so please let me know if anything happens while Im away. As for you guys, you may have heard it earlier but it seems like youll be given wages. You arent day laborers here so you wont be paid daily. Because of that, Ill lend you some spending money you can use for your personal expenses. You can just give it back to me when you receive your pay. You guys have seen the demonkins currency before, right? Yeah. But still, is this really alright? I dont mind as long as you pay me back. I also dont care what you do with your hard-earned pay. I might end up leaving the work to my subordinates but Im not one to take money that another person had earned you know? Although this village has been expanding a bit recently, drinking is still the only thing you can do here for amusement. If you dont have money, you wont be able to enjoy even that. Anyway, just let me know when youve learned how to build houses. I havent been in a position where I have to hand out orders to someone before so I dont know what the limit is before you start feeling overworked so Im sorry about that in advance No no, not only did you not kill us, you even gave us food and paying jobs so we dont have any reason to complain Im glad if thats how you feel. Anyway, Ive been hearing stories of how strict that craftsman is ever since I was a child so please be careful R-roger Well then, please do your best okay? After saying that I went home. Im back~ Papa, welcome~ Hey there. Im back. I came back all of a sudden so Okaa-san and mama arent here, are they? Un, but Granma Licorice is here you know? I see. Thats a relief then Ara, welcome back Ah, Im back mother-in-law. Wheres Lily? I ruffled his hair as I said that. He has soft hair just like his mother. Stop it papa. Im not a child anymore you know? Haha, I see. Okaa-san and mama dont really specialize in magic so papa will teach you later okay? Dangerous magic is still not allowed you know? As I said that, I saw the figure of my mother in law who went out earlier smiling by the entryway. Thats right Miel-kun! Granpa Hail and Granpa Ichii, Granma Sleet and Granma Licorice, as well as your two mothers arent that good with magic. So, how about it? Hmm`, I guess I dont really see everyone using magic. Mama only uses it when cooking. As for mama Suzuran, hers is a bit scary Ah`, thats right. Suzurans is pretty strong, isnt it? I wonder if she still cant control it. Well then, what attributes can you use? Hmm` fire, water, and light I guess Shall we learn earth magic then? After saying that, I dug up the dirt by my feet and wet with water to create a mud ball. Well then, how about you try to turn this mudball into any shape you like using magic I used that method since I thought it would be better to learn by playing than just studying. I really hated studying after all and found it easier if it felt like I was just playing. How about you try turning it into something simple first. Ah, thats right. How about you turn this sphere into a square Un He was struggling at first but the mud ball slowly started deforming so he must be getting the hang of it. Ohh`, amazing He didnt give me a reply. He must be concentrating then. Hmm, I guess I should also try to make a figurines. Its just the basic shape of a person though! I did it~ Papa did it too Miel presented to me the mud ball that now has slightly rounded corners. Ohh`, amazing. Its pretty good for your first try you know? Papa also did it you know? Its a man with a buster sword. The triangle thing at the top is his helmet Its pyramid head-sama no matter how you look at it.2 So cool~. Who is this person? Hes a scary person who appears out of dense fog and kills bad people you know? He started tearing up. What should I do? Good kids are fine though, okay? And although I say bad people, its only the people who do really bad things. If its just a prank, he wont come out Really~? Yeah What kind of really bad things? Hmm` He wont come unless its someone who kills everyone in the village. Thats why he absolutely wont come out 3 I have to point out that he absolutely wont come since it might leave some kind of trauma. But you must have seen him before since you know about him, right? What a sharp kid. I read about it in a book at the towns bookstore you see. A long time ago, he brought peace to a human town after beating the bad guys you know? I see! So hes really just a good person after all! Eh? Ahyeah, sure I guess his backstory ended up like that. Its really troublesome to explain. Im sorry for being a useless father. Also, using the towns bookstore ended up being a convenient excuse! CH 59.2 Chapter 59 Part 2: That time when I brought the shipwright to the village to train TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Welcome backWelcome ba~ck Oh my, are you teaching Miel magic? Caam is really good at teaching after all. Lily, how about getting Otou-san to teach you? No! Dont like magic! Then, how about having him help you with your spear training? Un! Eh? Its unfair if its only Miel after all. Right? She tilted her head and let the fringe of her hair flow down as she asked me that. Ive thought this for a while now but I really cant refuse her when she asks me like this. Shes so cute after all! I see. Ill bring my shovel and crowbar then It might be too dangerous to bring my machete though. I guess Ill just use a stick instead. With that in mind, I went to our storeroom and brought out my shovel and crowbar which were in a rough state. After that, I took a stick and put it in my breast pocket as a stand-in for a knife. Were only going for one round though. Lily took her spear without the blade and lightly swung it around like some kind of warm-up. Otou-san, ready? Hm? Ah, Im probably fine kay. Lets start Hmm`, so she also wields a spear similar to Suzuran Itll be bad if she swings that with all her strength. I wont be able to block it after all, especially with my stick of a knife. At Suzurans signal, Lily lunged forward and thrust her spear directly towards my face. Faster than I could think about how dangerous that attack was, I dodged it by doing an exaggerated back step. If this was a cross spear it would be more dangerous than a spear, so I shouldnt have taken such an exaggerated step back to avoid it. I should keep that in mind since I might meet someone with that weapon someday. Huh~. Otou-san, you were just loafing around but you still avoided it. I was told by Okaa-san, Obaa-chan, and Ojii-chan to thrust as hard as I can if I see the opponent is unaware, but as expected of Otou-san You cant be negligent huh As expected of a woman from Suzurans family. Also, I wonder if their entire family is present during her training. Just how much do you guys love your grandchildren? I also love them a lot though! H-haha, Ive been training myself after all. Otou-san was surprised though Un, when we were talking with Latte-ogibosan, she told us that since Otou-san has become a Demon Lord, his children should be strong as well. Miel is also training because of that, but Otou-san is the best at magic here, so theres nobody to teach him until you come back1 I see`. Otou-san doesnt mind though. Just because I became a Demon Lord doesnt mean that my children have to be strong you know? Geez Latte, what were you thinking when you said that? While saying that, I stabbed my shovel into the ground and used it as a cane. The moment she saw me put my weight on the shovel and look away, she once again tried to hit my face so I just left my shovel where it was and took my distance once again. Ive been told by everyone to attack without holding back if theres an opening you know? After saying that, she picked up my shovel and threw it someplace I cant reach. Pretty thorough, isnt she? Since I had no choice, I pulled out my crowbar. To defend against the relentless thrust that came afterwards, I used the crowbar to deflect the spear, got closer to her once I saw an opening, then tripped her feet. After restricting her access to her weapon, I pulled out the stick that was a stand-in for a knife from my breast pocket and lightly pressed it against her neck. Your footwork is certainly nice but you should try to aim for places that are easier to hit and harder to avoid. You should also try to practice until you can skillfully use feints for next time okay? She started crying after I said that. I wonder if I actually went too far. I made sure that she wont hit her head when she flew off though sowhat exactly is the cause? How frustrating`! I couldnt even get a hit in` Lily shouted that and then started to cry even louder. Sorry, sorry. Still, even if this is just training, I dont plan to get hit. I cant purposely lose just because youre my child after all. Otou-san really hates pain after all After wiping her tears, I hugged her while patting her head to calm her down. Shes still immature I guess. Theyll be 5 next year so theyre going to start school huh Come to think of it, I also experienced rapid growth by the time I was 4 or 5 years old. They might still be a bit childish right now, but who knows how theyll be next year. After we ended our training, we went back home to have lunch. I love Otou-sans mealsMe too Is that so? Thats good Okaa-san can only cook meat after all When I looked at Suzurans direction, she was shaken and just froze while she was stabbing the meat on her plate with her fork. But Otou-san loves Okaa-sans meat dishes you know?? I have to prepare vegetables myself though I tried to give a follow-up. Suzuran certainly is lively when it comes to that, isnt she~? She sometimes cooks an entire chicken whole after all Its really difficult to do that you know? If youre not skilled enough, youre going to burn the exterior while the insides still raw. Because of that, Mama Suzuran is actually really good at cooking. Thats why you two shouldnt say such thing okay? Its still just meat though2 Thats true. Even I cant do that after all` Latte came back while we were eating lunch so our entire family was able to eat it together. Once we were done, we rested for a while then Lily asked me to train again so I decided to accompany her after we saw Latte off. Miel! Help me out! After avoiding and deflecting all of her attacks, she snapped and asked Miel to help her. I was shown the wonderful coordinated play of my children. They took advantage of their numbers and were properly timing their attacks. While I was out of balance from dodging the fireball that Miel shot to my face, I was tripped by Lily with her wooden pole and when I was down on the ground, she pointed it against my throat. Iya` I give, I give When I said that, they celebrated with a huge smile on their faces. As expected, I cant really use any of my magic against my children. Movement restraining ones might be fine though. Well then, should I also use magic this time? They started whining after I said that as I got up and dusted off my clothes. I mean, if I dont use magic, Ill just fall over and get beaten every time. Thats why I think it should be fine if I make a few adjustments Ugh`Nm` Dont worry since Im not going to hurt you. It wont be my fault if you two suddenly decided to go all in and do a suicide attack though As I said that, I moved 20 paces away to take my distance and reequipped my shovel. I made sure I was at a distance I was certain that the spear wouldnt hit me. And if she really wants to, she has to get closer. We can start any time you want I wonder if they were being vigilant. They werent approaching at all. I want to make a plan with Miel first just this time okay? An enemy wont wait after all After saying that, I stabbed my shovel into the ground and smiled as I watched the two of them discussing their plans. While I was doing that, Suzuran brought me some tea to drink while I waited. How are those two? Hmm` theyre pretty in sync, arent they? Im sure you saw it earlier but they managed to beat me Caam wasnt being serious though I cant exactly go all out against my children, can I? But youre going to use magic after this right? I wont be using any magic that can cause injuries you know? Ill probably only use water ball and earth wall or something Well, take a bath afterwards, okay? Yeah After saying that, she grabbed my collar and suddenly kissed me. Its been a while since shes done something like this. Stop it. The children are watching you know? I dont care. Its been a while and I saw you being cool just now so I couldnt help it After saying that, she went back. The kids probably heard our conversation since I heard them saying something like, We need to be careful of the water and wall. Thats unfair miss, you just made me give them a hint to what Im going to do Okaa-san and Otou-san are lovey-dovey~ Mama isnt included again. Poor mama These kids sure are blunt even though Im embarrassed over here. A while after that conversation, the kids were ready so we began the second round. This time, they attacked me at the same time with Miel launching a Fireball at me while Lily lunged in with a thrust. Hmm`, I guess theyre still children.*** While thinking that, I used a Waterball to cancel out the fireball then made an Earth wall thats a meter tall and 3 meters wide. This probably isnt enough but you cant exactly take your time building stuff in the middle of battle. She can still jump over it but its just tall enough that if she isnt careful in her landing, she might lose her balance. And even if she successfully clears it, theres still going to be a distance between us. Its not pretty but you shouldnt expect anything like that in battle. In the end, it didnt actually kill Lilys momentum though. She just jumped over it, skillfully used her knees to avoid losing balance then continued charging forward. Because of that, I placed Mucus by the area around her feet. It wont be effective if she just prepares for it but it will be great if she falls down from this. Miel is still continuing to throw fireballs at me but I saw Lilys gaze shift above for an instant so Im guessing there should be at least one of those fireballs above or behind me. Judging from her gaze, its probably not directly above me so I just left a slightly bigger Waterball floating behind my head while I focus on Lily whos right in front of me. I heard the sound of fire being put out from behind me so it seems like my guess was right. I saw the look of surprise on Lilys face for a moment but she still continued her attack. She was charging straight at me light a wild boar so the moment she stepped on the ground using her dominant foot, I made that area sink down about 10 centimeters. Pair that with the mucus that should have gotten stuck on her feet caused her to fall down and roll towards me where I was waiting with my knife which I used to lightly hit her head. Miel! Youre on your own now you know? What are you going to do? Are you just going to keep shooting magic at me? Thats fine, lets see how long youll last The taunting seems to be effective since Miel started shooting consecutive fireballs at me. Because of that, I created another water ball, retained it in my hand, then used it to catch all of the fireballs at me. After a while, he collapsed so I wonder if his mana ran out. Alright, lets end it there. Since this Waterball is now hot enough, Ill go and put it in the bath so just lie down over there and rest How did it go? Hm`. It was no good. He used his strongest attack at the start so he was not able to hold out for long I see I had to clean the tub first so I made another waterball on my other hand and washed it off. After that was done, I plugged the drain then placed the water that had been heated by Miels fireballs into it. What was that? The water I used to catch Miels fireballs Its a little tepid, isnt it? I know but I told Miel that its hot so just keep it a secret okay? After adding a bit of hot water to get it to the right temperature, I went and had an afternoon bath with my children. I mean, I just became a Demon Lord after all. Plus, Lily is still a child so thats not something you should worry about you know? As we were soaking in the hot water, I continued consoling Lily who was crying once again while holding on to Miel who was still feeling sluggish from using up all his mana so that he wont drown. Women are really delicate creatures, arent they? I guess it wasnt really a good idea to use Suzuran as a reference point for women since shes probably the only one whos that bold. You guys managed to beat me when I wasnt using magic right? Thats really impressive how you did that even though you two still havent attended school you know? Really? Yeah! Really I wonder if that cheered her up. She was crying before but she now shes just a bit pouty as she submerged her entire body in the water. After having our bath, we were resting at our living room and Miel was just limply sitting on my lap completely exhausted. Seeing that, Lily approached me and said. Me too so I patted her head. You know? Okaa-san told me something Yeah? What did she say? She told me that Otou-sans lap belongs to her so me sitting here is a secret okay? Got it Suzuran, what the heck are you telling them? Did she establish that during that one time she was drunk where she sat on my lap, grabbed me by the neck and kissed me? Is she being territorial or something? Well anyway, I wonder how long Ill be able to take baths together with my daughter. It would certainly be impossible to keep doing that until she finishes school, wouldnt it? As for my son, Im also not sure. A demonkins childhood period is really short, isnt it? Im not sure how different it is for long-lived races though. While I was taking an afternoon nap with the children, I was awoken by a Suzuran with her hand over my mouth and she forcefully dragged me into our room, where we cooped up in our bed and tried not to make any noise. ~While having dinner~ Ah` Okaa-san looks like shes in a good moodUn, she looks happy She looks the same as usual but the air around her has certainly changed. Also, to my surprise, it seems like our children can tell the difference. Latte kept glancing in my direction so Ill probably have to spend about an hour trying to stay quiet in the middle of the night. Incidentally, both of them have their safe days today. Well, Im not always at home so I guess it cant be helped. CH 60.1 Chapter 60: That time when I received complaints from the aquatic demonkin TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Its the day after I trained with my children and did nightly activities with my wives. I went to the carpenters place where I was introduced by the chief to a quarter dwarf worker who will be coming with me to the island. After making sure that we had the necessary tools, we proceeded to stack as many materials as we could on the leftover space. Since were going to get some honey soon, Ill also buy some extra empty bottles. The names Root. Nice to meet you. Youre pretty famous around the village so I know about you but you probably dont know me, do you? Sorry but no Ive met a lot of people because I keep being conspicuous and move around from place to place a lot, but I honestly only remember the ones who I was actively involved with. I think this is the first time Im meeting Root-san though. No no, dont worry about it. That should have been obvious since why would Maou-san know about little ol me? Root-san said that like he was teasing me but it doesnt seem like theres a hint of sarcasm in his words. Well then, shall we go? Yeah, pleasure to work with you I activated the transportation magic and went back to the island together with Root-san, who was recommended to me by the chief. Whoa so this is the sea That was his first impression of the area. I had the same reaction when I first saw it you know? Its really pretty, isnt it? Let me explain some things for the time being Yeah When it rains in these kinds of area, it rains really hard. During those times, those waves you see over there reach great heights and in worse cases, it may even reach up to here. If you get swallowed by those waves and carried away, the worst that could happen is that youll drown and die.** We still havent experienced something like that though Thats pretty scary, isnt it? Root-san was listening to what I had to say with a serious look on his face. Now, the humans temporary housing is pretty close to here so our manpower would decrease if they get washed away and die. If that happens, our chances of survival on this island would also decrease and at worst, well all die. All of our lives can be saved if we just board the ships weve been trading with though since weve been doing that a lot lately Youre like the village chief, arent you`? You were acting as some kind of assistant to our village chief a while back so I guess you we already good at thinking about the whole picture back then They were entrusted to me after all, so I feel responsible for their lives. Also, if I was alone on this island, I think Id just be wandering around, unsure about what to do. Either that or I would just do whatever I suddenly think of. Like dancing naked on the sand, for example I guess thats to be expected. Your way of thinking is pretty strange after all. Thanks to that, the village has had five bountiful end of the year festivals. You have some kind of plan right? He ignored the nude dancing on the beach part. I was quite serious when I said that though`. If were talking about what you would first do when youre on an uninhabited island, youd think about things you would normally do right? Haha, I dont have anything like that you know? Im just doing things at random I see Dont be so surprised by that. Its just the product of having a flexible mindset. Well anyway, Ill continue with my explanation. There are basic houses over there but its still in a relatively dangerous area. Theres also no fresh water source over there but there is one at the direction where the sun starts to set. Theres a slightly wide area so thats where Im thinking of having the houses built. Theres a well with drinkable water there Why was the well built way over there? The water would have been salty if we had built it close to the sea you know? Also, although the water can still be used to wash the body since its also drawn from the forest, it would only be dangerous to drink if its not boiled I didnt dig to confirm, but even in my previous life, there werent a lot of wells on coastlands and tourist islands. I see Shall we introduce you to everyone then? A dwarf carpenter. I introduced Root-san to the islanders like that, then informed everyone about the previous Demon Lords planned castle site. I told them how the area could be dangerous if there are heavy rains so I took half of the reclamation group to the site to fix up the area. First thing that we have to do is to set up a wide gazebo with the well at its center. The gazebo will be some kind of meeting spot so all of the other houses will be built with that it mind. It will also serve the purpose of making sure that garbage doesnt end up in the well. This is where the previous Demon Lord abused his slaves. Its the Demon Lords castle grounds. For the time being, were going to clear it out. Ive already started by building a well in the middle of the area. Theres a quarry nearby but its still pretty much untouched. They didnt get much work done since my predecessor abused his slaves so recklessly that he was immediately subjugated by the hero. Because of that, when managing the human workers, please dont forget to let them take a short breaks, one between breakfast and lunch, and another after lunch and before the work day ends. You should also give them a day off every ten days starting today. Please take those things into consideration when coming up with the work schedule Got it. Ill give them plenty of breaks and let them have days off. To be honest, I think that giving them those is just right you know? The workers morale would rise if theyre able to rest when theyre tired after all Well then, Ill draw on the ground what I have thought up in my head I picked up a stick and drew a square around the well to give them the rough shape. I explained to them that I wanted the well to be in the center of the main crossroad and the buildings will be constructed around it in a grid pattern similar to that of a Go board. I think this might have been a troublesome request but I wanted the central main road to be some kind of shopping district with stalls lined up in the future so I wanted them to build with that in mind. The quarry that I found the other day will be part of some kind of industrial district where stone, lumber, and meat will be processed. However, for the time being, I requested for them to focus on the gazebo in the central area first. Considering that the rest of the workforce are amateurs, I think theyll just be tasked to hoist up the pillars and add the beams but thats still not certain. Well, I should just let them know that the water in the well is safe. Hmm` thats a lot of requests but its doable within reason. The stone that will be taken from the quarry will be processed and be used as foundation. The excess that comes from that can be used for the roads or to make stone walls. Theres also a need for a wood processing area. The wood would rot if it gets wet due to rain, so the place needs to be roofed I know that this is going to be a difficult project but please focus on this area for now I bowed my head down while asking that. No, dont worry about it. Please raise your head. In fact, I even feel grateful to you Caam. Even though you became a Demon Lord, you didnt change the way you interact with your fellow Demonkin as well as the humans after all. The treatment towards mixed Demonkin like me also got better. I think its thanks to you leading the development of the village as well. Well anyway, seeing as youre still settling down here, I can understand why youre in a hurry but Ive been told that youre in need of houses for the residents to move into so Ill be focusing on those first Im pretty much mixed race too though Also Root-san doesnt look like a dwarf at all so I dont really get it. Thank you very much. Please let me know if theres anything you need help with. Securing a place to live and a water source is our top priority after all Got it. The water would remain clean as long as no dead leaves and such enter the well, right? Yeah, Ill leave it to you. Well then, shall we check out the quarry before getting lunch? We went to inspect the quarry after that. We discussed how much stone we would need and which side we should take from, then we went back to the coastline to have lunch. We served some saltwater fish to let him try the taste. In order to increase the output of our salt maker, I asked Root-san if he could make a larger saltwater container at our Ryuuka-style saltpan. I also asked him if he could repair the handles on our tools. I just used some appropriately sized branches as a temporary fix on the handles of the axes that broke after all. As for the ones with chipped blades, I just made a makeshift grinder using a rounded rough stone rotating at high speed to temporarily repair them, but I really want to build a smithy with someone capable of manning it some time soon. Well, I can see how hard Caam is struggling to develop this place thats why Ill also do my best After we finished lunch, I was reminded by the others about another place where we could get wood if we dont have enough. Ah`, I forgot. If theres any useful materials you can take out of that sunken ship in the bay, please feel free to make use of it. The former pirates are still residing in the part that is still afloat, so just make sure that their roof wont leak okay? I wont ask how it sank but I am interested about how you were able to break such a thick post1 Its a secret you know? I tried to say that all cutesy as a joke but I feel like it wasnt quite well received. Haha! Youre still eccentric and secretive as ever, arent you? I can still remember how surprised I was to hear that you beat your father with a shovel you know? Looking at that ship though, I can somewhat understand how. Anyway, we can use that broken pillar to make support posts. If its just something like the gazebos with triangular roofs, we could probably even make two. Well just have to cut down the ones that are still standing I guess It seems like hes just treating me normally after that joke. Hes acting like it never happened I guess. Just leave that part to me. Even if theyre former pirates, as long as the task isnt something unreasonable, they probably wont complain Yeah yeah. Now you just need to draw the thing you came up in your head then you can leave the rest to me Got it. If you want to go back to the village at any point, just let me know so that I can send you back The chief will get mad at me if I go back just like that you know? We both laughed and with that, our conversation ended. CH 60.2 Chapter 60: That time when I received complaints from the aquatic demonkin TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Five days later The sunken ships wreckage was used to build the gazebo surrounding the well. As for the large posts that were different in length, they were used as the supporting beams for the slanted roof that was erected in the industrial district which was the area near the quarry. It ended up being a lot simpler than I thought. Well, we didnt have enough processed wood so I guess it cant be helped. Im sorry for making so many requests but please make a charcoal-making hut right next to the wood processing area. It doesnt have to be on the same scale as the one back in the village, the same size as the gazebo will do Gotcha`! After giving me that energetic reply, he immediately raised up the four pillars and covered it with a roof. It kinda looked like those tents you often see in barbeques. That was quick This much is nothing you know! Its even easier now since we can now use magic to dig. Thats an even bigger deal if you ask me Thank you very much. With this, the efficiency of turning scrap wood and tree stumps into charcoal will increase! Thanks to the charcoal-making method Caam learned in town, the amount of firewood we used decreased. Furthermore, fire burning from those new charcoal lasts longer and provides even greater heat. Everyone was surprised at first but nowadays, theyre already acting as if theyve been using those for a long time Is that so? I didnt think that was the case back when I was in town. Thats good then. Im also trying to teach the humans here how to make the same thing. I thought it would have been a waste to not make use of the roots of the trees we cut down when we were developing the land so I just chucked them into a simple charcoal kiln. Because of that though, right now, its one of the main resources we can use to trade Making use of everything is a great idea! It reminds me of that circular blade you made to use for cutting trees. That thing made trees fall down in an instant Well, Ive always thought of magic as something to be used to make things easier after all. Just like the one that cuts wheat faster. Thats why I want to teach everyone that magic can be used for something else besides battles I guess it really does make things easier While we were having that conversation, I was trying to avoid saying that those things were actually just machines and tools from my previous life. I also had to avoid pointing out that theres no need for magic in my previous life due to how much science and technology has advanced. Im actually just recreating those advancements using magic. Anyway, Root-san has gradually gotten more talkative these past five days. That makes him easier to get along with. Ten days later Some kind of hut covered in cloth was built around the well and all sorts of workshops were erected close to the quarry. Even though we didnt have a lot of people to operate it, in order to make the foundation of the buildings out of stone, we made a few people run the quarry. They were only gathering stones that were about the same size though. We were using the tools that were left behind, of course. Instead of a roof, we used the ships sails and in one of the shaded areas thats far from the dust, we left a barrel with clean water from the well and some coconuts for the workers refreshments. The well waters safe but it doesnt seem like the humans had drunk it yet. I cant really blame them since its tougher for me to say thats its a hundred percent safe now that my poison resistance has gone even higher. Well, if they get a tummy ache, well just give them some crushed charcoal that has been kneaded into animal fat. Good thing that were done building a charcoal-making hut nearby and furnaces have been set up so the roots can now be turned into charcoal. We can even create that activated charcoal thing that can be used for medical purposes. Well then, please make sure you dont injure your backs okay? Gotcha! We just have to gather stone of about the same size, carry them to the processing area and flatten them up so that they can be stacked right? Thats right. Ill let you figure out how to do that but please make sure you dont overdo it. And dont try to carry everything in one go okay? Stones are heavier than they look after all. Theyre way too heavy even. I should ask Root-san to make a large two-wheeled wagon for them. It wont be easy to make one to use for stone though. After that, I went around setting down Palma-san and Fleur-sans offshoots to scout for anything amiss. In order to do that, I looked for a small Fleur-san then replanted her in small flowerpots. If I plant them all over the place, theyll be able to contact me if there are any emergencies. If I also plant that biological weapon of a mint that I brought with me, once those bloom, maybe well start seeing the bees flying everywhere. While I was thinking that, a panicked human came running to me while saying. There are Demonkin in the middle of the sea! Ha? Ah Ill be right there! At that moment, I didnt know what he was talking about but I just headed to the beach to check it out. Are you the master of this island? They look even more of an aquatic demonkin than my mother. They have lots of scales all over and theyre even holding a harpoon. They have a bunch of flexible looking muscles which probably makes it easier to swim in the water. Yeah, more or less Can you do something about that sunken ship by the bay? Eh? Uhm, can you tell me why? I dont know why but my people have been complaining about a metallic scent drifting from it That ship is loaded with money that came from the continent so its probably that. I really do want to pull it out but its in difficult since not only is it heavy, its also underwater. Thats why its still there. I thought it would be fine since it isnt iron so it wont rust but I guess copper does give off a certain scent. I truly apologize for that I gave him a sincere apology. Hou It seems like this times Demon Lord is humble, huh. The last one was arrogant and would say unreasonable things like asking everyone to be his servant and how hell destroy any tribe that opposes him. Thats why that guy was quickly beaten by the hero. Ah He was really an idiot, wasnt he? At any rate, regarding that ship, we dont have any workers that can work underwater. We are well aware that we are the cause of this incident but if I may, I would like to ask for your assistance in order to resolve this I tried to humbly request for their cooperation. Its important to have good relations with your neighbors after all. Fumu. I cant hate humble guys like you. Or rather, I prefer you to that domineering idiot. But even so, well cooperate with you under a few conditions If we are able to do those conditions, then` What? Oh, we wont ask you to send all of your food so you dont have to worry. Our tribe is able to live in lands like this but we dont have any experience growing things from the land. According to the group that we sent to the land, they were somehow able to gain the know-how, but it wasnt to the level of the artisans from the land. Even if we know about it, we dont know the process to do it. Weve never eaten wheat and animal meat after all. Thats why we would like to ask for some provisions I understand. I dont know how much you need but since were the ones inconveniencing you, we dont mind complying with those conditions. Pleased to be working with you Umu. Its good that the new demon lord is someone reasonable. If its alright with you, lets continue working with each other from now on Of course, I was about to ask that myself Was I able to convey that Im not an enemy somehow? Theyre not exactly an ally but it would already be a huge relief if theyre not an enemy. The fewer enemies you have, the better. Anyway, because of that, were going to collect the money and goods inside the ship. Ill leave the management of those things to the captain. Also, please prepare some bread and meat Aye!Got it I have a question! A pirate raised his hand as he said that. Go ahead Is it really alright to entrust it to the captain? What do you have to say? Will it be alright to entrust it to you? I passed the question to the captain himself. Yes. Ive been informed about it a while back so I think it will be alright Its as he says Hearing that, the captains body shook and the other sailors had shown a surprised look on their faces. Did I say something weird? Ive been telling him that hell die a painful death if he tries something so that should have been obvious. Was it because I just casually inserted that in the conversation? While the trio of unpopular old men oversaw the transportation of loot at the beach, I was with the pirates on the slanted deck of the sunken ship. Its at the lowest area of this ship The captain said that while standing at the edge of the deck. Its amazing how he could still stand at the edge of the deck even though its slanted. He probably could have a sword fight on top of the mast, couldnt he? Hmm, lets just make a hole then. Were at the sea so please be careful Taking into account the demonkin residing in the ocean/sea, I used my chainsaw magic while making sure to make to cause as few vibrations as possible. Its fine if we need to dive for a bit since we dont have to worry about the water pressure. I tied my feet with a rope to a stone in the end to stabilize myself while I was cutting the hole. There was still an air pocket in there so I didnt have to worry about suffocating while cutting through the walls. I was worried that I would get sucked in with the water once I finished cutting through but that didnt happen. With that finished, I went back up to the surface. Ive made the hole but where exactly is the loot? Its in a sturdy-looking box. You will be able to tell if you see it After hearing that, the sahagins went to work and moved everything back to the beach. Shall we inspect the contents? These are all the boxes in that room. Because of that, the scent problem in the water will get resolved over time Thank you very much. Like weve agreed upon, well give you some bread and meat so please call over the rest of your tribe to get it What! Is that really alright!? Well, probably Your tribe doesnt have 200 members, right? You dont have to worry. Its just a small group of forty demonkin. Ill call them now Hm`. There were 10 who participated in the clean up so the rest must be women and children. Was he done calling them I wonder? The rest of the sahagin gradually started to gather by the beach. At that time, I saw something that I didnt expect to see. Whats that? Huh? Is that a variant or something? Everything below the neck is pretty much like a naked human being. However, the head is one that totally belongs to a fish. No matter how you look at them, theyre like that fish with a human body that I saw somewhere. No wait The one I saw only had human legs I think. If I had to describe them, they closely resemble that cod that dances a lot.12 At least that one wearing pants though. Shall I give them speedos or loincloths or something? Also, Im starting to get irritated at their uselessly hunky figure. Which modeling agency are you guys trying to get in to for crying out loud? I wonder if those muscles are actually so that they could swim better underwater Are they actually half-humans? Thats nice I guess. Well, I really shouldnt think too much about it. The islanders were getting noisy seeing that group but when I looked at them, they all stopped and looked away. Dont shift your gaze away when Im trying to ask for help! Im also troubled you know!? Oh, so there are mermaids with the fish lower half as well. The first one that came out of the water was a real beauty. The one beside her is probably her husband. The two of them are also not wearing anything on their upper half though! Uh oh, there isnt a good place to look. Should I secretly hand them some cloth to cover themselves? The men are having trouble after all. Well, I guess thats natural with her appearance. If were talking about the upper body alone, shes a beautiful woman with long, thin, light blue hair that reached all the way to her waist. Shes like that girl in the little mermaid.3 Uhm`, excuse me. Can I talk to you for a moment? I interrupted her meal to talk to her. Yes? What is it? Even her voice was wonderful. Ah`, if shes like this then I wouldnt find it weird if shes the cause of ships sinking. Or rather, I wont even mind if she does that when she looks like this. Oh, and Im sure shes a good singer as well. In human culture, its shameful to be nude in public. Moreover, youre also really beautiful. Because of that, can I ask you to cover up your chest area with this cloth while youre on land? I passed her the cloth while making as little eye contact as possible. Oh my, is that so? I wasnt aware of that After saying that, she wrapped the cloth around her chest. However, it wasnt enough to conceal her cleavage. Rather, I think the cloth just emphasized it even more because of the knot at the center. It became even more erotic. The impact of her protrusions trying to come out is also intense. Thats good enough. Please look at the human males over there. Theyre looking at you with lecherous eyes you know? Oh my, thats troubling. I already have a husband and child after all She said that with both hands on her cheeks. It doesnt matter whether its beauty or cuteness, shes perfect. Well, not that perfect. Thats why I asked you to please cover yourself. If there are others who have a similar appearance to yours, please let them know that as well They could use seagrass or seashells or something. Thank you I got exposed to her valley because she bowed politely! No need for that. Its just that being nude is poison for the human eyes so to speak I am poisonous? Hm`, how do I put this What I mean to say is that youre so beautiful that it might cause others to overflow with desire for you Why is she a natural air-head as well!? Phew. Its good that Im not poisonous, isnt it? No, youre plenty poisonous. Its the same level of toxicity as a pufferfish. When it comes to the danger level, its the same as sharks, jellyfish, and cone snails. The man who I think is her husband has just been talking with other women for a while now but if he didnt exist, Im sure that all of the islands men would come rushing for you by now. Also, why am I the one being glared at by the male islander!4 Hey! Dont you have one for me too? The man was also stupidly good looking The men are fine just like that. Well, I guess the human women would probably be looking at you as well though since youre pretty good looking yourself Then shouldnt I also get a cloth? Its bothering me that only my wife gets one What the hell are you on about? Well, you see, making males wear cloths over their chest gives off a different meaning. Women need to cover up both the groin area and chest but only the groin needs to be covered for men It that really so? I guess my lower half is fine as is then Thats seems to be right Both of them showed me a refreshing smile as they resumed eating their bread and meat. Its somehow pissing me off. I wonder if theyre implying that their kind can hide that organ on the lower half of their body. Well, I guess I really cant confirm that unless I marry a fish woman or something. While I was thinking about all of that, the male islanders kept on sending hostile stares at me, which continued until dinner. Who would have thought that even those unpopular old men will also start glaring at me! ~Idle talk~ The amazing beauty A: Oi, look at that beautiful woman. Shes pretty much naked, isnt she!? B:Let me see! Where!? Where!!! A Over there by the waters edge B: Its true! Amazing. A: It seems like she has a husband though. She has a fishs lower half as well B: Shes one of those mermaids right? But if the upper half looks like that, Ill be able to manage somehow! A: Ah, well I guess thats true. The upper half alone is more than enough Kitsune: I agree B: Look, the Demon Lord is approaching her with a cloth in his hand A: No way. Dont tell me hes going to ask her to hide them! B: Hes doing just that Shit! Kitsune: However, her valley is even more prominent now that they are restrained. I personally prefer it that way. There are times where its more erotic when its hidden right? A: Dont ask me, I cant relateB: What are you talking about you burly looking old man? Pirate A: Ah` I get you Kitsune: Ah, a fellow connoisseur. Lets exchange drinks later5 Dog(eared old man): I would have definitely made moves on her if she didnt have a husband Cat(eared old man): You guys live in different environments, give it up. At least go for the ones who can live on land After the cat-eared old man said that, they all looked at the one with the fish head and said in unison. Even if the lower half is sexy as hell, I wont go for that Human girl A: Hes quite toned so I might be alright with him as long as his head is covered with a cloth bag I guess Human girl B: That might be too much for me The men: WHAT!? B: Oi! If there were one of those guys thats a girl with a body thats your type, would you do it if their head is covered with a cloth bag? A: Theres a saying that even if you have a nice body, that wont conceal your ugly face. As long as I know that she looks like that, it would continue to be impossible for me. Also, look, the women are listening to us so lets just stop this Kitsune: Umu6 CH 61 Chapter 61: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Hmm`, I didnt think that the pirates would be able to accumulate this much wealth. This is ten times what I earned when I went to the front lines Shall I ask them for an explanation for this? Captain`! Come here of a bit When I called him, he immediately stopped what he was doing and came over to me. Yes? What is it? I have something to ask you How exactly did you obtain all of this money? You can tell me honestly since Im just curious Yes, one of those boxes are what we took from other pirates. The rest are from raiding merchant ships Did you kill anybody? Only when the hired mercenaries were resisting or if they dont settle down even after giving them a warning Hmm` nine with dark origins and one in a gray area huh I wonder what is the proper thing to do in these situations. Well, I guess Ill just put it away for now. Thank you for your time. Please go back to your work Yes Should I give them back to the next merchant ship that comes here or should I hand it over to the garrison of the nearest town? Hmm, the former would probably be better I guess. If we do the latter, some devout human may report my existence to the church which would cause a hero to be sent my way. Im sure theyll eventually find out about me but Id like to be spared from them coming for me this soon. Un Lets just put that on hold. Ill just pile those up in the temporary house Im living in right now and just let Palma-san and Fleur-san guard it. Keep it for myself you say? Well, Ill admit that Im kinda tempted but conscience is holding me back you see? Should I teleport in front of the gate of Cravattes mansion to ask him then? I can still vividly remember that gate after all. ~The next day~ Hey, cat old man Whats up Can I explore the island for a bit? Haa? I mean, I wont take that long. Dont you want to find out whats out there? It takes five days to go around the entire island if you just walk along the beach so its pretty big, isnt it? However, whats intriguing me is that mountain on the center of the island that you can see from here since we still havent confirmed whats around that area yet. To be frank, I just want to look for materials from deeper inland that we can use for trading. Can I leave you in charge here while Im away? its fine if you just make sure you dont die I guess Alright, Im off! Ill let you hold the fort while Im away! Ill get to take a break```! Yahoo!1 Hes just doing whatever he wants, isnt he? I just left the old man there astounded before he eventually returned to his work. As for me, I went back to my temporary housing to prepare my luggage. I crammed some wheat flour and dried meat as well as some sugar and salt into my rucksack then started gathering my equipment. After leaving the task of telling everyone about my trip to the others during lunch, I started my journey. Im abandoning my duties you say? No, thats not true. Investigating the unexplored parts of this undeveloped island is work after all. Un, lets just say Im doing that. As for the pirates, Ill leave their management to their vice-captain. Who is that you say? He was the guy who hit the captain. He seems like a straight-laced person after all. Fleur-san will be informing me if anything happens anyway so well manage somehow. Whats up Wulf? Do you want to come along as well? Waon! I see. If it gets too tough for you, you can just go back here anytime okay? Waon! After replying to me with a bark, he immediately began marking the place. Well, I guess this is just a regular walk on the island for a wolf. Hmm`, I wonder if youll be able to see around the island from the former Demon Lords castle ruins. Since we can see the sun rising from the bay, the direction its facing is probably east So that means that the direction beyond the castle ruins should be west. Im going west and Ill bring some parchment with me to draw a simple map starting from the castle ruins. Lets see. If were in this position where were facing west, the quarry should be on the south side and the renovated swamp is north. Can I reach the center of the island by following the stream thats flowing from there I wonder? I walked five meters away from the naturally formed stream in this area in order to make sure not to disturb it while I was looking at various things. Now that Im here, the forests quite thick, isnt it? We should come back here and manage it later. I should also learn how to fish since I wouldnt want to get scolded by the sahagin and mermaids. Id get mentally scarred if I get scolded by that fish head type after all. Based on the calculations I made before, it should be 45km to the center of the island and I would get there in about 15 hours if I walk an average of 3km per hour. I cant walk that much you know? I decided to take 10-minute breaks for every hour traveled then continued walking while being cautious of leeches. After four hours of walking, I discovered something that seemed to be a human skeleton. I dont know what the exact cause of death was, but a leg bone and a couple of ribs were missing so I think they might have been attacked by a wild animal or monster. I tried looking for personal articles they might have dropped but I can only find a chain collar next to their skull which already fell to the ground. Judging by how rusty this chain is, they probably ran away from the previous Demon Lord. Its not crumbling yet after all. Well, for now, I decided to put my hands together and pray for this fallen human. Oh my, so it seems even Caam prays for the dead Whoa! Oh, its you Fleur-san. Well, they had a tough time trying to run away only to fall here after all. There was no salvation for this guy even if he ran away. Lets just say that I prayed just because I felt like it Hmm` Anyways, you really can appear from anywhere, huh? Well yeah. Anyway, could you be a dear and give this child some water? While saying that in an alluring voice, she wrapped her upper body around me to try and coax me to do that. Her real bodys definitely big so I wonder if Ill get preyed on. Well, I guess I can just burn her if she attacks me. While I was thinking that, I dropped a Waterball on her roots which caused her to start panting and twisting about. For some reason, her actions remind me of those dancing flowers.2 I continued walking for a while but didnt find anything particularly interesting. Since the sun was about to set soon, I started making a simple tent made from dry wood. After making sure that it wont collapse once I get inside, I went around the vicinity searching for things that I can harvest to eat. To be specific, I was looking for fruits. Since its almost time anyway, I guess I should have an early dinner. Eh? Youre asking why Im not going back? Theres nothing I can use as a landmark around the corpse thats now a skeleton so how am I going to get back here? I can go home but I wont be able to get back here so I dont think I can return yet. It would be tougher the further I go without being able to find a place with a prominent landmark, wouldnt it? Anyway, I should get back to what I was doing I kneaded a flour and water mixture with some dried meat shavings then cooked it in a frying pan as is. This would have been perfect if only I had milk After saying that to myself, I quickly finished eating my meal. While I was busy finishing up packing the dry wood that Im going to use to feed the fire, I started thinking of ways to kill time before going to sleep. I guess I can just practice my magic. Hot water by itself is already powerful enough but I want to be a bit greedy and try something even better. I already have an image formed in my mind of what it would be but Im not sure if it would work. Image: Heat up a purified waterball under high pressure, forcibly contain the water vapor under high pressure then heat it up even more, execute After forming the image, a floating black waterball appeared which was considerably hotter than just the regular hot waterball. If I had to guess, its temperature might already be at the boiling point of oil. It would have been fine to just burn someone if they got dashed by this all over their body but theres a high chance that they would just die because of shock. Well, since its black, the temperature may still rise but I wonder if this really is alright? If I remember correctly, a supercritical fluid should be transparent. Huh? How many times can I use this you ask? Well, the one made with my magic should go up to 300 degrees Celsius I guess. I feel like it would be quicker if I used fire instead but Im afraid to use it since it might spread to unintended places. Well, its fine if your goal is to burn somebody but the body armor they are wearing would immediately become useless so this magic I created would be better for that. Well, hot water would have been more than enough though. Skill: Attack Attribute: Fire: 33 acquired Skill: Attack Attribute: Wind: 4 acquired. Two at once huh? Its been a while since it did that. How many years has it been since those last went up? Well, whatever, now I know that pressure here is under the wind attack attribute. Should I try tampering with the atmospheric pressure next time? It would be difficult to adjust it though. I could try to change the altitude of an area into the death zone which is at 8,000 meters where people would experience an acute case of altitude sickness. That will indiscriminately kill everyone in the area though so Ill just stop. At 4000 meters, people would start experiencing headaches, nausea, and drowsiness. Just lowering the oxygen levels would be more than enough since it would restrict someones ability to do things, right? Its kinda scary if you think about the after-effects though. Should I do the opposite and raise the atmospheric pressure instead to collapse their lungs? No no no, its already terrifying just thinking about it. Well, I guess I should just put that idea on the back of my head for now. I just want one more thing though. My firepower is already at the level of a tanks shelling since I was able to penetrate the pirate ships mast but theres still something else that can penetrate harder things. Once you shoot it, it disperses the air and the really hard lead gets shot out. Uh` I cant remember his name at all. AP what was it again? I think it has four more letters after that. Its not just armor piercing. You wrap it in something thin before shooting it and once it stabilizes in the air, the thing surrounding it tears off if I remember correctly. I also feel like it had some kind of fins attached to it in order to stabilize its flight.4 Uh, what else. A long, elongated trapezium-shaped thing is inserted into the warhead and splits off into four pieces once in the air then the sharp portion in the center continues to fly off. Depleted uranium? Dont know about that. I cant even begin to imagine it. And even if I can, I dont want to make something dangerous like that! Should I go with hard ores for that then? If were talking about hardness, it should be diamonds, right? However, things like that AP thing also require some mass to them right? Well, Ill just compensate for that using hardness and speed I guess. Anyway, lets just focus on making the core and shooting it and forget about the other troublesome things.5 First thing should be the image. Would a toothpick that weighs 1 kg with fins attached to if for stabilization be good? I dont really need one thats good for tanks after all. Lets not go overboard with that. Image: a pointed-tipped cylindrical object with tail fins attached to it in a 30-degree angle, 4 cm in diameter, 50 cm length, made out of emerald, formed on the ground 1 meter ahead, execute After forming the image, the emerald sticks started appearing one after the other. I can say that it has been a success for now. I tried measuring the length using my thumb and pinky finger so I think its roughly the same as my designated size. As for the weight I wonder how much it actually is? Well, I guess its fine. Ill just go with that. I guess the only thing thats left is to try to shoot it. I wonder if I can find a good rock to use this on~. I roamed around the area while thinking about that. I found a large stone at an area thats about 50 meters away from where I set camp so I used that as a target. The speed? What was the initial velocity of a tanks main armament again? I dont have any knowledge about this aside from what I got from games after all I wonder if twice the speed of my stone bullet magic would be fine. As for the rotation, the tail fins are slanted so it will probably be fine if I dont add any since I think itll rotate on its own. Image: shoot this out at twice the speed of Stone Bullet towards where Im looking, execute Firing it didnt use gunpowder as usual so it was really quiet when the magic activated but the projectile broke through the sound barrier which caused a loud explosion. Because of that, Wulf who was sleeping nearby suddenly jumped up and ran towards me frightened. Sorry, sorry. I forgot about the other things I had to prepare for before testing it After comforting Wulf, I went to the rock to inspect the damage and saw that the emeralds cleanly penetrated it. Un, I should be fine if a harder enemy comes with this. Im not sure if they exist but can use this against golems, maybe. Ah, crap! I forgot to limit how far it can travel! As I remembered that, I went to check the damage and found two trees that now have brand new holes in them. Im not even sure where exactly the projectile went. Well, I can only pray that theres nobody in that direction. If I had to guess, it probably continued on for about 3 kilometers. That the range of the tanks though. 6 Im feeling sluggish. I should probably sleep It would be pretty bad if I made a mistake while using that magic, wouldnt it? Is hot water the easiest magic to use that I have? That emerald core magic is limited in various ways when it comes to its uses after all. Well, whatever I guess. While I was thinking about that, Good night I heard somebody say that. After looking around, I saw Fleur-san who has taken the form of a flower nearby. Geez! You guys really can observe pretty much the entire island, cant you!? Hey wait, dont go to sleep yet! Was that magic earlier the one you used to snap off the pillars of that pirate ship? Dont try to start a conversation when Im already trying to sleep over here. No, that was something different. That one just now was for when I encounter something even harder. As for the pillars, I just used a stone that was launched using magic to break them. Let me demonstrate While I was lying down, I looked towards the stone I used for target practice earlier and shout out a Stone bullet at it which caused both the stones to be crushed. That caused Wulf to get startled once again but he went back to sleep after I stroked his head and back. You see, Im prioritizing magic that pierces through targets rather than just something that hits the target directly. This and the one I used earlier have completely different uses you know? With this new magic of mine, Ill even be able to penetrate an iron wall thats behind that rock Hmm`, what about that black water earlier? When water is heated, it gradually decreases since it turns into steam. However, if that steam isnt able to escape into the air and continue to warm it up, it will go back to being water but itll be as hot as boiling oil What are you going to use it for? I can use it to boil meat, fish, potatoes, and if I splash any organic life with it, they will pretty much die in an instant. I can also make cup noodles in just a minute7 Hmm`, I see. Wait, what is this cap nuudels you speak of? Ah, dont worry about that After saying that, I immediately collapsed and went to sleep. Ahh~. Its been a while since I slept in a place without a proper roof. Last time was in the horse stables together with the old men when I went to the frontlines It seems like I almost used up my mana yesterday. Im feeling pretty sluggish after all~ Morning~ Ah, morning I was greeted by Palma-san as I was still groggily standing up so I greeted her as well. After that, I noticed Wulf came back with his muzzle all bloody. Oh, did you get yourself something to eat? When I addressed him, he started licking my face. There was also some leftover blood on his tongue which made my face a mess so I stopped him for a moment and washed off our faces with a Waterball. This guy sure is cute. I cant make anything else out of wheat and dried meat, can I? I should have prepared the flour last night so that it could naturally ferment while I was still asleep.8 Well, Ill just do that next time I guess. Anyway, I should start moving again soon. I might find some fruits along the way after all. After walking for a while, I managed to find a pine-like tree so without hesitation, I immediately took some fresh leaves and tasted it. The grassy scent and sour taste spread in my mouth. Hmm, I dont think its that different to the pine needles in my previous life Because of that, I took my cup and put the rest of the plucked pine needles in it. Then, I added some hot water and crushed the leaves inside the cup using a spoon. Ive been fooled. It just ended up being a sour and grassy-smelling herb tea. Well, there was a certain hermit from a certain large country that said that pine needles are rich in vitamins and nutrients, and they hold water as well so consuming those would help a lot in situations where you dont have water nearby. Bear-san said something like that as well. 910 Anyway, I should start preparing for lunch. Itll just be dried meat though. It would also be a good idea to also add some salt and sugar to the pine needle tea I just made to avoid dehydration. This would have been great if I managed to find some fruits. I just need to find some motivation to continue this tiring journey next. The mountains starting to look a bit bigger so it wont be long till I reach the base I guess. I sure wish I had that sauce you add to flour for grilling. If I had that, I would be able to make okonomiyaki you know?11 After continuing to travel for a while, I noticed that the trees were gradually decreasing in number then eventually, a large lake came to view. Once I reached the lake, the mountain was already in view. After making my way through this lake, Ill be at the base of the mountain. Is this lake natural or man-made? I havent seen any fish coming from the stream thats flowing to here after all. Dont tell me this is just water from the swamp that just didnt flow towards the sea Hmm`, should I start releasing the freshwater fish after Im done with this? I wonder how they would fare? Are there uniquely evolved fish around here? This is a volcano island, right? If this a volcanic lake, there might be some fish in there. Ill try to dive for a bit I guess. I took off my clothes and got in the water to look for fish. The water was not salty like I expected. Its certain now that this lake was formed naturally from the rainwater that was collected. I wonder if we could use this lake for something. Freshwater shellfish? For breeding fish? Residential area for aquatic demonkin? Wait, how exactly do they sleep if they live underwater? Well, Ill just think about that when that happens. I reached the other side of the lake while I was thinking about that so I started looking for where it connects to the stream but I didnt find it. Since there was no point in searching for something thats not there, I decided to just go to the mountain. There were a lot of spiky rocks there and only a couple of bushes were growing on the soil. I dont know whether its a soil problem or the geothermal energy damaging the roots but I can somewhat tell that its well-drained soil. After that, I started ascending the mountain. Im probably already halfway there As I continued to walk, I heard a fearful cry coming from Wulf who was following behind so I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he just ran away. I didnt know what the cause was but just as I was thinking that something was wrong, I was able to smell the scent of rotten eggs that got carried by the wind. Sulfur? While muttering that, I ran towards the direction where the wind was coming from. It didnt take that long for me to see steaming hot water gushing up and immediately trickling back down into the earth. This is a hot spring right? It is a hot spring, right!? It is, isnt it!? I started spouting nonsensical things like a certain general as I put my finger on the hot water. Its pretty hot isnt it? 12 I wondered how deep does this soil was and how the bedrock looked so I decided to dig out the dirt using magic. After digging 30 centimeters deep, hot water started gushing out. Because of that, I immediately took action. From the source, I started making a waterway that would serve to cool the water down along the way. Once the water reaches a moderate temperature which I determined by touching it, I dug out a wide area with step increments, one where the water reaches waist height, one up to chest height, and one where the water reaches my shoulders. I should also decide where to put the drainage. Getting carried away, I cleared out the soil and flatten the bedrock with magic and started making the foundations of the area where the future dressing room will be. Thats how a former Japanese person should be right!? What about the drainage you say? Lets just deal with that later! Now that the hot water has filled up, Ill be taking first dibs! I once again took off my clothes and entered the bath without even washing my body. Uhyo~ I made a weird noise in my excitement. Uhaaa~ After I thoroughly basked in my high spirits, I leaned against the bedrock with a towel resting on top of my head and slovenly relaxed with my mouth half-opened. Ah ah ahh~~~ Those incomprehensible words were the sound of my soul getting healed. For the time being, I should say that or this experience wont be complete! Ah~, this is absolute heaven 13 As a former Japanese who just focuses on trivial details, I just have to say that this feels great! I can no longer see the beach as you would expect since Im already 40 kilometers inland but theres a lake in the vicinity and Im surrounded by the vast forest. I dont have the view of Mt. Fuji though! I feel like this thing is quite luxurious but is that just because I was Japanese? I cant bring my wives and children to the island just yet considering our current circumstances but I wonder if it would be alright to bring them here`? For the time being, I tried to not think about whats going to happen from now on and just enjoyed the hot water in this spring. Ah, I should try boiling an egg in that hot water next time. ~Idle Talk~ The humans and an explosion at night. *Kaboom!!* That sound reverberated across the island in the middle of the night. What was that!? Did the mountain erupt!? The mountains alright you know!? Then what was that!? How would I know!? Isnt it just Maou-sama doing something weird again? That demonkin does incomprehensible things from time to time after all14 Ah` Alright everyone, lets go back to sleep`15 CH 62.1 Chapter 62: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 2 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I tried to sleep on top of the flat bedrock where I made the hot spring but wasnt successful since it was too painful. I should have brought a blanket with me. It was reckless of me to come here with only the bare necessities. Next time, I should make sure Im fully prepared before I go on another exploration trip. I had no choice so I was thinking of going back home with transfer magic but I remembered Wulf who ran away because of the smell of the sulfur. Ill just have to trust his homing instinct I guess I could also pick him up though. After thinking about it for a few seconds, I decided to just go and pick him up. Ah, its already dark over here because of the mountains shadow. Itll probably get even darker by the time I reach the bottom of the mountain. I cant sleep here though. Hmm, what to do? I guess Ill just go anyway. Ill probably spend another night sleeping in the open again today if I dont manage to find him. Before starting my descent, I produced a fire thats floating above ground to light up my way. Once I arrived at the base, I saw that the sun was quickly setting behind the mountain so if I didnt set up a fire, I would be in total darkness. Wulf`! Wulf`! After 10 minutes of shouting like that, he arrived panting with his tongue sticking out. Its a good thing he came back. I would have ended up staying up until morning looking for him after all. Sorry about that boy`. It was probably really bad for you. Since it will be like that all the time, I wont be taking you with me up the mountain anymore Ku~n He rubbed his head against my arm after I said that. Well, now that thats done, Ill just put the fire before we head back. Im back~. Hey everyone`, I found a hot spring you know`? Hot spring? Whats that? I tried to explain what I found in detail to the humans who were eating their dinner but only got a lukewarm response. Its a naturally formed bath made from heated spring water A bath huh? If you want to have one, dont you just have to dig a hole, pour water in it and heat it up with heated stones, right? Whats that? Are hot springs only popular with Japanese and Romans? Ah Yeah, sure Well, Ill go to sleep now. Good night As I, who was not able to convey the true value of a hot spring, unsteadily went home and was thinking of going to sleep, Wulf sat in front of me, tapped my foot with his front paw and had a look on his face thats saying: I care about that hot spring! Because of that, I began relentlessly pampering him without a care in the world like a rich old man who bought an island to create his own country. After that, I went back home satisfied. Dogs are definitely cute. ~The next day~ Alright, now Ive added my blanket to my luggage! Ill be able to sleep there using this~ Cat old man, Ill go exploring again today so Ill leave things here to you Ou He waved his hand and gave me a reply without even facing me. Hmm` if that was the dog-eared old man, he would have already asked for more details. If it was the fox-eared old man, he would have asked me why. The cat-eared old man doesnt even care anymore, does he? Its kind of amazing how this situation reveals their own unique characteristics. Wulf`, Im going to walk around the mountain today so you cant come with me okay? Wafun! I see, I see. You understand huh! Wan! Good boy, good boy I ruffed the hair on his head as I said that. I might have overdone it a bit but I feel like he deserved it. The dog-eared old man and the pirates looked a bit creeped out by my actions but I decided to not mind it. With that done, I teleported back to the hot spring. Hmm`, how should I develop this place I wonder? From here, I can see how far the parts of the lake without any trees go, so I want to build a road there that goes to various places. We cant start that though until we finished clearing the forest, not to mention our need to increase our population. Should we just ride one of the ships that pass through here and start recruiting applicants to become islanders from the port citys guild? If we dont advertise, the number of humans wont increase, only the number of pirates will. That wouldnt be good as expected. But still, Im afraid to do that because of the heros existence. Even more so since I still dont know their strength. I was contemplating that while submerged in the hot spring water but to wrap this journey up, Ive decided to go around to see whats on the west side after checking the mountain peak. With that settled, I quickly got up and tried taking up an imposing stance while smiling. Taking up an imposing stance while in a hot spring in the middle of mother nature while nude really is the best. Well then, how should I deal with the drainage for this hot spring I wonder? Once it gushes out from the surface, it either trickles into the ground or flows into the lake. I would just send the used water into the lake but Im worried about polluting it from dirt and hairs and even residue from soap that Im thinking of making later. Hmm`, shall I just dig a bit around the area and let it gather in one place? That way, the various contaminants in the spring water will be filtered before it gets to the lake probably. I probably dont need to dig deep with how much water is coming out of this spring. In order to avoid accidents, I just made the diameter of the hole 10 centimeters. As for the depth, I guess until I reach the next rock layer would be good. Would a water channel thats 30 meters long be enough? Oh, its flowing, its flowing well The water is flowing into the hole I dug in the bedrock and its not getting clogged up which is good. I should do something to prevent trash and hair from falling in there later. I wonder if a net would be good enough for that. Should I try stuffing some dirt in here to test how good itll drain? While I was thinking that, I scooped up some dirt with my shovel and gradually plugged up the hole. Im filling up the hole with dirt to simulate the garbage and hair that will potentially clog it up. Un, there doesnt seem to be any problems with that since its still getting sucked in. There must be some soil thats good for drainage underneath the bedrock. Whats left is to separate the male and female area I guess. I want to have mixed bathing as well but it cant be helped if this place just becomes a gathering place for the elderly. Young people arent the only ones who enter the mixed bathing area after all! Well, Id want to be spared from seeing a human who is over 70, but I personally wouldnt mind it if an elf whos over 300 years old but still looks young comes in. Now that I think about it, aside from people with houses nearby or long-lived races, we wont have any elderly visitors that will come all the way here, will we? After enjoying some salted hot spring eggs that I sneakily took from a nest and dropped in the hot spring to cook, I left the hot spring and continued my journey to the summit. Was this like the eighth station?1 I can still pretty much do some sightseeing but I feel like Ive already climbed 80% of the mountain. Im not sure if those are regular large stones or volcanic rocks but I started seeing those along the way. Ive also noticed something that looks like some kind of large birds nest made from tree branches. I wonder if it just made its nest under the shade of a rock since there were no predators who come here? While I was thinking about that, I was walking towards the summit when I saw a large stone getting flung right at me. That was dangerous. Im not by a cliff so Im sure that wasnt just falling rocks. While being perplexed by what just happened, I looked up and saw a really large shadow in the sky with its wings flapping. Its that huh Well, there are only a few birds who can fly like that right? Is that the harpy that Ive been told about thats living here? I heard that this was an uninhabited island but I dont think that information was accurate. As I was thinking about that, two more stones were thrown at me so I took measures and dodged them. When I looked up once again, it didnt look like they were going to throw more stones but they also didnt seem like they were going to come down either. I can just shoot them down but Im still not sure whether they are a demonkin or a monster so I wont. In the meantime, I just continued to head towards the summit while being cautious of dangers from the sky. It seems like the reason why they stopped attacking me was because they had to go back down to pick up more stones since, after a short while, they started throwing them at me once again. It was starting to get a bit annoying so I decided to use Flashbang on the ground the next time they went down to pick up more stones. Once they dropped to the ground, I ran as fast as I could to get closer in order to pin them down but I didnt expect them to have a small build so pinning them down didnt take any strength at all. Let go` Hmm, she looks like a girl and seems like we can communicate so I guess I should try talking to her for now. Ill release you if you wont drop stones on me anymore I said that while still holding her down. Youre the one getting close to my house! Ah`, yeah. Sorry about that. I thought this was just the habitat of some kind of large bird. I didnt think there would be a harpy here Let go` Stones, are you going to stop throwing them? I` wont` throw` I got a bit irritated there. I let her go for now but I put myself in a location where I can catch her if she tries to run away. Youre the new Demon Lord right!? You must be a bad guy! Huh? Its true that Im a Demon Lord but Ive only done a few bad things you know? Hn? Youre not bad even though youre a Demon Lord? Hmm hmm` Now that Ive calmed down a bit, shes quite a cute girl, isnt she? Ah, want to eat some dried meat? I do! She happily started munching on the meat. She mostly looks like human. Her lower half is covered in feathers while the upper half is mostly nude except for the feathers on her arms. Her brown hair, which was the same color as her feathers, was loosely tied at her back. Well, I guess shes like that since shes a girl. Female birds dont need to look flashy to attract males after all. Im really interested to see a male harpy looks like now. Ah`, it also looks like her legs are that of a birds. Those seem like theyre inconvenient to walk in. Ive seen harpies in games so god might have used those as a reference as well. The ones I saw were pink and showy though. 2 Hey`, hey`. Can I ask something? Hm? The harpy turned her face towards me while she was chewing on the meat I gave her. To do that, she made her neck rotate about 160 degrees like an owl so I thought it was pretty scary. Ive been scared of owls ever since I was a kid after all That fear has been deeply ingrained into my soul you know? What does the mountain top look like? Theres red, hot mud Thanks So theres a crater there huh? I need to be careful. Are there other beings living here? Like monsters or demonkin for example Nuh-uh` She started shaking her head as she said that. Thanks again. Want to eat one more? Un! She snatched away the dried meat that I just took out and started munching on it. I would have definitely have gotten into trouble with the police in the modern world with what Im doing right now, wouldnt I? Ah! I remember seeing a lizard-like thing with large wings! I see, I see. How long ago was it? Dont know I see. I guess it cant be helped then, can it? Cant be helped! Theres a high chance that that was a dragon huh? Right now, there are demonkin and humans living with me just beyond the forest over in that direction. Do you want to live there as well? Theres plenty of food there you know? I pointed towards the direction of where my house was as I said that. Youre a Demon Lord, right? Youre probably going make another castle or something like that right? I dont really feel like making a castle` But, but Youre a bad guy right? Im a good Demon Lord you know? I tried smiling while saying that. I hate to admit it myself but I really do look suspicious right now. Hmmm`, I want to see it! I see. You wont be able to decide if you dont check out the place first right? After saying that, she immediately flew towards the direction of our base. She acts quickly, doesnt she? I wanted her to hear me out until the end but Oh well. I guess Ill just take a look at the crater before going back then. CH 62.2 hapter 62: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 2 TL: kizen ED: Gecko/Filip After about two more hours of walking, the crater came into view. I tried peeking into the hole that should be no less than a hundred meters while making sure not to fall. I can see the lava bubbling in it. Ive seen a video of a human-sized bag of garbage being thrown into lava caused the volcano to erupt so I wont even try to do anything to it for now. Before going back home, I took another dip in the hot spring while trying to come up with a way for us to utilize that volcano. Oi, Caam. Where were you? I tried asking Fleur-san where you were but it seemed like she didnt know so we had no idea where you were. Also, there was a demonkin that looked like a bird While complaining, the dog-eared old man pointed towards the harpy on the roof looking around restlessly. Ah` I guess there were no red flowers there. I was just at the top of that mountain you know? Also, that girl is a harpy. As you can see, shes a bird-like demonkin Haa`. Fine, Ill stop getting all worked up about every single thing that you do since itll be bad for my heart. Just do whatever you like Sorry about that You dont have to apologize. Youre just trying to make this island better as a Demon Lord, right? Im guessing that that bird has something to do with that Nope, she doesnt have anything to do with that I just happened to meet her. I just tried inviting her to come live with us since I though we may be able to use her to scan for enemies from the sky as well as delivering messages I just tried to come up with an excuse for now. You didnt abduct her, right? I asked for permission so its not abducting. I just told her that there was a village over here I-I see It doesnt look like he believes me Well, Ill just try talking to her for now. Hey, now that I think about it, I didnt ask for your name. Mines Caam, whats yours? Its Facil! [TL: ե`] I turned around and tried to show the dog-eared old man that I wasnt a bad guy. You say that but He just gave me a look thats implying that Im clearly a dangerous person. The food was ready a while after that conversation so I tried talking to her once again while everyone was eating lunch together. Hey, you can tell that Im not a bad guy now that you can see that everyone is getting along and having their meals together, right? I stroked Wulfs fur while saying that. Hmm`, anyone who gives me food is a good guy Right, right. You wouldnt want to abuse everyone just because youre a Demon Lord, right? Un! Ill call everyone! Ha!? The girl named Facil flew back to the mountains after saying that. at least hear out what I have to say until the end Well, Im rather glad she didnt though. I was about to ask her if she wanted to live with us since she was alone. I would have embarrassed myself. Chief! You were rejected, huh? Its fine since I wasnt aiming for that in the first place. My heart didnt get hurt okay? Everyone started laughing after saying that. Looking at this situation, you can immediately understand we werent under a tense mood and were all getting along well. Oi, Whats that? Oh, I wonder what that is? While we were having an after-meal break, I noticed a pretty large shadow clouding over the sky in the west. After a while, we were finally able to see that the cloud was a flock of bird-like beings that were flying in the sky. When she said everyone, she really did mean everyone, didnt she? They were quick to act as well. My heads starting to hurt` A short time later, a bunch of muscular males with gaudy colored feathers like red, white, and yellow, as well as some brown-feathered females who were slightly bigger than Facil came landing down. Are you the new Demon Lord? Thank you for taking care of my daughter It was nothing. I just wanted to get along so I asked her to come and eat lunch together with us According to her story, you say that youre not a bad Demon Lord? Thats how it is. I may have done a couple bad things but Im a nice guy at my core you know?1 Fumu After saying that, he started looking around by just turning his neck. It freaked me out, to be honest. Judging from everyones expressions and the number of containers of food that are being washed, what you said may not exactly be a lie Well, I make sure to do my best to make sure nobody feels hungry at the very least Umu, then you are a good guy This conversation is pretty much going all over the place, isnt it? As expected of Facils parent I guess. Haa, well thanks Umu, someone who doesnt share his food with everyone is a bad guy after all! Is that something that their race believes? I dont really get it. Then I have something I would like to discuss. Would you be willing to share some of your meat, fish, and wheat with us? Were not going to ask you to give them to us for free, how about we give you some fruits that we have a lot of in exchange? At Facils fathers signal, one of the harpy women took out a worn-out sack, handed it to the man in front of her, then that man handed the sack over to me. Looking at its contents, there were a lot of red fruits that were about the size of a segment of a pinky finger. While I was trying to recall where Ive seen this fruit before, we handed our excess fish and meat to them. Umu, you have our gratitude. The meat from rabbits and other prey that weve caught had been pretty thin recently so we were troubled by that. Then, if you would excuse us After saying that, the harpies behind him simultaneously flew up, only Facil waved goodbye before flying. Un, I can now understand why she doesnt listen to what others have to say until the end Maou-sama, can we eat this? Theres not much of it to eat though, is there? Wha`, then why did we exchange this for our food! One of the women from the herb-picking group protested. Well, you see, when you peel this off, youll notice that this fruit mostly contains the seed Seed? Thats right. And if that seed is dried, roasted until its charred, smashed into powder, then added into a cup of hot water, it will become a drink that a different from your regular old tea A drink? It might be bitter but it has a nice smell so I think its going to be popular Well, its just coffee though. Shall we try a bit of it? I started by extracting the seed of the red fruit. Since it wont dry in an instant, I just put it on a frying pan under low heat to extract its moisture content while roasting it. We didnt have a mill so I just crushed the roasted beans using a flat stone. After that, I put crushed beans on a cloth that was on top of the cup, then poured hot water over it. It was rushed since I didnt have time to dry it but thats more or less how the process goes I guess` Ah, it really does have a nice smell and its completely different from tea After the herb-picker-san took a sip of the coffee, her face warped and she put out her tongue in disgust. Hmm`, did I over roast it? I told you, its bitter right? However, itll be easier to drink if you put sugar and animal milk in it. You would typically use cows milk I guess After saying that, I sniffed the coffees scent, took a sip, and held it in my mouth to ascertain the taste. Hmm` is it a bit too acidic? I wonder if roasting it a bit more would get rid of the bitterness You know a lot about drinks, dont you? Hm? Well, anything can be drunk as long as it isnt poison after all23 Everyone may have just given me a bitter smile when they heard what I said but I actually really believe that. After I poured the remaining coffee into a cup, the people who wanted to try it drank some and it received mixed reviews. How bitter!It certainly smells good I might get used thisHmm`, some sugar would be good I guessIts going to be a no for me If you drink it as is, youll get a bit more energetic and would also make you feel more awake. You might get addicted to it though, especially if you consume large amounts of it, so be careful. Also, its bad for humans who have babies in their bellies, so theyre not allowed to drink it. Well, I dont think there are pregnant women here but please dont forget that If I had to say, I guess Im part of the tea faction. Coffee is also bad for pregnant women since it also has caffeine in it. I can recommend my barley tea and other herbal teas that I make though since they are non-caffeinated drinks. Its just simple barley tea after all since I just boil them as is. Well, coffee is good from time to time I guess. Anyway, if we continue transacting with the harpies like this time, we could have just acquired the best item we can use for trading. I might even consider making a farm for coffee in the future so that we can secure a constant supply. After all of that, I asked everyone to take out the seeds from the coffee fruit and dry them. Meanwhile, I decided to go back to the hot spring so that I can go and explore the western side of the island. CH 63.1 Chapter 63: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 3 TL: kizen ED: Gecko/Filip After arriving at the hot spring, instead of stopping to bathe like last time, I immediately started the exploration. Since the hot spring was facing east of the mountain, I faced south and started descending clockwise around the mountain to reach my destination. Theres still the northern and southern side but Ill focus my efforts on the west for now. Based on the position of the sun, I think Im currently on the south side of the mountain. If I continue to go around the mountain as I descend, I might discover other spots where there are hot spring geysers, but Ill put that off for later and just head straight down. While I was coming down the mountain, I noticed that there were a lot of plains at the southern and western sides of the island. We should start cultivating and preparing those to become fields so that they would be easier to manage. A short walk to the southwest after reaching the base brought me to a lake that was larger than the one I found last time and its water didnt seem to come from the mountain. Is this a freshwater lake too? I was curious but I just decided to focus on my goal of reaching the westernmost tip of the island for now. Looking at the left side of the lake, there was a path heading directly west of the mountain. There werent a lot of trees in that area so it would be easier to walk through it. Advancing through that path for a while, I managed to find some trees with red fruits growing on them. Is this the place where the coffee trees grow? Do we need to grow them from the seed or can we just take a cutting? Im not really sure but Ill just remember this place for now and continue heading straight towards the coast. Hmm`, coffee trees are surprisingly tall, arent they? The ones I saw on TV were just waist and chest height though Is this how these trees look when they dont get pruned? Ill consult with Palma-san regarding that one later and then Ill just try to do whatever I can. Now that I think about it, the harpies said that the number of rabbits and other small animals had been decreasing recently. Was it because of overhunting? Lack of food? Im not sure, but I dont want them to keep depending on us for their food. Because of that, Im going to buy five pairs of them when I go back to the village and see if we can breed them to fix that problem. We could also increase the birds on this island since we can also use their feathers and meat. That may also increase the number of half-feral animals in the future. Itll probably be alright since theyll have that lake. The only problem is the fleeing rabbits. If we dont put them in some kind of large pen with dirt in it, it will just end up a repeat of the great escape situation were in. Once we can secure a constant population of them, we can release some of them at the plains and itll be just fine to think about our next move after we figure out if they were able to turn feral or just went extinct. While Im at it, I think well also need pigs. Theyre fertile so their numbers would immediately increase. Ill need it as soon as possible, but, I wonder how much a live pig costs back in the village. I want to stock up on mutton and wool as well. Raising livestock is hard work and takes a lot of time, right? If we use the pirates loot, well be able to buy a lot but we dont have anyone to manage them. Well just have to wait until we get more islanders I guess. Theres also the fact that the source of the money were going to use as capital comes from a gray area thats already borderline black. I guess Ill just start things off by buying four pigs and four sheep for the first batch. Theres also the problem of our village having more men than women. The worst-case scenario Ive been fearing might actually happen. Well, even if there are women who are fine with having multiple partners, Im afraid that theyll catch all sorts of illness or something. Id like to do something to avoid that. Ah` geez. Because of the rabbit thing I was thinking about earlier, the theme song of digging a tunnel to escape started playing in my head on a loop.12 While I was thinking about all sorts of things, I managed to get through the other side of the forest of coffee trees and was greeted by a beautiful view of the plains. Its a bit earlier than usual, but I decided to start setting up camp since the sun was already about to set. On the spot I picked to camp, I lit up a campfire and raised the earth to form an L shape to block the wind. The heat from the fire is radiating off the wall so my camping areas surprisingly warm. I also decided to raise the soil on the other side so that I can utilize the heat that will be reflected. Finally, I topped it with a triangular-shaped roof then the place Ill spend the night in is complete. Im craving some fresh meat, so I put down my luggage and then went out to hunt. Since Im in a plains area, I could only expect to have wild rabbits or snakes, but if I manage to catch one I should turn it into dried meat. I went back to the coffee tree forest since I can probably get more prey there and started honing my senses while I faced upwind. After a while, I noticed something moving in the bushes so I tried throwing an obsidian knife towards it but it doesnt seem like it hit since there was still movement. When I finally checked it out, I saw that it was a snake. It was still moving indeed. I picked up a tree branch to pin down its head and cut it with my machete. I didnt know whether it was poisonous or not so I decided to just bury its entire head under the ground. Even with its head cut off, the head itself is still dangerous after all. Ive heard that the poison can remain for about a week so the mouth needs to be closed when handling the head, since you could still get bitten. I just hung its body on a branch to drain the blood for the meantime while I search for other prey, but I noticed that there were no rabbits to be found. It seems like what the harpies were saying were true. Since it couldnt be helped, I just went back to the area where I set up camp. I brought the snake to a place thats a bit further away from camp where I skinned it, removed the entrails, and cleaned it with water. I couldnt decide whether to skewer it with a branch and grill it or cook it on the frying pan, but I recalled a game with an old man sneaking around by himself so I just wrapped it around a branch, sprinkled salt over it, then grilled it. Hmm` I really wish I had condiments right now Thats the only downside to this. The texture and taste are just like chicken, but Im kinda bothered by the bad smell after all. While I was blankly staring at the fire, I noticed the sound of wings flapping from above. When I looked up, I saw a harpy with gaudy feathers. It was Faciles father who I met earlier. What are you doing in a place like this Demon Lord? Hmm`, is that because they have bird brains? If you can catch a couple of live male and female rabbits, I could try to see if its actually possible. What do you think? Umu, it would be nice if we could avoid worrying about having nothing to eat. I understand. I shall entrust it to you then Thank you We continued chatting after that but Can you write down the gist of our conversation earlier? I have already forgotten what it was about I was asked to do that. It seems like hes forgetful so I took out my memo pad and listed down what we discussed earlier. ?When you have plenty of red fruits to eat, trade the excess for meat, fish, and wheat. ?At a future date, plant more red fruit trees and grow them so that it will be easier to manage. ?Catch a couple of rabbits, male and female, and give them to me so that I can try to get them to increase their numbers. Was there anything else? I also forget things once in a while after all. After that, we talked about things like the cruelty of the previous Demon Lord, his daughters mischief, among other things. Because of that, I tried bringing up the hot spring. Hou, so you were able to turn that boiling hot water warm so that it can be bathed in huh Yes, I like taking baths after all Ive bathed in a lake before but I havent tried doing that with warm water. I should try it out next time Please let me know what are your thoughts about it afterwards Umu. Well then, Ill be taking my leave He took off after saying that so I quickly shouted. The note! Dont forget the note! Oh, forgive me. It seems like my head was completely filled with thoughts of bathing in warm water After receiving the parchment, he immediately flew towards the mountain. Flying at night is pretty dangerous right? While thinking that, I built something similar to a Kamakura beside the fire using dirt. Then, after making a hole for air to pass through, I lied down. Ah, we still havent introduced ourselves, have we? After saying that, I went to sleep. CH 63.2 Chapter 63: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 3 TL: kizen ED: Gecko/Filip Hnngh` I should have taken the time to pick an area with softer ground to sleep on. I stretched my aching back while thinking that as I took down the building I camped in, except for the wall thats blocking the wind. After finishing my preparations, I continued my journey towards the western coast while nibbling on some dried meat. Oh my, youre up early, arent you? How did your exploration go? Ah` Palma-san. I was able to ensure that well be able to regularly trade with the harpies that came over yesterday. Theyll also bring us rabbits that they manage to catch Hmmm`. Is that a good thing? Well be able to have a friendly relationship with the Demonkin living on this island after all. As for the rabbits, well be able to secure a stable source of meat if we manage to breed them I see. Anyway, can you give this child some water? I did as she asked and gave it plenty of water and then went on my way. There wasnt anything special on the western side of the island except for the large coffee forest so I decided to head back. Since it was on the way, I dropped by the hot spring first. After getting there, I saw Facile who looked like she was in high spirits. I think she was also heading towards the hot spring. Oh`, its Caam! Noticing me, she came over to give her greetings. Does she have any shame? Well, I guess her top and lower half seem to be covered in feathers so theyre not really exposed. Shes still childish so I wouldnt feel anything even if her chest didnt have feathers, but she should still put on some leggings or something for below. Im really curious of her body line though. 1 Hey This place is super amazing! Its really warm! Well, its hot water after all Even mom and dad are praising it you know? Thats good After saying that, I took off my clothes then covered my privates with a towel as I entered the hot spring. Ahhhhhh~~ Feeling the hot water caused my soul to cry out as I leaned into the wall of the hot spring. Ooh`, that was amazing moan She was splashing around with excitement so I told her off but it was pointless. Hmm, wont her feathers get damaged by the hot water? Caam! I just remembered something. The meat was delicious. What kind of meat was that? It was deer meat Are deer the ones with those weird things on their head? She put her hands on the top of her head with her fingers extended. Thats right Amazing! We can only hunt by grabbing rabbits from the sky after all so I think you guys are amazing for being able to do that! Haha, thanks Hn`, swimming in warm water is also pretty nice! Right? After saying that, she suddenly stood up, lightly shook her head to remove the water, then flew off.2 She just cant settle down, can she`? Im back` How did it go? The one who greeted me was Kitsune-san. After I left, I went straight towards the hot spring then descended in the direction opposite of where the sun rises. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, I started walking in the direction where the sun descends. There was a lake not far from the mountain and I discovered a forest filled with trees bearing that red fruit we traded yesterday just before I reached the beach I see. Good job Thank you very much Kitsune-san only gave me that reply so he probably didnt understand a thing from what I said. After that, I continued to recount what happened from yesterday evening until lunchtime today. Because of that, Root-san, Im sorry for troubling you even more but please make a large crate that will be used for breeding rabbits. It needs to be that way because the rabbits can just dig a tunnel to escape if we just leave the bottom open Gotcha` Also, didnt you have a concern you wanted to address? Ah`, its about the quarry area. We dont have enough hands so we cant accumulate enough materials, thus I wanted to ask for a few more helpers I see. About that, Ill try using magic to see if I can solve that myself. Ill be the only additional help so please bear with it for now Sure Anything else? If theres none then lets eat. Ah`, are our food stocks still fine? We traded some with the harpies yesterday after all Yes. We still have raw meat thats being dried so our supplies didnt get affected that much Alright. Im sorry for the delay everyone. Lets eat After saying that, they picked their places and then we started eating. Ever since Root-san arrived, he was able to make simple tables and chairs so were now eating on top of those. I feel bad for the quarry group though since Im having them walk all the way back over here just to eat their lunch. I should probably just let them bring bentos to work. All of these really makes it clear how much were hurting for manpower, doesnt it? Realizing that the mining of the quarry wasnt actually going that well, I let that complaint leak out. Well, you cant avoid having difficulties at this point I guess To help with our quarrying problem, I ignored the mana required and just made a diamond blade instead of the large saw I made earlier using a weaker material. I made it rotate at a high speed by constantly channeling mana to it and started pushing the bedrock on top of it to test it out. This thing is called an off-cut blade for stone use or diamond cutter.3 It will cause noise pollution and get dust all over the place whenever Im using it but I can just cover this thing in a Waterball to prevent the dust. I cant really do anything about the noise though. I think that wind magic will probably be able to do something about that, but Ill just have to put up with it for now. Hearing sounds that they have never heard before, the quarrying group just did their work while covering their ears without minding me. The stones are heavy so I decided to cut 30-centimeter chunks out of the stone face. This time the blade was able to cut the stone cleanly. After I finish cutting an entire stone block, the human workers carry them to a wagon to transport them to the processing area. We continued doing that operation until the evening so we should already have a decent supply, but I and the humans who have been transporting the stuff ended up exhausted. Also, its probably because I made that diamond blade but I received a notification. Skill :: Attack attribute :: Earth** :: 5 acquired. I wonder if that will continue to increase if I keep making those diamond blades? I still have no idea what causes these numbers to go up. Lets wrap it up for today. I cant do anymore after all Us too, Maou-sama. There was no end to carrying and transporting these rocks Haha, sorry about that. With this, we can start laying down the foundations for our buildings Just what is that thing anyway? I thought it was a terrifying magic at first but its really convenient, isnt it? While wiping his sweat, a human male lightly tapped the stone he was carrying as he drank some water. You know about diamonds, right? Its hard enough to withstand rubbing against anything so its fine making it rotate against the stone like that Iya`, its amazing how you can just casually use a diamond for that Its just something I made with magic so it will disappear once my mana runs out. Thats why I can use it like this as much as I want After saying that, I handed him a palm-sized glass that I formed into a brilliant-cut diamond. After that, my mana reserves were already empty so Im feeling extra tired. If I had something like that, Id use it to try and get myself a woman Thats not how it works! You cant just show that to a woman after all Thats right They were having that argument while looking at my fake diamond. Weve heard that Maou-sama has a wife and children, but how did you guys meet?45 Ah`. Lets see To put it briefly, I noticed that my childhood friend liked me so I just responded to her feelings Oh` so it was love huh? Did you give her something like this? Ive only given her a handmade hair ornament, an earring, some brass knuckles, and a silver bracelet Ah, shoot. Brass knuckles? Ah, just ignore that one No way we can do that. Just where can you find a woman thats happy receiving a weapon as a gift!? Is she an adventurer? Shes a girl who has been raised in our village and has lived there for her whole life That means shes just an ordinary wife then She is you know? Ah`, I want to see how she looks like at least once. What is she like? Ha? Well, shes just normal. She doesnt look that different from humans but since shes also a Demonkin, she has a small horn on her head I pointed at my forehead while saying that. How about her height and figure? Why do you even need to know that? Because were curious about Maou-samas taste in women shes a bit taller than me, has a slender body, and has black, shoulder-length hair I just went with it since this is kinda like bonding with your subordinates. Hmm`, if shes taller than Maou-sama What kind of woman is she? Also, slender means shes thin, right? I wonder if there are a lot of Demonkin with black hair? Still, the mermaid that came here the other day was pretty nice, wasnt she? Ah, come to think of it, I wonder how Demonkin make children Its good that they dont have any animosity towards other Demonkin but Id have to back out if they start talking about how those fish head guys reproduce. We continued chatting after that and after we got back to the village, we ate dinner then ended the day. And as for the fake diamond, it disappeared just before we reached the village. ~Idle Talk~ Maou-samas wife A: Hey you guys, Maou-sama told us about his wife earlier. Apparently, she doesnt look that different from us humans, apart from the horn on her forehead B: Huh, was Maou-sama the type to focus only on looks?67 A: Thats not it. I heard that it was his wife who made the moves B: Hmm`. Well, hes a Demon Lord now after all. She might have done that since she saw a promising future with him8 A: I heard that she was his childhood friend B: So she was with him from back then huh? That wife of his has pretty good insight doesnt she? Kitsune: Shes a pretty taciturn beauty you know? I think its nice that they were already together since they were children And with that, Kitsune-san told the others of Suzurans terror. -Dangerous Magic- Maou-sama, can you use this magic for attacking? Its dangerous you know? In what way? If you dont press it down, it will just fly off Eh? I guess it would be easier just to show you. Please step back Once I made sure that they were quite far from me, I shot the rotating blade towards the stone. The instant the blade that was rotating at a high speed hit the rock, it got knocked back and sent flying. See? When you throw it straight ahead, it will just get repelled once it hits something. If you throw it towards the ground, its fine if it just embeds itself but at worst, it will roll back to you. It would be better to just use a blade of wind instead, especially if youre hitting a softer enemy. Well, you can still expect an attack using this to do some damage since it has some weight to it but it requires a lot of mana so its much more efficient to use something else. Even if you say that this blade can cut stone, if you get attacked by magic that launches stones at you, you would be killed while you are trying to cut it with this. Haa I dont really get it ssu I see. Just think of it like using a saw to strike a nail. There are other magic that are easier to use depending on the situation Ah, I get it. Its easier to understand if you put it that way ssu Hmm`, thats making me worried about the level of knowledge in this world I might be getting ahead of myself but I wonder if I should get them to take some classes in some kind of outdoor classroom. Ill still prioritize my children though. Well, I should just take it one step at a time I guess. CH 64 Chapter 64: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 4 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko In the end, I didnt get any sleep. They continued to enjoy themselves until three hours before sunrise when the other villagers were starting to get up. During breakfast, even though I was sleepy, I continued to pay attention to the people around me so I was able to immediately tell. Thats right, it was you! The onee-san from yesterday, whos now making breakfast in front of me! Did they get together while I wasnt here? Well, thats good I guess. Try to keep your voice down next time okay? With that in mind, I ate breakfast with my body still tired. Oi, Caam. I didnt know youre already back The dog-eared old man sat next to me and started conversing with me. Ah, I came back in the middle of the night after all I see. Your exploration didnt take that long this time, did it? This island is narrow on the left side if youre facing away from the sun after all As I said that, I thought he might not get it so I tried drawing a picture of the island on the ground. As you can see, the island has a long and thin shape, so if you want to, you can reach the beach in a day, if you started traveling early in the morning. By the way, were all here I resumed eating my meal after pointing out where our general location is on my drawing. This island is surprisingly big, isnt it? You need to walk for five days without sleep to go around the island after all. If we just take our time, it will still take seven days to come back here Mu. Rather than just surprisingly big, isnt it more like the islands considerably big? Well Its as you can see Its three times smaller than Sado Island though. Its coastline is about 200 to 250 km, right? It has a mountain too but although the shapes a bit different, its similar to this island since its also always summer. Well, this one doesnt have a large landmass right next to it though. If I want it to be more similar, I would need to add a hot spring here where the residents are but I cant exactly dig a thousand-meter water channel and we also dont have the technology to pump it up from the ground. If we had something like that, I would immediately make one here. Are you going today too? I was having my delusions but was brought back to reality upon hearing that question. Theres only one side remaining but Im tired so Im taking a break today. Ill just go and talk to a big-wig whos an acquaintance of mine What!? Who? Its the nobleman who governs the area surrounding Tephroite. I dont remember if you know him but that person was the one who requested that I escort you guys to the front lines will he be that easy to meet with? Hmm Was it the nobles district? Upper-class district? Im not really sure but its the area where rich and important people live thats surrounded by an outer wall. Anyway, I think it would be alright even if its an unannounced visit if I just tell the gatekeeper over there about it Is that really alright with that noble? Im sure its fine. And besides, if I remember correctly, hes trying to improve their town so people can easily meet with him since theyre trying to receive tips about corrupt officials and complaints from the townspeople Arent you two alike then? No, not at all. He was already a noble from the start and has education worthy of one. Im also sure that he has plenty of connections. As for me, my connections are only limited to my friends from Beryl and the residents living in the apartment I stayed at in Aegerine After sipping the rest of my salted seafood soup, I returned the tableware I used then started to prepare the coffee, honey, and one of Fleur-sans potted plants that I will bring to give as a present. After placing the roasted and grounded coffee and the honey in jars, I began making my preparations to use the transfer magic. I think it would probably be better if I paid the toll but I cant really remember the gate where carriages enter and exit from so Ill just transfer to the entrance of the nobles district. Before I knew it, I arrived at a familiar gate. The gatekeeper who was in front of me had his eyes open wide and looked very surprised. W-wha You! Where did you come from! Ah`. Its magic. Convenient, right? You must have been to your intended destination before though, so good thing Ive come here previously, since I want to meet with a noble living on the other side of this wall. Now, could you please guide me to Cravatte-samas estate? I acted like nothing happened and asked that with a smile. A-ahh, the person on duty will show you around Was there a problem or something? The other guards wearing the same armor started coming out of an apartment-like building on the side but I just ignored them and had the guard on duty guide me to my destination. I know where the place is but its more or less these guys duty to guide people so I just let them do their job. Has it been four years? Maybe five? While muttering that, we arrived at the gate and noticed that the dog-eared guard was still guarding the mansion. A guest for Cravatte-sama After that, I was led to the study by the same dog-eared maid-san who greeted me at the entrance the last time I was here. I told her that the bag I had was full of gifts I brought along with me and she told me that theyll have to check the contents so she took it with her after she finished escorting me to the room. That should be expected I guess. They have to check for poison after all. The master is currently finishing up his work so please wait for a while longer. Hell be here shortly She came back with tea and said that before leaving again. After a while, there was a knock on the door. The maid opened it then Cravatte entered the room. Its been a long time, hasnt it? I didnt think you would come here though He said that as he sat down on the sofa opposite of where I was seated, then the maid brought him his tea. Iya`, to be honest, its a relief that youre here. It seems like Im going to be crushed by a mountain of paperwork so shall we have a slightly longer talk? A mountain of paperwork huh? Seems tough. I see. I guess I can help you out. Well anyway, actually, I became a Demon Lord Mu? I was given a certain sizable uninhabited island as my territory but go ahead For a moment, I noticed a glint in Cravatte eyes so the topic must have piqued his interest. We were attacked by pirates so I sunk their ship. We wanted to make use of the materials we can salvage out of the said sunken ship so when we asked them how much loot they had in there, they said it was about 7 large gold coins worth. I wasnt sure what to do with that so I came here to ask for your advice Whats this? How come youre acting so distant? You should have come over and told me that youve become a Demon Lord. Youve even been ignoring all the love letters Ive sent you1 He had a childish grin on his face as he sipped on his tea. I havent been here since spring of when I came back from the front lines huh? Well, even if I did receive another directive to go to the front lines, I would have refused them. When I sent my subordinates to the place you were residing before, a brusque cat-eared woman just told them that you went back to your home town. All this time and I didnt even receive a letter from you, you know? But now I understand why. You really did have qualities of a Demon King after all. You were already amazing back then, in all sorts of ways Well, even if I received those letters, I wouldnt want to worry my wives so I would have refused Wives? Just how many do you have? Youre quite the player arent you Caam? Anyway, as for me, Im happy to say that my child was just born recently Ohh, a nobles firstborn child. He now has a successor, huh? Congratulations No no no, I should be the one congratulating you. Well, thats that. Lets get down to business, shall we? Could you tell me more about this pirates loot you were talking about? According to the captain, nine of the chests were stolen from merchant ships while the last one seems to be taken from another pirate crew. The one stolen from other pirates is in a gray area but Im not sure what to do with the rest since it was stolen from merchant ships Fumu After thinking for a while, he sipped his tea and said. Dont worry about it. It doesnt matter even if you use it for your own Is that really alright? I wasnt expecting to get that kind of response. Dont worry about it and spend it however you want. Just think of it as compensation for subjugating the pirates. And besides, those merchant ships have probably already given up hope of getting their stuff back Hmm`. Is that really the case? I dont know. However, if you just keep worrying about spending it, all that money wont ever circulate back into the economy. You can just take your time and use it to secure whatever it is that you need After saying that, he finished up the rest of his tea in one go. Hes unexpectedly enthusiastic about all of this. Well, thats that. How about I postpone my battle with the mountain of documents for a bit longer and talk about what youve been up to? Alright With that said, I told him all that happened these past few years from the time I was visited by a Demon Lords subordinate to my exploration trips on the island to find stuff that can be used for trading. Hmm` youre still the same good-natured guy who does foolish things, I see He said that after I stopped talking for a bit to drink my tea. well, I cant argue with that Thats right. Ah, come to think of it, didnt you have gifts you brought with you? When Cravatte rang the bell that was on the table, the maid entered the room. Bring me the gifts Caam-kun brought over After he said that, the maid went out and immediately brought back the gifts I handed to her earlier. So this is the product of roasting the seeds you told me about earlier. It seems black and burnt at first but it has a nice smell to it. How do you prepare it? You would usually put it in some kind of material that water can pass through and pour hot water through that but since we dont have any, lets just add water on it directly I put the ground coffee beans in cups, added hot water, then poured it into another cup once I deemed that the powder had been mixed in properly. I apologize in advance if there are still some leftover ground beans in it Dont worry about it Its bitter so you might want to add sugar or animal milk, preferably from cows Fumu. My wife is breastfeeding our child at this exact moment. Should I go get her? It might be fine with you but Id rather not I dont think I would mind if it was Suzurans or Lattes but I would obviously be reluctant if its the breastmilk of another persons wife. While I was thinking about that, I noticed Cravatte grinning. Was that a joke? Mu` I would get a stomach ache if the cows milk is not fresh. Would butter not work? It wont. Just give it up and drink it with sugar alone The maid brought in some sugar then he added it to the coffee until it reached his desired sweetness then drank it. Ugh, its still bitter I giggled a bit upon hearing him say that. Well Im sorry since Ive never drunk something like this before It seems like he sulked because I giggled at his reaction. I also tried it and it seems like this times batch was not roasted enough. Umu, it smells good, doesnt it? We just continued passing our time leisurely like that. Ah! What is it all of a sudden? I realized that I forgot something important. That was close. Until your child has been weaned, please dont let your wife drink it. One of the components that make up this coffee gets mixed into the mothers milk which the baby would most likely ingest Is it dangerous for the child? Adults would get a small boost in energy and would get rid of drowsiness but that effect is even greater in children which makes it dangerous for them. Its like putting a bucket full of salt into a cup compared to a spoonful. The cup, in this case, is the child If thats the case then it cant be helped. Ill just have her put up with it for a while then By the way, you might get addicted to it if you drink too much Isnt it poison then!? Its kinda like if you dont drink it, you wont be able to calm down or something like that. It wont cause any harm like the contraband grass and tobacco but youll get fat if you put too much sugar in it There are those caffeine junkies after all. I heard that black and green tea have caffeine in them, but Im not really sure if this worlds tea is the same. It tastes good though. Im not sure how to treat this now that you say that It got mixed reviews from the people on the island. Some like it, some dont. As for me, I prefer barley and sweet herb tea Come to think of it, where is this island located? Uh`, according to the Demon Lords subordinate, it seems like it will take 20 days in total to get there from the village. A fifteen-day carriage ride from my village to the harbor, then another five days by ship. Well, Im not really sure what the means though since I havent seen a map of this area before Hearing that, he started rubbing his chin and thinking about something. Ah, I can remedy that. It should be around here somewhere After saying that, he went towards the bookshelves, brought back a dusty map and showed it to me. I dont know how accurate it was but there were two continents on both sides with several small islands in between. It doesnt show the entirety of it but Tephroite is over here and Beryl is around here. Can you see if any of the islands in the middle that looks similar to yours? After examining the map, I pointed at the island thats shaped like a grain of rice. Probably over here If I remember correctly, this is the place where new Demon Lords get sent to, then get subjugated before they can make a name for themselves. You youll die there you know? I dont treat the human slaves unreasonably. I give them three meals a day, let them take adequate breaks and provide them with proper beddings. The thought of being betrayed is scary though. At any rate, a shipping vessel containing goods for trading passes by there once every three days and it seems to be a famous location among the humans for being a place where a Demon Lord usually resides. As for my predecessor, dont you think that the reason why he met an early demise was that he exploited his slaves to the point where dangerous rumors started spreading around? That just goes to show that if you want to know a persons true nature, you just have to give them power Umu Some demonkin hate humans after all. That Demon Lord was probably a part of that faction and just demonstrated his true nature once he came into power. Be careful alright? Once youre done reclaiming the island, humans might come to steal it away. It could possibly become the trigger for war between our races even. Since it costs money to reclaim an uninhabitable island, they might think that its better to just take something that the Demons had worked on without having to spend any coin for it. Its as easy as that, aint it? Ah`. Its bad that I didnt even consider that happening right? I should bear that in mind There are plenty of underhanded fellows among the humans and the demonkin after all. Well, I dont really mind as long as Caam doesnt die though. It would be bad for me if that happens though since his majesty will find out that I didnt inform him about the new Demon Lord reclaiming that island. In the worst case, I would even need to have an audience with him you know? This is such a pain, isnt it? He drank the rest of his coffee after saying that, then took out a bottle of liquor off the shelf. Its Beryl Sake. It has started to appear on the market around here you know?2 He uncorked the bottle and poured the contents into the cup that he used to drink coffee earlier. My wifes so fussy when it comes to drinking while Im working. I told her that I can still use a pen even if I have a little but shes still so obstinate about it. You remember the fox-eared maid that was standing behind me last time, right? She still has that stubbornness she had when she was still my maid ah! Come to think of it, I havent seen the fox-eared maid with icy glare yet. So thats why. Our relationship just became like that before I noticed it. I didnt really like or hate her, but I just naturally started looking at her in that wayyou know? She had been serving me from when I was a child after all. Were close in age as well. Anyway, let me hear your story too He looks like hes trying to say that since I told you my story, you should tell me yours. As for me Weve been neighbors since we were born so we were always together but since I didnt make my move no matter how long she waited, I wasattacked I tried turning away my gaze hoping that he wouldnt ask for the whole story. It failed. Fascinating. That just makes me curious to know more. Tell me more about it Because of that, I had to shamefully retell the tale of the time I was assaulted. Haa`. Even a Demon Lord cant win against his wife huh? Actually, its the same for me. I just cant get my head around it Women are just strong. Thats all there is to it I guess its just because both are built and think differently. We just have to accept it. Anyway, this liquor is really good. Its like women, it just gets better as the years go by. It might be a good idea to buy a barrel of it and just put it next to the fruit wine in the cellar for a while Cravatte drank up all of the remaining sake in his cup and was about to stand up when I realized that I forgot to tell him something important. Ah, one last thing. I almost forgot about this Hm? What is it? As you may know, I am uneducated when it comes to governance and I dont have plenty of subordinates who can deal with numbers and negotiations so I wanted to ask if I could get your help when it comes to that. For that reason, I brought a red flower as one of my gifts. That plant is actually an offshoot of a demonkin. If you tell it your message, what you said will be relayed to me via her main body on the island. Its not good with the cold so please set it on a sunny part of a room Hou Uneducated huh? I dont know if youre joking or not but still, Im interested in that flower you brought Cravatte rang the bell again, and asked the maid who came in to bring the potted plant. Fleur-san. Do you have a moment? After saying that, the flower moved and transformed into the upper half of a woman. What!? Wait, this isnt the island, isnt it!? This person is a nobleman that I know. His name is Cravatte-sama. Please let me know if theres anything he wants to tell me while were at the island Alright. Nice to meet you Ah, yes. Pleased to meet you too. This is really interesting. If you use this as a means of communication on the battlefield No, I shouldnt think of it that way. This is a precious gift from you after all3 What? Are you going back now? If so then give this child some mana rich water okay? I poured a water ball onto the plants roots but she started panting and squirming around as usual. This isnt really something you should show someone whose wife has just given birth I cant do anything about it since she seems to like the water I made with magic. The water contains plenty of mana and it seems to give off a pleasant sensation as it spreads throughout their body Hou. Regular water is usually enough though, right? Thats right. You can just leave this child in a sunny room like this one and just give it water when the soil is starting to look dry I already told him that Ha? Wait a minute. What do you even know about me!? Raising your offshoots? Haa, I give up. I just have to tell Caam on the island what he says here right? Now, what was this childs number again`? Number? Is she giving each of them a control number or something? Thats kinda amazing. Well anyway, once things get busier, Ill probably borrow some of your personnel who can do arithmetic work so I hope I can count on you when that time comes Alright. Ill make sure to find suitable men as long as you inform me in advance. Well then, lets wrap things up. This turned out to be a really refreshing chat. For that, you have my thanks No no, it was my pleasure. I apologize for coming unannounced Dont worry about it. Well, I would prefer if you would inform me through Fleur-san over here the next time though. Ill tell my wife and my maid about her as well. I need to make sure I dont drop this first though I see. Well then, Ill take my leave. Please let the doorman know that I already went back Wait. Let me see that transfer magic This person is still as curious as ever. While I was thinking that I activated the transfer magic and went back home to the island. I was able to see Cravatte getting all giddy and excited like a child before the transfer magic fully finished casting though. Oh, how was it? The dog-eared man was there to meet me. Hes a noble who has a lot on his plate right now so I dont think I can rely on him that much right now but for the meantime, I was told to just use that money I see Ah`, Im pretty tired after that. Ill go to sleep for now so please wake me up when lunch is ready Did dealing with that person really exhaust you that much? He was like a child that suddenly turned into an adult after all. Im also still tired from yesterday. Anyway, goodnight I see. Ah, the Harpies brought 6 rabbits. Three male, three female Gotcha. Ill have to thank them later. I also need to ask Root-san to make a pen for the rabbits so that they dont escape` With that said, I waved him goodbye and went back to my house without caring about the looks I was getting from the villagers and took a long nap. ~Idle Talk~ Cravattes wife Its a beautiful flower, isnt it? Is it a present from a woman? No, its from Caam Caam? You know, the dark blue-skinned demonkin who just caressed the tail of a fox-eared prostitute instead of laying with her and the one who annihilated the majority of the humans primary assault force at the frontlines Ah, yes. I remember now. Still, receiving flowers from a man is kind of Is that gentleman also interested in other men? It might be best if you stop interacting that person No, this flower is a demonkin and it shows its true form when you talk with it After saying that, he started talking with the flower, which then transformed into a naked upper half of a woman. Do you want to tell Caam something? See? I havent seen anything like this before. Its pretty interesting What? Did you call me here for nothing? It seems to be in a terrible mood. No no no. Since you seem to be a demonkin, I thought it would be best to introduce you to everyone so you can along with them Thats right`. Ive heard that sun-dried fish flakes or oil cakes are good for plant demonkin but I definitely prefer water made with mana. Well, regular water and fertilizer would be enough though. This child was originally from an area with a warm climate so cold places are absolutely forbidden okay? I see, alright. Would it be alright if we just chat with you from time to time? That person behind you is giving me a scary look so I probably shouldnt. Its getting even worse as time goes on. Is she jealous I wonder? You have it hard, dont you? Shall I throw that stupid branch on the floor and step on it? That wouldnt matter since this isnt my real body anyway The two of them were stirring each other up. Women sure are scary. Alright, alright. For the time being, just put this plant on the terrace on the second floor where its sunny okay`? After that, the capable dog-eared maid took the pot and with that, the violent verbal exchange was stopped. You shouldnt do that you know? That fox-eared demonkin is the wife of the owner of this mansion after all. Lets get along okay~? That would be impossible unless that other one changes her attitude For the time being, please let me know if you need something since Im the one who waters the plants on the terrace I think the two of us will get along just fine Fufu. Thank you Even now that their child has been born, the wife still wont change, will she? After placing the flowerpot at the best spot on the terrace for sunlight to reach it, the maid thought to herself that this flower might be a good conversation partner for the child as he grows up. CH 65.1 Chapter 65: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 5 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I was woken up at noon. While I was rubbing my sleepy eyes, I formed a Water ball above me and dipped my entire head in it as I walked towards the dining area in order to wash my face. Since I didnt bring a towel with me, I just wiped the water off with my sleeve. When the children saw me and told me off. Maou-sama, how sloppy~ Im just doing this to wash my face you know~. Ill wipe it off after You will get scolded you know`? Mnn`? Ah`, sorry, sorry. Im just really tired. Nn`. My bodys so heavy` Thats because you didnt sleep early you know~ Un, thats true. It would probably have been better if I just slept in the forest where I wouldnt have been disturbed by those two. Thats true, isnt it~? Thats why Ill go to bed early from now on Geez, Maou-sama. You shouldnt do that you know~ I started patting the head of the child that was close to me as I was being told that by one of the older kids. Ah`, yeah. Sorry about that. I was really tired so I took a nap Thats not the point. Maou-sama keeps telling us to take breaks but you arent taking breaks yourself, are you? Im getting my rest you know? I even go back to my home town to relax with my family Then you must be working too much. We understand that youre doing these things with us in mind but it would be hard even for a Demon Lord to work without rest Ah`, thanks for your concern but Ill manage somehow if I just drink some of that water with salt and sugar in it you know? Hahaha After that, I arrived at the dining area and slowly ate the bread, steamed fish, and fish soup that was given to me. Once I was done eating, a slightly nervous Root-san came over to my table to talk with me.1 Caam, how big do you want the rabbits pen to be`? Hmm`, since its going to be used for breeding, why dont we build a small hut thats about waist height, thats 10 paces long and ten paces wide. Well just add some dirt in there so that theyll have somewhere to sleep Gotcha. Ill try to make something of that scale. Also, we already cleared out a small area but were just starting to lay down the stone foundation and build the framework. We still need to put up the walls and the roof after that so even just a single house would take quite some time to complete But even so, we need that to be built. Im planning to board the ship to the port city and go to the bar and guild to try and recruit more craftsmen the next time they pass by here. The number of men would increase that way so I also plan to invite about twenty women to migrate here or just buy some women slaves. Because of that, I will have to ask you to build some kind of building where they can sleep in at the very least Uh oh`, looks like things are going to start to get busy over here for us It seems like hes the type of craftsman who cant stop moving his hands since he was keeping them busy the entire time we were talking. Ill be counting on you Roger Im not going to explore the island today so I wonder what I should do? Do some desk work? Do I even have something like that? Dont think so. Play with the kids? I guess that wouldnt really be a good idea. Im not really sure what to do whenever I have free time Then just help with the reclamation of the fields. What does desuku wa`ku even mean?2 With the cat-eared old mans sudden suggestion, I decided to go and help with the expansion of the fields by cutting the trees and uprooting the stumps. Since the roots cant be used, it seems like they transport them to the charcoal-making hut where they stack them. I was already done with my part so I just rode on the carriage transporting the stumps on the way back. I was thinking how the wheel is such a wonderful invention. Well, it depends on how you use it though. You can just attach it to a box and call it a day since it would be good enough to transport things after all. Now then, Im going to explore the south side today but Ill stop over the hot spring, as usual, to take a quick soak in it. Its different this time though since Im doing this to recover from the time I didnt get to sleep because of the couple copulating until dawn when I got back from my last exploration. The conversation I had with Cravatte because of that ended up being fun though. There was a slender female harpy already bathing with a relaxed smile on her face but I just ignored her and used the hot spring to reinvigorate myself before heading south. Looking at the southern part of the island while Im still halfway down, I could see that there was a lake on the southwestern side. I can just explore that later. For now, Ill just try and see if there are any forests or resources above ground I can gather on this side. This side seems to have more grass-covered plains instead of forests compared to the other sides of the island. I still cant see the coast as usual but I can pretty much tell whats around here so I can now begin my exploration. There were no particular changes to the terrain so it was pretty peaceful. Or at least it would have been if there were no red flowers nor those pesky goblins here! I couldnt be bothered to deal with them so I just threw an obsidian axe towards the attacker that jumped out from the bushes. After seeing its head split open by the axe, I just left it there and continued with the exploration. Hmm`, with how flat the terrain is over here, I wonder how many years has it been since this island was formed? While I was wondering that, I scooped up some of the soil to properly examine the quality but I kept hitting quite a few large stones within the wonderfully black soil. It was quite a pain to go through so I used magic to lift the soil up to chest height and was able to determine that the area was a good place to set up a crop field. It also wouldnt be a bad idea to start developing more roads, the main road leading to the bay and a wide road along the coastline. In the meantime though, we should finish the road from the coast to the foot of the mountain. I really want that done. I continued walking while thinking about how Im going to develop the island even further but I could only find small forests scattered here and there. I decided to investigate them and while I was walking around, I found a tree with a green, acorn-like fruit that looks like those that I frequently saw on TV. Oi oi oi oi oi oi oi Kami-sama. What the heck are you doing with your world!? I shouted that at the heavens upon seeing what was in front of my eyes. I threw down my luggage, picked several of those fruits, then washed them inside a Water ball. After I dried it off, I crushed them on top of the frying pan. Since I didnt have a filter, I just gathered all of the paste in my hand then squeezed the liquid of the fruit into a cup. My hands were greasy from the oil so I wiped them off on the ground and washed my hands with a Water ball before tasting the fluid using this mornings bread. Is this actually an olive? Why is there everything on this island? With a hint of excitement, I stuffed my rucksack with olives and began walking back with a spring on my step that was nothing like the time I discovered the Cacao. I stopped by at the other smaller forest and they also had olives growing there. I stumbled upon a rabbit by chance so I gladly killed it using an obsidian knife to avoid spilling the olive oil in the cup on my hand. After draining the blood, skinning it, and taking out the internal organs, I rubbed some salt on the meat and seasoned it with some of the fragrant herbs that I found. Then, I started grilling it using plenty of olive oil, carefully scooping the oil from the bottom with a spoon, and sprinkling it on top while having a huge smile on my face. Even so, Im the olive oil3 While muttering that, the rabbit finished roasting. It was crispy outside but juicy on the inside and the olive oil was dripping from the top. Go! Olive oil After saying that with a smug look on my face, I covered the roasted rabbit with olive oil then garnished it with some bread before eating it. Tasty! Its so damn tasty! The fresh olive oil was crudely made, but paired with fresh meat, natural salt, and fragrant herbs, even without pepper and sake, it has quite an exquisite taste! And if you put the meat in between the bread soaked in oil! Damn, its so good`! As I was yelling those things, Facil landed nearby. Im here because you look like youre eating something tasty`. Give me some~4 Sharing my blessings or monopolizing it for myself After weighing my options as an adult, I just decided to share. I didnt have plates so I just used an obsidian knife to cut the rabbit and the bread in half then gave it to her. Tasty`! Whats this`? This is a rabbit right? Rabbit! It really is rabbit! Why is it so delicious? I extracted oil from the fruit of this tree and used it to cook that Hoe~. I dont really get it but lets eat it before it gets cold! Half of it is mine after all! After saying that, we had a meal together. We really sunk our teeth into that meat, didnt we? I dont know if I ever had food as tasty as that before you know~ Its been a while for me too. After all, I was completely up to my limit ever since I came to the island that I didnt really care what I was eating I see`. Anyway, I have not had one this crunchy before! I cant wait to tell dad how tasty this was! She was about to fly off again but I caught her foot. Wait wait wait. I dont mind if you tell them but you dont have ingredients you know? Hm? We caught some rabbits yesterday though? Were going to use those to get more. Thats why we cant eat those yet Eh~? We cant? If its deer or fish though We can eat it then! She immediately took off after saying that but I didnt want to force myself today so I would have been troubled if I had to cook for her entire tribe like the last time. For that reason, I used wind magic to shift her off balance and slowly brought her down. What now~ Look, Im not at the village right now, right? Thats why even if you go there, you wont get to eat Well come here then! Well, if youre going to bring people here, you can only bring your mom and dad, okay? Bring the meat were going to eat as well. Also some plates She wouldnt budge no matter what I say so I just settled for that. kay! After saying that, she immediately flew off. Haa My head hurts. I didnt think there would be a kid on this island who would give me headaches Anyway, I wonder if shell remember what I said? Well, I guess its fine as long as she doesnt forget about the meat and plates I took a break after that then at about 3 oclock I saw three harpies flying in from the horizon. I heard from my daughter that you have a delicious rabbit dish for us The one who said that was the flashy male harpy I saw last time who had three rabbits in hand. Its not dinner time yet and what about my share? I wanted to ask that but I just received the rabbits with a smile and started doing the same process as the rabbit from earlier. I had no choice with the bread so I just gave it to them. Umu, Ive never had this kind of meat before. Its delicious, Demon Lord! He started hitting my back while saying that. It hurts okay? And your wings are fluttering about. Mm`. Tasty` Facils mother, who was twice her size, was also eating the meat with a smile. Right? Right? This meal that Maou made is tasty right!? Thats right!Thats true isnt it~ Un, this entire family really exhausts me. After they finished eating, I brought up the thing I keep forgetting. Uhm`, I wasnt able to introduce myself the other day so Ill do it now. My names Caam. I hope that we can forge a strong relationship from now on Umu, I as well Hm? Is he not going to introduce himself as well? Uhm, Im sorry if this is rude but your name is? Hm? Ah, I am the great ruler of the skies, Chiarore and this is my wife Ryuze. I assume you already know my daughter Yes. Thank you Chiarore-san Its kinda embarrassing if you say it yourself you know? Thank you for the delicious rabbit No problem. The ingredients would be delighted to know that they were made into a delicious dish Un, I was almost charmed by her for a bit upon hearing her soft voice and seeing her gentle smile. Hmm`, so theres that way of thinking as well huh? As for us, we just roast them and eat them. thats all there is to it Ah`, thats right. Were already started to construct the building where were going to increase their numbers so I think well see results when the time they usually give birth to their young comes Is that so? Thats a relief. I was really surprised when you told me that we can raise them for eating you know! The shock felt like my head was hit by a rock! He laughed loudly while flapping his arm-wings as he said that. Dust was flying everywhere so I honestly wanted him to stop but I just kept quiet about it. After the meal, they said their thanks then went back to the mountain. Nn`, I guess their tribe is the type that makes you tired the more you get along with them While muttering that, I threw the dishes and cookware that I used into a hot Water Ball to make the oil residue float then rinsed them all off before resuming my exploration. Once evening came, I set up camp. Since it was still too early to have dinner, I decided to just skip it, knead flour by the campfire, then go to sleep after making a Kamakura out of the soil using magic. CH 65.2 Chapter 65: That time when I had an in-island adventure Part 5 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko After crawling out of the earthen Kamakura, I added some dry grass and twigs to the still-smoldering campfire to light it again in order to lightly roast some dried meat. I dont have any more bread because of the incident with Facils family yesterday but since I cant really do anything about that which I do not have, I took the wheat I kneaded the night before, tore it into bits, then flatten those smaller pieces on the top of my palm. After that, I added some olive oil into the frying pan and cooked it to make some kind of chapati or naan with what I had. Once it was done, I put out the fire then left the camp. Ah`, Im feeling so sluggish. That familys interesting but it makes me tired trying to deal with them` Just as I said that I noticed a shadow on the ground so I looked up and saw Facil coming towards me. This is from mom to thank you for yesterday! Facil opened a small bag that contained lots of unknown seeds. They all look the same so theyre probably from the same plant. She said that those will grow into the red flowers you see around here. Those flowers are really pretty once they grow you know? Tell her I said thanks. Ill go and visit you guys next time If things continue like this, this cycle of repayment will never end. Id like to be spared from getting given gifts of gratitude for every little thing I do. While I was thinking about that, I heard a voice coming from behind. Oh my, those are my seeds, arent they? Wha`! Who are you? Such a noisy child, isnt she? Im Fleur Can I eat it? She asked that while looking at me with her round and cute eyes. You cant since its poisonous Only a little bit though, and it just affects the tongue. Poison!? Caam! Get away! Its dangerous! Fleur-san looked at me coldly after seeing that reaction. No, its fine. Its also alright to touch it, see? Thats why you should talk to her gently, okay? O-okay Good morning She started timidly but it was obvious that she was sullen about her greeting. Anyway, this girls name is Facil Scary as always, huh? I-Ill go home then! She decided to go home to run away from Fleur. So? What should I do with these seeds? Make a deep hole on some well-draining soil using your finger then put three seeds in it Gotcha Make sure to get our numbers up okay? After saying that, she went back. Before she left though, without her even saying anything, I dropped a Water Ball on her roots. Haa I couldnt help but sigh. Its still morning so why am I already tired? While I was thinking that, I took a glance at the growing shrubbery and noticed a large, white cocoon. I thought nothing of it at first but immediately did a grand double take once I realized what that was. Im pretty sure Ive only seen those in silk-making videos. It was pretty big. It looks like those 4 liter sake PET bottles you can buy in convenience stores. To be honest, I got goosebumps when I thought there was still larva in it so I just decided to take the entire branch it was on. I could already see the beach at the distance so I thought about going back but I heard something that was bubbling nearby so I tried to check it out and found a swamp that was steaming. Oi oi oi Why is this island so convenient? I wondered why there was a hot spring so close to the coastline but thought that there must be accumulated magma below thats heating the underground water. Un, lets just go with that! The tiredness I felt before was blown away in an instant upon finding the hot spring. The first thing I did was gather all of the mud with my magic and then threw it far away. Once I had a hole that was reasonably sized, I started digging up the stones and laid them on the bottom while making it as flat as possible. After filling up the holes with the sand I got from the beach, I stripped naked and waited for the water to fill up. Its close to the shore and its at the south side of the island so it will take about four hours to get here from the base by carriage once were done connecting the roads. I thought it would be impossible to have a facility like this since the one we had was in the mountains but now we can just build it here. I was thinking about how to utilize this hot spring effectively as I waited but I couldnt stand it anymore so I went in the water even though it was still half full and soaked myself in the hot water while looking at the sea. Im having the most luxurious experience right now, arent I! I also need to make sure that we have a proper drainage for this place but with the sea this close, it might be better to directly drain it there. I wonder if I can use sand to filter the not so safe to drain byproducts from going to the sea? Well, I can just think about that later. After I was done soaking, I stored the image of this hot spring into my memory so I can transfer here later then started walking towards the beach. I guess I should also explore the southeastern side while Im at it. I kept walking till it was close to noon but there were only grasslands, some shrubbery, olive trees, and a couple of hot springs here and there. Earlier, when I was walking directly south and found that hot spring, I got excited and regained my strength thinking it was a rare find, but it completely backfired because it was not the case. I guess its true that the rarer an object is, the more you want it. Even more so since this is an uninhabited island so youll want it more since youll think its even more valuable. While I was thinking about that as I mumbled my complaints, it was already evening. I saw something that looked like a large forest further east from where I was but since it was already late, I just pierced a stick on the sand and used that as my landmark so that I can transfer back before going home. Im back`. Haa, Im tired. Ah, here you go, some olives. I think Ive seen it turned into oil in town so please use it. Ill give you the instructions on how to do it later As I said, I handed the olives to one of the women nearby then went to my house and started writing about the island in Japanese. (Italizice) Note: The sun rises from the east. East side: ? Has an inlet. ? Has a forest with plenty of wild animals, herbs, and wild vegetables. ? Going into the forest from our temporary base near the sea, which we plan to eventually move out from, you can find the former Demon Lords castle construction site. ? Going even further, there is a large lake which seems to be boiling hot since theres no water flowing down from the mountain to cool it. The mountains: ? There is a hot spring in the middle and Harpies residing near the summit. I hope to continue having a good relationship with that tribe. Northern side: ? Since the island has an oval shape, its relatively quicker to reach the beach on this and the southern side. ? Has a couple of cacao trees. ? The forest on this side is quite dense so its necessary to cut down some trees to improve the ambiance of the place as we build the roads. ? Has plenty of goblins. 1 Southern side: ? As stated above, its a shorter trip from the mountain to the coastline. I found olive trees on this side so we can now produce oil. ? There was a hot spring near the coast so it would probably be a good idea to set up a public bathhouse or tourist attraction as well as some lodging facilities to accommodate the merchants weve been trading with. ? There were only a few grass-covered plains and forests there so after establishing the roads, we can use the free space to cultivate wheat and potatoes. It might be a good idea to start growing beans after that so that we can turn them into our secondary industry. ? We might also be able to start silk production because of the huge cocoon I found in one of the bushes in that area. It still needs investigation though. We could just sell the yarn in the worst-case scenario but it would still be better if we hire some weavers to turn it into cloth. West side: ? The coffee that the harpies brought came from this side. Remarks: ? There are lakes in the east, southwest, and northwest parts of the island. The conditions of those lakes have not yet been confirmed. ? There are aquatic demonkin living near the island so I was thinking of also maintaining a good relationship with them but because the bad deeds of the previous Demon Lord left a bad impression on them, we kinda started off on the wrong foot. ? There are also honey bees that weve been hosting in the apiary. -It seems like they have a queen bee but I havent seen her yet. -Ive been told that they dont have individual consciousness so they are all called Honey Bee. ? Im not sure if theyre plant-based monsters or apparitions but we also have Palma-san the coconut dryad and Fleur-san the hibiscus flower alraune. C It seems like all the palm trees and red flowers are part of their offshoots and they are capable of parallel thinking so they can appear in whichever plant they choose. C The alraune was able to identify each plants number so its possible that she knows every single flower under her influence.2 C These two are useful when it comes to botanical knowledge so I need to make sure not to make them our enemy. ? There was a quarry built close to the construction site of the Demon Lords castle but there might be other places where we can extract stone from that we have yet to discover, so the total number of quarries on this island is still unknown. ? I still havent fully explored the coastline so I dont know what else is there but Ive walked the beach that goes along the southern and eastern edges and found that theres a shoal in the bay so its most probably impossible to set that area as a mooring location for large ships. C If we actually do establish a lodging facility at the hot spring area in the south, it may be necessary to flatten that ridge with magic so that we can build a pier. A wharf may be more reliable when it comes to defending the place but this also requires me to consult with the others. *Important*: A dragon might be living near the crater. If anything happens, consult the principal immediately or ask him for advice the next time I go back to the village. Note: Merchant ships pass by the island once every three days. I have heard that the nearest Demonkin continent takes six days to reach from here but its still unclear how far the nearest human continent is. Current objectives: ? Move settlement to the former Demon Lords castle construction grounds. ? Once the buildings have been completed, recruit medical staff then gather religious people after that. ? Recruit emigrants, build shops, and spread currency on the island. Hmm`, was that all of it? We still dont have a lot of people so its not necessary to establish a currency but I want the development of this island to reach that point. We havent been here for that long so its good that we havent had to deal with any illnesses or injuries but I definitely want to secure some medical personnel for when the inevitable comes. As for the religious people, since most of the islanders are human, I should probably go with their faith. I still need to hear everyones opinions about that but based on the stories I heard from god and Johnson-san from the apartments in Aegirine, it seems like they believe humans to be the greatest and the Demonkin inferior to them. If thats the case then I should bring an open-minded religious figure then. Should I go to one of the big churches to talk with them or maybe just find a newbie priest since they would probably be more flexible than the old farts. I wonder if I can recruit medical personnel who are just scraping by from clinics operating near the slums? Its unlikely that Ill find religious figures and doctors who are slaves after all. Even if a religious figure ends up as a slave, theyre probably in that situation due to corruption or something, right? There may be doctors who have become slaves because they werent able to pay taxes due to the lack of patients but it would be better if I dont get my hopes up. Ou, Caam. Foods ready I was brought back to reality by the sound of the dog-eared old mans voice. Okay`. Ill be right there. Also, please knock before you enter` I did. I did it several times. What were you even writing? Its a diary. Even if its you old man, youre not allowed to read it I dont have that kind of hobby. Anyway, whats that white thing? Ah, probably the larva of a moth. Im thinking of trying to boil this to see if I can get the thread Yuck, were about to eat so stop talking about that As for our dinner that night, we had salted fish that was fried using olive oil. ~Idle Talk~ The women who were happy with the oil. A: This is an olive? Thats what he called it right? B: Yeah C: What should we do with this? Ive only seen it when its already in bottles after all Wild Herb Leader-san Oil would come out if you crush it inside of a cloth and squeeze it A: Is that really how you do it? Wild Herb leader-sanYes. It can also restore the moisture if you apply that to your hair and skin B: R-really? Maybe I should try it if we have some extra C: M-me too Wild Herb Leader-san Thats right. Weve been doing a lot of fieldwork recently so I want to put some on my hands A: That is if theres still some left though Wild Herb-san Then lets just apply it to the most important areas for now. For me, Ill have to go with my hands I guess` B: I wonder if I should put some on my arms since theyve been feeling rough and dry lately C: Ill put it on my hair. Its already frizzy because of the salty sea breeze A: Hmm`, maybe Ill apply it to my face ~A few days later~ The men group The women are glowing a lot more recently Thats true Kitsune Well, its good that the women are doing things to be more beautiful. Having healthy skin is also nice Well, yeah but are you the type whos fine with any woman? Kitsune I wont go for someone too young or too old. It would be a different story if theyre a young-looking elf whos over 500 years old though! Id welcome it even! What the heck are you saying with a face like that? You would look cooler if you just keep your mouth shut a bit CH 66.1 Chapter 66: That time when I almost made everyone distance themselves from me on the rare occasion I did something Demon Lord-like 1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Oi, it looks like that shitty bastard Edward didnt come back from when he went to attack the Demon Lord. Isnt this our chance to make a name for ourselves now that that idiots gone? As he said that, he took the wine from the messy table and vigorously drank it all up to fire himself up. Nows the time for this Orca-sama gobble up that beardys mess. Lets go boys! Uoo```!!! After saying that, the pirates left the bar without even paying for their drinks. Its been a month since I wrapped up my exploration. Houses and all sorts of buildings have gradually been propping up in our town on the island. The potatoes we planted on the fields now have lush leaves so theyll be ready to harvest in about a month, I think. The rabbits we received from the harpies have successfully given birth to one baby. As for the cocoon that I found, I tried boiling it and was able to successfully extract the string so I carefully wound it up and put it away for safekeeping. I also took some ashes and mixed it in water then set it aside for a few days. Once all the ash had settled at the bottom, I poured the water into another container. After that, I added olive oil and some fragrant herbs into the liquid then boiled it again until all the excess water evaporated. I did this as a test to try and make soap. It was really peaceful on the island so after watering the Fleur-san seeds that I received from Facil, I decided to use the chickens freshly laid egg to bake some cookies for the children. Just as I was about to start, the dog-eared old man rushed into my house in a panic yelling: Pirates! Eh~? Again~? Im trying to bake cookies right now but it will be bad if I dont go, wont it?2 I put down the bowl and said that to the old man with a serious look on my face then gathered my equipment and ran towards the beach. Once I got there, I was met with the former pirates who were prepared for battle. I could see a single ship that was still pretty far away but there was a sense of tension in the air. Is the captain here? Yes! I am here! Do you recognize that flag? Yes I think its probably someone called Orca Hmm Orca, huh? Is he as brutal as his name sounds? Yes. He takes everything indiscriminately from the ships he attacks. Ive heard that he has taken a liking to being called by that name Hmm`. Well anyway, do you want to get aboard a ship once again? Eh? Well, yes I do but Ive already gotten used to living on land so I dont think I should push myself to live that kind of life. I think everyone has the same opinion You heard what he said but do you guys think the same way? I agree. I have already gotten used to working in the fields and Im starting to help out with the gathering of herbs and building houses Me too! Its proper work and the food I get to eat is the best. Its too bad that theres not a lot of sake lately though Hmm I tried telling the former pirates what Ive been considering for a while now. Well, its just that I was thinking of getting a ship, purchased or otherwise. But since you guys are saying you dont want to get on a ship ever again, I guess Ill just sink then Well actually, Ive been wanting to get on a ship recently. Im also really grateful for your trust I have also been wanting to get back at it Me too Hmm, shall we take theirs then? You say it like its that simple. How hard do you think it will be? Who knows. Well, its fine as long as no one dies I think that only applies to you Maou-san Ah`, sorry sorry. Ill do something about it. Now then, shall we start with our preparations? I started using the magic I learned from the magician on that merchant ship. Ready up boys! Were almost there but Im sure there aint any one of you afraid, right! Thats right! Ah`, test, test`. Ill just assume you can hear me I guess Whos there! If you get any closer than this, we will consider you as an enemy. If you have business with us, please anchor your ship there and approach the beach via boat or dinghy Magic huh Its probably the Demon Lord The only ones who should kill, are those who are prepared to be killed. Have you heard a saying like that? The pirates who came here before were kept as our pets to be used for labor but well have a rough time with food if our population increases even more at the moment so please prepare yourself to either get killed or sold as a slave okay? Thats all What the hell? So that bastard Edward didnt die but just kept as a pet instead! What an idiot! After saying that, Orca laughed and the other pirates laughed together with him. There aint no reason for us to go home so set course for the island! Lets show em whos making who a slave Kept as a pet Is that really what you think of us? Hmm`, theyre not stopping, are they? Please answer me. Also, Maou-sama might not think anything of it but have some sense of tension at least Hmm, those guys It doesnt seem like they have any intention of stopping With my arms crossed, I took a deep breath to make my upper body appear bigger. Haa, I give up. So? Whats the strategy? Same as what I did with you guys. Retreat to a place where their arrows cant reach then attack them while theyre trying to get close. Go in with the resolve to kill but if you have some leeway, try and capture them alive so that we can sell them in town as slaves. That way, we can get money for the food cost and development of the island. By the way, you guys would have ended up like them if it werent for our situation back then. I hope you wont forget that. Well then, our strategys simple. Kill them before they kill you. Thats all I suddenly changed my tune and said a part of that in a low voice with a serious look on my face which caused them to go back to their usually docile demeanor and became afraid to even speak. Well, even I have to show some dignity as a Demon Lord from time to time. After that, I started preparing the magic I was talking about before. Well then, how about Ill let them experience what its like to climb a tall mountain~? I said that in a lighthearted way to ease up the tension that was caused by my previous words. It didnt work though. They were just looking at me like they didnt know what I was talking about. To do that, Ill have to mess with the atmospheric pressure. Ill try to cover the entire inner bay area and just do something about it if it gets closer to us. Yup. Lets go with that. I imagined a wall of air covering the bay area then made it hollow by removing all of the air inside. Its like removing all the air inside using a vacuum pump. Well, its a wall made out of air though so Im not expecting that much from it. Just ignore that warning! They retreated to a place where our arrows dont reach so lets run up to them instead! My head is starting to hurt though Im kinda dizzy What kind of weakling nonsense are you talking about! Man up! I dont feel so good The pirate captain Orca also felt short of breath and aching on his head but he wasnt sure what was going on since he hasnt experienced that kind of feeling before. 3 Were going to rush in so prepare for impact` Ou! They had crashed their ship into the sandy beach then the pirate captain frantically ran to kill the Demon Lord and the cowardly pirates who were being kept as his pets. However, he noticed that his vision became blurry just as a sand wall appeared in front of him. He was able to stop before he hit the wall but started vomiting in front of it. As he looked up, he saw a blue demonkin with a shovel and before he knew it, he was already on the ground unable to move. CH 66.2 Chapter 66: That time when I almost made everyone keep their distance from me on the rare occasion I did something Demon Lord-like 1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Oh`, theyre coming`. Get ready` Because of the incident earlier, everyone was just silently holding their weapons. Oi, they look kinda strange Ah, theyre looking shaky and some are even vomiting. Theres a lot of them who are already collapsed Good. It looks like it succeeded. Well, a mild case of altitude sickness is just the body adjusting to how thin the air is, but if you run at full strength, youll end up like that. Alright~. Itll be smooth sailing from here. All thats left is to seize their ship. The rest of them who are still fine dont have weapons so just hit them to shut them up then tie them up. Alright, let the operation commence. Iya`, knowledge can also be used as a weapon, am I right? After I said that, I cheerfully ran towards the pirates when the one that was leading all of them fell. As he looked up, I hit his head with my shovel which caused him to faint. It would be best if we didnt suffer any losses to our side. How is it onboard the ship? Sir! The non-combatants have been captured, sir! Nobody was injured Alright. Please continue investigating whats inside the ship I took the rope that was given to me and started tying up the pirates hands behind their back. We spaced them 50 cm apart so that they wouldnt be able to try anything. Which one of them is the captain? I asked that question to one of the former pirates who were nearby. Its the guy rolling around over there After seeing who he pointed to, I walked over to the captain with rope in hand. I folded a 10-meter rope in half then measured 40 centimeters then made a knot to form a loop and put it on his neck. From the first knot, I made more knots every 10 centimeters until it reached his groin area then passed the rope under his legs and pulled it through the loop on his neck. After that, I took the two ends, pulled under his armpits then inserted it in the hole between the 10-centimeter knot and hooked it through the rope on the back. I repeated that until I finished inserting the rope in-between all of the knots then tied it all together to complete the tortoise-shell binding. I also tied up his arms and feet so that he wont be able to move. 2 Iya`. Ive always wanted to try this at least once. I didnt think I would be using it on another man though I had a huge smile on my face as I said that but nobody was looking. Or rather, they didnt want to make eye contact with me. Are all of them tied up? If so, we can just leave them on the beach for now. Gather all of the women on the ship then take them to the plaza and have the women on the island look after them. Bring some spare clothes and plenty of clean cloth With that said, we left them seated on the beach. As for their captain, we made him do a seiza after tying him up. Once we were sure he couldnt get up, we moved on into the ship. In the ship, several naked women were handcuffed and chained by the neck. It seems like they were forced to do various things that defiled their purity. There were even some that were bruised and wounded. They were all afraid and resisted, some even fell due to the effects of my magic earlier, but we forcibly held them back, removed their shackles, then transported them to our temporary base. Alright. Like I said earlier, since you decided to ignore my warning and proceeded to attack the island, were going to sell you off as slaves. Otherwise, if you are on the wanted list, well surrender you to the authorities. The higher up that list they are, the better it is for us after all. Err`, that might have been a bit complicated but anyways, I havent heard the former pirate captains name, have I? What is it? Its Edward sir Hmm We might experience a couple of inconveniences when we go to town so you should shave off your beard and trim your hair. As for your name, lets see When we go to town, youll go by the name of Benjamin. This Orca guy might snitch on us and say that youre also a pirate and Im a Demon Lord but please rest assured. Since I will also get dragged into this mess if he manages to do that, I will make sure he wont be able to utter a thing by cutting off the part that makes him speak. Ah, please make sure you hold him down properly okay? He might die if I make a mistake and well end up with no money After I said that with a smile, the former pirates held Orca down and secured his head firmly. Orcas face turned pale in an instant after realizing whats going to happen. Ah, please prepare a potion as well. These guys should have some on their ship right? There were some in Benjamin-sans after all After I said that, the former pirates hurriedly opened the lid of a box they had and brought me a potion bottle. Thank you WARNING: If youre squeamish, you might not want to read the next paragraph. I continued doing my best to maintain my smile as I took out an obsidian knife and sliced open the area where his Adams apple is then cut my way to his larynx where I removed the vocal cord muscles. After that, I poured the potion into the wound in order to close it. Im glad that I made the women stay behind now. Dont make sudden movements since the wound might open and youll die Orca moved his lips but no sound came out, only air. I dont think there are any artificial vocal cords in this world so I think itll be alright. In all honesty, I could have just cut a part of the vocal cord muscle but it would have been troublesome if he could still somehow speak once the wound gets cured. Well then As for the rest, you guys are also awaiting the same fate. Please dont worry since you wont get left out. Ah`, if the first mate can hear me, I have some questions so please present yourself. If any of the other pirates want to sell him out, please let me know3 It was a pain but we were able to find the first mate and aside from him and the noncombatants, I was able to finish up making sure the rest of them werent able to speak. Um, Maou-sama What are we going to do about these peoples meals? They changed how they called me all of a sudden. How should I react to that, I wonder? If we just want to make sure they survive, we can just give them water with sugar and salt in it but it would be bad if we continue with that for 10 days straight. If thats the case just alternate that with half a piece of bread and some thin soup. If you feel bad for them as former pirates, its also fine to just give them regular meals. After that though, you should gag them with a rolled cloth on their mouth so that they wont bite their tongues and die Y-yes sir I said that with my usual smile but he just kept on silently looking down. Hmm`, I guess it cant be helped. Did you know that the pinky finger is surprisingly important for gripping? I wonder which hand is your nondominant one? This time, he glared at me but he still didnt speak. I see`. Still not willing to talk huh? This really isnt a hobby of mine so I dont really want to go any further than this but you still wont talk, will you? I took out an obsidian knife as I said that. What more do you want when my comrades can no longer speak!? Just kill me! You wont get anything from me I just want to know how much reward money well get for turning in your captain and where you collect your loot you know? Well, we can just find out how much money hes worth from somewhere else but do you have a base where you accumulate all of the loot you get? We dont have a base. And from the port city we last visited, the reward for turning in the captain was 5 gold coins You were going to talk anyway so what was all of that for! A former pirate that was standing next to the enemy first mate yelled at him. Now now, its fine. Its not particularly important after all. Even you guys kept all your money on your ship, right? Weve already seen the loot on their ship but it wouldnt be a big deal even if it wasnt there so its fine. Well, Im just glad I didnt have to resort to torture. Im not very fond of it after all. Now then, Ill make it so that he wont be able to talk so please hold him down okay? I went back to my smile as I asked the former pirates to hold him down. Eh? Ah, yes! Oi, you guys! Orcas first mate was held by several people so I was able to finish a lot quicker than the others. Now then, please lock them up inside the ship Yes sir! As you command Maou-sama! uh, sorry for threatening you earlier. You can continue acting as you did before. Youre tired of talking like that right? No were not. Weve been acting rudely until now so even if its just to save our lives I mean its to show how grateful we are that you spared our lives! Why did you correct yourself just now? I guess its impossible to change how they call me for a while. Well, I should still apologize anyway. Um, I apologize for scaring you earlier. Please just continue treating me like you did before I-is that an order? They looked at each other for a while then the person who usually takes an initiative cut in. If you say so then it cant be helped. Well act like usual Thanks` Un. Its good that I was able to use this opportunity to make things go back to how it was. After that, I moved to the place where we were housing the women who were being used as the pirates playthings. I stood at a place where I wont be able to look inside, knocked on the door, then waited for someone to come out. Yes? Do you need something? No one came out though, they just spoke through the door. Should I bring hot water? Do you need more clean rags? Were there enough clothes for them to change into? I could hear them discussing something inside then after a while they gave me a reply. Some hot water would be good` Got it. Ill get a pot to put the hot water in. After Im done filling it, Ill knock twice then leave it by the door so please wait for a while before taking it. Ive also brought some of the soap that Ive made so please try to use it I understand. Thank you for your concern I brought over a pot used for cooking, filled it with hot water, knocked on the door then walked away. It would be a waste if I dont resume making the cookies, wouldnt it? Should I add a bit more sugar for the kids? Im no longer in the mood to make it though While muttering that, I added a bit more sugar to the dough, kneaded it again, then tossed it into the stone oven. I also took some of the hard biscuits, grounded them up then boiled them in hot water with salt to make some gruel to bring to the women. I knocked again, stood at a place where I cant and wont be seen from inside, then waited for a reply but nobody answered. Um, I brought some sweets and some food thats easy on the stomach. If possible, I would like you to take it. Sweets can help to calm down the spirit you know? The door was opened a bit after I said that so I handed over the pot of gruel, the plates, and some cookies through the crack on the door. Ill leave the treatment of their physical and mental injuries to you. If any strong-willed women would like to take revenge, please let me know. I will help them as much as I possibly can After all of that, I went back to my house then sat down on the floor feeling all gloomy. Wulf who came from behind sat down beside me so I patted his head. Um. That hand I saw just now, are there Demonkin here? One of the women meekly asked. Oh`, that was this islands Demon Lord Ah, you idiot! There was a short shriek that came after that but the woman continued. Its fine, its fine. That Demon Lord acts more like a human than a Demonkin you know? We were also slaves but from the very beginning, he gave us warm meals and even removed our shackles. We didnt have much at first, not even beddings, but he never forced us to do hard labor, and were given days off. Since there was no bathing area, he drew water so that its closer to us and he even made sure that we wouldnt be assaulted by the men. He hasnt used any of us for pleasure as well Is that true? Even though hes a Demon Lord? Thats right. Hes also good at cooking and can even make sweets. Hes kind to children as well As she said that, she took a bite out of the cookie that was handed to her. delicious Right? No matter how you put it, that Demonkin is the one that works the hardest here. I dont think you will believe what I said right away but just know that youre safe here. You can freely use this place so take your time eating this gruel then go to sleep to ease your mind and body okay? Well be at the corner of the room so please let us know if theres anything you need Yes. Thank you Still, I cant accept that hes even better at cooking and making sweets than us women After that conversation, the five women ate, and then they must have felt relieved, since they immediately fell asleep. We need to talk After Ive sorted out my thoughts, I decided to have a conversation with everyone except the children before we had dinner. This is about the women that we rescued today. Women who went through that kind of experience would usually end up being afraid of all men. Even such a small thing as a man coming close to them would make them recall all the bad things they experienced causing them to throw up or even collapse. Because of that, the men should avoid trying to speak with them. Please only speak when youre spoken to. If its absolutely necessary, please make sure you have a woman together with you. It will provide them a bit of relief and it will also serve to prevent any accidents. Please understand that this is a kind of illness so I hope that everyone will cooperate. Well then, lets eat, shall we? After dinner, I was interrogated by the old men about what I did to the pirates. Since they would find out eventually anyways, I decided to just tell them all about it. 4 CH 67 Chapter 67: That time when I went back home to get spoiled TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Its the following day after the pirate assault. Im sorry but I dont feel so great today so Im going to take the day off. Please make sure no one gets injured while Im away After saying that, I went out to talk with the people from Beryl. Im going back to the village today. How about you? When I asked Root-san, he said.1 I dont have enough supplies and tools for work so Ill go with you After saying that, he gave the different construction groups instructions on what they had to do so that we could return to the village. As for the old men, they told me that they didnt have any particular needs so theyre going to stay behind. Sorry that were in front of my house. Hopefully, you dont mind. Also, since its a necessary expense, please use this to buy tools I handed several large silver coins to Root-san. Isnt this too much? You can just give me whats leftover once youre done. Well then, since its been a while since we came back, please enjoy your stay here to your hearts content I just gave him a random reason then forcibly gave him the money. Oh, youre talking about that. Um, about what happened yesterday Uh, Ive heard a lot about it Ah, yeah Well Im not forbidding everyone to speak so it seems like a lot of rumors are going around. Ah`, er, my bad. I made you recall that incident No, its alright Root-san said that he would report back the chief then headed towards the direction of the workshop. Im back` Hm? Was today the day you usually come home? Suzuran tilted her head with her hand on her chin while her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it. No, I just came back because of something a bit unpleasant that happened. Where are the kids? Theyre out playing with Perna-kun and the others I see After hearing that, I immediately hugged her chest and enjoyed the sensation of her slender chest. Hold me gently and pat my head She patted my head and also rubbed my back without even saying anything so I hugged her tighter. We stayed like that for about ten minutes then I managed to regain my composure. Thanks. Im already fine As I said that, I separated from her chest. Ill make you some barley tea It seems like Suzuran was being mindful of me. Thanks She kept looking at me for a while but she just brewed some barley tea without asking me about it. After receiving the cup of tea, I added sugar to it then slowly drank it as I looked down. During that time, we didnt talk and she didnt ask me what was wrong. I think she probably already had an idea as to what happened. We continued leisurely spending our time without talking. After a while, the children came back. Were back~ Welcome back Ah, Otou-sanPapa~ What happened? Today is not the day you usually come back right? Yeah`. I just had something a bit disturbing happen to me recently so I wanted to come back to see everyones faces After saying that, I gently pat their heads. Last time I came back, Miel didnt want me to treat him like a child but even so, I still did. The two of them looked embarrassed but they just quietly let me stroke their heads. Otou-san! Train! Lets train!We have been practicing after all! Yeah yeah. I dont really feel like it but alright. Still, youre already being taught at school so dont you think its too early for you? Im feeling somewhat depressed but practicing with the children would probably serve as a great distraction from that. No way. I want to get strong as fast as I can! Is that so? I guess it cant be helped What about you Miel? I want to be strong enough that I can escape from bad people Hmm`, you dont have to be that strong if you just want to escape Thats no good Otou-san! Miel and I are going to make a party with Perna and the others once we become adventurers after all As your father, I want you to be able to do what you want but I also dont want you to do something that would put your lives at risk Theyre probably at an age where they started admiring adventurers. I didnt experience that though. But we want to be adventurers Hahaha, children are so innocent. Alright, alright. It doesnt matter whether you work in town or become an adventurer, Ill train with you since it wouldnt hurt to learn new techniques to get stronger After saying that, I started my preparations. So`, is Miel going to only use magic like last time? U-un I guess Ill teach you how to fight without magic later. Its fine to only use magic for now After I said that, they took their positions then we began the training. While we were at it, Lily was able to get in a good hit on me. She hit the handle of the shovel and was able to take it from me but at that distance, I was able to retaliate by flicking her forehead. They were only able to do that because I accidentally got hit by Miels magic at the same time but Im happy about their surprisingly clean execution. Alright listen up. There are plenty of other ways a tool can be utilized aside from what its regularly used for. This shovel isnt only for digging, it can also be used like an axe or a spear. And if you clean it properly with hot water, it can even be used as a frying pan. Keep in mind that every object can have surprising ways it can be used I began my lecture so the kids quietly listened. Lets use a spear for example. I know that most spear users just use thrusting attacks but you can also swing it around and even throw it. Ill demonstrate I thought that they would benefit from learning by example so I borrowed Lilys training spear then had her stand in the position of the enemy. Taking a regular stance, I swung around the part where the stone tip would be like I was paddling a kayak then showed her how it can be used to strike an enemys head and flanks. After that I held it like a javelin, then threw it and accurately hit one of the thin fence posts where Suzuran was keeping the poultry. To demonstrate naginata movement, I rotated to her back while showing her my own then moved as if I was going to sweep her feet. They wont be able to carelessly take advantage of that instant you show your back since their feet would get swept or cut after all.2 Something like that. The spear is not only for thrusting, you can also use its length to keep the enemy in check. Now, Im not saying that you have to use it this way since the basics are also important I returned the spear to Lily then borrowed Suzurans spear. After covering the tip with a thick cloth to avoid injury, I began sparing with Lily using the same type of weapon. The spear was unexpectedly heavy but Ill just keep that to myself. Did she drill through the wooden stick and put iron inside it? At Miels signal, we began our mock battle with both of us using spears. She was almost able to get a good hit in on me so I let go of the spear then using the momentum of her thrust, I closed in on her and did a foot sweep into an immediate flick to the forehead which caused her to cry once again. Sorry sorry. That was immature of Otou-san After saying that, I helped her up then wiped the dirt off of her back. Next is Miel Eh? Ah, un If you just want to escape, it would be enough to just buy time. How would you do that? Let me know what you think Uh`, make them stop moving? That would be ideal. How are you going to do that then? Eh? Hmm~ Tie them up with string or something? Okay, how about you try it with papa After saying that, I took my distance then waited for his move. He thought about it for a while but then I noticed some root-like things squirming from the ground which tried to catch me. However, it was too slow and I just ran straight for Miel then gave him a flick on the forehead. Too slow. You wont be able to catch me like that you know? They looked at me like I just said something unexpected but I just ignored that and continued with my point. When youre running away from someone, its better to prevent them from being able to see first before stopping them from moving. You might think its unfair but you cant be picky with how you do it in order to survive. Now, how about you try to restrain me again I took my distance once more then waited for his move. After thinking for a while, I heard him murmur something then everything turned dark. I was surrounded by a black mist that obstructed my vision. I couldnt see that well but I could still tell that Miel was trying to sneak around behind me so I turned my body around to let him know that Im aware of what hes trying to do. Then, I stepped out of the black mist then told him what his mistake was. The idea wasnt bad but darkness isnt always enough to blind someone you know? I guess you wont know how it is without experiencing it yourself. Ill only use it once so you join too, Lily. I would be better for you to experience how scary it is to lose your sight as well With that said, I used Flashbang without the loud sound to let them experience the bright light that feels like its going to burn your eyes. I guess it would have been better to say that I used Flash instead. Kya!Gah! They screamed for a moment then started walking around all dazed with their hands on their eyes so I stopped them by holding them on the shoulder. After a while, the blinding effect subsided and once the two of them had settled down, I called out to them. How was it? You couldnt do anything right? Sometimes, its better to make it like the sun is in front of your enemies rather than blinding them by making it dark like the night. Miel, you said you werent good at dark magic so you dont have to force yourself to use it. Even papas not good at it Look I covered their bodies withPitch Black Sphere but they immediately got out of it and just looked at me. See? Its difficult to make it completely dark. Since thats the case, it would be faster to use something like the light earlier or even throw mud at your attackers face I understand. Ill try practicing it Be careful not to look at that light too much since your eyes might go bad. If possible, close your eyes whenever youre using that magic Okay Alright. Lily, did you understand the dangers of not being able to see from earlier? yes Then make sure you stay vigilant against that sort of attack from now on Yes How obedient. They were looking down on the tactic of throwing sand or mud on the enemys eyes so I wonder if they really understand. Since lunch is going to be ready soon, lets rinse our mouths and wash our hands before we go back. Miel, how about you try to produce the water? Un! With that energetic reply, Water started pouring out of his palm. It seems like he still cant make it into a ball. Hmm`. The older sister sipping water directly from the younger brothers hand to wash her mouth Thats fine right now since theyre still kids but if they still did that after theyve finished school when theyre around 8 years old, it would feel like such an immoral act. Am I the only one who thinks that?3 As for me, I created a Water Ball on my fingertip then just used that to wash up. At that moment, the children were staring at me as if they were trying to pierce a hole through me but I just ignored them. While lunch was being prepared, Latte came back. Huh? Its not the day you usually come home, is it? I told her the same thing I told Suzuran then we ate lunch. Since the children had their eyes on me the whole day, I had to wait until the middle of the night to get consoled by Latte. In the end, I didnt get attacked that night. ~Idle Talk~ Suzurans discretion Caam wants to get spoiled like this from time to time but he does not ask for it more than once a day. Just as I was wondering why he came back all of a sudden, he immediately hugged me while shaking his head back and forth then asked me to pat his head so I just complied. I also patted his back and it seemed like he didnt hate that. Quite some time had passed and we still hadnt said a word and until Caam was satisfied, I continued giving him head and back pats as he hugged me. It seems like he also asked Latte to do the same. According to her: His mana and mind seemed to be disturbed. It also seems like he had to do some unpleasant things. Well`, its also the wifes duty to spoil their husband you know~ She said the same thing a long time ago so whenever he comes to me to get spoiled, I try to spoil him as much as possible. She must be sensitive to those kinds of things since shes from the succubus tribe. As for me, I cant tell at all. However, whenever the children are around, he never asks to be spoiled. Is he ashamed to let them see that? I dont mind if they see though. Also, while I was spoiling him, I could smell a faint scent of blood from him. If I remember correctly, even when Caam was asked to help with a large scale monster outbreak near the town, although he didnt get hurt at that time, he still asked me to spoil him. He also did the same during that one harvest festival where we helped butchering the pigs and sheep. I have a feeling that he only does this when he has to do something that he doesnt want to, like killing a large number of animals and monsters. Maybe thats why he came back home early this time. Because of that, I didnt ask and just made him some barley tea. I planned to attend to his needs as much as possible but he just looked at the cup like he was contemplating something. It was also unusual for him to add plenty of sugar to his barley tea. While I was spoiling him, I felt a throbbing in my chest and started to want to kiss him but I just endured that feeling and gently did what he asked of me. It seems like Latte also did the same. Whenever Caam asks to get spoiled, we dont do it at night. As for Latte who was lightly dressed as she entered the bed last night, He was upset so even if I did seduce him, it probably wouldnt work. Thats why I just kept on patting his head the entire time It seems like she just had to give up on that. In the end, Latte and I decided to just let him relax without asking anything. At any rate, I am a bit curious about what happened since the smell of blood on him was only faint. Should I ask the carpenters apprentice later? I could also just wait for our villages three beastmen to come back and ask them but they might not be able to tell me if its something difficult to talk about so I shouldnt press them too hard. But still, I cant forgive him for throwing the spear on the fence. After Caam settles down, Ill give him a flick to the forehead just like what he did to the children.4 CH 68.1 Chapter 68: That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure 1st part TL: kizen who has been mentally boomed recently ED: Filip/Gecko Its been two days since I went home. Weve decided to go to a human town but Im starting to get a bit worried. According to the pirates, it seems like the humans of this world are pretty religious. I remember Johnson from Clinochlore saying something like that. Come to think of it, is that guy still going after Celesso-san I wonder? Well, I guess it doesnt really matter to me. Anyway, since we went through all the trouble to get a ship, I thought of using that to go to the human port city thats closest to the island. The main reason for our trip is to sell Orca and his crew but while were there, Ill try to recruit people to fill our overwhelming lack of technically skilled workers and medical personnel. We could also invite someone whos affiliated with the religious people. At the corner of my mind, Im thinking of adding an establishment related to religion on our island to improve the humans motivation but will they actually come to an island that is known to be under the control of a Demon Lord? In the first place, I still have to worry about getting subjugated if the country or the church finds out my true identity. I can just ignore that and make an appeal to the country by showing them that Im not a bad Demon Lord but even if that works, I still cant guarantee my safety when it comes to the church. Because of that, I guess Ill just try to invite people who dont seem to be too involved with their faith. Captain, can I have a moment? Yes. What is it? After I said that, he went back to doing maintenance on Orcas ship that we acquired recently. Does that mean that they have several gods? Well, its possible that they just made up one on their own though. Its the mystery of faith or so they say. If I ask, the person himself might appear in my dream again. I havent seen them recently but if its important, theyll probably do just that. In the end, if it doesnt work, I can just temporarily give up on the idea of recruiting medical staff and religious workers. Maou-san. The preparations are complete! Okay. I understand After saying that, I looked up and saw that it was about 4 in the afternoon so Its a little early but lets end it here for today. Just save up your energy for our departure tomorrow morning Roger! Hmm` these guys seem to have already grown accustomed to this kind of life. I guess Ill be able to trust them with even more things from now on. Im going to sleep early so I guess Ill go eat. Its been a while. I felt like calling you so here you are. Its been five years, hasnt it? Ah`, yes I was woken up from my sleep. I looked around and although I havent been here that often, I recognize it as the same empty white room that Ive been in before. I apologize for waking you up from your sleep. I would also like to congratulate your wives for the safe delivery of your children Thank you I bowed my head down as I said that. The childhood friend and the young lady who fell for you at first sight Isnt that like Bian`[TL: The author really likes this DQ reference doesnt he?] Stop it! Dont say it or it will lead to war! I hurriedly stopped god from finishing his sentence. Mm! My apologies. You are heading to the nearest port city after you wake up from this dream right? This world doesnt have another god besides me but there are plenty of made-up gods that the humans have created. However, most of the churches worship me so you dont have to worry. You might be concerned that the church and the country might be connected but if you just hide the fact that you are a Demon Lord, itll sort itself out. Youll be able to invite over a few people by just being an ordinary demonkin. I could also just tell them to send an apprentice priest to that aforementioned island by telling them that there are humans on that island Arent you already giving them an oracle at that point? Theres no problem if its to raise their spirits so please feel free to take advantage of it. And besides, what you were thinking about earlier today was actually correct in a way.2 Well, theres also the town where humans and demonkin get along so there should be no problems. If the worst happens, I can just act as your shield by saying that we think you act more like a human than them and ask them to stop3 You unexpectedly went with the worst course of action huh`? I mean, I dont really want to resort to that you know? Well, dont you think that clergymen who just use me as a means to fatten themselves up are just the worst? They only think of how to earn money to keep appearances. They find innocent orphans to take as an apprentice, adopt them, then forcibly use them as an outlet of their lust. It wouldnt be a loss if they perished. They cant even get the believers to donate to the orphanages and there are even some scum out there who put their hands on the nuns Is that so? Thats rough. Wouldnt it be fine to just talk to them in a dream like what were doing now? He looked slightly disappointed as he replied. I tried that in the past but they didnt believe me since I look so different from the statues they pray to. I was unsure what would be the best way to interfere or not but it would be great if those having intercourse with orphans would die all of a sudden which would cause all of their deeds to be exposed then all of the top brass will get executed. They might just cover it all up though. Ahh`, it would be nice if at least all of those trash priests just die I see. It would be nice if that happens, wouldnt it? Thats not something a god should be saying though.4 Ah`, thats right. About the heros movements, theyre taking a wait-and-see approach and they only move once the rumors start blowing up so you dont have to worry Haa Thank you very much for such valuable information. To be honest, I didnt really want to hear your complaints Iya`, I just thought that if it was Nagi-kun, he would do something about it Thats impossible I feel like he was actually hinting something different but I might be imagining things. Too bad. For the time being, Ill just harass them. Ill curse them by giving them three mouth ulcers that last for a month Thats quite a terrible curse, isnt it? I dont want to hear that from someone who had someone walk non stop while they were imprisoned and let them eat moldy pudding and soup I shall keep my mouth shut then Ah`, I remembered something else. I thought your children were interesting so I gave them my divine protection while they were still in their mothers belly Ah`. Thanks, I guess Why do you sound like youre not happy about that Well Its just that its hard to be grateful for something that sounds like its easy to slap on someone and take it away As for the effect, from now on, they will not suffer from any illnesses. Even if they are seriously injured they would be placed in a form of suspended animation so they wont waste blood making their chance of survival increase so please rest assured. This divine protection will last until five generations you know? Even if you say that, its still Ah, our times up. Farewell A few years ago, they showed me a compilation of the best moments of my life that lasted for what felt like 48 hours but this time He definitely seems like hes running away, isnt he? CH 68.2 Chapter 68: That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure 1st part TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Ah`, this is the worst way to wake up. My head hurts Well, I am glad to know that the children have divine protection though. I guess I should say a little prayer As I said that, I didnt know how they pray in this world so I just faced my bed then bowed twice, clapped twice, then bowed one more time like what they do in shrines. Ah`, such good weather today. Its a fine day to set sail. I feel like theres no wind though After breakfast before we departed, I told the old men to just talk to me through Fleur-san. As for the humans Dont overdo things and end up getting hurt I told them to keep that in mind and of course, take breaks whenever necessary. After that, with a potted plant in hand, I boarded the ship. Hmm`, theres nothing as far as the eyes can see so I have nothing to do during this voyage. Ooh`, theyre fishing on the deck. How nice`. Should I try it out as well? Do you have spare rods? Yes we do. Ill go and get our spare rod so please use this After he said that, he handed me the fishing rod he was using then went off somewhere. Theres probably a storage room here or something. Hows the catch? We were able to catch Maou-sama you know? Ha ha! What the heck are you talking about? Weve only caught plenty of smaller fish till now Ah`, thats a relief. They were a bit reserved because of the incident the other day but it seems like it was only a temporary thing. The silk-making technology in this world is nonexistent so were only using a string that has low tensile strength since there are no nylon lines. Because of that, I decided to use magic to reinforce the fishing lines. Its nice to just let the line hang like this and relax. Its amazing how we can hear the captains bellow all the way over here when hes at the back Haa``. The sound of sea birds is somewhat soothing` And Maou-san over here is too carefree` The captain was really lively like a fish that has found water. He might have just yelled in excitement since its been a while. Pirates really do belong on the sea as expected. After a while, as I was relaxing, another sailor came over in a panic. Maou-san! Orca and his gang are throwing a fit in their room! The door is! Haa`. They just had to do that while I was relaxing. I guess Ill go scare them a little. Please lead the way Ah`, yes. Please take it easy on them The sailor who was guiding me didnt make any eye contact with me the whole time. Its fine, okay? Im just going to threaten him after all. The room in question is a narrow one in the innermost part of the ship. Its the room with a keyhole outside where all the women were locked up. Well, you reap what you sow I guess. Once we got there, I didnt know what exactly was going on inside but it seems like someone was throwing themselves at the door. Because of that, I continued letting them hit it ten more times in order to grasp the rhythm theyre using. After the eleventh time, I carefully unlocked the door and turned the doorknob which caused them to come tumbling out of the room when they tried to ram it again. Once I confirmed that we got the perpetrator who was actually Orca, I immediately closed it again before anybody else could attempt to get out. I was told that you guys were rampaging so I came here and although there was only one culprit, I have to punish all of you to prevent the others from getting any ideas. Skipping a meal or increasing the meat in your soup, which one do you prefer? I made sure to say that as loudly as I can so that Orcas comrades inside could hear me. Which one do you think is better? Tap the floor two times in succession if you want to have your meals taken away. If you prefer to have more meat in your meal, tap once He opened his mouth but only air was coming out since he had no vocal cords so I just went with that so he could respond. I dont really like violence so I hope you can decide quickly I could hear the other pirates inside stomping their foot on the floor once then waiting for a while before stomping it again. It seems like they really want meat. See? Since you didnt decide quickly, your comrades inside are acting as if to say that they want to eat meat from your body. Which one is your dominant arm? Ill at least spare that and just cut off the other one from the shoulder. Well just put that into the soup. Im nice for not going with your dominant arm right? So, which is it? I asked him that while having the same smile on my face as the time I cut off their vocal cords which caused him to turn pale and start vigorously shaking his head. The pirates inside fell silent then he frantically tapped the floor twice. I see. You prefer skipping a meal huh? Well, its a collective responsibility after all so the mistake of one is the mistake of all. Remember that the next time you feel like trying something. Dont worry though, well still give you some salt soup. Im going to open the door now so dont get any weird ideas okay? After saying that, I opened the door then threw him back with the rest of the pirates. The one guarding the door to the room looked like he couldnt believe what just happened so I went in next to his ear and whispered. That was just a threat That way, the people locked inside couldnt hear what I said. Anyway, as for the bread Since its their first offense, theyll only be skipping out on it once Yes. I will inform the kitchen staff about it! He started responding briskly again Haa`. Fishings nice, isnt it`? What happened to those guys? When I got back to the deck, I went back fishing as if nothing happened. After five minutes or so, the sailor next to me must have gotten curious since he finally asked. Theyll be skipping their next meal. Theyll still get some salt soup though. The body would weaken if they dont take any fluids after all. Ooh! I caught one! As I said that, I raised the fishing pole. I was met with a brightly colored fish that was struggling violently at the end of the line. Haha! That ones poisonous you know`? So I can eat it but you guys cant, huh? I reluctantly released the colorful fish back to the sea. While the cook was preparing dinner, I asked him if I could handle the cooking of the small fish instead. He seemed to be controlling the use of ingredients but since I was only going to use a small amount of flour, a couple of eggs, salt, sugar, and the seaweed that also got caught, I got his approval. He even told me that I can do whatever I want as long as its only that much. Just how much ingredients does he think I usually use up? After making water and ice using magic, I soaked the fish into a flour and egg mixture, wrapped them in seaweed then fried them in oil to complete the small fish isobeage. I didnt have a lot of oil since I only used the olive oil I had so I just kinda sauted it but the cook who was next to me still seemed to have liked it.[TL: Just google Isobeage. Its usually made with fish paste I think] Since the fish are so small, you can just eat it whole. If it was a bigger one though, you have to open it up, take out the internal organs, season it, then dip it in egg and breadcrumbs before you fry it As I said that, I also got a fork, put a bit of salt in it, and tasted my cooking. The cook was writing down what I said but I dont think he has to though since its nothing special. After dinner, I went to the captains quarters. Captain. I have something I want to ask. Do you have time? What is it? He opened the door as he said that. Looking at his room, I saw a compass, a nautical chart, and a ruler on top of his desk. How many days does it take to reach the nearest town from the island? Also, please tell me the name of the port town were heading to Lets see. If its from the island and we dont encounter any problems, it would take about seven days at most. Since a day has already passed, well be there in six days. As for the port town, its called Corundum The captain pointed at the nautical chart and with his compass, he showed me our approximate location after a day of sailing then easily gave me the duration of our trip. How would you describe that town? Hmm Its a fairly large port town where all sorts of goods and people gather I guess How about the lower class district? The captain started wrinkling his eyebrows and looked at the upper right part of the room. Hes probably trying to remember what it was like. There are plenty of vagrants and orphans there. The public order is also bad Thank you very much for the information. I might have other things I want to ask so Ill come again but only when things dont seem to be busy Yes. thank you as well for your consideration At any rate, you sure were lively today, werent you? Its like you were a fish that was back in the water you know? After a bit more small talk, I went back to my room. As usual, I had nothing to do on the ship. The efficiency would plummet if an amateur starts messing about so the things I can do are limited. Laze around, go fishing on the deck, cook the fish the sailors caught, visit Orca and his group when they start making a fuss. Thats all I can do during this trip. As for today, Im lazing around waiting for fish to bite. Behind me, everyone else is busy. Thats because the captain ordered the sailors to lower the sails so that we can get efficiently propelled by the tailwind. While they were doing that though, they still were taking turns fishing next to me so I always had someone to relax with. Maou-san, how are you feeling? Are you feeling seasick? Im alright. It seems like Im pretty resilient when it comes to that. Doesnt seem like I have any talent for fishing though What a shame. Ive heard that the ones who easily get seasick never get used to it no matter how much time passes after all[TL: Im not really sure who this is and if they are just pulling on his leg so to speak] After spending the time peacefully for five days, we finally arrived at the port town Corundum. The ship was docked at the harbor then everyone gathered on the deck. Well then, Ill go ahead and do what I have to do so feel free to rest while were in this town. Captain, about what we talked about last night After saying that, the captain gave me a bag filled with money. This bag has enough to provide everyone here 10 silver coins each. You can use that in the taverns to buy some drinks. You may even go and spend it at the red light district so enjoy yourselves as much as you want but please make sure you dont become the cause of the delay in our departure As I said that, the sailors started whispering among themselves. Please dont cause any problems and be on your best behavior. I wont take any responsibility if you get caught. If someone picks a fight with you, please just ignore them like how you would a stray dog barking at you. Endure it even if they provoke you. If they start bringing out the pointy stuff, then just shout as loudly as you can to get the attention of the people maintaining the peace in the town. I would be troubled if you cause problems after all. Your pride? Please leave that thing here on the ship. Remember, you guys are no longer pirates, you are sailors from my island. Ah`, you should be careful with women who might have any illnesses as well. With that said, Ill leave this with the captain so please get your share from him I returned the bag to the captain after I said that. Ill leave it to your discretion on how youll distribute this I said that loudly so everyone could hear. If he acts selfishly and doesnt distribute it evenly, hell be resented and everyone would complain. If that happens, Ill just have to make him step down as captain. With that settled, I put some money into my rucksack then entered the town. ~Idle Talk~ The sailor guarding Orca A: Whenever Maou-san threatens someone, its oddly convincing and gives me the creeps B: Yep. I dont know whats up with that smile but you cant tell whether hes serious, joking, or if hes just making a threat C: I thought that he was serious about putting an arm in the soup B: I dont even want to eat something made from a pot that was used to boil hands no matter how much its washed A:Still, isnt Maou-sans cooking really delicious? C: Ah`, thats certainly true B: Those small fish were delicious but the sweets he makes from time to time are delicious as well A: With that much skill, I dont think Ill be able to tell whether or not Im eating someones arm B: What if without us realizing it C: Oi, dont even joke about that A: Well, no matter what you say, hes still the same Maou-san B: I guess we havent really seen him go through with those things, huh? C: Yeah. He said things about killing them but in the end, they were all captured alive. I guess what the fox-eared old man said about him being kind was true B:Must be. I mean, he was even kind to us too` A:Yep. Were in a situation thats better than being worked to death. We also get to eat 3 times and we even get plenty of rest C: Thats right`. Im just glad I didnt get killed at that time A & B: Yup They thought that Caams threats were good but they didnt know that he was only forcing himself to do that. CH 69.1 Chapter 69(nice): That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure Part 2 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I need to check out the situation of the town so first things first lets check out the market Ive heard someone say that line somewhere.1 Because of that, I walked along the market street while listening for anything related to the towns guild, about the poor population, the lower class district, or the slums. Hey, you. Demonkin over there! Wanna buy some rare fish? Dark-skinned Ni-chan. Want some grilled squid? Oh my, its rare for a demonkin to come in these parts. We have fish that are in season for sale over here you know? I walked in the middle of the street while looking around since I was being called out by various store owners. I even found a store that was selling takoyaki. Apparently, it was introduced into this world by the hero so I bought one. While I was there, I tried asking about a couple of things. Head straight down this road till you reach an intersection, turn right then youll be at the lower-class district. If you get lost, just go to the gate to exit the town. If you start walking with that behind you while sticking to the left wall, youll reach the place without fail. As for the guild, its at the intersection. Youll be able to tell right away from the sign hanging on the building. Theres a guard office at the gate but theres probably another one in the harbor as well Thanks, Oba-chan. Since Oba-chans so kind, Ill buy another one Oh my, thank you. Here you go Hmm`, its good. I want to know the recipe for this sauce. I know that theres a lot of ingredients mixed in it, but aside from mayonnaise and tartar sauce, I cant identify the rest. There might also be tomato ketchup or boiled tomatoes that were crushed and mixed with salt and other ingredients in it but Im not really sure. Well, I guess I should just enjoy the tenderness and taste of the squid. I wonder if they had a blacksmith make that iron plate with round divots in it? Well, I guess I can just find out myself. Anyway, since the market area was crowded, I think the entire town might be the same way. Im not sure though since I was distracted by the takoyaki and didnt really pay much attention. I went along the road as I was told, went past a large intersection then headed to the gate where the guards station was. I knocked on the small door on the side of the large gate and said. Excuse me. I have something I want to ask After a while, an earnest-looking man clad in armor came out. What is it you would like to ask? Well, please come in first The man in armor opened the door as he said that. He led me into a small room that looked like it was used for interrogation then served me some tea. So? Whats the problem? We caught a lot of pirates. We didnt know how we should handle them so I came here to ask. What would be the best thing to do? Hmm I dont know how many pirates youre talking about but they are criminals so you need to hand them over to us. They will be turned into criminal slaves but since purchasing and selling slaves is illegal, the profit for selling them will be given to you as a reward for turning them in. Since were going to be the ones dealing with everything on your behalf, well be taking 20% of the profits. Would you be okay with that? I understand. That should be alright. If their captain has a reward for his capture, do you guys still take 20%? Those kinds of cases are also under our jurisdiction so please turn them over to us as well. However, if theres a bounty for their head, youll be paid all of it Alright. What would be a convenient time to do that then? Lets see Were going to be finishing up our work before the sun goes down so how about when the sun is three-quarters of the way down? So around four in the afternoon then? Alright. How are we supposed to do this? Theyre still locked up in our ship you know? I will inform the guard station located in the port so please head over there instead. Ill let them know the reason for your visit and your characteristics beforehand. Can I ask for your name? Its Caam. Thank you for giving me some of your precious time No, we should be the one thanking you for your cooperation in capturing the pirates After that, we politely exchanged farewells then he led me back to the entrance. It seems like they were trained properly since I was able to finish that without any inconveniences. With that done, I went back to the main street then headed for the guild. I entered the guild branch with the sign that I couldnt miss, then went to a beautiful woman seated behind the reception. What business do you have with us today? I would like to post something on that bulletin board. How much would that cost me? As I said that, I pointed my thumb towards the large bulletin board by the entrance. The cost of using the bulletin board is one silver coin for thirty days Alright. What is the size of the paper I should use? We will be the ones to provide that but do you require someone to write in your stead? If its the continents common language, I can write it The receptionist lady had an apologetic look on her face as she made a suggestion. If you dont mind, although it might double the fee, I suggest you do another post written in the human language. We also charge a fee to write it for you but Its alright. Does that mean that more people are using the humans language here? I apologize for the inconvenience but there are generally more humans in this continent I guess thats to be expected. Even though they also deal with the demonkin in this port city, its still located in the continent controlled by the humans. Well then, please take this paper and fill it up over there. We have a pen and ink prepared for you Thank you very much I stood up and brought the writing tools with me to another table. Hmm`, how should I write this? Well, whatever. Ill just wing it. ?Recruiting skilled workers to the island six days away from this town. We are looking for carpenters, masons, and blacksmiths. ?We currently only have a few islanders so theres not much option to spend it but a salary will be provided. The amount is negotiable. If you have a family, we will give you an advance payment. ?We are looking for 10 people at most. If there are a lot of applicants, an interview will be conducted. If you are interested, please gather at the guild 30 days after this has been posted. ?People who want to be independent, who are unable to get along with their current boss, people who think, I cant waste away in a place like this!. We are looking for those kinds of people. ?Person to contact: dark-blue skinned Caam Does that sound a bit shady? I guess its just fine. Here you go I handed the paper to the same receptionist lady who then thoroughly looked at what I just wrote. Looks like there are no problems with it. However, I am curious about this island thats 6 days away from here Ah, that? I have been entrusted with the development of that uninhabited island but I only have the humans and demonkin that were pushed on to me so I had no choice but to rely on this method of getting more workers I see. Then, as for the price of writing it in human language, it would be 1 large copper coin. Would that be okay? Yeah, thats fine. Ill entrust it to you As I said that, I took out two silver coins and a large copper coin from my bag then placed it on the counter. I have received the total amount. I shall write it in the human language now As she said that, she rewrote it, made sure that the ink was dry, then posted the papers to the bulletin board by the entrance. These will remain posted until thirty days from now. With that done, I shall be taking my leave Thanks After that, I left the guild then turned left at the intersection to reach the lower-class district. There was a unique atmosphere floating about the place. There were unmotivated old people sitting in the alleys and young men drinking alcohol in the streets. Hmm`, do they not employ lower class citizens or do these people just dont want to work? Hey hey, can I ask something? I asked the children on the street who were unsure of what to play. Common language. Dont, know The kid who seemed to be their leader spoke up. I. Human language. Speak. A bit Whats this, demonkin-oniichan. You should have said so in the first place. So? What do you want? Where, the church? Ah`, the church huh? Its that building with the sharp roof Thanks. Here. For your troubles As I said that, I gave them five copper coins. Woah`. Thanks, mister` They said that while waving their hands as they ran off. Lets go buy some treats` I could hear them say that as they got further and further away. It would be nice if the children would remain this innocent`. With that said, I headed for the church. Once I was there, I noticed that the building itself had various traces of being repaired. It seems like they were only able to patch up things here and there since they had no money to spare. As expected of a place thats in the lower class district. I could hear the voices of children coming from the back. Are they also operating as an orphanage? The building had large double doors for an entrance. It seemed like it was due for some oiling since it made a creaking sound so loud that there was no need for a door knocker when I opened it. As I entered the building, I was welcomed by a nun. Hello. Its quite rare for a demonkin like you to visit the humans church. However, since our god is almighty, even if our race is not in good terms with yours, he will accept anyone who comes to our church This isnt a good sign. This nun is the perfect definition of a devout person after all. What brings you here today? Are you here to offer a prayer? As she asked me that, I noticed a plain-looking statue of god. However, unlike the one I met in my dream, the statue had a muscular and robust looking body and was holding a sword and shield. Who the heck is this hunk of a deity? I can now understand why he asked me not to burst out laughing once I see his statue. No, I came to for a consultation If thats the case then please use the confession room With a gentle smile, she led me towards the confession room then left me there. So this is a confession room, huh? I havent been to one in my previous life but I guess it should be like this. Its just a narrow box I muttered that as I entered the box. After a while, I heard the sound of the door opening and someone coming in from the other side. What is troubling you today my lost child? Judging from the voice, is that an old man? I guess it wouldnt make sense if it was just the nun that greeted me earlier that came in on the other side. Uhm, Ill just get straight to it. I was suddenly given subordinates and had the development of an uninhabited island entrusted to me. There are demonkin and humans among those subordinates, and as far as Ive heard, the humans would feel at ease if there is a place they could go to pray to god. Thats why, even if its a small one, I would like to construct a church on that island. After asking one of them, they told me that even small villages have a church so even if its just an apprentice, I think they would be happy if there was a priest or a nun on the island Its probably fine if I only say that much. Its wonderful to know that even though you are a demonkin, you are properly thinking of the wellbeing of the humans. Im sure that god is watching over you because of that. Now, as for sending a representative, you are required to make a donation to the church. Well send some of it to the main church at the imperial capital but well also use it to repair this church and to feed the orphans so I hope that you will make a generous donation from the kindness in your heart Hmm`, sounds fishy. I wonder if this is really fine. I understand. I am thankful that you would go out of your way to teach an uneducated demonkin such as myself of those things. As for the donation, I will be paying a reasonable amount. But first, I would like to ask what kind of procedure do I have to go through before we could have a representative sent to our island? Information is important after all. It would be troublesome if I dont ask these kinds of stuff now. If it is urgent, we can immediately make arrangements after the donation has been made. There is usually only one traveling and they only carry a small bag with them so it really is quite simple. You only need to write down the name of the village and where it is located. After that, it would be best if they could accompany you back to ensure they wont get lost or be in harms way. However, if that is not possible, they would just navigate to the destination using the instructions you will write down. Oh, so thats how it goes. Im not really sure how much I should give them now. Can I use a gold coin? I guess its fine since Ill get five more once I turn in Orca. Well then, here is my donation As I said that, I took one gold coin and handed it over the priest through a small gap on the wall. ! W-w-we have certainly received a generous donation. I-I will be making sure that things get processed as soon as possible Huh? Was that too much? I still dont have a sense of how to spend money in this world huh? While I was thinking that, I received a form asking for the name of the representative and the location so I filled it up. The villages name My birthplace is called Beryl so I guess Ill just go with something close like Aquamarine. I wonder if its fine if I just decide on it on my own. It wouldnt be a problem if I call it that since the islands coast is so beautiful right? It fits, right? For its location, its in between the continents and is six days away from Corundum. The representative is me, Caam. Why is it necessary to put in the race? Ill just write Demonkin then. As for the amount Ill donate I guess 3 large silver coins would be fine.2 Ive finished writing. Its fine to do it in the common language right? As I said that, I gave the paper back to him. I would like to ask more serious questions, would that be alright? He suddenly said that in a serious voice. As long as I can answer it This island is the one where a Demon Lord that was recently slain by the hero for exploiting humans. Are you aware of that? Yes. Ive heard about that I see. Caam-san, are you perhaps a Demon Lord? No, Im not. If I was then I wouldnt have come here and I wouldnt be inviting a representative of the church to the island Its important to keep things nice and simple to avoid getting exposed. Finally, why did you decide to go to a church in the lower class district? It might all be just a rumor but Ive heard about the distinguished priests of the royal capital that only work to fill their pockets and satisfy their sexual desires. It might be impolite but it is for that reason that I chose such a small church on the outskirts like this. To be frank, I thought that theres no way they would be spending lavish amounts of money in that place I see As for your donation, it was more than enough. Thank you for your generosity. With that, this consultation is now over so please sit down and wait in one of the pews outside Thank you very much I left the confession room but I didnt see the priest come out. Seems like the door on the listeners side isnt connected to the church. Adrea, I have a job for you. Weve received a request to establish a church on an uninhabited island Understood The client is the demonkin from earlier but he seems nice so you dont have to worry. Make sure you train properly so you can be a splendid member of our church I understand. I shall go and ask for further details A demonkin? Just what in the world is he thinking? CH 69.2 Chapter 69: That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure Part 2 After waiting for a while, the nun who welcomed me earlier came in and said. I have heard about it from the priest. I am Adrea. I am pleased to make your acquaintance Likewise. The names Caam We greeted each other then she immediately went down to business. I apologize for being abrupt but I want to talk about our schedule. What should I do? We came to this port city via ship to procure goods among other stuff so we will be departing two days from now in the morning. Would that be alright? It should be fine. Ive lived a simple life and I only have a few personal belongings after all. I already have all of my clothes in a bag so there should be no problems I dont think thats something you should say so proudly What kind of woman has all of her belongings in just one bag? I see. Well, let me know if you have something important that needs to be prepared. If its something that only a woman can get, let me know as well so that I can give you the money to buy it Hmm Are you worried that I wont have enough underwear? I also dont have a lot of habits but they dont need to have embroideries such as this. A simple one is more than enough. We have plenty of spares in this church so should I bring another smaller bag full of them? 1 Sure. I cant buy you the underwear though. Ill be providing you with the money so would you be okay with buying it yourself? I understand. From looking at the document, I see that it takes six days by boat to reach the island so I will prepare a bit more. As for the type of underwear, flashy articles are too excessive for a body such as mine so something cheap would be enough. I know a place that sells a pair for 2 large copper coins so if you can give me enough for three pairs, that would be perfect I see. Well then, Ill give you the money now. Lets meet again in two days at the port As I said that, I gave her two silver coins then went to the box for donations to the orphanage and dropped in two large silver coins. As I did that, Uhmthats too much! I heard her call me out but I just ignored her. Hmm. I need to find a doctor next Should I ask someone again? The area deeper into the lower class district had an unpleasant smell so it seems like this place turns more and more into the slums the deeper I go. I wonder if theres even a doctor in a place like this. It doesnt seem like it will be a problem if theres none after all. After walking for a while, I noticed several people glaring at me. I just ignored them and continued walking but someone finally came over and picked a fight with me. Oi. Whats a stupid looking demonkin like you doing in a place like this. If you wanna get through this place, you better leave your lu` Without even letting him finish what he was saying, I immediately hit his chin with my palm. It would be more efficient if they just attack me from the get-go rather than try to threaten me. Because of what I did, his friends all came out at the same time with blades that were in such sorry shape. It was at least better than nothing I guess. It seemed like they were trying to look for the right timing to attack but since I dont care about that, I took out anObsidian Halberd using magic then hit the ground using the ishizuki2 to give them a warning. I dont intend to do anything to them but I should probably intimidate them a bit. I wont go easy on you if you try to attack. Anyway, if you answer my question, Ill give you some money As I said that, I took out a silver coin from my pocket and showed it to them. Hehe. Sorry about that my dear sir. What do you have to ask? Their attitude completely changed after what I did. Well, I guess thats alright. There doesnt seem to be plenty of people around these parts so its fine if there arent any but do you guys know where I can find a doctor? Do you have a dangerous job for him? The man asked me that in a low voice. Why did you interpret it that way? Are the demonkins really that scary to you? A clinic that has no patients is pointless, right? Thats why Im trying to invite such a capable person to come with me instead of them wasting away here Well, Im not sure about that. Even though there arent a lot of people, they are still needed here you know? If people dont come here, they wont get to eat. And besides, whats the difference between a doctor that has stopped practicing and a doctor that has left? I apologize for being frank butWill anyone in the lower class district even go to the doctor when they get sick? Well, thats true but You never know. Someone might go there you know? They guided me to the clinic while we were having that exchange. Its over here Thanks. Heres the reward, as promised. Share it with everyone and get yourselves a nice drink I tossed the silver coin to them. Alright! Lets go and drink! They had the same reaction as the kids earlier Theyre just larger children I guess`. Good day. Is anybody here? There was nobody there when I opened the door so I tried calling them out. After a while, a man that had unkempt hair and stubby beard with a sake bottle in hand came from the inner part of the building. Even though hes a doctor, he has no trace of cleanliness at all. A customer? His breath smells of sake. I dont know if hes capable of making rational decisions but Ill try to negotiate. No Im not Then leave As he said that, he was about to go back inside so I immediately followed up. I am here to recruit you Recruit me? Well, I guess I can listen to what you have to say It looks like hes a bit interested so it seems like Ive hooked him in. As I was trying to say, I require a doctor for our island. This might sound rude but I picked this place upon the recommendation of a couple of hoodlums in this area since I had no one to ask Tsk Being recommended by those goons is all that Im good for these days huh? Come back tomorrow morning. Ill think about it until then I see. It would help if you could make your decision as soon as possible. That way, if you refuse, I will have the time to search someplace else. Considering the number of islanders we have, I dont think having a second doctor is necessary so I dont really want to go out and find another one before the day ends. I apologize if Im pressuring you Is that all? Then leave. Ill think about it after Ive cleared my head Understood. Before I leave, can I ask if you have any family? Does it look like I have any? I was thinking of paying you in advance so that theyll be able to afford their living expenses for a while but My parents are already dead and I dont have a wife. I dont have a wife so I dont have a kid. Got that? I apologize if my question offended you Hmph! If theres nothing else then leave Ill be taking my leave Hmm`. Im not sure what hell end up deciding but I guess Ill just have to believe. Now then, its already too late to have lunch so I guess I should head to the port. I wonder if I should just wait by the boat or go to the guard station myself. Hmm What to do While I was thinking about that, I walked towards the harbor and as I reached our ship, a soldier wearing leather armor called out to me. Are you Caam, the one who wants to hand over some pirates? Yes. Thats correct Ive heard all about it from the guys at the gate. Can you lead me to the ship? Sure. This way please I pointed at the ship we were in front of. Were here It resembles a regular shipping vessel so they probably wont find out that it was formerly owned by pirates. I see. I will call for reinforcements so please give me a moment The soldier ran off somewhere after he said that. Im back~ Huh? What happened Maou-san? The soldiers wholl be picking up Orca and his crew are on their way here. Thats why you guys should stop calling me Maou-san. Now repeat after me. Caam-san Eh? Ah. C-Caamu-san Thats still a bit stiff! Caam-san Hmm`, good enough I guess. So, why are you guys here? We want to go to the red light district but since its still closed right now, were taking care of the ship and standing watch while we wait for the night. As for the others, theyre in the drinking group Ah`, I guess the sake on the island has run out huh? Well, Ill buy some tomorrow so dont worry about that Is Caam-san here? Yes~. Coming It seems like the soldiers hurriedly came back. Is it alright if we board the ship now? I gave the crew a look reminding them what I said earlier then I nodded my head and replied. Sure. Go ahead Now then Will it be fine for all of us to accompany you to where the pirates are being held? It should be fine. Its over here I led the soldiers to the storage room. Once we were there, I spoke to the pirates inside. Listen up. Ill be handing you to the authorities now. Dont struggle okay? I have the soldiers here with me after all. It would be dangerous for you if you try anything weird you know? I turned the key, opened the door, then let the soldiers do their thing. The pirates still struggled while they were being taken away but they were pretty docile in the end. Are these all of them? Yes. These guys are the only ones on the boat Hmm You were able to capture all of them uninjured huh? They are also unable to speak for some reason Thats true. They seemed like they werent feeling well when they attacked us. Thats why they dont have injuries That was a pretty long sigh.3 The description matches and the flag looks genuine so they seem to be the real deal. The reward for Orcas capture is five gold coins. Criminal slaves go for 1 large silver coins each so since he has forty-three men, youll get 80% of that So all in all, its 8 gold, 4 large silver, and 4 silver coins huh? Criminal slaves are surprisingly cheap. I guess bounty hunters cant earn their keep unless they go for the bigger fishes. I dont plan on being one though you didnt even use an abacus but you calculated that quite quickly Thats not really a big deal you know? 4 If we convert the one large silver well get for each of them into silver coins, since there are forty-three of them, well get a total of 430 silvers. Since Im going to get 80%, Ill lose two silvers for each one. Multiply that with their total number and subtract the product from the total amount, Ill end up with 344 silvers. Calculating that shouldnt be a problem even for someone in the middle grades of grade school. The first digit in 344 is the number of gold coins, the second one large silvers, and the third is for silver coins. All thats left is to add the reward for turning Orca in then Im done. Well, I guess the general populaces education is pretty low so its understandable why hes surprised. It seems like everyones at least capable of basic arithmetic though. Well, most of them just go to the coal mines so thats why theyre cheap Human lives are pretty cheap in this world huh? Well, I guess thats just them reaping what theyve sown. While I was thinking about that, another soldier behind the one I was talking to started whispering something to him. After the message was relayed, they began talking with me again. I had my subordinates calculate it and its exactly as you said. However, I apologize as we are unable to give you the total amount today. Well have it ready by tomorrow morning so please go to the gate close to the residential district and take this with you. Theres a large guard station in that area They sure are well-mannered soldiers. Its kinda weird`. I understand I received the document, read it thoroughly, and checked for any mistakes. I also rubbed the ink with my finger to make sure that it wont wipe off and reveal something different or other fishy details like that. Ill be there tomorrow morning then. Thanks for your hard work That was quite a thorough inspection. Did something happen in the past? Oh, Im sorry but I just wanted to make sure everything was right I see. I agree that its necessary to be prudent when it comes to these things. Well then. Well be taking our leave Phew`. Im really tired Caam-san. You really are amazing, arent you? You said the same thing a long time ago, didnt you? That was different since that was about your strength. This time, Im talking about how smart, cautious, and brave you are You wont get discovered if you do it confidently after all Youre good at cooking, strong, sensible, and courageous. I would have fallen for you if I was a woman you know? Ah`. Thanks I guess I should probably watch my back when I sleep tonight N-no! Wait! That was just a figure of speech! I know. Well then, Ill be in my cabin if you need me. Once the drinking group comes back, you can go ahead and eat dinner without me. Also, please get someone whos still relatively sober from their group to report to me. Well, I guess I can just come out since Ill know when theyre back from just hearing them Roger As I was relaxing on the bed in my room, I heard someone outside. Maho`san. Maou-san. Mao-saaan. Maou-san~. Were back you know~ That drunken slur was immediately followed by a knock on the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by a sailor who fell forward because he fell asleep. So this ones the least drunk out of all of them huh? While muttering that, I put a silver coin in my pocket then went out to the deck to check things out. There were several men out there shouldering each other and singing loudly while contaminating the deck with their vomit. After that, they all split up with some continuing to drink straight from the bottle, some going to sleep on the floor with empty bottles as their pillows, and the eccentric few climbing up the mast to start howling. 5 He really was the least drunk I loosened the clothes of the sailors lying down then shifted them sideways so they wont choke on their vomit and die. While praying that I wont find anyone dead when I get back, I went out to have my dinner. As I walked around, I found out that there were nightly establishments that serve both demonkin and humans. I tried to reject their invitation by telling them that I have a wife and kids but they didnt give up so I told them that I didnt bring my wallet. After they heard that, they immediately changed their attitudes and started shouting profanities and curses at me. This is just the worst Well anyway, the food in the shop I randomly chose was delicious but being heckled by a woman I happened to meet on the way home ended my day in a bad taste. ~Idle Talk~ A nuns small but big luxury Father, that demonkin, the one called Caam. He just put two large silver coins in the donation box meant to be used for the orphanage I see. We should let the children eat their fill today then Understood. I also need to prepare for my trip so Ill go buy ingredients a bit earlier than usual. I received a personal donation for my trip as well. What should I do with that? That is something Caam-san gave you, Adrea. Use it in however way you see fit Understood. Its too much for me so I will donate half of it to the church Thats fine. To tell you the truth, I have received a gold coin as a donation for your job I braced myself as I was about to fall from hearing that news. But Why did it only say three large silver coins on the document? It seems like he was being considerate and only wrote that amount. Because of that, we will only have to send half the written amount to the capital. With this, we will now be able to repair the roof and reinforce the walls. Normally, I would pray to god for this blessing but today, I would like to thank the kind and conscientious demonkin, Caam I agree. Well then, I shall go and do the shopping Take care Muu. I guess Ill just buy five pairs of underwear while Im at it. After that, Ill go to the main street and spend the rest on some sweets. This is the first time Ive had money that I can freely use after all. Even the head priest told me I could spend it as I like so its fine to let loose a little, right? Ive been wanting to try this Crepe that Ive heard about for a while now you know? Its fluffy and has plenty of sweet seasonal fruitsis it really fine for me to have such an extravagant thing? I should just use the leftover money to buy some candy for the children then go home. I have to leave this town in two days after all. Still, Im sure I would get resented if I dont buy my fellow nuns something. Ah, I didnt tell them I was going to buy them something though. What to do? Should I just give them these remaining five large copper coins instead? God, please help me. What should I do? While writing the idle talk, the nun ended up being adorable. Because of that, I started wanting to write a story about her. Should I do a spin-off or something? It might also be a good idea to add it to the Maou Muji side stories. Ill try to write it when I feel like it. TL: Im going to translate the side stories since there are some interesting ones but Im not really sure what chapter number I should put for a few of them that were just written on a whim and have no chapter related to them in the main story I skimmed through the side story chapters and I dont think the author wrote one about Adrea P.S. Ive always thought Idle Talk wasnt really a good translation but what do you guys think? Should I just change this to Omake or something? CH 70.1 Chapter 70: That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure Last Part TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Even in my cabin, I was able to wake up at the usual time. After listening to the cry of the seabirds and breathing in the refreshing sea breeze, I went up the deck where I found a lot of pirates rolling around. The deck floor was also covered in a certain sour-smelling dirty liquid. I just pretended that I didnt see that and went to the dining room with a terrace where I had a light breakfast with some sweet tea as I leisurely passed the refreshing morning. After that, I went to the guard station I was told to go yesterday. I was immediately accommodated when I presented the document but they paid me in large silver coins. The pile of large silver coins formed a mountain There were probably around 80 coins there. Uhm. Its going to be difficult for me to carry all of these so do you not have gold coins? I apologize but we dont have the larger currencies on hand here so please just find a way to store it Hmm`. I understand. Well, I guess its fine since Im immediately going back to our ship after this but can I get someone to escort me back? This is still a significant amount of money after all Unfortunately, we are unable to provide that. I truly apologize for that I see. Well Our ship is only about five hundred paces away so it should be fine I looked at our ship and estimated the distance as I said that. I might be put in danger if anything happens Are you fine with that? Uhm, if possible, we hope that wouldnt happen but As I said that, I took the large silver coins, packed them in my rucksack, then hugged it tightly in front of my chest as I ran back to the ship. Captain`. Captain` I was trying to wake up the captain who was lying down on the deck but he wouldnt get up so I decided to give him a light kick. Y-yes! This is the reward that we got for turning in the pirates yesterday. Please put it away in the storage room. Ill use some of it for negotiations so Ill take a few I took ten coins then left to head to the slum-like area in the lower class district where the doctor I met yesterday resides. Once I was there, I knocked on the door as you normally would but since nobody came out, I knocked even harder. There was still no answer even though I did that so I just decided to let myself in. Excuse me`. Im the demonkin that came here yesterday Whos so damn noisy? Cant you let me sleep in peace? Ah, its you He immediately changed his tone once he realized it was me. I wonder if I can expect a favorable reply? I am here to hear your reply That was unexpected. I didnt think he would agree after all. what is it? I havent been able to pay the rent for this place lately so can you pay it for me? I see. How much rent do you owe? As I said that, he raised his right hand with five fingers extended. Is it five gold coins? If so, then thats impossible. This wasnt part of the agreement so No. Thats not it. Its 5 large silvers If thats the case then I should be able to pay it. Anyway, since we dont have a lot of people on the island, we dont trade using money yet. Because of that, youll be working without pay for a while I dont mind I took out 8 large silver coins from my wallet. Lets just say that five of those coins are for your employment fee. Use the remaining three to buy the necessary tools and medicine youll need for work. Its fine to use it all up so please make sure you are properly prepared O-okay Is it not enough? Do you also have debt with the medicine wholesaler? Thats not it. Theres no one to buy medicine here in the first place so I dont sell them If thats the case then you have no debt with them. Thats good I took out three more silver coins. Please use this to fix your appearance. You dont look like a doctor after all. Cut your hair, get a clean shave, and buy clean clothes at the very least. I wouldnt mind if youre maintaining a beard but thats just stubble, isnt it? got it Next will be about our schedule. Like what I said yesterday, we will be departing tomorrow morning so please complete your preparations and have your tools on board before then. Let me know if you require assistance so that I can arrange for a few of the sailors to come and help you out. What will you be doing after this? Im going to buy some sanitizing equipment and tools as well as a couple of boxes of bottled medicines. I cant carry all of those on my own so please have someone lend me a hand I see. Ill arrange for some sailors to come here so please be ready to move out by then. Would five men be enough? Y-yeah. That should be more than enough. Maybe too much even Well then, I guess I should finally introduce myself. I am Caam. I look forward to working with you from now on The names Antonio. Ill be in your care Alright. Ill leave you be to finish up your preparations Sure After that, I hurriedly returned to the ship and doused the sailors with a Water Ballto wake them up since they were still lying on the deck due to being hungover. I found a doctor. Hell be bringing his tools as well as a couple of boxes of bottled medicine along so I will need five people to go over there and help him carry it. Dont you worry though because Im not telling you to work for free. How about two silver a day? I think that should more than what people who do proper work earn in a day but how about it? Ill go Me too I was able to immediately get volunteers but they looked unsteady because of their hangover. Can you really do it? You still look unsteady. Youre going to be carrying bottles of medicine and medical equipment so it would end up being a waste if you drop them. Do you understand? Yup It seems like theyre not going to get themselves together if I dont give them some pep talk. Get in line Eh? Just do it. Get in line Because of the unusual situation they were in, the five sailors just did as they were told. Once they were lined up, I lightly threw aWater ball at them. Did that wake you up? Let me make myself clear. I need you to make sure that you do this task properly. You guys can read maps, right? I dont think theres going to be a problem since its just a simple diagram but heres a map to the doctors house in this town and ten silver coins for everyone. Now, do you guys think you can do that? Yes sir! Youre still too quiet. Once more Sir, yes sir! Alright. Operation start! Go, go, go! As I said that, they all rushed out of the ship while they were still soaked. I guess thats fine since theyll be dry by the time they get to that place. WIth this, Ive managed to get the staff we need. All thats left is the supplies for the island CH 70.2 Chapter 70: That time when we went to the humans continent to canvass and procure Last Part TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Since were in a port town, there should be a place where the merchants unload their cargo so Ill try to walk around to find it. After looking around for a while, I found a place with several people transporting goods from a large ship to a warehouse. I decided to enter the warehouse and approached the humans who looked like they were taking a break. Excuse me. Can I ask you something? Hm? Sure` A nice young man with thick arms, wearing a tank top and with a towel wrapped around his head replied to me. Is the merchant who owns this warehouse here? Yeah. This warehouse is owned by Nils-san. Hes over there He pointed towards a person at the back as he said that. Ah`, okay okay. Ive seen him before. Thank you very much No problem` I had a smirk on my face as I approached to greet him. Good morning Nils-san. There is something I want to talk to you about. Do you have time? As I said that, Nils turned around and he probably remembered who I was since he looked surprised. Ah`. The demonkin from that time. Whats the matter? Good thing he didnt accidentally call me Demon Lord. He probably knew that it would be a bad idea to do that and was considerate of me. I apologize for not giving you my name back then. My name is Caam Dont worry about it since I also failed to do the same. Im Nils. Pleased to make your acquaintance. So? What brings you here? I happened to obtain a ship for myself so I brought it here to resupply. I thought that if I went to a merchant warehouse around here, I would get the supplies cheaper than if I bought it at a store but who would have thought that I would meet the merchant from that time I see. Thats quite the scary coincidence, isnt it? However, negotiation might be necessary depending on what you need. I might also not have what you require but Ill introduce you to someone I know if it comes to that Okay. Thank you very much. That should be fine Well then, shall we begin our negotiations? Follow me After saying that, I was led to a place that looked like an office/break room at the corner of the warehouse. I looked around and made sure no one was listening in before we started our conversation. Thanks for not calling me out back there Dont worry about it. It would have caused chaos if I just called you Maou-san after all. Ill brew us some tea first Thanks We drank the tea then waited for the other to finish before we began our negotiations. Now then, since we know each other from that time, let stop probing each other and just get straight to the point Im not good at haggling so I would prefer that. I guess I should start with what I need then. First, I need clothes for the islanders so Ill get 300 sets of hemp shirts and pants then 100 pairs of shoes made of the commonly used leather. Ill also get 30 sets of childrens clothing and 10 pairs of childrens shoes Nils was taking note of what I said so I continued. As for wheat Im sorry if this is common knowledge since Im uneducated but how many people can consume a sack of wheat? Lets see You put one cup into a mold to make bread so one sack makes around 200 loaves I guess Assuming that one cup is 150 grams, 200 loaves should be 30 kilograms. Well, that should be a good enough estimation I guess. If I remember correctly, one sack was 3 large copper coins. Would having 200 sacks of wheat be enough for us until we can harvest our crops? Does it still go for the same price as the last time I bought some from you? Does the price fluctuate? For someone claiming to be uneducated, you seem to be quite familiar with some odd terminologies. The inner villages of this continent had a lot of bounty in their recent harvest so its gone down a bit I see. In that case, Ill take 200 sacks so that well have enough to eat until the next harvest. The potatoes we bought last time will be ready to harvest soon but Im not sure if it will be enough for us so Ill also get 50 sacks of that. Ill purchase some beddings as well, about 60 sets. All thats left is the liquor. I dont know the price of a barrel but its to raise everyones spirit so Ill get 10 barrels Buying something you dont know the price of huh? Thats quite a risky purchase, isnt it? Well, thats where the negotiations come in Haha. Thats quite frightening. Well, I guess youre actually kind since youre a Demon Lord who came all the way here to purchase indulgences Like that, I continued naming items we needed then asked him to calculate the total. Nils-san started fiddling around with his abacus then showed it to me. It should be around this much The liquor is pretty expensive as expected. Since its just a luxury item, Ill reduce the amount by a bit. Also, do you know how many drinks you can get from a single barrel? Hmm, if its the fruit wines, one barrel is equivalent to about 300 bottles Three hundred bottles Those are probably those irregular 700ml bottles like the cheap stuff at supermarkets. Well, I guess that amount should be roughly correct. Hmm, Ill just get six barrels then Yes yes. Are you fine with the rest? Lets see I took a look at the items listed, tried to figure out what the cost per item was in my head then verified that it was pretty much a fair price. I cant reduce the foodstuff, clothing, and daily necessities but our budget is a bit tight so it would be better if I just reduce the amount of the other items I started taking out items from the list that we dont really need and those that we can just buy some other time. I had him recalculate the total each time until it was within our budget. Now, I think this is where we should start the negotiations but as an apology for coming unannounced and rummaging through your inventory, Ill take it at that price. Just think of it as an inconvenience fee Nils-an nodded so it seems like he understood what I was trying to say. I wont make a profit if the price goes down after all so I purposely dont get a lot or just not sell any until the prices go back to normal Its just like how diamonds were handled the same way back in my previous life. Yup, thats exactly what Im talking about After that, we finalized the negotiations and I decided to move on to the next topic. Now then, shall we talk about something else? Go ahead Id like to show you this tea-like thing that I found on the island As I said that, I presented the coffee to him. I brewed it by putting it in a cloth then letting hot water I made from magic pass through it into the empty teacups. Its bitter but you can add sugar or any kind of animal milk to it. I think adding cows milk would be the best though Alright but let me try it as is first Nils-san took a sip after he said that and his face immediately distorted. It really is bitter even though it had a nice aroma while you were making it Well, the islanders had differing opinions about it. Some liked it while others didnt Mu, I havent tasted something this bitter before. This is What do you think? It should sell right? That should be the case Were still in the testing stage so we havent cultivated some land on the island to grow this fruit. Well, once our food self-sufficiency rate goes up and we have a surplus of wheat, well be able to recruit more islanders then I think well be able to proceed with the land development but its still possible that everything doesnt go according to plan. Even if we hire people with the money we have, since its not possible to earn income on the island yet, we cant just rely on that. Thats why please just consider it as a future product for now. We also have this As I said that, I handed him the thread that I got from that large cocoon I found. Whats this? Im not really sure myself Hmm`, its a thread, isnt it? Yes. You know about silk thread right? Yeah I found a cocoon that looks like that of the moth used in silk production so let it boil in hot water then extracted the thread. Im not actually certain what monster that cocoon came from but I think it should be some kind of moth or butterfly. I need to let it grow before I can be sure so thats why I said I dont know. However, if theres a demand for it, we could start the thread production back on the island. It would depend on the season though You certainly cant say for sure but if you dont weave it into cloth at least once, you wont be able to tell how it feels Then I shall leave this thread with you. Please find someone among your connections who can turn it into a small cloth There was no one in Beryl Village who knew how to weave after all so its impossible to manufacture it there. I understand. I will do just that. What should I do with the end product though? You pass by the island from time to time right? Its only every now and then though That should be fine. Ah While were at it, Id like to ask you one more thing. I want some livestock so that we can have a stable supply of meat. However, it would be impossible to transport them on a ship unless it has the proper facilities, wouldnt it? I think that the ship I used to get here can manage it if its just the smaller livestock though. Because of that, Ill take 10 pigs since its easy to increase their numbers and six sheep for their wool and meat. Since cows and horses would be difficult to manage, Ill just purchase them next time. How much should I pay in advance? I honestly want to transport them via transfer magic but Im afraid of them going wild and the thing would end up in a bloody mess. It would be fine if its just a tail but if they start going wild and the head is sticking out by the time the transfer completes, I would scream.1 Hmm`, I dont deal with livestock but Ill ask a friend of mine to do something about it Nils-san fiddled around with his abacus then showed me the price. Thank you very much. Ill give you half for the meantime so please prepare the contract Alright but wouldnt it be better to carry the children? He was already starting to write up the contract as he said that. People who can work while talking sure are amazing. Ah`, I didnt even consider their young What will it be? Shall I cancel the contract? No, you might not be able to secure them in time since were going back to the island tomorrow so just leave it I see. Piglets and lambs are relatively easy to get but there certainly are times when they become difficult Lets just go with that if they are available the next time I visit I understand. I will let my merchant friend know Please verify if all the details are correct While I was finishing up my coffee, he asked me to do that so I looked over it and verified that there were no mistakes. Yes, its all good Then lets end this negotiation here Nils-san dropped wax on the document, pressed his stamp over it, then gave it to me. Alright. Ill pay the fee so please have someone escort you to our ship No no no, its fine I guided Nils-san to our ship. Once we were there I smacked the sailors who were still asleep. Were going to be loading some cargo so please clean the deck. Those who are free should help to carry it on board. After the cleaning group is done, they should help out as well. Ill leave it to the captain to watch over the ship YesRoger! Well be the ones to bring the cargo on board so please have someone oversee them I trust you so its not really necessary but if you say so, Ill do as you ask. Please get in touch with me once again after theyre done loading the cargo. Until then, Ill take care of some other job I have to do I handed the money to Nils-san then he gave me the contract with some words of assurance. Shall we go back then? I escorted him back inside then went to the ship. When I got back, some of the items that were brought on board were already sorted. Woah`. Caam-san, did you buy alcohol too!? Yeah`! I can drink again! Ooh`, you guys sure are motivated. Ill leave it with you guys to bring them in then Eh? There are only six barrels after all so its not like we need everyone to carry them. Well, you guys will have to go back and forth to get them so Im not exactly jealous. Anyway, lets get the beddings and clothes on board, shall we? Roger! The rest of the sailors were grinning while telling the others to do their best. I guess they dont want to carry the barrels because theyre heavy. I used Physical Enhancement to increase my strength by 10% then took the initiative to carry the heavier luggage and put them on the racks. The sailors who were carrying the smaller wine barrels seemed like they hurt their waist so I had them get taught the trick to carry them while I carried the rest on my own. Theres a trick for carrying empty ones as well but or so I was told but once I carried one of the barrels, cheers went up from inside the warehouse all the way to the ship. Ni-chan! Thats pretty amazing for such thin arms! Why dont you work for us? The pays nice you know? Come to the bar tonight! Lets drink! They kept saying stuff like that. Since it couldnt be helped, I just went ahead and carried the rest of the barrels. Nils-san. Its done Alright. Ill be right there Nils-san received the documents from the clerk and confirmed that there were no missing or excess items loaded. Alright, thats all of them. Thank you for your purchase. Please come again After saying that, he politely bowed his head. It was such a merchant-like bow. You dont have to thank me. I should be the one thanking you instead for letting me buy your products even though I came unannounced I also gave him a polite bow. My previous lifes memories are the best! You dont act like someone developing an uninhabited island at all. How about studying a bit more and working for me? Id have to refuse since a relaxing life on the island fits me better Oh my, I was given the cold shoulder. Well then, till we meet again Yes. Thank you very much Well then, shall we have a late lunch? Theres still some money from the reward we received yesterday so please follow me even if youve already used up the money I gave you As I said that, the people who were sitting on the deck suddenly became lively. Caam-sans the best! I was going to just eat hard bread today but Ill go`. Ill come with you` It seems like theyre in good condition if they can say that much. Please think about the consequences before you use it all up then` What if I suddenly pass away? All of that money would just end up being wasted if I dont use it! Hmm`, I guess thats one way to think of it` Thats kinda like an Edoite mentality. Right? Its possible right!? Yeah but I personally cant imitate that way of thinking so Ill just continue to save up What are you holding back for, now that were here? Wouldnt you regret it if you dont have enough money to buy something you truly need though? And besides, didnt we come here to make this better for everyone else back at the island? Yeah` Anyway, lets go. Were going to take turns standing watch so dont feel bad that youre left behind. Ill give you some spending money once I get back after all Follow me. I know a good place With that, we left in order to have our lunch. When I came back to the ship, there was a new and improved Antonio waiting for me there. His unkempt blond hair had been washed and neatly tied at the back of his head. His stubble was shaved along the cheeks leaving his sideburns that were trimmed to go along his chin. He was also wearing new clothes. Youve helped me a lot. You have my thanks Woah. I didnt recognize you for a moment there. Iya`, you look a lot different, dont you`? Youll have an easier time finding a woman like this, am I right? I looked at the sailors as I said that. Even with my previous worlds standards, hes like a stern but cool-looking middle-aged man. I hate to admit it as a man but I also think he looks cool. Lets go get a drink tonight and find you a beautiful woman! So cool. I want to look like this when I get older Thats right O-okay Please teach me how to look like that I just went to a fashionable shop and just asked for some clothes that suited me. After that, it became like this. Once my clothes were settled, I had the shopkeeper clean up my beard then she lightly washed my hair and tied it up. She even said something about the foundation being good Please dont put your hands on multiple women on the island okay? S-sure They talked about the island and the characteristics of the humans living there after that. They also talked about the pirates and the women they held captive as well as countermeasures to prevent attacks in the future. Then, we went to the bar I was invited to when I was carrying the barrels. At first, they were just getting to know each other as they drank but then the usually quiet first mate slowly started to enjoy himself because of the alcohol. You know, the captain has changed a lot thanks to Caam-san. In the old day, he would just forcefully entrust things to his subordinates after all. I dont think he has told this to Caam-san but when he was drunk he told us that he was thankful for being changed I see. Thats good, isnt it? Everyone is now doing their best as sailors after all. Well, some still go back to their roots from time to time but the first mate hasnt changed much, has he? Thats right. Back then till now, hes still like this. Maybe even in the future2 Youre quite the poet, arent you? Thats right I went out to the deck to smell the fresh morning air and hear the crying of the sea birds but it was impossible today. After what happened yesterday, aside from me, the rest of the crew went out to drink with Antonio and came back dead drunk. They all fell asleep at the deck. It was a lot better this time since it wasnt dirty but Captain`. Please wake up`! I was going to hit it again but I remembered that thats what I did yesterday so this time I did it gently. Ugh! The nun from the church will be arriving soon so please start preparing for departure After seeing my smile as I said that, he immediately started preparing for departure. I guess its understandable for the first mate to have that kind of personality if you have a captain like this. If the two of them were rowdy, things would really get out of control after all. Well, as for what happened last night, it seems like they just went wild since it had been a long time since they had alcohol and women. After a while, I saw a woman wearing a religious habit walking on the street so I went out to greet her. Good morning We laughed at our simultaneous greeting then I carried her really small amount of luggage and guided her to the ship. There are only men on the ship so you might feel uncomfortable about it but please bear with it for now No, Im fine with it. However, I am worried that the order would get disrupted by my presence. Everyone else is a man so wouldnt they feel uncomfortable having a woman on board? Shes worried more about the welfare of the others rather than herself, huh? Clergymen sure are amazing. I think its fine but I dont know about everybody else. Weve been in town for a while though so they should have already played around enough I see. Well then, I wouldnt want to be a bother so should I eat my meals at a separate location and time from everyone else? Hmm, I think its unnecessary. On the contrary, I think they would probably be enthusiastic since they would want to show the opposite sex their good side. Men are simple beings after all I shall be having my meals together with everyone then Got it. Please bear with it for at least six days. Now then, let me show you your room I guided Adrea-san to one of the few private rooms on the ship. This will be Adrea-sans room. This is a private room that can be locked from the inside so please rest assured. Also, there might be some mischievous people who plan to steal your underwear or stuff so please lock your room whenever you go out As I said that, I gave her the key. Ive heard about it from the priest but do all men really do that? I dont think everyone does it but there are some that have wicked thoughts. Please scream if anything happens. That way, someone will immediately come to your aid I understand. It would be best if nothing happens but if something does, Ill make sure to scream so Ill be counting on you at that time Her smile as she said that made my heart flutter a bit. Y-yes. Please let me know if you need hot water to wipe your body with Even though clean water is such a precious resource on board? At least thats what Ive heard Ah`, Ill be the one producing the water with my magic I made a warm water ball on my fingertip to show her. Chantless magic The water is warm as well. Compound magic? Are you perhaps a great magician!? No no no, Im nothing like that. Anyway, please let me know if you have any problems. If its something I can resolve, I will do what I can to fix it Thank you very much for everything. I want to thank you for donating for the children as well It was nothing. I just think that children should be happy. It would be impossible to do it for every single child in the world but I want to do it in places within my reach at the very least After saying that, I left the room without hearing her reply. Caam-san, were ready to set sail Lets depart then. Ill leave it to you Alright you guys! Were going back home! Raise the anchor! Yes sir! Hmm` that was a pretty short trip but also quite long, wasnt it? ~Idle Talk~ The flustered Antonio Lets do something about the clothes first. Let go out to the street and find a clothing shop O-okay This place seems good. Lets go in O-okay. Im not really sure if someone like me can enter a store like this though Its fine. The shopkeeper doesnt care about that. Hello`. Is anyone here`? After that was said, a beautiful woman came out from the back. Welcome~ Please help us find clothes that will suit the old man behind me Oi, is that really okay? Okay~. What type of clothes do you like? I-I dont really Alright. I can just pick one out for you then After saying that, she walked around the store and brought back a shirt and a pair of pants. Hmm`. I want to go for an austere look so we should add more black or brown colors to the outfit. And besides, I dont think bright colors would suit him Thats true Okay I continued doing as I was told as the woman in front of me kept pressing the clothes on my chest as she groaned indecisively. Lets go with this With that said, I was told to put the clothes on. Oh my. That looks good, doesnt it? Lets fix up your beard and clean up your hair. For the beard Lets keep it connected to your sideburns She laid me down as she said that and started shaving my beard. Alright, now go wash your hair Okay I did as I was told and washed my hair at the back of the store. After wiping it dry with a cloth, I went back. Now finally, lets bring all of your hair towards your back then tie it with a string Its done! Oh my. Quite a nice man, arent you? I would have definitely ask you for a date if I wasnt married you know? Woah. Its true. Even though Im a man, I think you look cool. With this, you no longer look like an old man. You look refined and cool R-really? I cant really tell since Ive never done my hair and worn clothes like this You need to be confident about yourself. Im telling you, you look cool. It might have not gone well till now but you need to take this opportunity and increase your self-confidence. If youre drinking quietly at a bar, Im sure that women would definitely be coming for you Really? Really Okay. Well take this then. Having some spare clothes would also be nice so please give us the one he tried earlier Right away I dont have much you know? Caam-san will take care of it. Ah, this is the price Thank you for your purchase~ Was it really that good? Please be more confident Somehow, I think some women are looking here Theyre looking at you because they think youre cool. Anyway, we can already see the ship from here so lets go report to Caam-san first Alright Im cool? Youve helped me a lot. You have my thanks Woah. I didnt recognize you for a moment there you know? Iya`, you look a lot different, dont you`? Youll have an easier time finding a woman like this, am I right? It seems like its true. The demonkin in front of me said so and the other guys are also telling me that I can attract women. Its the first time this has happened to me. It doesnt feel half bad to be honest. TL: IDK if its just me but I feel like Ive made Antonio kinda posh for a drunkard doctor Probably the sailor he was with too ED: MC aura, Caam found unpolished gems. Basically they seem crappy, but once they are supposed to join the main character, BAM, they be awesome. Not sure how good looking the nun is, but she should be at least decent. Well, maybe the crepe she (probably) ate made the difference ^ ^. CH 71.1 Chapter 71: That time when I did some chores TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Its the afternoon of the sixth day after we left the port town and were about to reach the island. As the ship entered the bay, the islanders all came out and greeted us. Once this island flourishes a bit more and were getting more ship traffic, its unfortunate but this kind of sight would eventually disappear, wouldnt it? Were back. Did anything notable happen while we were away? No not really. Well, one of the women who was held captive by the pirates had a panic attack but she has calmed down now I think that will keep happening for a while but well just have to keep at it since those kinds of things take time. What about the others? Ive been told that theyve finished building a simple warehouse at the plaza. You were out shopping so Root-san and the others made sure to finish it With this we can now keep our goods from getting wet. Well then, lets move the heavier items to the vacant houses by the shore and the lighter ones to the plaza. Well be unloading the cargo so please assist us Understood Even without getting closer, I could see that there was a newly added large pillar on the place where we eat our meals. Above it was the sail on Edwards previous ship that was pulled by ropes and tied to stakes driven into the ground which made it look like a huge beach umbrella providing a shade for the people who were eating . There was also an increase in the number of tables and chairs so it can now accommodate more people and we can also eat there even during rainy days. I should go thank them later. Well then, Antonio-san, Adrea-san, please rest under that covered area in the meantime Oi oi, I can help out too you know? As long as its not something heavy, I am able to help out as well Alright then but lets finish up the introductions first. Oi`! Gather everyone please` The islanders gathered in a row after I said that. Please go ahead and introduce yourself first, Antonio-san Sure`. Im Antonio. I was hired as a Doctor on this island. I may have a bad mouth but Im pretty knowledgeable when it comes to those things. If you get injured or feel sick, dont force yourself and come to me Alright, now that thats over, lets take out our cargo GotchaRogerUnderstood Alright, unload the cargo I used wind magic to transmit my voice to the ship to let the sailors start unloading the cargo to smaller boats then rowing them onshore. After they reached the shore, the islanders split up into groups then transported the clothes, daily necessities, and the bedding to the plaza. The flour, potatoes, and liquor were just put inside one of the empty houses in the meantime. I want us to move our main base away from the shore but we cant do that yet unless a few more houses get built. Ah`, those two bags are my personal belongings so please just leave them there. Also, you can just leave two barrels of liquor at the ship Really!? You would be more motivated if you had alcohol right? Youll be working as a merchant ship for the meantime so just consider that as your wage Woah```! Yes yes. Please dont celebrate until you unload all of the cargo okay`? I just realized that I forgot to recruit a merchant in that town. Should I get two, one to trade to each side or just hire a demonkin and have them study the humans side? All of the sailors we have are humans so it might be better if I just hire a human one as well But before all of that, were going to be shipping coffee so I need to figure out how to produce it. We also need to find a way to brew coffee efficiently and rent a store in that port town we were just in so that well have a place where we can introduce the product to the people. Can we just build a shack at the southern side of the island and have some humans live there? I guess thats going to be impossible. I wonder if negotiating with the harpies to have them bring the red fruit to us in exchange for meat will work. Also, even if I can make the drip part, we dont have any filters. Do I just lay out some cotton at the bottom to filter it or would a cloth be better? We dont necessarily have to filter out the beans though. If I remember correctly, there was a certain country that drank their coffee with the coffee beans left in it. Should I just go with that? I think it was called Turkish coffee or something like that. While I was thinking about that, something caught my ear. The barrels are heavy so its fine to just leave it to Maou-san. Hes so strong that he can carry those things by himself after all Hm? Ah, thats right. I guess I should bring one with me while Im at it As I said that, I carried a barrel by myself which caused cheers to rise again. I certainly think that its amazing to see someone carrying something this heavy but they dont have to make such a ruckus, do they? Ah`, this one doesnt even come to my waist. Maou? Eh? Huh? Ah Antonio-san just stood there with his mouth gaping open in his surprise while Adrea-san was looking around for everyones reactions as if she didnt really understand what was happening. Um, Caam-san. Just what in the world does this mean!? The agitated Adrea-san started pressing me for answers. Ah`. Um, Im sorry. Ive been deceiving you up until now I apologized for lying to them but No way! I cant believe it! Such a kind person is! Adrea-san fell to her knees and looked like the world was about to end. Calm down`. Oi On the contrary, Antonio-san was taking it lightly. Because of that, I began to explain the situation to Adrea-san. If I told you, would you have come to the island? That is Well, isnt it fine if that Demon Lord is a kind and gentle one? I mean, I didnt want to become a Demon Lord in the first place. I was just called out by the subordinate of one of the strongest Demon Lord and had the Demon Lords seal magically engraved on to me turning me into one of them. Since the previous Demon Lord residing here was killed, I was brought in to replace him Thats all there is to it. I was just living peacefully in our village before this you know? My wife just had a child after all. Well, since Im already here, Ill just do whatever I can. Well, Im pretty much struggling right now though Is that really how you become a Demon Lord? Adrea-san had both of her hands on her cheeks and her eyes were swimming all over the place in her disbelief. Well, just let me know if you deem that you cant take working with us anymore. Well just let you go home Ah, alright. Ill just get a feel for things and if it doesnt work out for me, Ill just work until Ive paid off my debt then go home I-I understand I shall do the same Alright! Its a little early but lets finish the work for today and prepare for dinner. Theres fruit wine on the cargo so lets drink today to celebrate Ooh` Alcohol`! We dont have to worry about wheat so lets bake some bread! There are spices and dried pasta as well! Please make sure to save the seeds and seedlings okay`? Were going to be cultivating it after all While the rest were cheering, I decided to go help out the women who were preparing the food. Wulf, who must have heard our voices while he was wandering around the island, came trotting out from the forest. Oh`, Wulf! Long time no see! Whos a good boy? Whos a good boy I continued stroking him so much that he began to show his belly. Oi oi, isnt it bad for you to show your stomach that easily`? Good grief, youre really cute, you know that`? Most of the humans were already used to this sight but the women who were held captive as well as Antonio-san and Adrea-san were giving me weird looks. As for Wulf, he was barking while dexterously keeping up with me playing with his front paws. Um, that is? Hm? Ah. They havent seen each other for a while so theyre playing I see. The Demon Lord has an unexpected cute side, hasnt he? Antonio-san suddenly took a slightly rougher tone when he replied to Adrea-san. I think people who are affectionate and get attached to animals are kind after all I see. Well, as a doctor, I dont really want to get involved with it. I dont hate dogs but I dont want their fur all over my stuff Thats a wolf you know? Haa!? eh? One of the islanders corrected them by saying that Wulf was not a dog which left them dumbfounded. He said it got attached to him after he saved it from bleeding out in the forest The two of them silently looked at each other upon hearing that. Is it really that strange to play with a wolf? After dinner, I teleported to the hot spring to enjoy a bath after a long time away. I noticed that there were feathers floating on the water so I just pushed them off the bath. I guess I didnt tell them to clean up after they use it so it ended up like this. Ah`, I forgot the soap. Damn it` Since it couldnt be helped, I just warmed myself up with the hot water, got out, and wiped myself off with a towel then went back to the village by the coast where they were still drinking. Oh crap. Looks like Adrea-sans also drunk. Her face looks completely red and shes walking unsteadily Oi! Mr. Demon Lord`. How dare you deceive me! Now drink! Antonio-san wrapped his hand around my shoulder and was forcing me to drink. Wait, Ill do it so dont spill it on my clothes please Everyone enjoyed themselves that night. CH 71.2 Chapter 71: That time when I did some chores TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I woke up at the usual time the next day. Since I forgot to bring soap when I went to the hot spring the previous day, I went back again to wash my body and relax. Oh`, Caam! I havent seen you in a while! Hey Facile, its been a while. I went to a port town after all I see Facile dived into the spring after saying that. With her momentum, some of her feathers fell off into the water. I just found the culprit, didnt I? Oi Facile I have something to tell you What is it~? First of all, dont jump into the hot water since it causes your feathers to come off. Also, dont just leave with your feathers all over the bath. Push them out of the water at least Hm`? I already somewhat do that you know? Thats still not good enough. See? Now go ahead and pick them up and throw them away Alright Its still morning but Im already tired After that, I had my breakfast then met up with Root-san, Antonio-san, and Adrea-san at the plaza to discuss the location of their workplaces. It would be alright if the church and the clinic are located in the middle of the planned village site, right? If I remember correctly, there should be a well around here. The area around the well should flourish, right? Its fine with me if its a bit further away as long as its facing the street. Either that or a place where theres lots of traffic so that injured people can easily get there Thats right, there should be a market constructed in this area. Because of that, I wont mind if its located at the corner of this area where the workshop is Adrea pointed towards the corner of the plaza as she said that. Well, a church stands out so thats fine. As for the clinic Having a neat and clean image is important after all. I think we should mix lime and soil to turn it white then plaster it onto the walls so that you can immediately recognize the building. I will symbolize cleanliness as well but what does Root-san think? I think thats alright. If thats the case, I think it would be better if we make sure that all of the clinics were going to construct on the island from now on will have white walls Well, I guess adding a red cross wouldnt really work here. Thats right. Lets do that when our population increases even more in the future. The next thing to consider is the foot traffic but right now, the only places people go to are this area and the coast. However, I plan to make a road along the stream that supplies water to that lake we made over there. I want it to reach the lake at the foot of the mountain since Im thinking of building houses there once our numbers increase Well then, since the planned road layout is decided, I guess it would be alright to just build the clinic somewhere alongside it. Please mark out where the continuation of this road will go Roger` With that being said, I went and cut down a few trees using my imitation chainsaw magic westward along the stream to show the approximate location where the road should go. Alright, if thats where itll go then this area should be Root-san started driving stakes to the ground then decided on the approximate dimensions of the area before drawing marking lines with a stick. Antonio-san, should the clinic be even wider? This is about the same size as the one from where I live though. Caam says that its fine to expand it sideways as long as it doesnt stick out on the road If a house sticks out on the road, itll get in the way and would ruin the landscape so I just want the road to just be a road. O-oh, isnt that more than enough? Theres not a lot of humans and demonkin on the island right? Alright then, it has been decided. As for the church Root-san walked into the corner of the former Demon Lords castle construction site and began measuring by the eye then started driving stakes on the ground. The clinic is also located at one of the corners of the construction site so its located diagonally to the church. If its like this, thirty people can fit inside but do you need more? N-no, its more than enough. Its bigger than the church I was in before after all Is that so? This place will become an industrial zone so we can make it a bit wider you know? No need. This is already enough How was the church constructed? Ive heard that theres a place to pray in front but is the area behind being used as the clergymens living quarters? Eh? Uh, its alright as long as theres a cooking area and a place to sleep so you dont have to make it any bigger Her voice is starting to sound panicked. Is that so? Well, I guess we can just add an extension if its too cramped. Well then, thats the church decided. I apologize for the inconvenience but until the constructions finished, the church and clinic operations will be conducted underneath the blue sky Well then, shall we go back to the coast? SureUnderstood When we got back, I decided to borrow a corner of the fields to plant the seeds and seedlings that I bought. Caam-san, what kind of seeds are those? Wild herb group leader-san asked me that with great interest. Theres cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, and peppers. I dont have a lot of them so I need to grow these carefully or it will all become a waste. Cucumber, pepper, and tomatoes continuously grow after the first time they bear fruit so there wont be any problems as long as they are able to grow properly. As for the rest, they need to be planted again after they get harvested. I also want our supply of those plants to increase so we should just save their seeds then replant them again around the same time after the next cycle of seasons. If the weather in this place is hot all the time, well be able to produce them all the time round1 Tomato, huh? Thats great. I can eat a number of them as long as theres salt you know? I would also like their seeds so please set them aside if possible. Well, it doesnt really matter since you can still grow them by planting the damaged ones and those that have gone bad. I just hope that there wont be heavy rains I looked at the sky while worrying about the storms that Ive never experienced before but heard that occur on this island. The roots might get damaged after all Thats right. Also, the plants stalks might break with the wind, especially with the cucumbers because they need to have some kind of net for their vines to attach to or they wont grow well. If we criss-cross some sticks over there, theyll be able to grow freely and increase their yield, or at least I hope thats what happens. Ive never grown them myself before after all Do you need me to keep an eye on them? I will more or less take care of them but please do that as well Alright, leave it to me` I also bought some cabbage and onion seeds but its still too early to plant them. I want to plant garlic as well but Ill just save it and wait to plant them in the autumn I see. Those need to be planted during certain seasons after all. Im looking forward to the cabbages since I love the sweetness of their core Shes quite a connoisseur, isnt she? Your expertise isnt just limited to wild herbs, is it, Wild herb-san? When you harvest the tomatoes, boil them, peel them, then put them in a jar with a cover. After that, you should boil the jar to preserve it. I want to use that to make stew with cabbages, beans, and meat. Although, in the end, their harvest times are different so we wont be able to eat them unless we store them properly. Well, lets just start with stewed deer meat with beans and tomato sauce Whats that!? Even the name sounds delicious! Please wait until the tomatoes are ready to be harvested to find out Wild herb-san left with a smile on her face. I prefer women with that type of attitude but I wonder if the men of this world think the same? Well, shes the type to go out of control so I guess it would be really tiring to keep her in check. 2 Although, I guess being able to actually get together with your type is already a big deal in and of itself. As for me, Im good since I was the one who was liked. Ive already gotten used to being with the two of them after all. I just came back from the port town so its been a while but I should go back to the village soon. I guess I should finish up everything I need to do here so that I can go home. ~Idle Talk~ Maou-samas odd experiment Root-san, do you have a moment? Yes, whats up? Can you make me a slightly larger bucket with a lid that perfectly fits it? How big do you want it to be? I need one half as big as a wine barrel Got it Hows this? Ooh`, thats perfect. Thank you What are you going to use it for? Ill tell you once its done Yeah yeah, are you doing something weird again just like what you did back in the village? Well, you can just think of it that way Hmm~ hmm~, hmm`. I guess I should cook this rice I bought first. Iya`, I didnt really think I would find this rice-like thing but I thought they might exist in this world since I saw miso and soy sauce at the town when I was younger. Its the long and slender type so its closer to Vietnamese or Thai rice but its beautifully polished so lets just cook it! As for the rest, Ill just soak them in water Ah`, freshly cooked rice sure is delicious` Its not as sticky as Japanese rice but rice is rice! It should be done soon` As I said that, I lifted the cover of the rice I soaked in water yesterday, drained all of the water then steamed it. After that, I wrapped it in a cloth that has been boiled and disinfected, then wrapped it in a blanket to keep it warm. I havent seen any koji mold being sold so Ill have to do it like this but Ill just consider myself lucky that I can do this in the first place. I should pray to god for that. The next day, I stirred the rice then made sure that it remained heated. I repeated that for 3 more days then knew that I succeeded because something that looks like white mold starts to grow. Thank you god! Now then, the next step is to wash the beans that look like soybeans with plenty of water. When you first add water, the dirt and bad beans float up so I threw them away and made sure that the rest of the beans were thoroughly clean. After that, I soaked it in plenty of water then set it aside for a day. Once it growed to more than twice its size the following day, I poured the entire thing into a pot with more water then let it simmer well. Youll know that its done when you can easily crush it with just your thumb and pinky finger. Regular soybeans only take about 4 hours to reach that state but this one had to be cooked a bit longer. While it was simmering, I combined the koji with salt into a bowl. After it was done, I mashed the beans with the water it was boiled in to avoid it getting too dry. Then, I kneaded the mashed beans together with the koji-salt mixture. There should be no air bubbles inside so I formed it into the shape of a ball then violently threw it into the wooden barrel I had Root-san made for me. I made sure to press down on the bottom layer before throwing more balls into the barrel. It would have been nice to have some vinyl wrap to prevent the mixture from coming into contact with the air but since I didnt have any, once the barrel was full, I spread out some wet paper over the mixture, put on the cover with a large stone on top to weigh it down then left it in a cool and dark place. If this turns out well, Ill be able to enjoy some miso. I want to have it as soon as possible so should I just let it ferment for a month? I really want to drink some white miso soup! If I boil and dry the small fish, neatly remove the guts and head, then mix it with dashi and kombu, Ill be able to drink the wakame miso soup! Kukuku Buwahaha. AH`HA HA HA HA!!! I really wish I had some daikon and aburaage right about now`! I feel like a Demon Lord at this moment. With that wonderful three-stage laugh, I receive weird looks throughout the canteen. TL: The author originally deleted the Idle Talk part but since it was already discussed in the comments, he revised it and put it in. I think it was kinda rushed so it might not be the highest quality writing. He even forgot to put the Idle Talk title so I just added it myself. CH 72.1 Chapter 72: That time when I had a casual onsen trip with my family Part 1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I feel sorry for the rest of the islanders but Ill be taking three days off starting today. On my first day there, Ill meet up with the three idiots, then ask Latte to take a day off. Ill probably feel restless during the second day so Ill go out to play with the kids. As for the third day, Im thinking of taking my family on a trip to the island. Ive told them before that Ill let them see whats happening on the island so Ill just use that opportunity to do just that. However, everything doesnt go as planned so Im not yet sure what will happen. Well then, if things work out as planned, Ill be back in two days together with my family so until then, Ill leave things here to you. Ill bring Fleurs flower pot with me so let me know through her if anything happens Gotcha The cat-eared old man doesnt talk much as usual. Im back~ Nobodys home Well, I came back around the time they finished eating breakfast so Im sure that Suzuran is with the pond-oneesan to feed the fish and ducks. In the meantime, I just left Fleur-sans pot in a sunny area in our house. As long as I leave a note that says not to put it outside since its weak to the cold, it would be fine to leave her here even when it snows in winter. Come to think of it, snow doesnt fall on that island and its not too cold during the wintertime as well. Well anyway, I guess Ill just laze around until someone comes back. I should restock the barley tea I roasted some wheat on a frying pan then let it cool down once it started emitting a fragrant scent. While I was putting the barley tea into the pouch I always kept them in, Suzuran came back. Welcome home Im back. Anything changed while I was gone? After brewing the tea, I gave it to Suzuran then sat on a chair. As she sipped on the tea, being as sharp as she is, she noticed something different about me and asked. You seem restless. Do you have something you want to talk about? Well, yes Things on the island are starting to settle down so why dont we take a day trip there in two days If Latte can take a day off, I dont mind Alright, if thats the case then I can follow my schedule. I should let the kids know not to make any plans with Perna-kun and the others After that, I continued to leisurely spend time with Suzuran. Ah Hm? The village chief, I forgot that he asked me to let him know when you came back I see. Ill go meet with him after I finish this and relax a bit more. Come to think of it, its been a while since Ive relaxed like this The corners of Suzurans lips raised a bit so that was probably her laughing. Unfortunately, she doesnt show that much emotion. Im sure shed be cute if she laughed after all. I guess that just nerves her a bit since I already lose to her whenever she tilts her head when shes asking for something. After that, I slowly finished up my second cup of tea then took my time resting. Well then, Ill be off Its fine just leave him and come home if he starts working you too hard you know? That may be so but Im acting as a consultant for the village chief so I have to do my best for the villages sake The chiefs the elusive type so I just went to the center of the village then will all of my strength, shouted. VILLAGE CHIEF```!!! After a while, the village chief suddenly came out from the shadows in front of me. Good morning. Ive heard from Suzuran that you were looking for me Umu, its not such a serious problem but With the number of villagers increasing, were reaching the point where I can no longer match the name to the villagers face If thats the case, why dont we gather everyone and have them write down their names, where theyre from, where theyre currently residing, and the number of people in their family. I wonder if its alright to ask them to write their gender down as well? Ive already done that. There were a lot of submissions Well, how about you make districts and arrange the documents to go to wherever district theyre located. For example, with the village square as the center, you divide the village into four districts. You can divide it up into even smaller sections if you want but lets just limit it to nine per district to avoid confusion. If you go with that, that corner over there will be district one section one[TL: Im not really sure if thats how this naming scheme should be translated but its the best I could come up with Should I use sector instead of section like in Final Fantasy 7?] While saying that, I drew a simple illustration on the ground with a stick then continued with my explanation. Lets see, how about we make the area around my house district 3 section 5 Its built on the left side of the road leading to Aegirine thats just across the fields so its not that difficult to find. Also, since the watchtower is on the outskirts of the village, should it be part of district 1 section 4 or section 7? At any rate, there will be thirty-six boxes all in all so would that be manageable? It might be difficult since well have to sort all of them out but lets do it. Iya`, youve helped me out a lot, Caam-kun Its not really a big deal since its a method thats often used in towns I see, I see. You went to the town to work after all so youre different Having said that, the village chief walked off to someplace again. That didnt really take long, did it? Well, Im just glad that he didnt make me accompany him all over the place. When I got back, Suzuran was outside preparing lunch a bit earlier than usual. Welcome back Im home. Do you need help?1 *Thud!* She cut the chickens head off then handed it over to me. Drain the blood and pluck the feathers. Ill prepare the rest inside okay Ive already seen that multiple times but I just cant get used to it. Its mainly because of how the blood comes flying out like that. At any rate, I held the chicken by the legs to drain the blood then carefully plucked the feathers. Suzuran will get mad at me if I dont cleanly pluck off the feathers so I need to do it carefully but decisively. Once I was done, I took the chicken inside the house. Your plucking, its gotten better With that said, Suzuran received the chicken then started removing the internal organs and such. Caam is better at putting the seasoning so Ill leave the rest to you After saying that, Suzuran left the chicken spread out on the chopping board and let me handle it. Since it couldnt be helped, I began by boiling the chicken. After a while, I removed the chicken tenders, broke it into small pieces then removed the scum of the broth before putting it back in the pot. Then I added the onion and cabbage, seasoned it with salt and pepper, then finally added a lightly beaten egg to finish things off. With that done, I cut the remaining chicken into bite-sized chunks, seasoned it with salt and pepper then sauted it. I also added some finely chopped carrots, spring onions, and garlic then shredded the cabbage, and some dried tomatoes preserved in oil. I just steamed the cabbage enough to remove the moisture then mixed it with the pasta that was boiled in a different pot, and its done. Whats the dish called? It is what it is. I just mixed ingredients together after all! Chicken tender soup with cabbage and spring onions and the other is cabbage pasta. The kids were playing with Perna-kun and the others but they came back for lunch. When they got home, they were surprised to see me there. Otou-san, welcome backWelcome back papa Oh hey, Im back Latte also came home shortly after that. Ah`. Its Caam-kun`! Welcome back~ Hey, Im back` Todays meal was made by Caam huh`? Im sure its delicious~ After peacefully having our lunch, I started discussing my plans with them. I have something I want to discuss. Im thinking of taking everyone with me in two days to the island but what do you think? I know that Latte wont be able to ask the oba-chan at the farm for a day off all of a sudden but Got it`. Ill try to get a day off` Lily and Miel too, dont make plans to play with that other kids on that day okay? kay~ You need to train us in exchange But, if Latte-okaasan manages to get a day off work tomorrow, well have to go to the island then so we probably wont have time for it Then how about this evening! Its still pretty bright after all! Im planning to drink with Perna-kuns father and our other friends so I cant. Sorry Mu` I patted Lilys head then went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. CH 72.2 Chapter 72: That time when I had a casual onsen trip with my family Part 1 When evening came, I went to the bar. Looking closely at the counter, the types of liquor they had seem to have increased. I also noticed that theyve finally added the fruit wines which were made by just seeping fruits into the distilled liquor. Sup Oh, over here. Have a seat Wurst called me over so I went to the table they were at. Barkeep, Beryl sake and water please I decided to play it safe and just check the quality of our local sake. Well then, lets drink first. Cheers Cheers! After clinking our glasses, I held the drink in my mouth then rolled it around my tongue. Its an alcoholic beverage thats poured directly from the barrel without any kind of mixing. I felt a stinging pain on my tongue and it had an intense aroma so I slowly added water to lessen that but not to the point where it completely washes away the taste and the aroma. Once I found the sweet spot, I joined in with their conversation. Hows the Demon Lord work? Its not profitable at all. I even made more when I was still working in the village Is that so? This time, it was Speck who asked me. It seems like hes asking because hes genuinely interested. The doctor had debt so I paid it back for him so that hell owe me. As for the nun, I made a donation to the church so that I could invite her to come with us. There was an orphanage there as well so I also gave a donation for that. Ah`, a nun is a woman who works for the church. The men are called priests Ehe`. Just as you expected of Caam, in all sorts of ways The human church is pretty awful, you know? They really believe that the demonkin are vulgar beings who are inferior to humans after all. In order to gain their favor, I gave the priest a slightly generous donation and I also donated to the orphanage to improve the nuns impression of me. If I said that I was a Demon Lord, she would never have come to the island with us so I just acted like an ordinary demonkin that has a kind heart. Nevertheless, it didnt take long for me to get discovered though. While we were unloading the cargo that I bought, one of the sailors accidentally called me Maou-sama. Well, the secret would have been discovered eventually so I dont really mind Um, how do I put this You sure have it hard huh? Un un I just did it in a roundabout way you know? I also need to have a good relationship with the Demon Lord who appeared at the fort in the frontlines as well as the nobles assigned in his territory. I have to be careful and build up some trust after all Well, its because of that right? You were given humans slaves after all. You probably wouldnt need to be so mindful if that Demon Lords subordinate gave you slaves that are like us right? Ah`, that may be true Damn it! Ive had to think about more things ever since I became a Demon Lord. I need to be careful not to be subjugated by the hero so I have to stay out of trouble Argh`, damn it! Why couldnt it be anywhere else than that island! Compared to the others, its like Im doing this on hard mode! I shouted that then took a swig of Beryl sake then asked for a refill. W-well, Youre smart so Im sure youll do wellmaybe Yup. Hes really kind as well with that wolf. Animals are honest after all Thats right. Im sure youre mentally tired right? Ill treat you so drink up okay? thanks. I feel a bit better now that Ive vented out Anyways, what does hard mode mean? I dont know Of course you do. You always say strange things from time to time ever since weve been kids right? Dont just gloss over it This conversation wasnt even supposed to happen so just pretend you didnt hear anything Seriously After that, we continued chatting while drinking strong liquor. I couldnt get drunk though, because Im resistant to poisons, so I ended up taking care of the three of them. as qexpected from the guy wheo became ha deomn lorxd, he can rseally hold his liquor[TL: this drunken slur was brought to you by drunk post translator. lol. Let me know if I should change it] Un un Tha~ts right~ Come on you guys. Lets go home or else your wives will get angry at me Its fine~, The villagers have a lot of trust in you after all These couples are really weak to alcohol so whenever they get drunk, all of them turn into deplorable men and women. Well get going then, barkeep. Sorry for the commotion No no, dont worry about it. Caam needed someone to talk to so Ill just turn a blind eye to it. And besides, these distilled liquor with fruits in them are popular with the ladies so were even getting a lot of sales from Aegirine Is that so? Well, thanks for the service tonight I thanked the barkeep then woke up the three idiots. After making them drink water, I let them go home on their own. Welcome home~. I was able to get a two-day break starting tomorrow~ When I got home, Latte greeted me and told me that she was able to get a day off. She had both hands on her hips in front of the door with a smug look on her face. Oh`. I guess we can go tomorrow then. Did you tell Suzuran and the kids? I just ignored her smugness and moved the conversation forward. Theyre getting along well in the bath`. Speaking of Why dont we go in together~? We shouldnt. Ill be embarrassed so we shouldnt flirt in front of the children. And besides, were going in together tomorrow anyway Ho`, thats great~. But wouldnt somebody see us or suddenly enter the place? It should be fine. We havent cleared the island all the way to the hot spring yet after all. Ah`, I guess there are some harpies living nearby and they frequent the place as well After a while, Suzuran and the kids came out of the bath so I was going to go next but Latte came rushing in. Fine fine, just enter normally next time As I said that, she giggled with a mischievous smile and sidled up to me so I flicked her forehead to silence her. Nothing happened after that though, we just entered the bath together. ~A really short Idle talk~ Caam is usually earnest but sometimes his emotions explode Thats true. I should try to invite him out to drink from time to time so that he can vent out Yeah, we should probably do that CH 73 Chapter 73: That time when I had a casual onsen trip with my family Part 2 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I teleported my family to the island. When we arrived, the four of them were mesmerized by the sea in front of us. Hoe~. So this is the sea~ Ive heard about it but its the first time Ive seen it Its big!So pretty! Theres something big floating in the middle That was their impression upon seeing the sea for the first time. Oh? Didnt you say you were coming back tomorrow? The dog-eared old man happened to pass by and asked me that. Latte was able to take a day off so I thought it would be better to come earlier Well, its a different environment compared to the village but I hope you enjoy your stay Thats true. The kids immediately ran towards the sandy beach though It seemed like they were interested in the waves that just come and go. Theyll probably be fine since were inside the bay Thats true. However, Id like to be able to keep my eye on them as much as possible They might look like adults but theyre still four years old so theyre pretty much still kids. Just leave them with the kids on the island. Well anyway, Im going back to work After that, the dog-eared old man carried his hoe then went back to the fields. That hoe suits him quite well.1 Alright, Im going to leave our luggage in the house Im currently using. After that, Ill show you around the island though theres not much to see What about Lily and Miel? Palma-san and Fleur-san are here so I think it will be fine to leave it to them for a while but Ill just remind them just in case. Oi`, you two. Dont go too far okay`? Ill leave the children to you kay~Alright Kyaa!Woah! With that done, we went to our house to store our luggage. Ill just leave this here for now Hmm`, its pretty simple, isnt it~? It cant be helped since this is just made to house the slaves of the previous Demon Lord Seems different from the village. Something feels strange[TL: idk why the author decided to make Suzuran talk like this again] I havent experienced it yet but the summers here are probably hotter than in the village and its not so cold here in the winter. Thats why I think these are made for the climate here. There are plenty of plants and fruits that you dont see in the village as well so I think its pretty nice After saying that, I opened up the window and took in the outside breeze. Meanwhile, the two of them put their bags down then took a look around the room that only had a bed and a Kamado. Ah, this is soap right? Did you buy it? I made it Huh? I made it. Its pretty easy you know? You just mix ash made by burning wood with water then leave it to set for a day. Then, you get a barrel with some clean sand and straw inside, cut out a drain hole, then cover the top with a cloth and pour in the water there. That way, the waste will get filtered out and a white liquid will remain. If you mix in the same amount of oil into that liquid, boil it until all of the excess water is gone, then form it into the shape you want and let it harden I see, I see If you want to make it fragrant, you grate the soap then take some fragrant herbs that have been dried and mixed with hot water. After that, you mix it all together then put it into a mold and let it set then youre done. To be honest, essential oils would be the best but we dont have those. I guess this is the only thing we can do for now Mu` Caam-kun is really amazing in all sorts of ways~ Latte started sniffing around after that. Meanwhile, Suzuran was stuffing her face with the dried meat I set aside. Deer? She muttered to herself. Thats right, Suzuran-san, its venison but Please dont just go around eating whats on the cupboard in the house that Im using. At least ask first Hey, Suzuran. We have some meat that has been smoked whole, interested`? *munch* *munch* Nn. *munch* Ill *munch* take it She was munching away while looking at someplace else but she suddenly faced me then spoke while her cheeks were still stuffed with food. Swallow first before you speak. Also, calm down. Youre spilling it everywhere She swallowed and then nodded her head. Will have. Give me Yeah yeah After saying that, I went to the house thats being used as our smoker. The windows and doors were completely sealed so it was filled with smoke when I entered. While going through the rest of the fish and animal meat that we left here up until now, I found the lump of meat I was talking about and it was already dry and hard. I wonder if this was the first meat we got when we came to this island? I pierced the meat that was as hard as wood with my knife, took out a large chunk then went back. Here you go She immediately put it in her mouth and started chewing on it as I handed it to her. Ish ard (Its hard) It needs to be that way after all to make it last longer. Back in the village, we just added plenty of salt to it to remove as much moisture as possible but smoking also has an effect of preventing food from spoiling. Well, this place was made to produce preserved food after all. Thats why this can no longer be used as a house, with all the tar in it It was only dried with salt in the village after all~. Woah, it really is hard Latte was beating the meat as she said that. [TL: I could have written this in so many other ways but I decided to go with this] I wonder if ordinary meat would work~ Suzurans satisfied now that she was able to eat meat so lets go to the next place Yeah~. Lets After that, I showed them the fish that we have left alone till now, the 80% free range chickens, and the rabbits in the cramped box. I also showed them the fenced area for the pigs and sheep that well be getting in the future. Hmm`, you really still have a long way to go, dont you~? Well, its only been 60 days right? Thats already pretty good for someone who was suddenly thrown into it, isnt it? On the fields those are potatoes right? You have wheat as well. And from what I can see, the humans dont seem unhappy with their situation. The old men from the village also look like theyre doing well Thats right. Well, since it hasnt been long since we got our livestock, we cant breed them yet. Im just doing whatever I can with what I have. Even so, it will still take time before the results show Its not like you can just use money and *bang* its all set up. If you dont acquire a ship, you wont be able to invite craftsmen from other places for example Thats right. You can only bring four people with transfer magic after all. To be honest, even though it was only for a moment, it was unpleasant being close with those stinky old men when I brought them here What about women~? She grinned as she said that. It might be better than with old men but I already have Latte and Suzuran so theres no way Ill entertain those kinds of thoughts. In fact, I just omitted this when I was talking about the thing with the pirates yesterday because the kids were there but the women we rescued were being used as their playthings so they were actually all naked with shackles on their neck and hands. Even with them being in that state, no thoughts other than wanting to immediately come to their aid came to mind. Thats also the same for when I met the mermaid onee-san who didnt bother covering her torso at all as well as the harpy onee-san who had something to cover her upper body but only left it to her feathers to cover her lower half, which didnt really help As I said that, my cheeks were pinched. Hoo`, Ill praise you for not succumbing to your desires but it seems like your eyes were glued on to their bodies, werent they? Haim shorreee2 Latte let go of my cheeks after I said that. Im not saying that I only want you to look at me but dont you think its rude for you to ogle others? I mean, it was out in the open so I couldnt help but look. It felt awkward for me so I took a cloth and asked them to cover up though Dont make excuses Okay Suzuran-chan, you should also say something` She was keeping her mouth topped up with dried meat but upon hearing that she was being included in the conversation, she reluctantly finished chewing then swallowed what was in her mouth. Its fine. No matter what, he wont actually put his hand on them. Absolutely wont forgive if Caam gets seduced. But even when I was drunk, or when the mood was right. Didnt put his hands on me at all. Caam gentleman3 O-Ohh She wasnt intimidating at all when she said that. Hmph. Even if Suzuran-chan is fine with it you should think twice about who youre ogling Its not something that will go away if he doesnt look. I just need to not lose4 Oh crap`, theyre already starting to ignore the landmines. Lets stop with this self deprecating conversation okay? It pains my heart just listening to it. Hm? Hnn`? Look, even Latte doesnt know how to react to that. Look, Ill just be more careful so can we stop this stupid conversation already? Is that okay? It seems like our kids are getting along with the children on the island. They were playing by the beach after all. Itll probably be alright. After walking just a bit further on this path, youll find our plaza where the former Demon Lord planned to build his castle. Right now, were constructing houses there under the guidance of Root-san from the village As I said that, we proceeded to walk along the said path. This path is currently narrow but Ive already planned it out together with everyone and we decided to make it wide enough that a carriage can pass through it Hmm` Latte responded but it seems like shes more interested in the forest. Its true that the forest is deep but weve cut down some of the trees on both sides of the path so that light can enter and wind can pass through so it shouldnt feel oppressive at all. For the time being, this place is where we plan to make the village but we havent decided on the village chief just yet We reached our destination so I started giving them a tour. The places with thick stakes are markings for the planned road while the thinner ones are the tentative locations for the houses. We havent progressed with that though Whats that large building over there? Its just our hurriedly constructed temporary warehouse. We recently went to a nearby port town to buy goods so were storing them there. Our livelihood is still close to the sea though so the wheat and potatoes are still there Why are you moving your base to this area~? Isnt that too extreme? Well be in big trouble during storms and heavy rains when were close to the sea after all, since its possible that the sea water would reach us. Here, were surrounded by trees so were kinda shielded from the strong winds and its quite elevated so were safe from flooding. The most important thing though is that if we dig a hole for a well, the water wont be salty. Ive already tried the water made by the previous residents here and confirmed that it was not the case After that, we headed to where the chapel was being built and called Root-san, who was on top of the scaffolding, putting boards on the walls. Thanks for all your hard work. Have there been any problems so far? Not really`. Oh, whats this? I heard you were going to bring your family but what about the kids? Theyre playing with the other children by the beach Thats good then. Im sure the children on this island are happy having more playmates They might be similar in age but theyre bigger than them you know? Im sure it wont be long until the height difference becomes even more significant As we were talking, I noticed that there was already a crowd gathering behind us. Huh? Maou-san! Are those the wives youre always talking about? Hello Nice to meet you. Thank you for putting up with our husbands unreasonable requests Ooh`, They really do look beautiful and cute just like you said So it was true, huh? Suzuran was uninterested as usual but Latte grinned upon getting complimented. Since we were here, I decided to let them take a short break. After a while, two men started whispering. Oi, go ask herDo it yourself I just decided to observe them when one of them finally went forward and asked. I heard that you can crush a brick. Is that true? I unintentionally spat out the water I was drinking. Where did you hear that? I havent told you anything like that, did I? Well, I guess you probably heard that from one of the four people that came from our village True As she said that, Suzuran stood up and picked up a piece of scrap wood that can be easily gripped from our lumber stockpile then folded it in half like it was a piece of paper. After that, she crushed it, took one of the smaller fragments, then turned it into sawdust with just her fingers. That strength of hers is amazing no matter how many times I see it. Look at what you did. Now all of the craftsmen were standing there dumbfounded with their mouths wide open.5 T-that was amazing. Ive heard about it but its even more amazing seeing it with my own eyes. I wonder if you could help us carry some of the lumber later Root-san suddenly followed up with that. Sure That would help a lot Need plenty of meat for lunch A-ah After Suzuran said that to Root-san, he immediately faced the forest and shouted. BRING BACK PLENTY OF MEAT PLEASE! IM COUNTING ON YOU`! After a while, several voices replied back. There you go Nn, Ill help With that said, while everyone was resting, she walked towards our lumber storage, stacked several of them on her right shoulder and even more under her left arm then came back. T-thanks Need more? That should probably be enough to last us until lunch. Hahahaa Then Ill do two more runs As she said that, she went back to the same place to get more wood. Hmm`. Suzuran-chan is amazing as ever~. As for me, Id have a hard time even carrying one~ It would be impossible for me as well The humans couldnt do anything but watch. Antonio-san couldnt believe what he was seeing while Adrea-san was feigning ignorance and just looking around. She probably couldnt believe it as well but was still in denial. After that, there was nothing else at the planned village construction site so we went back to the beach where I told Suzuran about the fish farm and poultry farm. These fish like it wider and deeper. Pond onee-san said so. Better to move them to the bigger pond like earlier. Ducks need a bit more space. Also, water is flowing so its clean. Cant eat the small insects in the water. Need to give a bit more food too. Chickens are good but the places still small. They might start fighting While I was quietly listening, Latte was burning with competitive passion. If thats the case, when it comes to livestock, you can come to me if you need advice! Alright, Ill ask you when we get them With that done, the hunting group came back carrying a deer and a wild boar. Seeing that, Suzuran happily volunteered to help dismantle it. She carefully took out the internal organs so as not to damage them, cleanly peeled off the skin, then skillfully cut it into different parts. Everyone was amazed seeing her do all of that. With practice, anyone can do it After that, she pestered me to make a Water ball that she used to wash her hands and clean the meat. Think you heard in the forest but. Need lots of meat After saying that, she left the meat to the hunting group then began waiting for lunch. Todays lunch was wild. Suzuran gobbled up so much of the fresh deer and wild boar meat that everyone was starting to wonder where it all goes to. She only ate the meat and didnt even touch the bread. Is that the secret to her strength? Meat? No way The men were discussing things like that while observing Suzuran eat. It was already about four in the afternoon so we decided to go to the hot spring in the mountain earlier than planned. Well then, after were finished Ill be taking them home immediately Alright. Its been a long time since youve been with your family so make sure to savor it As for the children, Lets play again okay?Okay they were saying their goodbyes. It looks like theyve become close in a short amount of time. Once they were done, we teleported to the hot spring. Ooh`. Its such a pretty bath Its a hot spring you know? Hot spring? You know about spring water right? Its just that but heated by this volcano Then, does it just go back to being spring water when it cools down? Hm`? I wonder? You can drink the water from so I wonder if it really just goes back to being regular spring water when it cools down? Hmmm` I really dont know. Bath is just boiled water so its just warm spring water Lets just go with that and end this conversation so that we can get in After that, we removed our clothes and were about to enter the bathing area when the kids suddenly jumped in. So warm~Its wider than the bath at home Hey hey, you guys should wash your bodies first Woohoo~ *Spash!* *Splash!* I heard the sound of two people violently entering the hot spring. Looking at the bath, Suzuran and Latte had already jumped in. Hey, my wives Yes?What is it~? Wash your bodies first before entering, You should at least do that when youre in front of the kids It would have been a waste with a bath this big. It should be fine for today Caam-kun~! Yeah yeah After saying that, I washed my body while the other four were frolicking behind me. Once I was done, I dived into the water with my arms and legs stretched out which caused a large wave. This is revenge for earlier! I continued to splash water at them as I said that. ~Idle Talk~ The conversation after the break after Caam and the others left the plaza. A:I heard that she could crush bricks but that was way beyond what I was expecting B:She could pulverize wood with just her fingers after all Root:I heard that she was an onigami and it seems like that kind of strength is normal for them. Theres no other members of that race even in the village. I also havent seen any of them in the neighboring villages and the nearby town. By the way, Suzurans fathers arms are as thick as my thighs you know? A:No way Root Hes also a former adventurer with a scar on his face. He looks terrifying as well B:Ugh Root And it was the Demon Lord Caam who went and asked for his daughters hand in marriage A:What happened? Did a part of the village get destroyed? Root Nothing really. It just seemed like he had a fight with his own father. Thats what I heard when we went out for a drink. It seems like both their fathers were in a party when they were still adventurers A: What happened? Root:I was told that he was completely defeated by Caam. He said he wasnt expecting him to be that strong. That was three or four season cycles before they became a couple I think. He also wasnt a Demon Lord yet at that time B:So he was already that capable back then Root:He was already helping out using his magic to harvest the wheat and plow the fields when he was just around 5 years old after all. The children he brought with him today were only four years old. I wonder if those kids will also be like that after we celebrate the end of the year festival A:Demons are scary Root: Thats not it. I mean, look at me. Im nothing special. Caams the one whos abnormal AB: I guess thats true Root:Suzuran-chans appetite is also abnormal so look forward to it. Its a pretty amazing sight More *Munch* *Munch* *Munch* *Munch* More *Munch* *Munch* More *Munch* *Munch* More AB No way CH 74.1 Chapter 74: That time when the hero came to the island Part 11 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Its been 20 days since I took my family to the island. Just when I was thinking of making preparations to go to Corundum again, Wild herb-san came to me to report about the harvest with a beaming smile on her face. Caam-san, look at this! Im not sure whether this is because of the good soil or the sun but we were able to get this much from just a single potato you know? Are we going to replant half and store the rest for consumption? Thats right. Well keep doing that for now Understood. Hmm hmm~. Freshly baked potatoes~ Plenty would have found her cute based on the standards from my previous world but I havent even seen her together with a man before. I wonder why? Is it because of cultural differences? I might be in the minority in this world but I like the carefree types like her. Hm? Whats this? Theres a merchant ship approaching the island but they didnt raise the signal. Oi Caam. Theres a ship coming but Huh? I wonder if this is about pigs and sheep that I asked for? Ill go and get the documents so please go on ahead and wait for me at the beach Sure That ship must belong to Nils-sans acquaintance but its strange. It was such a hot day but the men who were lowering the livestock into smaller boats so that they could get closer to the island were fully covered in cloaks. Caam, something about this feels strange. Be careful Roger. Well, I can already tell theres something fishy about this since the merchant didnt have employees nor guards like that after all The sound of rowing got louder as the merchant and his suspicious subordinates got closer to the island. When they reached the beach, the merchant immediately got out and approached us. Are you Caam-sama? Here are the pigs and sheep that Nils-san asked me to deliver. Ive been told that youve already paid half so I will be receiving the rest of the payment here Yes yes. Let me just get the money okay~? Old man, Ill leave this with you The merchants suspicious subordinates were looking around. The situation was kinda sus so I armed myself with the usual equipment then went back to the beach. Sorry for the wait. Here you go. Please make sure its the exact amount He was obviously tense. I guess I was right. I, Iwamoto Takeru, who had been accepted to a certain university with flying colors, graduated from high school without any problems. I had already made use of the free attendance to move out so I had nothing to do. I was clearing out the trash in my room when my parents went out shopping so I decided to wipe the hallway floor with a rag. Suddenly, everything turned white and when I came back to my senses, I found myself in some sort of underground cellar. The floor was made of stone so it was cold and hard. When I looked around, all I could see was stone so I figured it was some kind of underground structure. Light didnt pass through the ceiling so it was pretty dim with only a torch as a source of illumination. The air was stagnant as well so airflow was probably bad. I fell over so my body was sore when I got up. After checking my condition, I was met with a sight youll typically see in games or movies. A blond girl wearing a white dress was in front of me surrounded by several soldiers wearing armor and had short swords. The girl looked like a typical princess type character and it seemed like she was talking to someone. She looked pretty young so I was sure she wasnt the queen. Looking behind, there was a middle-aged man who appeared to be a magician from the robe he was wearing. It seems like the magician was the one that the princess was talking to. I cant tell what theyre talking about though. But even if they were speaking my language, I would still find this situation quite dubious. I thought I was just dreaming but when I looked at my hand, I was still holding the rag that I used to wipe the floor. It was a bit damp and there were marks of the dust I wiped off so this was definitely the same rag. DDDDDD The princess in front of me was saying something but I still didnt understand. Seeing that, the princess shook her head while looking at the middle-aged mage behind me. After that, I heard him murmur something then a faint light started coming out from my body. When the light faded, the princess girl in front of me started speaking again. Can you understand me? Somehow I am sure there are plenty of things you want to ask but we need to restrain you first. The soldiers wont harm you if you dont struggle After she said that, I was handcuffed. Ive only seen this kind of situation in Ber**rk. I was led through the hallway, up a set of stairs, then into a slightly wider room. There, the girl sat on a comfy looking chair then began to speak. Lets start with introductions first. I am Rels Attitude, the fourth princess of this country. I would appreciate it if you would not use you when you refer to me Attitude? I might bite my tongue saying that. Im Iwamoto Takeshi Im not sure if the way I said it was wrong but the soldiers were glaring at me and shouting You bastard! but the girl called Rels waved her hand and said. He is not from this world, remember? which caused the room to fall silent. Basically, this is what happened after that encounter. I learned that in order to exterminate the inferior demonkin, the humans of this world are summoning people from other worlds and calling them heroes. It seems like there have already been several people that have been summoned in this world in the past. They have even passed along knowledge and technology to the inhabitants of this world. Since I was young, I was treated as a fighting hero instead of an innovator so I received basic training and was taught the fundamental knowledge in this world. Based on the rumors, Ill have to go defeat someone that the demonkin called the Demon Lord. It was like the stories in those games. I may not know much when it comes to creating new things for this world but all of the people they call the summoned beings come with special skills when they arrive in this world. They also exceed the limits of humans in this world and get stronger faster than them. I had also acquired a skill but I wont know the details unless I use analysis on myself. After I finished the training, I cut down those things they call monsters for the first time. If I was asked to kill a dog or cat, I probably wouldnt be able to do it. If I just think of them like these monsters though, I might be able to do so like in those action RPG games. I had a hard time getting used to the smell of blood and innards at first but I eventually did and it doesnt bother me anymore. There were also the people who have been acting as my companions ever since the first time I killed a monster. First is Mason, our hard-working tank. Hes pretty buff that you could say even his brain is pure muscle. Next is our rear guard who can also use recovery magic, Jackson. Finally, theres Sophia who acts as our scout and is great at hit-and-run tactics using her bow. They are all nice people. Were also pretty close in age so we get along well. It seems like people can start drinking liquor when theyre 15 years old in this world. In my previous world, I heard that in certain countries, you start drinking those types of drinks once youre 18, however, since Im Japanese, I havent been able to try it yet. When I told them that, they recommended I try the mead. I can understand the spoken words because of magic but I cant read the characters yet so I usually just leave the menu to them. The first alcoholic drink I had was sweet and pretty easy to drink. After that, a Demon Lord on an uninhabited island appeared. There were rumors that he was treating humans as slaves so while we were minding our business subjugating monsters, the princess sent out her knight to summon us. After I was summoned, I was pushed onto other people so we havent really met that much. It seems like something big is going to happen so a hero was called this time. By the way, I dont think that a man from another world should be getting together with a member of the opposite sex. Well, I guess she seems to be at the far end of the line of succession so that would be better for her than being forced to marry some high-handed, egotistic noble from the countryside. You called for me? There have been rumors about a Demon Lord on an Uninhabited island but I assume that has already reached your ears Yes I see. I think its about time for you to fight the existence that the demonkin called the Demon Lord. To that end, I have already taken care of everything. Take this letter, go to Corundum, and set sail towards the uninhabited island As you wish Demon Lords should have a small seal engraved somewhere on their bodies. Make sure you take that back with you as subjugation proof. It should look like this As she said that, a somewhat proud looking old man gave me, who was only fed the minimum amount of information, the letter and other documents. So, what was it about? It seems like its time for us to defeat a Demon Lord I showed them the papers I received after saying that. Oi oi, thats a pretty big deal right> Itll be fine even if it gets a little dirt You shouldnt treat it so roughly you know? It has the signature and seal of the royal family after all Thats right. You should at least maintain its shape even if its just for appearances After that, we went to the cafeteria to eat our lunch then talked about what were going to do about this. By the way, the karaage here sure was tasty. Thats the uninhabited island I see. Then lets just proceed as planned to rush in Roger! However, before we even reached the beach, off, we were met with stick-wielding slaves who were in pretty horrible condition and a menacing Demon Lord behind them. Once our boat reached the sandy beach, I immediately jumped off and then ran as quickly as I could towards the Demon Lord. Im a hero! Weve come to save you! Everyone, run, and dont look back! As I said that, although unsteady because of malnutrition and fatigue from rigorous manual labor, the slaves ran towards the shore. I ran past them towards the Demon Lord while simultaneously checking his status with Analysis. He had higher strength than me but that shouldnt be a problem. While I was thinking about that, I didnt notice that there was a small fireball coming towards me but Jackson negated it with a waterball while Sofia shot out an arrow aiming for the Demon Lords body. While he was off balance from deflecting that, I took the opportunity using the sword that Ive only recently gotten familiar with, After that, Mason came in with an overhead swing using his two-handed longsword which sealed the deal. That was surprisingly easy Rock, you went too far in. At least wait for Mason first This Rock person shes talking about is me. Having them call me Iwamoto or Takeshi would feel weird so I just translated Iwa to English. Well, its pretty stupid but they like it in this world for some reason. Youre pretty quick after all The Demon Lord has been defeated so you can relax now. There is plenty of bread and dried meat on the ship so please help yourselves to them. While we were messing around in front, Jackson was having that conversation with the slaves at the back. Jackson youre even more of a hero than me Well, I guess we should have done something about the captured slaves first. After that, I started looking for the Demon Lords seal which looked like a sword with wings of fire that had a snake curled around it. It was on the back of his right hand so I just cut the whole thing off then had Jackson burn the rest of the Demon Lords body before we went back.2 With the Demon Lords right hand in hand, I went back to the castle. I was made to wait a long time but I was only told that I did a good job, given money by the old man from before, then was escorted away. That princess is bad news in all sorts of ways huh? Hearing that, everyone smiled wryly then we evenly divided the money among ourselves. With that done, we ate at the diner while talking about what were going to do next. CH 74.2 Chapter 74: That time when the hero came to the island Part 1 1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko We were back to hunting monsters when we heard of another rumor. Another Demon Lord appeared on the uninhabited island They said. Because of that, I was once again called to the castle and given the same documents by the same old man. The princess didnt come to meet me this time though. The old man seemed to feel a bit sorry but since venting at him wouldnt solve anything, I just accepted it with a smile. Seems like theres another Demon Lord on the same island. I really dont understand what those Demon Lords are thinking. Is there something important there? Who knows. Why dont you clear out the land to find out? Thats not a good idea. It takes a lot of time and money to develop an uninhabited island you know? Lets just stick with defeating monsters and Demon Lords Well, were at war with the Demonkin at the frontlines after all so you can just think of it as if were just getting rid of the stray ones that appeared. Shall we go to the usual place? After that, we ate pork shogayaki. They pair it with bread instead of rice in this world though. First is a ship. Then well gather information after that Right Well, we dont have to mess around as much this time. Shall we look for ships that are traveling between the continents like last time? Want to try asking the merchant called Nils whos been getting a lot of profit lately? Then Mason, you go since youre the one who suggested it No way. Lets all go together Thats inefficient Its decided. Mason will go to that merchant while the rest of us go somewhere else. Lets meet up at dinnertime in front of the inn UnderstoodAlright~Ou After that, we all went our separate ways then gathered at the bar to report the results. Ill go first okay~? Ive heard that a doctor from the slums paid off all of his debts then disappeared. Aside from that, he was also seen buying medicine in bulk and handing it off to a bunch of sailors Ah`, I heard a similar story from the onee-san at the clothing store. She said that a shabby doctor came to buy clean clothes. There were also talks about how a nun was taken from the church in the lower class district by someone who made a donation. The one who made that donation was apparently a dark-skinned Demonkin. It looks like that guys rumored to be from some island Dark skin, and a lot of money huh? As for me, I heard that there was a Demonkin who turned over a lot of pirates at the guard station. If I remember correctly, the guy also had dark skin. One of the pirates even had a bounty for his capture so the guy received eight gold coins worth of large silvers What happened to the pirates? I took a sip of the fruit juice I was drinking then we began to consolidate the information. A doctor who paid for his debts bought a lot of medicine, then disappeared. A dark-skinned demonkin who donated to the church and took a nun with him, turned over pirates and received the bounty and profits from selling them as criminal slaves, then bought plenty of livestock and supplies. That settles it then Its probably safe to say that all of these rumors are related to the same Demonkin. Moreover, we already found the ship thats going to deliver the livestock. As far as I can tell, that guy is the Demon Lord, but from his actions, I cant really tell whats going on in the islandJackson added. Thats true Oi, did you hear about that new job thats been posted on the guilds bulletin board? Theyre looking for skilled workers for an island thats located six days away from here. It says theyre recruiting people who want to be independent2 I wonder whats going on over there? We should check with the guild Got it. Lets go Wait, lets finish this first. This meatball is really tasty you know? After saying that, I took a piece of meatball with thick sweet and sour sauce, tossed it into my mouth, chewed it properly, then swallowed it. We should visit this place again when we come back to this town. Client: Dark blue-skinned Caam. Is this it? Yeah, the skin color matches If you just look at this post, he seems like a pretty decent guy to you right? Hes even paying those who have a family in advance Theres the subjugation order though. If that guys a Demon Lord, Im sorry but he has to die Dont say such dangerous things in the guild. Well then, it seems like well be departing in two days so make sure youre fully prepared by then You said you already talked to the merchant wholl be sailing to that island but Ill just go there again to clarify things Oi oi, stop making me look so useless Mason always brute forces everything after all. Thats why Ill just go and ask for further details about the trip like our food and stuff O-okay Masons reply was a bit weak. He really only told the merchant that were going with him and nothing else, didnt he? *sqeal```* Jackson said that while running up to the deck. I guess even the level-headed Jackson couldnt handle it huh? The smell is too intense for me so Im going outside too Were here again Thats right. It doesnt look like anythings changed from the looks of things Hmm`, there are more fields though Captain, Mr. Merchant. Lets go as planned Y-yes Dont worry. Youre just delivering the livestock to the island that the Demon Lord is in after all. You said you want to get the rest of the money that the Demon Lord owes right? Well get to that, just be patient Thats true. But I think Nils didnt know about this either you know? We managed to convince the merchant so we started loading the livestock into the boat. While we were making our way to the shore, I saw from afar that a dog-like person who seemed to be the Demon Lords subordinate appeared on the beach followed by someone with really dark skin. After disembarking, the merchant immediately went to talk with them. You must be Caam-sama. Here are the sheep and pigs that Nils asked me to deliver. Ive been told that youve already paid half so I will be receiving the rest of the payment here Yes yes. Let me just get the money okay~? Old man, Ill leave this with you He left the documents to the dog-like guy then walked away. Just from looking at him, he doesnt seem to be a bad guy. There were humans harvesting something from the fields and theres a woman whos hanging something that looks like leaves by the coast. Are they making salt? I think I saw a TV program use a similar method. They make it in factories nowadays but they said that it was the traditional way of making it. Is that what they use to make dried meat? (Oi, Rock. Arent there a lot of weird things now? Theyre even making dried meat you know?) (They also look like theyre harvesting something. Are those potatoes?) (Wasnt this place supposed to be where the Demon Lord lives and the humans are turned into slaves and exploited?) (Im not sure about that. Taking a closer look, they even have a bathing area and it seems like theyre also raising fish. That empty pen is for the livestock we brought with us, right? It looks like they have chicken and ducks as well) While we were discussing that, the person whom we thought was the Demon Lord came back carrying the money that was in a pouch as well as a crowbar and a shovel. I apologize for the delay. Here is the rest of the payment. Please ensure that its the correct amount He gave the money to the merchant as he said that. Uhm. Whats with the shovel? Well, your subordinates look kinda fishy so I brought it just in case I-I see (Did he find out?) (Wearing this is pretty suspicious as expected) (Were wearing armor so we need to do at least this much) (Geez. I think he already knows. Jacksons smart but hes also pretty dumb, isnt he?) (Tsk) I have something I want to talk about with the people behind you. Do you have time to spare? Uhm These people are my escorts. You know, there are plenty of pirates nowadays after all Thats true, isnt it? You do need an escort. However, I would still like to converse with them. I wont be at ease otherwise After I said that, one of the guys wearing cloaks stepped forward so I backed off to maintain the distance between us. Iya`, I apologize if we seem suspicious but were just regular escorts Isnt it hot wearing that? No, it isnt. The material is breathable so its surprisingly cool inside I see. I heard that its better to wear breathable clothing when its hot so I guess thats understandable. However When youre talking to someone, isnt it a proper courtesy to at least show your face? I urged him to remove the cloth covering his head with a smile. (Wait. Rock, isnt this bad?) (Its not the time yet. Lets just talk it out for now) Black hair, and black eyes It seems like its rare for people of this world to have these Asian features so the guy must be a hero. Thank you. Iya`, it wasnt that hard, was it? Ive already turned the tables on two pirate crews that came to the island but are there still more of them? I guess well also have to stay vigilant even at night. The two pirate crews were really helpful though since they decided to attack us in broad daylight I spoke in a gentle but provocative tone so I bent my knees to lower my center of gravity and prepared myself to move at any time. Mr. Merchant, have you finished counting? If so I would appreciate it if you can hand over the livestock to us soon Ah`. Yes Thank you. Old man, please lead them to the pen Understood (Hero might be present. Battle possible. Take everyone to safety) (Ou) Alright, here are the documents. Since you went all the way here for this, how about having some wheat tea under that tent first? Its delicious even when served cold you know? I formed a small ice cube using magic on the tip of my fingertip. Eh? Well As he said that, he was looking around and seemed to be asking for help from the cloak-wearing people behind him. Because of that, another one of them stepped out and covered for the merchant. Master actually hates demonkin so well have to refuse. It seems like he didnt want to come here but had to because he owed Nils-sama a favor Is that so? Too bad. That must be why hes been restless ever since you arrived. Ah, please remove your hood as well. Didnt you hear what I said to that guy with black hair earlier? Do you have bad hearing? If so then I apologize (Oi, hes just provoking you. You know that right?) (Hes been doing that for a while now. Shouldnt we do something to get back at him?) (Leave me out of it) (Youre provoking him instead!? That demonkin is not stupid you know?) I apologize He removed his hood as he said that. So its a blondie this time. Well then, I dont want to scare you any more than I already have so Ill be taking my leave. See you, Yuusha-san The moment I said that, I felt a surge of bloodlust followed by them removing their cloaks and unsheathing their weapons so I ran with all my strength into the forest. CH 75.1 Chapter 75: That time when the hero came to the island Second Half1 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Hes running away! After him! Analyze! Shouting that, I ran while simultaneously casting Analysis to check his status. Caam | 14 years old | Mixed race | person Lv12 Occupation: Islands sweets-making craftsman/Demon Lord/Pioneer/Adventurer/Stockman*/Fish Farmer/Beekeeper/Childcare teacher/Forester/Stone Mason2 HP:429VIT/2 MP:873INT2 STR:237 VIT: 262 INT: 751 AGI: 351 DEX:513 LUK:284 Weapons: Unsanitary Shovel/Misused Crowbar/String Armor: Hemp Shirt/Hemp Pants/Leather Boots God of s protection Skills: Faint Resistance: 1 Poison resistance: 4 Confusion Resistance: 2 Throwing: 2 Understanding of time: 1 Fear Resistance: 1 Charm Resistance: 4 Damage Resistance: 3 Danger Perception: 1 Magic Attributes: Fire: 3 Water: 4 Wind: 4 Earth: 5 Light: 2 Dark: 1 Other: Recovery Magic: 2 Magic Amplification: 2 3 Crafting: 3 Oi Rock! Whats the result of the analysis? That guys the Demon Lord right? Y-yeah. He certainly is a Demon Lord but his level is low. He also has a lot of ridiculous titles. The first one that shows up is Islands Sweets-making craftsman followed by Demon Lord then Pioneer Whats with that? A Demon Lord making sweets? Dont make me laugh Its true! It says that hes a sweets-making craftsman first That doesnt matter! Hurry after him! Shit! I cant hit him with my bow because of his weird movement! Hes not wearing any armor so he can move quicker than us! Hes about to enter the forest! Even if his level is low, his magic is high! He specializes in water, wind, and earth. Moreover, hes clever and can use recovery magic. Thisll be a long battle! What does personmean? Its my first time seeing it. Moreover, I cant read the whole thing. Well, that doesnt matter right now. It looks like his MP, MAG, and DEX are higher than the rest of his stats. He also seems to be pretty lucky too. Hes resistant to poison, fainting, and charm and he can withstand damage too. I havent seen anyone with resistances that high even among the heroes and other summoned ones. Does he get poisoned and charmed on a regular basis? I mean, even I only have pain resistance so I can tolerate a certain amount of it. He specializes in water, wind, and earth magic as well. He also has a skill that amplifies magic. I absolutely have no idea how to approach this. Ive defeated one thats called a Demon Lord on this island before but that guy was weaker than me. Even without the help of my comrades, I would have been able to manage him somehow. Based on his stats, he seems to specialize in magic but why does he have throwing, physical enhancement, and damage resistance? What kind of training did he do to get all that? He even has an unknown gods protection as well.4 And what kind of joke is this? Why does he have a confectioner and pioneer for his occupation apart from the Demon Lord? His entire existence is ridiculous. Crap! I sure made the four of them mad. Hya`, the arrows keep coming. Scary, scary! Its not far till I reach the forest so do your best, me! The moment I entered the forest, I turned around, estimated the distance between us, then cast Flashbang. After making sure that they were all blinded, I went deeper into the forest then immediately made an impromptu ghillie suit by covering myself in Mucus and rolling around some tall grass that I cut with Wind Cutter. I intentionally left my shovel around that area, went even deeper into the forest then waited. They should arrive soon. Oi`! Ill get mad if you hurt the islanders, you got that`! That includes the other demonkin of course`! Im your target right`? You need to beat me first before you can get to them`! I want to talk it out with you if possible though`! If thats fine with you then give me a reply`! Alright, I should hide. Its an adults game of hide and seek! It would be great if they could reach the place where I left my shovel. Gah! My eyes and ears! Is everyone alright!? My eyes! I also cant hear anything! Are you guys alright!? Guu, we need to watch out for this type of magic I cant see a thing! Oi Rock! Why didnt you tell us that he also specialized in light magic! We were all deafened by that attack just now so we were all disoriented. By the time we recovered, the Demon Lord was already gone. Just what the heck was with that ruthless magic I feel the same but lets talk about that later. Hes getting away you know? It would have ended badly if we had gotten attacked just now Ah, thats true. Its great that everyones fine. Rather, its more troublesome now that hes escaped to the forest Oi`! Ill get mad if you hurt the islanders you got that`! That includes the other demonkin of course`! Im your target right`! You need to beat me first before you can get to them`! I want to talk it out with you if possible though`! If thats fine with you then give me a reply`! did you hear that? Yep Hes looking down on us, isnt he? Hes not a muscle head then. Hes even provoking us. This is really troublesome. The forest is pretty dense as well. It would be better if we all stick together and be cautious of our surroundings Thats trueUnderstood He has level 3 of concealment when I analyzed him earlier so be careful After a while, we arrived at a weird place where the grass was randomly cut for some reason. Whats this? We noticed that he just left his shovel there. Did he drop his weapon? Its big so he might have thought he couldnt use it in this forest. Theres no need to pay attention to that. We need to look for him. Gah! After letting out that short scream, Jackson fell. What happened!? Its my thigh! Im going to cast recovery magic on it so stay alert of our surroundings As he said that, he put his hand over his thigh then a pale light shined around his hand which caused the wound to close up and get healed. Gah! When I looked back, this time, there was blood pouring out of his left shoulder. He tried to cast recovery magic on it again but nothing was happening. Maybe its because he couldnt concentrate due to the pain. Giyaaa! Now there was blood coming out from his right shoulder. Potion! We should have one! After saying that, Sofia took out a portion from the pouch on her waist but it was also hit, shattering the glass container and spilling the contents. What!? Just what in the world is happening!? Calm down! We should find the Demon Lord first! Where are you, you cowardly5! Come out! As I said that, a voice that seemed to come from all directions replied. Sorry. Its scary to deal with all four of you at the same time so I can only attack while hiding. I wanted to take out the troublesome magician first and it looks like my guess was right. Also, ganging up on someone or attacking while hidden, Which of the two do you think is cowardly? If you ask me, I think theyre the same Shit! Come out and fight fair and square! I dont know if Ill ever feel like fighting fair and square since I left that sentiment back at home on a shelf covered with a wet towel to avoid it drying out. In the meantime, my goal is to talk with the hero so those who are afraid are free to leave. Until then, Ill remain hidden from you guys sight Damn it. What should we do? I dont really care but that magician is bleeding too much and will probably die of shock. You wouldnt want him do die, would you? Damn it! Wait! Mason! After cursing, Mason ran deeper into the forest. Jackson wasnt looking so good but we also have to hurry. W-what are we going to do? I dont want to talk to someone I cant see. I feel bad for Jackson but lets go after Mason. That way, were more likely to survive U-un (Are there any potions left?) (Yeah) (Find an opportunity to pour it over him) (Got it) Lets move Un We pretended to walk away for a moment then Sofia immediately turned back, took out the already opened potion bottle from her pouch, and sprinkled it all over Jackson. He wont die with this, will he? I would have been troubled if he did so consider that as a freebie. I just broke the potion bottle earlier to make you become impatient. As a result of that, one of your comrades ran off to somewhere After saying that, he broke the empty bottle Sofia was holding. Well then, Ill go look for Mason-san but Ill try to scare you guys once in a while. Tread carefully okay? Oi, wait! He didnt reply. CH 75.2 Chapter 75: That time when the hero came to the island part 2 TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko That was dangerous. They didnt notice me even though I was only about 20 meters away from them. Well, I guess I should follow them for now. Hmm`, I wonder if theyre going after that Mason guy? Oh, I should just recover my shovel first. They called this guy Jackson, huh? It looks like his wounds have closed. I should just tie his hands behind his back to make sure. While Im at it, Ill have him take on the same pose I made the pirate captain that we turned in awhile back. With that done, I collected my shovel, covered the shiny parts with mud, then wrapped it in grass and vines. After that, I went off to find the two while making sure to not make a noise. I chased after them while crouched and constantly under the shade of the trees. I made sure to maintain a reasonable distance while keeping in mind the closest tall grass that I can hide in a pinch. Fortunately, they were being vigilant and were walking slowly so it didnt take long for me to find them. Mason`! Jackson is safe for now`! Lets link up`! The hero shouted but there was no reply from Mason. Well then, I wonder how I should separate him and that woman. After a while, the woman started to be cautious of what was behind her. Taking advantage of that, I flung a stone towards a nearby bush to get her attention. The instant she noticed it, she immediately shot out an arrow and screamed. Something moved in that bush! Because of that, the hero slowly approached the bush. While he was doing that, the woman was being vigilant in the opposite direction so I put her in a sleeper hold to render her unconscious. After that, I immediately hid in another bush and waited. Oi Sofia, theres nothing Sofia! The hero ran towards the woman called Sofia and realized that she only fainted. So you didnt go after Mason huh! Im alone now so come out! Mason-san is still around somewhere you know? Also, Sophia-san is just unconscious and I dont know when shell come to so I apologize but Ill have to refuse After I said that, the hero remained vigilant while slapping Sofias cheeks but it didnt look like she was waking up anytime soon. A while later, she finally came to. Did you see where he went? The Demon Lord? Huh? What happened Ah. I was suddenly choked from behind You fainted. I cant believe that I didnt notice even though he came so close. Is Concealment 3 really that amazing for him to be able to do that? It is a skill that has the approval of an elf after all. Rather than that, I really want to separate him from that woman. It would have been great if he had just left her there and acted alone. After they got themselves together, they slowly made their way through the forest once more. I dont know if she was traumatized from being choked but the woman started shooting her arrows at all of the bushes that showed any signs of movement. Shes either panicking or starting to see things. I havent gotten close to them up until I silently choked her from behind though I guess she doesnt know that. Well, at any rate, I deemed that it would be better for me if I reduced the risks so I readied a small Wind Cutter and aimed it at the bowstring the moment she tried to shoot again. With the string cut, Ive rendered her weapon useless. It would have been a different story if she had brought a replacement string but I dont think theres any in that small pouch by her waist. I waited to see how they would react and then suddenly Sofia started shouting and raging. It seems like shes panicking even more. Looking closely, there was a small wound on her cheek. It seems like I injured her when I used the wind cutter. A while after that, the hero could no longer calm the woman down and she finally ran off with a dagger in hand towards the opposite direction that Mason ran to. She probably couldnt handle being in a foreign environment while under extreme stress. What she did was unexpectedly helpful though. Ah, I guess we can talk now Shut up! Im alone now so come out! Ill give you some time to cool your head off before I do that. Let me know when youve calmed down Damn it! With his back against a tree, the hero equipped his sword and started looking around. Ten minutes after that, his breathing became rougher and he was sweating buckets. It would be bad if he got any more stressed out than this, wouldnt it? I guess I should break the silence. You, you were summoned here right? Ha? What are you suddenly talking about? Are you Japanese?1 This time, I used Japanese to speak with him. The hero had a surprised look on his face upon hearing that. Thats right. He replied in Japanese as well. Throw away your weapon so that it will be out of reach. Ill show myself once you do that. If you dont comply, Ill get rid of it myself2 This should be fine right? As he said that, he sheathed his sword then threw it away. Thanks I stood up as I said that then came out of a nearby bush to approach the hero. Why do you look like that? Since I got permission, I made a Water Ball overhead then dropped it on my body to remove the grass. I apologize for doing this while soaked but lets introduce ourselves first. I was called Nagi in my previous life. If theres anything you want to ask, Ill try to answer it if I can You need to tell them a bit of the truth if you want to be trusted after all. Its Takeru. Looking at your status, it says youre 14 but what is your true age? Ah, thats correct. I am 14 What is the capital city of Japan At the time I died, it was still Tokyo but did it end up being Fukuoka? Hm? Why would it change to Fukuoka? Its nothing. Just forget about it. It seems like he didnt get it. Unfortunate.3 I feel bad for asking but how old were you when you died? I was 30 at the time. Dont ask for the cause of death So youre older huh? I apologize4 Dont worry about it His tone immediately changed upon learning that I was older so hes probably the earnest type. Reincarnating is good, isnt it? Well yeah. The first memory I have was being breastfed by my mother though. That was when I remembered my previous life I see. I now understand why you had gun-like magic and nonlethal weapons Thats right. I want to avoid killing as much as possible after all. Im sorry for scaring you earlier I bowed after saying that. Its a way of apologizing that you dont typically see in this world. Its alright, we were the ones who came here to kill you after all. We dont have the right to complain if you had killed us back there When you hear of a Demon Lord, you would usually think they have to be subjugated, right? Well, I dont know if I was just unlucky but I wasnt reincarnated as a human. I was born a demonkin instead. It was rough in all sorts of ways. I was born in a small and poor village so, in order to live a comfortable life, I had to take the villages administration into my own hands using the knowledge I had. I was able to make bricks, walls, and stone furnaces because of that I was actually reincarnated into a demonkin because that god thought it would be interesting but Ill just keep that to myself. You need to mix a bit of truth into a lie to sound convincing after all. You sure had it rough Although I say that, its fine since it was fun. I also have a family now after all Eh? Wait But youre still 14 years old Oi oi, dont be surprised by that. The demonkin mature earlier than humans so it cant be helped I guess thats true. By the way, why were you so imminent on isolating me from the rest? Can you guarantee that your comrades would just stand and watch while the Demon Lord and the hero are talking in a language they couldnt understand in front of them? I cant. Especially Mason Thats why. Id like to apologize to your friends once all of this settles down though. Why dont we move to a different place? Well. I guess we should find your companions first. Fleur-san`, are you nearby? Here~ Please tell the hero over here where his companions are right now Alright Ah, let me introduce you. This red flower is Fleur-san. Once you find them, you can just let me know by relaying them to any similar-looking red flowers nearby. Ill be waiting at the tent by the coast. The magician Jackson-san, was it? Ill carry him back so Ill leave the other two to you Got it After that, I went back to where I left my shovel to retrieve Jackson. That was the plan but I suddenly found myself in front of Mason. Ah At that moment, the two of us prepared ourselves for battle then Mason immediately charged to attack. Why in the world is this guy here!? I managed to recover my shovel but because he was quick, I didnt have enough time to dodge his attack. I held the shovel in my left hand and used it to block his horizontal slash. It managed to stop it but his sword cut through half of the shovel handle. That sword isnt cheap, is it? This is bad. He didnt immediately go for his next move so he must have not expected for his sword to not cut through the shovel. Because of that, I kicked him away then tried to throw the now useless shovel towards his shin hoping that it would hit him or at least delay him for a bit. He managed to avoid the flying shovel but I was able to take out my machete and crowbar. Ive already reconciled with the hero. Although we ended up like this, cant we put down our weapons and make up? After what youve already done, do you seriously expect me to believe? I guess you have a point. Sorry about that. Please forget about it After saying that, I kicked up the ground towards his face to try and blind him while I targeted the joint of his armor with my machete but he easily brushed it off with his sword. There should have been dirt in his eyes I guess that should be expected of someone in the heros party. My weapons were lighter and had a shorter reach compared to the opponents so I kept the fight up close to maintain the advantage. If he forcibly tried to create space, I was planning to attack him with my magic but he was somehow managing even with the limited capability of his long sword. He must have thought of the same thing thats why he wont distance himself even if he was at a disadvantage. In order to settle things quickly, I raised my strength by 10%, increased the number of attacks, added more weight to my slashes, and added kicks whenever there was an opportunity. When he lost his balance, I rammed into him which caused him to fall to the ground. His hands ended up under his knees so I straddled him then kept hitting his forehead with the machetes handle. To finish him off, I aimed the handle at his nose to knock him out. He had a look of despair while I was hitting him with the machetes handle but I resolved myself to continue with the attack since I would have been in danger instead if he didnt lose the will to fight. I tried to even the playing field and tried to see how far I could go without using offensive magic but I dont think Ill ever get used to it. It was really scary, to be honest. My beloved partner(shovel) that I named Mora fulfilled its purpose but now I dont have a shovel. I guess I should get myself a Mora Mk.2 the next time I go to the port town. This is getting out of hand. Now Ill have to carry two of them I complained then went to a nearby red flower to report. The two men have been secured, Ill leave the woman to you After saying that, I tied up Mason securely, then carried him over my shoulder. As for Jackson, I just carefully dragged him along as I made my way back to the tent. I was looking for Sofia when a red flower that was nearby suddenly changed into the naked upper half of a woman. I have a message from Caam. He said that hes found the two men and is leaving the recovery of the woman to you I understand. After Ive found her, I can just talk to a red flower-like this to let him know right? Yes. Ill have a red flower thats near Caam change into this form to convey your message. Also, based on where youre facing right now, you need to head left to get to the woman. Shes about 300 paces away. Maybe more but it wont exceed 400 paces. She looks pretty broken down and is in panic so be gentle okay? Later~ After saying that, the tiny woman turned back into a flower. So Nagi-san knew what we were doing at all times huh? I can now understand why he lured us into the forest. Damn I set the two of them down then put a wet towel on my forehead and drank some barley tea. 5 When I cast recovery magic on Masons face to fix his nose, he woke up. Guh Where am I? The tent by the beach. Ill serve you some tea if you dont cause a fuss. How about it? Kuh Just kill me!6 I spat out my tea when I heard that. Who would have thought Id hear such a famous line, and it came from a man no less. If youre going to kill us, do it quickly After I recovered from my coughing fit, I asked for another cup of barley tea while they kept spouting such nonsense. Ah, Caam-san. I see that they have woken up Thats right. I was thinking of serving them tea if they didnt resist but since theyre telling me to kill them, Ill just leave them be for now. Ill have the hero talk to them when he comes back Why are humans speaking normally to a Demon Lord!? Caam-san freed us from slavery, gave us warm meals and beds after all. Hes also kind to us. Were even living better lives right now than before we became slaves. Thats why please dont talk about horrible things like subjugation and killing But With that said, I continued to drink my barley tea while waiting for the hero. After a while, the red plant on the table suddenly changed into a small woman then said. Hes heading here now he says. He might be exiting the forest soon Thank you for letting me know Since her task was done, Fleur-san went back to her flower form. It seems like the hero will be here soon. Ah, Im sorry but could you please bring four more cups of tea? Okay~ After saying that, the woman went into a house that was nearby. Good work. Barley tea is being prepared right now so please have a seat He did as I asked and took a seat. Mason-san over there still doesnt trust me so Ill leave his persuasion to you. Let me know if you prefer cold tea so that I can make ice for you okay? As I was saying that, Sofia-san kept glaring at me but I just ignored that and continued drinking my tea. Thank you for waiting She placed four cups, poured the barley tea from the kettle then went back. Ah, go ahead and drink it before it cools down Alright Rock! What if it has been poisoned! This Demon Lord wont do that so go ahead and drink first. Ill go and persuade Mason before I drink mine Rock huh? Did you get that from Iwa in your surname? What are you saying?Thats right. Thats where I got it from It doesnt matter, does it? Just drink your tea before it gets cold, Sofia-san I resumed drinking my tea while Sofia-san sipped on hers. This island is pretty far from the humans and the demonkins side of the continent so we have no choice but to rely on merchant ships for things that we dont have. In order to be able to acquire such things, we need to exchange them with the things we do have. One of those things is this tea thats made from wheat. Rock-kun should be familiar with it but what do you think? Does it suit your tastes? Ive always drunk it during summer so I havent really had it warm. Put ice on mine please Rock interjected while he was persuading the others. I dropped several adequately sizedSquare ice in Rocks drink then gave it to him. After a while, he said. Ive already convinced him so is it alright if I cut the ropes? Go ahead I just gave him a brief reply. Ah`, once Jackson wakes up, Ill have to talk with him as well Rock complained while downing the iced barley tea. I apologize for the hassle but Ill leave it to you. Ill have to retaliate if Im attacked after all Haha, its something that cant be helped in a world like this. By the way, Jackson-san lost a lot of blood earlier didnt he? Ive never seen one in this world myself but are there any medicine that increases blood? Theres no such thing. If there was, I would have bought some for cases like this Should we have him eat wakame and liver then? Thats the only thing we can do right now We dont have any wakame though since even the pirates cant digest them. Rock is probably the only one here who could Well, we have plenty of liver though We just quietly drank our tea after that. As for Mason, he was just glaring at me the entire time without touching his tea. I plan on apologizing once theyre all awake so I wish he would stop giving me that kind of look. It got quite awkward so I chatted with Rock for a while and exchanged information with him. Then, just as it was about time for lunch, Jackson woke up. U-ugh. I Am I alive? You are. Everyone is safe so you dont have to worry Where are we? Did you kill the Demon Lord? we lost. I made peace with the Demon Lord I see. I can see your feet from under the table but youre there right? Yep~ So we were kept alive huh? It was quite obvious that we lost considering that Im still tied up but I just couldnt get my head around it since I wasnt bleeding If you wont attack the Demon Lord, we can get the rope removed. How about it? His persuasion is getting kinda sloppy. It cant be helped. Take it off since it hurts Rock looked at me so I just gave him a small nod. Unlike the other two, he might be able to think rationally. Well then, now that were all here, first of all, let me apologize. I apologize for injuring you. I only did it to protect myself O- ouEh? Since the merchant ship has already left, we will be escorting you back to Corondum after a few days. In the meantime, well treat you as guests. Until then, youre free to do what you want as long as it is within the bounds of decency. Lets see, its almost time for lunch so please eat first With that done, we decided to have lunch. The preparations were already finished so everyone gathered together. We were having bread, meat, and fish. Jackson-san, you lost a lot of blood so you should eat plenty of liver and this sea plant called Wakame okay? I forcefully served the dish to him. Did anyone else bleed? Please, feel free to take as much as you like Or so I said but aside from Rock, no one else was eating. Ah`, The dish doesnt seem to suit their tastes so can you serve them something else? Okay~. I can give them the potatoes I just harvested today Thats right, we still have potatoes. Give me some as well please Sure, of course, but well serve the guests first. This is the mayonnaise that Caam-san taught me how to make so please have it together with the potatoes okayO-ou Sorry but we dont have any butter or soy sauce Its fine. I dont particularly mind No problem What is this Demon Lord saying? I also dont know He seems really close with Rock, dont you think? I can hear you guys you know Ill pretend that I cant though. After lunch, everyone went back to their work while we went around the village. There are quite a lot of crops in these fields. Looks like theyve cleared quite a lot of land huh? This wasnt here when we came previously Arent these freshwater fish? Why are they here? Theyre keeping bees too!? Do they have honey? Look, theyre feeding the livestock we brought with us Water is constantly flowing into this bathing area so its clean. You cant see the people bathing from the outside as well. It also seems like theyre raising chicken, ducks, and rabbits Lets try following that road. Thats where the previous Demon Lord was trying to build his castle right? Yeah Whats this? Its marked out. This is probably where they plan to build houses. Theres a well right at the center after all A church!? Thats a church, isnt it!? What is that building with white walls? Theres a place that looks like a workshop at the back Oi, just how are we going to report this? I really dont understand what this Demon Lord is thinking Idle Talk Evening conversation of the Demon Lord and the hero. Hey, Takeshi-kun What is it, Nagi-san? You what year was it when you were summoned to this world? It was 20xx So it was already 13 years since I died huh? It also has been six months since I arrived in this world I see Did anything change in the last decade since I died? You dont have to name everything, just the important changes since I want to know Nothing really. No wars, no large scale calamities. There might be civil wars here and there though. There were also new releases of famous games Is that so? Its great that nothing bad happened. Do you like coffee? I was able to find some in this world by chance you see. I was thinking of making it one of the export items of this island It has been a while since Ive drunk any I guess. I tried searching for it when I came to this world but I couldnt find any. Id be happy to have some You can add sugar if you like, but unfortunately, we dont have any milk As I said that, I gave him a cup then drank my own. Since I have no filters, I just used cloth instead but its difficult since I have to wash them with each use. It might be unsanitary as well but in order to increase its popularity, Im going to open up a coffee shop in Corundum and see how itll go. I was suddenly given an uninhabited island with 50 slaves so it was rough. I mean, I was Japanese in my previous life so theres no way I would just be alright with that. Im not some kind of farmer noble who came out here to pioneer the land after all. Right from the start I already had to think about everyones daily necessities. I was desperate just from trying to turn this place into a habitable area. What were you expecting from this old man whos already over forty, is what I thought. There are other demonkin I can vent out to but there were still some parts that I couldnt let out up until now. Thats why, if you have some too, I can listen to them ehh It really saved me knowing that you were a nice person Ah`, I feel better letting it all out. Thank you Takeru-kun It was nothing I have one more question. This might be a pretty tough one to answer but is that okay with you? Go ahead Since you were summoned, will you be able to go back? Have you heard of someone who can do that? no, not even the slightest hint As he said that, his mood suddenly became sullen. So theres a possibility that you wont be able to go back. I died and reincarnated so the thought of going back hadnt even crossed my mind but its different for you since you were summoned. Have you ever thought of whats happening back in your world? I sometimes think about it It might be better for you to hope for the best but prepare for the worst Im sorry for bringing up such a heavy topic. Its just that when I thought that you might have family, friends, or a lover waiting for you, I got curious about your thoughts that I had to ask Im such a bad old man. Im really sorry Its fine Iwamoto-kun managed to squeeze out a quiet reply before we finished our conversation. Idle Talk 2 Named a shovel and took so much care of it that I got attached! Uo`! My lovely Mora(shovel)~! I rolled around on the floor while saying that. Uwaa`. You were so young`. Even though I made sure to polish you every day since I was a kid, youre now in such a sorry state` Wulf, who was also in my room, was starting to look at me weirdly so I stopped rolling around and lied down prone with my chin on top of the shovel. Since I wont be able to do anything about it anymore, I just pat my head to calm myself down then went outside where I receive strange gazes coming from the islanders. Is it that strange to name objects so that you can get attached to them? Eh? Am I in the minority? Extra: Rejected idea for the stats HP On the verge of death upon receiving a hit from Suzuran MP Can shoot Fr*zz Cracker several times 7 STR Have to adjust when wielding two-handed weapons VIT Cardboard box INT Pretty clever AGI can finish 100 meters in 12 seconds DEX Pretty dexterous LUK The type to find small change on the road Why is the status not numbers!? And who is this Suzuran!? CH 76.1 Chapter 76: That time when I was comforted by the hero TL:kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Well then everyone, Ill be away again for a while so Ill leave things here to you After saying that, I got on the ship then we set off. Captain, do you have time? Yes. What is it that you need? Its about the islands surroundings. How is it? Its pretty much just like how Maou-san said it was. Theres a shoal surrounding the island so the only ones that can get close are small rowboats It would probably be impossible for a large fleet to force through the bay. When it comes to monitoring the shoreline, we already have Palma-san so well know right away if some uninvited ships or rowboats are approaching Thank you. Its great that there arent a lot of places where a large number of ships can dock on the island. After the incident with the heroes the other day, I was thinking of what were going to do if we get attacked by a larger force in the future. There might be a time when they attack indiscriminately and even hurt the civilians after all. I have been thinking of how to defend against that and the most realistic solution I have right now is to form an alliance with the aquatic demonkin. I think its better if we immediately sink them when that happens but whats your opinion on that as a sailor? If were going to do that, I think its better if we establish some kind of communication with the people on board first. It would be a disaster if it was just a merchant ship after all. I think it might not be a good idea to sink anyone and everyone who doesnt anchor in the designated spot or acts suspiciously Well have to completely rely on Palma-san and the aquatic demonkin in that case. I wonder how well make it so that the visitors can easily make contact before they get close to the shore? We can just ask them to anchor outside of the bay and perform an inspection if they lower a ship to come to the island. Once were definitely sure that theyre an enemy, at that moment, well attack. How about that? I see. Ill consider that when I decide. Thank you It was nothing. I was just giving out my opinion Hmm`, I guess I should check on Rock-kun if hes still brooding from our conversation last time. Well, Im going for my own sake though. Once I reached his room, I knocked on the door. yes? I received a slightly energetic reply. I wanted to see how youre doing. Are you still troubled? Well, I guess I see. Its also my fault so I feel a bit guilty for making you feel that way. How about trying to look at it from a different perspective. Just think of it as you successfully graduating from high school and entering an excellent company but you were suddenly transferred overseas. Form great workplace relationships, marry a beautiful blonde woman who can speak the language and have children Haha, thats quite a funny joke. If its not a company that exploits people, Ill think about it just keep that in the back of your mind. At any rate, youre always welcome to stay with uswell, thats only if the island Im staying on continues to exist Ill keep that in mind but first Ill have to report to the king. If I dont do that, theyll think Im dead and another hero will most likely be sent I see. No matter what you tell them, I wont hold it against you so dont worry I understand. I wish I could be as decisive as you Nagi-san WellIm already dead in our previous world after all. I already lost all lingering attachments I had of Earth from the time I was born so I am able to live my second life like this. Im still an old man thats over thirty inside though. Ah, I do regret not being able to deal with the lewd stuff in my pc though Haha, me too1 We both laughed and he looked like hes recovered a bit. Even though it wasnt much, he was once again able to laugh at my jokes. Ah`, thats right. This is just what Ive heard but theyve been summoning people for a long time now so there might be an old person in the same situation as you. I think itll be a good idea for you to find such a person and consult with them. They might really have gotten married and had kids you know? After saying that, I left the room. I guess I should try asking his comrades to give him their support. Because of that, I went to the other mens room and knocked on the door. Pardon the intrusion but I have something I want to discuss. Would that be alright? I dont mindSure I also want Sofia-san to hear this so can I ask you to call her? They agreed and went over to Sofia-sans room to get her. Once the four of them were gathered in the room, I started talking. This is about the hero, about Rock-kun. As Rocks comrades, I want to be honest with you. The two of us come from the same country As I said that, the three of them started causing a fuss. Rock was summoned to this world. You are aware of the hero summoning right? The three of them nodded. Rock went through that procedure while I reincarnated. To simplify things, you can say that I grew up in the same world as Rock but when I died, I was born again in this world. We discussed that the night of your attack. I was already dead before I came here but Rock-kun was different, right? What do you think is the difference? One died while the other didnt? Youre only half correct. Since I died, my family must have already come to terms with that and accepted it. As for him, he disappeared all of a sudden. Since his family has no idea what happened to him, they might be waiting at home worried. Thats the difference between our situations So what are you trying to say? Rock was forced to come to this world so I think his family might be worrying about him. Now, has any of you heard of a hero who successfully returned to their original world? Have you heard even a rumor about that? I dont think weve heard anything like that Thats right So in other words, the heroes were forcefully brought here even though its unclear whether or not theyll be able to go back. It might have been harsh but I made that possibility clear to him. They were basically kidnapped from another world, werent they? They all remained silent. Rock might never be able to go home so I want you to keep that in mind and listen to my selfish request. Once you get back and finish your report, Rock will probably search for heroes that were summoned before him to find answers on his own. If possible, I want you to accompany him I dont mind but why do you care so much? Back in our world, I was already an adult but hes still considered a child. Thats why no matter how naive it may seem because of the difference in values in this world compared to the other, it should be natural for adults to help out children right? Thats why I am asking you to give him your support. Please I bowed after saying that. CH 76.2 Chapter 76: That time when I was consoled by the hero TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I was bored since I couldnt help out so I cast down a fishing line to try and increase our food supplies. While I was doing that, the hero, who had a rod with him, called out to me. Can I fish beside you? Looks like were going to have a fish party then Im not confident Ill be able to catch any though. Ive gone fishing with my father a few times when I was younger but I dont have any other experience aside from that I dont have any either. Ive only done it a few times ever since I came to this world. My home town is located inland and there was a Sahagin-looking onee-san who was in charge of the caught fish. Well, based on our worlds standards, just this rod and string are no good. We dont having a fishing reel as well so there might be no fish party today As I said that, I raised my rod then put the small fish that was hanging at the end into a bucket. It would be nice if we can help out, but since were pretty much amateurs, all we can do is just sweep the deck or stay out of the way. We might prove to be useful in tasks that require strength like raising the sails, but to be honest, I dont really understand which rope to loosen or tighten just from the captains words Yeah, I dont even know where I should tie it Thats right. Anyway, whats up? I was told that Id feel depressed staying in my room the whole time. You were fishing here so they told me to join you You have great comrades, dont you? As I said that, I fished another small fish. So? What are you going to do? Ill say that it was just rumors. There were demonkin cultivating the land but no Demon Lord. I think that should be enough. I think the kingdom has an intelligence unit but nobody knows that a Demon Lord was in Corundum right? probably Then it should be fine, right? Maybe I should ask them to stop calling me Maou-san when we get back to the island That might be for the best Ah, a merchant called Nils, his subordinates, the sailors, and the mercenaries he hired know so I might not actually be in the clear I dont know who that Nils-san is but isnt that bad for you? How about you say that even though Im a Demon Lord, Im not hostile. Just tell them Im pioneering the island and even get along well with the humans. Wouldnt that be good enough? I dont know. I guess I can try telling them that but theyll probably just order us to subjugate you anyway. Even if we refuse, theyll just send another hero and theres nothing we can do about it you know? If they are Japanese, we might be able to reason with them but it might not work for the others Ill just have to be prepared for anything but Ill leave the final decision to you What do you mean? Ill prepare myself to kill an Earthling I guess it doesnt matter if youre summoned or reincarnated into a demonkin, there are a lot of difficult things you have to deal with, dont you? Its not as hard when you learn how to take things in stride. Also, you should prioritize yourself. When it comes to killing, even if I dont like it, Id be better off doing it if it means Ill survive. That kind of mentality is necessary in my opinion. I used to only do day labor jobs for the guild since I didnt even want to even kill animals or monsters if I can avoid it but due to various circumstances, I became too famous. I was dispatched by the guild to escort the supply transport to the frontlines where the war between the demonkin and humans is happening. Once that was done, I was assigned to defend the fort and was forced to fight a battle I didnt want to until winter. I did all sorts of things since I didnt want to die but that meant I had to kill. I killed 30 people during my first time. They were enemy scouts so I had to make sure they couldnt return to give their report. Doing that almost broke me. After that, I used magic to launch boiling water towards the enemy and crush them with a stone wall made. Most of them probably died because of that. Even if they did survive, they got shot with arrows just like the ones who jumped into the moat after getting splashed with boiling water. No matter how you put it, just like how only the skin color was different among the people on Earth, the only difference between a demonkin and a human is their appearance. At least thats what I think. Some humans are saying that the demonkins are inferior to the humans right? Theyre only using that for their convenience since they want to take over the demonkins territory. If it werent for them, I would have been content with living in the vicinity of where I was born and raised you know? I got another small fish after I said that. Well, youre still young so just ignore this old mans complaints and do as you please. I dont mind whichever way you wish to report it. I can only listen and give you advice when you want to consult anything with me Thank you Dont worry about it. Although I say you do what you please, it may be better to listen to what the senior heroes have to say Thats true After we had that conversation, I made tempura that was popular with the sailors. While I was making them, the cook was standing beside me observing the procedures. You already took notes the other day, didnt you? Why do you still have to watch? Nagi-san was attending to my needs. He brought me my food and told me to eat it with my party if I was feeling better. Ooh! Its tempura! Is this white lumpy thing called tempura? Thats right. Its been a long time since I had those Oh? Whats this? Its pretty crunchy It would be nice to have rice or udon right now. Soba would also be great Is this food from your world? You should thank the Demon Lord then for looking out for you Tasty~. Its just fish covered in flour and fried in oil so why does it taste so good!? The breadcrumbs are also great you know!? Its a bit different from the one from my world but its still delicious. Its already good enough to sell at a restaurant or food stalls Wasnt his occupation a confectionery craftsman? I wonder if he can make sweets?[TL: Changing sweets-making craftsman to confectionery craftsman since I think it rolls out of the tongue better] I dont think there are any problems judging from his skills This would be great with some liquor The dish from my world was well received. Hey guys, I have something I want to say After hearing that, they all looked at me and waited for me to talk. Once were done reporting to the country, Im thinking of visiting the other heroes. I might be inconveniencing you but I wish for you to lend me a hand on my journey Alright, thats fine with me. Youll have to treat us to a lot of drinks though I also dont mind. I dont feel like fighting Demon Lords after being on the receiving end of that magic Sure~ I resolved myself for their refusal but they all just casually agreed. Now I feel like an idiot for worrying. Idle Talk Ah`, Ive seen that before. I was talking to Nagi-san who was lying down while holding a fishing rod on his belly. Takeru-kun, Takeru-kun, look. Supine fishing!1 I was wondering just what in the world was he doing but I remembered something popular on Earth and immediately burst out laughing. Hahaha. What the heck! Ah, I guess you know about it. Im over ten years older than you but its great that you know it It was pretty famous back then after all It was a show that seemed to be on air all the time, wasnt it? Those people are already old now though. Well, its great if that cheered you up even for a moment Saying that made me realize that I was also feeling quite down myself. CH 77 Chapter 77: That time when we picked up the craftsmen TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Weve arrived at Corundum, two days before the deadline of the enlistment I posted at the guild. Well then, I have something to do at the guild so this is where we part I understand. Thank you for everything, Caam-san Dont worry about it. I cant tell you to just swim home after all. Alright, take care not to mistake deer for tigers okay?1 Another saying huh? Unfortunately, I havent seen any tigers yet in this world That is truly unfortunate. At any rate, good luck Thanks The hero party left after that exchange. Well, no matter how he decides to report the incident, something is bound to happen so I guess I can just continue without worrying too much about it. Well then, everyone is free to do what they want during this trip but for those who can do calculations, please stay behind for a bit After saying that, only three people were left. I apologize for taking your time even though were finally at the port town. Im thinking of just sending you guys to buy supplies the next time we run out so Ill introduce you guys to Nils-san. Also, if Ill need your abilities once we start exporting goods in the future The three of them looked a bit confused but just continued. Just think of it as you guys being a merchants apprentice. Ive only done transactions so I dont know how this would work but Im sure it will work out somehow as long as persevere. Well, theres also the option to hire someone who specializes in that though. Well, then, shall we go? After saying that, we moved to Nils-sans warehouse. Once we arrived, I called out to a man who looked like one of Nils-sans workers that was nearby. Hello, is Nils-san here? Yeah, he is inside. Did you come to purchase from us again? If so then please show me the liquor barrels that will be used Were not here to purchase anything today. I just came to talk and also introduce these gentlemen to him. I wont always be available to come here personally after all I understand. Well, hes inside so please look for him there Thank you I knocked on the door of the same office/break room that I entered the other day then waited for a reply before entering. Sorry for disturbing you Once Nils-san saw my face, or rather the color of my skin, he gave an immediate reply. Are you here today to make a purchase? No, thats not it. I cant always be away from the island for long periods since something might happen so Ill introduce to you these people behind me who are somewhat capable of calculation I understand but lets make the gentlemen behind you wait for a bit longer and lets talk about this first After saying that, he stood up then took out a white cloth from his desk. I didnt have the opportunity to travel to the island so couldnt report it but Ive already given the thread you gave me the other day to my acquaintance. According to them, its inferior to silk but it will be profitable with a large enough stock. The cloths texture is between silk and cotton so it seems like it can be treated as a higher quality cloth for the commoners I see. However, I just found that cocoon by chance while I was exploring the island and we havent even paved a road towards that area yet so we dont have any in stock. If we push for it, the earliest that would happen will be around the time of the end of the seasons festival. Would that be alright? Is that so? I would appreciate it if you would let me handle the negotiations at that time If we really wanted to get the highest profit, it would be better for us to make a deal with the textile industry directly rather than conducting business through a middle man like you. However, since I dont have any connections, Ill be in your care I appreciate it Well, Im not a merchant after all. However, if someone decides to personally go to the island to buy the thread, would it be better if I send them to you? Should I write them a letter of introduction or something? You dont need to go that far Oh, thats right. Can you recommend a place that deals with vacant shop spaces? I had to say it in a roundabout way since he might not understand if I say real estate agent. If thats what you want then you should head to the guards station since theyre also the ones managing that Thank you. The next thing I would like to bring up is the delivery of the livestock, or to be more specific their escorts Alright, what about them? They were the heroes Wha-! W-well, you seem to be in good health. And so, what happened to the hero-sama? We fought but managed to come to a settlement after talking it out. We even gave them a ride on our ship to this town. The problem is that the merchant ran away in the middle of the fight. Moreover, according to the hero, he was going to take all of the money once I was defeated. I obviously would get at least a bit mad at that so Im thinking of harassing them. I wont ask you to introduce me to them but the next time I ask for livestock, please get them from the same merchant. I want to greet them with a huge smile on my face when they come to deliver the goods on the island after all I truly apologize. I didnt know they were that type of person. I will change how I interact with them from now on Its fine if thats what you want to do but please get them the next time I request for livestock since I want to harass them Youre a very interesting demonkin, arent you Caam-san? No, thats not it. This is just me being childish and wanting to play a prank. Im thinking of enjoying the awkward atmosphere that will happen when they arrive We moved on to the introduction of the three after that. I felt like the progress was a bit too slow though, probably because theyre not that well educated. Nils-san. Please keep drilling it to them like that. That way, I wont have to hire a merchant Understood. Theyll be fine merchants by the time Im done with them You dont have to go that far since theyre going to end up being sailor merchants. Well, I dont really mind if you rip me off, to be honest I wont do such a thing for it may damage my credibility Well then, we should be leaving soon I understand. Please drop by again whenever youre here Sure After saying that, we left Nils-sans warehouse. Caam-san, I dont think we can do this Its fine. Didnt Nils-san just say hell help you out? And besides, since youre only going to purchase supplies that were lacking, just use the note that Im going to give you and youll be fine. Ill be coming along if its something important As I said that, I told the three of them that they were free to go then I headed for the guards station. I approached one of the old men on the counter and asked about the vacant stores. I have a few questions about the vacant stores and Ive heard that this is the place to ask. Would it be alright for me to check the layout of the buildings? Understood. I shall get someone who can help you with that so please wait a moment He went into the back room then after a while, an onee-san came out and sat in front of me. Thank you for your patience. What type of business are you planning on starting? Lets see. Im thinking of a place that serves tea and serves light meals or sweets Hearing that, the onee-san had a troubled look on her face then called another person from the back to assist her in explaining. Ive heard about your query. That type of store would need a usable furnace as well as some tables and chairs. Would that be enough? Yes, that would be enough. However, Im only browsing for now so lets save the detailed explanation for next time. Please show me the closest available store from here After that, I was led to the closest vacant store so I began checking the layout. The entrance was quite wide, there was a counter, a kitchen, and a simple-looking room in the back. Should we go with square tables or would it be better if they are round? Square tables would be easier to get though. The counter only needs chairs and the room at the back can be used as a breakroom. It would be great if the sales would also allow us to get a vacant room nearby. While I was thinking about all of that, the agent who showed me the store started talking to me. Um, you said your store is going to be serving tea and snacks but is that really true? Yes, thats the kind of store Im aiming for Tea is something that you drink at home or during breaks so I dont think it will be very popular, to be honest It doesnt have to be popular since were going to open a store for publicity Publicity you say? The agent was at a loss for words but I kept going. Ive discovered something that could be used as an alternative to tea after all. Ive never seen it being sold around here so Im thinking of making it known to the public at first. Once people who know about it increase, the number of people who would want to be able to brew it in their own homes would also increase. Thats when we can start considering exporting the product Okay Because of that, for the time being, this shop will only be used to introduce the product to the masses. Even if the shop doesnt become popular, well be able to get a profit by selling the raw ingredients Is that so? Thats the reason for getting a shop. Well, it would still be best if both the shop and the raw materials are thriving, wouldnt it? Im sure that the price would change depending on the location among other factors but such things are better off left for when weve actually started in earnest. This should be enough for now. Thank you for your assistance It was my pleasure. Well then, I shall return to my work After saying that, we exited the building and he locked the door. I think we can obtain chairs, tables, and firewood in this town so just have to regularly transport the beans here and well be fine. Two days later at noon Well then, lets go to the guild to see if there are any craftsmen who would like to immigrate That would be great. We would have wasted our time if there arent any Yeah. But youve already bought women and drinks while we were here, havent you? Thats true Just dont get any weird disease okay? Got it Then Ill leave things here to you guys Roger After saying that, I was seen off by the cheerful sailor. Once I got to the guild, a couple of men sitting at one of the tables at the back started looking in my direction the moment I entered. They might be the potential applicants who recognized me from the description on the poster. Five men huh? They look skilled. I wonder if there arent a lot of female craftsmen in this area? While I was thinking that, one of them approached me. Are you the demonkin called Caam? Yes, are you applying to immigrate to the island? Thats right Then lets get right to it. Lets talk at that table over there After saying that, I picked a vacant seat then we started the discussion. Well then, why dont we introduce ourselves first? Well, as you can probably tell, Im the dark-blue-skinned Caam who put up the recruitment post. Nice to meet you The five people nodded and just gave me a brief reply. Ill just ask to make sure but do you really want to go to the island? Ill be speaking for our group. Were craftsmen working in this town but we are already done with our training and will have to start being independent soon. Thats why your post came at just the right time since we have matching interests Alright, why dont you guys introduce yourselves? The names Jucove, a carpenter Im Goburg, also a carpenter. We worked at the same place and we were thinking of opening a store somewhere Im Sharlet, a mason Bart. Im a woodworker that mainly makes make furniture Pietro, blacksmith Oh, I unexpectedly got the full set. Well then, Ive got a few questions for everyone. Are any of you guys married? If so, do you have any children? All of us are bachelors so we can leave right away I see. That makes things easier. However, dont you have things you need to bring, like tools for example? What about those? Everyone has their own tools. However, Pietro will need an anvil to do his smithing Thats right. Pietro wont be able to fix my chisel without that. My chisel is already busted so I cant use it for anything as is I see. Lets look for a place where theyre sold then I know someone Pietro mumbled those words. He sure is a man of few words. Then that makes things quicker. Ill show you the way to our ship first so that youll know where it is. Then we can split up so you guys can finish making your preparations. However, Pietro-san, before you go and do your preparations, please guide me to the place that sells anvils. Its a necessary expense so Ill spend our funds to buy it. If anyone else needs additional tools required for your job, please let me know so that I can also purchase them Oooh They sounded impressed by that. At any rate, I wonder if its normal for craftsmen of different fields that are skilled enough to start working independently to gather like this. Before we leave, please give me a moment to take care of something first I went to the lady at the receptionist desk and asked her to remove the paper I had posted then we left the guild. I guided everyone to where our ship was docked then told them that well meet there in the morning of the following day. After that, I was led by Pietro-san to the shop he had worked for. There, I bought an anvil as well as some iron since we didnt have any on the island. Urgh! Its so damn heavy! Hey, demonkin lad. Its an anvil so of course it would be heavy. Go get someone to help you since that thing is even heavier than my wife How would I know your wifes weight! Also, Im sorry but I have two wives so theres no way this thing weighs more than my two people. I guess youre right. Ill go get someone Its small but heavy but I might be able to carry it myself if I can figure out a good way to hold it. Now, who should I call? I also need to prepare so Ill excuse myself After saying that, Pietro left. It would have been nice if you helped us out too you know? Once he left, I called over a couple of sailors to help me carry the anvil and iron I bought. Gaahm-zan, gib us some good alcohol tonight for this! Pleaze!2 Fine, so put your back into it already! Its digging into my shoulder! The shopkeeper uncle used a thick rope to tie the anvil on two poles so that we can distribute the weight but if I had to guess, each person was still carrying about 70 kilos. My shoulder was dying because of that. Small but heavy things are the worst! CH 78 Chapter 78: That time when we had a negotiation and the heros report TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko I welcomed my long-awaited craftsmen to the island. There were no particular problems with the carpenters, mason, and woodworker but the blacksmith needed a dedicated facility for him to be able to work. The fuel isnt a problem and I already have the tools I need but I wont be able to do anything without a furnace Because of that, I immediately assembled a furnace in the hut that was hurriedly constructed in the industrial district. Ill fix your tools first Thats what I was told but the only thing that needs fixing is my machete. This is the only one I have that needs to be fixed I brought over my machete and showed it to him. The things beaten up. The blades been chipped all over the place, and its been sharpened down to nothing. Ill have to reforge it again and polish it up Ill leave it to you I said that as I left him to do his work. He started up the furnace, heated the blade part of the machete, used his hammer to remove all the imperfections, then polished it. Thank you Dont worry about it. Just give me the tools that need fixing After saying that, he went back to working on the other tools he was entrusted with. I guess its fine to leave him be. Even the other craftsmen were doing their jobs without any problems so I can go back to my work. Im thinking of extending the road to the western part of the island. That way, we can easily access the coffee trees. We can also gain access to the olives that are nearby to the south. The only question is whether the road should go along the coastline or through the center of the island. Considering that cutting through trees and removing the roots would take time, it would probably be easier to just lift the soil along the shore to create a path. Theres also that strange cocoon in the southeast part of the island but I hope well be able to find some while were exploring the southwestern area. The estimated circumference of the island is about 150 kilometers. Even if we divide the island into four, its still going to be around 40 kilometers away. If I go at a pace of 5 kilometers each day, it would take 8 days to get to the south. It would take even longer to make it go west. Theres nobody else who can do this other than me. This will be a lonely struggle, wont it? The next day, I told everyone that Ill be moving alone for a while to build a road to harvest the coffee thats at the western part of the island. Instead of having the islanders farm the coffee, we could just keep giving rabbit meat to the harpies but well eventually need to make this road. Thats why it would be better to start building it early. I dont need accurate surveying since it would already be enough just to have a passable road there with our current circumstances. Our population wont increase yet anyway. It cant be helped if it increases but I wont purposely do it yet since we still have food problems. If it looks like there wont be any problems based on this years harvest, well try to increase it. When building the road, I picked out the flattest area I could. Even if I needed to make a curve, I purposely do it where itll just be a gentle one. I kept an eye for places that I needed to clear out and made sure that I was at least 10 meters inland, away from where the dirt and sand meet. I raised the soil at regular intervals while marking where the roads shoulder should be. I also leveled the uneven surfaces and removed the large stones. This should be good enough for now. Huh? It wont need to be maintained that much you know? The only thing that will need to be maintained is the cobble paving once I add it. Just driving stakes on the ground and connecting them with ropes would be enough. I didnt really pay attention when I was exploring but Ill be able to finish quickly if its just this much. I dont need to worry about the elevation difference, or how Ill lose a couple of centimeters a kilometer away because the angle is off after all. If I needed to do accurate surveying, I would have needed to pay attention to those things as well. Apart from that, we still have the problem of how to transport the harvest. Should we buy a horse and use it for transport or just harvest the coffee then use transfer magic to transport it once a certain amount has accumulated? Either way, well need quite a lot of personnel no matter which choice we go with so we should also consider negotiating a long-term deal with the harpies. It would be great if we could negotiate using meat, wheat, fish, or potatoes but Well, its pointless if its just me speculating so Ill go and negotiate with Chiarore-san. A few days later, I walked all the way to the south of the island but there wasnt a place in particular that caught my attention. Unless I was feeling sleepy, I continued to lay out the road so I was able to finish the road to the south. While I was at it, I decided to raise the soil a bit at the area that I deemed to be the southernmost point of the island as a landmark. Its really great to be able to do this earlier than I had planned. I should continue to finish up the rest of the road at this rate. I transferred to the hot spring in the mountain while carrying a deer that I had hunted in the morning. I completed the preliminary inspection of the road that the carriage will travel through to the east so I was on my way to negotiate the collection of the coffee fruit with a gift in hand. Whats up, Caam? Whats with the meat? Facile must have seen me holding a deer so she approached me. I have something to ask of your father so I brought this along as a gift Youre bringing meat`!? Thats the same one we ate a long time ago right? Thats right. So, is your father around? Well, he probably is. They dont hunt more than what they need for the day so I can only imagine that hes flying around somewhere. He is~. Want me to call him? I want to have a proper conversation with him so you dont have to ask him to come. Just go home first and let him know Im coming Got it After saying that, she immediately flew away. Well, from what I could see, their houses are just a pile of branches so its not really that different from where I am. It should be the one close to where Facile dropped stones at me right? Now that I think about it, I should have asked for directions. My bad, I didnt think about that. In the meantime, I just went to the place where their nests were and waited for Chiarore-san. Oh, its the Demon Lord. What brings you here? I already introduced myself before, didnt I? Did you forget perhaps? Hello. I came because I have something I want to discuss. But first, here is a gift I appreciate it After saying that, we dropped off the meat at their storage place before I continued. Its about the red fruit we talked about a while back but` Wait He stopped me in the middle of my sentence. Is this going to be long? If it is then do me a favor and summarize it okay I contemplated for a while and decided to just go with the main points. That red fruit has become essential for us. Our village is located on the opposite side of the island so I want you guys to harvest it in our stead. If you do that, well exchange it for meat How much do you need? Were not sure yet but for the meantime, well just get 5 sacks that are the same size as last time Is that all you need? Yes. We still have a lot left from last time after all Since one sack is 30 kilos, if we have 5 sacks, it will be enough until it becomes popular in that town. It would be great if a merchant wants to buy it but Im still worried about how popular it will be or if people will like it. Well manage somehow if we run out of supply but with this, Ill be able to tell the lady from the town guard that well be able to proceed earlier than planned. I want Chiarore-san and the others to have enough to eat though. Will everything be alright? Dont worry about that. We have quite a large supply. And besides, we dont need a lot. Taking a hundred or two of those sacks wont cause us any problems Thank you. However, Im still not sure if any would get sold. And besides, I would feel bad for having you transport it to us all the time so lets negotiate again once we need more Do you really need that much!? We might actually need a hundred or two you know? Its something thats only available on this island as of this moment after all. Because of that, once we need a hundred sacks of the stuff, well build a hut near the forest that were going to use as storage. That way, well be able to use wagons to transport them Muu. If that happens, well run out of food once theres no more meat Im also keeping that in mind. Well make a separate fenced area thats reserved for your consumption. We will also continue to trade your excess supply for meat. It will be fine if we do it that way As expected of someone who became a Demon Lord. Youre pretty smart Hmm`. Im conflicted when people call me smart for saying something pretty normal. Were breeding rabbits and pigs at the moment so once their numbers increase, we can use them to trade for that red fruit. Well use the meat we get from the livestock in exchange for the fruit that you harvest. Is that alright? Sure That was quick. You should probably think about this a bit more you know? Then, how about we go with the rate of 1 sack for half its weight in meat? Ill leave it to you You answered too quickly again. Uhm, since Chiarore-sans tribes food is connected to your survival, are you sure you dont want to think about it some more? I dont think youre a bad guy so I trust you. You brought meat just to talk with me after all. Based on the rate you said, the meat you brought is worth about 3 sacks, right? If thats the case then I have no complaints. Also, Ive heard from my people that you are raising pigs and rabbits for eating so there will be plenty of prey left in the forest for us to hunt. Thats why we dont have to worry about the red fruit being taken. If we get betrayed, well get betrayed so whats there to think about? After saying that, he started laughing as he flapped his wings. Everyone says Im completely naive and kind but what will you do if I actually do betray you? Well, since they can fly over this vast island, we can get them to help us transport light objects or have them carry our letters in the future. Thats why its a good idea for us to maintain our friendly relationship. I see. Then well go with six sacks instead of five. In exchange, Ill give you another similar-sized deer Umu. Its better for us to get the whole thing so that would be great. Everyones preference differs depending on the part so if there are enough legs and body parts to go around, there wont be any quarrels or fights Well, Ill leave it to you Umu, alright. Forgive me but you should write down what we just discussed. It would be bad if I forgot after all I was already thinking of doing that. If what was promised has been written down on paper, well be able to avoid problems later on Its just a contract but hell probably understand it better if I call it a promise. I wrote the contents of our discussion on a piece of paper, signed it, then gave it to him. The contents are simple. ?When Caam asks for the red fruit, bring it to him and he will exchange it with meat equivalent to half of the weight of what was brought. ?Secure a place in the forest where the harpies will get the red fruit for their food supply that wont be touched. ?If the situation changes or theres something you are not sure about, immediately ask Caam. I also wrote on another paper our exchange of six sacks of the red fruit for 2 deer. This much should probably be enough. As I thought of that, Ryuze-san brought us some tea. To be honest, I didnt think they had a custom of drinking tea. I dont even know where their kitchen is in this place. Thank you Its fine. You were talking about work after all It certainly was about work but I didnt think our conversation would take so long that well need refreshments. Well, she went through the effort to make this so I guess Ill just drink it. Ugh! Bitter A bitterness that was on a different level from tea and coffee spread in my mouth. I think it probably is also acidic and has a harsh taste.1 Hahaha. Its going to be bitter unless youre used to drinking it. I hated it too when I was a kid. Its made by boiling short branches It reminds me of the senburi tea and megusuri tea that my grandparents drank. It was boiled using those small Nanbu teapots. Considering that theyre a tribe that mainly eats meat, I think they drink this to make up for the other nutrients they need. While thinking that, I drank the rest of the tea while enduring its taste with a smile. 2 The Heros Report Ten days after they parted ways with Caam in Corundum Its a pain but Im going to the castle. Caam-san told me he doesnt mind how I do it so Ill give them a proper report Even if he said that, hes our benefactor so shouldnt we help him out? I was already thinking of doing that. Ill try to choose my words so that it would be favorable for him Alright. It would be great if I could go with you though Only heroes or more like the people taken against their will, can meet with them so it cant be helped Dont look so gloomy. Like what that guy said, if anything happens, you can just go back to that island. Although I cant really tell you not to worry, its fine for you to rely on us too Thats right. Lets have fun drinking like before Thanks. Im off I went to the castle and was immediately let through when I said that I was there to talk about what happened to the Demon Lord. After waiting for about 5 minutes, the important-looking old man came out. Lets hear your report Hes completely become the princess and the kings representative when it comes to these things. Regarding the rumors about a Demon Lord in the island, there were demonkin there, but there was no Demon Lord I see. Go on We asked all of the demonkin to cooperate and searched them for the Demon Lords sigil but we didnt find it. In addition to that, humans were living there and they were developing the island together with demonkin. It was the demonkin who were leading the development but they werent oppressive and everyone got along well3 I see. Its unacceptable for the demonkin to be taking command but its great that there was no Demon Lord. The quest was to defeat the Demon Lord but since there wasnt one in the first place, we wont reward you. Are you fine with that? Yes Then, I shall retire4 After saying that, the old man was about to go back inside but I stopped him. One moment please. I would like you to listen to my request What is it? If its not something within my scope of responsibility, it will take five days to get a reply. Is that fine? I dont mind Then go ahead Im thinking of honing my skills so I would like to take a break from taking Demon Lord subjugation quests. To that end, would it be alright if my comrades and I travel around the continent for a while? In that case, the monetary allowance the kingdom provides you will be temporarily halted. Is that fine? Yes Then lets end this meeting. Report to me when you get back After saying that, he was finally able to go back inside. It was already evening by the time I was done so I went to the crowded tavern we frequented. The princess didnt show up again. Whats even the point? Watch what you say, you dont know whos listening. Rock might be fine but the rest of us are expendable Thats right My bad, my bad So, how was it? Everyone stopped drinking and waited for me to speak. Because of that, I told them about my conversation with the old man. I see. It would certainly cause all sorts of problems if they just let the summoned heroes play around But I told them I want to improve my skills you know? That reason should be more than enough. Im not sure though Still, there are other heroes so they might think youre lacking since you want to improve your skills You think so? Instead of having them compete with each other, I think the reason they have a lot of heroes is so that they can send them to all sorts of places to defeat strong Demon Lords. Thats why a newbie like Rock keeps getting asked to subjugate Demon Lords even though there are stronger senior heroes You have a point. They can use them for diplomacy as well. I dont really understand how the higher-ups think Well, thats not something we should be worrying about. Oi, Rock. Start drinking already! Ah, thats right. Excuse me! Mead please Thats really the only thing you drink, isnt it? I cant help it since the others are hard to drink. And besides, you know Im not a great drinker Yep. Just two beers are enough for you to get wasted after all Thats right. Thats why I drink a little at a time So, what are we toasting for? Ah`. How about for we have a toast for the start of our journey? Lets go with that Cheers! CH 79.1 Chapter 79: That time when I had various things made for coffee TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Since we now have the means to get the coffee beans, Ill start moving in earnest to turn it into a source of income. The first thing we need would be a coffee grinder. The millstone I used before seemed to be a good substitute so Ill have Sharlet-san-san make some for me. I can just use my magic to make something similar but the people who will be working on-site wont so Ill just have one be made. Sharlet-san. I have a request He stopped chiseling a stone then looked at me. What? Ill just say this but I cant cut those stones as cleanly as you do No, thats not why Im here. I want you to make a stone mortar, 2 of them As I said that, I used my hands to demonstrate the size. I need something thats about 30 centimeters. Its not going to be a problem but it will take a bit of time Its alright. Ill leave it to you Now well be able to grind the coffee. The only things left that need to be taken care of are the extraction method and milk. Ill try to recall the things I could use in this world as an alternative. We dont have any filters so I was thinking of using a cloth or cotton as a substitute when brewing but Im not really sure if its hygienic to use it as is so I decided to go to Pietro our blacksmith. He was in the middle of hammering a glowing red hot iron so I waited for the moment he took a breather to call out to him. Pietro-san, I have a request Pietro-san took a drink of water before replying to me. What is it this time? Did your shovel or crowbar get damaged? Are they all talking about me behind my back? Why do you already know what weapons I use? No, thats not it. I want you to make something like those cups we use to scoop up water but smaller After saying that, I took out a piece of paper and started drawing the approximate shape. I dont know what youre going to use it for but Ill make it just like how you described. What about the material? In the meantime, just use copper Gotcha Ill leave it to you Thats right, Im thinking of making Turkish coffee. You put the ground beans and water inside the container then heat it. Once it boils and the foam is about to overflow, remove the container from the heat, discard the froth then pour it into a cup. After that, you wait for a while for the beans to sink then you slowly drink it. At least I think it goes like that. Im not sure though. By doing that, the beans would stick at the bottom of the cup so it would solve both the hygiene and filter problem since we wont have to use a filter in the first place. The milk problem has already been resolved too, to some extent. Im thinking of using soy milk. It seems like itll be a good alternative based on those coffee or tea-flavored soy milk in packets Ive drank a few times before. So the problem with the milks solved as long as soy milk can be made. Apart from that, we also have magnesium chloride from concentrated saltwater thats the byproduct of the salt-making process so maybe well be able to make tofu. In my previous life, there was also something called Edamame Tofu. Since edamame is just immature soybeans, it might be possible to make it using the beans that I found. With that in mind, Ive decided to try it out. As for how to make soy milk, I think you wash the beans then soak them in plenty of water a day before but I wonder what the next part of the process is? Do you boil them? Mash them? Or perhaps you just process them as is? At any rate, soy milk and soy pulp are produced after the beans get squeezed. If the soy pulp products become popular on the island, we can also sell them at the store but if not, well just use them as food for the livestock. If we use them to make soy pulp doughnuts, wouldnt it be a popular snack in the store? We could also sell tofu if we also get a lot of soy milk. I wonder if well be able to start operating with this? In the meantime, once we get the materials sorted, Ill gather the couples who were already together before they became slaves and send them to the town so that they can be trained. I was grinding coffee beans with my personal grindstone at home when I heard a knock on the door. Its done As he said that, Pietro-san presented to me something that looked pretty much the same as the one I drew. I took the finished product then I tried putting water in it to make sure there were no leaks. What are you going to use it for? We might be able to make money with this. Its a tool used to brew the new tea we have. Well, it might not suit your tastes but why not give it a try? sure I had him sit on a chair while I made the coffee. I put in the coffee beans that I just grounded, as well as some sugar into the pot. As for water, I used hot water made with magic instead in order to save time. After that, I created fire from my fingertip to heat it. Once it boiled, I discarded the foam then poured the coffee into a cup. I repeated that process twice. Here you go I put the cup in front of him as I said that. Pietro-san checked the smell first before slowly taking a sip. Then, he started swirling it in his mouth before swallowing. It sure is bitter. Smells great though. I prefer it a bit sweeter Is that so? Why dont you try adding sugar to it? Alright As he said that, he added 3 cubes of sugar, stirred it, then waited for the grounded coffee beans to sink before drinking it. It seems like hes a sweet-tooth. 1 Its easier to drink like this Theres something called soy milk thats made by grinding beans and squeezing out the juice. It might be easier to drink if you add that Do you not have any? It needs to be prepared a day before so I dont have any right now. To be honest, it would be better to use cows milk but there arent any cows on the island. And besides, its not exactly something safe to drink unless its fresh so I dont have any I see He took another sip of coffee after saying that. Its not a problem if you end up drinking the beans as well but its not exactly a pleasant thing to swallow so it would be best if you dont finish all of it. Just leave a bit behind Sure After saying that, he put down the cup then suddenly asked me if I was the Demon Lord. Eh? Its no use hiding it Im not exactly trying to hide it since itll eventually get found out anyway I see. Ive been here for a few days but youre a pretty nice guy compared to what the rumors about the Demon Lord that have been circling around before say. Everyone here says the same thing too. When I first heard about it, I thought of going home but I guess its not that bad here Sorry for not telling you. I mean, Id get killed if I call myself that in town after all Thats true. Thanks for the drink. I think its good but its hard to drink without sugar. Im going back to work He left after saying that. I dont plan on hiding my identity but I cant just go around town calling myself a Demon Lord as expected. Well, things ended up working out for me since I left an unexpectedly favorable impression on the islanders. At any rate, I still need to deal with the millstone and soy milk. Should I also try looking around for a place where well manufacture the product? Sharlet-san, how are things going? Huh? Is this about that thing you asked me to make? Its still not done you know? No, I was just wondering when it will be done. I still have other preparations to make so it would be great if youd inform me a day before its completed Is that so? Ill need about two more days I guess. Its unexpectedly hard to get the grinding part right As he said that, he showed me his work so far. It does seem like something hard to get right. Itll end up being useless if done wrong after all. They need to be close, but not close enough that theyll touch and since its stone, its difficult to fix once you make a mistake. Stone lasts a long time but is heavy and hard to work with, yet its advantage over something like wood is that it doesnt rot. Is that all? Yes. Let me know if theres anything you need. Ill do my best to help you out with it That reminds me Ive already marked it out so could you cut the stone that I got from the quarry? Im asking you since Ive never seen anyone be able to cut a stone that cleanly before after all. Ill be able to do more if the cut is that neat I understand. Is that all? Yeah, thats it. As for the millstone, sorry but it will take at least two days Understood. Please just make sure you dont get injured making it Yeah Hmm` two days huh? Well, I should stock up on soybeans while waiting I guess. CH 79.2 Chapter 79: That time when I had various things made for coffee TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko While waiting for the millstone to be done, I decided to try making the soy milk to see if it can be done. I washed the beans and soaked them in water yesterday so they have already been prepared. I ground the beans with a small amount of water using a millstone made out of magic. After that, I collected the ground soybeans into a pot then heated it while making sure it wouldnt burn. Once it was ready, I used a cloth to strain it then the soy milk and okara were done.1 I left two cups worth of soy milk then heated the rest in a pan. Before it turned into tofu skin, I added in the nigari then stirred it and stirred it and stirred it some more but it didnt become tofu.2 Isnt this too difficult for an amateur to do? Did I not put enough nigari or was the nigari itself the problem? Im not actually sure myself. If I remember correctly, its just made by boiling down saltwater so I just took some from the salt makers but was that a mistake? Well then, I should try out this failed tofu to see what it tastes like. Ugh. Seriously? It ended up being bitter soy milk. It didnt solidify so I think I didnt add enough nigiri. Ill try adding a bit more next time. Well, theres still the other soy milk that I saved so I tried putting it in my coffee. Un, it has a smooth taste I had been informed by Sharlet-san yesterday that the millstones were almost done so I was stocking up on beans and doing other tasks that were close to my house as I waited. I checked on the honeybees condition, watered Fleur-san, and played with the wolves. Un, Im looking more and more like a hopeless demonkin so lets just head there to check on the status myself. Good work. Hows it going? Oh, you came at a good time. Im just finishing things up. Help me carry it Alright Even though I just arrived, I was already going back home with a millstone. Well then, why dont you show me how youre going to use it. Ill need to maintain it from time to time after all Because of that, I started grinding some coffee beans. I also ground some of the soybeans I have soaked in water and turned them into soy milk and soy pulp. Thats what Ill use it for. This is for a new tea that well be selling. Ill brew some right now to let you have a taste As I said that, I checked the beans to make sure that they were ground properly then started making the coffee and soy milk. After those were done, I served him the coffee as is first. This is the drink Pietro-san had the other day. Please add some sugar if you like Ou Just like what Pietro-san did, he started smelling it first and held it in his mouth before swallowing. Hm`? Once he had taken I sip, I brought out the soy milk. Here, please add a suitable amount of this to your drink. To be honest, using cows milk would be better but I just went with a good substitute that we currently have on the island. Its similar though, so it works Alright As he said that, he added soy milk to his coffee then tasted it again. Hmm`, I think I can drink this without adding sugar and this white liquid. I dont really like sweets after all Sharlet-san prefers it black huh? It was a good thing I let him try it as is first. I see. Well, its not a problem since you can just not add those things the next time you decided to have it Thats true After saying that, he finished the rest of his coffee. It has a surprisingly refreshing taste. It might be good to drink it when you just woke up or while working It has caffeine after all so it might be good against drowsiness but tea drinkers might think it has too much. I dont know what kind of tea leaves they use in this world so Im not sure if it really has any caffeine. We drink barley tea on this island though, so coffee might be compatible with us. Ill let the islanders try it again to see how theyll like it now. With that in mind, I put in a lot of sugar and a lot of soy milk, stirred it properly before drinking. Ah`. This sweet coffee sure is delicious~ Sharlet-san was giving me a strange look but I just drank the tasty soy latte without minding it. C Idle Talk C Right now, Im looking for ripe bananas. I didnt manage to secure some when I first met Palma-san but I do remember eating them before. Palma-san, do you know where I can find fruit like this but yellow? I said that while facing one of the palm trees in the area. Theres one just a bit further Thank you With that, I harvested the bananas. Now then, lets begin. First, I mashed the banana, added an egg and some oil, then mixed it well. Next, I added some salt, sugar, and soy milk then mixed it all together. After that, I added the sifted flour then mixed it again until the consistency was right. Once it was ready, I cooked it on a frying pan until both sides were golden brown. With that, the banana pancake is complete! Un, its pretty good I was wondering if I should get some honey to add to pancakes while I mumbled that but stopped myself since it would probably mess with the sweetness and aroma of the banana. Hey kids, its been a while but here are some sweets Yay~! It was pretty popular with them. Well then, next is to use the okara. I could make soy sauce or konjac noodles with it and just eat it that way but since I already made sweets, might as well make some more. I thought I could just mix some sugar, eggs, and milk but I realized I didnt have any butter. Because of that, I just used coconut oil instead, then mixed it with the okara and just enough sugar and eggs to avoid it ending up being way too soft to retain its shape. I also added some sifted flour and soy milk, then mixed it all together. After that, I put the mixture in an iron pan then tossed it in the oven to bake it. Hmm`, tastes like a muffin. If I use less sugar next time, Im sure itll go well with coffee. Then, itll be the perfect snack to sell in our store. This way, I wont have to dispose of the okara like what some restaurants do. Ill try to change the ratio of flour and okara later. Hey kids. Look, Ive made some more Is it alright to eat more?Its going to be dinner time soonYay~ Its fine if its only a bit I gave the children sweets again as I said that. Im such an evil Demon Lord for giving children sweets just before dinner. Once we finished eating dinner, I took the leftover okara and mixed it with some flour, sugar, and salt. I kneaded dough properly, stretched it out, cut it into bite-sized pieces then baked them in the oven. I was thinking of making cookies but it ended up looking different. However, I think we could also sell this at the store if I just adjust the amount of sugar used. 34 Okara and soy milk are pretty versatile, arent they! Once we get some of that cocoa, well be able to make cocoa powder. Then if we have that, well also be able to make chocolate-related sweets. I guess Ill need to adjust my plans so that we can get the cacao as soon as possible. CH 80 Chapter 80: That time when we started the coffee shop TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko Everything is white He brought me here again huh? I slowly stood up while feeling the floating sensation that I already had gotten used to when I saw god. It has been a while. Iya`, that Turkish coffee you made was pretty good, wasnt it? You may ingest some of the beans though. Even though its just boiled, its not as strong as I imagined it to be Is that so? What did I get called for this time? Nothing in particular really. If I had to say, its was just that I became interested in that coffee you made so I wanted to drink it but I was feeling lonely I see Have a seat over here After saying that, he pulled a chair for me like a butler then poured me some coffee. Even though hes a god, its strange that a butler image really fits him. Thank you for waiting, goshujin-sama1 With that relaxing atmosphere, he poured me some coffee. Since youre still more or less a god, dont you have more important things to do? This one whom you call more or less a god needs breaks from time to time after all. I can learn a lot just by watching all sorts of things you know? Like the unique evolution of Japanese maids for example Ill just ignore him. Ah`, thats not what Im into. Its just that, no matter how you put it, they are totally different from actual maids I feel the same way After saying that, he sat opposite of me then we both drank our coffee. I dont think maids should be that self-assertive. They should be in a store thats full of Victorian furniture and when someone enters, no matter the gender, they say Welcome back. Then, when that person is seated, they should ask, Will you be having black tea today, or will it be coffee instead? then ask you to choose which sweets you prefer from the menu that changes every day[TL: Thought this was god, it was actually caam] Thanks for that passionate speech. I think so too. However, the god of earth said that the skirt should be short. Heres an image from that time As he said that, a projector-like screen appeared in that empty room. It showed a lame-looking, white-bearded old man that was surrounded by mini skirt maids while eating omurice. The earths god sure is hopeless, or rather, is it really alright for him to descend to earth like that? As I said that, I took another sip of my coffee. Well, there was even a god who came to a cheap apartment in Tokyo to have his holiday after all. Its fine once in a while, right? Yeah After saying that, he snapped his fingers and cookies appeared in front of us. I took a bite out of one. Are these butter cookies? Yep. Since the bitter taste is strong, I prepared these mild-tasting sweets to go along with the drink. To be honest, caramel, tiramisu, or ice cream would work as well but its not something you can make after all Thats true So, how is the shop going? Is this the true reason you called me here? Yes Its probably going to be alright Simple snacks like scones would go great with sweetened coffee that has lots of milk or soy milk, right? Did you get hooked into coffee? Yes, its surprisingly profound, isnt it? I was thinking of trying out dutch coffee next time Ah`, cold-brew coffee huh? If you dont do it in moderation, this empty space will end up feeling like a coffee shop you know? That would be nice. Should I invite the other planets gods when that happens? Dont ask me. I dont know how close you are with the others after all As I said that, I stuffed my mouth with cookies, and finished up the rest of my coffee. This white porcelain cup looks natural to me but they use those small barrel-looking things to drink over there, dont they? I know that you knead, glaze, and bake clay to make it but I have no idea how to knead it or what to use as a glaze. I also dont really know much about bone china to be able to make it. Well then, thanks for the treat. That was all, right? Yes When he said that with a huge smile on his face, I immediately thought that he would serve as a good bait for women if he actually worked as a butler. While I was thinking of that, I woke up. I wish theyd stop calling me in my dreams whenever something happens. Ah`, I feel tired. I would almost certainly feel like this whenever god calls me in my dreams As I was uttering complaints, I washed my face, stroked Wulfs head, then headed outside to eat breakfast with everyone. Im going to be selecting the couple that will be managing the store today. It would be great if one of them knows how to make sweets. I wonder if its going to be possible for just two people to manage the shop? Well, I guess theyll manage somehow since most of the stores Ive seen in Aegirine and Corundum are run by couples. After we finished eating breakfast, I called the couples over then asked the ones who wanted to go to town to stay behind. From those who stayed behind, 4 pairs could make sweets so I began to explain in more detail. In the direction where the sun sets, or in other words, the other side of the island over that mountain, is where that small red fruit you probably know of comes from. Im thinking of using those as this islands primary source of income. Because of that, Ill have you manage a store that sells sweets and tea in Corundum to sell it. Right now, Im going to show you what youll have to do there. Those who can imitate it well will be the ones wholl go to town and manage the store. You dont have to think too hard about it. Its good enough if you let the rumors spread until it becomes famous enough then you spread the word of where they can buy it. Well then, lets begin I ground the coffee beans using the millstone, then gathered it all in a wooden container. After that, I took the container that was built specifically for making Turkish coffee, put a spoonful of the ground coffee beans and sugar into it, added water, then heated it. Once it simmered and started forming, I discarded the foam and immediately poured the coffee into a cup then put that cup into a tray along with a container that has sugar in it. Thank you for waiting As I said that, I carefully placed the trays contents on the table. Thats how it will go. If you make a certain amount of sweets before opening the store, you wont be as busy during the day. You can also grind little extra coffee beans to save time whenever youre free. I think you know how the millstone works but I just demonstrated it to you so youll know how to put the coffee inside After saying that, we drank the coffee I made then I let the couples try making it. Caam-san, why dont you use hot water to boil it? By the way, I already banned the use of Maou-san. They might think its troublesome but its better to reduce the risks. Theres no problem with using hot water but it will lessen the time its heated so it might taste a bit thin though some people prefer it that way. Because of that, lets just use regular water to boil it Drip coffee was just hot water being poured from above after all. Thats why I think there should be no problems but lets stick with what works. I dont put sugar in my tea though, cant we just not put sugar when we make it? The sugar is there to bring out the flavor. Its the same as adding a bit of sugar to change the flavor when cooking. Because of that, unless its requested, you should add sugar when you brew it. Well then, how about you dont add sugar to yours so that you can compare the taste After everyone was done brewing their coffee, it was time to taste their creations. If I remember correctly, I heard that the foam that comes out when brewing drip coffee has an odd taste so the flavor may change depending on how the foam is taken. Be honest, whose brew did you think tasted the best? After I asked that, five out of the eight people in the room pointed towards one man. It seems like the ones wholl be going to town have been decided. It looked like the pair were only in the first half of their twenties. In this world, they get recognized as adults and are allowed to get married by the time theyre fifteen so Im not really sure if its too soon for a couple in their early twenties to be managing a store or not but for now, it has been decided. Well then, the majority has decided so you guys will be the ones to go to Corundum After I said that, the two of them celebrated. Did they really want to go to town that badly? It certainly seems appealing compared to the monotonous lifestyle on the island but theres still a chance that this plan flops and comes down to nothing you know? Well, if theyre happy then I guess its all good. Well then, Ill have the two of you learn how to make sweets and serve customers Well do our bestYes The two of them eagerly replied. I taught them how to make the sweets and made them practice how to make the coffee for a while after that. We even had villagers stand-in for customers so they could practice interacting with them as well. I think youre ready. All thats left is to make small adjustments and discuss it with yourselves on site Yes Well then, were going to leave in several days so please start making your preparations Chapter 80: That time when we started the coffee shop TL: kizen ED: Filip A few days later, I finished getting all sorts of permits and licenses needed to operate a store in Corundum. The stores interior and the signboard were done and weve already decided on the prices for our products. The store was located on the harbor side of the main intersection of the town, just one off the main street where the stalls were lined up. The pedestrian traffic in our area wasnt bad but it wasnt great either. The monthly rent was also fair so overall, it was pretty average. You would usually need to purchase the supplies to start but since we brought the coffee directly from the island for promotion, that ones free. We produce sugar on the island but we might not have enough for our personal use so well just buy some along with some cows milk. For the sweets, we need wheat and butter, wont we? We can get all of those from a merchant that I know and Ive already discussed it with him so we just need to show our faces there. Buying it from a wholesaler is cheaper after all. When you run out of stock, feel free to use the money we get from sales to resupply. Theres also the uniform. Theres the store that recommended clothes to our doctor, Antonio-san, in this town so lets go there right now After saying that, I took the two of them to the clothing store. Welcome~. How can I help you? A lady greeted us when we entered the shop. Please give me four pairs of black pants and clean looking white shirts, ones that will fit the two I came in with Okay~ After saying that, she went around the store then came back with several shirts and pants in hand. Hmm`, this, or this? How about this? Maybe this one? She began trying to pair the clothes she had as she said that. We all discussed it and decided on something easy to move in. After that, I had the two select a black vest that they liked and made them wear a black tie. Oh my, its surprisingly stylish Well, thats how it should be after all It has a strong image of a coffee shop owner. What are you using this for? Were opening a store that sells tea thats not from around here Really~? A shop that serves tea even though youre meant to drink at home? Youre going to be selling it? Its not sure yet but we would experience a setback with our plans if we dont sell it. Its a tea thats not from around here so were going to introduce it to everyone first. Once people start wanting to be able to drink our tea in their homes, theyll come back to buy it in our store and the demand will be generated Well, it seems like a complicated story so just let me know where the store is when it opens Because of that, I told her about the place called Coffee thats located one street off of the main road. The stores name is the product name. Its easy to remember and its also better than oddly being particular about it. Its the same as that excavator calledYu*bo, that motorcycle from a certain country called Ka****, and Su**ru that car company. 1 Coffeehuh? I got it. Ill show myself there at least once After saying that, we paid for the clothes, thanked the lady then left the store. With that finished, we went over to Nils-sans place where we did our greetings and told him about our shop. Is it really alright that youre not on the main street? I want the store to give off a calming feel after all. Also, its expensive to get one on the main street The second one is the true reason right? Yep I answered him with a smile. Well then, please drop by next time Will do Please take care of us at that time After saying that, we left the warehouse. Once we were back at the store, we had a meeting about our plans moving forward. Ive already posted an advertisement for this store on the guilds bulletin board. It will be taken down after thirty days but if we only get a few customers, please extend the duration for thirty more days Yes Ill stay here for a few days to see how things go, but Ill come to visit from time to time to check on the state of things after I go back. If you want to invite over a few of the islanders to come, Ill be able to bring them with me during those visits. As for where youll stay, please find an apartment to rent thats nearby. Also, Ill be putting a rope in one of the corners of the breakroom/storage room where Ill designate as a place Ill use for the transfer magic so please dont put anything in that area Understood Lets get up a bit earlier tomorrow to check the foot traffic and decide when the best time to open the store After saying that, we put away the tables and chairs in the store then laid down the beddings. Ah`, if its too troublesome for you to rent a house, you can just sleep on the floor like this to save money Uhm, it will be more troublesome to live like this so were going to rent a place I see. Like Ive said before, you are more or less free to use the money so go right ahead. However, please dont run away with it okay? I dont want to go through all the trouble tracking you down after all Eh? Ah, okay Well, if you just keep at it until youre able to comfortably earn your keep, you can even decide to make a second branch of this store or something without asking me. Thats the level of freedom you have. Just dont drag the coffees image down, please. It would cause trouble for everyone on the island if you do that after all. Well then, lets go to bed Okay I woke up a bit earlier than the others so once they were awake, we all went to the market where, even though it was still dark, people were already moving about and starting their preparations for their stalls. The morning market starts really early, doesnt it? Then, once the sun started rising and it became just a bit brighter, they immediately opened up shop and started operating. So they open their stores at sunrise huh? Well then, shall we get something to eat? After that, it became lunchtime and the number of people that were in the port decreased as they all went to the food stalls and restaurants that were now crowded. Were only going to serve sweets and tea so you can probably take a break during this time Thats true While we were here, we also did some advertising. I tied two planks with a string and wore them on my body then called out to people with a huge smile on my face. I was the sandwich man. Everyone was laughing but I just didnt mind it. Rather, it was conspicuous and gathered attention so it was pretty effective for promoting something. Hey you, young man over there. Theres a new tea youve never seen before you know~? Its a little bitter but its good for your tired bodies and its effective against your sleepiness. Hey lady2 Its embarrassingHow shameful It doesnt seem like they were moved by that. Well, even if they werent, being conspicuous makes people notice you and that itself is a pretty great advertisement. I wonder if theres no concept of that kind of advertising in this world? It sounds great to me though. Is it because of cultural differences? After that, once it became evening, the taverns quickly opened and some people immediately took that chance to start drinking. It might be a good idea to close up shop around this time, just as the sun starts to set We were done with our excursion so we decided to go back to the store. Well then, based on looking at the flow of people all day today, I think it would be best if we set our operating hours from just a bit before sunrise till sunset Thats true. It might also be fine if we closed during lunchtime so that we can go out and eat What about if there are people who want to come here to drink after they have their lunch? How about we take turns eating then? Ill leave that part to you two On the day of the opening, I borrowed one of the mans uniforms so that I could help out in the shop. I was only going to do miscellaneous tasks but I would intervene if there was a situation the two of them couldnt handle. I had to demonstrate the flow first though so I decided to stand at the counter. The stores menu was simple, it was just Coffee and The coffee set. I just included the days sweets in the coffee set to avoid any complications. It would be a good idea to hire some staff to increase the number of snacks we serve but we cant do that without our plans coming into fruition first. Then, after a while, the bell that I attached to the door echoed throughout the store as it was opened. Welcome. Go ahead and take whichever vacant seat you would like Okay~. I came before having breakfast As she said that, she sat down on one of the counter seats. Our first customer was the lady at the clothes shop. Hmm~. Theres not a lot on the menu, is there? Yes, We are still shorthanded and our staff is still inexperienced but were thinking of expanding it sometime in the future I looked at the sign outside and it said todays set has scones but I havent had breakfast yet so Ill just get the coffee One serving of coffee coming right up After saying that, I immediately started preparing it. Thats how you drink it huh? Hmm~ She read the illustrated instructions on the wall after saying that. ?Drink it carefully. If you dont, the finely ground bean powder will enter your mouth. ?Its bitter so please add sugar if necessary. ?Once you add sugar to the drink, wait for a little while until it sinks. ?If you want a much smoother taste, add in some cows milk. ?If you want to be able to drink it at home, we can sell you the powder ground at the store but only a small amount to avoid it being spoilt. We will also teach you how to brew it. It is sensitive to moisture so please make sure to brew and drink the powder we sold as soon as possible. Its alright for me to use up all of the sugar provided right? Yes, however, it will be pretty sweet when you add it all in you know? I recommend adding just a bit at a time kay~ Thank you for waiting After saying that, I gently placed the cup in front of her. So thats how you make it, huh? Ill try it without sugar first She took a sip then said. Hm`, its bitter Because of that, she added sugar to her drink. She stirred it slowly and waited for the powder and beans to sink before taking another sip. This might be enough for me Once she had finished half of her drink, she decided to try adding the milk. She added a little at a time before drinking it. Oh my, it became easier to drink. I prefer it like this After saying that, she finished up her coffee then went back. We had a decent amount of customers in the morning. When the afternoon came, Nils-san arrived. Ive dropped by He sat at the counter as he said that. Ive just had lunch so a cup of coffee please Certainly. A cup of coffee coming right up. Please wait a moment After saying that, I started preparing the coffee. I saw you attracting customers at the port you know? That was a unique way of advertising, wasnt it? There are plenty of stores that are already imitating it to sell their products Is that so? Its nice to be the first one to do that When I was told by an employee that there was a blue-skinned demonkin with wood strapped on his chest and back, I immediately thought of Caam Well, I can understand why. I was also getting into it at that time After saying that, I served him his coffee. This is better than what I drank the other day, isnt it? As he said that, he added sugar to his coffee then took a sip. He kept repeating that until it was just right for his tastes before adding milk and enjoying what was left. Now that Ive figured out the right amount of sugar to add, I dont have to go through all this trouble next time and just enjoy my drink right from the start. Anyway, how are things going? How are the customers? Lets see. Its only our first day and its still an unfamiliar drink after all so I just hope that the ones who come spread word of it I cleared out the cups and washed them as I said that. Well see how things go for a while and hopefully the number of customers will slowly increase. It would be great if people would at least come here to have a drink during their breaks though After saying that, I delivered the coffee to the other customers tables. Well, if anyone asks me where to find the beans, Ill refer them to you Thank you Give me some beans to take back! Certainly. Please give me a moment I scooped out the ground beans using a cup, put them into a bag then gave them to the customer. Thank you for your patronage Your way of dealing with customers is different from other stores, isnt it? Well, thats just how it is Well then, Ill also be taking my leave. Please give me a bag of beans as well Of course. Please give me a moment Here you go, thank you for your patronage I handed the bag to Nils-san then he paid for everything before going back. Our first day ended up being alright. ~Idle Talk~ Sandwichman Oi, whats that? That demonkin looks like hes advertising the thing thats written on that sign and those planks hanging on his body Isnt that embarrassing? The two behind him look like they are though. I feel bad for them. What are they, some kind of spectacle? What are they advertising? Coffee? Seems like a new type of tea Ho`, should we check it out? Oi, dont you think there are more people carrying planks today? Ah, this time its not about a new tea. Its various shops and the red light district promoting themselves It certainly is bizarre and eye-catching so its great for advertising something. You cant help but look at them after all It really does seem like it works. Oh, I know that shop Theyre all pretty desperate. Seems like the three we saw the other day did some pretty effective advertisement Have you been to that coffee place? How was it? Ive been there. If I dont add too much sugar, Ill feel awake. I also like how the store smells I think its pretty good if you add milk and lots of sugar. The sweets go surprisingly well with the coffee as well. The price seems reasonable and you can go there for a short break Thats true CH 81 Chapter 81: That time when I went home TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko The third day of the coffee shops opening was finished and we didnt experience any particular problems. The shop wasnt crowded with people but it wasnt so devoid of people that we had time to laze around. Just like that, the fourth day of operation was about to begin. My back hurts I got up after sleeping on the floor then returned the table and chairs I moved to their original positions. As for the two humans, they rented a nearby apartment because they said they wanted to be more intimate with each other. Theyll just be commuting to work from now on. After changing my clothes, I started preparing the sweets for the day. They were a little late but after a while, the two of them arrived. Were late. Thats alright. Im just about to get started after all. Thats right, I think youre already starting to get used to things so please take turns trying it out by yourself today Yes! Weve managed to familiarize ourselves with a lot of faces these past three days. Those people are pretty much our regulars by this point. Im just glad that there are people who come despite us selling an unknown drink. If the two of them can finish this day without any problems, I can safely leave this place to them. With that in mind, I finished baking the sweets for the daily set then told the two that I will be taking a step back and work behind the scenes for today. Then, just as the sun rose, the bell by the door rang as the lady from the clothes shop came in. Welcome Im here again. Coffee please After saying that, she sat on her usual seat at the counter then began chatting with the staff. You know, yesterday, while I was drinking the coffee I bought here in my shop, a customer said it smelled good so I told them about this place Thank you very much The man kept moving his hands to complete the coffee as he listened and replied to the customer. I see that the people working in the port and also adventurers occasionally come to this store. Even drunkards drop by from time to time huh? While saying that, she looked around and saw a drunk person drinking his coffee black to sober up, people wanting to drink it before going to work, and adventurers who heard rumors about this place. Those were the type of customers we had at that moment. However, coffee doesnt have the effect of sobering people up, does it? Theyll just end up being an oddly energetic drunkard because of the caffeine. After that, theyll experience a combo of mild dehydration and headache. Around noon, Nils-san comes to have his drink after he had his lunch. Huh? Is Caam not manning the counter today? Yes. I will be working behind the scenes today. I will only be serving the customers and helping out in making the sweets. If everything goes well today, Ill be going back to the island I see. Well, at any rate, it seems like it has been my routine to come here to have a drink after having my meal, hasnt it? He added the usual amount of sugar and milk to his coffee then drank it after saying that. Rumors about this place had suddenly spread these past few days. Its good that customers are coming in but please dont push yourselves so hard that the two of you get sick Thank you for your concern The man gave a light bow after saying that. If this trend continues, I think there will really be a lot of buyers. Please take care of us at that time Pleased to be working with you With that said, Nils-san stood up from his seat then went back to work. After that, the receptionist lady from the guild and the lady that showed me this store also came by and they had a conversation while enjoying the coffee set they ordered. It feels like the store has turned into some kind of hangout. There doesnt seem to be any problem so far. Im a bit concerned about the rumors that Nils-san was talking about but lets decide on the regular day off After the shop closed, I suggested that we decide on their day off. Day off you say? Its a day allocated for rest. You remember how I rested every ten days back in the island? Yes Well do a version of that for the shop. Youll take a break once every five days or ten days. Ill leave it to you to decide. Once the number of personnel increases, you guys can take turns resting so that the store will remain open. Thats going to be difficult at the moment though. Well then, Ill leave the rest to you. Ill be going to my hometown first before going back to the island. Please lock the doors tight and manage the expenses properly. When I have the time, Ill come by the evening, around the shops closing time to check on the inventory so let me know if you have anything to report to me at that time Got itYes Well then, Im off After saying that, I went into the small room that was made inside our storage room then teleported to my hometown. Im back~ I opened the door as I said that. Welcome back~ The children came to greet me. They looked about as tall as grade-schoolers or middle schoolers but theyre still at the right height to be head patted so I did just that. Welcome back~ Latte jumped at me, pressed her face against mine, then started sniffing me. Ah`, smells good~. Butter and its a mixture of scents so I cant really tell Shes probably smelling the coffee since Ive heard that its a mixture of various scents that give it that aroma. While I was thinking about that, Suzuran also came out. Its rare for you to come back home this late Thats true. I was working in the port town just now and wanted to come home before returning to the island. Im here but I dont think Ill be able to prepare dinner or stuff like that though Its fine. I made a bit more than usual after all Suzuran is in charge of dinner today? Yes. Its already done so lets eat together With that said, we had to set the table so I had to drag Latte who wouldnt let go to the dining room. We had a hearty meat dish for dinner. It was very delicious. After that, I took a bath with the children then spent our time relaxing. I want to sleep together with father today Me too. I want to sleep with papa too Eh~? But mama wants to sleep with papa too~ Latte said something like that and in response to her words, Suzuran grabbed my sleeve and lightly pulled on it. Well, I only have one body but since Ill be going back the day after tomorrow, how about we separate you into groups? Suzuran and Lily then Latte and Miel I want mother and Latte mama to get along with father. Its better if Miel and I then mother and Latte mama go together. I mean, they told me they wanted to sleep together with father once in a while after all Is that so? I looked at Latte as I said that. Un! Alright, its good to be honest. Should I have you tell me what other things youve been saying to the children? Er, I just said that Caam-kun is mine and Suzuran-chans husband so we want to be spoiled from time to time~ I looked at the children to confirm what she said and they nodded. She must be saying that a lot. Ah`, un. If thats all then I guess its alright For a second there, I thought that she told them all sorts of topics without holding back, like our nightly activities for example. With that said, it had been decided that Ill be sleeping with the children on the first day then with the wives on the next. Its been a while since I slept together with father Me too~ While saying that, they each took a side of the bed then hugged my arms. I think this oddly close physical contact was taught by Latte but Lilys horns still hurt as expected. Its fine if youre just rubbing your cheeks but please dont grind your entire face against my arm. Its really hard and sharp after all so it hurts. I was the first one to get up the next morning. I boiled some water in a pot then added plenty of barley tea to it as I rubbed the arm that was hugged by Lily all night and inspected the injury. It was completely red. We seriously need to discuss if we should put a cushion on her horns whenever we sleep together. While I was thinking about that, I sat on a chair then sipped on my tea. It hurts I couldnt bear the pain so I cast recovery magic on the wound. Just as I started preparing breakfast, Latte woke up. Morning~ Good morning She was still sleepy but thats already a lot better compared to Suzuran and Lily. Miel and Lily were the next ones to get up after Latte. As for Suzuran, shes already a lost cause so I had to wake her. After that, we ate breakfast then saw Latte off. I fed the poultry together with Suzuran then asked her all sorts of things about their food. She had to go to the pond onee-sans place so I also saw her off. The children told me theyre going out to play so I was left alone. Because of that, I just pulled the weeds in the wheatfield in front of our house then dug a hole to throw them into. I also completed all sorts of small things that needed to be taken care of. Since there was nothing left that I had to do, I decided to go around the village. First was the brewery. Sup, Wurst Oh, a sudden visit as always. When did you arrive? Yesterday evening. Is the brewing going well? Its alright. The other day, some humans from distant lands came, which was new. That was the first time humans that werent the ones you brought came here. I didnt really understand but the village chief did his best you know? If the number of breweries increases, the more liquor there will be. The taste will change as well. Thats what he said Youre putting a lot of effort into popularizing the sake huh? I also started a business with the humans since I needed the money you know? At the moment, its doing alright I guess. If everything goes well, well be able to get some money and create jobs for everyone on the island Is that so? Seems like youre acting as a village chief Id rather relax and let someone else do it though We stayed at one corner of the brewery, leaning against the wall while talking about random things as we watched the scene of charcoal being thrown into the stills. That reminds me about Lily-chan Is there a problem with her? No, at least not at the moment. I heard from Primula that she said she wants to be an adventurer you know? I see. I think it would be great if she didnt have to become one though. Seems like she takes after her grandfathers Really? Werent you also on a battlefield at one point? That was just something unavoidable. I would have preferred to relax somewhere that was completely devoid of any conflicts. They just mistook me for a magician even though I was just trying to make work easier. I think that might be the reason why I was made to be a Demon Lord Is that so? Well, cant do anything about things that are already in the past. Im just doing my best with my current situation while cutting corners from time to time Thats great since youre working too hard. So, are we going for drinks today? No. My wives want to get spoiled so maybe next time Alright Thats right, I might buy one barrel of slightly scented Beryl sake After I said that, Wurst didnt reply and just went back to work with one hand raised. I left the distillation hut then headed to the villages forest when I met Speck who was holding a deer that he hunted while patrolling over his shoulder. Sup Oh, welcome back. Its been a while. Youre up to something again, arent you? Well, yeah. Thats why it took a while This things kinda heavy so help me carry it to the old mens place With that said, I helped him carry the deer to the werewolf and werecat old men who often butchered them. Phew`. Thanks Its fine Oh, Demon Lord-samas back huh? Have you gotten better at butchering pigs? The old men were still trying to get me to become a butcher until now. Just find someone else to teach okay? No way, there are lots of people better than me after all so Ill just leave it to them. Well then, Ill borrow Speck for a while After saying that, I ran away together with Speck. Since theyre also cutting trees in the forest to make charcoal, its nice and open now Is that so? Well, it was pretty dense in the place I used to train after all The shallow part of the forest is now a playing area for kids you know? Is that why you were patrolling and hunting animals? Thats right. Nobody wants the children to get hurt right? Thats why Im patrolling inside the forest. The animals are managed by Arc-san since it would be bad if their numbers decrease too much Thats good It was decided by everyone in the village after all. Look, Caam has been busy since he became a Demon Lord right? Thats why, the chief said we should decrease your burden during the times you come back to the village. You already made the fields, dug the well, and helped out with all sorts of stuff around the village after all I see. Thanks I had a strong urge to pat him on the head but I was able to suppress it. Alright, I should go back to work He went back to the forest while waving his hand after he said that. I also wanted to meet with Shinken so I decided to go to the watchtower at the edge of the village. I noticed someone was looking at me while I made my way to the watchtower. That was probably Schinken. As I got a bit closer, I heard a voice that came from the top of the tower. Yo Caam. Wait right there, Im coming down I dont mind going up there you know? Youre in the middle of work after all After saying that I started climbing up the almost vertical ladder. It was scary, to be honest. Its the first time Ive tried climbing and it was surprisingly high and scary. You sure can see far away from here It wouldnt be a good watchtower otherwise after all Thats true Have you met the others already? Yeah, youre the last one I see. You havent been coming back as frequently as before, have you? Are you busy? Pretty much. Weve recently found things we could sell that could be found on the island so I was taking care of that Well, you wont be able to buy anything without money after all Thats right. If its just to avoid starvation, hunting animals on the island and catching fish is enough but we also need clothes and tools after all After that, we had the same conversation as what I had with Wurst and Speck. Well, just let me know if anything happens. I can at least lend you an ear while were out for drinks I would prefer if we talked without any liquor involved though. Itll be a pain to take care of you when you get drunk after all Youre too cruel You couples act like normal people as long as youre not drunk after all so although Im not telling you not to drink, I hope you do it in moderation You just said something mean but I guess I cant really deny it Since youre aware of it, at least hold back a bit in front of the children. Ah, a goblin Where! There I pointed at the goblin that was along the road that leads to the town. It looked as big as a pinky fingers nail from where we were standing. You can see quite a lot` One goblin! On the side of the road 250 paces away from the tower! Arrows wont reach it! As he shouted, he hit a dangling plank of wood with a stick. Eh? What were you saying? I said you could see a lot from this tower It wouldnt be a watchtower if you couldnt I was already done with what I came to do so I said my farewells then went down the tower. While I was on the way down, I saw some villagers with farm equipment getting rid of the goblin. I thought they were quite bold seeing as how theyre trying to attack it with just sickles and hoes. Sickle huh? Its something thats frequently used to cut off heads in legends, isnt it? Well, I didnt use it since it doesnt have a lot of practical uses. I would have turned it into a sickle & chain if I did though. You cant think of one without the other after all. While I was thinking about that, I got home. After lunch, I joined the children in their training. Once that was done, I took a bath then while we were having our dinner, Wurst arrived. Here, this is a thank you from everyone. We discussed it and although we cant afford an entire barrel, everyone wanted to give a little something to you Caam As he said that, he put a medium-sized barrel on the ground. What are you talking about? This barrel is full to the brim you know? Oi oi, shut up and just receive whats given to you As he said that, he tapped my shoulder. Did Wurst-kun already go back? Yeah, he just came to give the sake After saying that, I put the barrel inside the house. I took an empty bottle and refilled it using the barrels contents then the three of us took a little sip. Its really hard to drink without diluting it first Its necessary to add a small amount of water before drinking it I guess Thats true~. I like the ones with fruit in them that are not sold in barrels Although Latte said that, she kept taking small sips. Aroma too strong. Might have been over-smoked. Think will be easier to drink if the fruit is seeped in it for about three days. Also want meat1 As she said that, Suzuran also took small sips. I want to try drinking too! Lily came out while saying that. You obviously cant Even if youre a demonkin and grow up twice as fast as humans, you still look like a ten-year-old right now. I was a special case since I was made to drink at the age of five. Its fine, its fine~ Drink a lot~ As she said that, Latte took out a cup then Suzuran poured a little of the distilled liquor in it. Oi oi, thats not a good idea you know? Why~? I was already drinking when I was the same age as Lily you know~? Me too. Father secretly gave me Those were most likely fruit wines or beer though While we were talking, Lily drank the distilled liquor like it was water. Ueh`. Its hot and bitter Stupid girl. You should have drunk it with small sips. Water! Drink water! Sake is still too early for you! Uh-oh, she drank it all at once I guess fruit wine would have been better if she was going to drink it like that. Lily can hold her liquor like her grandpa, cant she? As we said that, I poured water into a cup and had her drink it. Hehe`. Miel wants to drink too? I-I dont want any He seemed scared after seeing her sisters reaction. I see`. However, you will be able to drink it soon so you should try getting used to it, okay~? I poured a small amount of sake into Miels cup that had water in it. Look, it should be fine if its only this much After I said that, he proceeded to drink. Ive come to understand the laws and customs in this world but I still dont agree with the idea of letting children drink alcohol. These mothers are hopeless. It tastes weird. This is just bitter water you know? Ho`. You are mama and papas child so you wont get drunk from just this much, will you~? How about we add a bit more~ Okay, stop. Hes still a child so dont force him to drink Eh~. Why not? Lets all enjoy drinking together as a family Not if its as strong as this. Alright, thats enough of that. We can have that fun once the children start their schooling After saying that, I put the bottle into the highest place in the cupboard. Once they enter school, theyll probably grow up all of a sudden and look like fifteen-year-olds. Looking at Lily, her face was a bit red, she was unsteady and she kept grinning the entire time. This part of her is exactly the same as Suzuran. Lily, are you alright? Ahaha`. There are three mothers~ Shes lost it She has, huh? Thats true~ Ill put her to sleep As I said that, I lifted Lily then carried her to bed. I laid her sideways so that she wouldnt choke in case she vomited. I will watch over big sis so you can sleep together with our moms Oi oi, you dont have to be so oddly mindful of us you know? We promised after all Well, the situation is already beyond the scope of that promise right? Its alright. Moms were really looking forward to it after all Alright. If youre going to go that far then Ill leave it to you. Im counting on you to look after your sister Un! Since I got a reassuring reply, I slowly closed the door. It would be great if he wont sexually assault his blood-related sister. Hes half incubus though so I cant say for sure. 2 At any rate, even though hes still a child, Miel was really considerate of us. I dont know how to feel about that as an adult but lets just sleep! Yes~ After saying that, Latte clung to my arm and pressed her chest against me. Not wanting to lose, Suzuran also did the same, although she didnt have any so she just placed her chin on my shoulder and rubbed our cheeks together. It was difficult to walk in that state, to be honest. And just like that, we got to the bed and deepened our bonds as husband and wives until the date changed while making sure that the children couldnt hear us. The women were the ones taking the lead though! Also, please give me a break and just be satisfied going one round each! CH 82 Chapter 82: That time when Keith arrived on the island TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Lunchtime the next day. Well then, Ill be going back to the island so Ill leave things here to you Take care kay~. Take care~ Latte, who looked glossy for some reason, was energetically waving me goodbye. Meanwhile, Suzuran, who was also in the same glossy state, just gave me a short one. The children were also there to see me off. I waved back at them with a smile, then, with the barrel of sake by my feet, I activated the transfer magic to return to the island. Im back Ou, a guest is waiting for you As he said that, the cat-eared old man went to the forest while carrying an axe over his shoulder. It would have been great if you also told me who it was though. Yo, Caam. Its been a while Oh`, Keith! Whats up? Why have you come to this island?1 I came all the way here after hearing rumors about you, you know? I heard that there was a dark-skinned demonkin who became the demon lord and was pioneering an island. There arent a lot of demonkin with dark skin after all. Good thing it was you who became a Demon Lord or else I would have wasted my time coming here Are you serious? It hasnt been that long since I became one you know? Just where were you back in the main continent? Huh? You thought that rumors about you were already spreading all over the continent? I just heard about it in the port town you know? It was when I was looking for a subjugation or escort job in the guild. I boarded a ship going to the humans continent and they dropped me off here. Did you know? The rumors have been calling this island the island that the dark-skinned guy lives on since it has no name Thats understandable since I only wrote the name on the paperwork for the church. Sorry bout that. I didnt think it was necessary since we havent completely established our trading yet Try to come up with one. Its a pain in the ass for the people who want to visit If its a name then there is one you know? What is it then? Its Aquamarine Ha! Thats a pretty nice name Well yeah. I picked that since it matches the name of my home town Aquamarine is just beryl with iron mixed into it after all. Its a shoal island thats surrounded by a beautiful ocean so I think that name fits it perfectly. So? Was that the only reason you came all the way here? That was the plan but I changed my mind, Im going to live here for a while. Is that alright? Well, I dont mind but why all of a sudden? I just thought of taking a little break from the dangerous adventurers life Im not going to pay you you know? Do you even use currency on this island? No, we cant use it yet We both laughed after that, then I invited him to my house and brewed him some coffee. This is a substitute for tea that can only be found on the island right now. I opened a shop in the humans port town to advertise it. Its bitter so just add as much sugar as youd like, stir it then wait for the beans to sink first before you drink it After saying that, I placed the cup of coffee in front of Keith then started drinking my own. Yuck! Peoples reaction to drinking coffee for the first time is always interesting. After that, Keith added some sugar to his drink then stirred it. It looks like muddy water but it doesnt smell bad He had his eyes closed and his nose was twitching as he said that. Does he have a good sense of smell because hes a canine type of beastkin? Yeah, the beans also smell pretty good when theyre being ground after all. It would be great if this becomes popular in town and sells well I dont know anything about business but I do know that you wont get any money if it doesnt sell Thats right. Thats what Im worried about. If this doesnt sell, we wont have any source of income aside from hunting pirates. If that happens, we wont be able to buy things that we need on the island. Im not completely sure about this but unless the population increases, I dont think well have any problems with food. However, we wont be able to buy iron to fix the tools and other supplies. We can make money by increasing the yield of wheat and potatoes and selling them but well need to reclaim the forest and expand the fields to do that. Even if we go with that, it will take a long time and its not like the iron that will be used to repair the tools is free Wouldnt it be faster to just hunt pirates then? I dont like putting myself into dangerous situations you know? If thats the case, how did you manage to hunt pirates as you said? They attacked the island so I got mad and did them in. I dont regret it Is that something you should be regretting? Not at all Damn right After that, we drank our coffee. Ah, I just remembered something. Adding a small amount of liquor into this drink would give it an even stronger aroma and the flavor would change as well As I said that, I filled an empty bottle with sake from the barrel I brought from home, then added two spoonfuls of it into my cup. Oi oi, is this really alright? I have a policy of not drinking at noon you know? This sake is strong but just two spoons of it wont be a problem. Im also adding it to something hot so the alcohol will just evaporate After I said that, he sniffed it again to confirm what I said. Oh, this is Its hard to explain but the smell has changed for the better After saying that, he tasted the coffee. Amazing. The aroma is stronger now that I can smell it even from my mouth. Adding just a bit of liquor changes it this much huh! Yeah. Once I have some money, Im thinking of also making this type of liquor on the island Theres no way tea and liquor this good wont sell right? We wont know until after the fact. This liquor has become an important source of income back in my village you know? I shrugged and slightly tilted my head as I said that. So, about work. Is there anything that needs someone who can use a bow like hunting? We do have hunting jobs but youll just end up taking over our current hunters. You might also take too much prey that their numbers start decreasing so it would be better if you just use an axe to help out in cutting the trees and driving away monsters from the fields. It would be fine if we could sell the meat youll get, but this is an island, so we can only dry it to preserve it. We already have more than enough dried meat in stock though Wait a minute. I dont want to boast but Ive been using a bow to hunt prey since I was a kid. To start using an axe at this point is a bit Then how about just helping out with the harvest. Farming is pretty fun, you know? Thats right, you can help out harvesting the coffee beans This conversation isnt going as well as I thought Im glad that you came to the island but deciding your work is a different matter. You can also take care of the livestock but we dont have that many at the moment so its already enough if you just remember to give them their meals Can I really not hunt? Im not prohibiting you, but since youre too skilled, other people will lose their jobs. If you absolutely have to, well have to discuss it with the others or have you guys take turns. You could also teach the others about the bow though youll have to start from making the bow itself I folded my arms and took on a serious expression as I said that. Fine, fine. It cant be helped so Ill just give up on hunting for now Please do. Im going to cut through the forest until the evening so stick with me and observe the work process until I deliver this barrel to Corundum I stood up to put the cups away then headed towards the forest. I used my Imitation Chainsaw to cut down the trees, the branches were cut off, then the stumps that were sticking out of the ground got dug up. Hey Whats up? You do realize that youre the only one who can do that right? Yup. Thats why youll use an axe to chop down the trees, a saw to cut it into smaller pieces, then either split it into firewood or process it into lumber for the carpenter. After that, you dig up the ground around the stump and cut the roots to remove it. Its hard work so Im also doing as much as I can to help with the land reclamation work Oh`, its impressive that youre doing all of that even though you became a Demon Lord Just because I became a Demon Lord doesnt mean that Ive changed. Youve heard the rumors about the previous Demon Lord compared to mine and how theyre saying the current one is better, right? Well, yeah Anyway, well continue reclaiming the land like this, then well start cultivating the fields for planting crops and gradually increase our food supplies. Im thinking of doing that kind of work for a while Sounds pretty tiresome We wont be able to do anything unless we do it though. We could just move to an open area without any trees to cultivate the fields but we would have to leave here by sunrise then well get there in the time between breakfast and lunch before we can actually manage to go through the forest. Even if we build a house there, it would still take some time to build enough to accommodate everyone. Theres also the fact that this is the only place with a bay that boats can come in and out of. Thats why it would be quicker to just clear out this area and develop it I see! Reclamation! Seems! Hard! Huh! As he said that, he removed the branches off of the tree using a nata then took a saw to cut it into smaller pieces. Youre good with the nata but your saw technique still needs some work Shut up! I dont need your cheeky comments. Ive only practiced with a dagger for times when I need to fight up close! Nobodys managed to come close though! Yeah yeah We continued working like that till evening. My hands got blisters in weird places now You were using an unfamiliar tool after all. You can just think of it as training for fighting against enemies who get close Like what Ive said before, nobodys managed to do that He said that with a grin on his face. After that, he washed his hands then looked at his blisters which seemed to be painful. Im going to deliver this liquor to the store now so you go ahead and rest together with everyone Ou After that, I teleported to the shops storage room. Chapter 82: That time when Keith arrived on the island TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Good work I said that after going out to the shop floor. There were no more customers and they were already preparing to close the store. The couple was putting away the tables that were under the storefront canopy. Welcome back I see that you also set up the tables outside. Did the number of customers suddenly increase? Yes. We had a lot of them Ah`, should we increase the number of staff? Its okay since we can still somewhat manage. Well decide once the number of people who are entering the store has settled down I think the man is pretty talented when it comes to these things. If it was me, I would have already panicked a bit. I see. Ill leave it to you then. Anyway, please come to the storage room The couple followed me to the stock room where I showed them the distilled liquor and explained why I brought it here. This is the liquor made in my hometown. Please give it a try As I said that, I poured a small amount of the liquor into a couple of glasses then placed a cup of water right next to them. Here you go. This is stronger than the liquor around here and it can only be found in my village. Ah`, they also make it in the mountains where the dragonkin reside but they only make it for their consumption so you probably wont be getting any from there. Anyway, please try it After saying that, they proceeded to drink. Hot! Whats this?Ugh, its so strong Its two to three times stronger than fruit wine. You can also set it on fire Can you really drink this? Yes. Its the result of heating liquor until all of the water boils off, storing it in barrels then letting it rest for several season cycles. You need to add water to drink it I diluted it with some water until I thought it was enough then gave it to them to try again. Its easier to drink now compared to before It has a slightly peculiar taste but its not undrinkable I think it will sell well by itself but I brought this here to suggest a different way of drinking it. Well be putting one to two spoons of this liquor into the coffee. Lets move to the counter After saying that, I brewed some coffee, asked them how much sugar they liked before adding it in, then added two spoonfuls of the distilled liquor into the cups. Try it now I placed the coffee in front of them then they each had a sip. It smells differentThe aroma is Liquor turns into steam as soon as the temperature gets too high. Even heat of the coffee is already enough so utilizing that makes the aroma even stronger. You can do the same with tea but this liquor has a strong aroma so I think it suits coffee better. Lets add it to the menu, shall we? ?Adding a bit of strong liquor will make the aroma stronger. If you want to try it, please ask the staff. Availing this service will incur an additional charge. That should be enough How much should we charge for it? If its only as much as half of this small container with cows milk in it then a copper coin should be enough But this liquor is a valuable commodity and theres not a lot of supply, right? Are you sure its okay to sell it in this shop? There were people in our village who approved of the idea of having more good liquor out in the world so we were already spreading the brewing techniques in various villages by sending people there under the pretext of training. Thanks to that, there were plenty of people from the surrounding villages and the nearby town came to our village to visit or learn the techniques so I dont think its that rare. Itll probably be fine. Anyway, I should just write down the price ?It will cost one copper What do you think? I think its alright I see. Then its settled. Were going to sell this liquor here. Since I have a key, please go on ahead and close up shop. Ill go to Nils-sans place to talk with him for a bit then Ill come back here to transfer at the storage room Understood Well then, starting tomorrow, a small amount of alcohol will be served with the coffee if anyone wants to try it. Ill be on my way After saying that, I filled two empty bottles with liquor then left for Nils-sans place. Hello. Is Nils-san in? I apologize even though you came all the way here but he is in the middle of a business transaction right now. I think he will be back by evening but if you have a message, Ill make sure to pass it on to him Hmm`, this wont work unless I meet with him so Ill just wait. If thats not possible then I guess Ill have to come back later No, it should be fine. I would have to apologize once again though since Ive been told not to let anyone in the warehouse when Nils-san is not around I dont mind. Ill just wait over there to pass the time I went to one of the corners of the warehouse then started training my magic to pass the time by making mana pass through a string that I found in the trash. Before I noticed it, people had started gathering around me. You were the demonkin guy who had boards hanging on you, right? I visited that coffee shop you know? Thank you for your patronage Wasnt it embarrassing to have those boards on you while calling out for customers like that? Well, everyone started copying you like it was natural though Its the cheapest and most effective method to advertise after all. It wasnt embarrassing for me because if we dont sell any coffee, I wont be able to pay everyone on the island I see. Youre pretty much the islands demonkin representative right? You must have been desperate, huh? Un, I guess thats true. Im also a Demon Lord though. You guys! What are you doing? Get back to work! A familiar voice echoed throughout the warehouse. Hello, Nils-san. Sorry for distracting your staff Its you Caam-san. I guess it couldnt be helped then. Coffee and that board advertisement has been the talk of the town recently, hasnt it? At any rate, what can I do for you today? I want to talk about something that might be profitable Hou. What is it? Its liquor As I said that, I smiled and lifted the bottles that I brought with me. Because of that, the people surrounding me started talking among themselves. Liquor huh? Now Im curious Certainly, if its a liquor that Caam-san brought, then it shouldnt be a normal drink It seems like they also immediately perk up when liquor is brought up here. Then lets talk more about it inside, shall we? Nils-san unlocked the door to his office then we both entered. So, what kind of liquor is it? Its something that a liquor loving dragonkin put his all in to make I see That must taste really good then It will depend on ones tastes but its something that can be set on fire Excuse me? Its flammable desu I borrowed a plate then poured a bit of the liquor in it. After that, I turned off the lamp in his room then set the liquor on fire. As I did that, a pale-blue fire flickered and the aroma of the liquor started spreading throughout the room. Once all of the alcohol evaporated and the fire was out, I relit the lamp then we resumed our conversation. Uhm can you really drink something that can be set on fire? Yes. Its surprisingly addicting once you get used to it I poured a small amount of the liquor into a cup. It might feel hot, spicy and painful at first but you wont notice it anymore once you learn how to drink it Er, I feel a bit hesitant now that youve said that Even though he said that, he took a small sip then started rolling it over his tongue. His eyes were moving from side to side at first then closed them to focus on the taste. Its pretty strong, isnt it? Im starting to wonder how its made but I think there should be a demand for it among the liquor enthusiasts Is that so? How about drinking it with one part liquor, one part water next? I poured a bit of water into his cup then had him drink it again. This time, the strong smell is gone and its become more mellow. It also has a different texture. Im curious about how you made this amber color come out I dont really plan on keeping it a secret but, like what you said in our first meeting, information can be sold and that is one of those things we could sell. This liquor is made in the village I was born in but the dragonkin living there is generously providing the said info since he said that it should be spread throughout the world. As a result of that, merchants who came to buy the stuff and demonkin who want to learn the techniques gradually increased. Weve even had the first human merchant come by the other day. Anyway, going back to the main topic, this color just comes from the wood thats used to make the barrel its stored in Eh? Whats the original color then? Its clear, just like water. You fill a barrel with the clear liquor then store it for about 2 cycles of seasons. The first liquor we made was five cycles of seasons ago so theyre ready to drink Five cycles, huh? It takes a lot of time to get stock, doesnt it? Yes. The longer you store it, the mellower it becomes and the deeper the color will be. The dragonkin even stored some in their treasure room which they plan to take out after a hundred end of the seasons festival passes Can you still drink that? This liquor doesnt spoil and molds dont grow on it so its probably going to be alright. To be honest, even I would want to try drinking liquor thats been through a hundred season cycles myself. There wouldnt be much left in the barrel by the twentieth cycle though. At any rate, I came here to sell this. Would you like to buy it? Just kidding. Im just here to advertise that well be offering the service of adding a small amount of this liquor into the coffee for one copper starting tomorrow. Im indebted to you so please have this and enjoy it with everyone as thanks. You can really only find this in my hometown so its a rare commodity. Theres not much supply, since even if we immediately start making more, its not something youll be able to drink right away. Once the islands operations get going, well start making some ourselves so Ill let you know when that happens I see. Thats why you said its something that might be profitable. I understand. I will be waiting without any expectations. If its well-received, I will purchase more so please let me know the location of your hometown. Let me know when you start making it on the island as well so that I can make advance orders Alright After saying that, I stood up then went back to the shop. After confirming that everything was locked, I went to the storage room to transfer back to the island. Idle Talk Liquor in coffee? Welcome Good morning~. This has become my morning routine, hasnt it? Oh my, strong liquor? Not really a fan of drinking in the morning Improves the smell huh? Ill try it Right away Can I put all of this in? Yes After saying that, the clothing store lady put all of the distilled liquor into her coffee then tried smelling the aroma as what was written on the menu. Oh my, thats pretty good. It has a slightly different taste and I also wont get drunk if its only this much Thank you So this is what Caam-san was talking about. One coffee with liquor please Coming right up Hmm`. Its true. I wonder why it improves the aroma Liquor in coffee? I cant imagine how itll taste like but someone give it a try Werent you complaining that adventurers dont have any manners? Why dont you ask them? Just wash away the bad feelings with alcohol Thats not a solution okay? Then lets just all try it together. Itll just increase the bill by a copper coin each after all Agreed` Ah, its true Certainly Mu`, a slightly weird bitterness was mixed in Oi, they say that its a strong type of liquor Why dont we have a little taste before putting it in? ugh, bitter. And its stinging my tongue. Is this really liquor? Oi, I tried putting it in like what its said on the paper and it started smelling better I know but Ive never tasted this flavor before. Whats with this liquor? Ni-chan, do you know? I dont, but I hear its the liquor that came from the hometown of the demonkin who started this shop Whats that? Did that demonkin nichan quit? Thats pretty gutsy of him That person I guess it would be better to say that hes the owner of this place. Im just a hired worker here after all Hou. That demonkin-nichans a pretty important guy huh? He was inviting people while wearing those planks on him so I thought he was just hired to advertise and do chores around here. You never know huh? CH 83.1 Chapter 83: That time when the humans and demonkin were forming relationships even without me TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Caam-san, do you have a moment? While I was working, the leader of the fishing group approached me. What is it? The sea over here is shallow, right? Theres something that I used before I became a slave thats called a flatboat. I think its low draft would be better with these waters so, um, would it be alright if we have one built? Hm? If it will improve your work then you dont have to ask for my permission. It would be fine if you just go to the craftsman yourselves and ask him to build it for you, you know? A flat-bottomed boat huh? If its that, then it should be able to carry goods even in shallow waters without any problems. I guess I should also go and have a look. Ah`, come to think of it, Ill also go with you. Ive been worrying about how were going to harvest and transport the coffee thats on the other side of the island and just realized that we dont have to transport everything by land. I dont know the technicalities of how its made so lets go to the carpenters place together After saying that, I went together with the fishing groups leader to Jucob-sans place.1 Once we reached his workshop, we started explaining while showing him a simple drawing of the boat. We would like to make a boat thats shaped like this. If we have this then we wont need to worry about transporting goods even with the shallow waters surrounding the island. We also wont need to worry about getting horses and oxen since we wont be going by land. Manpower will be enough I dont mind but your destination is on the other side of the island, right? Wouldnt it be hard to get there with just oars? Well, Ill still make it though since you asked If thats the problem then I may have a solution. Theres this girl named Sheila from the sahagin tribe that I get along with. I could talk to her and see if they could help2 Oi oi, when did that happen? Jucob-san grinned as he teased the fishing group leader. While I was catching fish, she suddenly appeared and told me that what I caught was poisonous then we got along from there. Even after that, she would help me out by pushing the boat from behind or holding it still whenever I lost my balance. After that Well, uh, you know The fishing groups leader was a bit shy after saying all of that. Well, I think its great that they were able to break down the barriers between their races. It shouldnt be that hard unless its the top half fish type though. Up until now, we havent really had anything to do with each other but we should slowly start interacting more with other races like the harpies. Group leader, I would like you to set up a meeting with their race. Can you facilitate it? I dont mind but what are you going to do? Im planning to hire them as our workers. If possible, I want the negotiations to end up with a win-win situation for both sides Huh? What does win-win mean Its when both parties come to an agreement where both sides dont lose out on anything. In other words, they both win. It would be great if everyone can proceed with the discussions and build your own connections even without me. Ill eventually want to retire and freely live my life with my family after all so Ill have to find someone wholl succeed me in being the islands leader. Thats still a long way off though. However, considering the future, I think building personal connections is also necessary. Well, youll probably be uneasy so Ill go there as the representative this time. Sooner or later, I wont have the time to attend to every single minor detail though so I should consider appointing a representative who deals with those jobs Oi oi, the chief should be someone like Caam right? I wont be able to handle being both a demon lord and the islands chief you know? Right now, Im just striving to make this island, which was given to me as my territory, easier to live on. I also want to live a normal life after Ive achieved that. My goal is to divide the island into four sections, make villages on each one, then appoint the village chief there and only provide them with simple instructions. Ah, we strayed away from the main topic, didnt we? Anyway, should we wait until the boat is completed before we set the date for the discussion, or should we do it before? Youve thought of this quite a lot, havent you? I just thought it would be you that would lead the island with the way things are going Thats not the case you know? I mean, I want to be able to enjoy my life too. If you think of being a demon lord as a business, the previous one was just not managing his employees, the humans, correctly. Well, thats just my opinion though. Well then, how about it? I think its about time I stop deciding everything so, group leader, please decide on the time and place for the meeting I abruptly pushed the responsibility onto the fishing group leader. O-okay. Ill inform Caam-san after Ive talked with them so lets decide at that time He was suddenly put on the spot so he stuttered a bit but he was able to give me a proper reply. Got it. Please let me know when youre done talking with them. As for Jucob-san, Ill leave making the boat to you and Goburg-san Ou After that, we went back to our respective works. Several days later Caam-san. How about after lunch today? That soon!? Its almost lunchtime you know? I said that while checking the position of the sun. Well, after I told Sheila, she went back to tell her father then thats what she told me when she got back. The location will be the area near the beach where we eat W-well, the earlier the better I guess. I wonder what I should use to negotiate? We dont really use money on the island yet, and its still too early to harvest the wheat Do you know what the aquatic demonkin eat? Dont ask me, please. How would I know? You were talking like both of you were in love though so I just No, we havent progressed that far yet. I mean, we havent even had a meal together before As for my sahagin mom who has more human than fish features, she eats both meat and fish. And our staple food was bread Im stumped about what to do Me too Do I really have no choice but to just ask? Well, lets just think about it while were eating I was absent-mindedly waiting at a desk with a cloth over it near the beach drinking barley tea. I think you usually dont eat or drink anything while waiting for your guests to arrive though But a woman brought me barley tea so it cant be helped. As I was thinking that, a couple of aquatic demonkin rose from the waters then came over to us. That girl is Sheila The sahagin woman called Sheila had slightly pulled back, seemingly transparent, blue hair that reached to her waist and a supple build of a swimmer. Ah`, she almost looks like my mother. They have the same fin-like thing on their hands and faces for example. If they really are sisters then I just hope that their representative isnt my grandfather. I wonder if all sahagin women look alike? Eh? Shouldnt you be happy if thats the case? She fell for my lizardman father and gave birth to me in the middle of the continent, you know? And besides, Ive never seen my grandparents before so it should be reasonable to think that something happened, right? Id rather not find out about it at this point I-is that so? Well, the color of moms hair, skin, and eyes are different so they probably arent related. Since they were almost here, I went over to meet them then gave them my greetings. Thank you for coming here today Dont mind it. Lets just go ahead with what you have to say Understood. Then lets sit down and talk over here I lead them to the seats under the tent. I think Ive introduced myself before but my name is Caam. Nice to meet you The names Lucan. Unlike my daughter, Im not really fit for land so it would be great if you keep it short Understood. Ill be brief. Right now, were making a boat with a flat bottom. Unlike the rowboats weve used until now, this one can carry things on shallow waters without scraping the bottom. Right now, in order to earn money, were selling the fruits of a tree thats on the opposite side of the island. However, it takes time to transport the said fruit by land. We also dont have any horses or oxen to pull it so were thinking of transporting them by the sea and we thought of asking you guys, who can swim fast in the sea, for help. Thats the reason why we called you here Too long! Summarize it a bit more That was still too long!? We would like you to transport fruits from the other side of the island that either we or the harpies will harvest to this place using boats that were currently making. What would be a good compensation for that work? Ill just speak with the assumption that hell accept. Things that we cant get from the sea would be good. From what Ive heard, it seems like you are raising livestock for meat. Just let us regularly eat land meat Is that really enough? It is. Were only interested in eating and sleeping. If we can eat land meat for just a bit of work then theres no problem. A lot of my people have excess strength after all. The boat will only have cargo in it, right? Then theres no problem Woah, how manly. I wonder if this is what a man of the sea is like? Well, we didnt really get a win-win relationship though. Also, well take sweets. Its pretty much impossible to make under the sea after all so we cant eat it. Even in our group, there are ones who want to eat sweet things Understood. Well proceed with that in mind. Once the boat has been built, well show it to you so please test if whether or not you guys will be able to pull it and how much weight can you handle Got it. Ill let everyone know. My skin is starting to dry out so I apologize but I have to get going soon. Otherwise, let me soak in the water for a moment Im sorry for not noticing. Next time we meet, well set up a seat on the waters edge for you That would be great. If theres nothing else, Ill leave the rest to Sheila and go back to the sea Weve already tackled the main part of the discussion so it should be alright. Thank you for coming After I said that, Lucan-san went back to the sea. Even though I think hes manly, I guess his time on land is still limited. Maybe it would be a good idea to have those that have an appearance thats close to humans like Sheila-san live in the lake thats close to the mountain. Either that or make a waterway they can pass through, like salmon thats returning to the stream they were born in. When I was eating the other day, I noticed that there are also mermaid-type demonkin so it will probably be difficult for them to travel on land. It might be a good idea to work out some kind of plan for that. I doubt they would agree to be carried in barrels. I remember there being a certain mermaid in a tub though. There were even cod dancing on land like it was natural. I dont really get the aquatic demonkin. Thats not saying much though since I dont even know the category of demonkin I fall in. As I was thinking that, I noticed that the group leader and Sheila were having a nice time talking by the beach. Well, I guess its great that theyre getting along. Even though I want to just leave them alone, I also have something important I have to say. Having to butt in with the current moods going to be tough. I dont want to get in the way of their romance but I should just talk to them now that theyre here. E-excuse me. Sorry for interrupting your fun but please let them know about the things I asked earlier. Like if they can manage to pull a boat, or how much load on the boat they could carry, or how long will it take to get to the other side of the island? Ah, I apologize. Ill go ask them W-well then, Ill be going back to work I decided to leave and let them enjoy their alone time. CH 83.2 Chapter 83: That time when the humans and demonkin were forming relationships even without me TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko A few days later, the boats were already being built near the beach. Hmm`. I think its about time to split the hive. If I see a honeybee, Ill let them know. I should also have a new hive built While I was muttering that to myself, someone called me from behind. Caam. The boat you asked for is done Thanks. You completed it faster than I expected. Well then, shall we test out if it floats? Also, should we do a ceremonial launching? Huh? You want to drown a slave in the sea? What are you talking about? Thats completely different from the ceremony I know You offer slaves to the gods as a sacrifice you know? What? Thats terrifying. Its not just hitting the vessel with a bottle of fruit liquor? Never mind, lets just stop this conversation. Rather than just cultural differences, I feel like its different in a more fundamental level Thats true. Anyway, its good enough if the boat floats. Lets call back the fishing group Yeah After having that conversation, we called over the fishing group. Its finally done, huh? Oh`, the bottom is flat~. Its perfect The group leader circled the ship while saying that. Oi, we havent tested if it floats yet so we still dont know whats going to happen. This is my first time building something like this after all. I mean, just get a shipwright to build these things for you instead We cant since theyre still in the middle of training. I apologize for making a strange request well, its fine since I managed to learn something from it. Anyway, lets see if it floats first. It would be embarrassing if it sinks after all of that After saying that, we all pushed the boat to the sea. How is it? Its not taking in water so far. Lets try adding more weight to it Alright, Ill get on Ah, me too The three of us got on the boat, then tried to shake the hull to see how it would go. I also started adding stones using magic to gradually add more weight. Seems fine to me I agree Well, let me know if theres anything wrong so that I can come and fix it Thank you With his role done, Jucob-san went back to his workshop on top of the hill. Well then, I guess I should try calling them here After saying that, the group leader started rhythmically striking the water. A short while later, Sheila-san rose from the waters surface. The boat has been completed, huh? Should I start pulling it? Un, Ill leave it to you The group leader tossed the rope to Sheila which she rolled around her torso then she started to swim. Dolphin kick!? Wait, theres quite a lot of force to it. Whats this? Why does it feel like shes not pulling anything at all? Uhm, how long do you think it will take you to reach the other side of the island? If I try my best, I can do it in about two suns worth of time1 Thats pretty fast, isnt it? They say that it would be even faster if the mermaid tribe does it Oh`, thats amazing That means this girl can swim at about 40 kilometers per hour Aquatic demonkin are amazing! Even just a ten-kilometer round trip journey with a cart full of supplies would take us about seven hours to complete. Come to think of it, the harpies arrived pretty quickly even though I used my transfer magic to get back. It also didnt take long for Facile to get back when I asked her to call her parents, did it? I wonder if theyre actually pretty high spec? Is a simple meal enough in exchange for their services? Can I really just give them sweets? I-i-i-s this really, REALLY alright? It seriously hurts my conscience though. Next time they ask for a favor, Ill make sure to prioritize it. Ah`, specialization is amazing, isnt it? ~Idle Talk~ Rocks adventuring preparations One of the summoned people asked to go on a training journey? Yes What has he done? He subjugated a demon lord on an uninhabited island. Lately, there have been rumors about another Demon Lord appearing on that island so we sent them there again but according to his report, those rumors werent true It should be fine since he has already defeated one. Let him do as he likes. If he comes back stronger then it would be even better. Let him do good deeds along his journey in order to improve the peoples impression of our country As you will Takeru, youve been given permission to do what you want. While youre at it, you should assist any troubled individuals you may encounter along the way Understood At any rate, Im glad they gave you permission Thats great, isnt it? So? Have you decided where you want to go? Its going to get warmer soon so it would be great if we go to someplace cold Then lets head towards the mountains. If were going to a cold place, we should buy equipment for cold weather in town Thats true. Stewed meals are really tasty in cold weather right~? Also with liquor to go along with it. Its great Haha. Anyway, lets just pay attention to the rumors while looking for the heroes. Well be traveling like this for a while so we need to set aside some money. We need enough for lodging and food at the very least so we shouldnt have less than what we have right now Thats true. Well, it would be good if we could subjugate monsters or catch someone with a bounty on their head while doing merchant escort requests We wont have any problems if things go according to plan. In the meantime, lets just see if we can find any merchant escort requests or just hunt monsters along the way to the next town. We still have money but lets try to avoid using it Right. I guess Ill stop after this drink then You say that but isnt that the usual amount? Mason, you should start saving a bit Yeah yeah Well then, lets begin our preparations. If theres a merchant escort request, well do that, if not, well just walk to the next town. Everyone agrees to that right? OuNo problemkay~ CH 84 Chapter 84: That time when we harvested coffee TL: kizen ED: Filip/Gecko In the evening, I went to the coffee shop to check on the state of things. Caam-san, we have less than half left of the beans I had put the coffee beans in a barrel to serve as part of the interior decor so I opened it to check and saw that more than half of it was gone. Ah`, its true. Doesnt look like well make it till the next harvest Why are you so calm about it!? Isnt this a pretty big problem? Youll still be able to operate for several days so dont worry about it and just resume the operations. Iya`, is this what you call the scream of happiness? What are you talking about? Im concerned about this you know? Its fine, its fine. Anyway, how are the sales? Just let me know how the sales are per day Uhm, its about this much He showed me the bag where they keep the days proceeds. After counting the money and subtracting the miscellaneous expenses, it was equivalent to the amount youll get for working 25 days at a decent place. They wont understand if I say it was worth almost a months worth of work so Ill just simplify it. The amount weve got is the same as you two working for ten days even after deducting the expenses That much!? Were not buying the beans after all. Were also getting the rest of the required materials for cheap from Nils-san. I dont know how much your rent is but I think theres still going to be a lot left even if we include that. I think it would be fine unless you start lavishly spending or get caught up in a weird scheme. Well then, I hope youll continue to do your best Y-yes! We will Ah`, if you ever feel like going back to the island, please inform the customers in advance with a sign that says youll be taking some time off. Ill come to pick you up when that time comes Understood Well then, Ill be busy starting tomorrow so Ill deliver the beans as soon as Im done with that Thank you Weve already used half of the coffee in the shop we established in town so well be harvesting them today Whats that? You want help? Im still uneasy about the mode of transport so Ill just ask the harpy tribe and aquatic demonkin for help for now. Were going to be paying them with meat so please hunt a lot. You can use this empty box and bag. Keith, Ill entrust the meat to you Leave it to me! After that, I went to the beach then made a slightly large stone in the air which made a loud splashing sound when it landed on the water. After a while, Lucan-san showed up. Too loud! If youre going to call then do it more gently Crap. I forgot that fish are weak to loud sounds in the water. Sorry, I will do so next time. Anyway, this is about work Whats this? Is this about pulling the boat we talked about the other day? No, were not doing that yet. Its something urgent tell me more To make money, we urgently need the fruit of the trees that are on the other side of the island. For land-based demonkin and humans, it would take quite an amount of time to get there so thats why I called Lucan-san who can swim there quicker Is that all? Were going to be harvesting the fruit so please select people who can go on land. Well need to fill up those boxes I pointed at the boxes that were piled up behind me. Got it. Well meet up on the other side of the island right? Yes What about you? How will you get there? Ill go there using magic Thats pretty handy, huh? Well, well be going ahead Thanks, see you there After that conversation, I transported myself to the mountain in order to call the harpies. Oh`, hey Caam! Whats up`? I found Facile sloshing around in the hot spring. Im here to talk with Chiarore-san about work Is it meat~!? Were going to get meat!? Dont misunderstand. Im not giving it to you, youll have to work for it Hm~? Facile tilted her head in confusion. You work for money. However, since you guys say that meat is better than money, thats what I give you in exchange for your work. Ill give you money if you want though Meat! Thought so`. Thats why Im here to discuss it I see~. Dad is up there Im in a hurry so I need you to call him. Can you do it? Sure~ After saying that, Facile flew away even though she was still wet. I wonder if all harpies are like this While waiting, I inspected the area where the hot water gushes out and the drainage holes. As expected, feathers were floating around the drainage holes. Five minutes later, Chiarore-san arrived. Demon Lord. This visit seems to be about work Dont tell me you already forgot my name. Yes. I would like your help to collect that red fruit. Enough to fill the boxes behind me Got it. Should we carry those boxes too? No need. Ill do it myself. Lets meet up in the direction where the sun sets Meet up? Who else is coming? They are the aquatic demonkin I dont like those guys! Um, did something happen between you? If so then I might have to reconsider a lot of things Cant eat them even though theyre fish. They even fight back The heck? Can you only see them as prey? Er, since they are also demonkin, why dont you treat them separately from fish? Ohh, youre as smart as ever! Im done with this tribe. My head always hurts when I interact with them. It really makes me want to say My headache aches. Ah`, un, are you going to leave immediately? The aquatic demonkin started swimming towards the meeting point from our village area just a while ago so I think it will take a while for them to arrive. How fast can Chiarore-san and the others get there? Umu, the sun would have only moved a bit by the time we reached the place where the red fruit grows Theyre fast as I expected. It would be great if we could give them jobs that could utilize that speed but I cant think of anything aside from sending letters. That wont happen until the island gets more developed though. Well then, lets meet up at the beach at the direction where the sun sets Got it After saying that, he immediately flew away. Doesnt he still need to call his comrades? I decided to not think about that and just go to the meeting place using transfer magic. When I arrived, there was nobody there yet. I only told them the general direction so I decided to raise the ground and form it into a pillar to serve as a landmark. It might also work as a stone pillar later on. Since I already set this up, I guess I might as well place one in each of the 4 cardinal directions. While I was busy with that, a half fish half human type demonkin rose from the water. Why the heck did this guy arrive first? I was thinking that, the sahagin that was pretty much human except for the fish for a head(an ajot?) came over to talk with me.1 Maou-san, youre pretty fast huh? Well, youre pretty fast too. Im astonished at how fast you are Wait, this guy has vocal cords? Im the fastest in this area after all He did a thumbs up as he said that. If he had a human face, he might have been a fresh-looking young man but for some reason, I feel irritated when he does it with a fish face like that. However, I shouldnt discriminate. Thats why I also smiled and gave him a thumbs up. I think thats how I should reply to that. It would be really awkward if he meant it differently though. Are you just going to wait until everyone else arrives? Yup If you only look from the neck down while hes talking, he really seems like a nice young man. That image gets ruined by the head though. Am I the only one who thinks that? After a while, the harpies arrived followed by the rest of the aquatic demonkin. Why the heck are harpies also here? We were called by the demon lord after all So were we A young harpy and aquatic demonkin started fighting like middle school kids but I just ignored them and began talking. We are all demonkin who are living on and around this island. Because of that, I called out to you so that we would all get along. Was I being bothersome for doing that? No, not really Thats not it Both sides reacted like their fight was stopped by a teacher. When I spoke with the harpy tribe earlier, they seem to think that everyone living in the sea is fish except that you guys fight back. They could only think of you as food. In order to clear that misunderstanding, why dont your tribes exchange food? That way, well all be able to get along. Okay? So thats what it was. I thought they were idiots but I didnt think they would be that stupid Cant really help it since you guys look like fish. Were going to be careful from now on. Ill also let the rest who arent here know So its all good now right? So, what should we do? Their conversation ended, then they came to me to ask for instructions. Despite their quarrel, theyre perfectly in sync. Their tribes will probably get along from now on. I just hope they dont make children with a human body, a fish for a head, and wings on their backs. Alright, its simple. Please collect the red fruits from the trees behind me and put them inside these boxes. Thats all. If it isnt red, that means its not ripe yet so dont take them. Im also going to give you bags. You can put it inside the box once it becomes heavy. Simple, right? Thats easy Yeah Im also going to work so lets all do our best. Of course, you will be rewarded with meat for your work Wooh```! It just dawned on me but, is this really alright? It hurts my conscience though. I should give them preferential treatment once our village flourishes. After that, I began my work by collecting the fruit into the bag then placing it into the box once it was full. While repeating that simple task, I was also making sure to properly observe the surroundings. Im sure I have more! No way. Mine is heavier after all! They were having that argument but I dont think it matters in the end. The fruit will be peeled, dried, roasted, and ground after all. It would be better if the beans are heavier and there are more of them though. Tasty~ This is almost entirely seed but you can eat it, right? Facile and a sahagin woman were peacefully doing their task. Its kinda heartwarming. Since there were plenty of people, the boxes immediately filled up. I brought a lot of containers since I was being greedy but it still didnt take a long to finish. There might be three barrels worth in total. I wonder how much itll decrease after peeling and drying it though. Thank you, everyone. Well be able to manage now that we have this much. Im not sure if theyre already done hunting but please go to the village to receive the meat Everyone cheered after I said that. The aquatic demonkin vigorously ran towards the sea and swam back with all of their strength. The harpies also disappeared into the eastern skies. Do they really want meat that much? If thats the case then it wont be a bad idea to put more effort into breeding the pigs. Hunting the wildlife wont be permanently sustainable after all. We already have an example of that since the rabbits on the island almost went extinct. While I was thinking about that, I activated the transfer magic and returned to the village. Welcome back Im back Whats this? For some reason, I feel a bit sluggish. Does the transfer magic really consume that much mana? I havent noticed since I havent done a round trip until now. I should be careful next time. Weve taken as much as we could get. Now its our turn to work by peeling the fruit and laying it out to dry Thats true. It would take time for us to go all the way to the opposite side of the island so they were a huge help However, we cant just leave it all to them so next time, well just ask them to transport us back and forth using the flat-bottomed boat that was made the other day. Well fill it up with as much as we can then come back It would be great if I could pay everyones salaries but coffee isnt well known yet. If we manage to sell it, it might be a good idea to go shopping in Corundum with everyone. It would feel just like a school trip. Its going to be hard to pack enough food for everyone to last for six days though so this plan might be impossible. I dont even think that ship would fit all of us, much less our food. While I was thinking of that, I put the beans in a house thats not directly exposed to sunlight since the beans spoil easily. I was about to prepare the meat that we were going to give the harpies and aquatic demonkin when I saw Keith smugly pointing his thumb at a bear and deer that had a hole on its head and other vital spots. Thanks. Thats going to be a huge help I responded maturely instead of stooping down on his level. It will just get even more out of hand if I react after all. Just as we were about to start the dismantling work with everyone, the harpies arrived at the village. There was a slight ruckus since they wanted to try the freshly extracted liver. I can understand why youd want that but you should still be careful about parasites. You guys are still humanoid even though youre demonkin after all. A short while later, the fish head guy who said he was the fastest swimmer came into shore. Im really curious about how his body works. Alright, it seems like everyones here so lets eat. Thanks for the meal! Thanks for the meal! This time, I also invited the ones who didnt participate in the harvest so that we could eat together and deepen our friendship. The human males were completely distracted by the female mermaid we saw the other day who wasnt wearing anything on top though. I also asked her to cover her chest with a cloth this time but one of the human men still asked her to introduce them to a sister or something. As for Facile, she was eating meat together with the sahagin woman who she was talking with earlier. It seems like they were getting along well. I also saw a human woman talking with a sahagin man. She might have fallen at first sight for those supple and firm muscles. Well, I think its alright as long as everyones getting along. Hey, Caam Whats up, Keith? Whats this for? What do you mean? Its better if everyone gets along right? Well yeah but there are only a few places where demonkin and humans get along like this Then why dont we create another one of those places? Im even planning the islands development to be able to accept all races Wouldnt there be some kind of war because of that? Thats why, in order to avoid that, Im trying to get the humans and demonkin to get along right now. Whats more, its only the higher-ups who are being stupidly set on their ways. What do you think would everyone do if they cant access something popular that can only be found on the island because of a decree of some kind of important person? They would complain, right? And besides, even if they decide to kill all the humans and demonkin here to get the island for themselves, rumors have already spread. No matter how much theyve been brainwashed or taught that anyone who associates with the demonkin who are heretics, how would you think the soldiers who came to kill us will feel? Im sure its not going to be great. Then, the demonkin would condemn that and theyd retaliate Wait, theres going to be a war then. What do you think? How should I know? Seriously, I regretted asking that question halfway through your speech Well`, sorry about that. Basically, there shouldnt be anyone wholl wage war against us. However, the goal is to make the islands products popular with royalty, the royal family, nobles, and big-time merchants. Hopefully, well have enough to be able to oppose the seizure of this island. If were threatened, Id like to think that we could just say were going to stop shipping coffee and they would rescind their threats out of fear of backlash from the unhappy people. But still, if there ends up being a war No no no, wars are no good. Once we get money, well also make liquor and sweets as our specialty product and make it even harder for both sides to intervene okay? Do you want to have another war? No way Why are you still talking about it then? Its a lot of trouble whenever a country is involved. Even more so when there are demonkin. They treat it as a good enough reason to invade. They dont need any reason to take control of an island managed by a demonkin other than to please their superiors. Apart from that, if they find out that the demonkin is actually a Demon Lord, the whole country might start making a move. Well, a hero already came though! What the heck!? I managed to settle it by just talking though Talking you say? How did you get a hero to hear you out? He had more than enough reason to listen to me. Well, lets just think about this later. For now, lets get some meat The heck? Just tell me I cant. I cant tell you since its not even something I can tell my friends and family After that conversation, I ate some of the meat that Keith had hunted. While were at it, I also served the remaining liquor I had. Hopefully, the harpies and aquatic demonkin would be able to get along better with this. ~Idle Talk~ Whats that gross thing?2 Hey Caam Hm? Whats up, Keith? You still have things to ask? Whats with that one with a human body but with the head of the fish? Theres also that fish with human limbs growing out of it Those are sahagin right? No way. They should be more you know? Shouldnt their fish features be more spread out along their body? Just like that woman over there Keith pointed at the sahagin woman whos eating meat together with the fishing group leader. They only have fins on a part of their arms and scales on their hands and feet you know? Its one of the mysteries of life. Thats just how it works Dont brush it off as just a mystery. What the heck is that thing!? Theyre part of the sahagin and mermaid tribe No way, theyre more like fish people rather than just a mermaid or sahagin. Where are their voices even coming from!? It should be from their mouths, right? Youll just go bald if you think too much about it. Im just not thinking about it Ah, I see. Well, I havent been able to sleep for a while because of that Youre going to go bald you know? I wont! My dad has a full head of hair even now Ill have you know Just imagine, if that pairs up with a harpy, well get that but with wings. I think itll look divine What kind of evil god is that!? There were flying fish in my previous world but I wonder how its going to end up. That evil god would have to form an alliance with mutation and the mystery of life to win against its DNA. Its probably impossible though. CH 85.1 hapter 85: That time when a dwarf found out about the distilled liquor TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko The following day after the meat party, all of the islanders gathered to peel the fruit and put the seeds on some kind of drying rack. I had those rakes they used in baseball fields made to help in evenly laying out the seeds then once it was suitably dried, we roasted them in a large pot. Once they were done, we packed them in empty barrels. This time, I tried going for a medium roast. I think it had a few different names after it was roasted. I dont remember any of them though. It was troublesome to harvest the fruit but might be a bit easier once we get more islanders. It might also be a good idea to recruit solely for that position. Well then, I should go and deliver the coffee After all the processing, we were left with a barrel and a half so I prepared that and then transported it to the shop. It would be nice if we could use the ship to transport it but theres not a lot of it yet so this will have to do. Hey guys, good work I opened the storage room door and entered the shop floor. Thank you How is it? Did you have enough beans? Yes. If we didnt get any more in three days, we were going to close the shop and have a break See? I told you it would be enough. If you think its not roasted enough, please roast it even more before using it Understood. Also, um, how do I say this The man who worked behind the counter said that while looking apologetic. Go on. What wrong? Its about that strong liquor Did you use it all? No, theres still some left but weve had a dwarven customer who had been pressing us really hard about it Oh, a dwarf huh? I told them I dont know what to tell them since the manager isnt here but they come here every day to ask That person, when do they usually come by? Just a bit past lunch got it. Ill stay here today so that I can help deal with them tomorrow. It would be strange if I came out of the storage room all of a sudden after all Im sorry for not being able to deal with them Dont worry about it. Its not your fault. Is the blanket I used before still in the back? After that conversation, I began preparing for my stay. The next day, the couple arrived in the shop just as I got up so we worked together to get ready to open the store. Once the opening time came, as per usual, the clothing store lady and the staff member lady working at the port arrived to have a drink while gossiping and sharing information. Oh`, the demonkin lad is here today huh? Its been a while since I saw you It has. It seems like there was a customer who wanted to talk with me no matter what so I came today to settle that Youre the most important person in this place after all. You werent here long so I had a misunderstanding I was busy taking care of stuff Haha. Dont work hard so much that you collapse alright? I wouldnt want to stop drinking this drink after all Thank you for your patronage It was just past noon and Nils-san, who probably just had lunch, came by as usual. As soon as he saw me, he immediately made his way to the counter then took a seat right in front of me. Its been a while. Ah, one coffee, please. I have something I have to tell you actually I started brewing his coffee while waiting for him to continue. There was a dwarf that came to this shop and they also came to my company. Ive heard that theyve also been going around the other companies but it looks like theyre desperately looking for the source of that liquor thats being served in this shop. I have two bottles of it myself but I didnt know what to say to them Ive heard about it from the clerks. It seems like they usually come to this shop later in the afternoon so Im going to discuss it will them at that time I see. Thats great. I dont know where Caam-sans hometown is after all While we were talking, I served him his coffee then we proceeded to chat as we waited for the said dwarf to arrive. A bit later, together with a loud clanking of the bell by the door, a small-statured but well-built man entered. He glanced in my direction then shuffled across the room and took a seat in front of me. Coffee, the one with liquor Certainly, coming right up After taking his order, I began to brew him his coffee but he started talking about something else as I had expected. Are you the manager? Yes, thats pretty much my role here Ill cut to the chase, tell me where you get that liquor you use He put his thick arms on the table as if to intimidate me while he said that. Its from my hometown. This liquor is a special product of our village. It even has our villages name Im asking you where that is! *Bang!* He hit the table which caused all of the customers to turn their attention to us. I placed the dwarfs coffee together with the container for the liquor in front of him but he only touched the liquor and ignored the coffee altogether. I see. Well, from this town, you go to the demonkin continent then take a fifteen-day carriage ride to a village in the outskirts. I guess it would take you thirty days at most to get there After saying that, I heard him click his tongue. Thats pretty far That was the only thing he said in reply. He contemplated for a while then started speaking again. Gimme an introduction. I can stay in the village if I tell them your name right? While youre at it, tell me the villages name as well Sir, its not appropriate to have this conversation here since well be bothering the other guests. Do you mind if we take this somewhere else? Sure, hurry it up Sorry but Ill leave the rest to you guys. Dear guests, I apologize for the disturbance. To make up for it, I will pay for your drinks so please take your time to enjoy it As I said that, I took out the money to pay for the drinks of the customers at the counter then told the clerk that Im leaving things there to him. So, where are we going? Ill leave it to you. Lead the way You sound kinda different from earlier Thats because I was serving customers earlier. Since you are no longer one, I stopped doing that Thats true. Alright, lets go to my favorite tavern After saying that, I followed him to a tavern he seemed to frequent. The dwarf picked a table with vacant seats then asked for liquor. As for me, I just ordered water. Were in a tavern, order liquor Were going to talk about something important so I dont get why youd want to drink liquor I have poison resistance so I cant get drunk but I still didnt order any alcoholic drinks. Its probably something that remained from my previous life. Alright, now tell me more about that liquor I also want to ask you for more details. Do you just want to drink my villages liquor or do you want to know how to make it? Either way works Well, hes a dwarf and I can only see them as a race that loves their liquor so thats understandable. I could tell you but whats in it for me? Would you be willing to accept my conditions? You want money? If so then I can pay Rather than money, I want manpower. I hear that dwarves have skillful hands and are good at smithing, casting, and forging. If you manage to learn how to make it, would you be willing to work on my island? An island? Just who the heck are you? Its not something I can say here. Please just answer the question. If you learn the way of making that liquor, would you be willing to work for me? What if I refuse? I only asked for water so I can just go back right now After I said that, I heard him click his tongue again. He also began to contemplate for a while. I want to share the technique with my comrades before going to the island. Is that fine? Its fine. The processing method itself isnt being kept secret you know? Rather, the dragonkin whos managing it says he wants that information to be more widespread. The dragonkin also like their liquor after all Dragonkin you say? Youre telling me that youre also associated with them!? Have you decided? Give me a moment He put down his drink as he said that then put his on his chin and started thinking. He was being quiet thinking to himself so I just waited while drinking my water when he suddenly spoke. The names Van. Whats yours? Its Caam Caam, I will work for you so please teach me how to make that liquor His attitude suddenly changed. It seemed like his tone had become more polite. Alright. Please come by the shop this evening after it closes. Bring all of your luggage with you. Ah, do you have work in this town? No, Im in the middle of a journey. Ill definitely be there After that, since I only asked for water, I stood up then immediately went back to the shop. CH 85.2 Chapter 85: That time when a dwarf found out about the distilled liquor You mean to say that that dwarf is going to arrive soon? Yeah. Thats why you two can go ahead first. Leave locking up the store to me Understood. Well be heading out first Well be taking our leave With everything finished up, the two of them left the shop. A short while later, the dwarf arrived. Im here. Now teach me You just arrived, whats the hurry? He sure is impatient. It would be faster to show you directly. Im going to lock the door so please wait inside the shop Oi oi oi. Why am I going to wait inside if youre going to close it? After making sure that the door was properly locked, I cleared things up with the dwarf.1 What you will be experiencing from now on will be a secret to the humans. Got that? Huh? Whats going to happen? As he said that, he covered his butt. You got that? This time, I tried to emphasize the seriousness of the matter. Got it. Ill keep my mouth shut Im going to be invoking a transfer magic circle so please get as close to me as you can Transfer magic circle? What are you talking about? Thats something that can only be used by those magician guys you know? If youre not coming then I dont mind going alone As I said that, I started activating the transfer magic. When the surrounding area started glowing, Van-san looked surprised then rushed to get in the circle. I didnt think you could actually use it Whatever. Just make sure you keep it a secret After saying that, we arrived at Beryl. This is my hometown. First of all, Ill introduce you to the others. Lets go to the bar A-alright I opened the door of the bar then vigorously entered. Sup. Its been a while. This is Van-san, a dwarf. I brought him here because he wanted to learn how to make our liquor. Starting tomorrow, well take a look at the distillery then let him get used to things before teaching him and letting him do actual work Oh`, if it isnt Caam. A dwarf? That tribe of heavy drinkers? Thats great! There will be more progress in our liquor-making scheme. At any rate, you really are as spontaneous as usual huh? Let him teach the old man in the general store! That guy doesnt know what hes doing after all I should get my sword sharpened I got stuck on the bones while trying to cut a bear the other day you know? Gyahahaha! Thats your fault. You should have aimed in between the bones instead` Well, theyre already drunk but its already late anyway so please go ahead and join them S-sure Barkeep. Give Van-san over here some Beryl Sake. Some tasty snacks as well Coming right up. Please find an empty seat while you wait You heard him As I said that, we sat on a couple of vacant seats. When the Beryl Sake I ordered arrived, Van-san drank all of it in one sitting. Kah`! This liquor is so strong. It feels like its going to burn my throat. This is the kind of drink Ive been looking for! As expected of a dwarf! You might be a better drinker than the principal Thats true. I cant believe he just chugged that drink Oi! We have a dwarf here so lets all drink together! Alright! Well, I guess its still a bar in the end. Oi, you said your name was Caam right? This villages bar is pretty great huh! He laughed heartily as he said that then ordered more Beryl Sake and continued to drink. He sure got settled in pretty quickly. I wonder if dwarves are like this whenever they enter a bar. Another customer entered the bar. When I took a look at who it was, it was my father. Whats this? Why are you here Caam? If youre back then you should at least show your face back at home As he said that, he took a seat at the same table as me. I just came back. I brought that awfully noisy dwarf over there A dwarf huh? What are you planning? Huh? Nothing. I met him by chance at a port town and he asked me to teach him how our liquor is made so I brought him along I see. That tribe is composed of heavy drinkers so this place would probably become pretty busy. And besides, they dont compromise when it comes to liquor so the one thats being produced in this village would probably improve even more Father looked at the dwarf while saying that. I hope thats what happens. Ill explain the situation to Wurst tomorrow morning and see if we could find him some work Thats a good idea. Ill have the usual After saying that, father ordered some liquor. I also ordered some. Ill also have some Beryl Sake. And water too There was an awkward atmosphere between us while we were waiting for our drinks to arrive but when they did, I had a toast with my father. What have you been up to? I asked Suzuran-chan and Latte-chan and even they dont know Thats because I havent told them since I dont want them to worry too much. I already have children but Im always away after all. If we didnt, I would have already brought my whole family over there. The kids have already made precious friends so I would feel bad for them if we move at this point Thats true. I see them playing together with the other children in the village all the time so I can see where youre coming from. I also see Wurst-kun on break during those times That guy huh? Well, hes good with kids after all so its just fitting. As for an update on whats happening on the island, the human slaves are gradually losing their slave mentality. Theyve started doing all sorts of things without needing orders. Theyve even interacted with the other demonkin living nearby and theyre getting along well. Apart from that, Ive made a new drink using beans found on the island. Im thinking of using that as our source of income. That plan is already in motion and as of the moment, its popular with the people in the port town so its showing promise. Im also thinking of making new sweets and drinks Youve only been thinking about those kinds of things after all. Try to relax a little. Youre going to collapse at this rate The slaves might starve and die if I get complacent. For the time being, while were selling that new drink, Im going to clear out a section of the forest and turn it into a field. Im also planning on bringing human doctors, craftsmen, and people from the church to make the island gradually more comfortable to live in. I have all of those things planned but no money to make it happen What about your earnings when you worked in town? That was money for my family. If I use that, Suzuran and the others are going to starve. Thats why Im trying to keep the money I use for myself and the money for the island separate Why are you like this I really wonder how your mother and I made a child like you I have no idea either It was probably gods whim though. Just like that, I talked about my recent situation and complained a bit to my father while we slowly enjoyed our drinks. Well, thats pretty much what Ive been up to. I immediately came here when we arrived so Im going to take a bath together with the kids when I get home You do that After that, I stood up from my seat and looked at where the dwarf was. He was trying out the freshly distilled strong liquor as well as the ones with fruit flavor seeped in. This one is good! Its strong and sweet! I can even give it to the children of my hometown I was about to react to that but remembered that theyre dwarves. Thats why I just kept my mouth shut. Hearing that, the principal got even more fired up and the two of them continued to enjoy their drinks. Is that so? Will you be popularizing this drink in your hometown!? That would be great. That way, the methods of drinking will increase once again He was in pretty high spirits. I guess Ill bring up the job thing next time. How about I show him what he wants? Headmaster, if you really want to learn a different method, I know of a dangerous one. Are you interested? Whats this? Is there such a method? Its called a flaming shot. Im sure its going to get you fired up Ooh`. Why dont you show us Barkeep`, distilled liquor in a small glass and a straw please What are you going to do with it Im going to light the liquor on fire and drink it, while its on fire As I said that, the crowd suddenly became noisy. Listen carefully. You should never drink this with the glass in your hand. If you make a mistake, youll experience something similar to getting dashed by boiling water, or worse, your face would be set on fire. Please keep that in mind After saying that, I produced a Fire out of my fingertip then set the drink on fire. While making sure I didnt burn my face and hair, I used the straw to sip all of the lit liquor in one go. Gah`. Thats how a flaming shot should be! After saying that, I produced another Fire from my fingertip then sprayed out the remaining liquor in my mouth towards it. Just like how fire breathers did it. Woah`. As expected of a Demon Lord! The liquor was set on fire so it smells a bit like soot but its not undrinkable. After that, the barkeeper got really angry as my father face-palmed while shaking his head. Later on, I learned that they banned flaming shots inside the shop. Instead, they set up tables outside for those types of drinks. Im back~ Welcome home~ I opened the door and the children came running to hug me. I could tell even without looking closely, I could tell that the two of them are slowly growing taller every time I come back. Demonkin really do grow up fast, dont they? Miel is still short though. Also, you can cling to my arm but dont push your chest against me. Its already bigger than Suzurans, you know? 2 Welcome back Whats the matter~? Youre home early this time~ You see, I got caught up with a dwarf in a port town who wanted to find out about our villages liquor I see. I guess it couldnt be helped. Those guys have a liquor obsession after all Thats why I had to come back in a hurry. I took him to the bar. Then I met with father there Fumu fumu. Did you have a father and son talk with father-in-law then~? Something like that How long are you going to talk by the entrance? Why not sit? As Suzuran suggested, we sat down. At any rate, I brought a dwarf with me to the village Whats a dwarf? You dont know? They are one of the demonkin tribes. Theyre good with their hands and love their liquor. The dwarf I brought came across the villages liquor during his trip. He asked me how its made so now were here If theyre good with their hands then the general store uncle would be out of a job Its fine since that uncles job is to sell things. Being able to fix things is just a bonus. Youll make the uncle cry if you say things like that you know? And besides, dwarves arent really that interested in business. If they are then they would probably be selling alcohol They must be good for nothing adults then Youve got it all wrong, Miel. You can think of it as being the right fit for a job. Dwarves are good at making things but bad at business. Since thats the case, if a dwarf works together with the general store uncle, they will use the money they earn from the repairs to buy stuff in town. Then, more things will get added, the dwarf fixes them, then the number of sales increase even more. The general store uncle and just give the dwarf his wage for his work. That way, there wont be a lot of expenses Sounds kinda complicated3 Just think of it like this. Letting a dwarf do business is like making an elf take care of the fish in the pond instead of letting them hunt in the forest. What I want to say is its also important to find a job that suits that person Still dont get it Haha, sorry about that After saying that, I pat Miels head, ate the leftover bread and meat dish, then took a bath with the children. When it was time to go to sleep, the wives came into the room grinning and we all entered the bed together. ~Idle Talk~ Hes a Demon Lord? Oi, is it true that hes a Demon Lord? Huh? Ah, yeah. For some reason, he was suddenly called to a Demon Lords castle then he became one by the time he came back. He used magic to make things easier when we dug wells and harvested wheat so he must have a lot of mana. If I remember correctly, he could even plow ten fields at the same time with his magic Oi oi, I just talked all high and mighty to such an important guy. Am I going to be alright? Hes not the type that gets fussy over such a thing Thats right. I havent heard of him doing anything out of anger ever since he was still at school I didnt expect my son to be someone as straight-laced as that. Hes always been the type whos reserved but I think hes changed for the better Oh, are you Caams father? Thats right. Hes never gotten mad so you can just enjoy your drink in peace. Im sure hell just feel bad if you apologize to him after the fact I see. Lets just drink then. Heres to Caams father for cheering me up! Oi. I was about to go home you know? Let me just buy you one more drink Fine But really, even as his parent, I dont know what hes thinking. AN: Flaming shots are dangerous so please do not attempt to do them. CH 86 Its the following day after I used the power of alcohol to breathe fire. I finished eating breakfast and I was told by Suzuran to go to the distillery upstream from the poultrys pond. It was about the dwarf that I brought with me yesterday. I heard that he was talking with father and they arranged some sort of meeting so hell probably come. Sup Hey. Have you seen a dwarf here? Dwarf? I havent. Why? After he said that, I explained the whole situation to him. I see. Thats why you came here Yep This isnt related but did you get the ability to breathe fire after becoming a Demon Lord? Theres no way I did. Why? Its probably because of what I did yesterday but Ill just ask first. Well, the guys at work have been saying that they saw you breathe fire when they went to the bar last night. Thats why I asked Ah`, the headmaster was spouting things about there having a new way of drinking if the dwarf spread word about our villages liquor so What are you hesitating for? Go on As he said that, Wurst placed his arm around my shoulder. You know that liquor can catch fire right? Of course. We take measures to avoid that after all Well, you can drink the liquor while its still on fire. Its called a flaming shot Wont you burn your stomach if you do that? Wurst suddenly changed to a more serious tone. Because of that, I looked around for a bottle with liquor inside that was just lying around the place. Once I found one, I lit the contents. You extinguish a fire by cooling it, removing the source of fuel, or removing the air I covered the opening of the bottle then showed it to him after the fire was put out. Since fire uses air to keep burning, you can put it out by just covering it like this Its true. Even though theres still some left, its not on fire anymore. Why doesnt it burn up instantly though? That might be because, even though theres a lot of fuel for the fire, the only place that it can burn is on the outside. It would need more area for the fire to do its work As I said that, I put a bit of the liquor in my mouth then sprayed it all out. The liquor turned into this fine mist so it burns more vigorously. The same thing happens to flour you know? As I said that, I held liquor in my mouth once again but this time I sprayed it in a way that it would pass through a Fire from my fingertip. See? Ive always thought this but even though youre smart, youre still an idiot, huh? Well, yeah. Im not gonna deny that. Listen up. A man will always be a child no matter how old he becomes. Once one becomes an adult, they either continue to deceive themselves or embrace that fact. Doing this at the bar was just me doing the latter Can you not say such nonsense with a serious look? Youre definitely an idiot By the way, if youre cooking and it catches fire, immediately cover it with the lid. If its the oil thats burning, you can add more oil to it to cool it down so dont panic when that happens After that conversation, Van-san arrived. Oh`! So this is the secret to making strong liquor! Its not a secret though. Neither the distillery nor the method Good morning, Van-san Oh`. The method of drinking yesterday was interesting. I can even boast about it in my hometown you know? Youll have to bring back liquor with you when you go back then Of course! Van-san laughed loudly as he said that. Anyway, Van-san. This here is Wurst. Hes an experienced worker who has been working in this facility since it was established Hey. Nice to meet ya Well then, please go ahead and explain it to him Youre leaving it to me!? Why dont you do it? I came up with this facility but youre the one whos working here so you have more credibility You say that but you just think its troublesome right? I just averted my gaze as he said that. Oi, dont look away After that exchange, Wurst reluctantly began explaining. Since hes been to various villages and towns to train people, hes already accustomed to explaining things. He can even answer all of the questions asked without needing help. Its like youre separating the alcohol and water using a still I see`. Is liquor just a mixture of alcohol and water? Thats right. Thats why, you heat it up and only collect the alcohol. You know how theres some kind of smoke that comes out when you heat water right? Thats what you collect. Well then, do you want to see it in action? Yeah! Wurst went on and said lines that youd expect to hear from a tour guide. Hes like the manager giving guests a tour. I wish we could do something thats a bit larger in scale here like fermentation but our distillery is still too small. Once we start producing beer, Im going to pour it all into the still. Its a little inefficient but that doesnt matter. The tour resumed after that. Wurst added some barley beer into the still then started it up. After a while, he scooped up the undiluted liquor that had already been cooled into a cup then gave it to Van-san. This is what it looks like before they are put into barrels. I think you should already know about it if you went to the bar but this is one can have fruit seeped into it Gah`. This is pretty strong He put a little of it into his mouth to taste then immediately spat it out into a cup. It seems like this one is too strong even for dwarves. The headmaster just drinks it like water though. Well, thats how it goes That was the end of Wursts explanation. Van-san. You will need to make this still so please make sure to inspect it properly. Youll have to make one for your hometown as well as the island No problem! Dont underestimate our abilities. We can easily make one by looking at a simple drawing of it. Itll be done in no time as long as we have the materials for it How reliable. Well, I dont have the money to buy materials right now though. Thats why were selling coffee. Im thinking of harvesting the cacao sooner or later so that we can also sell chocolate and stuff. I wonder if that plan will be realized by next year. Well then. Ill leave Van-san to you, Wurst. Ill go ask the chief if there are any vacant houses left Alright He might complain but his true nature comes out in the end. Theyll probably be alright. I tried searching for the chief next but, as usual, he was the one who approached me from behind. Because of the segregation I suggested last time, they were able to easily find out that there were still some vacant houses. I asked for one that was closest to the bar and told them why I wanted one in the first place. After confirming the location of the house, I went back to the distillery where I found that the headmaster has now joined the two. The classes are still going on, right? Ha ha ha. Its simple once you know the process right? I didnt know that liquor turns into steam faster than water I told you about it before you know~? How was the newly distilled liquor? It was amazing. It made me feel dizzy after all. Its the first time I had to drink water after drinking liquor you know? A chaser huh? I usually also order one myself. Wait, why arent you drunk yet? The headmaster is the headmaster but I guess thats to be expected of a dwarf. Im also pretty resistant though. At this rate, we might be able to build even bigger things once I go back home Ho`, maybe I should find out where that place is and bring everyone to have some fun Please dont. If the dragonkin joins in, there wont be enough liquor to go around. Were going to be drinking too after all! Gyahahahaha!Ho ho ho ho At this rate, theyre going to form an alliance based on liquor. If one side gets attacked, the other would send out a large number of reinforcements. Its just a bunch of liquor lovers helping their fellow liquor lovers out. I dub it the drunkards alliance. In that case, I will send a few from my hometown so that you guys can build a large-scale still Alright. Anyway, I was told that you can pour anything thats been turned to liquor into this and an even stronger one will come out. Is that right? I dont know what kind of liquor is made in the dragonkin village but its not the same as the one made here, right? At first it was just wheat but since we have poor soil, weve recently been trying out potatoes, apples, and grapes. I even want to try using buckwheat. Its also necessary to be particular about the wood used to make the barrels. We tried five types of wood just to produce one type of liquor you know? Im looking forward to the results five cycles of seasons from now So apart from aquavit and shochu, theyre even making calvados? The dragonkin are incredibly passionate about their liquor, arent they? I wonder if its because of their long lifespan? He said before that theyre going to keep one in their vault to age for a century but it looks like more liquor will be added to that place. Ah`, sorry for interrupting mid-conversation but its about Van-sans accommodation` Oh, lets just deal with that once the workday is over. Were still going to drink this all dry after all Thats the spirit. Lets spread this liquor all over the world. Then Ill go around the world to try them all out! The headmaster proclaimed loudly with his hands stretched out. Does he think hes still young? How long does he intend to keep enjoying liquor? I guess he plans to do it until his last breath. Well, it cant be helped, I guess Ill play with the children. Ah, papa. Welcome back Im back Um, does fire come out of papas mouth? Miels eyes glistened as he asked me that. It doesnt take long for weird rumors to spread huh? No, I just set that strong liquor Lily had the other day on fire But, the uncle who passed by while we were playing said that it was a huge fire you know? While you were playing? Un. While we were playing, he was suddenly like, Your father was breathing fire. I sighed as I put my hand in front of my eyes and shook my head. Im sure that rumor will reach Schinken and Speck as well. This isnt good. I should let Wurst explain it to them. Show me, show me~ Was I like this when I was four years old? Maybe I was but I guess not in this world. Since there was no helping it, I took out the liquor from the cupboard then quickly showed it to him outside. Papas amazing Dont try to imitate me, okay? After I said that, I saw Lily running towards us. Father, was that the magic to breathe fire!? Yep, I should have known that Lily would also see that. I had to repeat my explanation then I was asked to show it again. Fathers so cool! Ha ha ha`. Dont copy what I just did though because its dangerous. You might burn the inside of your mouth after all1 Un!Yes A few years later, I was told by Miel that Lily tried to do it in the bar and was scolded really hard by Latte. After that, they pestered me into training with them. I can win if its one-on-one but Ill have to use magic when facing both of them at the same time or Ill lose. Rather, I had to use magic. It would have been impossible otherwise. Miel knocked me off balance with his magic while Lily tripped me to get me to fall down. Then, Lily swung her spear stick downward as Miel shot out a large fireball at my face while avoiding interfering with his sisters attack. In reaction to that, I produced a stone wall to block the strike as I countered the fireball with my own water ball. I forcefully rolled myself towards the opposite direction, then stood up to surrender as I endured the pain on my left from being tripped. Alright, I give up. Im no match for you two` It seems like Lilys attacks have become heavier. Miels gotten better at using his magic as well. Whats more, theyre perfectly in sync. It made me wonder if being siblings really do give them an amazing advantage. After they heard that, the two of them celebrated. We beat father~We won~ Well, Im their father so I didnt let out any bloodlust while we were fighting. I wonder how theyll react when theyre faced with that pressure though. I might have to let them experience it in preparation for the future. At that time, will I be able to attack the children with the intent to kill? Well, Ill just think about it at that time. Mother, we did itMama, we did it We beat dad/father2 The children hugged Suzuran after they said that so she patted their heads. As she did that, she glanced at me and examined me from head to toe. She was probably checking if I was injured. Ive already prepared the bath. The three of you go in. You made your father use magic, didnt you? How admirable She stroked their heads even more after she said that. Your father wasnt fighting seriously yet so make sure to work hard until he does okay? kay~ My wife, what kind of parenting is that? Caam. You can slowly stop holding back as they get stronger but make sure they wont get hurt No, dont ask for the unreasonable. I can probably gradually stop holding back but theres no way they wont get hurt! Suzuran looked surprised when I said that but she didnt dwell on it and just went back inside the house. As for me, I began to prepare a change of clothes for me and the children. After our bath, I went to pick up Van-san to show him his accommodation. Alright! I know where it is now. Time to go back to the bar He hastily went back without even looking inside the house. I really dont get how a dwarfs mind works. During dinner, the children excitedly reported the results of our training to Latte. We won against father you know? He even used magic Oh`, thats great~. Since you can beat a Demon Lord, will you guys be Demon Lords in the future~? I want to be an adventurer I want to support onee-chan I see, I see. Thats a nice dream~. Being an adventurer is great, isnt it~? Go and make a name for yourselves as a pair of sibling adventurers and make the village rich okay~? She ruffled their hair as she said that. However, papa belongs to me and mama Suzuran so dont make him cry or well get angry, okay? She smiled mischievously while wagging her finger. I thought what she did was pretty cute, to be honest. Be careful or youll get punched in the stomach by mama Suzuran~ What the heck are you saying to the children? Even if she was angry, she wouldnt show it on her face or actions so that was a surprise. The only time she did hit someone was to hide her embarrassment. That statement is even more dangerous considering that she always has those knuckle dusters that I gave to her in her pocket. I could see its shape from her pocket after all. My wife is way too scary. 3 When it was time to go to sleep, the children immediately slipped into my bed while saying that it was their turn today. Was there an established order Im not aware of? The next day, my arm was swollen and all red because of Lilys horn. Im really considering getting a cushion for her horns at this point. Not just for me but also for the sake of her future husband. When that person comes and asks for my daughter, Ill say. You need to be careful of her horns. Its going to really hurt when she hugs your arm and rubs her face against it in the middle of the night you know? Thats all I have to say since it really, and I mean REALLY, hurts! Alright, thats perfect. After I muttered that to myself, I looked around and felt relieved that there was nobody there to hear it. CH 87.1 Chapter 87: That time when we had serious injuries on the island for the first time + extras1 After having breakfast, I left Van-san to Wurst then went back to the island. Sorry it took me a while to come back I told them what happened in town and about how were adding a dwarf to our population. Then, I talked about my plans for the future. First is about the coffee. The shop is using a lot more than I had expected so lets slowly start harvesting the beans. We can store them for a while as long as we peel and dry them after all. Since the fishing groups leader has a good relationship with the sahagin called Sheila-san, he would take charge of fishing as well as the transport of the harvested coffee. We wont need that much sun-dried and smoked fish with our crops being so close to harvest so you guys dont have to fish as much for the meantime Understood Youre going to have more free time to flirt you know? For some reason, he became shy and just looked down without replying. Come to think of it, I still dont know his name. It would probably be a good idea to ask what it is soon. Im also planning to assign some of the members of the reclamation team to harvest the cacao which is located over on the left hand side of the mountain. Well finalize things after the flat-bottomed boats are completed. If I remember correctly, there were plenty of goblins around that area so well need some fighting power as well Is it my turn again? The man who was in charge of guarding the herb gathering group spoke up. Can you defeat goblins? Of course. I can easily take on three of those guys you know? So hes not the type to overestimate himself by saying he can take them all on, huh? Then Ill leave it to you Its a different forest so there might be bears or deer. Anyway, good luck Hm`. I dont know if Wild Herb-san is just the type thats way too frank but that sounded like he was having a dig at the man. It was as if she was saying that the man who was escorting her this entire time was never necessary. I guess she just doesnt see him as a love interest huh? Ah, looks like he became disheartened by that Anyway, what else Oil has also been requested so I guess we should find time to go and harvest that as well. Lets harvest this plant even when its not harvesting season. The simple houses that were being built by the Demon Lords castle site are almost done so we should also begin preparations to move. Only a few of the men will have to stay here by the bay and take turns keeping watch I looked around and made sure there were no children there before I resumed. As for the couples, if youre going to do the deed, please do it in the houses built near the Demon Lords castle construction site. That way, nobody would mind even if your voices leak out a bit The humans just awkwardly smiled after hearing that. Also, as for the childrens education. Adrea-san, can I leave that to you? Yes. No problem. What should I teach them? Lets see. How about simple reading and writing as well as arithmetic so that they wont get cheated at the very least Understood. Ill teach them those things. Would the common language be alright? Yes. Im hoping that in two season cycles, well get more merchants from both the humans and demonkin sides to come to do trade with us. Having the islanders be literate might help out with that. It would also be nice if we can get more people to move to the island Understood Um, you can teach those subjects, right? Yes. I also taught the children at the orphanage behind the church so it should be fine Good. I dont know what I would have done if she couldnt. Wait, how literate are the humans in the first place? If its a large village, most would be able to read but if its a poor village then How about the islanders? I think were probably okay but Should we conduct a simple language and calculation test later? T-that would be great The goal is to have at least 10% literacy for the islanders. It would also be great if they would be able to do calculations that are useful for daily life. Well then, please make sure not to get injured today as well As I said that, everyone went to their respective works. Im gradually getting used to my cutting and uprooting work so we resumed the reclamation project. Ive gotten used to it but its still really scary so I should be careful. While I was thinking that, I heard a scream from behind. His belly was split by an axe! Someone help! Lets bring him to Antonio-san! Hearing that, I ran towards the commotion. How did that even happen? Noticing that I arrived, the man looked at me pleadingly like he was asking for help. Caam-san! What happened! My axe slipped and this guy happened to get hit as he passed by I cleaned my hands using a Water Ball then ordered them to hold down the injured person who was in pain. I lifted his shirt to check the injury and although the wound was deep, it didnt look like it pierced the peritoneum. Get me some clean cloth and a wagon! We need to stop the bleeding first! Well bring him to Antonio-san once we do that! They were all stunned so I pointed at a woman nearby who was just standing there watching. You! Wash your hands then get me some clean cloth! She came to her senses then immediately ran off. You! Run over to the doctors place and let them know were going to be taking someone injured there! Tell them about the injuries as well! Just say that the belly was cut with an axe but it probably didnt cut all the way through the membrane I gave that order to a different man who was also just watching. Lets clean the wound first. This is going to sting As I said that, I washed the wound using a Water Ballthen applied pressure to it with my bare hands while waiting for a clean cloth. This would have been resolved quickly if I just used recovery magic but I cant. There might be times when something happens and Im not around so unless its really bad, I decided not to use it. While that was happening, the cloth I asked for earlier arrived so I used it to press on the wound while I talked with the injured man. Hey, are you conscious? Can you hear my voice? Yeah It looks like it hurts to even reply. Then youll be fine. Press down on your wound as hard as you can As I said that, I took his hand then placed it on top of his wound. Thats right. Somebody ask if Adrea-san can use recovery magic! You, you do it! I also specified who I was giving the order to this time. Shouting doesnt guarantee that theyll act so its also important to clarify who the order is assigned to. While I was thinking about that, the wagon arrived. Well be taking away the injured person so go back to your homes and wait! You wont be able to focus on work properly with this situation so just rest I put the injured person on the wagon after saying that. I thought the trip to Antonio-sans clinic would be painful for him but several people helped out and tried their best to make it easier for our injured patient. When we arrived at the clinic, Antonio was already prepared and was waiting for us. I heard his abdomen got cut by an axe. How is his condition? Hes conscious but the bleeding hasnt stopped. The wound is deep but it hasnt reached the membrane that protects the stomach Its just as I heard then. Good thing that hes slightly overweight After saying that, Antonio-san removed the cloth covering the wound then opened a bottle containing what looked like a potion. He poured most of it into the wound to forcibly stop the bleeding before having the patient carried to his examination table. Potions sure are convenient, huh? I should recruit a pharmacist so that we can make our own supply. Oi, Demon Lord. Did you do something to him before coming here? After cleaning his wound, I pressed down on it with a cloth to stop the bleeding Youre level headed and managed to do a proper assessment of the wound. Why dont you become a doctor instead? After looking at the wound, he picked up a needle, threaded it, then made other preparations. Ive been to a battlefield before. At that time, I had to suture an injury of a cat-eared old man to stop the bleeding Really? Thats amazing. This is going to hurt Antonio-san stuck a needle into the injured mans belly without hesitation. The man was groaning in pain on the bed but thats better than thrashing about. After he finished closing the wound, he poured the rest of potion over it then finished the treatment by wrapping the injury with bandages. You just need to eat meat and rest for a while and youll be fine. Oi, this guys not gonna die so why dont you let the others know Yes! With that said, the islanders who were anxiously watching dispersed. Iya`. For future reference, I was observing how you worked but you just did it without hesitating, huh? Well, it would hurt the patient either way so it would be better if its done quickly So thats why Yeah. Anyway, Im interested in how you fixed up that cat-eared old man. Tell me more about it It wasnt a big deal you know? While we were talking, he disinfected a bent needle with boiling water then closed the central part of the wound. After that, he applied another potion to it. Wouldnt a curved needle be easier to use for suturing? As I said that, I lightly bent a needle using my fingers. Like this. Look I walked over to him to show him the needle. It certainly does seem like it would make suturing easier Sorry for being late! Adrea-sans breathing was a little rough. She must have rushed to come here. She was still really late though. Its already over you know~? If its recovery magic then I can use it Its better than nothing. Go ahead Yes With that said, she put her hand over the wound then started humming some kind of chant. Remedy this persons wounds. Healing I wonder if that worked. The pained look on his face seemed to slowly go away. I wonder if humans still have to use chants in order to use regular magic? This will just be quick so please dont move okay? While saying that with a smile, she looked like she was avoiding the sight of blood as much as possible. Is she the type thats no good with seeing blood? So, Demon Lord. You cant use recovery magic, can you? Nope I smiled as I said that. You gotta be shitting with me. Well, if you say so then I guess its fine Thats right. Also, when will you stop calling me Demon Lord? Why? Everyone knows about it right? Even if they do, what do you think would happen if you accidentally called me that in the presence of outsiders? They would obviously become surprised right? Ah, thats true. Even I was surprised at first. Thats not the case now though I was also the same. How come that such a kind person like you became a Demon Lord? Who knows? It seems like if a strong demon lord dies for some reason, the next one they have their eye on become the successor. It was really troubling you know? I shook my head as I grandly stretched out both hands. I often hear about there being a Demon Lords sigil but I dont see anything on Caam-san, do you? I have it you know? Its just that its in an inconspicuous place. I wont tell you where exactly though I-its in a place you cant mention!? Adrea-san said that with both her hands on her cheeks and her eyes swimming about. It seems like shes really, really, REALLY misunderstanding something. No, its not inside of my pants alright? Ah After I pointed out that it wasnt in the place she thought it was, her face turned red. Hm`, this nun is adorable, isnt she? I-its not like I was thinking about that place, okay? Im going back to the church! She puffed her cheeks as he walked away. Iya`, she said something pretty cute, didnt she? She definitely thought it was in my pants Thats true, Maybe she was even imagining it Good thing youre already married Oi oi, doesnt it hurt to speak? It does I understand what youre trying to say but just stay quiet Got it Iya`, good thing we have such a nice Demon Lord. Normally, you would have just been thrown away. Well, he doesnt need to be a Demon Lord for that though Thats not like that you know? Compared to using money and time to get another slave, its cheaper to just use a potion and let the worker eat and rest without doing anything for a few days As I said that, the two of them looked at me with a surprised look on their faces. Im just kidding. I never thought of everyone as slaves so dont worry about that and please take a proper rest. Its a good thing your injury wasnt that deep since you can just eat normally. You have an appetite, right? Yeah Alright, Ill send someone to give you your food so dont move much and just prioritize your recovery. Antonio-san, if you think the wound is going to fester, please dont hesitate to use another potion Alright Well then, Ill be taking my leave. I hope you get well soon. Ah, you cant drink any liquor okay? It has an effect on your body that may cause bleeding after all After saying that, I left the clinic and went back to where everyone else was. It was a pretty bad joke, to be honest. I felt chills when I heard that Me too. I wonder which one is his real nature? Definitely the kind one. Hes not going to bother thinking of our wellbeing all the time otherwise I guess youre right. Im happier here than before I became a slave you know? There are no bandits and wild dogs, were not starving, and we can even drink liquor Yeah Ive asked him before why he needed a doctor even though not a lot of people get injured What did he say? He said that its always a good thing if a doctor has no work to do. Despite not doing anything, I still get to eat. Im not even allowed to work on the fields since he said that we wouldnt want our doctor to get hurt I guess youre right. Hes a kind person at heart Yeah. Anyway, let me take a look at your wound again It doesnt look like its still bleeding so youll definitely be fine as long as you rest. If your recovery goes well, it should be okay to remove the stitches in a few days. For now, just go to sleep Roger that Anyway, he should be fine since he can already say that about Adrea-san I finished explaining the details of the injury to the others. Yeah, hed probably be alright Thats right Well then, should we call it a day or are you guys ready to move to the Demon Lords castle site? Its something that has to be done so we should do it sooner rather than later. Even if the mood isnt that great, well be fine as long as we take things easy The fox-eared old man sure is earnest about work. Take things easy you say? Well, its true that we can take our time moving things there. If there are no problems then can you move the food and firewood weve stockpiled to the new place? We should bring over the heavier things first. There are woodsheds built in a couple of places so lets evenly distribute the firewood to each one of them. Before that, how about we eat first? I looked at the sun and decided that we should eat first. That way, they wont get too tired while moving the goods later in the afternoon. CH 88 Chapter 88: That time when I let the beastmen demonkin eat chocolates By the time the man whose stomach was slashed by an axes stitches were taken out, the new flat-bottomed boat was completed. We had enough coffee at the moment so we took them to harvest the cacao. After they were peeled and dried, the cacao was put into wooden boxes in order to ferment them. I received a request from Sharlet-san, our stonemason for stones he will use to make the stone paving so my next task was to go to the quarry and mine some stones with my Diamond Cutter. Give me heavier and slightly thicker ones So he said but I honestly havent cut stone for pavement before so I just randomly cut thin square slices. After continuing that cycle of doing work until evening or when I get tired from using up my mana for several days, this appeared. Skill: Magic Amplification3 acquired. This thing really only comes whenever I forget about it, huh? The following day, it became much easier to cut stone so I was able to accumulate even more. Where are these going to be used? The church would take most of it but Ill also lay some of it on the commonly used paths. Im just the mason so the carpenters will be the ones telling me where I should lay them out There are no interior designers here after all. I wonder if this is also part of the carpenters job? Well, if its this thick, it would be fine even if a carriage passes though right? Probably, yeah. I havent seen a slab as pretty as this so I dont know about a carriage but dust probably wont get kicked up now Thats true. But wouldnt it get muddy if it rains too much? How about we spread some small pebbles around? The carriages wheels would just probably get buried in that case Ah The wheels dont have that thick rubber that car tires have after all. Just leave it to the experts if you dont know much about it Sorry Dont worry about it since everyone has things theyre good at. Just keep on helping everyone with that stupidly convenient magic of yours Yes. Of course Whenever youre involved, a job that normally takes a lot of time and effort is done in an instant so the efficiency is increased. Doing that a lot must have raised your mana. Thats probably why you became a Demon Lord huh? You might be right. I was just working to make life somewhat easier and it just happened before I knew it Isnt that the same as a swordsmans training then? But instead of waving around a sword, you just use your mana until you run out Ah! Ahhhh I nodded my head with my mouth half-open. I sometimes cant tell if youre smart or dumb. Well, I guess its better that way But its a good thing to make things easier though Whew, thats true Well then, are you done for the day? Thats right. You were a great help It was my pleasure` With the drying, fermenting, and roasting of the cacao done, it was time to grind them. Cocoa powder seemed pretty fine from what I remember so with that in mind, I produced a millstone using magic. I made the gap in between as narrow as possible then proceeded to make the cocoa mass. However`. Uwa. It was already dried so why did it become this mushy? Whats happening? When I tried touching it, it felt kinda oily. Is this what they call cacao liquor? I havent seen it before so I dont know much about it. Excuse me`. Can someone bring me a fine cloth and a bucket please? After I said that, a woman immediately brought me a cloth bag and bucket. Uwah, whats that? Ive been working with the cacao recently but it becomes kinda mushy when I grind it. It feels oily when I touch it so I thought that maybe using this would squeeze the oil out So thats why you asked for fine cloth Yes While we were talking, I put the mushy cacao liquor into the cloth, twisted the opening, placed it on a plate, then put a stone on top to squeeze all the oil out. After that was done, only the cacao mass remained. Wait, could this oil also be used to make chocolate? Maybe by adding some sugar and milk or something. Back then, I just mindlessly crushed the cacao, added some sugar and coconut oil to try out making chocolates but I wonder if this is actually how you make it. Uwaa, making chocolate is pretty difficult huh? Cocoa powder is made from this thing that I squeezed out the oil from right? Is this worth it? Well, I guess it would be if we raise the price a bit. Alright, lets proceed like this. If the coffee business keeps going, I should buy a cow. But before that, Ill need to deal with squeezing this oil and making cocoa. Come to think of it, there are a lot of oils on the island huh? Theres coconut oil, olive oil, and now theres cacao butter. Should we enter the toiletries and cosmetics industry? We could make detoxing products that you apply to the face or something before entering the hot spring. If thats the case then it might also be possible for us to enter the tourism industry. In the meantime, Ill leave making the cocoa for another day and just focus on the chocolate. You just mix milk and sugar with the cacao mass then knead it right? We dont have milk so lets just use water. I dont know if this will work but lets mix it all for now. Crap, why is it not hardening? Its not working no matter how much I knead. Will chocolate not harden if left at room temperature? I would usually just melt it in hot water, add fresh cream, then let it cool down in a container. After that, I just add the cocoa powder then the nama choco(ganache) is done. Why didnt it solidify even though I squeezed out the oil to make the cocoa? Hm? The oil that I squeezed out solidified but the cacao mass didnt. Does that mean that it will if I put back this oil? To try it out, I took a bit of the hardened cocoa butter then fired up the stove to melt it. After that, I added it to the cacao mass then stirred it while waiting for it to cool down. Oh`, its starting to take shape. Next time when I am able to add milk, I should adjust the amount of cocoa butter I put in I murmured that to myself when the children came in. Waa`, it smells so good~ Since the children who came to give me additional sugar found out about the chocolates existence, I let them try it out by letting them have a lick of the still runny chocolate. Its really tasty! Caam amazing~ Fufufu. Just because it contains sugar and oil doesnt mean that its bad. Calorie is justice after all! Just adding more oil would give it a richer taste and make it even more delicious. Just like ramen and curry. Ah. This is poisonous to dogs, cats, and wolves so make sure you dont give any to Wulf, Tanya, and Sonya okay? Does that mean Uncle Keith cant have any~? Uncle? Hes not that old though. Still, I wonder`. Hmm, Im not sure. Should we get him to try it? No, I guess thats not good. It might still be poisonous even for Demonkin after all. Still, the toxicity is based on the amount consumed per kilo of body weight. Ah, he also drank coffee right? I wonder? Caam-san is making a difficult face Alright, lets call Keith I opened the chocolate container, cooled it then cut it into bite-sized cubes. Oi`, Keith. Were pretty close right? I have a favor to ask Whats with you all of a sudden? This newly made treat is actually poisonous to dogs, cats, and wolves but Im not sure if theyre poisonous to their demonkin counterpart Alright, so? Try eating it Are you an idiot? Why are you asking me to eat it if its poisonous? I didnt want to lie so I just tried asking honestly. To be honest the coffee youve been drinking is also poisonous to dogs and cats. But youre still fine after drinking it right? Keiths mouth was opening and closing like a koi fish from shock as he pointed at me. You What the hell? Well, I just forgot Dont forget something that might cause someone to die! You didnt die though. Youve already had one today right? I was kinda sleepy after all Ah, if youre just getting stimulated and awake then its fine. Anyway, have a bite for the sake of the islands future No! Go and ask the old men instead! After saying that, he left. Hmm`, I guess it cant be helped. Ill go and ask the old menz then.2 Cat-eared old man`3 I called out to the cat-eared old man who happened to pass by. Whats wrong? Youve been drinking coffee lately, right? Yeah Have you ever felt sluggish or anything weird after drinking it? No Well, I made this new snack I want you to try. But the thing is, its poisonous to dogs and cats. Coffee is the same but since youre fine when drinking it, I think youll also be fine eating this Got it. Its fine, right? Its the life youve saved so its just right for you to take it away No, you dont have to take it that seriously. You can just refuse if you dont want to you know? He just ignored me and threw one into his mouth without hesitation. Its sweet. Its different from candy though since it melts quickly. I like it If anything happens, please drink plenty of water and try to throw up what you just ate. If you feel like something is wrong with your body, please have someone let me know right away. You need to make sure to do this okay!? Sure After saying that, he just picked up his axe again then went back to work. It doesnt look like there were any bad effects. Still, I decided to do my work near where the cat-old man was. After waiting a while, I didnt receive any reports. Is he alright? Old man, is everything alright? Yeah. Nothing wrong here Do you feel uneasy? Is your body feeling hot? Does your heart feel like its moving too fast? No. Should I eat more? No no no. It might actually be even more dangerous if you eat too much So its the kind thats fine as long as its in moderation huh? Well, I didnt die so everything is alright, right? Then its fine now, you can go back to your work Please, dont forget to let me know if anything happens! Its fine so just go. Dont worry about me After saying that, I was forced to go back. Hm`, I should try it one more time. Since its a food product, I need to be doubly sure. Oi`, Keith. The cat-eared old man ate it and nothing happened so you try it too` I was immediately sent flying as I said that. Then I was made to sit seiza. Are you going to let me eat poison just because someone else was fine eating it? He was fine so I thought you would be too I gave him a childish excuse. It might have just been a fluke you know? Why the hell are you trying to get me to eat it even while knowing that You and the cat-eared old man were fine with coffee so I just thought it would be the same. Even though I say its poison, youll just feel uneasy and experience vomiting and diarrhea Thats what you call being poisoned! You You do know that there should still be limits even though were friends right? For goodness sake! Yes Im sorry He was really mad so I just kept looking down but he suddenly tossed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. Im going to bring you with me if I feel like Im about to die. Still, this thing sure is tasty. Is it really poisonous? Keith swirled it around his mouth first before commenting on how delicious it was. I thought that demonkin were different from animals but its clear now. Its probably okay for them to eat the chocolate. At that moment, I felt like a translucent god was looking at me from the sky.[noteTL: IDK if this is foreshadowing or a reference[/note] Greetings, Enomoto-san There was a knock on the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by two elderly men. What did you want to talk about? I didnt expect that the young lad who came to visit was sent by you Did you hear about that one Demon Lord whos Japanese from Iwamoto-kun? Yea. I heard that guy got an island and was doing whatever he pleases Thats right. I was thinking that we should join in on the fun. Enomoto-san, what do you think? Are you telling me to throw away the fields and livestock Ive built up until now? Yes. I think with the knowledge the three of us have, well be able to do pretty much anything on that island. Are you in? Interesting. I started with nothing when I came here so it might be fun to start over again. Its the same every year once the ground has been laid after all. Alright, Im in. What about you, Oda? Enomoto-san grinned as he asked Oda-san who has remained silent this whole while. Fine by me. Theres not a lot to do here when it comes to entertainment so if its something fun, Im in. I was just drifting randomly when I decided to live here so its not a bad idea to aimlessly go about it again He also grinned after saying that. Then its decided. It would be better to bring some rice seeds and the nukadoko 4 with us right? Yea. Those two are the only things we need. The rice here wasnt good since it wasnt sticky but I finally managed to bring it close to Japanese rice. I also poured blood, sweat, and tears just to raise that nukadoko so I may have left my wife but Im not leaving that one Geez. How can you say that to that widow you remarried who went ahead of you5 It would have been an embarrassment to leave such a beautiful blonde like that alone. How about you two? Dont you have any plans to get married? Well, Im still not sure whether or not its fine to leave behind descendants after coming here Its fine. You dont have to be considerate to those scum who called us here for their own benefit. Right, Oda? Dont ask me. I was devoted to my wife after all, unlike you, Enomoto-san Dont be like that. Didnt you two chase after women when you were younger? Enomoto-san Just how many times did you make your wife cry because of that? Who knows? Now, now, settle down you two. Anyway, since were going to leave, how are we going to get in touch with Ugajin? It should be fine to just leave a note in Aidas house. That guy just comes in and out of here right? Well yeah. Were close in age after all We dont have phones here or something similar so well have to go with that. At least we have some paper. When I got summoned here, there wasnt any decent paper yet so someone else must have spread it around Thats true. Im glad I didnt have to do the same with the hand pump. That country would have just benefited from it after all Well then, lets just bring what we need. You start preparing too Aida I was going to say Ill only need to bring myself but Ill at least bring some money For me, it will just be the seeds and the nukadoko. Ill just give away the livestock to my village I guess I have to get the blueprints I made for the tools Im made until now With that, it was decided that we were going to leave for the Demon Lords island. Hero Aida (35) Was a technical type hero who taught all sorts of things to the officials in the castle. Haa? You cant even do this type of calculation!? How are you even managing the treasury then!? Its just a simple division you know!? Even your subtraction is questionable! How could this happen!? Im going to give you some homework thats due tomorrow! Ill go senile before I can start teaching you bookkeeping! Hero Oda (62) Was a technical type hero who apparently introduced the use of windmills for milling. The culture level here is kinda messed up, huh? They would have one thing but another necessary thing would be missing. I guess thats the effect of relying on heroes knowledge CH 89 Chapter 89: That time when the queen came to rely on me + the heroes TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko I decided to visit the honey bees today. Caam-dono` Dono? We request of you to make us a new hive degozaru. Due to the birth of a new queen, the old queen has to move out degozaru1 Degozaru!? You, are you different from the last one I met? Thats correct degozaru. That previous individual had already reached the end of their lifespan. Thats the reason why I came degozaru2 I?3 Well, never mind. Anyway, do you mind if its just a simple hive? Okey` degozaru The way its mixed up is making my head hurt. Got it. Ill make arrangements as soon as possible. We would be eternally grateful After that, I immediately went to the carpenter Goburg-sans place. I drew a simple plan on the ground which he then used to make a hive using scraps of wood. Youre really good at this, arent you Having said that, he just built something that carpenters should be able to finish easily. After that, I went to the hive behind my house. I opened up the hive then took out the frame with the old queen on it along with one that was full of honey and another with eggs and larvae then moved it to a new hive a couple of kilometers away according to Degozarus instructions. They would be closed off there and left alone for a couple of days. It seems they have to do this because of their homing instinct. Is this good? It is fine degozaru. It would be better if there was a nearby watering hole and an area with plenty of flowers degozaru. We would like you to keep that in mind degozaru Yeah yeah, I got it. Ill try looking for a place like that We would like to request for one more thing degozaru What is it? Now that she has been born, the new queen requests to leave the island degozaru Haa? This islands no good? Since Caam-dono is able to move around the place with his magic, the new queen wanted to extend her influence to your hometown. We wont make it if we try to cross the sea by ourselves after all degozaru How did your ancestors get to this island then? On driftwood degozaru. I heard that it was a very perilous journey degozaru Ah` Well, when should we do that? It should be after my compatriots get used to the new hive degozaru. That reminds me, we would also like to bring this box with us degozaru How about we leave in three days? That would be great degozaru. I shall inform the princess degozaru Oh, they call both queens princess? What a confusing bunch. During the next few days, while the bees were still getting used to their place, I showed the women how to extract the oil from the cacao mass. I also started teaching them how to make chocolate. While we were busy with that, we saw something black hovering above the forest and was heading in our direction. Woah, whats that? Looks unsettling Kyaa. Gross As a few humans started making a fuss, a lone figure who was flying ahead of the rest of the cluster approached me. It was a honey bee. Caam-dono. the princess wishes to give her greetings degozaru O-oh. Understood I told the others to continue what they were doing as I left for the beach to reach the transfer magic circle. Are you the one they call Caam? A pretty huge honey bee who I assumed was the queen spoke to me. Yes I think you have already heard about the situation from my subordinate. Hence, I request that you take us to your hometown using that magic of yours that allows you to travel all over the island I did hear about it. Do you mind waiting here while I go and get your hive? Alright After saying that, I picked up the hive that I left in a cool area then went back to the beach. Well then, its time to depart. Please make sure that you dont go beyond where both my hands reach. Its the same for above me As I said that, the queen positioned herself on my chest. I felt something kinda soft but I didnt have the time to enjoy it because my hand and feet as well as my face were swarmed by the rest of the bees making my entire body tingle. I definitely would have been traumatized if this happened when I was younger. Never mind that though. Its hot. I can now understand how a hornet feels when its killed by bees. I activated the magic and we appeared in front of my house. The moment the scenery changed, the honey bees that were all around me immediately separated. Ugh`, that gave me the creeps! So this is Caams hometown It snows during winter here. Are you guys going to be alright? From the remaining memories I inherited, we have experienced winters long before we arrived on the island. Therefore, we should be alright. However, we are weak with heat hence why it would be a great help if you would offer us a cool place Got it. I already have a place in mind so Ill take you there. Its in that forest I pointed at the forest where I frequently entered as a child. Very well. I shall go on ahead and wait by the entrance. Please release my subjects in that new hive then show me around Alright The queen flew away after saying that. There was nobody home so I just entered my house, took a paper, then wrote Bees nest! Dont touch! on it. I attached that note to the hive then left it in a shaded place nearby. Oi Caam. What was that black thing flying in the air earlier? It was a swarm of honey bees. I dont really get what its about but they came to me for help so I just did what they asked Ohh`. That means theres now a source of honey in the village. Much appreciated Caam We can even do this thing called apiculture where you keep bees then sell their honey to town you know? Now I can freely put honey on my toast without having to go to town This old man seems to have a sweet tooth. Does he cover everything with honey since hes a bear-type demonkin? Im also curious if its true that bears right paws are really tasty. I think itll have the same effect if you pour honey over the bear meat before cooking it but I shouldnt say that out loud. 4 You can put honey on sweets too you know? For me, I prefer using it that way. Anyway, beastman types were fine with chocolate and coffee but I wonder if its also fine to give demonkin infants honey? Im too scared to try it though. Well then, I should go to the forest. Alright. Theres this cave a short walk from the entrance of the forest that I found when I was a child. I will be taking you there. Its cool during the summer and the entrance closes up during the winter so I think youll do fine there That is greatly appreciated After walking for a while, we arrived at the place. What I didnt expect though was to meet the children there. Ah, father! Oh hey`. Its Lily-chans dad` Hello Papa! Im sorry. The place seems to be occupied It happens all the time, childrens energy sometimes goes far beyond what adults can imagine This place is no good then While I was talking with the queen bee, Lily came over and said. Father. Who is that bee? Shes called Queen Bee, the queen of the honey bees. And there are her subordinates Greetings Cute~ Are they? Their eyes look like honeycomb scope filters you know? They protect from glare but it blurs the image so its not my cup of tea. Are you looking for Queen Bee-sans home? The one who asked that was Specks daughter Reika. Thats right. They cant use this place since its your base so Ill have to look for another one How about they live inside a big tree? We saw one with a hole in it you know I glanced at the queen bee and she gave me a tiny nod. Im impressed that you guys know of such a place`. Queen Bee-san and the rest want to check if they can use that as their house so could you show us the way? Yes! They gave me a cheerful reply and then they all ran. Kids should definitely be lively like this. After a fifteen-minute light jog inside the forest, we arrived at a place with a large tree. Isnt this pretty much the center of the forest? I was afraid of the wildlife when I was little so I didnt make it this far you know? It must be safe thanks to Speck and Arc-san as well as the other workers in the charcoal factory. Its this tree~ Iya`, its pretty huge, isnt it? I dont feel like going up there since uncle is afraid of heights Im fine with it~ Haha. Its good if youre that lively Although it would be best for this girl to act a bit more lady-like, I cant really say anything since I have Lily who always keeps on asking me for training. I would have been able to tell her off if Lily and Miels personalities were reversed. Well, whatever. They both have their mothers blood in them after all. How is it? My subordinates have informed me that there is enough space in that large tree for us to reside in. It should be adequate. We can easily come and go with the entrance located in a high place, were protected from the rain and wind, and the leaves and branches provide us with shade. We might even be safe during winter with this. You have my thanks. If anything happens, I will be sending my men to the hive they vacated earlier You say that but Im almost always at the island you know? Cant we just contact you via Fleur-san? I was able to spot her potted plant earlier So she saw it, huh? Compound eyes are kinda scary. Then Ill let my family know so that they wont be surprised. Well, two of them are here though I presented my children to her. I understand. it would be proper for us to give an introduction As she said that, one honey bee approached my kids and gave its greeting. We do not have a name nor an individual conscience. Therefore, you may call all of us Honey Bee. We are grateful to your father for all the assistance we have received degozaru. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance Nice to meet youNice to meet you~ This one also has that degozaru syndrome huh? Will we get to eat honey~? We have brought the hive that Caam-dono made for us so once we have increased our numbers, we might be able to share some with you Yaay~ Honest children are the best degozaru You stole my line degozaru. So this is Corundum. This is the first time Ive seen the ocean since I came here Me too. The water is clear and blue so there definitely are no traces of man-made garbage here This reminds me of the past. When I was a kid, we were so poor that we had to catch small fish and shellfish at the beach to fill our stomachs Nothing you could do about that Enomoto-san. That was just after the second world war after all5 As for me, my family was just poor. I was born more than a decade after Enomoto-san after all The economic boom made up for it though As for me, I only got to experience the economic bubble so Im jealous of you two old men Lets stop talking about Japan since we cant even go back. Oh? Oi, look at that. It says coffee What? Is this the shop that the Demon Lord opened? Iwamoto-kun said the Demon Lord let him drink coffee after all Its been a while so I really want to drink one black Me too. Its been almost thirty years since I last had one Enomoto-san, you drink coffee? I was sure you were in the tea group You idiot. Back in my day, I would take women out to a cafe whether or not they drank the stuff Youre surprisingly trendy, huh? I also drank a lot of the stuff before I came here. I dont even remember when I started to drink it Hmm`. I cant resist this smell. Im going in by myself Im going as well Me too With that said, the three of them entered the shop. Welcome. Go ahead and take one of the vacant seats Hearing that, the three of them got seated. I didnt expect it to actually have a coffee shop vibe to it. Their outfits even look similar to baristas. There was a doorbell as well Its a nice place. Now, theres almost no doubt that this guys Japanese How nostalgic. This place makes me feel like ladies wearing furisode or hakama would come out The menu only consists of coffee and the daily set though. Theres also an option to add this Beryl Sake but thats pretty much it Coffee is good enough for me Me too Excuse me. Well have two coffee and one set with the Beryl Sake Certainly. Coming right up The barista replied right away after receiving their order. Look. They dont have a grinder so hes using a stone mill Coarse ground huh? I see that they scoop up the powder with a spoon to a container, add water, then heat it Turkish coffee? Was there a Turkish hero? Theres no one like that right Thank you for waiting A woman wearing the same clothes as the barista served them their coffee. Ahh, its the long-awaited black coffee Im excited about this as well. I only drank the instant ones though Now that I think about it, I dont know how I managed to stand drinking such bitter stuff Thats true. Still, this liquor It must be really strong if youre going to put it in coffee so this must have come from a distiller Yeah. Aida, why dont you try it out? The man called Aida dipped his pinky on the container then put it on his tongue to try the taste. Its pretty strong. It has the scent of the barrel so it must have been stored without being diluted. Also, since it already has the barrels scent, it was probably aged for at least 1 to 3 years Its definitely too strong. It could have been prevented if he had a mixologist but he must have produced this with just half-baked knowledge. Hes probably just an amateur when it comes to liquor. Im not saying Im an expert though Its fine as long as it can get you drunk. Anyway, its starting to get crowded here. Its going to be a pain so lets go I agree. Lets go look for a merchant ship that we can ask to take us to that island Im going to keep coming back here until we find one. Oh coffee, my coffee` Youre definitely at the level of a caffeine addict Hes the same as a guy who just cant stop drinking or smoking. If it werent for coffee, youd be cured, you pathetic bastard While saying that, the three of them exited the shop. Idle Talk Coffee Junky You see those black-haired men? Those guys are heroes right? I think so. They look like adventurers but the only one that has anything resembling a weapon is that old guy with gray hair I wonder if we should let Caam-san know We should. Lets tell him next time he comes Opening up shop A cup of coffee please 10 oclock A cup of coffee please Just past noon A cup of coffee, please. Ill pass on sugar and milk 3 oclock Give me the same as earlier Closing time Ill have the usual. Ill also get a bag of beans to go That old hero drank a lot today. Was he just scouting the place or did he just like the drink that much? He even drank it without sugar and milk I think he just loved it Again after several days during opening time Ill have the usual He probably just likes coffee I agree Authors (random) note: If you ask this author what things he cant live without, milk and alcohol would be the answer. Alcohol to a lesser extent since I just like to indulge in a small amount of it whenever I have some. Milk, however, is a different story. Even my normally mild-mannered self becomes very very irritable. The most difficult times were during school trips where they didnt serve any milk. I had to stock up during free time. I had to get the milk set from a certain burger place and was annoyed when I could get the milk for takeout from the donut shop. Well, I would also just buy milk from a convenience store and drink it on the way home on the bus. CH 90 Chapter 90: That time when heroes arrived on the island TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko The following day after it had been decided that Queen Bee and the others will be living inside the cavity of a large tree, set up a barricade with some signs, a rope, and a few stakes. I drove the stakes on the ground around the tree then connected them with the rope. These were of course taken from the community storage. This tree is home to Queen Bee and the Honey Bees. They are managing this area so dont be afraid of them and lets all treat them well Bees are living in this tree. Dont play any pranks on them okay? This is good enough right? I even wrote sign intended to be read by the children after all I should also inform Arc-san and Speck next. Oi`. Speck. Are you free`? I met up with Speck first who was in the middle of his patrol. Hm`? What? Do you know about the bees that came to the village yesterday? Un. It was that black swarm, right? I saw it. I also heard about it from Reika Then that makes things quicker. They will be living in that large tree in the middle of the forest. They dont want to be disturbed as much as possible so I put a sign around the tree Uh huh. Still, shouldnt you go and tell the village chief about that? That way, the whole village would know about it. I cant just decide on it by myself you know? Ah`, thats right. I dont really feel like doing it but Im going to talk with the chief. Who knows? Maybe he has something to say about it Alright` Anyway, please take care and protect the bees Umu. Its good that there are more things getting added to the village but what about the island? Its fine since these bees were originally from the island. It seems like they have to find a separate hive once their numbers increase. Speaking of, this is a simple blueprint of a hive. I think one of the honey bees would inform someone when its time for them to find a different hive so Ill leave them in your care Then its fine Well then, please tell everyone else what we just talking about okay? Alright, I understand. We could get some honey which we can sell in town so theres nothing to complain about Thanks. Im heading back then After saying that, I went home and decided to make some snacks with honey. I should make use of it now that we have it. Hmm`, I could make something with flour I guess. Its easy to make as long you have the ingredients after all. I added 5 parts flour to 1 part sugar, honey, olive oil, milk, and a pinch of salt. I quickly mixed all of the ingredients then baked it in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees. And with that, the vegan honey cookie is complete.1 Its something you can make without butter and eggs. Its healthier that way. Flour really is all-purpose.2 The children should be playing in the morning so this will be their afternoon snack. I should start preparing for lunch. In the afternoon, I did the usual training with the kids. Suzuran told me I could fight back using Water balls as long as I only used it to hinder their movements so I aimed it at Lilys face to get her to flinch and at Miels whenever he shoots out a Fireball. I kept using these dirty tactics against the children, or rather, I had to use them. After that, Latte came back, then we all ate the snacks I made. When evening came, I decided to check on the store. Good work. How has it been going? U-um, you see. Three people came to the store. They were humans like us but they were a bit different. They had rare black hair so we were thinking they might be heroes. Their party consists of two elderly men and one that was much younger than them. They had different features so they probably arent related to each other. One of the elderly men even came to the store five times in a day Were they doing surveillance!? No, I dont think so. This is just a guess but I think he just really loves coffee. He would even drink it without adding anything and he looked satisfied whenever he left. He also purchased coffee to bring home whenever he came to the store at night If thats the case then I guess he just really like coffee Thats right. It was surprising how much he drank. He didnt even add sugar or cows milk. He would just say the usual then take a seat Oh`, thats already at the level of a coffee addict then However, this evening he purchased more bags than usual. Fifty to be exact Haa? Fifty bags? Those guys are pretty amazing Were not sure but doesnt it take five days to get to the island from here? I think that amount is enough to last that amount of time So that means theyll leave tomorrow and arrive five days later at the island? Thats what we think With that in mind, I went back to the island. And so, theres a high chance that a group of three heroes will be arriving on the island five to six days later Three huh? Theyre also all old men so they might be skilled. They have lived for that long so we need to be careful of them despite their age Thats true. There are surprisingly strong grandpas and grandmas after all. It would be better if we acted on the side of caution Do you have a plan? Nope. Ill just deal with it when the time comes. I wont be able to win with just a straightforward attack if theyre a kendo or aikido instructor after all. Takeru-kun is still young but he might get stronger once he matures. Did they give up on his development and just send someone strong, to begin with? Takeru-kun said hell do his best to help us out though so either they thought he hadnt defeated me yet or they came to make sure. I guess I shouldnt make light of the enemy. Dont be fooled. They might be the ones teaching swordsmanship and unarmed combat to the soldiers of the castle Got it. I wont let my guard down even if theyre empty handed Six days later Caam-san! Its a ship! Theyre here! Everyone, please head to the new village Yes! Keith and the old men, lets engage the enemy here. There are three of them. Lets do our best! Yeah The ship stopped at the entrance of the bay, then a really small rowboat like the ones youll see at a park was lowered. Once it was on the water, the ship raised its sails then sailed towards the demonkin side of the continent. Oi, looks like they left them Thats true The sense of unease kept piling up as the boat got closer. As per the information I received, an elderly man was rowing the boat. The other old man looked like he was throwing up while a man who looked like he was in his thirties had both of his hands in the air with a white flag raised. Whats going on there? I dont know. Do you know what waving a white flag means? It means theyre surrendering Ah, so it has the same meaning in this world. Its the first time Ive seen something like that. Once the rowboat got close enough, the man waving the white flag started speaking in Japanese. We heard about you from Takeru-kun What the hell is that guy saying? Keith had already drawn his bow and was ready to shoot. Ah, this is bad. Keith! Stop! Lower your bow! Down boy! They are probably related to that hero Rock so Ill deal with them. Keith, you go and tell the others that its okay I desperately tried to stop Keith. A-alright. But dont be careless okay? Its fine! You guys too, lower your weapons. There might be people who are strong even when they are unarmed like you said but these guys are probably different! Got it. If thats what you say then its fine. We will also go back Thank you After saying that, they all went back to where the other villagers were. Iya`, I was scared when he started pointing his bow at us. Thank you, Nagi-kun That was the first thing they said when they disembarked. Uh, nice to meet you. You can call me Caam. Ah, this is what my parents named me. Its not like Takeru-kuns which is an alias. And you are? Im Aida. These two are Enomoto-san and Oda-san Best regards Hey, before that, do you have water or tea? The inside of my mouths like a desert right now I quickly produced a Water Ball then gave it to the old man called Enomoto to drink. Ahh`. So good. Its not shaking like in the ship So, do any of you speak the continents common language? We all can. We just spoke in Japanese to gain Nagi-kuns trust Ah`, thats good. Although everyone on the island knows that Im the Demon Lord, they still dont know Im a reincarnated person. Thats why, I would appreciate it if you would speak the common language from now on. Now then, lets not talk here while standing. Follow me to my house Alright. Weve brought a little something for you so look forward to it Heres barley tea and coffee We ran out of coffee on the ship yesterday so this is much appreciated. Oda-san, you bought fifty bags and had already gone through all of them in five days? Hes a total junkie huh? Its not something that goes along with barley tea but here is some tsukemono. I made it with a year old nukadoko so its sure to be good He opened the package he was carrying on his back then took out a pot that had boiled eggs, tomatoes, and cucumbers inside. Oh, its nukadzuke or to be more specific, picked tomatoes and boiled eggs The small ones are really good but there werent any in the port town so we just bought the regular ones. We put it in there before we left so it should be ready to go. You just need to wash it first With the addition of the nukadzuke, the table was filled with stuff you wouldnt usually see in this world. Waa, its been a while since Ive had nukadzuke. I want some rice now. I used to make malted rice after all Dont worry, we also brought the seed rice with us Enomoto-san grinned as he took out a large pouch and put it on the table. Woooah! I didnt have any knowledge about rice cultivation so I havent tried it out. Does this mean that you have agricultural knowledge, Enomoto-san? Of course. You seemed to be doing interesting things here from what weve heard so we decided to come Enomoto-san already said it but I cant stand just drinking roasted dandelions and seeds anymore so Im really thankful that you have coffee I also came because I was interested after hearing about you from Iwamoto-kun. Well, to be frank, I just wanted to get out of that rotten country but anyway, shall we introduce ourselves? You already know our names so how about our professions? I was a teacher I worked a mechanics job. I stripped down and put together bikes and tinkered a bit with cars. I used to be a mechanic for a nearby agricultural cooperative so I know a bit about it. These are my blueprints Oda-san handed the blueprints over to me. A windmill with a waterwheel, a hand pump, and is this a leaf spring? Its also easy to understand. Its drawn in a way thats easy to understand for people in this world I also wanted to make an engine but I dont have the technology to build one. Its going to be tough with just smithing after all. Were surrounded by water though so I could probably make something if its just on the level of a pop pop boat Ooh`! A long and narrow iron pipe would be impossible but I could probably do it if its something simple Oh`, weve just been getting help from aquatic demonkin when it comes to that up until now If thats the case then well need to discuss it with them since it concerns their employment. Besides, well need fuel. Well also need to make improvements to a wooden ship since there will be fire involved Then lets just work that out as we go As I said earlier, I worked in agriculture. Ive done a bit of dairy farming so I can help out with that Im really glad youre here. One of my wives is helping out with the livestock industry in my home town so One of? Ah. Well, you see Uh, I have two. I really only planned for one but Well, bigamy is common in this world. The other one fell for me and My excuses keep on piling up. Arent you a former Japanese? What are you doing? He gave him a cucumber with a smile which he wryly ate.3 After that, we talked for a bit more and I was told about the details of how they came into this world. You were summoned then treated as a sacrificial pawn huh? Even a mild-mannered Japanese person would get mad after that Thats right. If Ugajin hasnt sneaked in, we would still be sharing our knowledge and skills as heroes of that country I heard that the previous generation wasnt that bad though. It only went downhill after that brat that they spoiled became king. Even his daughter, you cant hear a single good rumor about her you know? Shes a manizer who preys on the summoned men that she likes She has no chance to succeed the throne so shes probably just playing around as much as she wants before shes used as a tool for a political marriage. Shes probably already engaged with a nobleman from somewhere that she knows nothing about. She might not even know how her fianc looks like and if he has a terrible personality Its horrible how not even love can help in that situation That would make even heroes run away I drank up my lukewarm tea as I listened to even more of their stories. If it werent for you, Caam-kun, we might still be living in that declining village. Because of that, why dont we spread the word out and gather the summoned Japanese people scattered throughout the world? Hmm`, I dont mind but isnt that just asking for us to get attacked? Even if we have cannons? I know when it comes to that you know? We even have the blueprints We should increase the number of pigs and cows to collect their shit then Wait wait wait, why are you all so eager about this? And dont you need to get a saltpeter for that plan to work? Did already you discuss this among yourselves beforehand? Thats right. At the very least, together with Ugajin who isnt here, we were planning to fire portable cannons made of wood at the castle walls to harass them. If the tree cannons catch fire then well stop Please dont act like its something simple to build when even I cant do it It should be easy for Japanese people who know some history or have some knowledge about it right? Didnt you build a distiller and make sake? Well yeah. But that was just to develop my home town Still, dont you think youll want to make one if your hometown was a war-ridden place? Gunpowder or a musket is a relatively simple thing to make after all I guess. It wasnt necessary in the place where I was born though Sorry, Caam-kun Can I have some more coffee? This person really is that huh? Even though were having a serious conversation, theres nothing in his head other than coffee. He even said it in a really low and serious voice. I thought something serious happened for a second there. Well then, lets discuss this some other time Lets permanently shelf this discussion since the fewer the fires, the better. I want to live in peace you know? You dont understand. Taking such a low cultured world would be childs play What are you going to do after taking over then? Just taking it would be enough for me At least think about it. How many people do you think would die before you manage to take over? Well, we were used as sacrificial pawns, you know? Just a bit should be fine Aida-san said that with an evil smile. Please dont smile while you say that. What do you plan to do to the demonkin side then? Ill destroy them if they decide to attack the humans while theyre weak from the battle. If not then Ill already be satisfied taking over the humans side Aida-san, you sure have a wild imagination, dont you? Were already in another world so I want to have some fun at least Dont say that so smugly, please. I really cant tell when youre serious you know? I want to get back at the country that summoned us. At least that part Im serious about Hearing that, the other two just nodded quietly. I guess they were pretty pissed off. Ah, how does everyone feel about a bath? I more or less had them. It sure was tough to dig the well though. I thought that if there was a well, it would be easier to set up the hand-operated pump that I built When I was a kid, I was in charge of fetching the bathwater but its tough now at my age Its also hard for me so I only did it a few times As I said that, they instantly stood up from their seats. Slow down, you guys. One overlooking the sea or one thats halfway up the mountain, which do you prefer? Why not both? Thats right. Thats the only correct choice Then its settled. We want to visit both Alright, after youve prepared, Ill use transfer magic to take us there If its a change of clothes then we have it right here Its in the innermost part if I remember correctly Ive got everything in my small shoulder bag over here so Im good to go Whats this? Theyre like a three-person comedy act. I wonder why they get along this well even though their ages are different? Must be nice. Alright, first up is the mountain-side hot spring. Harpies sometimes come to play around so there might be feathers floating around and there sure are a lot huh? Please just ignore it Its fine. Its just like dead leaves or bugs in an open-air bath After he said that, Enomoto-san immediately got undressed and entered the hot spring first. I would have preferred if there was a wall or a hedge but its probably impossible with this kind of mountain. It must be hard to get materials here huh? Oda-san immediately followed. Its such nice scenery, isnt it? It would have been great if that lake was the ocean though Hey, youre already asking for too much Thats right Phew` This would have been great with some nihonshu Well be able to make it once Enomoto-san succeeds in growing rice Well need a cellar and large barrels for that Wait, wont that take a lot of time? Why are you talking about it like its something made just like that? Were Japanese people so its already decided, right? Even I wouldnt drink coffee in a hot spring An out of bath beer would also be great Oh, thats nice too Rather than just beer, why dont we make a properly managed distillery with a production method thats actually established in our world? Its nice to have a goal. Although, even if we have the knowledge, we dont have the technology. It really is a frustrating world How do I even join in on this conversation`? After that, we moved to the hot spring that was close to the beach. A hot spring overlooking the beach. This would have been the complete package if we just had some Nihonshu right now I prefer mountain springs Wait, it doesnt sound like you two care about where as long as theres nihonshu Both are great Yeah yeah. Thanks Alright, Im going to live near this hot spring. The lands flat, I can even make rice paddies, and it even comes with a hot spring. This place is perfect Ill help too As for me, Ill stay at Caam-kuns village. Come and visit from time to time okay? Wait, arent you getting ahead of yourself when we dont even have a house yet? Do you even know where we are on the island? Based on the suns position, the hot spring we were in before was west of here. As for the bay, its to the east right? I dont know how far it is though Teachers are amazing, arent they? You are correct. The coastline is roughly 150 kilometers across and the mountain we were just at is the center of the island Its quite far, isnt it? So it would take about a day to get there from the village we were in. If it was me, Ill need two days though Dont say something like that so proudly CH 91 Chapter 91: That time when we discussed our plans Its the next day after the heroes came to the island. I got into a dispute. The main reason was the hot spring we visited yesterday. No no no, Im telling you, its not yet possible. Do you realize how much work it would take to build a house near that hot spring? How do you even plan to transport the materials there from the ship in the first place? Me, Oda, and the carpenter were going to borrow, will have to bring whatever well use for each day but that should be fine right? Well just need Caam to clear out land and dig holes for the pillars Still, youll need to bring a water source closer to the mountain, you know? Are you thinking of just digging a well? We also dont have enough manpower for irrigation, you know? Even if I do it myself, Ill still need at least two weeks to get to the foot of that mountain Theres a hot spring so youll just have to dig a bit to find water right? Theres a hot spring by the beach and if you dig around that area, all youll find are more hot springs. This is why Ive been telling you to wait for 6 months to a year. Its better if we draw water from the lake close to the mountain. Were also going to slowly increase the number of islanders and build houses around that area so we can set up a second village. If its just a house you want, it would be faster if I made one with earthen walls and planks for a roof using magic so the only problem left is water. Are you just going to get the hot spring water, cool it down, then use it to water the plants and give it to the livestock to drink? Can you even grow vegetables in that land in the first place? You havent checked if the soil composition is good enough you know? 1 Y-yeah` Then please wait for a while okay? Fiiine. Im not going to insist on living there. But take me to the hot springs. Im not budging on that one Thats fine if youre going to wait. There will be days I wont be able to take you there though like when I go back to my hometown to visit my family I wont die if I dont take a bath for two to three days you know? Besides, Im going to get Oda to make a bath for me so I dont mind Oh`, Caam-san and the heroes are fighting Its for a stupid reason though We can hear you, you know!? Hiie! Were sorry Sheesh, this stubborn geezer sure is a handful. That night, we had a meeting at one of the houses near the beach where there were no other humans. Well, putting the thing this afternoon aside, what are we going to do? What do you mean? Im talking about the summoned heroes thing. If we leave them alone, there would just be more victims you know? If were really going to make a move then lets meet up with Ugajin, and come up with an elaborate plan to either kidnap or dispose of the princess who is doing the summoning. We could also threaten the current king to step down. You just casually said it but either option involve assassination, right? Ive been trying my best to avoid killing since I came here though But you do have some experience with that right? Even if theyre kings or princesses, theyre still human you know? Even if youre smiling like that, your eyes are not. Just how much resentment have you guys accumulated? Quite a lot I see Hmm`, their resentment runs deep it seems. Both Enomoto-san and Oda-san remained silent. Was it that horrible? Fine, Ill think about it For the time being, lets look for heroes and do whatever we can to get in touch with them. To be honest, our situation is too good since we have an island like this for our base. All sorts of primary industries have already been established after all. And when it comes to agriculture, we have livestockraising, pisciculture, and forestry. We even make our salt, sugar, and sweets here. Confectionery isnt a primary industry though. And besides, have you ever seen another human village this far away from Corundum? Nope`. Well, if anyone saw me roaming around the human side of the continent, Ill just get killed or hunted down like prey You look like that so youd definitely get attacked on site. Dark-blue skin, red eyes, if you had wings growing out of your back, youll totally look like a devil. Well, devils in the childrens stories in this world are replaced with the demonkin and the Demon Lord though. I havent even heard of the term devil used in this world I also havent. I wonder if this has something to do with the church? They are probably just preaching that demonkin are the absolute evil and its okay to kill them all. Well, putting that aside, we only produce wheat and raise livestock in the village. If were not careful, well starve once winter comes. Even if we explain the modern way of doing it, I dont know if it would change anything so we have it rough But still, even if theyre humans of this world, I think its unforgivable for fellow Japanese to get treated as sacrificial pawns If Enomoto-san had alcohol in front of him, he would have drunk it up in one go and slammed his cup on the table as he said that. Hes like an old man whose daughter was taken in some kind of period drama. I agree. Thats why we should make saltpeter. Well use that or some kind of substitute to harass them Please dont say that with a sinister smile as you sip your coffee.2 Since we have a hot spring, there should be sulfur right? Lets just sneak that in the castle and burn it. That way, well be able to harass them but just enough to keep anyone from dying He also looked like he was enjoying himself this time as he once again casually inserted that dangerous remark. Wait, once were able to make saltpeter, if we had sulfur, well have most of the ingredients to make gunpowder, wont we? I mean, the only thing we need is charcoal and we already make that so its only a matter of time. The demonkin side readily accepted my proposal though. I wonder why theres such a discrepancy with the treatment3 I think its because theyre too religious. For some reason, rather than letting people take on new challenges, the church encourages people to live a constant and stable life. Thats why farmers end up becoming bandits. They dont even receive any education so if theyre born in a slightly larger village, theres no reason for them to leave. Theyre villagers their whole life and the church teaches them not to have too many unnecessary thoughts Oh yeah. Ive invited a member of the church to the island to fill the humans spiritual needs you know? Still, the humans on this island are better off. I even think that nun would probably change for the better while shes here Thats true. They said that theyre living better lives than before they became slaves and it seems like they been letting that nun know about that fact a lot After a while of talking about random stuff, I finally asked about the main topic. So, how about we go back to the main topic? You know, Ugajin is actually a ninja from Earth 4 what? Ninja. Hes a ninja Is he stealthy and all that and stuff? He didnt do actual ninja things for a living but hes been doing that since he came here. Hes really lively you know? is he someone who appears on tv a lot? A guy whos good at making use of his muscles? He said hes appeared a few times, yes. He seems to be a ninja from a village similar to Edo thats located at the northern side of the Kanto region Hes the real deal in a lot of aspects then huh? Amazing It seems like his physical ability has increased significantly ever since he arrived here that hes become a certified genuine ninja. Thats why he was able to sneak into the castle and learn about how were being used as pawns Its a good thing hes not the American type of ninja. So, what made you decide to come to me? 5 We thought it would liven things up if a Demon Lord was involved Haa` I let out a loud sigh. Lets set the scene. If a hero defeats the king, all the humans around the world would probably hunt down that human. What happens if its a Demon Lord that defeats the king? The humans would band together and wage war on the demonkin? Precisely. Then well spread an exaggerated story all over town about how the demon lord, who pitied the heroes after learning of their story, decided to work together with them. Theyll find out that it was actually the heroes who asked the demon lord for help to defeat the princess who keeps on summoning heroes left and right for their selfish agenda without a way for them to return So heroes get hunted down if they become a threat huh? Thats why youre going to the pity route? No no no, its actually clever. We wouldnt want the heroes to end up becoming villains after all Aida-san smiled and snickered as he said that. Hes pretty twisted, isnt he? I wonder what kind of situation he had to become like this? Anyway, could you do us this favor as a current Demon Lord and a former Japanese? Ill come up with a plan Haa. Are you making a hero liberation group? Oh, that sounds nice. Lets do that what have I done? Ten days after that, we talked about building a windmill in the commercial district at the planned castle site of my predecessor. To check the state of the wind, Enomoto-san swiftly climbed a ladder held by several people like what the firefighters do in the dezomeshiki event during New Year. Once he reached the top, he coiled his leg around the step to prevent him from falling then checked the state of the wind. Oh`, its pretty windy here. Doesnt seem like anything is obstructing the wind reaching here from the sea. It looks like its settled So that means the wind is always blowing where Enomoto-san is huh? Well then, seems like this is a good place to put a windmill Please wait. I havent experienced any storms since I came here. Since we dont know how intense those get, wouldnt it be a bad idea to build one just like that? We are former Japanese you know? Taking measures against that is nothing. We can just make the blades out of cloth. Well remove the cloth whenever a storm comes. If we reduce the width of the blade and increase the number, we can reduce the force applied on it while still maintaining its function as a windmill Well, thats true but Youre mistaken if youre thinking its going to be some large-scale structure. Were only making a small one that can grind grain even with minimal power. If that doesnt work, well build one with a tripod foundation so if a storm comes, well only need about three men to take it down. It doesnt matter if its the fan one with small blades or a savonius one after all Savonius? Thats true. I can only imagine a large structure when I think of a windmill. Isnt it fine then? Ill go discuss it with the carpenter After saying that, Oda-san went to the carpenters place carrying several sheets of blueprints. Windmills are only useful for turning stone mills, arent they? At this moment, yes but well also harness the power of the wind to bring water to higher places using wooden water channels Thats right. We only have a small water channel right now but it would be useful when we have to draw water to a slightly elevated area If we want the technology here to catch up, we can also make use of the wind to generate electricity. Ah, if we had some bamboo, we could make Edisons lightbulbs you know? We could also make some potato batteries with zinc and some sheet copper. We probably wont get much light from it though Making candles or lanterns would be easier after all Yeah. Its probably not something we can do before I kick the bucket Should we write some books and call them the wisdom of the heroes or something? Maybe but if we store it on this island and things end poorly, it might all just get burned Of course it will` While we were having that silly conversation, the coconut sprout on the flower pot by my feet called out to me. Caam, theres a small boat being dropped off by a ship and is heading towards the island. Theres only one human riding it though Thank you for letting me know Palma-san Woah! Aida-san sounded really surprised. Come to think of it, I didnt tell them about her. Ah`, I forgot to introduce her. This is Palma-san who is a dryad of almost all the palm trees on the island. Theres also Fleur-san who is a red flower alraune Got it. That guy on the boat is probably Ugajin. He was supposed to come after us but it seems like hes a bit early Ill get my weapons just in case. Shall we go meet him together? Ah, alright I grabbed my weapons then met up with Aida-san at the beach where I saw a silhouette of a person standing by the waters edge. I cant really tell until he gets a bit closer After saying that, Aida-san slowly approached the shadow. Hey`. Aida Since he called out to Aida-san using his name, it looks like its someone they know. Its probably that guy Ugajin. Its been a while Ugajin Thats great. Looking closely, he looks like just an average person. I definitely wouldnt remember him if we happened to pass by each other in town. He doesnt have any particularly memorable facial features. He was equipped with something that looks like a dagger or a larger-looking knife that villagers carry on their waists for self-defense. He was dressed in the same type of clothes I was wearing. A common hemp shirt, long hemp pants, and he looked perfectly inconspicuous in a way that would make him look like villager C if he was just walking around. However, his black hair does stand out. Its rare to find someone with black hair in this world apart from the Japanese after all. If he went bald, his hair color wont get revealed but I guess that will also stand out. I think youve already read about him in the letter but let me introduce you two. This is Caam, a Japanese reincarnated to a demonkin and is this islands Demon Lord Hello there This guy is Ugajin, a combat-type hero. Hes originally a ninja before getting summoned but also acts as a ninja in this world Nice to meet you Its a relief that you arent the American type of ninja There might be a lot of ninjas that arent discreet back on Earth but the ones in this world are pretty good at what they do. Anyway, this island is pretty interesting, isnt it? Its pretty too. Ive never been to a place like this before Well, now youll get to see it every day. We more or less have houses over there but we moved the village a bit more inland as a measure against storms. Well take you there I see`. Indeed, this place isnt safe if a storm does come. If anyone comes to check the fields and ship, they probably wont be able to come back At the moment, were on good terms with our neighbors the aquatic demonkin so if anyone gets washed away to the sea, theyll probably help us out Will they end up like that prince who got saved by a mermaid princess? Thats a pretty exciting development, isnt it? Unfortunately, they can actually speak the common language. There are also some sahagin types and fish with legs Are there no sea witches? I think there are ones who are called witches but I think most of them can use magic. Here you dont need to pay a hefty price for love6 After that conversation, Ugajin-san gave me the thumbs up so I also did the same before we headed for the village. Ugajin-san probably likes mermaids. Well, cant blame him though since theyre beautiful. TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Authors Notes: Some people(probably after this chapter was first posted) wanted clarification so let me explain. Ugajin, who admired ninjas, worked in a ninja village in Nikko(a city in Japan that has a ninja village I think). That means, he wasnt a ninja. However, when he came to this world, his work involved secret espionage. As for the heros name, due to various reasons, it will be revised starting next chapter. To make things clear, I will be using the a character for all of them. The hero Iwamoto uses i so I will be leaving it as is. TL: Probably roman letters but it doesnt look like anything has been changed in ch 92 so maybe the current status is already the fix TL from the future: Looks like it was already fixed CH 92 Chapter 92: That time when we had a discussion1 TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko We returned to the elevated part of the village where we were talking about the windmill. Oda-san wasnt back yet and Enomoto-san was nowhere to be found. Because of that, we discussed things with just the three of us. So, what should we talk about? We asked Caam-kun over here whos a Demon Lord for help in order to cause a bit of mischief Fumu Ugajin-san nodded as he sipped the barley tea I brewed for him. Aida getting all excited about it but what exactly do we need help for? Lets see. For now, well just need to borrow a place on this island that we can use as a base while we gather heroes to the port town of Corundum. Well try to manipulate the information as much as we can in order to keep the islanders safe Well. thats not unreasonable, is it? So, what will you do Caam-san? A secret treaty to safeguard the support type heroes and other stressed-out heroes who plan to take over the castle of the royalty taking advantage of them? Um, since it seems like were proceeding with the negotiations with just the three of us, I have to say the disadvantages of this deal are pretty obvious to me Well take care of those parts so come on, give us a place. Just think of it as sheltering people who were abducted from Japan While its true that I feel bad for you guys, will it really turn out as well as you say it would? I wouldnt want to be the one to pick a fight you know? Hmm`, thats true. It doesnt seem like it would provide any benefit to Caam-san at all Wouldnt you be getting more skilled workers? Youre already too late. We already have a dwarf and a shipwright whos currently in training back at home even before you came after all Doesnt that mean you need knowledge even more then? Cant you just use that knowledge of yours to stop picking fights? I want to live as peaceful of a life as possible But there would be more victims, you know? Not just the Japanese, but the demonkin as well Aida-san frantically appealed to me. To be honest, Im not interested in helping those people who are beyond my reach. I should try and push it a bit further. Besides, if Im eventually going to be discovered, Id like to be able to get ahead of that and keep us safe. Then lets try and lead to an outcome where myself and the island will be safe. In that case, why not just put up a sign in the capital thats in Japanese so you can gather the others. After you tell them the truth, you can just form an underground organization to cause a commotion. Also, please dont involve the island too much. I know I said that Ill think about it but if its gonna be dangerous, Ill have to decline We dont intend for the island to get involved though. Were just asking for supplies and shelter. We also require sulfur so we can make black powder I dont mind giving you supplies but isnt it dangerous to shelter you guys here? I wouldnt know when Ill get stabbed in the back after all. I accepted you guys here because you were associated with Iwamoto-kun but what if there is some hero out there who actually thinks that demonkin are bad? What are you going to do then? If you dont have anyone to rely on other than the royalty thats in front of you, youll easily believe the conveniently worded nonsense they say Thats true. Come to think of it, Caam-san may be a Demon Lord but this would be dangerous for the average demonkin, wouldnt it? Please worry about my wellbeing too. Ive already said this to Enomoto-san earlier but I have a family. Apart from my parents, I am also married with kids. And those kids are still just four years old you know? Huh?Hm? The two of them were surprised when I mentioned my wife and kids. Is that really that surprising? I see. Then I guess you cant do anything rash Id rather not do something like that actually They looked very disappointed. They might start reducing their conditions so I shouldnt get greedy and just try to find a reasonable compromise. Then, how about when were more or less finished with our preparations, well get in contact with you somehow so you can move together with the team. That way no matter the outcome, you can just be there to show that a Demon Lord isnt an absolute evil It wont put me nor the island in danger so I dont mind It looked like it was going in a good direction so I just went along with it. I have no complaints if its just that. Im not saying it wont ever happen and I dont think it absolutely wont but I just promise to do my very best to keep the risk as minimal as possible Got it. To be honest, Im not really enthusiastic about this but if Aida-san is good with that then its good for me Thank you Caam-kun Is that alright? Im gonna keep myself safe but Im pretty much not going to do anything apart from that. Also, please ensure my safety from Corundrum to the castle okay? Its fine. Can you do that Ugajin? Towns and villages on the way are a bit too spread apart so well need to camp out. Theres nothing that resembles a checkpoint at Corundum so its not really necessary to smuggle you in a barrel or something. Once we get to the capital though, well need to sneak in at night. Well also need to sneak into the castle but I already have a path set up so its all good. Its even possible to send a large number of troops through that route after all If theyre this prepared then they shouldnt have any problems right? I feel bad for them but at least I hope I managed to protect the islands peace with this. How does that work? Theres an apartment near the slums by the protective wall that separates the lower class district. To be honest, I immediately found that place really suspicious. Nobody lived there you know? I tried asking around and learned that the place hasnt had a tenant in years but the owners dont seem to be struggling financially I see Is it one of those hidden passages known only to the royalty and a few of the royal guards? When I went inside to check it out, I found one of the rooms had a floorboard removed with a ladder going down a hole. I followed the pathway and it led me straight to the castle. I came out of a fireplace that was in a room that looked like a lounge. After looking around for a bit, I noticed that there was an unnatural gap in the wall that separates the lounge from the next room. I entered that and continued following the hidden path, passed by the familiar audience room, then ended up at some sort of relaxation room where I heard the sacrificial pawn thing Ninjas are amazing. Theyre more stealthy than I thought That kind of castle only has the usual stuff after all. I managed to peek through several rooms from that secret passage so theyve probably been eavesdropping on us regularly Well, it seems like the invasion route is not going to be a problem but how are we going to get in touch with Caam-kun? I regularly use transfer magic to check the stock of the coffee shop you visited in Corundum so please give the shopkeeper a letter thats written in Japanese So that was your shop after all huh? No no, those two own that place. I already have my hands full with the island after all. They even get all of the profits. And besides, its about time for the rumors to have spread. It seems like well be able to get some of the chocolate production going so were planning to add chocolate and cocoa to the new menu. We should use our money for this and get all the things necessary. Ah, this is for the island of course Oda-san was happy to see the shop you know? He drinks coffee after all He came 5 times a day so the shopkeeper managed to remember him. They told me he even stopped by just before closing time just to buy the coffee beans. Im surprised he even managed to finish 50 packs of said coffee beans while you were on your way here I was also surprised by that. I didnt think hed drink that much. Ever since we arrived, its like hes been bathing with the stuff with how much hes drunk Hes drinking it quite a lot huh? I dont really know much about it so Id rather leave it to you Hahaha. I need Oda to do a few things for me but thats only for when Im able to get in touch with him on a regular basis. Once hes settling in on this island, he can be the islands barista AND technical expert After the plan had been somewhat decided, we continued to have random conversations until evening. I also lent him one of the houses near the beach for his lodging during his stay on the island. The next day, I showed him around the island since I wouldve felt bad if I had just sent him back after he came all the way here. They were able to get this far with just 50 slave humans you know? Dont you think hes pretty good at making use of his workers? I just treated them normally, you know? I let them eat, sleep, and also drink alcohol from time to time You might think thats just common sense but they wont even think of giving that kind of treatment to the slaves in this world I figured. Well, I managed to gain their trust thanks to that though Apart from that, you also raise livestock and do a lot of things using magic. Isnt the island stable enough as is right now? There doesnt seem to be any iron in this island though. I couldnt find any ochre deposits on the riverbed so it doesnt look like theres iron on the mountains. I think the lake at the center of the island is just underground spring water but theres not even a trace of it in the streambed. Thats why, if we dont earn enough to purchase iron, all weve done till now could just crumble down I see. I now understand why youd get into business. And since youre on an island, there will be times when youll have to rely on imports to survive Ive made a promise with a dwarf thatll end with us getting a pot still so if theres sugar cane or something similar that I know can be turned into liquor, well make it and sell it. For now though, distillation by saccharification of barley followed by alcoholization seems to be the stable way to go. In the meantime, Im thinking of making liqueur. The first thing I plan to add to the distilled liquor is coconut Sweet liquor huh? I personally prefer the bitter ones and I heard that whiskey is good Im thinking of using it for tourism purposes, you know? I dont know how long in the future that will be though While we were having that conversation, we saw a couple of mermaids who looked like they were playing around in the bay which caused Ugajin-san to immediately run towards them. Looks like hes definitely interested in them. Ugajin-san likes mermaids, doesnt he? Havent you already realized that from yesterdays exchange? Oi`! Oi`! Ugajin-san frantically called out to the mermaids in a loud voice while waving his hands in the air. Seeing that, the mermaids swam to the shore then Ugajin-san started conversing with them. M-my name is Ugajin. W-would you g-give me the pleasure of getting to know you all! Pretty ambitious, isnt he? You can clearly see his ulterior motive. Ive never seen this side of Ugajin before I dont mind but you have a different hair color from the other humans, dont you? Whats wrong? Are you sick? I am one of the summoned heroes. Thats why my hair is like this. However, please dont worry. I get along well with Caam-san so I have not a single plan to cause you harm Ah, hes way too honest. Also, dont drag me into that conversation. Eh!? Hearing that, the mermaids started staring at Ugajin-san. Hmm`, I did hear of rumors that the heroes have black hair but Wouldnt he have already attacked us if he came to fight? I dont think hes a bad human His eyes look scary though I was just in awe after seeing you beautiful ladies. How about it? Shall we talk a bit more? Hes just trying to pick them up huh? He definitely is. I honestly thought he would keep being stiff for a bit longer Me too. I didnt expect him to be that type of guy Like, if this was Japan, it feels like it would end up with him just being that guy who gives gifts and receives nothing in return Even if this place is different, the same thing could still happen. But it looks like their conversation is going well Thats true. How about we go rest under a shade while we wait? As I said that, we went to the tent to rest and resumed talking about our future affairs. After a while, we heard Ugajin-san shouting so we hurriedly looked at where we left him but it seemed like he was just excited after more sahagin women came. He doesnt discriminate, does he? We heard Ugajin-san scream again but this time we took our time before finally checking out what was happening with him. He was now surrounded by plenty of male ajot types. After all this time, Im still not sure if theyre part of the merfolk or fishkin. Seems like they joined the conversation because they looked like they were having fun. When Ugajin-san came back, he was totally dejected. My beautiful memories were offset by that thing2 He laid down on the sand as he said that but instead of throwing a tantrum, he just silently cried. Well, those guys really leave a lasting impact after all. Its the mystery of life, isnt it? Just what in the world were those things? I thought it was some kind of hobby gone wrong where they made such an elaborate fish costume you know? Thats right, its in the same category as that half-naked guy with the horse mask, isnt it?3 CH 93 Chapter 93: That time when chocolate and cocoa made their debut in the shop TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Ugajin-san was able to recover the next day after his spirit was terribly broken so I brought him and Aida-san with me to the shop in Corundum where well split up to do what we planned. Well then, well go ahead and do some prep work so you can just keep doing your thing till were done After saying that, Ugajin-san and Aida-san went towards the inn. Caam-san, that person from earlier was one of the heroes I mentioned before! Its fine. I already spoke with them and I dont think theyll bring too much harm to the island What do you mean by that? Well, its a long story but They requested for us to shelter the heroes HAA!? Thats the normal reaction when you hear about heroes and Demon Lords coexisting. However, because of various reasons I cannot talk about, I already made a promise with them so just treat it like weve signed a temporary peace treaty with the heroes Haa At any rate, were now ready to produce the chocolate and cocoa that I mentioned before so I think we can start selling them as early as tomorrow. But before that, would you guys like to get some time off and go home for a bit? Were good Hearing that, I looked at his partner who gave me a slight nod. It seems like they both agree on that. With that settled, I went to the kitchen to begin preparations. I took out the cacao that I already processed into cacao mass then started grinding it with the new quern I brought with me. Its that simple. You grind this in the quern until it becomes powder then you put a cup of this powder into a pot and knead it together with a small amount of water. After that, you mix it while slowly heating it up then remove it from the heat just before it boils. I would have brought finished products but I was worried about how it will react to the moisture so I just brought this instead I poured a cup of the finished cocoa and presented it to the two of them. Like the last one, its bitter on its own so I recommend adding sugar Even though I said that, they just took a sip of it then closed their eyes while holding it in their mouths for a bit as if to ascertain the taste. No matter what other people say, I think that its a good trend to not add anything to something youre tasting for the first time. If you dont like it, you can just add stuff after to suit your tastes. Its also good if you add cows milk to it so why dont you guys try adding some I took out the shops milk stock and presented it to the two of them which they then added to their drink. It gives it a smoother taste as expected Thats true Well then, how about you try adding sugar this time. I personally use warm milk instead of hot water but add as much sugar as youd like and youll have a drink that helps you relax in the middle of the night After I said that, they started adding stuff to make it suit their tastes before drinking it again. Tasty They continued to drink the warm cocoa while letting out a sigh of relief. While they were finishing their drink, I opened the lid of a thin wooden box, took out the chocolate that was being covered by the cocoa mass, then presented it to the two of them. Next up, this is called chocolate. Its made by mixing the liquid that comes out after grinding the cocoa seed with oil and sugar. Once that hardens, it becomes sweet I gave them bite-sized pieces for them to try out. When they put it inside their mouths, the two of them looked at each other in surprise. Its sweet and really good It amazing how different it is from regular candy Well, its bad for your body if you eat too much due to its sugar and oil content Is it poisonous!? Anything is poisonous if you have too much of it you know? Its just that, this has high oil and sugar content so you might become fat. The cocoa you drank is also the same if you add too much sugar since its pretty much just oil The woman worriedly looked at her stomach. Ah, its also poisonous to dogs and cats so be careful not to feed it to them. Anyway, lets put it for sale tomorrow. Lets also think up of what to put on the signboards ?A new taste! It melts in your mouth faster than candy! You can even take it home and melt it to spread on your bread. ?Introducing a brand new drink from the makers of coffee! A sweet and relaxing taste. You can add things to it to suit your tastes just like coffee. Hows that? it seems like its right but isnt that too cheap? I agree. I would like to raise it a bit more Yep, I knew I didnt have any sense for this but I was just writing down the facts. I dont really know how to market it or make it more appealing to buyers after all. It makes me think how amazing copywriters are. By the way, the price for the chocolate wasnt increased by just a bit, it became quite significantly more expensive. Thats what was decided after considering the labor among other things but they just want to make it seem a bit luxurious dont they? We could buy a balance scale and sell it by weight. Im curious how they would eat it in this world. I have a sweet tooth so I would enjoy it together with some sweet chocolate milk. I would drink the sweet chocolate milk as the chocolate dissolves in my mouth. Thats just me though and Ill still do it no matter how people judge me! Well, this shop is pretty much like a billboard so as long as word gets out, it sells, and we make money then thats all that matters Billboard? Its like a sign that you put up in a high place that stands out to advertise something. To put it simply, I guess its kinda similar to the planks we used to advertise the shop. Wanna do that again? N-no, thats a bit Even if you say that using that method brings in more people, I just cant do it. Its too embarrassing for me Well, I guess it cant be helped. Ill just do it myself. Im already used to being embarrassed but I guess it would help to know what youre getting into I suppose With that said, I went into the storage room I used to teleport to the shop and took out two boards I already made beforehand back at the island. Dual-wielding like this makes me feel like Ive become stronger but I guess thats just my imagination. I cant go into battle with just these after all. Its perfect for hate-mongering though. Writing something like, I have 3 gold coins in my pocket, is probably a quick way to get attacked. That might be good when trying to attract mercenaries or something I wont do it though. Well then, Ill leave locking up to you After saying that, I wore my sandwich man costume and went out to the town. Coffee shop?New drink and sweets are now available I had that sign hanging over me as I called out to people. We have a new product thats sweet and tasty`! We have free samples for those who want to try`! Its free`! If you find it tasty, make sure you bring your friends and family to Coffee Shop, okay~! I pointed at the sign on my chest with my thumb while giving out small pieces of chocolate inside a box. Every human and demonkin who took one reacted in the same way. They were like, Whats this? Its sweet and different from candy. While I was at it, I also handed samples to a listless, large-breasted woman from the red-light district while pointing at the sign on my chest. Its alright. Some men are into ennui women after all 1 I said that to try and cheer her up but it may have been too much as she tried to send me flying. I blocked her attack using the plank I was wearing but she just kicked my shin instead. This equipment is seriously lacking in the feet area. Maybe add a chainmail-like armor to protect the sides with a skirt armor made from molded steel and shin guards. Then, using it in real battle is not something I should do. What the heck am I thinking? After managing to distribute five boxes of chocolate, I decided to call it a day and went to Nils-sans place. Im going there without removing this! 2 Good afternoon. Is Nils-san around? Huh? If it isnt Caam-san. I see youre wearing planks again. Oh? So you have a new menu huh? If I had to say, this one is geared towards children and its pretty high-class treat As I said that, I opened the boxs lid and let them eat a piece of chocolate. Oh, it certainly does seems like something kids would be happy to eat Thank you. This is expensive though. Well, I have ten boxes for advertising that Ive brought as a gift. Nils-san probably knows of some large households and nobles so Im thinking of asking him to sell these to them You still have questionable business practices I see Wouldnt a merchant take a plunge if its something that might lead to a profit? Im a bit biased but its annoying how I cant deny that. Isnt that right, Caam-san? Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice coming from behind. When I turned around, I saw Nils-san who had a huge smile on his face. H-hello there Iya` since Im here, why dont we head inside? Ah, a-alright With that said, he led the way inside then took a seat. So? Ive already heard about it so please let me have a taste of it first Go ahead. These are samples Ive been distributing earlier I opened the box and gave it to him. Nils-san took a piece then put it in his mouth. Lets see. It certainly is a taste children will love. Its completely different from last times sample. It would be a good present for a large clienteles children huh? If you were to sell these to me wholesale, how much would it cost me? His facial expression instantly changes whenever he throws a piece into his mouth. hmm. This is the price per piece. Considering the time and effort required to make it, including the harvesting and cost of other ingredients, Im thinking that this should be the wholesale price. If you buy in bulk, you can lower the transportation costs so it would cost even less. Also, since youve been a huge help to me, how about this as the price? To be honest, we can use transfer magic to completely cut the transportation costs but even then, were barely able to make more than two hundred While I was talking about that, Nils-san was all clickety clackety on his abacus. He was surprised at first when I told him about the price per piece. In the olden days, cacao beans were used as currency. Theyre still quite rare so Im thinking of two copper for each bean. That means one box would be two large copper. Its pretty expensive if I do say so myself but I want it to proceed in this direction. Hmm`. Its surprising how you can just come up with these numbers without any real experience as a merchant. You even took it to the approximate point of compromise without me having to bargain Well, as I said earlier, this price is my thanks to you. I usually bother you with stuff so Im offering it a bit cheaper However, I think it would be a shame not to negotiate Its better this way than having the scope of my trivial layman knowledge slowly getting revealed. Thats why its better to give a price ahead of time so things dont get complicated That certainly is true And besides, we dont have a lot of islanders yet so thats how much we can make at the moment. If its a thousand or two, it would take a considerable amount of time. In order to secure more personnel, if we get a big order, were willing to trade it for slaves or materials Well, I have a feeling all of it is going to just go flying out of the shelves. Thats just my intuition, however. Would you prefer I pay with slaves for this times transaction? As long as they arent criminal slaves. Im trying to keep the island as peaceful as possible after all. With that said, I wonder if it would be better for us to keep enduring for a while and buy supplies while we recruit islanders or just discuss with the local feudal lord to buy a small poor village for us to take in? I wish to have demonkin islanders too but I guess we already have the harpies and aquatic kin I feel like I heard something I really shouldnt have Hmm`. Ah? Ahh! Dont worry about it. If you can, please stop by the store tomorrow to give our new drink a try. If I had to describe the taste, its like this sweet when its melted but diluted so its easier to drink I blatantly changed the subject by saying that while tapping on the sign that was still on my chest. Of course. Is that drink something you also want me to try? Nils-san said that as he leaned back on his chair while letting out a short sigh. Seems like hes also going to act like he didnt hear anything. Yeah. Come to think of it, I need a weighing scale. Do you have any in stock? If not, can you recommend a store that sells them? Were going to sell the thing used to make the drink but well need a scale Haa. My heads starting to hurt. Yes, we do have some. I will get it for you so please wait a while After saying that, he went out and asked someone who I think was his subordinate to retrieve it before coming back to his seat. Ah, so you do sell them. I didnt think I would be able to buy one right away so can I pay it at a later date? That is fine. Its just bad inventory thats accumulating dust so I will give it to you as a present Thank you I gave him a bow as I said that. Afterwards, we immediately opened the box it was in then I got a brief lesson on how to operate it. I was surprised when Nils-san touched the weights with his bare hands since I was told in elementary school science class not to. However, I stopped worrying about it after thinking it through. I didnt really want to have such a piece of delicate equipment after all. And besides, this world doesnt have a standard of a kilogram or anything like that anyway. In my previous life, I heard that they even used the length of a certain kings arm and the size of his foot as a standard for measurement. With that settled, I went back to the shop then set up the balance scales counterweight. Now that thats done and the sign that says, Cocoa for take out, same price as a cup was finished, I made myself a cup of cocoa with plenty of sugar to help me get a night of better sleep.3 My bodys still hurting as usual from not being used to the bedding. After putting back my beddings in the storage room, I wrote on the signboard thenNew products: Cocoa?Chocolate using chalk that some hero probably introduced to this world. I placed the sign outside then waited for the two to arrive. When they arrived, we talked about the balance scale and the price. I also let them know that I wanted to handle the counter for a while since Im thinking of looking at the customers reactions. As usual, the first customer to arrive was the clothing store lady. Heya. I saw the new sign. Ill try out that cocoa thing She sat at her usual seat after saying that. I poured the cocoa into a cup with a bit of hot water to mix it then topped it off with more hot water afterwards before serving it. I made sure to check that there were no other customers and also served her a piece of chocolate on a small plate as a freebie. From what Ive heard, she has a pretty wide social circle and shes been spreading word about coffee to them so Ill just consider this as a small payment for that. Oh my, didnt I only order the cocoa Youre our only customer right now so just treat it as a freebie since youre a regular Then I will gladly accept it The lady took a sip of the cocoa then immediately added milk and sugar to it before trying it again. I noticed that her face relaxed after she drank it. Its tasty, but in a different way from coffee. This might be good to drink when Im feeling irritated She kept sipping on the cocoa until she finished about half then tossed the chocolate into her mouth. After chewing on it for a while, she washed it off with the cocoa and she became even laxer. These are the types of food that can corrupt people you know~? Its pretty expensive though I apologize but they are expensive because of how hard to they are to get I guess it cant be helped then~. Thanks for the treat With that said, she stood up from her seat then left the shop. Seems like were off to a good start Thats true After that, Nils-san and even the guild staff came. They tried out the drink and it was generally well-received. It would be great if their good impressions get spread out to other people. Authors Note: For convenience sake, unprocessed soy milk wont curdle in coffee or cocoa in this story. There might be other inconsistencies to be pointed out but I would appreciate it if you read this without thinking too much about it. CH 94 Chapter 94: That time when things seemed to be going to plan TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Ive been indebted to you so please accept this as a small token of my appreciation. Please keep it somewhere dark and out of sunlight1 With that said, I left a box of chocolate that I received from Caam-san, as a gift. That happened ten days ago now, huh? The suns getting higher so Its about to get hotter. I did remember him saying that chocolate melts with heat. I was thinking about that as I was returning after delivering a finely decorated gold ring and another one with a large gemstone to a lower-rank noble in the town next to Corundum. Im going to check on the coffee shop once I get back. The number of customers has increased, and they come not only for coffee but also for cocoa and chocolate. It seems like there are more female customers too. Must be because of the rumors spreading throughout the town. When I first tasted the chocolate, I was impressed by its unprecedented sweetness and the way it just melts in your mouth. I also tried a cup of cocoa and it has a different charm from coffee. It looks like flour just like coffee but has a somewhat reassuring taste. Theyve already added the two new products to the shops set menu. I believe Caam-san has tried out all sorts of combinations before they could sell in the shop. I have absolutely no idea what that demonkin is thinking but just like what I said, the three products that shop has, became really popular. For what its worth, I also drink coffee there after lunch to feel refreshed. I occasionally observe whats going on in the shop but I always get surprised when a rough-looking adventurer adds a large amount of milk and sugar to make it sweet. Conversely, some women looked like they enjoy it as is, drinking it without adding anything. It definitely changed my opinion of all women liking sweet things. Its an interesting drink that lets you know what someones tastes are like. There are also parents who come with their children. I wonder if its because theyve heard of rumors about cocoa. There may be children from wealthy families who stop by from time to time to drink cocoa but so far, Ive only seen servants buying the powder for them. I still remember the rumors about that shop when they first started advertising. They were calling him a strange demonkin with boards hanging around his body promoting his shop. I was curious so I had my subordinate check it out. It seemed like people were amazed by his method of advertising. The man manning the counter and the waitress girl couldnt move because of embarrassment at the time but peoples eyes were also drawn to them so they were still effective, or so I was told. After that, Ive often seen people wearing similar-looking planks over their bodies to advertise to the sailors on the ships stopping by the harbor. Thanks to that, the alcohol profits in my store were getting somewhat increased and it feels like the demand for employment in the town increased.2 It even affected a deserted off-street restaurant. They suddenly became famous for their cheap and delicious food. Theyve become so busy that my subordinates told me that theyve had to hire more people. Because of this, I have come to realize how amazing advertising truly is. The manager of the coffee shop always comes to my store to buy necessary supplies. When I asked him about it, he seemed to have been told by Caam-san to buy it from me because its cheaper. Now, it might be true that they can get items cheaper without a retail store in between but still Ive also heard rumors that a certain fool from who knows where decided to hire a small-time thug to forcefully find out where the source of coffee comes from. They didnt succeed though as the thug was immediately subdued and dragged away by a ruffian sailor and a guild official who wasnt wearing their armor as it was their rest day. I think its great that the shop is so well-loved by the people that they dont need to hire a full-time adventurer to prevent crime. I wonder if Caam-san also considered this? I suppose if someone really wanted it, they could sneak into the store at night and steal it but its something thats not out on the market yet and nobody knows where to get it so they would get discovered immediately once they start selling it. I fell asleep while thinking about it and when I woke up, I was back at Corundum. The sun was starting to set and I was at my stores office putting together some documents when the manager of the coffee shop came saying he wanted to talk to me. I apologize for bothering you Its alright, I dont mind I didnt want to come on such short notice but a merchant came to the shop and asked if they could buy the coffee I see. Thats nice but whats that got to do with you coming here? Caam-san said that I should give you this if someone asks to buy coffee The manager took out a letter with a seal and handed it over to me. Let me take a look The letter was sealed with wax but the wax didnt have anything resembling a seal. I opened the seal and started reading it. Ill dispense with the preliminaries but I told them to give you this letter if a customer who wants to purchase our shops goods. Someone must have come if you are reading this Dispense with the preliminaries? I put my questions aside for now and continued reading. It said that as his representative, I have exclusive sales rights to the islands goods for a certain period of time. The price of one cup, one bag, an approximate suggested retail price, and the wholesale price were written in the letter and he said hell leave it to my judgment if I wanted to change it. The number of inventory, those that can be transported via transfer magic, and other similar details are also written down. Considering the labor wages, the products popularity, and its rarity, it seems like the right price though I feel its a bit cheap. Is he being considerate of me? I only happened to sell them beddings and some food when I passed by the island so I feel like Im receiving too much. Its the same for the chocolate the other day. Its a bad mentality for a merchant. Caam-san is too kind Ive understood the gist of it. Next time that merchant or Caam-san visits, please send them my way Got it. Thank you for your time No problem. Considering the contents of the letter, I should be the one thanking you. It was my pleasure After saying that, I shook his hand then he went back. Boss, what did the coffee shop manager want? A merchant who wants to buy coffee came by so he came to give me a letter that Caam-san wrote for that situation Oh, sounds interesting It really is. Ive become that islands exclusive merchant after all Huh? What does that mean? Theyre going to sell coffee at a fixed price to us so we can sell it for whatever price we want. Well, though he did say we can add onto that price for our profit, I should talk with Caam-san about that later. We really ended up making a large profit huh? This opportunity would have been swiped away by someone else if we didnt stop by that island Boss, youre making a scary face you know? Ah, sorry about that. Things like these dont come by very often after all. Anyway, I need to get Caam-san to make a stamp for the sealing wax. He really has no sense of danger for these kinds of things The following day, a merchant with catfish-like facial hair came to my office. Ive heard that you are the one who sells coffee but just where do you get your stock? If possible, I would like to go there and purchase some so I would know where it is. Of course, Im not saying the info should be free. I look forward to our future transactions from now on I cannot divulge that information as it is the producers request. They seem to trust me and have appointed me as their sole distributor. However, because of its sudden surge in popularity despite it being rare, we still havent decided on a price. The producer will be visiting me at a later date and we will be discussing that matter so I apologize but please come back another time. We will contact you at a later date once it has been decided so could you please wait until then? I understand. I shall take my leave for today He quietly left after saying that. Im certain that Ive had business transactions with that merchant before but there have been bad rumors surrounding him so I dont really trust him. I think Caam-san would be fine with it but its also possible that hell strike a hard bargain. While thinking about that, I wrote down the things I needed to do so Im prepared when Caam-san comes. 3 Good work. Has anything happened while I was gone? Caam-san! A merchant who wanted to buy coffee came. Thats why we followed your instruction and gave the letter to Nils-san Thanks. I guess Ill head there then. Ah, make sure you lock up properly okay? With that said, he calmly exited the shop. I thought he would be happier to hear that but he didnt react that way at all Thats true but even though he was acting calmly, he opened the door with his left hand today. He usually opens the door with his right You observe him a lot huh? Its fun you know? 4 Hello. Is Nils-san around? Yeah. Hes inside As always, I talked to the staff member first before going to the usual room. I knocked on the door and then waited for a response before entering. Hello. Ive heard from our shops manager so I came to ask about it Sorry for skipping the formalities but lets get down to business With that, I began my discussion with a slightly tense Nils-san. I hate this kind of mood and wanted things to be more relaxed though. Got it. Where do we begin? From the beginning! What was that letter? It was too lax. Sure, the numbers you wrote down show a reasonable amount but shouldnt that kind of thing be decided after a thorough discussion!? There wasnt even a seal on the sealing wax. What were you going to do if it was forged? Ahaha. You got me. Just wondering but have you seen those five symbols in the signature area before? You see, everyone has little idiosyncrasies when writing and unless its someone who has practiced copying someone, it wont look the same. See? Of course, the said five symbols are a combination of the kanji of the islands name, {(Aquamarine), two characters of my surname, and my first name. I wrote it in a calligraphy-like style with a brush and low viscosity ink. I really wanted to get a small calligraphy brush and India ink but I just settled for what I had. Even if they wanted to imitate it, its probably impossible for people in this world. Just the{part of aquamarine is already impossible because I wrote it in a slightly cursive way. Thats true but I dont know what that is You can just think of it as a combination of a detailed seal on the sealing wax and a signature Hmm` He looked like he wasnt convinced at all. I guess I should give him a bit more info. At the end, the symbol that looks like an unfinished square with four stick-like things in the middle is how you write Caam(M Nagi) Ive been using this character for over twenty years and I obviously have my own way of writing it. So thats what that is Hmm` He still isnt convinced so he used a piece of scratch paper and then tried to imitate the five characters. You cant do that with a quill pen you know? Moreover, hes just copying a simple but no matter how you look at it, its just three lines with a dot when he does it. Hmm. Its quite difficult, isnt it? Apart from that, there are also the idiosyncrasies like you said. Perhaps it is difficult to forge. I will give up on asking you to make a seal for now but you definitely have to in the future. I hope you dont end up having the fact that you dont have a seal get taken advantage of by some idiot who decided to forge one After saying that, he crumpled the paper and tossed it in the wastebasket. He gave up huh? Hes like a person from an English-speaking country writing kanji for the first time so it couldnt be helped. We worked out the fine details and then wrote them down on two sheets of paper. I signed the documents but not with a quill pen. I used a thick brush thats meant for painting. I should buy a brush for signing stuff. Is that what you use? You can write surprisingly well with it despite it being soft. If you ask me though, Im amazed that you can write with something that hard I laughed for a bit while I wrote the five kanji characters in the two documents. Once I was done, I had Nils-san compare them. Its true. Its pretty much the same. The sudden stop over here and the sweeping stroke over here are identical. Theres still the issue of the ink fading over time though With that said, he tried to copy it again but this time with the brush. However, it turned out worse than when he tried it with the quill so he silently threw the crumpled-up paper into the wastebasket. So, how much coffee do you have in stock? I think we have a hundred sacks of wheat but I honestly dont know about the coffee because Im just storing it back in my old house. And besides, the only thing Im doing is drying them out. Its up to the person to roast it to their tastes Roasting? Its basically cooking the beans until theyre charred. Depending on the way its roasted, the acidity and bitterness would change. We cant do everything for every shipment. Rather, its the consumer who roasts it to their liking. Even the way its ground makes some difference to the taste you know? Then, what about the coffee youre serving at the shop I used to be in charge of it but now Im leaving it to someone who really loves coffee. Were almost out of stock so well be switching to beans roasted by that person. I think youll be able to somewhat tell the difference Hmm I also have to let the client know about this Thats right. You are mistaken if you think youll always get the same taste. Incidentally, I think the taste would also be different if you find coffee somewhere other than the island Please wait a moment. Let me write this all down He took out a notebook and then wrote everything he heard about coffee in it. Hes probably doing this not to be rude to the client so I answered every question he asked and also those that he didnt to the best of my knowledge. In the meantime, you can guarantee a hundred, right? Yes. I think that more manpower will increase the yield but we dont have the money so we cant hire people or buy slaves. Well, well just have to keep at it until we have a bit more money to do that I would make it a bit cheaper if theyll harvest it themselves but Ill have to take into consideration where theyll sleep and what theyll eat during their stay. They might even overharvest it. I guess I should just continue to take advantage of the scarcity while I can. 5 Several days later, the merchant from before visited me again. And so, that is what was decided after our discussion. Here is the document that was written. My partner also has a copy of it I showed him the paper I took out from my breast pocket. The catfish-mustached merchant took the document and then started skimming through it. Its true. Well then, I will be able to buy coffee through you Yes. I apologize if this is a hassle but thats how its come to be. Please note that even if you go directly to their shop, they cannot sell it to you without permission. Apart from that, these are things to take note of I took out another sheet of paper and let him read it. The taste changes depending on how its roasted and even the way its ground!? Does that mean I cant acquire the same taste? Unfortunately, its impossible. The true charm of it is being able to roast the dried beans yourself to suit your own tastes. Its also great that each shop can have its own unique taste. At least thats what I think Hmm He seemed really upset by that. Did he really think he could acquire the shops taste? Well, I did think that too but when I heard the reason, I was convinced. I wonder if this persons client specifically wanted the taste of the coffee of that shop or did this mustached man think he could just get the taste as is. Whatever the case, he took his time thinking about it. Well then, let me buy a sack to try it out Its a lot less than I expected. I assume hes just going to hire a chef to try it out or discuss it with his client first. Thank you for your purchase After saying that, I prepared the documents and delivered them to the shop manager in order to save Caam-san time and effort. If its just one sack, the shop shouldnt have trouble producing it. If things go well with that catfish mustache merchant, Ill just go buy some stock and discuss how itll be transported at that time. Its a place where moneys just starting to pour in huh? If they can sell coffee and chocolate and increase the number of people on the island, they will be richer, the demand will grow, and well be able to get more profit from selling them necessities and crops that are not grown on the island. While thinking about that, I hoped they would be able to expand their business soon. Theyre making use of us so we should also do the same. Ah`, Im probably making a horrible smiling face right now. He was grumbling that they didnt have iron on the island so I should visit a town with an iron mine in the future. CH 95 Chapter 95: That time when guests came to the island TL: kizen who is not dead PR: Filip/Gecko Its been ten days since I handed over the beans to Nils-san. I was drying more when Fleur-san said something. This child is still alive you know? The germ1 didnt die even though its been dried huh? How weak is it? Hmm`. Like the captain around the third day being abandoned at the beach She still remembers that huh? Her memorys quite something. Then its close to death I guess. We can just put it in storage right now and it will be dead by the time its being transported on a ship, right? Yeah but its not guaranteed. If you buy a large amount of this sack and dump its contents on the ground, they might sprout Thats true. Even considering how rare it is, I guess something should be done to prevent that. Hmm`. I wonder if its better if we boil them or just let several of them sprout. It will take some time until well have enough harvest to export them though. Can we get some cuttings to increase their numbers? Cut off the base of the branch and the tip so they wont grow any further. Pluck off the leaves by the base then after two months, it would start to bud and roots will start to come out Thats pretty quick. Hmm, what should I do? That is if they take root though. Well, Ill let you decide. Later~ With that said, Fleur-san waved her hand and then turned back into a flower. Ill trust what she said for now and leave it as is while hoping that the germ dies. Twenty days after that, Palma-san informed us that a merchant ship entered the bay. It seems like they anchored their ship and were approaching the island on a small boat. There was a man on board waving his hand. It was Nils-san. Some time ago when I went to the coffee shop to check on the stock, the manager gave me a letter saying, I am heading for your island to buy some coffee beans. I will be taking three people along with me as they have asked how to roast coffee beans This must be that then. It has been a while It has. Thank you for taking the time It was nothing. Well anyway, there has been a significant development in this place, huh? Its smaller than most of the villages around here but you now have a couple of facilities here and there and the number of fields increased We plan to keep on developing it further. We will be imposing on you again when we do I understand. I look forward to working with you again. Now, these are my companions My name is Alban. Nice to meet you. I am here to look over these two and to broaden my horizons He was a middle-aged man wearing pants and a shirt with a casual tie. He had a straight posture and a dignified look on his face. Hes probably a butler or something. I am Tony and I came to study how coffee is roasted This human was dressed no differently from a commoner but something about him makes me think that he was a cook. And Im Anita. I came here to learn how to roast coffee and make sweets She was wearing a slightly plain shirt and skirt. She might have worn that outfit while taking into consideration that she might get dirty. Also, since she talked about making sweets, she might be a maid. Im Caam. As you can see, Im a demonkin but I am more or less the person-in-charge of this island With the introductions done, I would like you to teach these two right away. Would that be alright? I dont mind. We can use the multi-purpose house in the area further up the road from here where were building our village. Its going to be a bit of a walk though Multi-purpose house? Its just as it says. We have a slightly larger room that we use for meetings, feasts, or a place to educate the children I see Alban-san must have been satisfied by that explanation since he didnt ask further but the others did. Whats that enclosure? Are you raising some kind of fish? Was this road built this wide so carriages can pass through it? Did you know about the rumors that a Demon Lord lives on this island and was about to build his castle? I made sure to answer all of their questions one by one. Nils-san was also listening with interest as this is the first time he has been here since we started developing the island. This place here is the planned castle site of the former Demon Lord we discussed earlier. Were making full use of the place since work already went into it. The guest lodging is this way. Please leave your luggage by the dining room in the meantime as I will be asking for someone to clean the rooms youll be using and dry the beddings in the sun With that said, I showed them to a house near the church. Understood We are somewhat unprepared for guests so I apologize for the inconvenience. As soon as the course is over, Ill be giving a brief explanation about the houses so please ask your questions then Im just grateful for not needing to sleep on the ground since our journey here was exhausting. Im not used to riding on a ship after all so I couldnt sleep well The other two nodded when they heard that. Do they not travel a lot by boat? As for me, I dont really mind it as long as there isnt a storm or anything. After that, I asked Oda-san to come over and give them a short course on how to brew coffee. There isnt anything special to teach you but please look over here. These are the beans before they are shipped off Oda-san took out some of the dried beans in a small pouch and then laid them on a white sheet of paper. We roast it, sort it out into eight types and thats all of it With that said, he took out eight differently colored beans ranging from light brown to glossy black then laid them out on the paper. The lighter colored ones are light roast then go all the way to dark roast. The lighter the color, the more acidic it is. And as it grows darker, it becomes more bitter and richer in flavor When I told Oda-san about the contents of the letter I received from Nils-san, he was so happy that he started roasting some beans. I wonder if hes done something like this before? We could seriously open up a class for this. Come to think of it, he probably wont mention blends, would he? Ive heard about mixing different types of beans roasted in varying degrees and different blending ratios after all. If you want your head to feel refreshed then I recommend you roast the beans to this level. The brew thats suitable for most people is around this level. If the color is dark, I suggest that you add milk and sugar to it so please add what suits your preference He explained it in a way that ordinary people can understand. Even I understood that. I was only roasting it by imitating what Ive seen after all. You use a thin piece of metal like this with holes drilled in it thats small enough to prevent the beans from falling out to roast it but it will work with a frying pan as well. Ill show you how its done With that said, he put the beans on the frying pan and then roasted them while frequently stirring. Soon, youll begin to hear crackling noises and steam will start to appear as you keep roasting it. At that point, the unique smell of coffee would start to come out He kept taking out the beans from time to time and then sorting them out together with the ones that were on top of the paper. He kept stirring the beans for over twenty minutes. Looking at the process, I feel ashamed for thinking it would be easy to roast it and make it dark when I started. After the roasting lesson was over, they moved on to the ground lesson. The brewing and extraction method differs depending on how fine you grind the beans. The shop doesnt filter the crushed beans for hygiene reasons but if you are concerned about them, you can put the beans in a cloth like this and run hot water through it. How about you guys try it out yourselves? Oda-san took out roasted beans from a different pouch and ground them to his liking. It wasnt quite a fine grind but it wasnt as coarse as the one served in the shop. After that, he put the ground coffee into a cloth filter. When hot water passed through the filter, it expanded and bubbles came out as the cup became filled with coffee. Here you go Its the first time Ive seen it but there were no hesitations in your movements and it was amazing Itll become second nature to you if you do it enough times. Go ahead and drink it before it gets cold After saying that, he distributed the coffee to our three guests. I didnt get any if youre wondering. Its a bit mean of him even though I was working hard behind the scenes grinding beans to make soy milk for him. This is soy milk. This island doesnt have cows so we use it as a substitute for milk. Well, this still depends on your tastes so please adjust it to suit your preference After the lesson was over, he made them try out in practice what they just learned. They burned the beans or unevenly roasted them so he gave them advice to avoid that. Well then, as for me, I would like to learn how to use cocoa and chocolate to make treats Anita-san said that while looking at me. ah, I guess Im the one in charge of sweets. I totally forgot. I wonder if we have any ingredients we can use? Ah`, you do have some knowledge about this dont you? Yes, I can make them reasonably well With that said, I rummaged around the kitchen. There were ingredients for the chiffon cake I gave to the children before so I just added the cocoa powder to the mix. After baking it, I sliced it into square pieces then sprinkled the rest of the chocolate on top. Its just a simple cake but I mixed the cocoa powder into the flour. Please try to rearrange recipes just like that by yourself. Something like castella would probably be a good start since they just need eggs, sugar, and flour Its impressive how you can make something amazing like this on the fly Im already used to making them after all Huh. I feel like Ive heard Oda-san say something similar before. It was a pretty busy day. Even after that, Alban-san kept asking about various things as he watched Oda-san and Tony-san roasting the beans, I taught Anita-san other recipes that could be remodeled to use chocolate or cocoa, and I even got to try making that chocolate wrapped bread dough thats sold at convenience stores and other places. The rooms are small but its private and I think they are better than a ships cabin Were already thankful to be able to rest in private rooms. Thank you for all your considerations No problem. I should also mention that the bath is over here I took them to the bathroom with a small tub. Abath? Yes. We more or less have a public bathing area down below but we recommend that every household install one of these thinking that people sometimes feel like soaking in warm water during their own time. To use it, all you have to do is boil water in a large pot made specifically for this purpose on a stove thats slightly elevated outside. Once the water comes to a boil, you insert this wooden frame into the side, pull out the stopper while making sure you dont get scalded, and drain the water into the tub inside. If you can use magic, you can just dump the water into the pot We were going to make a firewood heated tub or a cauldron bath but considering the availability of materials among other things, this was the lowest cost method we could come up with. We just decided to cut a small hole on the tubs wall and let water from a bath heater flow into it. Once the developed land on the island has become larger, I would also like to build a large public bathhouse. The hot spring is pretty far after all. No no no, theres no one out there whod use magic for a simple task like that Thats true. I did hear from Johnson-san that its not easy for humans to be able to use magic. Who is that you ask? Hes the weird human in the apartment I used to live in. Well, its a private room so even if you dont want to get into a bath, you can wipe your body with a warm towel and you only need to draw water once. If youre having problems with boiling the water, you may use the wet towel here instead. We will load the cargo onto the merchants vessel tomorrow morning so please relax until then. As for your meals, I apologize but can you please prepare them yourselves? We will be providing you with the ingredients you require That is more than enough. We appreciate your consideration Well then, Ill be taking my leave Now then, what do you think? Please let me know your opinions The humans and the demonkin are cheerful and very hygienic, arent they? That well that pumps water by moving a stick up and down, its really convenient, isnt it? I think its wonderful how they built a roof over the well and that device to keep the garbage from going in. They even talked about how every household has its bathtub Thats right. I also have a similar impression. The demonkin who calls himself their representative is friendly. He seems intelligent as well. The other demonkin around are friendly too and they even have a human church so its clear how much consideration went into this. I was also surprised that they have a doctor here I agree. Apart from that, although its still being built, I believe they are making roads designed for horse-drawn carriages to pass through. Itll be durable too since theyre making cobble-paved roads the whole way. Theyre raising livestock here and they seem like theyre getting along well with their neighbors from seeing how they interact with the sahagin and harpies that came by. They also have a small but efficient salt production method and sugar made from special materials. They have honey too so they must have a lot of beehives here. Did you see the thing that was at the place where we got off the boat? The one with saltwater dripping off some leaves? That uses sunlight to get rid of the excess moisture to minimize the amount of firewood used. They have that well too. There are some pretty clever people here, huh? They also have a small windmill. I think youll be able to mill flour anywhere if you have those. Also, I think it would even be easy to put away if theres a storm coming I saw that wolves were roaming around the streets. I dont know who was it that tamed them but are they usually that docile? Ive heard that theyre at least more fearsome than wild dogs but I was surprised seeing the children playing with them without fear Alright, I have other work to do so if anyone comes to visit, please tell them that Im tired and asleep. Fortunately, it gets dark early on because of the mountain in the center of the island and there are no bars yet so its quiet at night Understood I changed into the darkest clothes possible and wore leather footwear that wont make a noise when I walk. After that, I carefully exited out of the window and then went to the workshop and storage area that we visited earlier in the day in order to obtain useful information. If we can just obtain coffee seeds, they could be grown in our lords territory and we could profit from them. Its just a matter of getting it before the sun rises. The craftsmens workshop was at the side of the church so it was not going to be difficult to get there. The moonlight was a problem but on the other hand, its just enough light to be able to identify things. Fortunately, there doesnt seem to be anyone around. Ill take this opportunity to gather information. In the blacksmith workshop, there were stone and lumber processing areas as well as some carpenters tools. There are a lot of items here like utensils and plates that are still being made. There probably wont be any useful information here. There was also some kind of iron thing with a rounded hollow cavity inside attached to a pole and some farming tools carefully laid out but nothing particularly valuable. I was looking for some kind of special blueprint but they didnt have a shelf to put documents in. I thought they would have had the plans lying around for that well that draws water by moving a stick but it seems like they arent so naive. They probably got it ingrained in their heads. I wanted to take that back as a bonus but it would be suspicious if it goes missing so I should hold myself back. The carpenters tools are here so this area must be the carpenters workspace. Short pieces of wood were being worked on intricately and connected into a longer piece of wood. They didnt use any nails at all. I thought it was a splendid processing method however they probably cant connect long pieces of wood without doing it like this on this island.2 I looked for their windmill blueprints inside a shelf where I thought they stored their documents but I didnt find them so I just gave up and decided to look for something else. I thought that the wood chips that were scattered around my feet were large and coarse for a saw but I deemed that it wasnt particularly important. The next area had stone scrap scattered around so I presumed that this is where they worked on it but I was surprised when I saw the material that was piled up. There were stones with a surface that was so cleanly cut that youd think they were just a slab of wood that they were working on. Is it really possible to get such a clean-cut? I picked up the scrap stones and nothing was out of the norm about it. It was just regular stone. I was really curious how they did this but the tools they had were just common well-worn stone chisels and hammers. I should go to the building they called a multipurpose house but from what Ive seen, it only had the coffee that man brought. When that demonkin opened up the cupboard, I only saw flour and eggs. Its probably going to be risky going there as well. I dont even know how they grow it in the first place. Does it grow like tomatoes or in the ground like potatoes? I have no idea. They would get suspicious if we come back several times so Ill just make my report. Should we get different people to come here the honest way or get someone to gather information while disguised as a castaway? Its probably faster with the latter though. I found some wheel tracks so I decided to follow it thinking I would find the secret to how they cut the stones. I continued following the tracks while making sure to pay attention behind me. The tracks eventually led me to a quarry which left me speechless. There was a cleanly cut low stone cliff. How in the world did they manage to cut it this clean? Its way too smooth. You would think it was just one large stone wall. A stone wall like this by itself would be worth a fortune. While I was thinking that, I suddenly got grabbed by the neck from behind and there was something sharp held lightly against my cheek. Caam, the man you were talking about is on the move Fleur-san reported while I was messing around with Wulf. As expected. I thought it was strange how they were asking about a lot of things after all. Thank you for informing me As I said that, I stopped patting Wulf and began preparing. No problem. Hes loitering around the industrial district right now I see He must be searching for all sorts of things I wore black clothes apart from the things I usually prepare. Considering the color of my skin, it would be alright even if I was naked but since bugs exist Ill continue wearing dark clothes even if its hot. Hes really interested in the wood right now 3 Ah, that thing huh? The one that connects two pieces of wood to make it longer. Its convenient no matter how you put it. I knew about it but I didnt know how to actually do it so Oda-san really helped me out. The craftsmen were grateful to learn it as well. Alright, Im off Take care~. If anything happens, call out in a low voice Gotcha With that said, I began with my silent operation. Looking from a distance at the industrial district, I could see him looking through the filing cabinet. At least do it a bit more skillfully, man. I mean, its great for us but it makes me feel empty the way hes searching for things. Give it back Give back the excitement I felt thinking I would see someone whos an incredibly trained special forces agent doing covert ops. Now hes at the stone mill area. Seems like hes looking intently at something. He picked up a stone and started stroking it in his hand for some reason. I guess it cant be helped with how cleanly cut that surface is. Ah, hes pondering something now. I should get a bit closer. The coffee how it grows disguised as a castaway gather information Alright, thats no good. Theres no hope for him if hes letting his thoughts leak out. I should go and ~~threaten~~ persuade him. Looks like hes heading to the quarry. I guess Ill let him roam free a bit longer and maintain my distance. It looked like Alban-san was surprised when he saw the state of our quarry. If Im going to act then now is the time. I produced an Obsidian Knife in my hand, grabbed Alban-san by the neck then held the knife against his cheek . Good evening. Did you enjoy your stroll? Its a wonderful time to be moon bathing with how the moonlight hits the cliff, isnt it? Yes. It truly is a splendid place. If only there wasnt a knife being held against me Your thoughts leaked out a bit there you know? Thats no good at all. I expected you to be better than that I will do so the next time Its amazing how you think there will be a next time. What is your basis for that positivity? My absence will be used as a pretext for an invasion you know? Oh~ is that so? Thats really scary isnt it~? Then I would be willing to let it slide this one time as long as you comply with my conditions I put the knife closer to his face and then lowered my voice mid-sentence to threaten him. Youve piqued my interest. Could you tell me more? Blood dripped down my left arm and soaked my clothes making the hot and humid night even more uncomfortable. We are still going to sell you coffee but we would like to get a large silver coin per sack as a nuisance fee from either your employer or your own personal funds Thats a wonderful proposition but isnt that pretty expensive for coffee? Is that right? But I think thats pretty cheap considering your life is on the line. Its also still considerably rare but I dont really mind giving a scumbags subordinate who was planning on taking it easy by snatching up a money tree a painful experience you know? I widened his wound as I slid the knife I was holding across his cheek. Are you going to put this island in danger? Actually, this island has a terrible epidemic going around the island and people who get sick on the ship can get thrown overboard you know? How terrifying. Is it some kind of rare disease that causes cuts all over the body? Im getting tired of talking like this. So what now? I would appreciate it if you could release me Itll cost you a large silver coin per bag though Thats a tall order you know? I see. Thats really unfortunate then I used physical enhancement and blocked the flow of Alban-sans artery to make him faint. I picked up a fist-sized stone nearby and forced it into his mouth even if it scraped it against his front teeth. After that, I took off his jacket and covered his face with it, and tied the sleeves to secure it. Just like that, I carried him over my shoulder then went to the area where there were reports of bear sightings. I cut the tendons of his arms and legs so he wont be able to move then closed the wound with healing magic. With that done, I kicked his head then waited for him to start making a fuss to make sure he was awake. Im sure well find your bear-eaten corpse in the morning so Ill make sure the other two get to see the scraps of your bloodstained clothing. The other two havent shown any suspicious movements yet so Ill let them go home. If they do, Ill make sure to give you guys a wonderful reunion in this place I left Alban-san crawling around like a caterpillar there and went back. Ah, welcome back. Youre pretty harsh, arent ya? For someone who doesnt like killing, Im surprised we immediately went that route well yeah. Even though I hate it, it cant be helped. I could have prevented this outcome if I negotiated better but what do you think? Huh`? Doesnt matter either way I see Let me know if the other two start making their moves or when that guy gets attacked by the bear. Ill go to sleep. Good night Yeah yeah. You dont have to blame yourself you know? I guess. It was for everyones safety after all. Were also about to run out of money so I want to sell coffee any way I can After that, I was told by Fleur-san that Alban-san got attacked by the bear. I thanked her for informing me then went back to sleep with peace of mind. Good morning. Did you rest well? I started talking to them while acting like I didnt know anything. U-um Anita-san was a bit flustered and looked toward Toni-san. Alban-san was gone when we woke up this morning Alban-san? I exchanged greetings with several people at the well on the way here but I didnt see him Is that so? I wonder where he went? Tony-san was starting to panic as he said that. Please wait for a while. Ill go get someone you can rely on when it comes to searching for people I went away and came back together with Wulf. You can count on this guys good nose so please lend me some of Alban-sans clothes Ah right away! After that, Tony-san brought back some clothes so I let Wulf smell them. Wulf, can you go and look for this scent? Wafun! With that bark, he started sniffing the ground. We walked towards the industrial district where he continued smelling all sorts of places then we headed into the forest instead of the quarry. What a smart dog I mean wolf. Hes able to read the situation well. In the place where we ended up, we found some mercilessly devoured flesh and bones as well as scraps of cloth. Uegh! Tony-san who followed along held his mouth and turned away while gagging. A bear huh? There have been reports of one roaming around here after all. I wonder if he was attacked here or did he get attacked while he was running away The leader of the hunting group murmured as he readied his bow and started to be vigilant of our surroundings. The bear was already gone so they called out several men to go together. Someone call Keith-san, please. We need to hunt it before anyone else gets hurt4 Understood! Tony-san, I know youre not comfortable looking but is there anything you recognize? U-uhm Ah, I remember that ring. Its the ring Alban-san had He pointed at the ring on the finger that was connected to what I think was a half-eaten wrist. I see The scent from his clothes also led us here so is it alright to assume that this corpse is Alban-san? yes What should we do with the corpse? Will you be bringing it back with you even if its just a portion of it? yes. Lets go with that Can anyone please call Adrea-san? Yes After saying that, Keith arrived and when he saw the corpse, his expression became slightly distorted then he immediately went into the forest. When Adrea-san arrived, she said a prayer, wrapped the arm with the ring with a cloth, put it in a box then gave it to Tony. There was an unfortunate incident but we have an order of a hundred bags of coffee, sugar, and honey so would it be alright if we load them on your ship? Yes. Thats right, It was unfortunate but theres nothing we can do about it. I apologize but Tony-san and Anita-san, were going to depart soon so please prepare your and Alban-sans luggage. We will go ahead and load the cargo onto the ship Understood After Nils-san said that, we loaded the flat-bottomed boat with the help of the aquatic demonkin. It took a couple of trips but once we had loaded everything, Nils-san whispered to me. Caam-san, did you do it? Do what? Kill Alban-san Ah, it wasnt me. It was the bear I didnt think you would easily let others in on the secrets of coffee and other goods that youre selling in your shop but still` Nils-san this was just an accident. An accident. This death It was caused by a piece of shit underling who made a blunder while snooping around the island in the middle of the night. It was not me who killed him. I had nothing to do with it. If we continue this conversation, I might just have to reconsider our relationship, Nils-san. I dont really want to spend more time looking for a new merchant if I can help it. I was thinking of getting along better with you as well. Hmm, what to do I interrupted Nils-san mid-sentence and warned him not to threaten me in a really cold and calm manner that I havent shown him before. Thats true. This was an unfortunate accident where he was attacked by a bear while out for a walk in the middle of the night. My apologies Nils-sans expression was a bit stiff but he spoke like normal. Its fine. Everyone has misunderstandings. Anyway, I wont ask who their employer is and Im not interested at this moment. I think well get more idiots for a while but if someone comes to you asking you to bring them to the island, please dont worry about it and just bring them over. As long as they dont do anything stupid, theyre going to be fine I returned to my normal state and Nils-san breathed a small sigh of relief. Thats right. Thanks to you, pirates dont approach this area anymore so the journey is relatively safe until the third day. The sailors here are quite excellent, arent they? Yes. We have formed a good relationship with the neighboring sahagin and mermaids so they have helped us ensure the safety of the nearby waters together with our dependable sailors. They are pretty good as long as they dont drink on the job There are quite a lot of benefits of being friends with demonkin, arent there? Yeah. I think if we can get a harpy to accompany us next time, we can have them do surveillance from the sky so we dont have to stand watch during the day. Maybe we can get them to come along full time as a job Well, I dont think there would be a lot of humans wholl approve of that though Its still hard to overcome the large wall of discrimination huh? If its a port town with trade, we can get along relatively well. The church seems to be a pain though from what Ive heard Thats true. That type of education narrows ones views. Even I used to think that the demonkin were terrifying because of that Tsk. I wouldnt want to go anywhere else apart from that port town if thats the case Cant blame you. Its still not possible right now We had that conversation as we watched the cargo being loaded into the ship. what do you think? I think it was a bear. It might have just been set up to look like it was done by a bear though By that representative? He didnt act suspiciously and was very cooperative throughout so I think its unlikely Thats true. He seems like a nice demonkin after all. Theres still a question though who did this? That demonkin with a bow, Keith, he looked at the corpse and turned away in disgust so I dont think he did it either. The sahagin and the others who were loading cargo dont seem to come to land that often as well. It doesnt seem to be the work of a demonkin. Was it really just a bear? There were no odd external injuries right? I didnt see any wounds other than claw marks well, we still have to make a report so lets just aggregate every piece of information that we have Alright Im not trying to change the subject but this soap, it smells really nice. I wonder where you can buy it? I havent seen it around at the port town after all Did you take it? Yeah. The soap looked brand new so I took it since I thought it was specifically for the guests. If possible, I would like to keep it after weve done our report Anita-san seemed like a pretty candid woman. AN: These two humans might not appear again in future chapters. CH 96 Chapter 96: That time when we bought cows1 TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Its been seven days since the fools subordinate got attacked by a bear. We arrived at Corundum in the morning so everyone went to their favorite place to have breakfast while leaving the unloading to the subordinates. As for me, I immediately went to the catfish-mustached merchants inn and informed him that the goods were being brought into the warehouse and that Alban-san had died. He was a bit surprised but he didnt seem particularly shaken. Please ask your two subordinates for further details. Well then, Ill be waiting at the warehouse so please bring a carriage over It would have been fine if I just entrusted it to my subordinates but instead of just hearing about it, I wanted to see firsthand his reaction when he hears that someone died so I can relay it to Caam-san. After a while of waiting, a carriage arrived in front of the warehouse so we loaded in the coffee as well as the luggage of the remaining two subordinates. Then it was time to negotiate. Lets review the changes, shall we? Apart from the price we agreed upon before, we will be adding the necessary expenditures to get to and from the island. We both have confirmed that there is almost no calculation error for this part. That said, there was no longer a need to provide one persons share on the return trip but that will only deduct three meals a day for a total of 18 for six days May Alban-sans soul rest in peace I dont know much about him but I said a prayer to keep up the act. After that, I received the amount agreed upon, returned 18 meals worth of money then said the customary line. If you need anything else, please dont hesitate to get in touch with us I bowed after saying that, then the catfish-mustached merchant rode his carriage and went towards the gate. Good grief. I wonder if he got those three to come along at the behest of some bigshot from somewhere. Well, the hundred bags of coffee beans this time were really profitable so I should thank Caam-san when I can 2 I had gathered all of the islanders in front of me. Right about now, the merchant Nils should have already arrived at the port city. Once they have settled things, we will finally get some money. Well use a part of it to pay the craftsmen from Corundum but I think well use the rest to finally buy the long-awaited cows. Of course, well get a pair so we can breed them. However, we still cant afford to pay wages for islanders who were former slaves and we dont have anywhere you can spend it here anyways so please bear with it for a while We dont really mind though That lone response came from their representative. Just buying the cows wont decrease dissatisfaction though so Im also planning on buying other necessary items. What do you guys want? Youll be paid in kind instead of money Liquor!!! That was what several men immediately cried out. That was quick. Im actually a bit surprised how quick that came out. Its almost time to harvest the wheat so were going to store a bit more than usual but the rest will be made into liquor. Because of that, were going to buy liquor but not as much as we did before. Anything else? After I said that, everyone started discussing among themselves and several opinions started to come about. Then finally, they were able to organize a list and the most important items were written at the top while the least important ones were at the bottom. Alright then. When we have some extra money, were going to buy the things on this list starting from the top No objections A cheerful man replied for everyone. We could probably make some liquor right now using coconuts if we have sugar but theyll probably want to drink liquor thats not available on the island from time to time. Captain, I have a question What is it? Last time, we asked the merchant to deliver the livestock to us but Id like to save money so I want you to handle transporting it. Is it possible? ships can more or less handle sheep and the like but larger livestock are going to be harder. And wouldnt the added stress make it more difficult to milk them? Ah Caam, just bring a cow thats not being milked because its about to give birth. Itll turn out fine if we just let it relax once it gets here. Dont worry about it. Ill just come along to the port city After Enomoto-san said that, it was decided that well be leaving the cattle to him. The only problem left is the ship. Would it really be alright, Captain? Youll be dealing with a lot of fodder and manure you know? I tilted my head while asking as I faced the captain. Y-yeah. If we tie it on the deck, lay down some straw to let it soak in, then wash it off right away then maybe Even better if we can get Caam-san to help clean up with his magic when we get back to the island Then its fine. Can you put ten adults in a small boat and lower it down with a rope? What? Haa. We pretty much can A cow is roughly the same weight as ten adults so I guess you guys would be fine carrying it in and dropping it off right? EH!? Iya`, as expected of our strong sailors. Ill leave it to you guys okay? I tapped the captains shoulder while having a huge smile on my face. I heard one of his subordinates saying that was pretty nasty of me but its better if we spend as little as possible. I actually wanted to just go with the captain who brought the heroes to the island before so hell get a stomachache from all the stress but Ill give up on that. Ill just leave it to sitting across the table from them, serving them some tea with a smile, then talk about recent happenings as we drink. His stomach will probably still get affected if hes guilty. Well then, once the preparations are ready, please depart for Corundum. We will be purchasing a variety of things so it would be great if you can start loading in the cargo once you get there. Because of that, please take your time getting ready. With that said, lets take care not to have any mishaps in our work today as well. We dont have any coffee left so I should get them to harvest more today After I said that, I went and harvested more coffee than usual then transferred to Corundum in the afternoon to go to Nils-sans place. Hello there` As usual, I entered the warehouse and called out to a worker nearby. I heard that he came back in the morning and the merchant who bought coffee had left the town by noon so thats why Im here. It seems like he was in the middle of resting. I knocked on the door then entered when I heard a reply. Thank you for the other day. I figured you would be back today so I came to visit No problem. It was my pleasure. The coffee has yielded me quite a profit you know? Nils-san forcibly made a smile but his face looked tired. I know youre really tired but Im here to get our pay. Well use that money to buy some things Hahaha Transfer magic is so convenient, isnt it? In fact, its so convenient that I want to learn it. Ah, please forgive my grumbling Its not like this is our first meeting and I dont particularly mind so Ill just ignore that complaint. I guess it is quite mentally exhausting to travel by boat. I should have expected this to happen when I visited as soon as he got back. While I was thinking that, Nils-san came back with documents and the proceeds and put them on the table. Here is the money we received from the merchant we did business with. As you can see from the documents, these here are the necessary expenses plus the labor costs and this here is the price per bag. Since this is Caam-sans suggested price per bag, this is the difference. And when adding a ten percent profit to that, the final sales of a hundred bags is this 3 Hm`, even though it looks favorable to me, I guess they are still making quite a profit from this. He had a huge smile on his face when seeing the numbers on the document after all. I see. Since its just ten percent, its easy to calculate. Well, considering that huge smile, it seems like you are making quite a lot of profit from this but I wont ask for the specifics. Its fine as long as we can sell coffee so I look forward to working with you again in the future I look forward to it too Anyway, these are what I am thinking of buying. After taking the amount that Ill be needing to pay the craftsmen that we invited from this city, I want you to use the rest of the money to buy the things from this list After saying that, I gave the list to Nils-san. I see you want to buy cows. Do you want the merchant to deliver it to the island again? No, I want to save as much money as possible so well bring it back ourselves. We dont have much knowledge about transporting large livestock but well manage somehow. Ill leave it to you to decide where youll get it from though its unfortunate that I cant appoint the merchant who gave us a free hero from last time I dont know what youre thinking but youre making a terrifying smile you know? I just want to get revenge for the other day by thanking him for his hard work and serving him tea with a smile on my face. Thats all. I wont lay a hand on the captain and his crew who are innocent. Ill just smile and be mature about it. Maybe some small talk about what happened to the hero too like the misunderstanding that caused me to get attacked. We managed to reconcile though so I sent them back to this port city because I happened to be going here anyway. Just stuff like that Haha. Thatll give him a stomachache, wouldnt it? Its just a teeny tiny bit of revenge you know? We negotiated while looking at the things written down on the list and decided to immediately scrap the bottom half of it. Ah, I forgot but the merchant who ordered coffee wasnt particularly shaken when I told him about Alban-sans death. It seems like they really had nothing to do with each other and were just traveling companions I see. It doesnt really matter to me. If the number of people like that becomes too much, we can just bring Oda-san here instead of having them come to the island We continued chatting after that. We talked about how the taste of coffee was really slightly different or how they got hooked by the fragrance of the soap made from the island that they brought it home with them. I want to talk more about that soap Nils-san lowered his voice and his eyes looked like a predator thats seen prey. Dont you have those here? We do have some but just like how it was with yours, they are kept a secret and the techniques dont really get out. And since they are made privately, they are the only ones who reap the rewards I guess its pretty expensive then. I dont mind selling the finished product but we dont have enough manpower yet and we are only making enough to meet the islands demand. Even if we were to put all our effort into making it, we would need to rent an empty house over here and hire people to produce it in small quantities Let me do it. Well split the profits 50-50. How about it? He immediately brought business into the conversation. Guess thats to be expected of a merchant. Theres a high demand for it, right? Ten percent The demand is really high among the upper class. Its honestly a premium item. It also takes time and effort to make essential oils. Eighty percent4 If youre willing to provide essential oils then thats good as well. But even so, when the island has developed, we can also sell it ourselves you know? You might be fine with that but we probably would have already gotten more than enough of that manpower after about five seasons cycles passes Mu Nils-san was really troubled. I was joking. Im not that interested in money. If youre willing to do me a favor in the future, Im even willing to take a 50-50 split You Youre so naive that I really want to scold you. I thought this was going to be a fun negotiation Id like to avoid troublesome things. I really just wanted to live a leisurely life in my hometown, you know? Despite that, I suddenly became a Demon Lord I breathed a sigh as I pushed on my eyebrows. At any rate, well sort out the details on another day. Youve already seen the product so its fine right? I stopped pressing on my eyebrows and went back to my usual self. Lets go with that. We can make it official with some documents by then. Ill have the items you requested ready as soon as possible With that said, we parted and I went back to the island. I sent the captain and the others to Corundum while promising that I will bring Enomoto-san there after five days. As we discussed before, they brought along with them a harpy to see how they would fare as their lookout. Ah, theres the ship. Lets go Alright. Ill send it back right away if the cows not good enough Got it. Ill leave everything to you since youre more knowledgeable than me when it comes to this With that said, we went to the ship to meet up with everyone. Good work. How did the harpy do? They were excellent when it comes to keeping watch but they cant really do much else. They were able to spot a merchant vessel passing through the sea route from the top of the sail where nobody else could so we would have been able to react quickly if they were pirates If thats the case, I guess I should get Oda-san to come up with something they could use as a weapon when thrown from the sky Weve also already brought in the requested items in the presence of one of Nils-sans staff so all thats left is to bring this document there and pay for it The captain took a paper out from his breast pocket and gave it to me. But before that, the cow! Hurry up and show us the cow Ah, thats right. Theyre over here, Enomoto-san The captain led Enomoto-san to the stern of the ship where the cows were tied to. Hmm`. Well, theyre still young so theres some promise. Theyre alright. And there are two of them as well. Excellent. Well then, its fine if I look after these guys right? Take me to the hot springs when we get back okay? Alright. We can even discuss making your coastal hot spring house and the drainage you know? You do get me, dont you? If thats the case then Im completely satisfied After saying that, he started talking and patting the cows to calm them. Thank goodness. If you werent satisfied with these cows after weve come this far The captain breathed a sigh of relief. Was it hard to bring them on board? Yes, really hard Thank you for your hard work. Well then, Ill leave the rest to you Mooo!5 As the cow mooed, an odd smell drifted across the deck. I ran away towards Nils-sans place. Good day This exchange has become so common that I even got greeted by the other workers who were around. I drank cocoa for the first time the other day and it was really good. I even brought some back home to give to my kid and he loved it Thats good to hear The wife kept grumbling about the sugar though Haha, itll be bitter without it after all. Well then, I should go and meet up with Nils-san After saying that, I went to Nils-sans room Sorry but lets get down to business right away He seemed really motivated. The documents were already prepared and all I had to do was sign them. It was that profitable huh? Was 50% still too low? These are the goods. Theres mint, lavender, and chamomile. There are no roses on the island so we couldnt make rose oil but I think we can pretty much make the basic stuff Nils-san started smelling the soap I brought. Can I try it? Sure. I dont mind After saying that, he called out to his employees of both genders including one who looked like a secretary, and got them to wash their hands at the well in the back. Oh`. What a nice scent It can clean dirt just as well as regular soap This one feels cool and refreshing Those kinds of comments could be heard all around. Nils-san, this is a luxury item, isnt it? Whats happening? Those are made by Caam-san. I asked how theyre made since Im planning to open up a new business venture Hearing that, they all gave me an annoyed look. Hey, I did nothing wrong okay? After the sampling was done, we all went back inside. Once the other people left, we began the explanation. Its simple. You shave off a bar of soap, make a strong brew from fragrant flowers, then take the potpourri used to make the tea and grind it together with the soap shavings. Add the essential oils into the soap potpourri mixture as well as some honey then slowly add in the tea until the mixture has a similar softness to your earlobe. Once thats done, you put the mixture into a mold and let it dry in a cool and shaded area This isnt a detailed recipe but it outlines the general points of how to make it. Burn it if you dont need it. Also, its not a perfect formula so please continue to study it okay? 6 Understood. Well then, please sign here While I do trust him, I still read the contract carefully and reviewed it several times before signing it. Alright, its done I hope it succeeds I hope I dont get stabbed in the back for having a monopoly on this Have you experienced that before? Something similar happened a long time ago well then, Ill be taking my leave. Take care I didnt ask him to elaborate. It seems like Nils-san was quite reckless when he was younger Hahaha, please pray that I dont get killed Then why dont you increase the number of security you have? What happened to the adventurers who were with you the first time you came to the island? They just happened to be going to Corundum so I was able to hire those guys for cheap Ahh Then please be careful I got it. I also wish you the best of luck. If I need anything, Ill pass a letter on to the manager Alright. Ill be taking my leave After saying that, I went back to the island. With the things we bought, we can now make butter and cheese. CH 97 Chapter 97: That time when we celebrated the harvest festival in my hometown TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko The weather was no longer as hot as the time we brought in the cows. As promised, Enomoto-san was taking great care of them. Oda-san, together with the carpenters, made equipment that was put on the cows and theyve been important partners in working the fields. The children were happy seeing them too. Enomoto-san also asked me to build a bathing area for the cows downstream from ours so I did. Hes grown attached to them to the point where I saw him praising Dean as he cleaned up their straw that got dirty after having them work every day on the fields. Dean is the male ones name apparently. Isnt that cooler than what I named my wolf? It was quite a nice name so I asked what the females name was and he said it was Monica. I was surprised that the other one also got a cool one to pair with the first. Well, at least I didnt use common names like Tarou and Hanako. I didnt expect that he had a better naming sense than me. It wasnt a naming sense fitting for someone whos almost 80 years old so I tried asking why he decided to go with those. I felt relieved because apparently, those were just the names of a beautiful woman and her husband who lived in the village they previously stayed at. I just hope there are no humans on the island with the same names. As for the coffee beans, the number of sales was steadily increasing. Nils-sans ship has even been to the island twice since the last time. The chocolate also seems to be well received by the upper class and we receive orders from Nils-san from time to time. A portion of the sales from the scented soaps are also coming in so the island has a bit more money to spare. Because of that, I asked him to bring liquor for the islands harvest festival the next time he drops by. My home towns harvest festival is happening soon but because its also about time for the wheat to be harvested, Latte told me the last time I went home to come back earlier. Anyway, the harvest in my hometown is happening soon so I apologize but Ill be away for a few days. Please make sure there are no accidents while Im away, okay? Are you old men going too? Its been a while since you went back to the village after all We only lived in Beryl because you were there. Were based here now so weve decided to stay. We cant use magic so even if we go we wont be much help anyway If thats what you decided then I wont say any more If its about the harvest festival here then well help out as much as we can Understood. Ill be relying on you then After saying that, I transferred back to Beryl. Ah, its papa. Welcome back~ Hey, Im back~ I patted his head as I said that. Wheres your sister? Shes training with Suzuran mama I see I might be in danger by the time shes five huh? Papa will be fine. Youre a demon lord after all He said that with a huge smile on his face but hes also scary since he already has most of the offensive attribute magics down. And besides, theres no way Im going to seriously injure my own children, is there? Ah`, my father did calmly swing his weapon at me at that time. I wonder if I should also do it to that extent. I should consult Suzuran and Latte about that later. What about Perna-kun, Primna-chan, and Reika-chan? Are their mama and papa teaching them anything? Perna-kun was taught the dagger and bow, while Primna-chan learned the spear and shield. Reika-chan has been learning the dagger and small round shield as well as how to use any weapon shell be able to grab Wait, does that mean Tryapka-san can use anything as a weapon? Does she share the same mentality as me or is it because shes a janitor? Id instantly cry from being scared if I was being attacked by someone holding something like a saw. ah. I see. Youre all learning the weapons picked by your parents huh? Miel too. Do you remember what I said before about having a weapon even if its only something small? Un. Latte mama gave me a knife I see Papa isnt that good with a knife but do you want to practice for a bit? Un! Hm`, how should we do this? When an enemy is approaching, would you buy time or just defend yourself with a knife? Which one do you think is better? I have onee-chan so I think buying time is good Hmm`. Then I guess you should carry a shield too. With that, you can use your weapon to slash at them for a bit whenever there is an opening. Maybe you can use magic by imagining an attack while youre blocking with your shield I didnt do any of these when I was four years old but I wonder if theres a trend thats happening in the village of training the children even before they start school. I cant use magic while being attacked you know~? Instead of taking the attack, how about dodging it?[noteTL: genius-level tactics here. just dont get hit ez[/note]1 Papa, thats way too hard for me You can either maintain your calm and concentrate on your opponents pacing while activating your magic or just use your magic even if youll also get hit by it since you have your shield. Like maybe an attack that can go through your shield Eh`, thats too hard We dont have shields in our household so I guess well have to borrow from Speck or Kuchinashi. Ah`, I guess a frying pan would also work Whats a frying pan? Its a round iron with a handle. That works perfectly as a shield. Give me a sec After saying that, I took out a frying pan from the kitchen and was met with a cold stare from Miel when I got back. I thought it would have served great both as a shield and as a blunt weapon though. Well then, use this as a shield while you try to attack me with that stick Eh, but If I attack you, youll just counter with magic, wont you? Maybe Eh~ Miel looked like he disliked it from the bottom of his heart. Alright, how about shooting out magic from the frying pan? As usual, I have no idea how to train my children. Im not sure if I should be gentle or kind but its probably because I cant just compare it to a parent and child playing catch. While using the frying pan as a shield in my left hand, I activated aSmall Explosionat the bottom area to protect my face and just endured the heat. Thats somewhat different from fire, isnt it? It kinda went boom then it suddenly burned This is called an explosion. Thats what its called when a small thing spreads out to a wide area and starts burning2 Hmm`, I dont get it Alright, give me a sec I went to our kitchen then took out the flour. You know how the flour is powdery right? Un But as it is right now, it wont burn As I said that, I tried to set the flour in my hand with Fire. But flour is actually just a bunch of small things This time, I took a pinch of it and rubbed my fingers together to make it spread. Try imagining that these small pieces of flour are set on fire one by one. Lets see what happens I produced a slightly bigger Fire from my fingertip then blew the remaining flour in my hand towards it By doing that, a dust explosion occurred and created a small flame. See? Hmm`, I cant really imagine it Haha. I guess it might be tough with just that. How about I try to draw it this time? I drew a diagram on the ground that was easy to understand. Using small circles to represent the flour particles, I drew two illustrations. One with them bunched up together to form a shape of a mountain and another with gaps between the particles. This explosion is very powerful as long as the exploding fire has no place to escape to. Thats why you should be careful if youre using fire in a storage room with flour because it might explode How strong is it? Hmm` I thought about it then tried making a Small Explosion on the ground first. This is what happens if there is a place for the fire to escape. Ill show you what happens when it doesnt next After saying that, I turned over the frying pan, put a stone on top of it then activated a Small Explosion inside. A loud boom was heard then the stone and frying pan went flying into the air. Hmm`, I didnt think the escaping energy would be that powerful. Amazing`! Explosions are amazing, arent they!? Hm? Ah, yeah they are I was the one who did it but even I was surprised. Hearing such a loud sound, Suzuran and Lily came running with poles in hand. I have a really bad feeling about this. Explain She glared at me while sending a chilling bloodlust as she stabbed her pole on the ground and held the frying pan in her left hand that now had a freshly made hole in the middle. I-I was teaching Miel magic Why does the frying pan have a hole? Explain I wasexplaining how to imagine an explosion Did you have to destroy the frying pan? no Prepare yourself for tonight yes Since youre here, train Lily. And buy a new frying pan after that okay Papa, are you really a demon lord? Im a kind Demon Lord who doesnt like violence. Remember that well. Even if youre a nice guy, you can become a Demon Lord as long as youre strong. Dont be the kind of guy who messes around with girls okay?3 U-un Anyway, Ill go and buy the frying pan first then Ill prepare to train with Lily Lily. Imagine that your father is a goblin for todays practice Yes Hmm`, Im really tempted to head straight back to the island after buying the frying pan. While thinking that, I walked with heavy steps to the tool shop and when I came back, Lily was waiting for me with an iron core spear that she probably inherited from Licorice-san. Will you let me run away? Ill tell mother Alright, cant do it with a stick so let me get my crowbar and shovel from the storage. All my weapons are on the island after all After saying that, I went to the small storage room at the back of our house, picked up the shovel and crowbar leaning against the wall, then went back outside. Its not my usual one so let me get used to it first I held the grip of the shovel and swung it around using centrifugal force. After that, I held it with both hands and swung it down as hard as I could, stopping just short of the ground. Then, I rotated the crowbar on my palm to determine where the center of gravity is. Once all of that was done, I went back to face Lily while looking really displeased. Thats enough. You can also use magic as usual so just get on with it That was what Suzuran said so shell probably come at me for real. Ill try not to go into the offensive myself and just counterattack. While I was thinking that, I took my usual posture but a really fast wide horizontal sweep came at my torso so I received it with the handle of my shovel. However, because her weapons weight has increased, I was blown away by the impact. After that, she chased after me then swung down her long spear. I rolled away as fast as I could then grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at her. While she was distracted by that, I stood up and regained my posture. Miel! This is what I meant when I said you can use anything as a weapon. Remember that! Lily, I could have countered while you were blinded so take care against those types of attacks You might think Im a coward for doing that to my children but I would have fainted if I didnt so it couldnt be helped. Lily was glaring at me really hard but shes not as scary as Suzuran so I could calmly look at my opponents movements. Lily must have also been waiting for me to make my move since she wasnt attacking so I decided to go for it. I took large steps as I approached to provoke her but she thrust her spear at me so I caught it with my right hand and pulled on it as hard as I could to put her off balance. She immediately released the spear though and switched to hand-to-hand combat. I tried to keep my distance by pushing her with my shovel but she grabbed the grip and sent a kick at me which I blocked with my knee. Her face twisted a bit in pain as she threw a punch at me. I let go of my shovel then used both of my hands to catch her right hand and twisted it away from her body to throw her down. Then, I stomped my foot as hard as I could near her head to let her know that it was over. Phew You got stronger Lily` I let go of the hand I grabbed then helped her up. I helped her remove the dirt from her body and gave her a Water Ball to wash her face. Father is unfair! You threw dirt at my face She was pretty mad. Well, I guess that was understandable. Thats true, your father is a coward. But you see, when youre faced with death, you better learn to do whatever it takes to survive. I think its important to be flexible about things like how I used the dirt when I was blown away. Ive also said this to your grandfather but just leave fairness and chivalrous acts to knights in a castle somewhere. Thats why stop crying, okay? As I pat LIlys head to console her, she burst into tears and hugged me, wiping her tears on my clothes. I continued patting her head until she calmed down. What do you think, Miel? Do you want to fight together with your sister or will you do it by yourself? Ill try by myself Good. Lily, sorry but could you let go of me now? Miel cant use his magic with you here after all No. Im not done yet After saying that, she continued to rub her head against my chest. To be honest, her horn hurts me but I guess she can still act her age. It couldnt be helped so Miels training was left for the next day and I continued to pat Lilys head. After that, I bathed together with the children. We spent our time relaxing while I answered various questions about what to do in a fight. Dinner came after that, however And because of that, father is a coward! Lily recounted what happened earlier and got everyone on her side. Oh my`, its bad to do that when youre against your own child you know~? No, wait. That attack would have broken my bones if it had hit you know!? And it was also impossible to deflect with how heavy that attack was. It would have been really bad for me if I didnt come up with that on the spot Caam has always been good at blinding so be careful next time Lily. You too Miel Yes Come to think of it, that attack is the one Ive used the most. By the way`, the frying pan looks new. What happened? That was because papa was teaching me new magic I see. And we got a new frying pan because of that? Thats great since the old one was already worn out. So? What did the frying pan have to do with the magic? It got a hole in it while I was teaching Miel what to imagine to use the magic I briefly explained what happened without telling her exactly what kind of magic it was. I didnt even dare to look her in the eye. After we finished our food, the thing that I feared started to happen. Tomorrow is when were harvesting the wheat so go to sleep you two. We still need to talk to your father about the frying pan She urged the children to go to their room while radiating a chilling bloodlust. After that, an awkward mood took over the room. Once Suzuran finished drinking her tea, she slowly put her cup down, walked over to me, then grabbed me by the collar. Latte. Were going to bed first so please take care of the dishes I was dragged to the room, got kissed, and was pinned to the bed. I was surprised since this was the first time she used this pattern. After she washed the dishes, Latte fearfully checked up on us but seeing what was happening, she silently entered with a huge smile on her face. We spent a really long and really intense night even though we were going to harvest the wheat tomorrow. I want to clean my body I woke up at my usual time even though we slept late. I went in the bath, lightly washed off the sweat, then began preparations for breakfast. I dont know why this happened just because of a hole in a frying pan but I feel like the reason doesnt matter at this point. I regret being so scared yesterday. Suzuran has always been upfront with her feelings after all. While I was thinking about that, Latte woke up then hugged me. Fufufu`. Its been a while since weve been that rough, hasnt it? I hope I never get invited that way again though. Even though shes been docile lately, she still hasnt changed at all from that harvest festival when we were kids Hmm`. Suzuran-chan doesnt really talk about the past that much but she was like that huh~? Should I ask Onee-san? She grinned while saying that. She was still hugging me wearing only a shirt and her underwear so I told her to take a bath before the children woke up. Once she got back, I decided to talk a bit about the past. Hmm`, so she grabbed you by the collar and kissed you while she was drunk huh? Thats something you definitely expect Suzuran-chan to do right? Well yeah. At that time, I thought that I was going to get killed by Ichii-san you know? After that, the children woke up so we ended the conversation. Suzuran was still asleep so I went into the room to wake her up and forced her to clean herself before she went to the living room. This was my first harvest since I became a Demon Lord. The things I have to do didnt change though. As usual, I used Wind Cutter to cut the wheat while the others who cant use magic picked them up. However, since the number of people increased every year, they had to expand the fields so the burden on the people who can use magic has also increased. Even the number of storage areas have increased. Miel worked hard so hell be able to use Wind Cutter too but his version was still unstable so the cut was uneven. Ive never seen Lily use magic so she was just gathering the cut wheat and loading them on the back of the wagon. It was really rough. I should tell the village chief to stop the expansion or have those who can use magic be trained to do this. Were definitely going at a great pace but were hardly making a dent in the vast golden fields. It was really troublesome I remember that it only took a few days a few years back but it took a week this time. I guess I really should discuss this with the village chief. I wont do it right now though since were at the festival area. With the increased number of fields this year, it took a bit of a while but the harvest ended safely. Like the previous years, this one dislikes extending this speech so cheers! Cheers! After that, I sat at a table with my wives and our close friends. We talked about our children while drinking liquor. As for the kids, they were together at a different table. Lily-chan is pretty strong like Suzuran huh? I think thats just how their tribe is but I dont know how strong mother in law is so I cant say for sure Wurst downed his drink then started a conversation about Lily. Even though the topic was her daughter, Suzuran was just quietly munching meat. Her mouth isnt all dirty compared to the last time though. I think thats because shes become calmer after giving birth. As for Miel-kun, hes working hard on his magic just like Caam. Right? Shinken went along with it and started talking about Miel as well. Thats true`. Magic is my strong point but I dont know about Latte since I havent seen her using it I can use my tribes special magic but I just havent used it or shown it to anyone, you know? Ill secretly teach it to Miel though~ She was already tipsy and slightly flushed from drinking alcohol so it was not really a secret anymore. How is Primula-chan? I heard shes getting taught the spear and shield by Kuchinashi I decided to go along with it as well and asked about the three idiots children. Shes okay. Shes only been taught to aim for the moment an opponent gets impatient with her shield. Apart from that, shes just learned that she needs to be five steps ahead of everybody else Dont talk about something scary like its nothing. Its natural for a shielder to be in front but putting that into practice requires some courage. If thats the case then Perna-kun is amazing as well. He can use a short sword and a bow, and hes also everyones mediator. Promising, isnt he? I wonder if I get my daughter to seduce him while we can Kuchinashi grinned as she said something terrifying. Well, you should respect Pernas will when it comes to that. Going back to the topic, I think Reika-chans amazing. I also use a dagger but I cant use it like that with the quickness she inherited from Speck Were teaching her to be quick and low since she inherited my husbands legs. The rest depends on how far she can go I think Its weird. The way the womens group is raising their children is quite out there. I would be good enough if they grew up healthy for me though. For me, Im not really sure about the idea of using anything as a weapon Speck, who was being hugged by Tryapka-san, joined in as well. I dont want to meddle with how the others teach their children but I just have to say, I am also teaching Lily and Miel. However, I just give them the freedom of choice to decide what weapon they want to use. Well, I wouldnt have taught them that if they didnt ask though After saying that, I glanced at my wives. They need the strength to survive at least. Caams way of thinking is wrong. Theyll die if they dont have the strength to protect themselves Thats right. They need to be strong to an extent For me, I want them to be as safe as possible. It would be sad if they become adventurers but just die a dogs death Its their life so we should teach them the basics and let them do what they want If they want to be adventurers, you should respect their decision I dont get the education in this world. Dont they get that I just want the children to live in a peaceful and safe place?4 The adults are drinking so lets also drink! After saying that, Lily took a cup of beer and was about to drink it. You cant, Lily-chan. Its too early for us. Shouldnt we wait until we start school at least? Perna tried to stop her. My father said its fine since we already look like adults you know? Primula told the others what she heard from Wurst. Im small so its no good I guess Reika was disappointed that she couldnt drink when she looked at her appearance. my mama forced me to drink it so I dont really like it. Its just onee-chan who does Miel refrained from drinking, leaving his sister hanging. Fine fine. Im the only one wholl drink After saying that, she drank alone then the childrens conversation began. You know how my father is a Demon Lord right? Thats why our mothers told us to train with him but even though were doing that, hes too nice so it doesnt really feel like training You still havent won though Miel interjected while drinking fruit water with a discontent look on his face. How strong is Caam-san? Ive heard a lot about him beating high goblins with a shovel and magic but I dont really know how strong high goblins are It seems like that storys true but I dont know why papa uses a shovel. I think magic would be enough with how good he is with it I heard about it from my mother that he gave the exact support needed during the time they hunted goblins when they were still in school. Caam-san must be like a middle guard who can get a good grasp of his surroundings right? My father said that he was so bad at the bow that he practiced throwing things a lot. He also said that Caam-san is good at teaching magic Its true that hes good at throwing. He also taught me how to use flour to make something called an explosion you know? Just like that, Miel told everyone the details about the dust explosion that he learned. So flour can be set on fire huh? I guess we should be careful Ah, I remember the story about father breathing fire with liquor. That sounds like what he said back then Un. Even our grandpas like to say that father is smart but hes also dumb Whats with that? Is he smart or dumb? I think its just like what they said. Everyone says that the village became bigger because of how easily he can come up with all sorts of ideas but mother says that he can be really childish at times. Thats exactly what happened when he breathed fire using liquor Lily slightly narrowed her eyes as she said that. Onee-chan, youre not an adult yet so you should stop drinking now I know. I want to try fighting father at least once when hes serious though. I heard that he even managed to beat grandpa. Ah ah, it would be great if I could get even stronger`. I wonder how long it will take? When it comes to magic, I can only make a water ball after all She pouted and slightly puffed her cheeks as she said that. Which one is stronger, Caam-san or Suzuran-san? MotherSuzuran-mama Then why didnt Suzuran-san become a Demon Lord? I think papas just too kind to go against mama But he was fine throwing dirt at me today. Last time, he threw a stick that was acting as a knife at my face. I deflected it but before I knew what was happening, I was already pinned down I guess its true that he does whatever it takes to win a fight. My mother taught me to not drop my weapon though Me too I was told to use everything as a weapon so I cant really comment on that So they say but what actually happened? I said it earlier, I really didnt want to train with her but I was told to. Lily came at me seriously and it was getting harder and harder to hold her back so I tried winning even if the method was cowardly. And with that, I hope it would gradually show that there are other ways to approach things. Miel was also present so I hope he also takes that in After saying that, I took a sip of my drink. How do you feel about teaching your children cowardly moves in the first place? Its better than having them die. Thats why Ill win even if I play dirty I dont understand what Caams thinking at all. Its unthinkable to throw dirt at the face of your child, even more so because shes a girl you know? At that point where we were facing each other with weapons in hand, she was an enemy. I dont know what you guys are teaching your children but I use my methods. If they say they want to know this or that then Ill teach them everything I know. That is as long as I know of it though I think we shouldnt have a conversation about how to raise children while drinking. At the royal capital during the preparations for the harvest festival, two black-haired men were walking around while eating a kebab they bought from a stall when they noticed a poster on a wall of a house. Oi, is this Japanese? Hah? Oh, its true. Let me see It says that the royal family is using the heroes as sacrificial pawns Yeah. It says if we want to know more details we should go to inn at the sector in the lower class district What should we do? I guess we should at least try listening. Im also interested in how others will react. We cant just decide by ourselves after all So I guess were going huh? After that, the two heroes went to the place that was written on the poster where there was a grand sign in Japanese welcoming the heroes. Woah. Its overflowing with enthusiasm Were in this world after all so thats why its like that They knocked on the door. Someone inside told them to knock in 3-3-7 beat if they really were Japanese and so they did. 5 Welcome The door opened and a man who looked like he was around forty years old came out. Well, for starters, wed like for you youngsters to listen to what we have to say. Come inside After saying that, the man standing in front of them invited them inside, and offered them coffee. They heard rumors about it recently but they wondered if it existed in this world as well. Well then, its a bit long is that okay? The two heroes looked at each other then gave the man a nod. First off, were being used as sacrificial pawns like the poster said. Geez, you shouldnt have taken the poster and just memorized its contents The man then proceeded to explain how their companion who infiltrated the castle and managed to hear those words from the king himself. He told them about how the princess who did the summoning was low down on the line of succession and that her marriage with a local noble was already decided. However, because her partner was extremely unattractive, she repeatedly summoned heroes in her desperation and picked the ones she liked so she could surround herself with them. Among those heroes, her favorites are given commanding roles on the battlefield and peerage to an extent so they get to do whatever they want. He also confirmed that being a Demon Lord doesnt immediately mean that theyre evil because of the existence of a Japanese person who was reincarnated and became one. That Demon Lord got along well with humans who were slaves and was striving to make an island where humans and demonkin could coincide. However, hes worried that someone would interfere with the coffee, chocolate, and cocoa business in his territory and it might cause a lot of damage to the livelihood of the residents there simply because hes a demonkin and a Demon Lord. The Demon Lord is willing to take in summoned people who have little to no combat ability but have general knowledge about some things. The two heroes also found out that a number of the summoned were quite angry at the royalty. Thats the details of their conversation. Theres no going back if you listen any further. Are you prepared for that? The two of them looked at each other then nodded in consent. Got it. Listen carefully. Because of the reasons stated earlier, us summoned Japanese are going to stage a coup and take over the castle. If we leave things be, the number of summoned Japanese fighting against the demonkin and possibly dying in a foreign place without knowing anything will just increase. We havent confirmed yet if there is actually a ritual to send us back so were going to stop any more from being summoned, make everyone realize that the demonkin arent the greatest of evils, and put a wrench in their corrupted plans I would never have thought wed be doing something that you just see on the TV Thats true. It was so peaceful back home that other countries thought we were being complacent after all. This place isnt Earth nor is it Japan though so we have to take action. Youre just being exploited so stop being a fool, thinking youre the best The man in front of them said that with a cold smile on his face. So what exactly are we doing? To put it simply, were thinking of taking control of the castle and the church headquarters at the same time. That will be immediately followed by finding a list of the upper echelons. Were thinking of punishing, imprisoning, or even giving the death penalty at worst to the corrupt bunch. Its going to be tough without a certain amount of firepower but fortunately, we managed to convince quite a few combat-oriented heroes. They wouldnt expect the heroes to betray them after all. After that, were just thinking of interfering a bit with the politics here and there and take money from those brainless idiots who have just been lining their pockets to lower the taxes Im a combat type so politics and that kind of thing is going to be hard for me The knowledgeable heroes will do something about that. Im thinking that we look at the tax first then send funds or aid to the poor villages. Oh crap, were straying away from the topic. Anyway, you combat-type heroes will be in two groups. One is a special forces group that will partake in an infiltration mission just like in movies and games while the other is an assault force in case the infiltration group gets discovered. In that situation, youll avoid killing if possible and just subdue your enemies. The assault group will be staying near the castle the night of the operation so they can quickly move if the infiltration team gets discovered What if it goes according to plan? Phones dont exist here so theres not a lot of ways to get in touch Im thinking of putting up a sign at the first inn on the right side of the main street of the royal capital written in Japanese two months before the operation saying Laborer recruitment ends in sixty days. Fortunately, the intelligence gathering capability of this country and the whole world is so low that they havent gotten a trace of us yet. Im not sure if thats their pride of being a large country or just oversight though. If the worst happens though, even if we dont have enough people, well still proceed with the operation Is that really alright? Its obvious that the plan has a lot left to be desired Even though I laid it out for you, were still in the early days of planning so we only have a rough idea. I mean, itll be suspicious if a large number of heroes gather in the capital after all. We should be as spread out as possible to prevent that and just establish a way to communicate with each other. We also plan to give the knights order food poisoning several days before the operation. Each unit might be in different barracks so theres a chance itll be hard to contaminate their food though. At any rate, try to visit the royal capital as much as possible. Thats all They regretted asking but they were a bit excited about what was to come. CH 98 Chapter 98: The Royal Capital Revelries C Part 1 TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Im currently on a carriage while having dead, fish-like eyes as I have both my hands and feet bound with bulky wooden shackles attached to an iron ball. Of course, it wasnt actually locked and can immediately be removed. The reason for that is simple. The heroes are about to launch their coup so Im just being transported like this so I can sneak into the royal capital. Even the dead eyes are just an act. I just have my eyes unfocused as I look into the distance. It was my first time outside of Corundum so we went around several towns and villages but all of them were in terrible condition. If I had to describe it, it was worse than the slums. The small one in Aegirine was in a better state than the villages we visited. Even though their houses could protect them from the rain, it didnt do anything against the cold air. Their fields were barren and their livestock was thin. The populace looked like they lost all hope. Rather, they seemed lifeless. The children seemed relatively normal but the adults looked dead inside. It felt like they were just living to breathe. Its terrible, isnt it? Most of the villages that are far from the royal capital or any of the larger towns are like this, you know? They are heavily taxed so the ones in power can fill their pockets, only leaving barely enough so they can get food to live. To conscript the men to fight the war with the demonkin on top of that Its too much. At least there are still parents who think about their childrens well-being The stern old man in front of me who looked like he was in his forties said that to me. Villages on the demonkin side are much better. I was born in a poor village but we didnt starve, we went to school, and everyone was lively even though we didnt have a lot. For tax, only less than a quarter of our wheat was taken. A fifth when the harvest was poor. There were even some bigshots who spent money from their own pockets to build a fortress on the frontlines for everyones sake. Knowing that makes me think that the higher-ups on the humans side are trash The superiors of those top brass are also trash after all. And the ones who get the short end of the stick are the villagers who are at the bottom. Moreover, the churchs teachings make sure that no unnecessary thoughts rise up. And since the blame is put on the demonkin, we rarely see their kind on the human side of the continent. The only ones who come are war slaves they bring over so they can let off some steam I really hope this succeeds Me too Going back a little Beryl villages harvest festival had safely ended. I was held hostage by my wives for a few days but when I finally was able to go back to the island, it was time for the islands harvest festival. We dont have a lot of people and only a few fields so I had to cut the harvest with Wind Cutter by myself while everyone else gathered them. Even with that setup, we managed to finish within a day. After that, we stored the wheat, served the liquor I asked Nils-san to bring, and let the sailors and the couple taking care of the shop in Corundum have a few days off. We also invited the harpies and the aquatic demonkin to make sure that we had enough people to make it a grand event. The pigs offspring had already grown up so Enomoto-san asked if we could slaughter one. I approved of it so the men happily butchered the poor thing. The meat was served along with deer and bear meat which overjoyed our carnivorous demonkin neighbors. The mermaids got drunk and sang their hearts out with their beautiful voices while the harpies and sahagin danced. The humans also joined them and the entire event was more lively than I thought it would be. The human and demonkin children were also having fun together with the wolves. Id like to think that the barrier between the races lessened after this event. Its turning out to be a really nice island. Around the time when we started making preparations for the new year festival, I went to the shop at Corundum in the evening to deliver coffee beans. Caam-san. The usual letter came to the shop the other day It was a letter that was inserted through the gap of the door that was labeled To Caam was handed to me by the manager. The label was written in the common language but the contents were written in Japanese. All it said was to meet up at an inn near the gates. Caam-san, do you understand what that says? The manager couldnt overcome his curiosity and took a peak as I read through the contents of the letter. You shouldnt peek at a letter thats not addressed to you, you know? Its a letter with a location of where to meet up. Ill be going there for a bit After saying that, I went straight to the inn. There was a black-haired human sitting alone at a table near the entrance so I approached him. The black-haired man stood up as I got closer and said. My names Kaneda. Youre Caam-san, right? Ive heard about you from Aida-san A stiff-looking man who was almost in his forties named Kaneda introduced himself then offered me a seat. The preparations for the festival are ready. I think well be able to hold the festival at any moment by the time we arrive So theyre calling it a festival huh? I guess they cant just call it an insurrection or a coup. Haa`. Ill go with you as I promised but I need to prepare. I also need to inform my family that Im going to attend the festival so please give me some time I could only sigh as I asked for some time. Then lets leave in three days. Lets meet up early in the morning around the time the coffee shop opens Youre really in a hurry, arent you? If we dont go back soon, the food would spoil and be dangerous for consumption Hes being vague about everything but is he talking about information when he says food? Well, whatever. I only promised to be present after all. Got it That should be it for now. Please make sure youve completed your preparations by the time we meet up. Ill be here waiting I guess the time has finally come. Ah-ah, I really dont want to do this. I went straight back to my hometown and entered the house thinking of what to say to Suzuran and the others. Ah, welcome back~ Im home~ You returned earlier this time. Did something happen~? Well, Ill tell you about it when were all gathered. Where are the kids? Theyre bathing with Suzuran-chan. Caam-kun should get in too~ She grinned while saying that but I had a lot of things to do so I gently declined. I should start packing I have no idea what was going to happen so I took out the clothes I wore at the frontline base that I didnt bring with me to the island. Then, I retrieved my modified rucksack from the back of our storage and removed all the pouches attached to it to check what was inside. While I was doing that, Suzuran and the children came out of the bath so I started telling them what was about to happen. First of all, Im back. I have something to say to everyone I had a serious expression and my voice was slightly lower than usual so they earnestly listened. Your father, due to various circumstances, has become friends with some heroes. There are even some heroes living on the island together with the other humans. Well, lets just put that aside for now and get to the point. Your father has agreed to cooperate with the heroes in their rebellion against the human royalty. As for why theyre rebelling, the summoned heroes were apparently just being treated as convenient sacrificial pawns so the surviving heroes are planning to take over the royal capital. Thats what they want my help with Wait! Why does it have to be Caam-kun? Isnt there anyone else? Thats included in the various circumstances I mentioned earlier. I cannot share this, even with you guys. Of course, the three idiots and my parents arent aware of this as well. I am cooperating with them for that reason Why!? Why does it have to be you!? Because of how I am despite being a demonkin and a Demon Lord. I am a Demon Lord but my territory has both demonkin and humans living in harmony. Of course, the certain circumstance is a part of it too so thats why Im here to tell you that Ill be away for a while and I hope that youll understand Caam. Im sure youll be fine. But even so, I cant agree. Should I punch you so youll listen? Ill hit you as hard as I can if thatll stop you Suzuran gave me the sharpest of glares but I wont back down. The children got scared and started crying. if I tell you the truth, would you agree? Would you allow me to go? I said that as gently as I could, making sure I didnt sound angry. Your explanation wasnt enough. Why are you helping the heroes? I dont understand. If I could know that, I would even be able to send you off with a smile Her killing intent grew even stronger. The intimidation I felt was like it was piercing my skin. Latte. Im sorry but could you bring the children who are stuck here feeling this bloodlust to another room? I also need to prepare myself. I dont want to hurt Suzuran if I can help it I got it. Youre going to let me hear it too, right? Yeah. You also have the right to know. You can come back after bringing the children to another room After saying that, Latte led the children to their rooms then came back. Phew Its up to you if youll believe me or not but you have to promise that you wont mention this to anyone. If you break that promise, I am prepared to abandon this village, you four, and the island and live in a remote village pretending to be someone else. Either that or Ill have to kill the two of you and then Ill kill myself. Theres no going back after this. Are you sure?1 I glared at the two of them while I waited for their answers. Suzuran immediately agreed but Latte was reluctant to respond. Latte, if you dont want to hear it, you can go to where the children are. Itll be serious from here on out. You shouldnt think Ill be my usual self. This is how much resolution I have I understand. Im ready. Go ahead` I slowly breathed out to calm myself then began talking. The certain circumstance that I talked about was that I am someone who died in the same land as the heroes The two of them looked surprised but they were waiting for me to continue. I died in that land but when I came to, I was in this village for some reason I was born as father and mothers child and I used the knowledge from that land to make the village better. Then, after I became a demon Lord and got an uninhabited island, a hero suddenly arrived to subjugate me one day. However, since they looked like a person who came from the land I used to live in, I tried speaking to them in the language of that land to make sure. It turned out I was right. He was from the land I lived in before I was born here. Then lots of things happened and they asked me if I could help prove that there are good guys among the demonkin and Demon Lords what kind of land did those heroes come from? Sorry but I cant tell you that. I do have something to prove it though They tilted their heads in confusion so I took out a letter from my pocket to show them. This is how my name is written in the common language right? However, the rest of the letter is written in that lands language There were katakana and kanji in the letter which was completely different from the characters used in this world. The two of them were looking over the letter trying to understand what it says but they probably wont be able to. I cant explain what each character means but it says to meet at an inn near the gates. I went there and met up with another hero. Three days later, hell come again and well leave. Thats why Im here preparing for the trip I understand now why Caam always acted a bit weird. The way you think is different since you were raised in that land. Is that right? Yeah. Thats right Thats why you didnt act like a child. Father said it before. That he thought you were more reliable than him Is that the reason why you rejected my advances? Thats right. That country didnt allow polygamy. Thats why I wasnt comfortable being married to Latte2 Muu Were you good with magic because there was magic in that country? Magic didnt exist at all. But even so, we had a lot of convenient tools. I was just imitating how they worked They continued asking me questions for about ten minutes after that. I made it clear to them what questions I couldnt answer but I did answer the ones I could. We called the children after that. They apologized to them then all five of us peacefully slept together on the same bed. Apart from me being in an uncomfortable sleeping position since I was in the middle where two beds were joined, it was an enjoyable family bonding time. The next day, I was peacefully spending time with my entire family until noon then I went back to the island to inform the islanders why Ill be away for a while. Oda-san asked if the coffee supply will be alright while Im gone. I told him that based on the amount I delivered yesterday, we should have enough stock for around three months. Id appreciate it if you worried more about me than the coffee though. I went and packed as many supplies as I could in my modified rucksack after that then sharpened my shovel, knife, and machete. Once that was done, my preparations were complete. Even if I wasnt participating in battle, I thought it was just right for me to go there fully prepared. Then, on the agreed-upon date, I met up with Kaneda-san who was waiting for me outside of the shop, then we left for the human royal capital. Once we left the gates, there was a carriage waiting for us. Kaneda-san greeted the coachman in Japanese so I felt relieved. I put my luggage in the carriage and as we went along, Kaneda-san sat next to me and handed me a letter. Its from Aida-san Reading the letter, it said that I dont have to worry since the two people he sent to Corundum were trustworthy. You know, it would have been great if you gave this to me a bit earlier. While I was thinking that, Kaneda placed two pairs of bulky wooden shackles and an iron ball by my feet with a huge smile on his face. From here, were going to transport Caam-san as a slave. Please sit while acting as apathetic and hopeless as you can. If someone talks to you, just shake your head as if you cant understand the common language. Your luggage will be hidden in this barrel and your shovel will just be resting against it What the heck is this guy suddenly saying? Cant we wait until were a bit closer to the capital? No. It has to be now Like a pro salesman, he immediately replied with a smile. Im sorry but please just endure it for around ten days so we can avoid unnecessary conflict Wait, so itll still be ten days till we reach the capital? This is the worst. The situation was made even more ridiculous by the sight of me putting on shackles on myself. Once I got it on, I acted apathetic with dead fish-like eyes. Excellent. Its like youre able to completely encapsulate the feeling of despair Its none of your business. I had a lot of hardship when I was a child okay? Most of it is about Suzuran though. Three days after leaving Corundum, we came across a slightly larger town so I resumed my acting. Our food supplies were running low so our coachman went out to replenish them. Meanwhile, Kaneda-san was sitting in front of me on the lookout. After a while, the gatekeepers came over to check things out. Oi, its a demonkin. Lets beat him up to pass some time Lets do it. The first to make him bleed loses They were saying horrible things but I just did as I was told and sat there with dead eyes. Could you please drop it? This ones reserved by my employer. Only my employer is allowed to injure him. If you have complaints, youll have to go through me. How about it He glared at the gatekeepers while sending out killing intent which was a complete shift in attitude from how he was with me. Seeing that, the gatekeepers went back to their posts while cursing him. Once the coachman came back, we resumed our journey then Kaneda-san came to me to apologize. Im sorry. As you saw earlier, humans act like that when seeing demonkin so I shall make sure to properly escort you Ill leave it to you. They might find out my shackles are loose after all Thats true. Well really be in trouble if that happens so I ask you to bear with it. Please Kaneda-san gave me a deep bow after saying that. Alright, Ill endure but Im just sad that even children from the village we were at yesterday were throwing stones at me Im sorry about that He seemed to be really apologetic so I followed it up to be considerate. Dont worry, its not your fault. This is because of the churchs bad teachings With that said, we headed to the royal capital with even more resolve. CH 99 Chapter 99: The royal capital revelries part 2 As we were sitting on the moving carriage, we saw an incredibly large castle wall. I think its clearly several times taller and thicker than the one in Aegirine. If this is how it looks from a distance, I wonder how it would be once we get closer. Its big, isnt it? Yes. Its the royal capital after all How are we getting in? Dont tell me I have to get in this barrel I snickered while saying that as a joke. Yes. Please get in the barrel Turns out, it wasnt a joke. Am I an esper today? Im just kidding. Its the royal capital so theyre really thorough in checking the luggage. Theres a small window on the walls that they use to throw away food scraps. Ugajin-san will come and get us there in the middle of the night Didnt think Kaneda-san was capable of telling jokes. Weve been together on this carriage this whole time and he hasnt shown that side even once. You really never know with people huh? Please wear your gear and cover yourself with this hooded robe. The area around the walls are the slums where a lot of displaced people live so lets try not to stand out. The nearby guards would immediately come out if someone screams from seeing a demonkin after all As I was told, I put on my equipment and covered it with a slightly dirty hooded robe. After that, we went along the route that leads to the outer walls. The coachman stayed behind and entered the capital normally. Seems like they have an easy way to get in contact whenever they need to. The slums are horrible, arent they? Its like a garbage dump site` Theres no helping it. They had nothing to eat because of heavy taxation so they came to the capital thinking theyd be given some aid Theres something like that here? The church gathers them to give out some thin porridge so theyll feel indebted to them. That originally came from the farmers they taxed though Ironic, isnt it? Thats right. Ah, over there. Thats where the soldiers dump the food scraps. Since thats the case, there will be a crowd gathered around that area so just ignore them and stay on alert. Please make sure you never speak or show your face to anyone Understood Well be waiting among the refugees until night time Kaneda-san and I huddled inconspicuously underneath a tree amidst the smell of kitchen waste as we waited for the night to arrive. During that time, fights and small arguments were happening nearby. Seems like the humans state of mind is in pretty bad shape. Some of them were even captured by the soldiers to be sent to the frontlines. According to Kaneda-san, they would rather get executed than get sent to the frontlines because they at least die a quicker death. Even if the prisoners survive a battle, they just get sent to another one. Seems like they arent given enough food as well. Knowing that, I cant deny that getting executed would be better. Even the demonkin treat their prisoner soldiers better. Eventually, evening came and then by the time the date had passed, the window where the garbage was dropped from started rattling in a pattern I didnt understand. Thats the signal. Lets go With that said, we silently walked closer to the window. Once we were close enough, Kaneda-san threw a pebble then a rope ladder came down. He climbed the ladder and then gave a signal to me. This means I should follow him right? Ive never climbed up a rope ladder before but I was somehow able to slip through the darkness and get in without making a sound. When I got to the top, Ugajin-san put his index finger against his lips to signal to me to keep quiet so I just silently followed him. There were patrolling guards as well as drunkards who were walking unsteadily, but just like a sneaking mission, we were able to enter the royal capital from the walls without being discovered. The soldiers who were supposed to guard the small room were unconscious though This was probably Ugajin-sans handiwork. While I was thinking that, Ugajin-san spoke to me. Its been a while, Caam-san Yeah. Its been a while We were finally able to exchange our greetings. Lets talk about further details at Kaneda-sans place Got it With that said, the three of us walked quickly along a dimly lit alleyway until we arrived at our destination. After Ugajin-san knocked in a 3-3-7 beat, the lock opened and then the two of them slipped inside. I also followed suit. The two of them breathed a sigh of relief as they took off their hoods. Taking that as a sign that were safe, I also took mine off. There were around ten people inside who I hadnt seen before. Hey, its been a while Caam-kun Aida-san said that in Japanese so I also replied in that language. Its been a while. I was a little worried about what happened to you after that time you know? Just a bit? How heartless A short laughter resounded in the room. Well then, a brief explanation of the current situation. We have gathered more than a hundred heroes. Almost a hundred of them are combat type and there are only ten days left until day of the operation Can we win with such a small group? Its not about winning or losing, we just need to abduct the royalty and then have them ensure our safety after the interrogation. What we need is not victory but a guarantee of our safety and confirmation of the existence of a spell that could send us back to Japan I see So, what should I do? Youll move with the attack group` Okay stop right there. Youll have to keep me safe as I do nothing right? Yes. However, please come with us in case we need to show proof that youre a Demon Lord Id prefer not to though Oi, full body school swimsuit guy. Its a rare opportunity so just join in1 A young man who looked like he was around twenty years old made that remark which turned the atmosphere in the room cold. Full body school swimsuit? Are you referring to me? It sure didnt take long for me to get a terrible nickname. Who else is there? Youre the only demonkin here Oi oi, stop it okay? Im not doing anything I just have something to say school swimsuit its fine. Let me hear it I tried to intimidate him a bit. Why arent you a woman with skin like that!? Why didnt you get reincarnated as a cute girl!? A monster girl would have been so good! Why dont you have bat wings!? Why do you not have horns like a sheeeeeeeep!? After saying that, the man had both his hands by his head and wailed in despair. ah`2 Everyone who was there started shaking their heads. Understandable because they came here after hearing about a Demon Lord collaborator but its now come to this. Well, he has quite extreme quirks but hes got the skills Is that so? I went towards the man, tapped his shoulders, and tried to encourage him. I know a brothel run by succubi. Ill introduce you to them later. They also have dark blue-skinned girls there as well as ones with sheep horns, bat wings, and so forth Really? Youre not lying, are you!? Yeah. My neighbor in the apartment I lived in a few years ago worked there. Ive also visited the place a few times to socialize so Im sure of it. You can find a girl you like there After I said that, this sad hero stood up, took my hand, then vigorously shook it up and down. Its true huh!? Youre not lying right!? Take me with you when this is all over! Its hard to believe hes the same guy who made a fuss earlier with how docile he is now. Seems like Ill be tired even before the mission starts. Can we go back on topic now? This is the assault teams leader and I asked him to gather here today to meet you. A squad will be composed of five members and ten of those squads will be infiltrating the castle. The rest will stay outside of the castle and wait. These ten troops will be named from Alpha to Juliet and each unit will have specific roles. Alpha unit will be composed of five people with high combat ability and theyll be tasked to capture the King and Queen. The rest will provide support and secure the first princess and her husband as well as the third princess. This is the floor plan Ugajin wrote up. Each group leader should memorize this map to ensure that there are no problems. Caam-kun, you will really just be coming along. Ill leave it to your discretion when a Demon Lord should make his appearance in the royal capital but only when a problem occurs I see How wide is the pathway of the escape route from the destination? Any obstacles? Are there any blind spots? What about the patrol patterns of the soldiers? I disregarded what he said for now and began asking questions. Two people can use the escape route at the same time while three people lined up in parallel can fit inside the castle. As for obstacles, there are some here and there, like pots or and pieces of armor lying around. Apart from some of the street corners and behind obstacles, there arent really any blindspots so Ill just say none for the most part. The lamps are placed in regular intervals as well so its well lit. The soldiers dont have any patterns of when the soldiers do their patrols. They just go in pairs and roam around aimlessly. Theyre just doing it randomly Thats not good, is it? Are there any soldiers stationed in front of the targets rooms? Two guards take turns guarding every room. There are also around 15 guards in a room nearby on standby so theyll be able to come quickly if something happens. Since there are six rooms, the corridors are quite wide and there are also good sightlines so you need to be prepared for that Hmm If each room will take one squad to clear out, will the remaining four squads be mobile units and provide support? Thats right? Theres no magic that resembles a transceiver so we need to give everyone their roles from the start While there may be wind magic that can unilaterally transmit a voice, its not as convenient and easy to use as a communication device. Come to think of it, when you gathered people here, you had to explain the situation to them right? Did nobody try to report you guys? There were some of course Aida-san replied to me like it was just a trivial matter. then why does this place still exist? The royal capitals soldiers arent that stupid right? We had Ugajin do some dirty work to deal with that. When one of the heroes tried to snitch on us, Ugajin got rid of them in the audience room using a poisoned needle. After they heard the story from me, if they immediately ask for an audience and say something like, I have a report. The other heroes are, you can guess what theyll say next right? Before that happens, they get injected with a needle covered in hallucinogenic, excitotoxic, and cognitive impairing poison. They would start panicking because of the pain and before they could say any more the poison would take effect then they either get kicked out of the castle or sent to the infirmary As expected of a ninja. You can easily tell what the next words would have been. There are only about three options after all At any rate, I wonder how they got a poison like that. Looking around, it seems like everyone was nodding in agreement. Seems like everyone is on the same page. Well then, lets just assume that they dont know a thing and the leak of information was prevented. Wouldnt there be an uproar when people find out the royals are missing in the morning? Well send them back after interrogating them and having them sign a contract, you know? Of course, well blindfold them before we let them ride the carriage. Then after a few days, well show them that document to prove that the royalty is under our control and well be able to interfere like some kind of puppet government. Its fine. Theres a lot of holes in the plan and its not that well thought out but well have to make it work.3 At the very least, we need to make sure to secure the third princess whos the one doing the summoning for the king. If abduction proves difficult then well have to get rid of her right there and then though Dont say something that terrifying so nonchalantly. For the interrogation, the plan is to conduct it in the basement of a rundown apartment building that well get to using a hidden pathway. Obviously, the caretaker of that apartment will be the first to go after the operation4 I saw him smile a bit after saying that. Dont act like you just did some kind of famous speech. Does everyone agree with the plan? Looking around, it seems like everyone agrees. Wait, wouldnt it be better if I just stayed in that basement? Im sorry but Ive heard from Iwamoto-kun about your fighting capabilities. Its fine if nothing happens and youll still get protected when you get attacked but if a battle happens, Id like to ask you to join in on protecting yourself I dont like where this is going Hmm`, why dont we decide on code names? I recommend school swimsuit Huh!? What are you talking about? Are you running a fever? No, I think thats good I couldnt have picked a better codename Well, most of us here dont know each others names and just say hey when calling each other It comes at the cost of me losing my name though Its fine. Ugajin and I are on the same boat after all Aida-san smiled at me as he said that. Will this strategy really be alright? Well then, youll be monster girl lover5 Thats the codename the guy who named me school swimsuit got. Judging from how he reacted, it doesnt seem like he disliked it. What the hecks wrong with this guy? How are the heroes we have in terms of fighting strength? If its around the level of this countrys knight captains then we can beat them with just one hand. If its the kings personal guards then we can beat even ten of them barehanded without a scratch. Dont know how well fare if faced against a battalion though All of that alone? Yeah I was underestimating the heroes. Thank god Takeru-kun was the one who came to my place. I definitely would have died if any of you came instead Even Takeru-kun couldnt have handled your predecessor alone so youll definitely be able to handle ten imperial guards Huh? Am I really that strong? Are you an idiot? You were already strong the moment it was decided that you were going to be a demon lord! Is the inside of your head a school swimsuit as well!? I guess Im not taking you to that brothel Im sorry. Please forgive me. I wont mess with you anymore Your codenames still school swimsuit though I despaired hearing Aida-san snicker while saying that. Since I couldnt go out until the day of the mission, I passed the time talking about all sorts of things with the other heroes in a rundown house they led me to. Its interesting how different human magic is from the demonkin. I wonder if I would also need to chant if I couldnt use my imagination. There are a lot of things I want to try It certainly is convenient`. Id love to have the flexibility of using magic with everything But its really finicky you know? If you try to imagine a metal, the ore of that metal would come out instead so its not really user-friendly. You can make a sword but itll disappear when your mana runs out so its risky and you cant use it in prolonged fights Despite that, school swimsuit-sans obsidian throwing weapons seem to be top-notch Hed definitely be able to make a gun or something like that if thats the case Thats true. Hes just being stingy Even I would have preferred to be able to use the demonkins magic myself Right6 Id appreciate it if you dont have this passive-aggressive conversation in my face. You keep glancing my way after all. Do they want me to teach them some kind of trump card? Although it might be best to up our fighting capabilities while were still discussing strategies, Id rather not go through such trouble. As I was thinking that, I remembered something so I spoke and brought it up. Ah, based on the castles blueprints, using long weapons wont really work so I want a shield. Could anyone buy one for me? I cant go out after all. Something like a small round shield made entirely of iron with a belt that goes on your forearm for stopping attacks would be good Ah, like this? One of the heroes showed me his shield. Thats right. Like that. I dont know the price but even a cheap one would be good so could you buy me one? Its pretty cheap as long as its not made from mythril. How about this? Ill just give this one to you. There are a few dents so I was planning to buy a new one Is it really okay? Thank you. Ill probably be able to protect myself now even if its an indoor battle With that, I managed to get myself a shield. To be honest, I would have preferred a tower shield but youll have a visibility problem on narrow corridors so this one is more appropriate Would you have liked a riot shield if there was one? Thats right. Like those bulletproof ones. I was a tank when I played games you know? Ah`. Has this become like an fps where the tanks oddly respect each other? Thats right As we had that conversation, someone from behind us spoke up. Im going on the attack! Got it!Got it! Leave the defense to me! RoRoger!7 Enemy submarine spotted! I tried saying that to see how theyd react. Negative!8 Thats what they replied, then one of them started jumping while spinning around in that small room so I stood up and also started doing it. The other shield guy started crawling on the ground as we continued to do these dumb things.9 While we were doing that, another hero who was carrying the food provisions opened the door, was stunned at the scene that was happening then immediately closed it. Wait a minute! This is just some kind of moral-boosting activity! After saying that, he held the doorknob while the person on the other side resisted. Everyone else in the room, including me, joined in to persuade him. We would look nothing but weird if a stranger saw this situation. Im not sure how far the gaming industry has progressed since I died but it seems like they still do similar things from my time.10 CH 100 Chapter 100: The royal capital revelries part 3 TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko Its the day after the strategy meeting, around 3 in the morning. The bustling night was already over but the liveliness of the mornings wasnt here yet. It was almost time for us to start the operation. It had been decided that Ill be going together with the alpha team, with the delta and echo teams as support. They were assigned to abduct the current king and his wife so the teams combat abilities were significantly higher than the others. The Bravo and Foxtrot teams will take care of the first princess and her husband while Charlie and Golf will deal with the third princess. Seems like teams Hotel, India, and Juliet will be free to move while supporting the other teams. I heard it was a hero who was well-versed in military knowledge who came up with the plan. One of those military otakus so to speak. Even if I have some knowledge about that topic, Im not well versed in it so I decided to go to their strategy meeting to listen in. Their explanation was simple and easy to understand. It also seems like they got the leaders of each team to completely memorize the map. I thought I might hinder Alpha team so I told them I would be fine going with another group but they were completely opposed to the idea. It was like they wanted me there no matter what. Will this be alright? I dont mind the codename because I dont have to worry about my name being exposed but I dont think its necessary to be so particular about unit names and who goes where. While the heroes were jumping around the room, one of them asked. Is there a plan B? The others gave a wonderfully synchronized reply. Huh? Of course not Seems like that line is still famous even now. 1 At any rate, it seemed like heroes dressed in black clothes were stationed all over town so they can immediately go to the castle if something happens so Im troubled by this really unorganized situation. The second princess is away since shes being married off to a powerful noble family nearby so theyll keep her in check later. It seems like the king only had female children and he doesnt have concubines or anything like that. They dont require a male child for a successor, only that the firstborn will have the highest succession rights. Well, that doesnt matter to us though. Thats probably why the third princess, who didnt want to marry, kept on summoning heroes to find her groom. Its a troublesome topic but since Iwamoto-kun was allowed to travel it probably means he wasnt favored. I think hes a good-looking young man though Almost fifty heroes with their faces hidden with cloth were quietly moving through the moonless streets of the capital. They had prepared all sorts of quiet lightweight clothing just for this day. They even bought the shortest possible weapons they could use. While on our way moving from building to building, I saw a hero that was covered from head to toe in black armor. He had a large, iron plate-like sword on his back that was longer than he was tall. I think its inspired by that manga so its unfortunate I couldnt talk to him. 2 When we arrived at our destination, Ugajin-san took out several tools then inserted a long and thin one into the keyhole, and slowly turned it to unlock the door. They can even pick locks, huh? Ninjas sure are amazing. While I was thinking that, he raised his hand to give us the signal to stand by while he went inside the building. After about what felt like a minute, he came back out. He must have dealt with the guy we talked about earlier. We all went inside the apartment after that, then Ugajin-san removed the false floor to reveal a hidden staircase that he used to go down. The rest of us followed him down then we started our final preparations in a slightly wider room that was prepared prior to our arrival. I checked the machete and crowbar by my waist then made sure the shield was secured properly on my left arm. Once all preparations were done, Ugajin-san announced the start of the operation in a low voice. With that, the vanguard started jogging down the narrow pathway while everyone else closely followed behind. After a while, we reached a staircase going up but only Ugajin-san went up to check the situation. Once he ascertained that everything was clear, he called us up. I was worried about the light from the fireplace but the lounge doesnt seem to be in use with the cold air circulating around the room. Once everyone was in their positions, Ugajin-san slowly opened the door and checked the surroundings, then the five-man squads left the lounge and silently ran to do their respective tasks. Even if this isnt something you normally do, youll be able to do it if you have high physical ability, huh? While I was thinking that, I followed along with monster girl lover and his group. The lamps were lit but since it was already the middle of the night, the wicks were short. The hallways were dim because of that so it was quite reassuring. When we reached the end of the corridor, everyone paused so Monster girl lover could check over the corner. Since everything was clear, we continued along until we found ourselves in front of a slightly larger door. Beyond this door was a slightly larger space with an even bigger door and it seems like there are always two royal soldiers taking turns standing guard. Because of that, one hero slowly and quietly opened a tiny gap in the door. On his signal, two other heroes who had their crossbows drawn, aimed at the guards and shot them which pierced through their helmets. The moment the arrows were shot, the other three jumped out then caught the defeated guards just before they fell down and quietly laid them on the floor. Seeing that made me feel like I really underestimated the heroes. With that done, Alpha team surrounded the door of the royal couples room while Delta and Echo teams stood by the royal guards station. Just like the breaching units you see in movies or games, one stayed behind the wall and opened the double doors while the rest stormed inside the royal guards room. At the same time, the Alpha team opened the door and rushed into the royal couples room. Even with the commotion next door, the king and queen remained asleep in their bed. There was a door connected to the room next door but it remained closed so the heroes slowly approached the two. Once they were right next to their bed, they put them inside a large jute bag and then tied the string firmly so they wouldnt be able to move. As they were lifting the royal couple, the door leading to the guard station opened causing everyone to be on their guard. They were able to breathe a sigh of relief though upon realizing it was their comrades. After that, everyone excluding me carefully searched the area for anything important like stamps and documents that we could take with us. We didnt have enough time though so they just took a small container that looked like a jewelry box. Before we left, they threw the guards killed with the crossbows into the guards room, cleaned the bloodied marble floor with a short chant of water magic, then balanced some empty armor in front of the royal couples room to make it seem like nothing happened. If youre wondering how they managed to balance those empty armors, I absolutely have no idea. The queen didnt resist being carried but the king was moving around like a worm. We used the same path we came from but some random patrolling soldiers were about to arrive. Because of that, we decided to wait at the corner of the corridor and as they came around, they were stabbed at the gap between their helmets and armor and were killed without any idea what happened. We couldnt just leave them there so they were carried along with all their armor. While we were walking back, I noticed that blood wasnt dripping from the dead soldiers they were carrying. If I had to guess, they probably did something as they stabbed them. Did they cauterize it or something? We didnt have any encounters after that. Once we got back to the lounge, there were three fully armored heroes with large weapons waiting for us there. Theyre probably the rear guard if I had to guess. Those fully armored heroes whispered to us to go ahead while pointing towards the fireplace so it seemed like the other squads were still inside. At any rate, the job of the squad Im with isnt done yet so we went through the fireplace carrying the corpses and the royal couple. Were not the first huh? Monster girl lover whispered when we saw two people with their limbs tied to a chairs armrest and legs. Ill leave this to you As he said that said, the Alpha squad handed the king and queen to the others then Monster girl lover went back saying hell help the rear guard. The two heroes that were entrusted with the captives tied them on a chair the same way as the others. A while later, Charlie team and the others came back bringing a man and woman who were almost completely naked. These are the last pair in the plan, right? While I was thinking that, rear guards came out so we all went back up. Aida-san was waiting for us there while Ugajin-san came a bit later from the direction of the castle. Its good that you were able to gather them here without casualties. Is everything ready? We will be removing the jute bag so please dont be surprised He said that in this worlds common language then the heroes standing behind the seats removed the covering at the same time. When the royalty saw the people in front of them, they were all surprised but so was I. The last one to have their cover removed was a man who looked Asian with half-blonde half-black hair. Is this one a hero? Nobody has a pudding-like head nowadays so dont leave the blonde part of your unkempt hair. Based on the ratio of black hair, hes probably been here less than a year right?3 Yep Why is this guy barely dressed? Ah, I dont need to know I can probably guess based on the current situation Mhmm! Mmmhm mhmm! Mrghhh!4 Well, lets move on. Please remove the cloth covering the kings mouth first The hero behind the king did as Aida-san asked. Are you aware of what you are doing? The king glared at him while saying that to intimidate them. Yes. I know. Im more than aware Then let us go or well have you executed posthaste Oh my. You dont seem to know what kind of situation you are in right now. As expected of a king. You still think youre on top even in this kind of situation, dont you? How dumb can you get? You insolent fool! What is your goal!? Well, I guess I should explain that first. The main things are about you treating the heroes as sacrificial pawns and if theres a method to send us back to our original world. The royal family is responsible for the summoning possible so we gathered you here What foolish thing are you saying Do you really think I would say something like that The king shook his head and acted like he really didnt say that. We have evidence, you know? The person behind you did some scouting behind the scenes after all. It was just before the cycles of seasons restarted I guess. You proclaimed it so loudly that he was able to hear it from the ceiling you know? Tsk! Anyway, how about you start speaking about those two matters You otherworlders quickly increase your strength and learn magic in no time at all. By the time the season changes, youd be at the same level of strength as the knights captain. Since you monsters were suddenly transported to an unfamiliar land with no one to rely on but we who were in front of you, it was not difficult to take advantage of you One hero was about to hit the king but Aida-san raised his hand just before he did so he held back. Then how about the other one? Is there a way to send us back? a method existed during my grandfathers time but the family who could use that magic has already ceased to exist. And there was almost no reason to send you back in the first place After he said that, the atmosphere suddenly became cold, and killing intent filled the room. He probably should have chosen his words better. I have no idea how and why this kind of person is a king. Alright. Lets just give up going back to our world After they said that, the king breathed a small sigh of relief. In that case, we should receive some kind of power. Making a law that favors us who were summoned would be fine right? We were thoroughly used as sacrificial pawns so at least that much is a givenright? What!? If that happens, the competent nobles wouldnt just keep quiet you know!? Then why dont we shut them up with our military forces? We can just control you from behind the scenes, right? How about we have you sign and put your seal on this document? UG, bring them over please Ugajin-san brought over a pen, paper, a seal, and sealing wax. And thats a really simple code name, isnt it? Its just the U and G of Ugajin. Also, was there even a point in us bringing the documents we took earlier? Who would write up a document like that!? Do you realize what would happen to this country if that happens!? If you refuse these conditions were presenting, itll just end up getting worse and worse for you, you know? Well add these documents too And besides, some heroes are way smarter heroes than us. If we work behind the scenes, I can make you a king that everyone reveres you know? After saying that, he presented another piece of paper to the king. More papers could also be seen nearby. Which one is your dominant arm? Well only release that one. Someone bring a table here The kings right hand was released. Once the table arrived, he took that opportunity to pick up the ink bottle and throw it towards Aida-san. Is someone who would do such rash actions really a king? UG, go upstairs and heat the water and oil. Make it as hot as you can. I didnt want to resort to violence but bring all of the tools here as well Ugajin-san quickly moved into action hearing Aida-san, who was dripping with ink, coldly ask that. Wait wait wait, torture isnt a good idea, right? We need to break them but they have to return to the castle without any external injuries Then what method do you have in mind? How about you enlighten us, school swimsuit-san He was really mad that I was stopping them. For now, instead of the king, wouldnt it be better to harass the queen or his daughters instead? If their father doesnt do anything, theyll take matters into their own hands and theyll be more likely to lend us a hand Please elaborate Since I dont condone torture or any of the sort, well be making use of the feather duster I got from the raid earlier. Well strip them until theyre only wearing their underwear then tickle them until their faces are filled with tears, snot, and drool. You wouldnt want your spouse to see such a slovenly appearance, would you? Theres also a chance theyll wet themselves though. Well, if we dont make progress, well be here for a while anyways so that would eventually happen which would lead to the same results. Theyre prideful ladies so I dont think theyll bear such shame. They might end up just asking us to kill the king though that should be fine, right? Well then, I guess well go with that plan. Tear off the women groups clothes and assault them with the feather duster. Touching the genitals is strictly prohibited Hearing that command, the womens expressions stiffened then immediately switched to despair. Please remove the cloth on their mouths as well Papa! Please do what these people ask! Please, dear. Well be humiliated at this rate Ill kill you! These guys are heroes, why dont they submit to me!? Justice, dont just stay there tied up like us, do something! Youre a hero right!? Hearing the third princess say that, all of the heroes burst into laughter. Some were even shaking trying to hold back. Also, its a guy who has a kira kira name huh? Growing up with a name like that and then coming to this world I wonder if this is how he was raised? Looking around, it seems like the other heroes were looking at the pudding head with pity. I wonder if that guys name is written as x5 but read as Justice? Well, it doesnt really matter I guess.6 Please remove the cloth from that heros mouth as well When the gag was removed he immediately snapped. You bastards! Dont mess with me! What did I do!? Ill kill you, bastards! Just try and touch Relus! Ill definitely kill you! Did you think well get scared if you shout? Someone make these two shut up. I guess I should have expected that they wouldnt just stay quiet Hearing that, one of the heroes nearby kicked his chair down then trampled on his face as hard as he could which instantly caused Justice to lose consciousness. Relus kept screaming but since we cant do the same to the royalty, they just forcefully shoved a cloth into her mouth and used another cloth to cover it. After that, they started removing the ladies clothes. Once everything was ready, I started tickling the third princess, the one who was called Relus, with the feather duster. I could hear her muffled laughter as I tickled her neck and chest area. Eventually, she started convulsing and the whites of her eyes showed as tears and snot began to flow. If she wasnt gagged, her drool would probably flow out as well. Still, this sure isnt a good look for her, is it`? Stop! Stop it! Let the children go! Well, I guess well go for your wife then Stop! Dont touch my wife either! We cant lay a hand on your daughters but we also cant lay a hand on your wife. Quite the selfish king we have here, huh? Its fine if we add one more sheet to the documents right? As I said earlier, the longer you dont sign, the worse it becomes for you As Aida-san said that with a cold stare, he took a knife, tore through the queens nightgown, then started tickling her. The queen cried as she laughed loudly but even so, he still didnt stop assaulting her with the feather duster. Her face which wasnt used to so much laughter started spasming and drool started dribbling out of her mouth. Ill let you rest for a while As he said that, he looked towards the first princess whose body was shaking because of fear. No! Stop! Papa, please! Listen to the demands of these people! Aida-san continued to rip off her clothes with a knife then assaulted her with a feather duster until she fainted. With that, we had already gone through all of the women. While that was happening, the king was frantically making a fuss about something. However, I dont think he knew anything about the summoning for his son-in-law so their pleas fell on deaf ears as the king kept rejecting our proposition. Now that youve seen your wife and daughters in such sorry states, is your answer still the same? Did you think I would give in? School swimsuit-san, please pour water over them to wake them up. All of them including the hero I did as told but the water seeped into the remaining thin cloth they were wearing making it translucent and caused all sorts of things to be exposed. I just ignored that though and continued to wake up the four of them. Oh`, almost everything can be seen now that youre wet. Anyway, shall we start round two? Hearing that, the three women squirmed in embarrassment but they were still tickled despite their tears. This time around, their thighs, sides, and the soles of their feet were also tickled. The first princess cried like a child after she had an accident but once all of them had their turn, the queen and her daughters all started glaring at the king. This is all because papa didnt follow their demands sooner! Said the first princess. Well, youre also at fault for not stopping your younger sister from summoning without regard for the consequences though, right? I was the one in charge of Relus and tickled her the same way as others. She groaned and shook her head around but it was a useless struggle. While I was busy with that, the pudding head hero suddenly tore off his bindings and charged at me. You bastard! Ill kill you! As I had expected, a hero was easily able to overpower a simple rope. Since the pudding head was throwing a barrage of punches my way, I firmly held on to my shield with my left hand and caught his left wrist with my right hand, and held on to it tightly. I pushed away both his hands at the same time and when he tried to go for a large swing, I countered it with a shield bash causing him to fall and stop moving. After that, we stopped him from moving by burying him up to his neck. This is why I was tickling her in front of you, pudding head! Do you not know how easy it is to avoid a telephone punch? Were you just living in the castle the entire time since youve been summoned? Mhmm`! MMMMMMMHHH! Chantless casting A demonkin! You bastard! Yes, I got acquainted with these heroes by chance and although I cant do much, I decided to lend them a hand. They said this is to let people know that humans and the demonkin can get along after all. But well, the real reason is that I cant stand how the church is teaching the humans such misinformation. I dont like how theyre declaring that all demonkin are evil even though good ones also exist. Demonkin and humans are living peacefully where Im from, you know? Some demons and humans were even able to find love regardless of their race. Thats why it was heartbreaking to know that on this side, innocent children throw stones at people just because theyre demonkin I didnt want to say it was my territory so I just acted like it was my hometown. Dont be ridiculous! Demonkin are inferior to humans! That mentality is exactly what I dont like. Which part exactly is demonkin inferior to humans? Intelligence? My hometown may be a small village but everyone is given proper education. Everyone knows how to read and write and do calculations. A noble I know is managing their territory with beautiful towns better than what Ive seen here. Are we inferior in terms of strength? I think humans are just average at everything but the demonkin are able to fight while taking advantage of their special traits. Wouldnt it be better if you consider them as specialized beings rather than being all rounders? Elves are good with a bow, the aquatic demonkin excels in naval battles, the harpies are great scouts, and the beastmen have high physical abilities. There are even some like myself who are a bit smarter than others I said that provocatively while tapping my temple. Nuu Now then, although weve only used tickling to punish you, your lives are still in our hands Please think carefully about that. If all of you die here, who would be next in line to rule? I guess it would be the second princess who isnt here. Since she already knew her sister would be next in line, did she even receive that kind of education? What about the man she married? He might get tempted by all that power and suddenly decide to do stupid things you know? Well, I have no idea about the noble factions here so I cant really imagine what would happen then Thats enough! Hmm` I dont know exactly what the dynamic is in this couples relationship but it feels like hes the type who sends people to his wife and have them do whatever she says. Lets get back on track. Relus-san, regarding your repeated summoning until you found a man of your liking because you didnt want to marry an ugly noble There is some kind of magic circle that restricts the use of all kinds of magic, right? I was just prying for information but since her eyes were darting all over the place and she was staying quiet, I probably got it right. Alright, Ill continue. If you had to pick between getting your magic sealed or killing the hero thats lying on the floor here, which one would you choose? I sure do hope youre a kindhearted noble, dont you agree? I gently said that with a smile as I took out the machete on my waist and pointed it at the heros neck. Hmmhhhh`, Mmmhhmm! I dont want to kill Justice-san so could you persuade your father? Ill remove the cloth on your mouth but heads will fall off if you just make noise or talk too much okay? When I said that as gently as I could, she frantically shook her head up and down. Looking at Aida-san, he gave me a nod so I took the cloth off her mouth. Relus cried while frantically pleading to her father but the king didnt budge. I hope your daughter resents you for the rest of your life. You should pray that she doesnt poison your food at least I dug up pudding head with magic then handed him over to another hero. I secretly asked that hero to detain the pudding head, making sure that Relus doesnt hear it. Because of his inaction, Relus started staring daggers at the king. I guess Im still a bit soft since I couldnt kill another Japanese person right then and there. After that, I left the rest of the negotiation to Aida-san while I sat on the chair where pudding head sat before. Aida-san seemed to have changed his methods seeing how I did things so he started getting the rest of the kings family to turn against him. Well then, how does it feel to make an enemy out of your entire family? Wouldnt it be better to just die and hand over the throne to your daughter at this point? I wouldnt be able to stand it if I was in your situation you know? Well, thats also amazing in its own way I guess The king, who was tearfully hanging his head, remained adamant. I just observed the rest but Aida-sans methods were more aggressive compared to mine. He used to play sim games and hes probably knowledgeable since he used to be a teacher so he has way too many cards to use when negotiating. I dont even know how many sheets he has added at this point. Kill me. Its better than being killed by my wife and daughters Those were the words Ive been waiting to hear! Are you a back-alley doctor from somewhere? Well, that one said Thats what I wanted to hear though.7 But youre still useful you see. Make this document official for now then you can continue being king or hand over the throne to your daughter and have her imprison you. Well check up on you again at a later date Hes like the guy from Aibou with how he drives you into a corner. 8 Thats right, make sure your signature is nice and clear. And please make sure the seal is properly pressed down on the sealing wax as well I dont know what was being written but Aida-san had a huge smile on his face. Well then, the morning bell is about to ring so before that happens, cover them with these pieces of cloth, put them in these hemp bags, and throw them out in front of the castle gates. If youre lucky, someone will pick you up and realize its you guys With that said, the heroes started putting them inside the bags. What about Justice! What happened to Justice! The third princess exclaimed. Hes fine. Hes alive but were going to keep him locked up and under supervision After letting her know, she was immediately covered with the bag. Of course, the half-naked ladies were given a cloth to cover themselves and they were all tied up before they were put in the bags and given to someone who was waiting with a carriage upstairs. We can finally take a breather, huh`? Was there even a need for me to be here? You didnt even need proof that I was a demon lord in the first place No no, you were here just in case something happened. Everything went well though so you werent needed in the end. Youll definitely be necessary when persuading people related to the church though can I go home then? Ah`, yeah. Um I apologize for treating you like convenient insurance Its fine. Im going to be quite mad if you do it next time though` Ill send a letter to the store if theres any movement and you can use this place as a transfer point at that time. Well have a few heroes staying in this building so well let them know beforehand. Someone get all of Caam-sans stuff After saying that, Ugajin-san quickly went up the stairs. Got it. Ill set this place as a transfer point so please dont leave any stuff behind here Yes. Thank you for the help today Aida-san sounded somewhat more polite while saying that. Its alright. I dont want to seem like a fool when youre treating me well so I can forgive this much. Ill sever all relations with you if you completely take advantage of me and do not do me any favors though Haha. I want to keep this friendly relationship for as long as possible you know? Me too I was getting a bit awkward so I went up the stairs and brewed some tea that the original owner of the place was drinking to pass some time. Woah, how were they able to use tea leaves this good? Is this the benefit of being in charge of the secret exit? They were probably getting paid well huh? Thats right. Usually, itll be connected to royal catacombs or something but its kinda dangerous with it being here instead I think you didnt notice it since its the middle of the night but this apartment is the closest building to the main gate from the lower class district. Thats why its not as dangerous as it seems. Why else would the escape route lead to the lower-class district? By the way, I was wondering how this place could operate without any tenants so I looked into it and it turns out that I was right on the money Ugajin-san came back and joined in on the conversation as he gave me my rucksack and shovel. Well then, let me know by letter if something happens again Got it Ill come to see the mermaids once in a while do it in moderation since the wrong type of half-man half-fish also exists Hearing that, he was unable to hide the disgusted look on his face. He really detests them, doesnt he? I activated the magic circle and went home to my hometown. I instantly arrived at Beryl. It was already sunrise so I quietly entered our house and started to prepare breakfast for my wives and children as I waited for them to get up.9 Suzuran with her knuckle dusters and Latte who was holding a knife, came to the kitchen probably because they noticed the sounds. Ah, Im home After saying that, the two of them came running to hug me without saying a word. Suzuran hugged me with all her strength. Uwaa, Im glad you survived` Latte cried and said that as she hugged me. I patted their heads and said. Its rare for Suzuran to get up early Latte woke me up because of the sounds. I thought it might be a thief so I quickly grabbed my weapon Suzurans eyes also seemed to be teary. Im sorry for suddenly bringing up that conversation last time Its fine already you know? Caam-kun came back after all Haha, did you think I would die? I was working with heroes who could defeat Demon Lords, you know? Anyway, could you put down that knife already? I felt uneasy since she was holding the knife the entire time she was hugging me. Then, probably because of all the noise we were making, the children also woke up and came to hug me. Welcome home fatherWelcome back papa It was a bit rough for me after all that happened but I think that right now is the happiest that Ive ever been. CH 100.5 Chapter 100.5: Lattes Magic Lesson TL: kizen PR: Filip/Gecko The hustle to prepare for the end of the year festival has begun. The island and the village will both be holding a celebration, but since there are only a few people on the island, the celebration there will only last for two days instead of three. Preparations of both sides were underway, but I had to help butcher the pigs at the werecat old mans place as usual. I wonder why that old man always makes me help out with that. [TL: Lattes pov next] I was already done with the end of the year festival preparations for the day. Since Suzuran-chan and Lily-chan werent around, I went to the back of the ranch I worked at where few people visited. As for Caam-kun, hes back on the island to prepare for the harvest festival there. Alright Miel-kun, I think its about time I teach you our tribes inherent magic. Since papa has already taught you all kinds of magic, I thought Id already start teaching you even though its a bit early Un, Ill do it mama Un un, Im glad my child is growing so fast. I didnt think I would be able to experience this kind of happiness in my life so Im grateful to Celesso-san, Caam-kun, and Suzuran-chan. Good. Even though we succubi are known for our techniques in bed, we also have a way of making someone feel good in their dreams while theyre asleep. However, we wont be learning that today. Instead, I will teach you about illusions and hallucinations, magic that makes things that dont exist seem to exist Even papa and Suzuran mama havent seen it? They havent, so lets do our best so we can surprise papa when you use what weve practiced today Un And so, the image you will use is simple. Just think about the fog that usually appears in the morning after a really humid night. You gather a lot of those fog and form it into the shape you want. Can you understand my explanation? Un. Papa taught me the way to move magic through a string after all As expected of papa! Hes the best`! Alright, lets gather the white hazy fog and form it into a shape. Then, well add a slightly different quality of mana unique to our tribe to show anyone who sees the fog an illusion. Im sure you can do it with your current skill After saying that, I taught Miel the tricks on how to do it. Mama will do it first okay`? I imagined the fog that appears in the mornings and then formed it into the shape of a person. After adding a bit of mana to it, I made it show the form of Caam-kun to Miel. I used to see him every day, hug him every time, and I can even remember how he smells so it should be unmistakable from the real one. Look. Its papa~ Its been a while since Ive used this magic so thankfully I managed to do it well. Its an illusion made of fog so there are limits to what it can do but there are a lot of ways to use it. You can make people lost since it can make trees in the forest and walls in the city that look like the real thing for example or make a real wall look like theres something on the other side as well so anyone who runs into it will just hit the wall. Just keep that in mind. Okay? After saying that, I hugged the Caam-kun that I made with fog causing it to dissipate. I guess you should start with something small at first. How about making your favorite animal, a rabbit? Miel tried it out and after giving him some pointers, he managed to successfully make a rabbit. Mama! I did it! Miel made a rabbit jumping around using the fog. Thats great~. Mama didnt think you would make this much progress in a day you know? Its all thanks to papa, isnt it? Un! Miel gave an energetic reply. Seeing him like this made me realize how true happiness really feels. Several days passed after that and Caam-kun came back so he trained with the children during the day. Lily-chan was first, and as usual, Caam-kun was using any means to win and survive even if his training partner was his own child. Once it was Miels turn, he immediately used Fog Illusion which Caam-kun carefully observed. The fog clumped together and formed into the shape of a tall person wearing a pointed helmet and a leather apron. In both hands, it had large sword-like nata blades. The illusion formed a muscular man that appeared inside the fog. I thought the presentation was good but what is that exactly? I havent seen that heard nor have I heard of it. Also, looking at Caam-kuns expression, it immediately changed into fear. The moment that the man raised his sword over his head, Caam-kun turned and ran towards the forest as fast as he could without looking back. Miel-kun, do you know why papa was that scared? I dont know. It was just the good person Ive heard about from papas story that goes around killing bad people you know? I wonder why he ran away. He said that he only appears when you do a lot of bad things. Papa didnt do a lot of bad things, right? Uh`, I also want to ask that but It looked like he was seriously running away this time. I know Caam-kun isnt the type to be scared of fairy tales but something doesnt add up. Perhaps it has something to do with being born in the same land as the heroes. Crap crap crap. Why is that here? I dont think Miel recognized him but he must be scared right now! Why did that come out!? That thing appeared without manifestation of guilt and desire for punishment so that may not have anything to do with the one I know of. Thats why Ill just have to erase my scent and hide in the forest! It might just have been summoned using magic! In that case, Im the only one in danger so Ill just run as fast as I can! Hey Caam, its nice of you to come and butcher the pigs yourself Werecat old man said something but Ill just ignore it! Ignore it! Same for the werewolf old man! Im running away to the forest! I made some mud to cover myself with. After that, I cut some grass, made it stick to the mud on my body, then went into the tall grass to hide. I need to be absolutely still and erase my presence. Its already getting dark but there are still no signs of that guy showing up. Ill see how it goes for a bit longer. Im starting to get hungry but Ill survive for two weeks as long as I have water so Ill just bear with it for now. In the end, Caam didnt come back. Lets go find him. Ill get Speck before going to the forest. Latte, go ahead Got it. Ill be going I immediately told Suzuran-chan and Lily-chan what happened. They said he would be back by dinner but mornings almost here and he still hasnt returned. Suzuran-chan and I couldnt sleep so we waited for Caam-kun but he didnt return by midnight and we havent heard anything from him at all. Thats why I desperately ran into the forest while calling out Caam-kuns name. After a while, Suzuran-chan arrived together with Speck-kun, Schinken-kun, and Wurst-kun so we all searched for him together. They sneaked out of the end of the year festival preparations so they could help us. Caams scent ends here. I can smell a bit of his scent by that slightly wet soil over there but thats where it ends The footsteps go even further into the forest, dont they? Lets follow it After saying that, the two of them went into the forest while Wurst-kun yelled Caam-kuns name. The grass in this area seems to be unnaturally cut. I wonder what happened I dont know. Maybe it was Caam who did it? What about the footsteps? They end here. There is a lot of tall grass in this area Hearing that conversation, Suzuran-chan had a really worried look on her face. Seeing that, all I could do was pat her back and tell her it will be alright in a cheerful voice. O`i Caam! Come out! Suzuran and Latte-san are worried about you! Wurst-kun kept calling out to him as he went through the tall grass. When we got even deeper into the forest, a voice suddenly replied. Is that triangle helmet guy gone? It was Caam-kuns voice but I didnt know where it came from. His voice was being sent using wind magic. That was just a fog illusion made by Miel! Its the succubus tribes inherent magic! Please come out! As I shouted my pleas, a part of the tall grass in front of me started to grow and a strange being covered in grass came out. Its good if that thing isnt around. Sorry for worrying you guys The clump of grass had the same voice as Caam-kun. Is that you Caam? Ah, yeah. I was focused on running away and was hiding the whole time so I wouldnt get found. If that was just illusion magic then its alright Im really sorry for the inconvenience That appearance is pretty amazing. I couldnt find your footprints at all Cant get your scent too The mud is masking my scent. And if you cover that mud with grass, you would look the same as your surroundings so itll be difficult to spot you at all if you hold your breath I didnt think that was enough to make Caam-kun so desperate to run away. Was it really that scary? While I was thinking that, Suzuran-chan hugged Caam-kun who was still covered in mud and said, I was worried She stayed stuck to him after saying that. I also wanted to hug him but Ill just let Suzuran-chan savor it for today. After a while, Suzuran-chan calmed down and after letting go of Caam-kun, she slapped me. Its rare that she didnt do a close-handed one.1 Then, as I apologized to Caam-kun, his friends were just in their own world. Iya` this really is amazing Cant believe I lost to mud Once we got home, the three of us took a warm bath together. We took a break from the festival preparations that day and the three of us slept together until the evening.