《No Fatigue: 24-jikan Tatakaeru Otoko no Tenseitan》 CH 1 NO FATIGUE The Tale of the Man Who Could Fight for 24 Hours Thank you for taking an interest in NO FATIGUE The Tale of the Man Who Could Fight for 24 Hoursthis time. I thought to write this story by putting importance on the tempo and exhilaration of the story. There may be parts that werent of my full capability, but I hope you continue associating with this story for many chapters to come. For those who think Prologues are tedious, get to the story already! Ive prepared a prologue of NO FATIGUE you can understand in 3 lines in the postscript. Those of you who feel that way, please briefly scroll through and look at the postscript. With that said, please enjoy NO FATIGUE The Tale of the Man Who Could Fight for 24 Hours! T/N: Both the prescript (is that a word?) and postscript are translations of what the author has written. 1. Prologue When I exited the Game Centre, I heard a scream. In front of my eyes, there was man in a black jersey on the opposite street. That man held a knife stained with blood, chased an office worker who was fleeing after being stabbed in the shoulder, and stabbed that fleeing back with the knife. Without being concerned with the office workers screams, the man stabs the office worker another 2, 3 times. The man loses interest in the limp office worker and starts searching for his next prey. What caught his attention was a female high school student who collapsed in shock and couldnt move after watching the violent murder. The man ran towards the female student. The female student tries to run but the man seized her arm before she could stand up. The female student had trouble breathing, seeing the man grinning broadly. Splattered in blood, the man raises his arm overhead. I dashed from the opposite street and clung to that arm. Maybe because it was this situation, I carefully observed the mans appearance with my head completely cool. He was around my age, maybe a little older, but probably in his thirties. He had a slender face covered with stubble, but his bloodshot eyes and inflated nostrils brought about a strange intensity. I tried to pin down the mans arm somehow but the man shook me off and took out a new knife from his belt. Looking at it, the mans belt had various sized knives hanging from it. The man swung his knife and I moved my rucksack to block it, and then used it to ram into the man. However, the man dodged, circumventing my body blow, and used his knife to slash. Blood sprays out from my arm. My consciousness recedes due to the pain and by the time I am aware, a knife was pierced into my stomach. This..! Anger erupted along with the pain. I swing my rucksack around recklessly. I feel the rucksack collide with something hard, and it hits the random slasher-man on the head. Inside the rucksack was a sturdy ArcCon (Arcade controller). I grappled with the man who was groaning with pain, and try to snatch the knife from his hand. Somehow, I almost managed to take the knife from him. It was that moment. The female student, who had sunk down to the floor, suddenly grabbed at the man. Perhaps, she was probably trying to help me, but thats when misfortune struck. .gubu.. A sensation Ive never experienced before transmitted through my arm. The man collapses onto the ground with his eyes open wide while murmuring something. I looked at my own hand in blank amazement. Theres blood. Its a knife. A blood-stained knife was clasped in my hand. ..In other words. DI.. stabbed him? C-criminal discovered! While I was frozen in shock, a pair of police officers appeared from street. The criminal is wearing a black jersey, and is a slender man in his thirtiesD Ive confirmed it! I look down at my torso. I was wearing a black jersey. Moreover, I was certainly in my thirties with a slender build. W-wait a moment! I am.! I reflexively swing my arms in front while calling out to the police officers. But.. H-hes resisting! Y-youre mistaken. Im not the slasher. Then whats that in your hand! When told that, I check my hand. Yeah, this is a knife. And furthermore, it was dyed red with the blood of the criminal I just stabbed. It was hard to deny it with this circumstantial evidence so I became flustered. I was stunned. And then of all things. Hey.. Hey hey hey.. just wait a moment, I am..! Stuttering intensely, I tried to run over to the police officers. Of course, it happened to be while I was still waving the bloody knife in my hand.. Even if I was at the end of my wits, I must admit that I should have been more composed somehow. D-dont come any closer! The police officer warned, holding his gun out. I was enraged, but I also came to my senses after seeing the senior police officers stern expression and the muzzle pointing at me. However. Eep, uwahhh! This time the young police officer panicked. O-oi.. stop it.! The senior police officers restrain was also in vain, and the young police officer pulled the trigger. And it wasnt just once but many times. Bang, bang, bang, the sound reverberated through my abdomen. Together with these final sounds, a scorching heat ran through my chest. My head turned blank from too much shock. And then from the next instant, I lost hope. Within my narrowing field of vision, I saw the senior police officer pin down the young police officer. With that scene as the last, I collapsed onto the ground and lost my vision. T-this is. too much, right. My lungs haemorrhaged after those murmurs. Just like this, my life came to an end. ..Indeed, this is a bit much. Dowa..owa..uaaahh! I feel like I heard a womans voice but I was in no mind for that. I dont know how it became like this, but suddenly the world was at my feet. . Sorry, that was poorly worded. To put it simply, I was in the sky, gazing down at the world from a distance. Look, theres footage that is like looking at the world from an International Space Station, right? It was that kind of feeling, I was floating on a satellite orbit and below me were blue oceans and reddish-brown land covered with clouds, green forests were spread about, that sort of situation. I-I..Im falling..! Calm down. Youre not falling. I realised when I was told. Indeed, I was high in the sky, so high that even air seemed non-existent, but it didnt look like I would fall to the ground. Ah, yeah. Its true. I understood that I was safe for the time being (I didnt know a single thing apart from that though), and I finally had the room to observe my surroundings. First, the woman in front of me. Well, how should I put it, that.. A goddess? An apt description would be the image of Venus from Greek mythology. She was an inconceivable beauty, with a magnificent body moderately covered with a fabric similar to white silk. The difference was that her hair wasnt blond like Venus, but more closer to black. Yes. Thats right. The goddess? said, with an enchanting smile. .yeah, well, I understand somehow. I say while sighing. Oh? About what? In short, youre God and I died in my previous world, and right now theres an unknown planet below me. In that case, this is about reincarnation. I first thought it was Earth, but this planet doesnt seem like Earth. There were huge desert continents at random, red hurricane-like clouds, and islands floating in the sky. No matter how I looked at it, this wasnt Earth. Well, that sums it up generally though. The goddess smiles again and starts to explain. Just like you just said, you have died. Mistaken for the slasher, you were shot by police.. Ah, you dont have to be worried about your honour after your death. The girl you tried to save was there, right? Thanks to that childs testimony, the media reported that you werent a random slasher, you were just a third-party who tried to subdue the slasher. .Thats good. I was just a corpse with no relatives anyway, so it doesnt bother me even if I was treated as the slasher but as expected, I guess it seemed bad. Well, it seems like the police filed charges about you saying you died as the suspect of the murderer who stabbed the slasher though. There was a riot when they said the police shot you by mistake. Serves them right. So I say, but as someone who ended up dying, I also feel like it shouldnt be settled with just a few police executives being sacked. Well, it cant be helped. No, maybe it could have been helped but society is like that. Since I get to live a second time, its best to forget the slasher and the stupid police. Right.. But theres something Id like to say about that. I have some bad news. Bad news? Yes. That slasher has been reincarnated in the world youll be going to. Huh!? More than that, I want you to defeat that slasher. Thats the reason Im offering you a chance to reincarnate this time. Why do I have to do such a thing. That time I was absorbed in rushing out but what was I thinking, leaping at the slasher possessing a knife. Anyway, now that Ive cooled off, I dont want to fight the slasher a second time, nor do I feel up to it. I understand your feelings but Im pressured as well. The aforementioned slasherD hes called Kizaki Tooru, but that man was summoned by a wicked sorcerer working for an evil god, and possessed the body of the baby girl used as a sacrifice and has been reincarnated. Why cant you let the humans of that world deal with him? The rules of this world states that gods cannot interfere with the material world. An exception to that, or rather, an underhanded trick is to reincarnate someone like what Im doing now. If theres a crisis approaching the world or theres interference from another world, in those kind of emergences the gods will attempt to resolve the situation like this by reincarnating a soul they personally choose. Is that guy. that dangerous? Hes not just a petty slasher? That slasher isnt an ordinary slasher. He has received the influence ofMonguenues D the evil god who reincarnated him D and the number of people he has killed in your country exceeds one hundred. O-one hundred!? If thats true, his cutthroat homicide would be at the world record level. ..I did a really good thing. It seems that the slashing homicide was the death ritual dedicated to Monguenues. You managed to stop him, but he just managed to achieve his dearest wish and reincarnated in this world. Tch, so I was too late. In the end, I wasnt rewarded for fighting with my life on the line. No, what you did was not useless. Kizaki Toorus ritual was incomplete because of you. Kizaki did not gain a perfect body due to that and was only able to reincarnate in this world by possessing an infants body. So it wasnt completely in vain. Thanks to that, we have some temporal leeway until Kizaki Tooru grows to adulthood. In that time, you willD Locate and kill him, huh. I gave a small nod. This goddess is unable to personally intervene in the happenings on the surface. Therefore, she was trying to reincarnate me, to somehow do away with the slashing murderer, Kizaki Tooru, who reincarnated in this world through the evil gods schemes. I understand what I have to do. However, Im not a soldier or martial artist or anything. I dont have any combat power though? I liked fighting games, but games and actual combat were completely different things. Ive actually never fought anyone until the fight with that slasher.. Of course, I will grant you power. Although I say that, I am exploiting this reincarnation after all so I cant give you that much power. Hey, hey, isnt the other party a dangerous character who was reincarnated by the evil god? What Im giving you is a Soul Seed, so to speak. If you give it water and fertilizer, and raise it, you will surely acquire the power to oppose the evil gods apostle. And then the goddess continues. You have your mission to do away with that slasher D the apostle of the evil god D somehow, but I dont mind if you live as you wish aside from that. If you make the best of my power, so to speakyes, I believe the [Cheater]s way of life is possible. Cheater. In other words, to play the game with an extreme and advantageous condition omitted by the game system. That was the remuneration for accepting this goddesss request. Considering my death, it certainly wasnt bad. I would like to decline having the slasher as my opponent at all costs, but to challenge him with a distinct cheat is still preferable. ..Well, I guess its not bad. The opportunity to reincarnate in the real world, I probably wont have a second chance if I miss it. . I get it. Originally speaking, the reason I died was also that guys fault. Ill take a chance to the best of my ability. Moreover, although the goddess didnt say explicitly, I didnt have the choice to refuse here after dying in my original world. The goddess cast her eyes down apologetically and said. Thank you. I am the goddess who governs the transmigration of souls,Atrazenec. And this world spread out below, the name of the world you will be traversing from now is Marquekt. The goddess extends her hand to my cheek. An ethereal, soft and dainty finger brushes my cheek gently. While stroking my face like shes confirming something, the goddess speaks. Hmm, I see. I wonder if that skill would be good for you. The skill is a little direct, but it should be perfect for your choice. And thenD I pledge. To bestow my divine protection unto the one who consents to fight the evil god. DSkill conferment No Fatigue Together with the words of the pledge, I felt the goddesss moist lips on my cheek. An unbelievable heat permeates through my body from the goddesss lips. Uu.Gua ..Its soon time to say farewell. The goddess says to me, who was crouched down holding my cheek. Looking at me, my body was gradually becoming transparent. The skill is something that belongs to this world, Marquekt. You, who acquired this skill, have become partly Marquekts. And according to Marquekts rules, gods cannot interfere with those on the surface. We cant keep you in this place. Together with the goddesss words, my body floated gently. No, wrong. This is falling! I fell to Marquekt with an intense force while listening to the goddesss final words. I cant say I granted you this kind of fate but please take care of your life. You were brave for fighting against the slasher but you were also reckless. I dont wish for you to stake your life for the sake of my mission. Use that skill to survive for sure D Kagi Tomonori Prologue of NO FATIGUE you can understand in 3 lines CH 2 And thus I, Kagi Tomonori, reincarnated in another world called Marquekt. Thanks to having an explanation beforehand, I wasnt very surprised when I woke up to find myself surrounded by unfamiliar adults and that my body wouldnt move very well. When I looked at my arm, I saw that the arrangement? resulted in me becoming an infant. At most, my astonishment was revised to Oh, so I really reincarnated! However, I was surprised by another matter. It had to do with the [No Fatigue] skill I received from the goddess. In this world, the first thing I realised was that the adults in the vicinity were my parents and after drinking from my mothers breasts, the day came to an end. My mother (a woman who was still around twenty years of age, judging from the senses of my previous world) tried to rock me to sleep butDDI didnt fall asleep at all. In the beginning I briefly thought it was because I was nocturnal in my previous world, but my current body was a newborn infant. Despite this, I wasnt the least drowsy. I pretended to fall asleep before my mother when she was rocking me at least, but not a hint of drowsiness came, while the moon outside rose high into the sky. While wonder what on earth it was, I vacantly gazed at the moon (it was dark so I couldnt see anything else well enough), when characters suddenly floated in my mind. Luranius (̥): the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt Hogya-!? (Woah!?) was what I intended to say, but my vocal cords were still undeveloped so it turned into babble. Flustered, I fell back onto the bed and look at my sleeping mother but my mother was asleep with her mouth partly open and seemed to be drooling while making a somewhat happy-looking face. Calming down at her face, I calmly reassess the phenomenon from just now. Well, I didnt need to think about it. It was probably an ability from the so-called [Appraisal] system. In my previous life, I often read webnovels to pass the time on my commute to work. I wasnt tired anyway, so I try out the [Appraisal?] I had acquired. Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt From what I can tell, I spent around two hours on this foolish operation. Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side. It increased!!! The information wasnt that helpful but the entry grew with no prior notice. Fu..hua..fuee..fhuaa (Th-then if I continue this) Due to having an infants body, every single action was slovenly, but I realised that this was a good opportunity. And then, Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side.Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side.Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side.Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side.Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side.Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side. I continued to repeatedly use [Appraisal?] with increasing vigour. And then, when the moon was disappearing by the window, Luranius: the moon orbiting the planet Marquekt. Routinely faces Marquekt with the same side. Orbital period is 24 days. Fuoh! (Ooh!) The information increased once again. After the moon was hidden beyond the window, I was unable to use [Appraisal?] because the room was too dark. Moreover, I didnt get tired no matter what. While I was in anguish, the sky brightened. If this was my old world, I would be starting to think there was something wrong with me, but regardless of the surging [Appraisal?] rush and insomnia, I was not excited or sleepy and just maintained a very normal condition. I just had plenty of time to think, so I was able to come up with a realistic hypothesis regarding this situation. Bluntly speaking, the hypothesis was as thus. DDIsnt this because of a skill? The skill that I received from the goddess was called [No Fatigue]. In short, it means I wont get tired. I wont tire, nor will I get drowsy. And my physical condition (probably) wont deteriorate either. Its still the first day so its possible that I might feel sleepy at some point, but there are no signs of drowsiness at present. Not getting sleepy was obvious, but the fact that I dont feel worn out after the barrage from [Appraisal?] after so many hours, or even lose interest, was also abnormal. Even in my past life, I would forget the time when practicing combos for a fighting game, but theres no way I wouldnt get worn out after continuing for so many hours without rest. I dare say, this wont tire, wont get tired of result is probably part of this skills effects as well. To sum it all up, the [No Fatigue] skills effects were: not tiring, not getting tired of, and not feeling tired. Its only just a hypothesis, but I think I can consider it as that. Now then, how do I view this skill? I suppose there are also people who would think, is that all? Indeed, compared to easily understood skills such as having an increased learning speed for martial arts or magic, or being able to appraise everything in society, or having a radar-like, mental map depicting the movements of people in a fixed range, this [No Fatigue] skill was how should I put it, rather subdued. But if it think very carefully, there might be huge potential sleeping behind this skill. Id like to think so. Take sports for example. Even a professional athlete, no, all the more for a professional athlete, they must condition themselves and get plenty of rest when they are tired. And when training the basics, the repetitive practice may steadily wear out their spirit. Fundamentally, even weight training and stretching are repetitive exercises filled with pain. But with this [No Fatigue], they wont tire so rest is unnecessary, they wont tire of it so they can steadily continue basic training all day long, and they wont feel tired so they can designate 24 hours each day as practice time in its entirety. Or perhaps for fighting games. I could give many examples, but combo practice is a given. For instance, practicing an anti-air attack against opponents who flew, or practicing the transition for a two-sided or mid-low guard, or practicing an ultra-hit combo. Its exceedingly straightforward but if it is possible then one can seriously continue practicing as much as they like, for as long as time allows. Certainly, the fact that great effort is needed doesnt change, but for that endeavour to be easily doneDD no, it probably wont be at that level. Its possible to become a practically superhuman practice machine. There might also be people asking You want to be like that?, but I hoped that this delusion of expansive potential wouldnt cease and that this abnormality of mine, who treated the discipline-like repetitive practice as a solace in my daily life, would be such a wonderful ability. Fuefuabi fuama.. Waiaho~! (Goddess-sama, thank you!) I shout out from the bottom of my heartDDthough it was in a baby voice. CH 3 From that day, the endless days of training started. First was [Appraisal?]. I tried using [Appraisal?] on myself from the outset. Edgar Chrebl (٥): Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. First of all, I learnt that the Level System and Skill System exists in this world. I also learnt that I have three elder brothers on top of that. I also learnt that skills have levels as well. Or rather, this is the first time I knew my name. However, Fuanfua, winfuia. (Its kinda.. hard to read.) The information display wasnt good. Couldnt I do something with the layout somehow? I thought, as I used [Appraisal] (it was cleared up, so I removed the ?) once again. Edgar Chrebl (Viscount Chrebls fourth son) Level 1 HP 4/4 MP 6/6 Skills [No Fatigue] [Instant Interpreter] [Appraisal] 3 So I can do it if I try! Well, the matter of which display layout is better depends on the situation though. Many questions came to mind after seeing my own status, but I was still an infant anyway. Since its fine to gradually learn the language and general knowledge of this world, what I can do now is, [Appraisal][Appraisal][Appraisal][Appraisal][Appraisal] Edgar Chrebl: Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. Edgar Chrebl: Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. Edgar Chrebl: Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. Edgar Chrebl: Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. Edgar Chrebl: Viscount Chrebls fourth son. Level: 1, HP: 4/4, MP: 6/6. Skills: [No Fatigue], [Appraisal] 3. Well, its to raise the level of [Appraisal] of course. And thus, the few days after my birth were somehow spent repeatedly using [Appraisal] behind my mothers back, who was looking after me. Thanks to that, my [Appraisal] rose to level 9 four days after my birth, and it appeared to have reached the limit. Incidentally, when I look at my status with [Appraisal] at level 9, it looks like this. The important thing was, helpful information was also displayed Edgar Chrebl (Viscount Chrebls fourth son| Noble of Santamana Kingdom) Level 1 HP4/4(HP: the abstract conversion of ones life force into a numerical value. Current value/Maximum value. 10 is the standard value for an average level 1 male adult. It is rare for someone to die when HP remains, or to live despite having 0 HP, but it is possible. The maximum value can temporarily decrease due to injury, illness, or fatigue.) MP6/6(MP: the abstract conversion of ones magical capacity into a numerical value. Current value/Maximum value. 10 is the standard value for an average level 1 male adult. One will faint when their MP reaches 0.) Skills ? Mythical class (An unparalleled skill that can be first acquired through difficult methods such as conferment from a god or reconstructed from legend.) [No Fatigue] -being released from all physical and mental fatigue. [Instant Interpretation] -ability to understand Marquekts primary language and communicate ones intentions, while insufficient. Only valid for speech. Effective: Until 3 years old. Can consciously switch ON/OFF. ? Legendary class (A rare skill whose extremely rare acquisition path may be opened through diligent practice) [Appraisal] 9 (MAX)ability to decipher the information contained in the items of this world by utilizing ones refined judgement. [Database] -ability to consult information previously acquired with [Appraisal]. Searching via keywords is also possible. Gained from [Appraisal] reaching the upper limit. Age0 (6 Months 3 Days 21 Hours 03 Minutes 19 Seconds) Relations FatherAlfred Chrebl39 Years OldViscount | Santamana Kingdom Third Army Commander |Castle Destroyer MotherJulia20 Years OldMistress| Former Adventurer (A Rank) | Magic User | Flame Prison Witch Step-brothersBelhart19 Years OldViscount | Santamana Kingdom Imperial Knight |Young Falcon Chester17 Years OldAdventurer (B Rank) |No Second Shot David16 Years OldSantamana Kingdom Royal Librarians Assistant|Wonder Child (The blessing of the goddess who governs the transmigration of souls, Atrazenec. Accelerates the souls growth. Releases all skill acquisition conditions. Small compensation for the skills learning | growth.) [Database] was acquired after [Appraisal] reached the cap. My only targets of [Appraisal] have been myself and the moon so Im not sure, but it will probably be a very helpful skill in the future. [Instant Interpretation] is probably the reason I have been hearing things in Japanese despite this being a different world. The effective duration is 3 years. In other words, I must learn the language before I turn 3. If I dont turn it off and practice the language now, while it still isnt urgent or needed, Ill be troubled in the future. I also confirmed that the had rather cheat-like specifications. Didnt Goddess-sama say she couldnt give me anything big? This wasnt because she overwrote the original baby infants character or something, right? Well, that goddess probably wouldnt do such cruel things. Id like to think that I just didnt awaken the memories of my previous life until I had been developing for 6 months. Apart from this, I was able to see the particulars of the Chrebl viscount household and the family members personal information, but the information I hoped for wasnt there so I had to give up. But didnt our family excel a bit too much? Every single member seemed to possess a nickname. Even my mother, Julia, seemed to have been a spirited adventurer. Flame Prison Witch. It was an incredible nickname, unexpected of her ordinary appearance. I was still unacquainted with my father Alfred. Since he appears to be part of the military, he may have gone to war. And this person has a somewhat grim sounding nickname. With his Castle Destroyer nickname, it seems possible for him to receive a slightly higher peerage though. But then again, I dont know the conditions for receiving a reward in Santamana Kingdom? so that may just be the way it is. Be as it may, there are a few issues. Like a 39 year old having a 20 year old wife (as a second wife at that), among other things. Its truly outrageous! With this status quo, I dont feel like getting along with this father of mine! In my past life, I didnt have a lover even at 30. From [Appraisal]s results, I could see that my three elder brothers were also quite remarkable as well. Because it called him an imperial knight, Belhart must be an elite among elites, to be protecting the royal family. As for Chester, from the impression given by in the webnovels, reaching B Rank adventurer at 17 years old is also should also be really great. Being called a librarian assistant gave off an apprentice-like image, but considering his age and that the place of employment was the royal library, David might differ from the elder brothers above him and have outstanding scholastic talent. By the way, the initials of us siblings are, in order from the eldest C B, C, D, E (Belhart, Chester, David, Edgar) respectively, so if I get confused then I can just refer to our initials! Ah, Im guessing A is for Father (Alfred). Huh? Why does the alphabet appear in this world? Dont ask me that, ask the Goddess. To be accurate, it has letters that are different, but look similar to the alphabet. Back to the topic, the Chrebl viscount household are nobles of the country, possessing a small territory in the area Or so it was supposed to be, but it seems as though it is greatly flourishing, with my father as chief and my elder brothers each prospering in their own fields. I wonder if I will slowly learn about these matters? Be that as it may, Im not that concerned about these household matters. Whats occupying my interest at the moment is, S-K-I-L-L-S! But in three days, I have already reached the counter stop for the [Appraisal] skill I could easily use indoors. Theres not much that I can do as an infant who cant even crawl well enough yet. If this was a webnovel about reincarnation, I wouuld utilise [Appraisal]s MP consumption to exhaust my MP, and then earnestly increase my maximum MP with the MP overcompensation, but this [Appraisal] skill doesnt consume MP for some reason. Even though its called a skill, it seems it isnt magic, but a pure technique that tempers my discerning eye to see through the targets information. At present, I dont really know how statuses like the one from before are being displayed. What I can say is, it doesnt use MP so its probably not at the level of magic. By the way, the display language is in Japanese. Therefore, what I think I want to obtain the most right now is a method to consume MP. In short, its fine even if its something simple, I just want to use magic!. As there is MP, it should be certain that this world has magic. But how does someone learn magic in this world? Reading books? Having a mentor? Attending a magic academy? Or is it an innate talent? Hmm, I dont know. Rather than that, Ive never seen magic before that. I should try starting from there first. DDBecause theres a perfect role model nearby. CH 4 Fuahofu! Fuahofu! (Magic! Magic!) Ah, there there. Is it perhaps time to change your diaper? Hyaho! Myahyofu!(Magic! Magic!) Maybe you want breastfeeding? Hihya, hohehoiihedo, fuafuou! (Well thats also good but, Magic!) What am I doing, you ask? Naturally, Im asking Julia-kaasan to teach me magic. Sadly, it seems my mother cant understand my words very well. Of course, it would be stranger if she could understand me, since Im asking to be taught magic when I cant even speak properly yet. Well, more than that, I dont know how magic is used, but if magic needs an incantation, then I would probably need to understand the language of this world. And even if I can acquire it by reading books, I will still need to be able to read the letters at the very least. [Instant Interpretation] is only usable for interpreting and not for translating, so it looks like I cant use it to translate the content of books. Well, even if it was possible, it would still be limited to 3 years. No matter what, its necessary to study the letters. Alright! Lets learn words first. With that decided, Ill quickly.. How should I go about doing it? Needless to say, the current me is a newborn infant, and it might be a little early to get someone to read to me at this stage, even in Japan. Hang on? When I fell prostrate, there was something at my feet. It lay underneath the cheek of Julia-kaasan, who seemed to be making a happy sleeping face. With drool dripping onto it, I could see what looked like a book. Moving excitedly on the bed, I approach the book? Sure enough, it really was a book. I take care so as to not disturb my mothers sleep while I try to extract the book from under her. But this is heavy. Its a bulky book that seems to have at least a thousand pages. The cover is leather, and the insides are paper. It seems Marquekt has papermaking technology. If there was only parchment then it would be difficult to even secure notepaper for writing down the letters. Ah, thats right, [Appraisal]. Rare bookAbaddon Magic Compilation: An encyclopedia of magic written by Gweg Abaddon(å?Хɥ), a magic scholar from the 10th century. It is well known for its tenaciously elaborate depictions and accurate descriptions, but is currently out of print, and is only possessed by several large-scale libraries. Ive hit the jackpot! Full of anticipation, I turn the cover of the Abaddon Magic Compilation with a trembling hand. ThereD Fun, Fuaa, Fuafuah hehaone (Yeah, well, I already knew though.) The page was completely covered in mysterious letters that I couldnt read. And furthermore, it was packed with small print arranged in three columns. This.. wouldnt this be difficult even if I could understand the words? And, Hm? Huh, Edgar-kun? Perhaps it was due to my wretched rummaging around, but my mother woke up. I dont know why, but she called me Edgar-kun, adding -kun to my name. Oh my, were you reading the book? Aii~ I didnt actually read it, and couldnt even read, but I replied adorably for the time being. That book is difficult, you see. If you read it at night when you cant sleep, youll be able to sleep all of a sudden. Is that really alright, Flame Prison Witch? There are picture books more suited for you, Edgar-kun, so lets look at those, okay~ !!! Saying that, Julia-kaasan tries to take theAbaddon Magic Compilation away from me. Ah~daa~! I frantically cling to the Abaddon Magic Compilation. As if Im going to let this chance get away! Geez. Didnt I say it was difficult? Well, in that case, how about I read a little bit for you? My mother says, thinking I would understand if she read it. When she sees me babbling happily in response, she says, what a strange kid, as she sits on a chair beside the bed and spread the Abaddon Magic Compilation before me, who was on the bed. Lets see, alright. Then, lets read the [Water] entry. The Abaddon Magic Compilation is an encyclopedia, so the records are itemised. In regards to the study of magic, water refers to the possible series of events (matter | phenomenon) caused by interference from the magic letter (Aqua). However, it must be kept in mind that what it is comprised of deviates from our everyday impressions. For example, it is possible to manipulate human blood using , but not mercury, as it is part of the magic letter representing earth (Gaia)s scope of interference instead. The clouds drifting in the sky may appear to be within the jurisdiction of the magic letter of Wind (Wind)at first glance, but the ones who reported a success in interference are limited to those who utilised . It appears that this matter is easy to understand for those who have climbed a high mountain. Because part of these mountains, their summits, reach a point surpassing the clouds, mountain climbers will penetrate the clouds en route. In that situation, mountain climbers will pass through chilly and moist air as if they were walking through fog, and their whole body will be subject to a vast quantity of water. In other words, clouds are formed from water. As you can see, the study of magic is not only the cultivation of magic, but the comprehension of all things in nature as well. Incidentally, there exist reports of success within the reports concerning the manipulation of clouds in which the magic letter of wind ˡ was used. However, this is no more than scattering clouds by way of wind, and is a completely different phenomenon to altering the shape of clouds by manipulating its base form of water. The young magic scholars of the present have a tendency to rush towards achievement and shirk on straightforward verification work, but theory which doesnt pass through verification is no more than the mere delusions of those people, and by all rights, is presumptuous to call those sort of people scholars. Umm, is that enough? She seemed to have read to me because I had been earnestly listening, but indeed, this was a somewhat considerably tiresome book. The passion of the author, who incorporated all the information that he personally knew, was amazing but it was hard to understand the logic behind including even the finest details, and above all, it would make one sleepy if they read it. I felt that the base form of clouds was a natural matter, as my past life was of a modern Japanese person. The end part also seemed somewhat silly too. I can also understand Julia-kaasan using it for sleeping. However, I thought that it was unexpectedly good. I dont know the common sense of this world at any rate. This encyclopedia which even insistently and persistently includes the obvious things, might be a mountain of treasure if one can ignore the boredom at least. ButI really couldnt read it. The letters in the book were comprised of a combination of approximately 20 character varieties indistinguishable from the alphabet, Greek characters, and Cyrillic characters, so the language concept was probably fundamentally similar to European languages. Even so, there were things I understood at once. It was the letters for magic. Water is (Aqua), Earth is (Gaia), and Wind is (Wind). Here, (pi), (omega), and (lambda) were scattered about, although more accurately, they were unknown symbols that were similar to them. As for the reading, I listened carefully to Julia-kaasans words and that was how they were pronounced. My mother points to the corresponding section with her finger as she reads aloud, so at least I was able to pick up the important parts one way or another. However, I didnt understand the other parts at all, seeing them for the first time. Auau~ One more time! I yell out, hitting the passage just now with the palm of my hand. Eh~? You want me to read it once more? Julia-kaasan appeared blatantly troubled, but she answered to my request and read the same passage once again. This time Ill switch my [Instant Interpretation] to OFF, and pick up the raw sounds. Woah, I seriously cant understand. #$%󡭡 (Aqua) (Gaia) (Wind) I move my mouth, mumbling along in my lisp, as I attempt to imitate my mothers words. And when she finished, another encore. While crying and clinging to the book, I had Julia-kaasan read around a dozen times. I was still unsatisfied but as one would expect, my mother who didnt have [No Fatigue] had on a fed up expression. Casting a sidelong glance at my mother, I frantically continued reproducing the sounds I listened to just now, in my mind. I wouldnt be able to learn an unfamiliar language by having it repeated ten times with the brains of my past life, but maybe it was thanks to the absorbing powers of an infant, or perhaps [No fatigue] preventing me from tiring mentally, I was able to remember the words to the extent of following them. Of course, I would immediately forget them with just that, so I continued to memorise nothing but the water entry in the Abaddon Magic Compilation for half a day afterwards. It was harsh repetitive work like the ascetic practices of a cult religion from somewhere in my previous life, but thanks to [No Fatigue], I was able to continue nonstop without tiring or losing interest. Mother left the Abaddon Magic Compilation by the bedside, so I recited the water entry in a mutter while following the books sentences with my eyes. While doing that, I could somehow understand the sentence rules. I was able to infer the meaning of the numerous words in the Water entry, and I was able to decipher the spelling conventions corresponding to the sounds. Fortunately, it seemed the spellings generally represented the sounds as they were, and I was also able to grasp the conventions which separated the consonants and vowels. They were unfamiliar characters, so I compared them to the alphabet of my former world and successively memorised the corresponding relationships (It would be useful if I could write them down in a notebook or something, but there wasnt anything like that in this room). I would decipher them when it was bright and would do nothing but repeatedly reciting them from memory at night, sorting them inside my head so that I would be able to recall them even at random times. And then, while working on the correlation of this alphabet, I realised something interesting. The magic letters , , and frequently appear in the spelling of other words. Furthermore, it seems these represent vowels. The correspondence chart I made looks like this. ? = a ? = o ? = u And this language (Marquektese?) only has 4 vowels (they have composite vowels that combine vowels, such as C au, ou). In other words, the final vowel remaining, ?= i (e) This vowel should be the magic letter for Fire. I dont know the pronunciation, but it should probably be something like Fire, Flame, or Flare. I read it as Boku for the time being though. Well, I was excited when I reached this inference. I AM A GENIUS! I felt like there was a banner with such, hanging above my head. And, while keeping this symbol () in my mind, I traced it with my finger on my blanket. I continued writing With the concentration powers of [No Fatigue] on full throttle, that was. And thenDD It resulted in a small fire. CH 5 I clearly remember the events that transpired in that instant. The moment I wrote , the letter that should not have been visible shone with light, and I felt something come out of my fingertip. In the next instant, there was ignition. It was a lighter-sized flame, but I had written the character on my blanket. It caught fire in the blink of an eye. Fuafueeeeeee! (Craaaaaaaap!) I cried out in a flustered voice, hoping some adults would come running. Im just an infant. Im unable to even run away by myself. Before long, I could hear the sound of footsteps within the estate. However, the fire was still spreading. Then, I suddenly realise. ! Akua! Akua! (Aqua)! I shout, picturing in my headС, the magic symbol for water that was introduced in theAbaddon Magic Compilation. Among the magic symbols, I was barely able to pronounce with my infant vocal chords at least. Be that as it may, I was taking a gamble and only shouted out, without writing the symbol. However, it was successful. With a splash, a cupful of water was produced from my fingertip and extinguished a portion of the flames that had spread on the bed. Because the flames had spread, it wasnt enough to extinguish everything. (I can do it!) ! I recklessly called out the magic symbol repeatedly. Splash, Splash, Splash. I dispense water around the bed, and the flames that spread vanished, leaving behind black burn marks. Then, the door of my room opened. Edgar-kun, whats wrong!? ..Kyaa! Julia-kaasan barged in, and was surprised at the devastating spectacle on my bed. At this time, I use magic as added insurance. ,DDau..!? As I heard my mothers shriek, I lost consciousness for the first time, on the fourth day of my reincarnation. When I opened my eyes, my mothers worried-looking face came at me. Judging from the scene outside the window, not much time had passed. I was scolded amply by Julia-kaasan. I feel like theres no point in scolding a 0 year old baby, but I suppose she had been that concerned. Mother constantly supervised me after that. It might be a justified reaction as a parent, but I was very troubled. When my mother is here, I cant use magic. It appears that Mother is also an excellent magic user, and will immediately sense it when I try to use magic. I thought I could somehow get away with the inconspicuous windDD (wind), but it was thwarted before I could invoke it, as if she perceived signs of my magic invocation. In regards to this thwarting, when I carefully observed my mother, she seemed to write a ?-like character on her own thigh to match my invocation of magic. In that case, I thought to first show signs of using , solicit my mothers ?, and then try writing my own ? in that instant. But, it failed. Mothers ? only erased my and my ? targeting Mothers ? was not invoked. I wrack my brains. I see, I had pictured ? but didnt picture its effects. In other words, whats necessary for the invocation of magic is to clearly picture the magic symbol and its effects. With that conclusion, I once again displayed the action of invoking and induced my mothers ?. Then, I also invoked ?. This time I pictured both the symbol and effect. The imagined effect was, for the time being, the concept of erasure. And so, in regards to what happened: My ? was also safely invoked, negating my mothers ?. My mother opens her eyes widely. And then, my that my mother tried to negate was invoked without obstruction, and a soft gust of wind blew in the room. The ? (erase) just then Edgar-kun? I giggle in response to Julia-kaasan, who was making a grim face. To think you would learn magic not even a year after your birth. Its dangerous so stopbut even if I say that, you probably dont understand. Mother exits the room while muttering, how troubling. I feel like I did something a little bad, but its favourable for me now. First, Ill start with [Appraisal]. From now on, I will cut out unnecessary information. Edgar Chrebl Level 1 HP 4/4 MP 5/7 Skills ? Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ? Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] 1 ? General [Fire Magic] 1 [Water Magic] 1 [Wind Magic] 1 [Mana Manipulation] 1 [Simultaneous Invocation] 1 Hmm. The status displayed each kind of attribute magic skill, not the magic symbol. In any case, it looks like I safely acquired the skills, which is good. Besides that, the issue is MP. Firstly, the fact that my maximum value has risen. This was still easy to understand. It was because during the small fire incident just before, my MP was exhausted and I fainted. It was probably the case of my maximum MP increasing after the MP was used up, as with the arrangement in the reincarnation webnovels. Yeah, its good news. However, the incomprehensible part was my current MP. 5. I wonder why it has become this sketchy value. Lets think chronologically. Firstly my MP became 0 due to the small fire incident. This was evident from my fainting. It was even specified in the helpful information about MP, One will faint when their MP reaches 0. After that, MP recovered during the short fainting spellI suppose. In that case, I should have fainted when I tried to discreetly cast magic in front of my mother. The magic invocation was thwarted by Mothers ? but I did sense the consumption of mana itself, so my MP should have decreased as well. From what I could grasp with that thinking, the current MP should be 3. The first try: was thwarted, -1. The second try: was thwarted again in the same manner, -1. ? failed, 0. For the third try, the ? that negated mothers ? was -1, the invoked after that was -1, making it -2 in total. That is to say, the total MP consumed after I woke up becomes 4. And so, with 7 C 4, my current MP becomes 3. That would be the natural concept. However, my current MP is 5. Whilst puzzled, I perform [Appraisal] one more time. Edgar Chrebl Level 1 HP 4/4 MP 7/7 Skills ? Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ? Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] 1 ? General [Fire Magic] 1 [Water Magic] 1 [Wind Magic] 1 [Mana Manipulation] 1 [Simultaneous Invocation] 1 Huh? My MP has recovered. In other words, the MP in this world is something like the Stamina in certain hunting games and recovers through the passing of time? Or, is the wont tire mentally characteristic of [No Fatigue] involved somehow? In that case, the mystery of the deficient current MP from before is solved. In short, its something like this: ?First negated, -1 ?Second negated, -1. ? failed, 0 ?At this time, MP recovers <- NEW! ?Third invoked, -1. ? invoked, -1 (Total -2) ?Consequently, 7 C 2 = 5 Incidentally, ?I had been contemplating the appraisal result ?During this time, MP recovers ?MP is 7 upon reappraisal It needs verification but in the end, my MP recovers to the maximum value a short time after using magic. Julia-kaasan returns, after I have analysed up to this point. I cant do anything about what youve learned already, but ordinary magic is dangerous, okay~ Saying that, she places a cardboard box-sized wooden crate down in front of me. Inside the wooden crate were toy building blocks. My mother picks up one of the building blocks from inside, on top of which she writes some kind of symbol with her finger. It was a ?-like symbol. The symbol disappears suddenly without even glowing and in the next instant, the building block floats up from my mothers palm. Aua! (Wow!) I unintentionally give a cheer. Mother retrieved a card-like thing from her pocket, and handed it over to me. On the card was the ? from just now written in a large font. When I turn it over, written down were the Marquekt letters read as Physik, according to my mental interaction chart. This is ? (physik). It might be complicated if I start talking about the details, but I suppose its fine to think of it as telekinesis, maybe? but even if I say that, you probably dont understand. Mother puts several building blocks in front of me. I immediately crawl towards them and write ? on a building block with my finger. Gently, the building block floated. Uwah, it really succeeded. Is Edgar-kun a genius by any chance? Julia-kaasan chuckles in happiness. A little pleased, I cast ? on the building blocks in front of me, one by one. A total of six building blocks floated in the air. When I looked at mother as if asking, Howzat? Mother stared in wonder again. Y-you can do simultaneous invocation? W-well you did use ? on my ? while invoking just thenthis is, I better consult with that person too. Casting a sidelong glance at my mumbling mother, I release the ? on the building blocks, and again etch ? on the building blocks fallen on my bed. This time I was careful, so I realised that the MP recovery started about ten seconds after I released them. During the small fire, I used in a flash, so there was no time to recover. Ah, Edgar-kun, if you use magic in succession too much, youll faint again? Mum says worriedly. As I expected, this recovery seems abnormal. In that case, its reasonable to think of it as an effect of [No Fatigue]. It might be better if I dont continuously invoke magic in front of my mother. DDAnyhow, with this, I discovered the next repetitive operation after [No Fatigue]. CH 6 A week passed since I learned magic. The repetition works Im currently doing are the following two: First: I use up my MP all the way to 0 and with that raise the maximum MP value. Second: I make the building blocks float with ?. Of course multiple ones at the same time. When releasing, instead of releasing it normally, I use ?. In other words, Im leveling ? and ?. The other magics, partly because Julia-kaasan said so, Im leaving until later for now. I dont think it would be found out at night, but mom was also worried about misfires. Im still just a baby, so if some accident happens I perhaps wouldnt able to deal with it myself. I think I will start with them when Im at least big enough to run away when something happens. Besides work, Im progressing with the deciphering of Abaddon Magic Compilation, which I got from mom by throwing a tantrum. Its a process where I ask mom to read an entry a few times, which I earnestly try to memorize and then compare it with the written words. Its a mentally tiresome work, which I wouldve stopped before long in my previous life, but thanks to the [No Fatigue] skill I dont get bored or tired. Thanks to the correspondence table, only reading the writing is no problem, and as the result of comparing it with the memorized words, my vocabulary is also steadily increasing. I would really like to have a trustworthy dictionary, but since the six months old me spends his entire day in a crib, I couldnt even explore the insides of the mansion yet. From the window of this child room, a fairly spacious C more than a modern Japanese person could hope for C garden can be seen. If the building is also comparatively sized, then maybe there is something like a study or a library room. Its a different topic, but the day after I used magic in front of mother Julia, an exclusive maid was assigned to me. Julia-kaasan brought over three maids in turns, checked my affinity with them, then assigned one of them to me. She is a girl in about her mid-teens, has a childish face and big breasts. ..Of course, during the above-mentioned affinity check, its needless to say that I did my utmost to indicate that this girl is the best. Her name is Stephanie, and according to the conversation between her and Julia-kaasan, she appears to be a daughter of an influential person within our domain. Waiting for a moment when Julia-kaasan wasnt present, I covertly used [Appraisal] on her, and Stephanie: Village girl. Age: 16. Level 1, HP: 8/8, MP: 7/7. Skills: None Mhm. Ordinary. Is the only impression I have currently. I thought there would be skills like housework and such, but it doesnt seem to be the case. Maybe the skills in this world are only those that are related to combat. I want to use [Appraisal] on Julia-kaasan too, but I feared that she may notice, so I didnt try it yet. But I know that [Appraisal] isnt magic, so if I wait and use it when shes asleep it should be alright. Julia Chrebl (Wife of Viscount ChreblFlame Prison Witch) Level 47 HP 79/79 MP 253/253 Skills ?Master classSkills unlocked by diligent training. [Fire Element Magic] 4 [Mana Control] 4 ?General [Fire Magic] 7 [Water Magic] 3 [Wind Magic] 3 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 3 [Telekinesis Magic] 2 [Mana Manipulation] 5 [Mana Perception] 6 [Simultaneous Invocation] 3 ..isnt she, helluva amazing? Having that many skills is also probably amazing (there are even Master class skills), but since I dont have a point of reference for this world Ill just leave it for now. What I find most amazing of all is the HP and MP. At a quick glance, those numbers look like they belong to a magician from a generic RPG. Perhaps the HP feels a bit like with those numbers it would be somewhat troublesome to take on a boss from the second half of the game with. But, remember. [Appraisal]. HP: the abstract conversion of ones life force into a numerical value. Current value/Maximum value. 10 is the standard value for an average level 1 male adult. It is rare for someone to die when HP remains, or to live despite having 0 HP, but it is possible. The maximum value can temporarily decrease due to injury, illness, or fatigue. Particularly important is this: 10 is the standard value for an average level 1 male adult. In other words, Julia-kaasans 79 HP means that she has nearly 8 times the amount than an average Level 1 adult male. In this world, I dont really know what the Level 1 adult male is like, but seeing how Steph (Stephanie) is Level 1 at 16 years old, it probably means that common people that arent soldiers or adventurers are mostly all Level 1. Take for example the reason I ended up reincarnating on Marquekt, the slasher. The office worker he stabbed from the previous world should have approximately the same status as a Level 1 adult male in this world. By that criteria, that should mean that even if Julia-kaasan were to be stabbed by a slasher a few times it wouldnt become a fatal wound. Is that really possible? Moreover, her HP is already very high, but Julia-kaasans real worth should be in her MP. 253. According to [Appraisal]s Help, 10 is the standard value for an average level 1 male adult., so that means that Julia-kaasans MP(amount of mana) is more than 25 times the average persons. Considering that the MP consumption of the simplest configuration magic using letters (like or ) is 1, it probably means the she has quite an abundant amount of mana. Of course, the possibility that in the outside world there are plenty of mom-class adventurers is not nil. And as an extra, here is my status. Edgar Chrebl Level 1 HP 4/4 MP 77/77 Skills ?Mythical class ?Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C ?Master class [Physical Magic] 1 [Mana Control] 1 [Letterless Invocation] 1 ?General [Fire Magic] 1 [Water Magic] 1 [Wind Magic] 1 [Earth Magic] 1 [Light Magic] 1 [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) Yes, I reached Counter Stop with [Telekinesis Magic], [Mana Manipulation], and [Simultaneous Invocation]! Their respective Counter Stop bonuses were [Physical Magic], [Mana Control], and [Letterless Invocation]. [Physical Magic] uses ? just like [Telekinesis Magic], but its effect and power are greatly augmented, it seems. Its okay to think of it like the [Telekinesis Magic] version of Julia-kaasans [Fire Element Magic]. [Mana Control] uses ? just like [Mana Manipulation], and its the upward compatible version of [Mana Manipulation]. It matches with mom. Mom didnt reach Counter Stop with [Mana Manipulation], so there should be other ways to learn it. As for [Letterless Invocation], the process of invocation for magic requires at least one of the writing of a magic letter or the pronouncing the magic letter action, but [Letterless Invocation] allows the user to omit both of them. But leaving aside [Physical Magic] and [Mana Control], [Letterless Invocation] is definitely nasty. Whats nasty about it is, well of course when Im using it its very convenient, but if some vile people were to learn it, they could freely execute surprise attacks and feints to their hearts content. Even mom, who has a nickname, has the [Simultaneous Invocation] at 3, so there shouldnt too many people with it, but I mustnt forget about it. On the request of the Goddess, I have to do something about the slasher that reincarnated in this world. The other side has the Evil God with him it seems, so most likely he has cheat-like powers just like mine. Moreover, he is also a reincarnated person, so there is no way [Simultaneous Invocation] wouldnt catch his eye, and so there is a chance he would also get its Counter Stop bonus [Letterless Invocation]. No, its nearly certain he will get it. I have to assume that. Certainly, I have [No Fatigue]. If our starting points are the same, the other side shouldnt have [Letterless Invocation] yet, but its probably only a matter of time. Just like how Julia-kaasan obtained [Mana Control] without reaching the Counter Stop in [Mana Manipulation], there could be other ways of acquiring it. That being said, there are limits to what a 6-month-old baby can do. For the time being raising the levels of the 3 new Master class skills and expanding the maximum MP should be alright. Thanks to [No Fatigue] my MP recovers fairly fast, but even so the significance of the maximum MP doesnt go away. In the Abaddon Magic Compilation book, which Ive memorized almost a third of by now, there are descriptions of large-scale spells that consume huge amounts of mana. Also, there are situations where using spells one after another without rest is needed. If in dire situations one cant use a spell because their maximum MP is too low, or they used up all their MP because there wasnt any time to rest, it really affects the chances for survival. Its a drawback that whenever I use up all my MP I get assaulted by splitting headaches, but getting over that with guts, I make sure to exhaust my MP at least 10 times a day. Fortunately, thanks to [No Fatigue] it seems I wake up after a few minutes anyway. In this way, I spent all my days training 24 hours a day, without sleep, without rest, until DD DDJulia! Im home! With a more youthful voice than expected, the one that leapt into my room was, DDAlfred Chrebl. The man that is my dad in this life. CH 7 Father came bursting in just as I was drinking from Julia-kaasans breasts. Somehow it felt as though a husband had finished work earlier than planned and was returning to where his wife was having an affair, but if you think about it, theres nothing to be guilty of. DDAl-kun! Julia-kaasans face suddenly brightens, and she turns around to her husband. That was not to say that she was making a completely submissive face, but it gave the impression of a pet that had awaited its owners return home. Or rather, this person even attaches kun to her husbands name. It seems Sonora-to (Υ`) finally calmed down as well, so I took a little holiday and came back. I didnt know what Sonora-to refered to, but there was something more important. This person, was 39 years old right? I can only see him as a handsome guy with long, silky blond hair in his mid-twenties. Lets use [Appraisal] once again. Thanks to the newly acquired [Mana Control], I can now cast [Appraisal] without Julia-kaasan noticing. Alfred Chrebl (Viscount | Santamana Kingdom Third Army Commander |Castle Destroyer) Age 39 Half Elf Level 39 HP 91/91 MP 79/79 Skills ? Master class [Leadership] 4 [Spearmanship] 4 ? General [Command] 7 [Sword Skills] 5 [Bow Skills] 3 [Spear Skills] 9 (MAX) [Unarmed Combat Skills] 3 [Dagger Skills] 1 [Horse Riding Skills] 5 [Water Magic] 3 [Wind Magic] 4 [Earth Magic] 4 Half-elf!? Now that you mention it, the tip of his ear tapers a little. And that might also be why he appears younger than his actual age. My mother, Steph and I are clearly human, so was the race not appearing in the [Appraisals] so far because I didnt have the idea of investigating our races from the start? And I was harbouring doubts about my fathers youthful appearance when I used [Appraisal] this time so this information appeared I guess. In other words, I shouldnt believe that information can be obtained as long I use [Appraisal] mindlessly. Yeah, I learned a good thing. Putting that aside, it seems my fathers status is quite something. He has over 9 times as much HP as a level 1 adult male. And his MP isnt at the level of ordinary people either. It is 2 higher than mine. In regards to the spear, the general skill [Spear Skills] has reached the counter stop, and hes even acquired the master class higher tier skill [Spearmanship]. He seems to be poor at magic for a half-elf, but Im using Julia-kaasan as a reference so this might still be within their capacity. Even in the Abaddon Magic Compilation, it is written that elves have a large mana pool by nature and are also proficient in using magic. What concerns me more are the [Command] and [Leadership] skills, the Santamana Kingdom Third Army Commander title, and the Castle Destroyer nickname. I already knew about the latter two from the [Appraisal] results on myself. I thought for sure that he would be a more soldier-like, proud-looking middle-aged man with a good physique, but the real Alfred-tousan is a man of delicate features and appears younger than his real age, just like an elf. Theres no out-of-place feeling even when he stands alongside the child-faced Julia-kaasan. They appear to be a well-matched young couple. Although this handsome elf is apparently the elite Santamana Kingdom Third Army Commander, I cant imagine it at all. However, the level of his [Command] is high, though it hasnt reached the counter stop, and he even possesses the master class higher tier skill [Leadership]. Furthermore, [Leadership]s level is also raised to a decent level. In other words, he has been working in a field that requires [Command] and [Leadership] for a considerable length of time. Lets use [Appraisal] on [Command] and [Leadership]. [Command] : A skill for commanding a low to mid-scale unit. Provides an offset when commanding a group with Skill Level 20 people. [Leadership] : A skill for commanding troops over a thousand. Provides an offset when commanding a group with Skill Level 1000 people. In short, Father can receive a skill correction when commanding/leading an army with a maximum of 4000 people. He could probably lead a slightly larger group somehow if he isnt counting on the skill correction. Assuming there are around 4000 people in the Third Army, Santamana Kingdom has 3 divisions and thus 12,000 soldiers employed at the least. That in itself seems like a large kingdom. Now then, it seems to be the first meeting for the other side as well, and Dad takes me from Julia-kaasan, who has finished breastfeeding, and nervously embraces me in his arms. Wahh. There, there, its Papa. Im sorry for not coming to see you for so long. Seeing that I wasnt afraid, Alfred-papa throws me high up in excitement. But for me, who was an adult inside, being thrown up high was somewhat scary. This I wont be able to enjoy it because Im not an infant who doesnt know that it will hurt if I fall. This weightless feeling when I separate from Papas arms, and the OMG feeling at the moment when my rising changes to sinking, it was sort of like a rollercoaster ride. W-waaah. I ended up letting out a stiff cry. My apologies, Papa. Im not a cute child. A while after our first meeting, Father seemed to recall something. Come to think of it, I received a letter saying that he could use magic but you were joking, right? As expected, his reaction was like that. Julia-kaasan pouts in rebuttal. Its true. Even I wouldnt write such a joke to my husband at the frontlines. B-but, hasnt only 6 months passed? Even David, who was the earliest, was 5 years old. And that too caused quite an uproar. Ed cant even talk yet. Papa had a point. Or rather, apparently David-niisan (B, C, D, so hes the third brother) used magic at age 5. Is he a genius? However, at this rate Julia-kaasan might be doubted. Perhaps I should make my debut? Babu! Crying out, I attract the attention of the two. And then, writing ? in the air, I elevate one of the building blocks on the bed. My skill level had raised so this much was within the scope of effects. The building block gently floats up into the air. Adding just a little force, it bumps into the forehead of Alfred-tousan, who was watching dumbfoundedly. Ow! You! Its because you were doubting Edgar-kun. Even so, he really can use it Dad went beyond surprise and into bafflement. DDI was actually quite hesitant about whether I should show my abilities or hide them from my parents. I suppose this is the point where plans diverge even in reincarnation webnovels? I also wavered, but in the end I decided to show them to some extent. Naturally, the reason was because I wanted to be able to learn with my parents authorisation instead of practicing magic in secret. I mastered [Telekinesis Magic] as such, but the essential attribute magic is still unmanageable. It might be difficult while my body is small but even so, I want to master it someday. At that time, it would be difficult to practice while hiding it from my parents with this infant body. Besides, Julia-kaasan is a mage with a nickname, and Alfred-tousan is a half elf. Their temperament was gentle, and I could tell that they really loved children even without them doing anything. DDThese two people wont become a drawback for me. Today, I held that belief so I decided to let them know about me possessing a special power, though I I did moderate it to some extent. Now then, since that was what I decided, its time to let them witness it. I again wrote a few ? in the air, raising the other building blocks scattered on the bed into the air. 12 in all. Although I didnt use [Letterless Invocation], using [Telekinesis Magic] and the level 4 [Simultaneous Invocation] was a befitting feat. Oh!? While still in the arms of my surprised Papa, I extend my stubby arms towards the sky with my palms facing towards the ceiling and wave them about. Moving together with those actions (to be accurate, its made to move), the building blocks whirl around in the air in turn, drawing a large arc and returning to the top of my palm on the opposite hand. Thats right, I was juggling with [Telekinesis Magic]. S-, [Simultaneous Invocation]!? T-the precision of [Telekinesis Magic] is also extraordinary. Both husband and wife gave a good reaction. In that case, Ill add a little more. While continuing to juggle the building blocks, I smack the returning blocks with my left hand while repelling them with an emphasis Of course, its repelled with [Telekinesis Magic]. Just like that, I cause the building blocks flying in the juggling wheel to be suspended in a suitable place in the air. The same number as I was juggling C in other words, I repeated it for a total of 12 times. As a result, there are now 12 building blocks hanging in midair. This is a horse? Babu. (Correct.) Alfred-tousan saw through it correctly. That was, the horse depicted with the building blocks. For each of the legs, I combined two long and narrow building blocks, and gave it an impression of running in plains. Casting a backwards glance at the two who were so surprised that their jaws almost dropped, I shift the building blocks to form a different picture. I-is this a flower by any chance? Babu. This is.. a castle? Babu. Ive got it! Its a doggy? Babu. A steeple, maybe? Bubu` The correct answer was Tokyo Tower. Now then, the real questions start here. Wearing a pointed hat, a person carrying a broom-like rod. Hm, is this a mage? Babu! Thats good. It was understood. I suppose the mages in this world also wear pointy hats. Then, the next one. A cone-shape protrudes from the mages hand. Is he using magic perhaps? Babu! Mama got it right. With this, Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousan are tied in points. This final question is worth the most points! DDI move the cone from the mages hand to my own palm. You want to use magic! DDBingo! I want to award this well-coordinated pair with a couples trip to Hawaii. If I manage to deal with the slasher somehow, Ill think about it too. CH 8 Are you going already? Julia-kaasan said dejectedly. It cant be helped. The neighbouring Sonorato is still rowdy at the moment. According to Alfred-tousan, the internal strife between influential lords in the neighbouring country Sonorato is slowly coming to an end with a ceasefire, but the embers are still smouldering, so the Third Area Army is still in a semi war-ready stance watching the borders of Sonorato. In such a situation, Alfred-tousan managed to ask for the impossible and get a leave of absence after 7 months. Its length is 2 weeks. That feels long to a modern Japanese person, but it seems the distance on foot between this mansion and the Ranzrack Fortress, where dad is stationed, takes about 1 week to cover. By having the [Horse Riding] skill, dad managed to come back in 5 days by changing horses, but even if he returns with the same pace, just traveling would take up 10 days. Therefore, out of the two-week leave of absence, the number of days he can freely use is essentially 4, or if you take one off as a backup for traveling, then barely even 3. Even with things being as calm as they are, there is no telling what will happen. Normally something like the commander leaving the fortress shouldnt even happen, even temporarily. Thanks to my subordinates telling me We will make time for you to at least take a look at your childs face no matter what I managed to come home somehow, but I cant stay for long. I really need to return to the fortress. Return to the fortress.huhh.. Mom muttered wistfully. Hey, Mr. Dad, isnt that a taboo word? I draw a ?(Physik) and poke the head of the old man with a building block. Ouch! Hey, dont hit people with building blocks! Baabu While being carried by dad, I glance at Julia-kaasan. With that glance, it seems dad noticed what I wanted to say. ..heh? Me? Dad tightly hugged Julia-kaasan, who tilted her in confusion. ..hey, dont squeeze me in between. A child is sensitive to their parents feelings, they say. Dont make mom sad is probably what Ed wanted to say. Being my son, he is quite. no, much too sharp! After giving me snappy retort, dad starts to think hard about something. .alright! Fortunately, battles are currently scarce. Lets take you to the fortress this time. Eeh? Really? Well, as a father, being reprimanded by a baby like that. Ed, do you want to visit dads workplace? Baabu! So my first outing was decided to be a trip with both parents to the Ranzrack Fortress. Its a one week journey to Ranzrack Fortress. If its only dad, he could go faster it seems, but this time, in addition to Julia-kaasan, the barely six months old me is also here, so this became a trip where we ride the carriage in a gentle pace, so that we will arrive on the exact day when dads leave of absence ends. (By the way, my private maid, Steph, is house-sitting.) But, even with such a high level, was it alright for a commanding officer to ride home alone? I started having such concerns, but it seems that while riding home, dad had town and village guards escort him alternatingly, and the plan was to rendezvous with the escorts from the fortress on the way back. That means dad really did many unreasonable things to able to get home. Maybe I did a bad thing somehow. I was also interested in the towns and villages on the way, but since dad hurried forward, we only stayed for lodging in every town and village, and there was no extra time to look around. There should be more flexibility with time on the way back from the fortress, so if I ask mom, we should be able to have a short look around a town. On the way to the fortress, I decided to focus on expanding my maximum MP. Since we were traveling with a carriage I couldnt just move any way I liked, even if I wanted to raise my magic levels, it was a situation where it was physically difficult to do so. Also, I was able to get a promise from mom during the unveiling party that she will teach me magic, but only after we return from the trip. However, there are problems with expanding my MP. The biggest one is, that since both my parents are always with me, if I use up all my MP and faint, it would most likely become a small commotion. Regarding that, I thought of a way of deceiving my parents and use magic sneakily by keeping my eyes closed, keeping my mana from leaking out with [Mana Control], and omitting the letter writing movements with [Letterless Invocation]. If I keep my eyes closed, even if I faint, no one can tell by looking. The problem was what kind of magic should I use, but I got an excellent idea about that one too. Having my butt hurt by the shaking of the carriage, I suddenly thought of using [Physical Magic] on myself. fuwari, only a little, but my body was floating. Fortunately, on the way to the fortress, I could endlessly repeat the chain of keep using [Physical Magic] on my body, then faint when my MP runs out, without tiring. My MP has grown quite high, so I thought that it would become difficult to use up, but Ive found out that the Master class magic skills eat up at least 10 MP. Furthermore, by activating [Mana Control], [Letterless Invocation] and [Physical Magic] in parallel, I can use up 30 MP at once. Knowing that, its simple. I kept steadily increasing my MP, by continuously (not counting the time for meals and when my parents started talking to me) executing the infinite loop where I use up all my mp C which took a few seconds at first, then a few minutes after -, then faint for about 5 minutes, then start using up my MP once again. DDThose gratifying times continued on for 1 week (168 hours). And then at last, the day of arrival to the Ranzrack Fortress, which was Alfred-tousans workplace and the base of the Third Area Army of Santamana Kingdom, has finally come. CH 9 Woah, how big! Julia-kaasan said, looking up at the fortress outer wall. Yeah, because this fortress is a strategic position even along the border with Sonora-to. It was made to be solid so that we can hole up if necessary. Even at the lowest position, the ramparts are 10.5 metres tall. Our carriage crosses the fortress drawbridge as we listen to Alfred-tousans explanation. Aigyaa. I lean out the carriage window and point my finger at the approximately 5-metre wide moat below the drawbridge. Ed really is clever. Thats right, that moat is also an important defence. Soldiers arent able to cling to the walls, and it prevents them from getting close with a battering ram as well. As long as we raise the drawbridge, the only way to capture this fort is to fill in this moat. Dad, who was saying that the quantity of water in the moat was a scheme as well, was just like a papa who invited his child for a workplace field trip. This fortress can accommodate 5000 military personnel at the most. But even so, thats only at the utmost maximum, and there are approximately 1500 people now. Combined with the 2000 stationed in the city beyond, theres a total of 3500 people under my leadership. Saying that, Father puffs out his chest in pride. To be entrusted with so many soldiers at age 39 is probably an amazing thing. However, the military force he is able to command with his level 4 [Leadership] is 4000 so its a little short. [Appraisal] seems to be quite a rare skill, so they might have no choice but to approximate through experience, saying it should be fine if its this much. As we were listening to Dads explanation, the carriage crossed the drawbridge, and entered inside the ramparts. The carriage stopped in front of the large building at the core. Several knights in armour came running out from the rustic building, giving the impression that it was Truly a fortress! Welcome back, Commander-sama! Mn, I appreciate your efforts. Dad raised his hand casually, smiling cheerfully. There were no outstanding abnormalities in regards to Sonora-tos national border during Commander-samas leave of absence. It was very peaceful! Thats good. Dad replied smilingly, looking up at the fortress building. What about the other forts, any abnormalities? No! Or so I would like to say, but Hm, whats the matter? Count Grusha(륷`) requested for 1000 soldiers to be sent to Zakholtz (åۥ) fortress in the north, but that was this morning. Zakholtz? Why? According to the information weve received, the mercenary group entered our country through the north road, with the intention of pillaging, after having been involved in resolving the internal strife within Sonora-to and losing their field of operations. The did I understand, lets round up some soldiers. Is that alright? I believe sending a thousand soldiers will weaken our defences here though. It cant be helped. The is a gathering of ruffians with the intent of pillaging, but their skills as a mercenary group is high. If Zakholtz makes a mistake by some chance, the suffering that the town and villages behind that will go through Fortunately, the defences of this fortress are quite solid. Even with the remaining 500 soldiers, there should be no problem if its only for a short while. From the city behind thats right, order half of the thousand soldiers to be sent from there. Understood. In that case, I will begin organising the troops in haste! Yeah, Ill leave it to you. The knight in armour executed a sharp salute, and then advanced towards the building. I received a deep impression of Dads commanding manner, which he had thoroughly mastered. His expression was kind and polite, but Dad grasped the situation quickly, immediately made a decision, and gave out clear instructions. Suddenly struck with this thought, I look at Julia-kaasan. Ahh, the working Al-kun is also lovely! She said, as she was writhering about. In her arms, I sometimes felt as though I might slip out, so I used [Physics magic] while maintaining my posture so as to not be exposed. After that, many other armoured knights turned up to seek instructions from Dad but he listened to the reports seriously and considered them, then issued instructions all without without losing his smile. As one would expect after being away for two weeks, the reports were incessant. Dad called a secretary and ordered them to guide Mum and I to the living quarters inside the fortress. In the living quarters we were guided to, Mum and I finally were able to relax comfortably. Isnt Daddy amazing~? Edgar-kun, you should watch Daddys working figure closely too, okay? Babu! Later when the sun descended, Dad showed up after he finished sending the reinforcement troops out to the other fortress, and borrowing the fortress parlour, we had dinner. It was only a simple meal because we were in the fortress, but Mum continued to gaze at Dad and ate as if it was really delicious. Having been breastfed before the meal, I only watched, but even inside this rustic fortress, us parents and child sitting in harmony was a good thing. Dad also said, Im glad I brought you guys, and pat my head. The day at the fortress passed just like that. Mum and I stayed a night at the fortress, planning to depart the next morning. However, the next morning. As we were making preparations to return home despite being loathe to part with Dad, a pale-faced knight in armour came barging in. What has happened? Dads face had relaxed completely after exchanging kisses with Mum, but it became tense in an instant. DDI-its the enemy! What? DDA group that appears to be a mercenary group is heading here from the direction of Sonora-to in preparation for war! They number two thousand at the least! From the looks of the raised bannerDD its the ! Dad raised his head to the sky. CH 10 Dad was befuddled only for a short time. For a baby, its quite scary when his father is anxious, so it felt much longer than that. When dad once again came to his senses, a firm determination was showing on his face. DDWe will defend the fortress! Hurry with the withdrawal of military personnel who are outside of the fortress! When the withdrawal is done raise the drawbridge! Y-Yes! The knights hurried off after saluting. Dad asked the secretary, who helped with the preparations for our return, to call for an emergency assembly for all the commissioned officers within the fortress. Julia, Ed. Sorry, but you cant go home for a while anymore. It cant be helped~. .but will it be okay? Mom is probably worried about the number of forces within the fortress. The reinforcement forces to the Zakholtz Fortress already set out at night yesterday. Their numbers were a thousand. In fact, two-thirds of the original forces are currently away from the fortress. Dad shouldve already sent an order for the town behind the fortress to dispatch soldiers, but it will most likely take a few more days for that unit to reach the Ranzrack Fortress from the town. In other words, dad will have to defend the fortress with only 500 soldiers against, according to the reports, a more than 2000 strong mercenary group, the . is a mercenary group that is notorious for pillaging as they wish, but since they are powerful, apparently people cant help but use them. Of course abandoning the fortress and moving back the defensive line to the town is something they cant do. They cant allow to have free reign over the towns and villages behind Ranzrack Fortress (the towns and villages we traveled through on the way here). According to my offhand knowledge from my previous life, the defending side in a siege has the overwhelming advantage and it takes about 3 to 5 times the number of soldiers to mount an assault. This time, the difference between war potentials are 500 to 2000, so 4 times more. However, taking into account that consists of elites, it may even exceed 5 times. We can expect the reinforcements from the town in the back, and we will also contact the unit headed for Zakholtz Fortress to return, but in any case, it will most likely take a few days for them to arrive. Cant be called an encouraging situation by any stretch. Sorry.. I got you involved in this. Dad said this to mom and lowered his head. Julia-kaasan silently approached dad who behaved in such a way, then grabbed his shoulder and made him raise his head. Mou, what are you saying, Al-kun! Im happy that I could be here today. Im tired of just waiting around while Al-kun is fighting somewhere. I much prefer fighting together to that. Julia. Dad shows a surprised expression. To tell you the truth, if the times where Al-kun is at the fortress all the time and Im home all time continued on for much longer. I was thinking of leaving the house together with Edgar-kun. Wha-..! Dad was at a loss for words. Damn, I was at a loss for words. To think that mom, who loves dad from the bottom of her heart and looks happy just by looking at his face, was thinking something like that. Disregarding dad (and me) whose mouths were opening and closing like a goldfishs, she continued. But Edgar-kun made me realize. I was unhappy with Al-kun not being able to come home at all. But I didnt try to properly convey that to Al-kun. Thinking its his work, it cant be helped, I always endured. Al-kun didnt realize it. No, Im not blaming you. I didnt say anything, so its only natural. However, Edgar-kun conveyed it to me. That if I dont say it properly you wont know. That I have to say Im sad, please dont neglect me. That dad wont notice otherwise. As a fellow man, I find it natural that dad didnt notice it. Having 3500 people under his command and a country in a civil war on the other side of his fortress. With that, its no wonder there wasnt any time to ponder about family matters. Even then he forcefully took a leave of absence and rushed to see me by changing horses on the way, to criticize him above all that is too harsh. It was thanks to my bystanders point of view that I was able to notice Julia-kaasans sadness. Im a newborn baby and I barely have any connection with people besides mom. I cant take care of myself on my own, so I have to rely on mom. In a situation like that, its a matter of course to become sensitive to mothers feelings. So DD Al-kun. Please let me be by your side. Please let me fight by your side. Please let me defend your back. Because I also can fight. No good, esteemed daddy is not breathing at all. I sneakily use [Physical Magic] and bump a small stone from under dads feet into his shin. ..n. Julia.. After rebooting, dad grabbed both of moms shoulders with a serious expression. DDIm sorry for everything thus far. I was always too busy with my work, I didnt even think about your feelings. I will correct this from now on. Im an imperfect husband, but please dont leave me even in the future, and fight together with me DD standing right beside me. Al-kun.. Julia.. Being entirely within their own world, moms and dads faces slowly neared each otherDD DDkhhm ! ! Due to the sudden cough the two of them jumped a bit. Ive noticed it already quite a while ago, but now the two of them were fully surrounded at some distance by the knights of the fortress. Well, just a short while ago an assembly order was sent out. No wonder they gathered. Commander-dono, its good and all that you have a good relationship with your wife, but shouldnt we hold a war council soon? Among them the oldest knight, who was around 50 years old and had mustache spoke as such. Ah, aah, well.. After being flustered for a bit, dad cleared his throat. Mn. Right, lets start the war council. Yes. But first a few words from myself. What? When dad asked back, the mustached knight turned towards the other knights, Our Commander-dono excels in virtue, in resourcefulness, in spearmanship, and on top of that as saw it just now he is an exceptionally devoted husband! Such a wonderful Commander-dono and his family, can we allow them to be slain by petty hooligans like the ? The answer is absolutely not! Knight gentlemen! Lets show those hooligans the visage of a Knight of this Kingdom! OoooooooooooooooooooooooDD! The fierce shouts of the knights shook even the sturdy looking walls of the fortress. And more than that, my eardrums, and my soul trembled. A simple number disadvantage feels like not such a big deal anymore. The mercenary group showed themselves on the horizon right after the preparations for the siege were completed. The time was mid-day. Wearing matching black armors and helmets, the broke up into a headquarters and two other groups, then slowly but surely started encircling the Ranzrack Fortress. Just by looking at those movements it was apparent that the boasted of a higher expertise than a normal mercenary group. Me, mom and dad are standing on top of the fortress walls watching the state of the s headquarters. About the matter of bringing me to a battlefield there were of course people who brought it up, but Because the safest place is by my side. Since Julia-kaasan casually declared it like that, I was attached to moms back. Im not a child that cries at random, was apparently one of the reasons for that. Julia-kaasan is a former A class adventurer and has the nickname of Flame Prison Witch. Also serving as a review, lets use [Appraise] on her once more. Julia Cherbl (Wife of Viscount CherblFlame Prison Witch) 20 years old Level 47 HP 79/79 MP 253/253 Skills ?Master class (Skills unlocked by diligent training.) [Fire Element Magic] 4 [Mana Control] 4 ?General [Fire Magic] 7 [Water Magic] 3 [Wind Magic] 3 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 3 [Telekinesis Magic] 2 Yeah, its amazing no matter how many times I see it. For comparison I try to [Appraise] one of the knight running around on the fortress walls. Thomas Pieper (Knight | Santamana Third Area Army | 23rd Platoon Captain) 24 years old Level 19 HP 35/35 MP 11/11 Skills ?General [Sword Skills] 5 [Spear Skills] 3 [Horse Riding Skills] 4 [Water Magic] 1 Its really unfavorable when compared to mom, but even with this, he belongs to the more skilled group among the knights around here. Even the skills, there are not many here that have a skill level above 5. Also, while being a platoon captain, he doesnt even have the [Command] skill yet. So I cant say that moms I will fight beside you was a figure of speech. Or rather, its absolutely not a figure of speech, 100% serious, should be taken just as it says on the box. Concerning that, Julia-kaasan declared her resolve as such. DD Im a bit seriously angry now. Trying to take the fortress that Al-kun is defending, its like they are making fun of Al-kun. I will absolutely not forgive that. That black dog, or whatever its called, mercenary group.. I will not let a single one of them escape. TheFlame Prison Witchhas completely snapped. Its scary, try to be in the shoes of someone on your back! While I was being scared of mother, there was movement within the . They didnt ask for surrender or declare war at all. With the same ease as they pillaged towns and villages on the battlefield, they started to shoot their bows at the fortress from the other side of the moat. Taking into consideration the paper thin possibility that they were trying to gain protection because of a lack of food there were no attacks from the fortress, but since they started it first there should be no problem. Arrows and spells were released from the fortress, but by that time the mercenaries fell back to the rear, so not much damage was dealt. There are no casualties on our side yet either. That wait-and-see state continued on for a while, but they finally got impatient, or maybe grasped the extent of our forces, and the mercenary group started assaulting the fortress with all their detached forces at the same time from every direction. Wielding an about 10-meter long ladder, the mercenaries rushed towards the moat under a rain of arrows and spells, and tried to put it to the fortress wall. The width of the moat is 5 meter and the height of the wall is 10 meter, so if they try to place it diagonally the length wont be enough. They apparently had a strategy of overcoming that shortcoming by bridging the moat, but the fortress side wouldnt let it simply happen and shot down the mercenaries with arrows and destroyed the bridge with magic. The unlucky mercenaries got hit in the face with an arrow and tumbled towards the fortress wall or the hard ground, the lucky ones got shot in the shoulder or arm and dived into the moat. Just as dad boasted, the water level in the moat is perfectly set, so that once someone falls in, its very hard to get out without help from outside. Oil was poured by the knights of the fortress to places where mercenaries gathered in the moat, then burned those who couldnt move out of the way. In addition to the smell of blood, now the nasty smell of burnt flesh was also enveloping the battlefield. To a modern Japanese person, this scene should be something horrible to look at. But for some reason, I didnt find it that unbearable. Perhaps the mental fatigue is also negated by the [No Fatigue] skill. In turn, one can say that its such a mentally scarring sight that the [No Fatigue] skill has to activate. Its not something that should even remotely be allowed to be seen by a half-year-old child, but even if they look kind, they are still a soldier and a former adventurer. On the top of the fortress wall, Julia-kaasan is shooting her strong suit [Fire Magic] under the orders of dad. DD(Converge)?(Flame) ,Flame Lance! A bright beam of light flashed, and two mercenaries who tried to grab onto the fortress wall have been skewered. The flame lance continued right on until it impacted the ground, then it exploded, covering a few mercenaries in flames. Its a two letter invocation technique that is described in the Abaddon Magic Compilation, but only that doesnt make it this powerful. I think Julia-kaasan uses her Master class skill [Flame Element Magic] to greatly increase her two letter invocations power. Its become clear that the mercenaries do falter in the face of moms magic. But, as expected of mercenaries who lived through many battles, they signaled the nearby archers, who then focused their shots on mom. Mom, who is not the least bit inferior in experience, calmly took cover behind the wall, but at this rate, she wont be able to aim her spells. Using this opportunity, the mercenaries closed in, bringing new ladders from the back, trying to once again brave the fortress walls. Mou~, so aggravating! With nimble movements that were unthinkable from her usual self, she made her way from one cover to the next, shooting (Flame) ,Flame Bit spells towards the mercenaries, keeping them in check. One letter invocation is the limit while moving, so moms spells only served as a diversion. Even so, mom alone could suppress 10 mercenaries at a time, so its plenty amazing as it is. But, at that timeDD Its a catapult! From the depths of the s headquarters, a big craft is being pulled forwards. On the craft is an around 5-meter long see-saw-like object. Like someone already shouted, it was clearly a catapult. The catapult got bent as it was loaded with a boulder, and in the next moment, a boulder of approximately 1 meter was sent flying! Furthermore, it was on a direct hit course towards Julia-kaasan(and me)! Kh.! As expected, the more and more panicking mom started using ? (Physik) on the boulder to interfere with it, but the spell will most likely not make it in time. The giant boulder was already in front of our eyesDD Baabu! In front of my eyes, the giant boulder has come to a halt. [Physical Magic] and [Letterless Invocation] was used together for 20MPDD, but that wasnt even enough so in the end [Physical Magic] took away 3 invocations worth of mana, 40MP in total. And then I used [Physical Magic] once more. ? (Physik), ? (Physik), ? (Physik) No, I poured in not one, but 3 invocations worth of MP. The giant boulder reversed its course in mid-air, and on the same trajectory it flew backDD Dogoguwaaaa! and with a tremendous sound, it destroyed the catapult. There were two mercenaries who got crushed by the giant boulder and it seems there were a few others that were hit by the scattering broken pieces of the catapult. Julia-kaasan looked back at me, who was still holding his hands in the air, with an astonished expression. Edgar-kun, you really saved me there. Thank you~. I didnt think you could do something like this too. Mom said while looking at the place where the catapult used to be. The mercenaries apparently lost their nerves with that boulder back toss and were looking at me(at Julia-kaasan to be precise) with dumbfounded expressions. Its a perfect chance to attack, but the soldiers of the fortress side are also looking towards Julia-kaasan looking surprised. During that time, a leader looking mercenary gathered his allies and started concentrating their fire on mom. The mercenaries, and as a matter of fact the fortress soldiers too, are probably thinking that that was done by mom. With a desperate expression, the mercenaries shot their arrows towards mom, and the fortress soldiers were roused by the mustached soldier yelling Commander-donos esteemed wife has taught them a lesson! and were shouting battle cries. .well, they wouldnt think that the half-year-old child hanging on moms back is the one who did it, would they? A-Are you alright!? Dad rushed over to us in haste from a small distance away where he was giving commands according to the overall situation. Yeah, we are alright. Because Edgar-kun protected us. Wha-.., then that was, done by Ed!? Baabu Huhun, I tried holding my head high. W-well ok. If you are alright that all that matters. I didnt think that a simple mercenary group could prepare a catapult. They probably seized it from some battlefield. According to the knight that were sent out to scout, there were no more apparent catapults near their headquarters or with their detached units. Glancing at dad, who returned to the command position after making sure we were unharmed, mom starts talking to me. Edgar-kun, can you protect mom for a while? Probably wants me to buy some time for a big move. Big move. Does that mean that she has spells more powerful than the previousFlame Lance? I want to see that. Baabu! Leave it to me! After crying that I write multiple ?(Physik) letters one after the other. By the way, thanks to [No Fatigue] the MP I used before has already recovered. With my current MP, after 10 seconds it starts to recover and 5 seconds after that its fully restored. Its a bit strange in the midst of battle, but lets look at my Status. Edgar Chrebl Level 1 HP 4/4 MP 649/649 Skills ?Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ?Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C ?Master class [Physical Magic] 3 [Mana Control] 3 [Letterless Invocation] 4 ?General [Fire Magic] 1 [Water Magic] 1 [Wind Magic] 1 [Earth Magic] 1 [Light Magic] 1 [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) Goddess of Virtues Blessing The plan of raising my maximum MP along the way here has paid off, my current maximum MP is 649. It has grown to approximately 2.5 times higher than Julia-kaasans (253). Ah, we should know Julia-kaasans MP values too. Julia Chrebl. HP: 79/79, MP: 210/253 Hn, its good that she is unhurt. Now then, under the rain of falling arrows mom has started concentrating on that big move. Even in this situation, she boldly closed her eyes, not showing any signs of paying attention to anything in the outside world. What would you do if I couldnt protect you? If Im trusted that much, then I have no choice but do it, so I invoke the 10 ?(Physik) and send back all the incoming arrows that would hit mom to the shooters. After making sounds of cutting the air as they fly through the sky, the arrows pierce the shooters face or head. Unlike with the boulder, there was a feeling of killing with my own hands, but it too late to think about it now. Bearing with the welling up nausea, I refocused my mind. About one minute went by with me buying time. Mom suddenly opened her eyes, started writing shining letters in the air and started mumbling some very dangerous sounding incantation. DD??????(Flame! Become a whirlwind that burns away everything!)DDFire Storm! 7 letters..you say? Leaving aside the astounded me, an enormous amount of mana burst out from moms body and encircled a group of mercenaries that were bunched up in front of the fortress walls. The mana started swirling around the bewildered mercenaries and steadily increased its speedDD Bowaa. All the mana turned into radiant flames at once. The mercenaries that were surrounded by the flames started to panic, but its already too late. Increasing their power the radiant flames started to rampage, turning into a scorching flame whirlwind and swallowing up the mercenary group. Turning into a tornado, the blazing tempest started swaying and wiggling towards the mercenary headquarters, but regrettably only grazed it in the end. Even then the tents of the headquarters got picked up by the windDD and even the mercenaries within them got sucked up by the tornado. After utterly laying waste to the headquarters of the , the blazing tornado slowly dropped its speed and was extinguished as it disappeared into the wind. Baabufua, baubaufuo mafuo..! (This is, the Flame Prison Witch!) Of course the mercenaries, who lost their headquarters, were in a daze, but the fortress knights were also flabbergasted by the situation. DDWith this, the direction of the battle was decided. That was what everyone was thinking, but.. CH 11 After casting such large-scale magic, Mum staggered feebly and fell to her knees. [Appraisal]. Julia Chrebl. HP: 79 / 79, MP: 107 / 253. Her MP was at 210 before using the magic, which means the Fire Storm just then actually used up 103 MP. As far as it goes, her remaining MP is enough for one more attack, but there might be situations in which she would want to use spells for diversion purposes, so its better to assume that there wont be another shot of that spell unless we are greatly cornered. That said, the enemy camp was shredded by the Fire Storm, and it appeared as though at least a hundred mercenaries were caught up in the technique and became unable to fight. Originally, the split into three squads to encircle the fortress and attacked in waves. And so, the command base and the troops before it should total a little over 700. In regards to the damage sustained by the enemy side, there were just over 100 soldiers from Mums magic, and dozens of soldiers from the defences of the fortress knights. It might not reach 200 but the damage we caused should be close to that. The base had also been burnt to a crisp from the fire tornado, and I could see that chaos had arisen in the chain of command, even from here. Thats why I believed that the mercenaries will retreat from here temporarily. If they bear the full brunt of battle while in chaos, their numbers will just decrease without being able to do anything. However, my prediction was off. From the vicinity of the scattered encampment, one of the men slowly rose, picked up the carbonised spear lying beside him, took aim at the heavily breathing Julia-kaasan, and threw with all his strength. If it was just that, I would have thought that it was merely an act of desperation, but the spear rotated with a terrifying force as it flew this way in a straight line. DDBabu! At once, I tried to use [Physics Magic] and [Letterless Invocation] to catch the spear butDD Buu!? (Wha!) A bizarre feeling was transmitted through the invoked magic. The flying spear was rotating quickly, while appearing to bite a hole in my fired [Physics Magic]. Looking closely, the spear had some kind of black lightning coiling around it. From that lightning came an extraordinarily sinister presence. Then, I suddenly hit upon a good idea. [Appraisal]! DamagedIron Lance. Stats: Dark enchantment, Lightning enchantment, Deadly Curse enchantment. Made with Goleths (쥹) [Enchant Magic] 9 skill. Wh-what is this!? No, anyhow, I understood that it was something dangerous. I used [Simultaneous Invocation] and further layered on more ? spells. RuinedIron Lance. Stats: Dark enchantment, Lightning enchantment. Made with Goleths [Enchant Magic] 9 skill. One of the enchanted states produced by [Enchant Magic] disappeared, but the other two remain. I invoke ? an additional 5 times and return the spear that was floating in the air, aiming at the mercenary who threw it. I think it moved with a similar speed to how it did when it came. That spearDD Bam! With that sound, it exploded in midair. I wasnt sure what happened for a moment, but I understood when I saw the mercenarys stance. DDThe mercenary had promptly thrown another spear and intercepted the returning spear. Its a lie, right? I strain my eyes at the mercenary who was only the size of a fingernail when seen from here, and then used [Appraisal]. Goleth (Mercenary group leader |Goleth of the Lance | Wolf of the battlefield | Pillaging Brigade) 39 years old Half Dwarf Half Demon (A being who transformed into a half-demon with a curse from the evil god) Level 51 HP 379 / 379 (129 + 250) MP 229 / 259 (9 + 250) Skills ? Master class [Lance Spearmanship] 5 + [Enchant Magic + 1 ] 9 (MAX)(Able to add magic to weapons/armour. Due to the evil gods curse, the unlearned [Dark Magic] [Lightning Magic][Deadly Curse] skills can be used, but only with this skill.) + [Toughness] 9 (MAX)(It becomes hard to feel pain and fatigue during combat) ? General [Lance Skills] 9 (MAX) [Spear Skills] 7 [Battleaxe Skills] 5 [Unarmed Combat Skills] 5 (This ones body sustained the curse of Monguenues, the evil god, and was able to obtain AddEnchantmentto his status and skills. The additions require a sacrifice of 10 years of ones lifespan number of additions.) Ah, I clearly understood it. This guy is a genuine freak. If this guy was a boss then of course he would think that the fortress could fall. It seems that after devoting himself to the evil god, Goleth received the benefit of Add. On top of the huge strengthening to his status, there are two additional Master Class skills. The terror of these statuses and skills probably have no need to be explained. As may be expected from a sacrifice of ten years of ones lifespan, the increased statuses, as well as the type of skill, were quite monstrous. Well, [Toughness] looks like a lesser form of [No Fatigue] though. Julia-kaasan also seemed to notice the dangers of this guy and her face paled. Well, anaemia-like symptoms had temporarily appeared due to the sudden decrease of MP anyway. Even so, Mum stood up firmly, sternly scowling at the mercenary D the group leader, Goleth of the lance. However, Mum. This guy is my prey. He mightnt be the slasher himself, but hes unmistakably a man of the evil gods side. I untie the cord that fastened me to my mothers back, and float in the air with [Physics Magic]. Then, I come out before Mum and confront Goleth directly. At the surreal sight of a baby floating in the air above the ramparts, the atmosphere of the surroundings stilled. Goleths filthy, unshaven square jaw was partly opened and he was cocking his head in confusion, while Mum forgot to breath in astonishment. The fortress knights nearby also stared at me with blank faces. The first to recover was Goleth. He took a lance from the subordinate-looking mercenary standing beside him and hurled it at me. Because he was incredulous, the lance he fired had no [Enchant Magic] cast on it. I received the spear, casting ? with ease, and sent it back towards GolethDD No, it had been shifted slightly and was thrown back at the subordinate-looking mercenary standing next to him. Without erring, the lance hit the mercenary and his upper body was blasted away without leaving a trace. Goleth grinned as he was covered in his subordinates blood, due to him standing so close. Goleth caught some other mercenaries and shouted something at them. He was likely telling them to bring him lances. Because he was singlehandedly beating them to death, the other mercenaries were shrinking back and didnt dare approach him. In that time, I was also searching the surroundings to see whether there was anything I could throw. There were. Lying here and there on the ramparts were stones and bricks used to drop on enemies clinging to the castle walls. I cast [Physics Magic] on a number of them and thinking that victory goes to the one who makes the first move, I hurl them towards Goleth. Some of the bricks crumbled in midair as if they had been travelling too fast, but an armful of stones rushed at Goleth and his followers in succession. Goleth smashed the stones flying at him with his fists, but his followers had no way to do so, receiving stones to their heads and dying, spraying grey matter all around them. Continuing, I adjust the speed and scatter smallish rocks and bricks in Goleths surroundings. Although I say I adjusted the speed, the speed was still faster than a powerful fast ball pitched by a major league player, so the flying rocks and bricks still carried plenty of lethal power. Several mercenaries received them directly and fainted in their spot (the possibility of their death is high too). Losing his patience, Goleth personally took out a bunch of lances from their base and shouted some things at the subordinates. As the subordinates withdrew with relieved expressions, I presume that he said something along the lines of youre in the way, so move. Goleth crushed the rocks and bricks I hailed on him with one hand while he cast [Enchant Magic] on the lance he grasped in his other hand. In the end, the charging of the lance was completed without the rocks I threw causing any damage to Goleth. BoomDD!! The lance was released from Goleths arm, along with the sound of air splitting. While gradually decelerating its speed with [Physics Magic], I increase the horizontal force little by little. The lance passes by my side, and then after turning around in a large circle, I again increase its speed and redirect it towards Goleth. Goleth tried to dodge the spear by a hairs breadth, but naturally, I saw through it. Just before impact, I invoke several additional ? and coercively change the trajectory, aiming at Goleth from right overhead. But regrettably, Goleth leapt back to avoid the spear at the last moment. The spear seemed to graze his armour, producing an unpleasant screeching sound, and the armour broke off from Goleths body immediately afterwards. Like the armour, the floor was also crushed from the impact when the spear collided with it. Seeing that as a chance, I toss rocks and bricks without a moments delay, but as expected, Goleth destroys them with one hand while preparing his next spear. Understanding that the rocks and bricks wont get through any more, the ones I had already cast [Physics Magic] on were aimed at enemy soldiers in a convenient location and thrown, disposing of the soldiers. The blockhead soldiers who were watching the exchange between Goleth and I collapsed dumbfoundedly, their heads looking like pomegranates. In the meantime, Goleths charging had finished, and the second lance comes flying. I suppose him not looking worn-out is an effect of [Toughness]. I intercept that attack with several ?, and fling it back with plenty of composure. Goleth counterattacks by throwing a spear with the minimum [Enchant Magic] cast on it, diverting the course of the spear and evading it. In that time, I once again use [Appraisal] on Goleth. Goleth. HP: 341 / 379, MP: 189 / 259 Hmm. So one use of [Enchant Magic] uses 30 MP. Because the lowest cost for a Master Class magic skill is 10, I calculate the first attempt to have cost 30, the counterattack just then taking 10, and the second lance using 30. The decrease in HP was probably because damage was inflicted on his body from the attack that broke his armour just now. Goleth hadnt been disturbed so I had thought for sure that he didnt sustain any damage. While I was doing that, Goleth took a bundle of 5~6 lances and started casting [Enchant Magic] on them all in one go. I see, it wont be settled at this rate. Thinking that it would be hard to move in that condition, I once again pick up some rocks and throw them at Goleth. Goleth smashed several rocks with one hand, but it seems he decided it was too bothersome midway and proceeds to ignore them. My thrown rocks hit Goleth, but I didnt see him even wince at all. [Appraisal]. Goleth.HP: 171 / 379, MP: 59 / 259 (9 + 250) Alright. Damage has been properly accumulated. Goleth, who finished charging the spears, finally throws spears towards me. I didnt stall them all, there were two directly in front of me, and one flying at the walls a little below me. It was possible to simultaneously catch them all. However, I purposely caught one of the spears in front of me with [Physics Magic], avoided the other spear by making it fall from the sky, and decided to disregard the one aimed at the walls. Naturally, that was after making sure that those spears wouldnt hit Julia-kaasan or the other knights. In regards to the events following, the moment I landed on top of the ramparts, my foothold broke, and I fell from the walls without even being able to float in the air. Edgar-ku n! I heard Julia-kaasans screams stretch out midway. That was because I used [Physics Magic] and accelerated the drop, evading the fourth and fifth lances thrown at me successively. Then I forcibly shifted my course forward as I imbued the first lance that I grabbed with all the MP I haveDD Woooosh! Together with the record-breaking sound of cutting wind, the discharged lance hits Goleths torso, who was unable to react. Surprisingly, Goleth catches the spear. However, the momentum was hard to suppress and Goleth was repelled backwards with a tremendous force. As he bounced off the ground several times, I saw Goleths feet, from his ankles, tear off and fly away. Losing his ankles and being unable to land, Goleth maintained a spinning state and each time he made contact with the ground, flesh and blood would be scattered from the exposed part as he tumbled far beyond the battlefield. He moved too far away, so my eyes were unable to confirm Goleths condition butDD [Appraisal]. Goleth. HP: 0 / 379, MP: 0 259. Condition: deceased. When I viewed his status, GolethsCorpse. was what it had changed to. CH 12 After losing its leader, the was brittle. As I descended onto the fortress after bringing down Goleth, DDThe Head of the enemy got taken down! Raise the shouts of victory! UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Under the orders of the mustached knight, the knights of the fortress thrusted their weapons towards the sky and shouted victoriously. The mercenaries, who were desperately trying to climb up the fortress before, now scrambled to run away. Their backs were showered by arrows and spells from the fortress. Youve done well, Edgar-kun! But dont do anything reckless like that in the future, okay? Ai! Julia-kaasan said this, then started the chant for a spell while hugging me. DD??????(Flame! Become a whirlwind that burns away everything!)DDFire Storm! There it is, Fire Storm! There was no need to conserve MP anymore and there is no-one to disturb the chant. As expected, an accurate decision based on the circumstances. Fire Storm struck on the vanguard of the group of escaping mercenaries. A storm of fire suddenly appeared from the direction they were running towards, so the mercenaries are falling into chaos. DDI said, I will not let a single one of you escape, right? Mom had a wide grin on while saying this. Scary as hell. DDMy wife took down the Head of the enemy! Brave warriors of Ranzrack Fortress, now is the time to show the spirit of a knight! Everyone, chaaaaarge! Before I noticed, dad took the lead of a cavalry unit and mounted an assault against the disordered mercenaries to doubly make sure. The mercenaries are taken down without anything that can be called resistance. At any rate, the mercenaries are very brittle, most likely Goleth used his ability and fear to unify the mercenaries. No matter if they are powerful, a pillaging mercenary group that only cares about their own interests is probably not something that usually would try to take a fortress by themselves, right? As the battle before showed, there is a minimum casualty count to assault a fortress no matter what. If its an official army then its understandable, but its a bit hard to imagine that mercenaries with only pillaging on their mind would try to take a fortress with the resolve to even sacrifice themselves. It should be appropriate to assume that Goleth with that The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity thing bound them with fear. But Goleth died. There is nothing that binds the mercenaries to the battlefield anymore. Of course they start running. There is no way a mercenary would serve as a rear guard in this circumstance. Dad and the knight of the fortress are cutting the mercenaries heads of like they are harvesting wheat. DDThe battle is over. .huh? Edgar-kun? Julia-kaasans voice feels distant. Sleepy-time, huh. Still a baby after all~ Her voice feels even more distant. My Lady, it was a superb display of fighting prowess. Its dark so its hard to see, but it seems its the mustached knight. Since dad is outside hunting down the remnants, the mustached knight was probably put in charge of the fortress. ..I want to [Appraise] him too, but Im sleepy. DDAlso the child of you two. Looking at his sleeping face like this, the fierce god like efforts of his from before are hard to believe. hn? Sleepy.? Why am I [sleepy]? I have the [No Fatigue] skill I got from the Goddess. Those knights who saw the fight from nearby think that calling Edgar-dono a baby is too disrespectful, so some of them said that calling him Baby Scarlet would be fitting.[1] No good, I cant think anymore. .Baby..rlet, thatick name.might My consciousness is fading away. When I came to, I was in a familiar space. The vacuum of space where Marquekt is visible below, it should be clear if I describe it this way. Yes, after I was stabbed by the slasher and it turned out I would be reincarnated in another world, this is where I met the Goddess that time. The Goddess simply appeared from nowhere at all. DDThe one you dropped in the lake was this Golden [Enchant Magic]? Or maybe this Silver [Toughness]? To the Goddess, who acted out some unknown scene as the first thing after meeting, Did your personality change in the short while since our last meeting? You meanie. Even though this is our first meeting in a long time. You say a long time, but . wasnt it about 20 days? Between waking up after reincarnating and the battle of Ranzrack Fortress, about that many days should have passed. But the Goddess shook her head. To be precise, 1 year 4 month and 20 days. 1 year 4 month? ah, counting from the conception. It was 1 year 4 month and 20 days ago when Alfred-tousan and Julia-kaasan did the XX, and I was conceived. 10 month after that, Julia-kaasan gave birth to me, then 6 months after birth was the point in time when I regained my consciousness as a reincarnated person. And after that, 20 days have passed until the battle of Ranzrack Fortress Then, that means I didnt steal the body of a previously existing fetus, right? Of course that is right. I would like you to trust more in the power of the God that governs the endless cycle of death and rebirth. Well, sorry about that. I thought it should be alright if you are the one handling it, but . I suddenly realized. I can speak normally now, right? In a panic, I look over my body, but my body is still a baby. .so, what is with this situation exactly? I didnt die, right? The Goddess nodded. Of course. Your current state is called Growth Sleep Growth sleep? Right. When its time for a level up, the people of Marquekt are assaulted by a desperate need for sleep, then enter a state of deep sleep, called Growth Sleep. With this Growth Sleep, they adapt their body to the newfound power brought by the level up. In other words, since my level went up, my body demanded sleep to cope with it. Not quite right. You reach a state where you can level up, then after experiencing the Growth Sleep, your level goes up as a result. .I dont understand the difference. Lets see, take a look at your status for a bit. As the Goddess said, I used [Appraise] on myself. Edgar Chrebl (Viscount Chrebls fourth son, Noble of Santamana Kingdom, Baby Scarlet Level 1/31 (Level up standby state) HP 63/63 MP 752/752 Condition Growth Sleep Skills ?Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ?Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C ?Master class [Physical Magic] 5 [Mana Control] 4 [Letterless Invocation] 5 ?General Goddess of Virtues Blessing Certainly the Level up standby state is there, but . 31? Also, what the hell is that Baby Scarlet? You defeated many mercenaries with Goleth, an Apostle of the Evil God, on the top of the list. Moreover, as level 1. Of course it would go up at least that much. The Goddess says. Thats right, I wanted to ask about that. The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity was it? What on earth it that? There is nothing more than what youve found out with [Appraise]. The Evil God contacts people who are fitting and grants them various kinds of powers in exchange for a part of their lifespan. As expected, since its gained by exchanging their lifespan, its effect can only be described as powerful. Since the same extreme piling up of abilities cant be done with a Blessing on the Virtue side its really troubling. It is really good that you defeated him, the Goddess said. He is different from the whats-his-name slasher, right? Kizaki Tooru, right. But then, in this life he was probably given a different name. Yes, that is right. The Apostle this time is an entirely different matter from Kizaki. The fact that you happened upon it was also by chance. You didnt set it up for it to happen this way, right? I dont have that kind of power. Since the one who governs fate is a different God. The only things I can do are in the domain of souls. The domain of souls..? Reincarnation and the bestowal of skills. Why are skills related to souls? To explain that, first I need to talk about what skills are. Please, by all means! I vigorously asked the Goddess. Well, its a chance I cant let escape. I can hear about what skills are from the Goddess that governs skills, you know? The Goddess started talking after clearing her throat with surprisingly cute ehen. DDfirst, what do you understand about skills? Isnt it a certificate that proves I have learned this kind of technique or magic!, or something like that? No The Goddess brought over a whiteboard for newscasters from absolutely nowhere, and hit its surface with a board markers back end, making a kotsu kotsu sound. Skills are in fact rewards from the Gods. Rewards? I got confused by that unexpected word. In proportion to the degree of acquisition of expertise, from the Gods DD well, mainly from me, a power of God is granted. This power of God and the persons own polished expertise harmonize together and make what is known as a Skill. The power of God.. We simply call it Power, but if its difficult to understand, then lets see. right, you can call it a Gift. In other words, Skill = that persons expertise + Gift is what it comes down to. If you ask for what reason are we doing this, then the answer is obviously to enable people to oppose monsters and the Evil God. People with only their expertise and inborn physical abilities are no match for monsters in any way, not to mention the Evil God. Therefore, we send people Gifts, raise their expertise and physical abilities, and have them gain the ability to fight monsters. People acquire Skills after receiving Gifts based on their expertise, and people also acquire Status Points (HP and MP) after receiving Gifts based on their physical abilities. Skills and Status Points are cataloged in something called Status, which can be viewed by Skills such as [Appraise], and it is something like a report card from the Gods (as the Goddess explained). But if you can do that, why not send much more Gifts and strengthen the people? If we could do that then would be no need for these troubles. To begin with, do you know where the Gods power come from that is used in those Gifts? Used in Gifts. In short, where does that power come from that should be granted in times of level up? If thats the caseDD .experience points! There you have it. Well, in this world there is no such concept asExperience Points, but rather the power of the Evil God that is enclosed in the Statuses of monsters and villainous people is released when they are defeated, something like that. At any rate, if a monster or villainous person is defeated, a part of the power from their Statuses circles back to me. With my power, I purify that power of the Evil God that has circled back to me and I share a part of it as a Gift with the one that defeated that being. Conversely, if the Evil God side defeats someone from the Virtue side, then the power from their Statuses ends up absorbed by the Evil God side. In this way, the Gods of Virtue and the Evil God distribute those Gifts(or Curses in case of the Evil God) and strengthen their followers. And then, with those strengthened followers they defeat the other sides followers and take the power of their Statuses. In this way, they fight over this limited resource called Power, and try to expand their influence and compete with each other. Here I return to the original topic The Goddess extended both her hands in front of me. In one of her hands is some semi-transparent mana, whirling in complicated ways, and in the other hand a pink colored heart looking thing, that is beating strongly. [Appraise]. Gift of [Enchant Magic] Gift of [Toughness] Uh huh, a Golden Gift and a Silver Gift. CH 13 This is something I purified from the Curses released by Goleth, the evil gods apostle. Would you give me both if I said I didnt want either? I would very much like to do that, but my power will also be consumed even when purifying an apostle. Which skill would you like? [Enchant Magic] or [Toughness], huh. If I had to choose one, Then Ill go with [Enchant Magic]. I extend my hand towards the vortex of magic. The vortex slowly dissipates as it gets sucked into my body. [Toughness] is squashed as the goddess kneads it with both hands, and is then compressed to the size of a marble and tossed into her mouth. Given that a component of [Toughness] seems to prevent one from staggering even when they have received an attack, its basically a lesser form of [No Fatigue] so I didnt feel much regret. It only prevents staggering, and damage is still sustained so I dont think its of much use as an infant. And about the Evil Gods Curse of Calamity. I also purified that, but its difficult to make it into a Gift for a skill or stat so Ill just use it to enhance your Goddess of Virtues Blessing. The goddess brings her face close to me, and kisses my cheek. But even though I say that, my form is that of an infant. The image it produced was no more than a woman giving a kiss to a baby because of its adorableness. [Appraisal]. Edgar Chrebl (Viscount Chrebls fourth son | Noble of Santamana Kingdom |Baby Scarlet) Level 1/31 (Awaiting Level Up) HP 63/63 MP 752/752 State: Growth Sleep Skills ? Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ? Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) ? Master class [Physics Magic] 5 [Enchant Magic] 1 [Mana Control] 4 [Letterless Invocation] 5 ? General [Throwing Spear Skills] 1 [Fire Magic] 1 [Water Magic] 1 [Wind Magic] 1 [Earth Magic] 1 [Light Magic] 1 [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) Goddess of Virtues Blessing +1(The blessing of the goddess who governs the transmigration of souls, Atrazenec. Accelerates the souls growth. Releases all skill acquisition conditions. Medium compensation for the skills learning | growth.) Hmm. The blessing has certainly been enhanced; the compensation for the skills learning and growth has been increased to medium. I think [Enchant Magic] had reached counter stop when Goleth used it, but it has returned to level 1 for me. Because a Gift becomes a skill after harmonising with the expertise of the person themself, it starts at level 1 when it is bestowed to me, who has no experience with [Enchant Magic]. Also, I didnt notice it before, but [Throwing Spear Skills] has been added normally. It might be because I used [Physics Magic] to throw Goleths spears back. Even that was treated as throwing a spear, huh. It seems experimenting to see what counts as spear throwing will be fun. Now then, I suppose this is it. Do you have any questions? I wonder if something happened. I think there wont be many opportunities like this, so I should ask what I can. I still dont know what happened to the slasher after he was reincarnated, nor his name in this life. Yes. I apologise. However, its true that he was reincarnated into a baby just like you, so you shouldnt meet until much later. What is Baby Scarlet? Thats a nickname. The acquisition condition is for a certain number of people to use that name to refer to you with feelings of awe. How long will this growth sleep last? For a normal person, it would be their level 3 hours. In your case, [No Fatigue] is functioning so it should be around 10 minutes per level. My level is rising by 30, which means I will be sleeping for 300 minutes D 5 hours. Speaking of 10 minutes, I wonder if its alright to think of it as the same when I exhaust all my MP and faint? You are perceptive. Its exactly that. However, increasing ones Mana pool through MP exhaustion is something that only occurs among people withVirtuous Gods BlessingEvil Gods Curse of Calamity, or those who possess a nickname related to magic. In regards to those close to you, you and your mother may increase your maximum MP in this way, but its impossible for your father. Is Growth Sleep necessary even when skill levels increase? There are cases when it becomes necessary according to the situation, but fundamentally, the renewal of skills occur during ones sleep at night. For you, there is no need to sleep, so the same process is carried out by the [No Fatigue] skill while you are awake . What the heck is up with that no need to sleep thing? I heard that in the previous world, sleep is absolutely necessary for living creatures of a certain level of complexity. In your case, the effects of the skill serve as a substitute for the vital functions normally carried out during ones sleep, such as memory regulation and resting of the mind. The details are I suppose theres no point in explaining. Even if I were to bring one of the top neuroscientists from your former world, they wouldnt be able to comprehend it even with one or two months. Is there no danger of Growth Sleep occurring and falling asleep in combat? It is difficult for Growth Sleep to call upon someone in battle, so there will never be a time when you will fall asleep when fighting. Apart from me, are there any reincarnates on the side of the gods of virtue? There are none. The only one who can reincarnate souls from different worlds, is I alone. In addition, it consumes a great amount of power so I seldom do it. Based on the trend in this battle against the evil god, but you can assume that I wont be able to do it in the next 10 years. But there should be humans who have received the divine blessing of other gods, so its alright to try talking to them if you find any. I was about to ask how I am supposed to find them, but it was clear with a little bit of thinking. I can just use [Appraisal] and search for those who possess Goddess of Virtues Blessing in their status. Then, is it okay to expect the humans who have received blessings from the other gods to be amicable? Fundamentally, it should be so. However, they are humans who the gods are pleased with, so it might be better to think of them as idiosyncratic. That seems fun. Are there any tricks raising my skills? I believe you already know, but skill levels rise faster when using them in combat compared to using them normally. Immediately after meeting the conditions for a Gift or raising a skill level, the sensation one feels when using the skill changes so be careful. As for raising ones skills normally, doing nothing but repeating the same action over and over, just like you did, is actually an effective method. However, sometimes changing your perspective and exploring a different training method can be effective as well. There have also been times when skills rose after making new discoveries for certain things. Well, its fine to consider it no different to the techniques you were accustomed to in your previous world. As I was asking those questions, my body had steadily been turning transparent. It is almost time. This time it was because you were thrust into Growth Sleep after the incident with Goleth, but this kind of thing cant be done normally. If you ever wish to contact me, visit my shrine and acquire the [Prayer] skill. The goddess said something inexcusable, like shrines are a treasure house of skills. As I become increasingly transparent, my body is drawn by the planets gravity and I fall down to Marquekt. DDI said thank you, but I dont know whether it was heard. Have you ever felt like you are falling while in a light sleep and then wake up with a sudden jerk? Thats it. Fugya. While producing such a strange sound, I woke up on top of a bed. I was in Alfred-tousans residence in the fortress, where we had slept yesterday. The sky, which could be seen from a small window fitted with an iron lattice, had already fallen to dusk. So iss been fibe hours siss den. (So, its been five hours since then) Having awoken from the Growth Sleep, I turn around after feeling signs of squirming, and there, Julia-kaasan was sleeping happily. [Appraisal]. Julia Chrebl (Wife of Viscount Chrebl |Flame Prison Witch) 20 years old Level 47/51 HP 89/89 MP 270/270 State: Growth Sleep Skills ? Master class [Fire Element Magic] 6 [Mana Control] 4 ? General [Fire Magic] 9 (MAX) [Water Magic] 3 [Wind Magic] 3 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 3 [Telekinesis Magic] 3 [Mana Manipulation] 5 [Mana Perception] 6 [Simultaneous Invocation] 4 Spirit of Fires Blessing(Is able to acquire the blessing of fire spirits. Compensation for the effect | range of fire attributed spells, increased speed for the learning | growth for fire magic skills.) Shes gotten stronger again somehow! And there was a Spirit of Fires Blessingor something attached without me realising. Anyway, I calculate Julia-kaasans Growth Sleep to be (51-47) x 3 hours, a total of 12 hours. Assuming that she fell asleep at the same time as me, theres another 7 hours remaining. I got up and descended from the bed, onto the floor. The room was dim, due to the window being small Hm? Wasnt there something strange just now? When I looked down at my own body, I was lost for words. For some reason, I.. I gwew! (I.. I grew!) CH 14 In a daze, I looked down on my body that has grown bigger. Even if I say that, it doesnt mean that it turned back to how it was in my previous life. I didnt have any children so I dont exactly know, but this size should be around a 3 years olds. The height is around 90 cm. The reason is that my head doesnt quite reach the table that is standing beside the bed. I probably got taller by nearly 30 cm and since I was alright after I just got down from the bed without thinking, my skeletal structure and muscles should also be sturdy. If I compare this to how my body before Ive grown got sore just from sitting in place for a longer time, this was a remarkable progress. That being said, rather than being happy about how my body grew, Im just baffled now. First I touched my body all over for a while, then climbed up the nearby chair and grabbed a glass and filled it with water from a water jug from the same table. The water jug was heavy so I used not just my two hands, but my whole bodys muscles, but still, these actions were impossible before. I took the glass that I poured water in with both hands, then drank the water with accompanying glug glug sounds. .fhuu I wiped down the water that spilled from the sides of my mouth while I let out a sigh filled with a sense of accomplishment. Then the door suddenly opened. DDaah, sorry Im late. Oh, is Julia still in her Growth Sleep? Mine has already endedDD hey, where is Ed? It looks like the one who entered was a talking Alfred-tousan. Apparently, dad didnt notice that I left the bed and sitting on a chair. Dad knows that Julia-kaasan is currently in Growth Sleep state, huh. Then, it should be alright to assume that the concept of Growth Sleep is commonly known in this world. Judging by his words, it seems dad also went into Growth Sleep after the battle. [Appraise] Alfred Chrebl (Viscount | Santamana Kingdom, Third Area Army Commander |Castle Destroyer,Renowned Commander) 39 years old Half-elf Level 40 HP 94/94 MP 81/81 Skills ?Master class [Leadership] 6 [Spearmanship] 5 ?General [Command] 9 (MAX) [Sword Skills] 5 [Bow Skills] 3 [Spear Skills] 9 (MAX) [Unarmed Combat Skills] 3 [Dagger Skills] 1 [Horse Riding Skills] 6 [Water Magic] 3 [Wind Magic] 4 [Earth Magic] 4 God of Wars Attention(Has gained the attention of the God of War Marslat due to notable military achievements. Small supplement to the acquisition, learning speed, and effectiveness of skills related to battle. Becomes harder to be hit by stray arrows. Can more easily sense the intent to rebel in subordinates.) The rise in level is 1 and the HP and MP values have grown accordingly. The nickname of Renowned Commander has also been added, so it feels like his prestige as a soldier has also increased greatly. But, thats not the part that needs attention. The [Command] skills has reached the counter stop and [Leadership] has also went up by 2. The Goddess said that skills are more easily raised when used in real battle situations, but truly, they went up splendidly. At this rate, a few more battles like this and [Leadership] will also reach the counter stop. Well, if battles like this would occur frequently, then it would probably be very bad for the country, but maybe its not that ridiculous. And finally, God of Wars Attention Its seemingly different from a Gods Blessing, but for someone that stands on a battlefield, it includes many effects that a person would be simply thankful for. With this, its a bit of a relief if there is a war, but from the familys point of view, of course its much better if there arent even any chances for dad to stand on a battlefield. Im probably overthinking it, but I hope dad doesnt get dragged into more wars simply because he gained the attention of the God of War. The rise in level was 1, so dads Growth Sleep was most likely 3 hours. After I entered Growth Sleep he finished with the remnant hunting and got some shut-eye after leaving the cleanup matters to the mustached knight, or probably something like that. He probably wanted to stay awake until the cleanup has been completed, but apparently the Growth Sleep comes immediately after the tension of battle has dissipated. ..well, that aside, it would be bad to ignore dad any longer. DDdad Uwa! Ed, you were there! Dad looked back towards meDD H-hey, Ed , arent you a bit bigger? Or rather, you just called out to me saying dad, right? Dad tilted his head so far it almost fell off and asked me. Reber appu. After growing, my mouth is functioning a bit better, but the sensation of my before-growth body still remains somewhat, so its kinda hard to talk. By the way, I keep [Instant Interpretation] turned on. Ive become able to understand about half without it, but the talking part is not yet passable. Level up.? I see, your body got bigger due to a side effect of leveling up. You have certainly defeated many enemies with Goleth on top of the list. Ophen happen? Hn? Asking if it happens often? For one, they say if sudden level ups occur in a short amount of time its possible to grow in height and develop more muscles. They also say that the effect is especially extensive in case of small children. But the Growth Sleep was too short if thats the case?, said dad with a doubtful expression. *gulp* well, for a not even 1-year-old baby to defeat enemies is not something that normally occurs. No wonder if something strange happens. For the time being I pour some water into the glass on top of the table and hand it over to dad. Ooh, you are thoughtful. Thank you rather, much too thoughtful! After that retort, dad drank up the water at once, with a Puhaa!. Contrary to his elegant appearance it was a middle-aged-man-like way of drinking. Well, at 39 he is middle aged. Dad put the glass down on the table and said with a serious expression while pouring himself a second glass of water. DDReally sorry, Ed. Yesh? I didnt know what he was talking about, so I sincerely tilted my head. About Goleth. I know that you were the one that took him down, but at time I made it out to be Julias achievement. Since I didnt think anyone would suddenly believe that a half-year-old baby took out the enemy leader. Well, thats for sure. Rather, the declaration of DDMy wife took down the Head of the enemy! from that time had this kind of meaning behind it. That was some quick thinking in that situation. Also, if people realize that you are not a usual baby, then many bothersome things could happen because of it. I was thinking that as a father, I cant let you be burdened by things like that. Thats perfectly reasonable. In truth, even I find it troublesome as someone that was 30 years old in the previous world. Im a person that was almost isolated in the workplace because I refused to go socialize after work and instead went to play fighting games. thank you Words of gratitude easily left my mouth. No, thank You, really. This battle would have been very dangerous if you and Julia werent here. We may have lost. Indeed, rather than the numbers disadvantage, the enemy had a monster named Goleth. If he wanted, he wouldve been more than able to blow through the gate of the fortress with a throwing spear heavily enchanted by [Enchant Magic]. If you didnt make me understand that time, perhaps I would have lost Julia too. I didnt realize at all that Julia was so distressed. Its probably about how Julia-kaasan said before the battle, that she wouldve left the house with me if things didnt change. I was also surprised about that one. Since Ed made me realize Julias feelings I brought you two to the fortress with me and as a result we managed to repel the . Its all thanks to Ed. Dad said while looking straight into my eyes. Its kind of embarrassing. I reply while shaking my head. Ai didh nashing Ai? Aah, you said I. I see, you prefer I(ore-). Come to think of it dad uses I(boku-W) to refer to himself. DDIn the future you are sure to become an amazing fellow. My sonsDD Eds older brothers are also exceptional, but from you I feel something of an entirely different level. Dreadfully so. Dad hugs me tightly. But, you are still our small child. Please dont do anything too dangerous. He probably refers to the battle with Goleth. I thought that time, that the battle is going nowhere, so I purposefully didnt block Goleths attack on the fortress wall and lured him in to let his guard down and keep attacking the wall. After confirming that Goleth used up all his throwing spear that were enchanted using [Enchant Magic], I threw back the first throwing spear at Goleth. And with the maximum momentum, using [Physical Magic]. Goleth took that spear attack head on, since he didnt have any spears at hand and couldnt counter-attack. No, I think part of the reason was that he believed he took me down along with the fortress walls. Therefore, even if he had a spear at hand, Goleth may have been unable to react in time anyway. I was just taking that risk because I felt that it was the right thing to do, but watching something like that happen right in front of them, it couldnt have been easy for a parent. Aihm sowwy Its all right. I believe I know what your aim was. Your magic power, courage, and decisiveness are all inappropriate for your age. I was surprised. By surprised I meanDD Its damn impossible! Mr. Dad is prone to make retorts, apparently. Well, Julia-kaasan is the silly type, so its not strange to develop that trait. DDdha mersheneries? After defeating Goleth I went into Growth Sleep right away, so I dont know what happened after that. Aah, about 70 percent of the members of have been wiped out or captured. As for the remaining 30 percent, the plan is to interrogate the captured ones and make a list of names that will be added to the list of wanted criminals in the whole country. Pursuing those that run towards Sonorato is too difficult, but just in case we will notify the other fortresses and request that we put up a cordon. Apparently, since they were not an official army, but an army of bandits, they are not considered prisoners of war, but arrested prisoners. Whai didh dey come here? Aah, you want to ask why did they appear here and not at the Zakholtz Fortress we originally thought, right? Or rather, you understood what we talked about even before today, huh. Dad was already tired of making those retorts and just sighed. Apparently, the information of them heading towards Zakholtz Fortress itself was their work. The commander of Zakholtz Fortress is a 15 years old boy, that inherited the position of the family head only a few days ago, you see. His Majesty asked me to support him if anything happens, but that backfired on us this time. I see, there were such circumstances. Whai were dey det shtrong? Dey were jhust a mershenery ghoup, bhut dey spred infohmation and had chatapuht. You noticed an excellent point. Or rather, you noticed it too well! .well, I should stop with this already, right? Fhuu, dad sighed, and Due to the internal conflicts dragging on, both the national army and the feudal lords personal armies in Sonorato were mostly annihilated, you see. By taking in the remnants of the defeated regular armies, the mercenary groups that were fighting in Sonorato could increase both the domestic and foreign ability of their intelligence units, it seems. However, I didnt think they would be able to manipulate information inside Santamana as well. That catapult siege weapon was probably also seized during their internal battles. What wash deir aim? Indeed, you dont assault a fortress if you just want to pillage. If they went as far as manipulating intelligence to reduce the number of forces within the fortress, their aim may very well have been taking over the fortress for themselves, just as Nebulos said. .ah, Nebulos is my secretary. ushing dhis fortressh ash a beashead and invade Santamana? I still cant articulate well enough, but what I wanted to say was Using this fortress as a beachhead and invade Santamana?. Both of dads eyes were opened wide because of my words. Most likely, just as Ed said. This fortress was designed for solid defense, so its a perfect place to have the first base. Increase their forces from the nearby villages and towns, conquer a few fortresses and towns and declare their independence from Santamana. Its possible they were thinking along those lines. can go well? That, I cant say. The is mighty, but Santamana has the powerful Imperial Guards. However, apparently with the ceasefire agreement in Sonorato, there are quite a lot of mercenaries that are now unemployed and if Goleth was able to take the fortress and send out a notice, he could have organized a force of over ten-thousand. There are also rumors that , an infamous assassin group with connections to , wants to move their headquarters to Santamana, since they can no longer work within Sonorato. Ranzrakk forshes not too few? Yeah, too few. I requested additional reinforcements from His Majesty the King not too long ago, and it was finally the time that it was put together. The troops under my command are divided into two between the town and the fortress with soldiers alternating in between, but even then, this situation, in which they are constantly under pressure, is continuing. There was also this matter this time, so I want to let them rest or it will affect the morale. Dad stood up after drinking all the water from the glass. DDwell then, I have to go now. Its been 6 hours since Julia went into Growth Sleep, so probably she has one more levels worth to go. In that case, she will probably wake up in the middle of the night. Oh dear, the level difference between us will widen once again. To be exact, Julia-kaasans level went up by 4, so she still has 2 levels worth of Growth Sleep remaining, but dad has no way of knowing. Or rather, he is bothered by the level difference, huh. When the cleanup of this battle is finished I will probably need to go to the capital. I have to report this matter to His Majesty and request reinforcements for the fortresses near the border. Ah, thats right, when Im going to the capital I will also take you two. Me thoo? I want to confirm your status with a high-level cleric once. Julias level also went up, so she also probably wants to confirm her own status, so its the perfect opportunity. That being said, its still some time away. You two will first return home, then after things calm down around here I will follow after you. Since its on the way to the capital it doesnt become a time loss either. Dad only said this and then left the room after kissing the sleeping mom on her cheek. CH 15 Ha~ weve finally arrived! DDIt has been 10 days since the battle at the fortress. Julia-kaasan and I have safely returned home. The later events. When Julia-kaasan woke up in the dead of night and realised that it was night time, she held me tightly and fell asleep just like that. I couldnt do anything about it, so I used [Physics Magic] to raise and lower the water jug whilst on the bed, expending my MP and carrying out the expansion of my maximum MP as I wait for morning. Mum had indeed looked lonely, but her face instantly glowed with happiness when Dad said, Lets go to the royal capital together next time. Having assembled to see us off, the fortress knights watched over the two with accomplished expressions. We werent able to make many stopovers on our way back either. That was because the survivors of , the mercenary group that assaulted Ranzrack Fortress, had dispersed from the fortress in all directions, and we were liable to encounter them on our return trip. Well, perhaps there werent any mercenaries who were brave enough to pick a fight with the Flame Prison Witch who herded them together and turned them into ash, but the dangers of passing through while avoiding them were no more than simply avoiding them and passing through. Thus, we returned the way we came, via the carriage, and Mum and I arrived at the estate after 10 days. Now, this is the first opportunity I have had to thoroughly examine this estate from the outside. In this settlement that is the size of a village to someone with the standards of a modern Japanese person, there is a smallish hill, on top of which stands a two-storey residence. Its a cosy residence with approximately 10 rooms on both the first and second floors combined. Of course, it is considered cosy for the mansion of a feudal lord, but in the standards of my previous world, its closer to a palace. According to Mums explanation, DadDD Viscount Alfred Chrebls territory encompasses this whole region, including this village and the three other villages in the vicinity, as well as a small town slightly further away, or so Im told. Their names are Corbette (`٥å) Village, Riverette (٥å) Village, Trenadette (ȥʥǥå) Village, Kuuret (`å) Village, and Fauno (ե) City respectively. Incidentally, the reason the feudal lords mansion is not established in Fauno City is apparently because Fauno City is located on the outskirts of Dads territory. He leaves the management to the merchants, and is offered a portion of the market profits as tax. Aside from Fauno City, the other four villages are typical farming villages, so it seems like there are no particular differences between them. If anything, a forest protrudes from behind the four villages, and there are stories about faeries possibly living inside them. Although its not to the point of being called remote countryside, its a tranquil and subdued region overall, with a local history of being passed down through the many generations of Dads family. Welcome home! When we enter the estate, the servants greet us en masse. As the servants inform Mum about the various events that transpired while we were away, I was lifted up from behind by somebody. Welcome home, Young Master Ed. It was my big-breasted, loli-faced personal maid, Stephanie, or Steph. Were home~ Oh my, youre already able to speak? Or rather, Young Master, havent you grown somewhat bigger? The servants talking to Mum also look at me in surprise. Its because Edgar-kun is clever. Julia-kaasan comments, butdid she really intend to carry through with that conviction? The servants clearly seemed to have questions, but none of the servants had the courage to deliberately question the smiling Madame Julia. Study~ I said, aware of my charm. Uh huh, because I promised, right~ Stephanie-chan, please take Edgar-kun to Al-kuns study. If he requests something, you may comply, as long as it isnt dangerous. Y-yes, as you wish. Leaving Julia-kaasan, who seemed to still have arrangements to make with the servants, Steph led me by the hand towards the study. At any rate, Stephs hand is soft. I unintentionally feel it with both hands. Y-young Master Ed. we have reached the Study? Ba-babu. I return to using baby talk to deceive her as a reflex. Now, at last. I walk inside the study after Steph opened the door. The study gave the impression that it was, without a doubt, a study. Right in the middle was a wooden desk with a profound presence. Beside it were tall bookshelves that reached the ceiling, and behind the desk was a curtain-covered window. Steph followed me inside the study and opened the curtains and window, letting the room ventilate. I promptly check the spines of the books lined up on the bookshelves. It took some time because Im still not familiar with the characters, but I didnt tire, nor lose interest, thanks to [No Fatigue]. I look back at Steph, who was stifling a yawn in a corner of the room, and thoroughly survey the bookshelves in the study. If I were to briefly categorise the books in the study, it would be something like this: Im worried about where to start from. After feeling troubled for almost an hour, I decide to prioritise them in this order: Magic tomes > Dictionaries > Martial arts manuals > History books > Encyclopaedias > Complete literature works > How-to books Prioritising the magic tomes was a matter of preference, but it was also due to reflecting on the fight with Goleth. That is, DDI didnt have an effective method of dealing damage to Goleth. Indeed, I defeated Goleth by throwing his spears back, but conversely, it could also be said that I would have no deciding attack method if I didnt have Goleths spears. I hadnt been able to deal much damage by throwing rocks at Goleth using [Physics Magic]. [Physics Magic] is more of a supporting magic than offensive magic, and using it for dealing damage to an enemy is not a very efficient method anyway. Since I have the MP to use [Physics Magic] just to levitate and throw rocks, directly producing flames like Julia-kaasan did would definitely be more efficient. Thus, Im also going to be taught magic from Julia-kaasan. Actually, I also received a short induction on the way home. But each person normally has a specific aptitude for magic, and Mum had no confidence in her ability to teach me well in anything but her specialty, fire magic. I should compensate for it, with what I can supplement from the magic tomes. I still have sections of the Abaddon Magic Compilation to interpret. For the time being, I continue the rather bothersome (or should be, but I can do it easily thanks to [No Fatigue]) work of creating analogies with my own interpretations and memorising them. But time will still be spent on memorisation, even if I dont tire. Because its not like Im particularly intelligent or anything. So thinking of utilising my time efficiently, I am now searching for magic tomes that explain the main points more clearly. And although I understand the general meaning of the sections I have memorised, theyre my own interpretations after all. There are many sections in which I havent grasped the detailed nuances, and I dont have much faith in my own knowledge being accurate. And thats where the dictionaries come into play. Using dictionaries to comprehend the magic tomes is a given. However, [No Fatigue] is wasted on just that. Lets diligently memorise all the articles that stand out. And after Im able to comprehend the magic tomes and dictionaries, Ill proceed with the martial arts manuals, history books, and encyclopaedias, in that order. And if I have time, Ill deepen my education about this world with the complete literature works. The martial arts manuals are obviously due to me reflecting on the fight with Goleth. The battle with Goleth was ranged, so even I, a baby, could fight. But how would it have gone if the fight was in close quarters instead? The Evil Gods apostles wont go easy just because their opponent is an infant. They might be hard to execute with such a small body, but I should at least have an idea of what kind of martial art techniques exist in this world. Postponing the how-to books were because they dont seem to be necessary at the moment. Im the fourth son, so Im unlikely to inherit the territory in the future. Of course, it would be a different story if Viscount Chrebls territory were to suffer from famine and be troubled. Id probably utilise the knowledge from my previous world and try do something about it. However, the management of Pops territory currently seems to be going well. That being the case, theres no need to attempt to use a strong domestic affairs cheat. There is, perhaps, another month until Alfred-tousan finishes dealing with the aftermath of the Ranzrack Fortress incident and returns home. Meanwhile, I have Julia-kaasan teaching me magic when she is unoccupied, and during the other times, I either read in here or practice magic in the courtyard. I also have some verifications to make in regards to skills, and will do that when I have time. During the evening, I exhaust my MP in bed and expand my maximum MP. Also, I cant forget about speaking practice. Due to the growth that accompanied my levelling up, my tongue and vocal cords have developed, and Im making preparations to produce words. However, my actual age is only 6 months old after all, and my speaking practice doesnt even last for 10 minutes. From now on, I will pay attention to my pronunciation even when reading books aloud, and I hope I will be able to speak properly soon. Well, thats how it is. Im repeating monotonous work that would normally be tedious, but its practically a reward for the current me. DDNow then, its time for the fun, fun time to raise skills! CH 16 And thus, I am once again raising my skills. Before that, lets check my current status. There. Edgar Chrebl Level 31 HP 63/63 MP 1442/1442 Skills ? Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ? Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C ? Master class [Physics Magic] 6 [Enchant Magic] 2 [Mana Control] 5 [Letterless Invocation] 5 ? General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 1 [Fire Magic] 2 [Water Magic] 2 [Wind Magic] 4 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 2 [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) Goddess of Virtues Blessing +1 I managed to increase my maximum MP by 690, in the ten days it took to travel from Ranzrack Fortress to the estate. Due to levitating myself in my free time, [Physics Magic] rose by one level, and [Mana Control] also went up by one. For [Enchant Magic], I repeated the action of casting [Enchant Magic] on the spare wand I borrowed from Mum, but the ascension came to a halt after an increase of one. [Enchant Magic] is apparently, in accordance with the name, Magic to temporarily add magic to weapons or armour(according to the help information provided by [Appraisal]), but naturally, the magic that can be added is limited to the magic I have already learned. [Enchant Magic]s skill level growth speed seems slow compared to [Physics Magic], but I suppose the cause is because the added magic level is low. Thus, Ill postpone [Enchant Magic] for the moment and raise the level of the general skills involving magic. Each of those general magic skills rose in levels a little because I received a lecture on magic from Julia-kaasan. Incidentally, only [Wind Magic] rose to 4 because I secretly invoked it during our travel and earned skill levels. And so, back to the present. Firstly, the expanding of my maximum MP is a given. And, due to the events at Ranzrack Fortress, I also received permission from Dad and could openly be taught magic by Julia-kaasan. Julia-kaasans teaching method was simple. I position both hands opposite one another, as if I were holding a basketball, and then produce a small flame in that space using magic. I maintain my focus so that the flame wont be extinguished. Of course, I need to continuously keep the magic symbol in my mind in that time, and I also had to maintain the written in the air in the beginning . It seemed simple, but it was actually quite profound; there was a remarkable difference in both the stability and maintained duration of the flame produced by a novice using [Fire Magic], compared to a flame cast by an expert. In reality, you can see a subtle yet distinct variation when you compare the flame produced by me and the flame produced by Julia-kaasan. It seems Mum can maintain this flame for around 1 mark (in this world, 1 mark is approximately 1 hour in the previous world) if she feels like it. Such a thing is absolutely impossible for the present me. My mana disperses if I concentrate on the flame, and the symbol disappears if I concentrate on my mana; I am unable to split my focus between these three components well. Of course, I know it would be easy if I used the [Letterless Invocation] skill, but then it wouldnt be practicing. Thats right, its like trying to balance an apple on your head while doing a handstand You should be able to understand if I say it like that. In the past, I saw a performance in a circus or acrobatics troupe or something, where someone walked on their hands with an apple on their head. I had thought they were doing something skillful; it might be similar to that. How should I say it, I always felt frustrated and would have immediately given up if this were my previous life. Hmm? Huh? Edgar-kun, how unexpected, do you not have the talent? Julia-kaasan suddenly lets slip from her mouth. Ugh. My face wasnt tear-stained or anything, okay! However, even though I might not have the talent for magic, I have the skill bestowed by the goddess. [No Fatigue]. I suppose theres no need for an explanation anymore, but thanks to it, Im able to exhibit superhuman powers of concentration for this mentally-straining work. 1 hour. 2 hours. I produce a flame between my hands, and continue trying to maintain it. Mum, who gave all sorts of advice and watched over me in the beginning, was unable to keep me company to the end and relied on Steph afterwards, returning to the estate. After that, an additional 1 hour, 2 hours. Steph, who was waiting by my side, seemed to gradually fall into a daze, but I felt like I grasped something after a short while and so I devoted myself to the flame in my hands. And then, when I became able to maintain the flame for around 5 minutes somehow, DDEdgar-kun? You couldnt be, still doing it? In the courtyard that had become dark without me knowing, Julia-kaasan turns up, surprised. By the way, Steph was sleeping, leaning on the pile of firewood in the yard. I presented todays accomplishments to Mum. Wow, amazing. Youve improved. According to Mum, it normally takes several months to reach this point. Indeed, if I didnt have [No Fatigue] then I probably wouldnt be able to continue practicing this much. No, my MP would have run out much earlier. Incidentally, Mum had been able to come this far with 3 days of training, and had apparently been sought after as a rare child prodigy. Edgar-kun is unusual, arent you? How should I say it, you were able to grasp the feeling for it quickly, even though you dont have a great sense for it? Julia-kaasan is a natural airhead as well as a prodigy, so she digs into peoples hearts simple-mindedly like this. Before we departed the fortress, Dad said that the students who were taught to use magic by Julia-kaasan generally quit within a month. At that time, I wondered why it would turn out that way when theyre being taught by such a kind person, but now I clearly understand from the bottom of my heart. My lack of sense was compensated for by the duration of which I could concentrate so it was fine, but normally ones heart would break. Furthermore, Hmm, I thought that Edgar-kun took after Mummy, but maybe I was wrong? Huh? I understood it instantly though? and so on, these sharp, simple-minded words would rain down incessantly when she saw a chance. Even the fundamental magic explanations, Mn~ its like you *hrrng* and *poof*. No, no. Now then, *hrrng* and *poof*. Concentrate and hold it, then release it with a *poof*. Like this, she didnt get to the point at all. DDDamn prodigies. I curse at Julia-kaasan, who had started after her senses had developed. The monotony of the work was handled by [No Fatigue], but even [No Fatigue] was powerless against Mums mental attack. However, I wont lose. Im a former fighting gamer. If I worried about such instigation every time, I wont be become skilful no matter how much time passes. I frantically calm my heart as I strive with my crash course in [Fire Magic]. And then, as I improve my fire magic, I attempt to verify the thing thats been on my mind since the Goleth battle. Its about the [Throwing Spear Techniques]. In the battle against Goleth, I fought by using [Physics Magic] to catch and return Goleths spears, and obtained the general skill [Throwing Spear Techniques] because of it. However, this is a strange verdict. Because, I havent even touched a spear directly. If that is considered spear throwing, then its been approximated to extent of the word throwing. That is how it is. Dhasnt the remaining spear part also been approximated in itself? After I woke up from Growth Sleep, Ive been wanting to verify it for the longest time. So, about how to verify it specifically, what I need to do is simple. If 5 hours pass without [Throwing Spear Skills] skill rising, that spear(?) is not a spear. The 5 hours is what I have calculated from my experience with raising skills so far, its the time needed to raise the level of a skill from 1 to 2. I believe its around 4 hours to be exact, but Ill give it an hours leeway making it 5 hours. The things Ive requested Steph to assemble for the sake of (1) are very wide-ranging. First are spears. A long spear and short spear, a throwing spear, a spear for melee combat, and a spear used on horseback and such, the spears lying on the premises and those with a known pretext were all gathered together. Alfred-tousan is a spear user, so the Viscount Chrebl residence has a superb number of spears, which is helpful. Next are weapons, with the exception of spears. A sword, halberd, axe, knife, and an arrow. I brought an axe, thinking I could use it as comparison if the halberd was counted as a spear. I also thought it was possible for arrows to be considered miniscule throwing spears in form, so I prepared one just in case. Finally, objects that arent weapons. An ordinary rod, a clothes pole, a broom, a piece of firewood, a thick needle, and a wooden stick. I assembled objects of all sizes, with the requirement being that they resembled spears in shape. I think its very improbable, but I think its better to check from the outset, just to confirm. Now then, after the spear(?) preparations have been arranged, I open the notebook which I had Steph bring, and finally start the experiment. DDLet me see, what kind of results will we get? CH 17 DDA practitioners specialty attribute seems to be related to their personality. That was the description in the article on specialty attributes inside the Abaddon Magic Compilation. I might not understand what its trying to say all of a sudden, but its like this. DDTheres a proper reason for Julia-kaasans specialty attribute being fire. At first glance, Julia-kaasan is gentle and would seem to be good at water or wind or light, but when it comes to battle, her terrifying fighting spirit can be seen, and shes also rather earnest when it comes to magic lectures. She earnestlyDDdigs into her students hearts. Geez~ Like I said, the for castingFlame Bitis different from the simple invocation. Its like hitting with a *whoosh*. (conset) has no meaning alone, so the next is like this, used with a sinking feeling. Like I said, not like that Look, it failed because you used the for Flame Bit instead ofFlame Lance. Concentrate better, and do it with a whoa-like feeling! What Im learning from Mum now is how to cast the Flame bit spell that is invoked with a single symbol, and the two-symbol 벷-invoked Flame Lance. Just like Mum said, there are subtle differences between the respective uses. Its still the elementary to intermediate level magic, so if its just using Flame Bit and Flame Lance alone, I can cast them somehow. However, to cast these Flame Bit and Flame Lance spells alternatively, or to cast either one at random, is surprisingly difficult. In fighting game terms, it would be like being attacked with an endless spam of mid and low attacks. In a fighting game, its possible to react to the attacks after seeing them because the action is delayed, but instantly switching between the for Flame bit and the for Flame Lance is mostly a contest of instincts. Thanks to [No Fatigue], its no problem to continue such mentally-taxing work in itself, but the issue is Mums coaching. Its hard to turn it aside just because theres no ill will, and it shaves down my emotional fortitude quite a bit. Recently, the system Ive been using is to have her simply teach me the training method and then practicing it on my own, becoming a figure who flees from Julia-kaasan in the middle of the tutelage. Well, shes been teaching me very enthusiastically, and has been accompanying me as much as possible, so I am grateful. Theres still some way to go beforeFire Storm, but I can instantly stabilise and use Flame Lance at least. Now then, the results of my verification of [Throwing Spear Techniques]. The experiment to raise the level of [Throwing Spear Techniques] will be rather time-consuming, so I started with the objects that didnt seem as though they would be counted as spears and used [Physics Magic] to throw them at the target for 5 hours apiece, and repeated this act. Let me list out the assembled objects one more time. Group 1 (Spear): long spear, short spear, throwing spear, spear for melee combat, spear used from horseback Group 2 (Weapons): sword, halberd, axe, knife, arrow Group 3 (Long and Narrow objects): ordinary rod, clothes pole, broom, piece of firewood, thick needle, wooden stick First of all, I tested the Group 3 (long and narrow) objects, which didnt seem as if they would count. Ordinary pole Clotheshorse Broom Firewood My [Throwing Spear Techniques] skills level didnt rise despite throwing these endlessly. The leveling rate for my high levelled [Physics Magic] skill also slowed down, and the skill level remained unchanged. The results I obtained results were in line with my expectations, but the 20 hours I spent for them may have been a waste. Next are the unexpected results. Thick needle General Skill [Shuriken Techniques] acquired. Somehow, I acquired a different skill to [Throwing Spear Techniques] approximately 1 hour after I started. Since I went to the trouble, I continued to throw the needle for the remaining 4 hours using that skill to see what would happen, and my [Shuriken Techniques] rose to level 2. It seems like a useful skill as it has better maneuverability than [Throwing Spear Techniques], so just gaining this skill makes the Group 3 results worthwhile. And for the final item, the wooden stick, the outcome was that my [Shuriken Techniques] skill became 3 somehow. Whether it was the needle or the stick, it was strange that they would be referred to as shuriken, but its likely that throwing small, pointed objects would be counted as part of [Shuriken Techniques]. I also considered the possibility of them being counted for both [Shuriken Techniques] and [Throwing Spear Techniques], but in the end, the level of [Throwing Spear Techniques] didnt change while throwing the Group 3 items, so they may have rather strict boundaries. I spent a total of 30 hours so far, with the work divided into 6 days, but I obtained the unexpected byproduct that was [Shuriken Techniques] so I can say the results were satisfactory. I renewed my spirits and begun with Group 2 (weapons). First is the sword. When I tried throwing it, it often rotated as it flew because its centre of gravity wasnt stable, but thanks to that, I acquired the General Skill [Flying Sword Techniques]. I didnt know much about it, so I looked at the help information of [Appraisal]. Flying Sword Skill: A sword technique that utilises swords made to float in the air. Yeah. Just as it says. Nevertheless, just what kind of people are supposed to use this skill? The idea of manipulating a sword with [Physics Magic] to fight should normally be very improbable because the MP efficiency is horrible. But, well, since I managed to obtain it, I tried to use [Flying Sword Techniques] to perform the sword techniques mentioned in the martial arts manuals. I somehow grasped the feeling for this when I was doing it, but to put it simply, I was able to let the sword rotate and make consecutive thrusts more freely because there was no one actually holding the sword. Thinking along those lines, this may hold the potential to do some unexpectedly interesting things, like possibly creating a new system of techniques based on principles that differ from the conventional sword techniques. Using this pretext, one could integrate [Sword Techniques] with other skills. Furthermore, my body still corresponds to that of a 3-year-old child, so I cant brandish a sword on my own. However, theres no problem if I use [Flying Sword Techniques]. Ill research it next time if I can find some free time. The halberd didnt raise the [Throwing Spear Techniques] either, nor did I obtain an independent skill from it. If the halberd wasnt treated as a spear then there was no point in doing the axe, but since its there, I test it to see whether or not I could acquire a skill. As a result, I obtained the [Throwing Axe Techniques] skill. Next, knife gave me similar results, and I obtained [Knife Throwing]. That in itself was almost all as I had expected, but the question of what differed from [Shuriken Techniques] emerged. Seems like I wont be able to finish if I investigate it now, so Ill do it when I have another opportunity. The final item in Group 2 was the arrow, but it didnt raise [Throwing Spear Techniques], nor give me a skill. I hoped that I might acquire [Archery Techniques] by chance, but Ill probably need to properly draw a bow and fire an arrow after all. The remaining Group 1 items were simple. The long spear that I tried first increased the [Throwing Spear Techniques] skill to 2, and after that, throwing each of the other varieties of spears allowed me to attain a total skill level of 5. Near the end, the levelling declined, and I confirmed that the melee spear and horseback spear, together, increased the skill from 4 to 5. The time required to reach this point was a total of 75 hours, spanning 15 days. Of course, there were also times in between where I would work on expanding my maximum MP or have special training with Mum. When I spent too much time on throwing spears and the work became dull, I would concurrently recite from the dictionary or the Abaddon Magic Compilation. By the way, Steph had looked uncomfortably at me, who had been immersed in this work, as if to ask what was so enjoyable about it, but well, lets ignore it. And thus, in conclusion, I confirmed that items that arent spears will indeed not work for [Throwing Spear Techniques]. It was a slightly disappointing result. However, as a byproduct of the experiments, I acquired [Shuriken Skills], [Flying Sword Techniques], [Throwing Axe Skills] and [Knife Throwing], an addition of 4 skills. Incidentally, my current status looks like this. Edgar Chrebl Level 31 HP 63/63 MP 1911/1911 Skills ? Mythical class ? Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C ? Master class [Physics Magic] 7 [Enchant Magic] 3 [Mana Control] 6 [Letterless Invocation] 6 ? General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 5 [Flying Sword Techniques] 2 [Shuriken Techniques] 3 [Throwing Axe Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 2 [Fire Magic] 6 [Water Magic] 2 [Wind Magic] 6 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 2 [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) Goddess of Virtues Blessing +1 CH 18 DDIts raining today. Raain, raaain While humming with a speaking style fit for a 7 months old (with the appearance of a 3-year-old) like I just remembered to, I turn the pages of a book in the Study. Mou, its terrible, the laundry wont dry this way. Grumbled Steph, sitting on the chair with me on her knees .Steph, since you are my exclusive maid you dont even do laundry. At any rate, Young Master Ed is amazing~. Me, if I even just look at a book my head starts to hurt. Saying that, Steph takes a peek at the book near my hands. Stephs plentifully developed those are touching the back of my head. Its really a size thats unlikely to belong to 16 years old. Outrageous! Spread out on top of the desk are the bookAbaddon Magic Compilation, a dictionary, and a notebook for taking notes. A notebook is apparently more expensive than in the previous world, but Julia-kaasan said I can use it as much as I want. The Abaddon Magic Compilations shortcoming is that its lengthy and dull, but its really educational. Its been with me ever since my consciousness returned after reincarnating. On the topic of language, it has everything about how to write and read the letters, how to spell words and even pronunciation. About magic, it has how one can even identify the type of magic from the flow of invocation. Furthermore, about the creation of this world, the races living within it, the cultures and customs of the era Abaddon lived in, I could learn about even those, even if just bits and pieces. But then, according to [Appraise], Abaddon was a scholar of magic in the 10th century, so now in the 13th century, there are many things that dont apply the same way. Among the descriptions that are in Abaddon Magic Compilation there is one that grabbed my attention. Its about incantations. First, I recall the incantation for moms Fire Storm. DD??????(Flame! Become a whirlwind that burns away everything!)DDFire Storm! Mom combined 7 magic letters there and chanted the incantation. According to Abaddon Magic Compilation this method of combination is called the Direct Connection Method. By the way, according to Abaddon Magic Compilation there is another method of chanting called the Concatenation Method. What I want you to remember is that the magic alphabet in this world is also used as a common alphabet. For example, ?(Aqua)= a ?(Gaia)= o ?(Wind)= u ?(Flame)= i(e)i that is close to e The magic letters for the Four Basic Elements correspond to the 4 vowels of this world. Im sorry that this explanation is all over the place, but in this world called Marquekt there exists an official language called Marquekt Common Language. According to Abaddons theory, the fact that magic alphabet=common alphabet is the reason why a common language could come into existence in Marquekt. Where magic is used, almost inevitably the same common alphabet is also used and therefore hardly any regional differences could develop, at least in the case of the written word. Putting that aside, the magic alphabet in this world is also used to form common sentences. The more intuitive people perhaps already realized. In short, the chants that are using the Concatenation Method are created by regarding the magic letters as a sentence, and using that as a chant for spell invocation. Lets take a concrete example. The magic letters used in moms Fire Stormare, ?????? The effects of those are, Flame, Spread, Spread, Flame, Flame, Wind, Wind. Here, the (Flame) letters are i(e), (Wind) letters are u, but the (Spread) represents the consonant s. So moms spell can be read as, i(e)󡢣i(e)i(e)uu Saying it simply, its something like issiiuu. Furthermore, the ordering of magic letters has some leeway, so they can be reordered like an anagram. An example for this would be, i, siu, siu in which order saying isiusiu would be roughly equivalent to performing the chant of Flame! Become a whirlwind that burns away everything! There are 2 advantages to doing it this way. By reconstructing the sentences used in the chant, the chant can be shortened. Also, by using a sentence that isnt used in ordinary conversations, the contents of the chant can be made indiscernible to enemies. There is 1 demerit. The chant becomes short, but it also becomes removed from the natural language, so the necessary image for the invocation of the spell becomes harder to form. The merits are big and the demerit is basically insignificant for me who has [No Fatigue]. Furthermore, this is not written in the Abaddon Magic Compilation, but perhaps one could further reconfigure that compressed chant and prepare a sentence that has some relevance to the image. For example, in the case of Fire Storm, perhaps there is a possibility of finding a word that is related to fire by reordering those iu letters, and by using that word as a part of the chant, it would strengthen the image. Or possibly, utilizing the shortness of the chant one could construct a Super Multiple Concatenated Spell, that has not just 7, but 10, 20, 30 or even more letters. Or yet another possibility. By combining the above-mentioned 2 methods, one could perhaps compile a phrase that although sounds like a natural phrase, but its in fact a chant at the same timeDD a Magic Phrase if you will. For example, imagine having the phrase Good day. be a Magic Phrase that serves as the chant for a protection magic. If the other party takes a friendly approach then you can discard the chant, but if the other party exhibits hostile behavior, then all you have to do is speak the keyword and activate the spell to protect yourself. Only, the combination of magic letters apparently follows a highly complicated ruleset, so you cant know for sure if the combination in question is functioning properly until youve conducted an experiment with it. But for me who has [No Fatigue], I can repeatedly do the increasingly dull process of performing the experiment and verifying the results, in a short time. Well, with my current skill level that finally just allowed me to stabilize Flame Lance with its 2 letter invocation, this is only a dream within a dream for now. Then, knocking could be heard from the other side of the studys door. From the other side of the door the voice of the maid that was currently serving as a waitress could be heard. Young Master Ed. Lunch has been served. Ai` I replied, then had Steph lower me from her lap. I get easily pre-occupied by magic and skills, but I must also learn to use this 3 year old body of mine. Steph always wants to carry me, but I make it a point to always walk with my own feet. But, because my head was full of thoughts related to Magic Phrases I apparently neglected to watch my footing that day. Fugyaa-!? I tripped near the staircase and with a weird yelp I tumbled all the way down the staircase. Finally, I also magnificently hit my head in the pillar of the first floor. Ouch`! Kyaa, Young Master Ed! I thought it was with a momentum that wouldnt end just by me saying ouch. Thank you very much. Are you alright!? Steph is worried, but. hm, it doesnt hurt as much as I wouldve thought..? If anything, my biggest injury is the grazing of skin on my knee. DDEdgar-kun!? What happened!? Julia-kaasan rushed out of the dining room. I-, Im terribly sorry! Young Master Ed slipped and fell down the stairs! Steph bowed so deep, that her head almost reached the floor even while standing. Steph is my personal maid, so her job is to watch over me so this kind of injury doesnt happen. Even though I fell down on my own accord, since Im still a 7 months old child, the responsibility lies with one that watches over me. Because I, rushed. I tried persuading mom by saying that. .well, if Edgar-kun says so. But please be careful in the future? Yes.. Im terribly sorry.. Steph became disheartened. Edgar-kun, are you hurt? Looks like..not While l looked at my body confused, Aah, because Edgar-kuns level went up in the fortress. We dont know without checking, but your HP should probably be quite high. If the HP is high the injuries get lighter? [Appraise] just the HP. Edgar Chrebl. HP:59/63 My HP went down!? The decrease is by 4DDthat was my maximum HP when I was at Level 1. In other wordsDDif my level didnt go up, I wouldve died? While hiding my internal turmoil, I see~. Im hungry~ I tried dodging the issue by saying that, then I had Julia-kaasan bring me to the dining room. In truth, it wouldnt be strange even if Steph got fired. I couldve walked, but Julia-kaasan wanted to take me since it was just after an accident. I got carried to the dining room while I wiggled my legs. But HP, huh. A while ago, when I [Appraised] Julia-kaasan, I was surprised by how high her HP was. That time Julia-kaasans HP was 79. That is in fact nearly 8 times the value of an adult Level 1 male. Ive found the possibility unbelievable that mom wouldnt die even if stabbed by a slasher. After that, when I was fighting at the Ranzrak Fortress against Goleth, who was the leader of the and also an apostle of the Evil God Monguenues. His HP was whittled down by the stones thrown by [Physical Magic], but there were no clear injuries on him. At that time, I thought it was because of Goleths skill, [Toughness], but it may have been because of his HP value that has been inflated by the Evil Gods Add. According to the Goddesss explanation, HP is made up of a powerDDshe called it Gift, that is granted by god in times of Level Up, that is combined with the persons own physical strength during Growth Sleep. Then, this kind of thing may be possible. DDIf the maximum HP goes up, even when suffering the same damage the injuries get lighter. To be exact, if the damage is comparatively smaller than the maximum HP, then the injury becomes lighter by the same proportion. I was just silently thinking about HP while eating, so Julia-kaasan was looking very bored. I was a bit disheartened as I returned to the study, where I resumed reading while listening to the sound of rain. Lets make sure I have a fun chat with mom at dinner. The talks with Julia-kaasan are enjoyable for me too, so no problem. I was thinking that, butDD DDEdgar-kun! A carrier pigeon has arrived from Al-kun! Throwing open the studys door with a bam, Julia-kaasan rushed in with a letter in one hand and a full-faced smile. CH 19 DDTwo days later. The distance to Riverette village from Corbett village, where the mansion is, is half a day by carriage. The day before yesterday we received a notice from dad, the next day we finished preparing for the journey, then today we arrived in Riverette village like so. Regarding what Alfred-tousans carrier pigeon was about, in short, DDThe work in Ranzrack Fortress still wont be over for a while. So please head in the direction of the capital with Edgar. I will follow you with fast horses later. The contents were roughly this. Very much resembling Corbette village, Riverette village had the image of a typical farming village. They are so similar that if you were to put it right beside Corbette village and ask people to search for differences, then perhaps even its residents would mistake one for the other. This area is a reclaimed land by nature and the four villages in the territory of Viscount Cherbl were settled at the same time, so they closely resemble each other and are even called quadruplet villages. Corbett , Riverette , Trenadette , Kuuret. These are a bit jumbled versions of words that meanfirst, second, third, fourthin Common Marquekt Language. In other words, First village, Second village, Third village, Fourth village, an exceedingly simple naming convention. Julia-kaasan and I (and Steph) are staying at the house of the village chief of the Second village (Riverette village). One reason was that the sun almost set already, but even so, it wouldnt have been impossible to reach the next village (Third village). The reason why we decided to stay at this village was that the village chief wanted to welcome mom, who is the wife of the Viscount. We are just waiting for dad to catch up during this journey anyway, so mom accepted the village chiefs invitation and decided to ask about the general situation of the village as we spend a night here in Riverette village. This was also in the notice brought by the carrier pigeon, dad asked us to hear out the people if we have time for it. Because if Im also there, there is a possibility they would hesitate to speak their mind, he wrote. Dad is not the type to act too much like a noble and he is quite a candid person, but to the people, he is no doubt a person that is above the clouds. On the other hand, mom has that personality and she is also an ex-adventurer, so its easier for her to mix with the locals. And even if there are some misguided fellows that would make a move on her, all it would result in is that they would realize that the nickname of Fire Prison Witch is not just for show. Even if its the village chiefs house its a modest one, much like the old Japanese houses, it is a grass-roofed single-storey wooden house. Even so, its a comfortable, nice and cozy house. We took off our shoes and went to the living space around the central fireplace, where we listened to the villagers that gathered, but after a while, my eyelids felt like they got heavier. Although the reason why my eyelids felt heavy was only because I was influenced by the memories from my previous life, in reality, thanks to [No Fatigue], I was as awake as I usually am. So I didnt miss a news like this. DDFairies? Thats right, madam. Fairies snatched away the son from Volvos family. According to the spokesperson-like man, this is what happened. Apparently, half a year ago a woodcutter suddenly started saying that he saw fairies deep in the forest. However the fairies are not something that anyone can normally see, if one doesnt have an ability to sense the supernatural, or didnt drank a bunch of alcohol and got drunk, one wouldnt be able to see, they say. In other words, that woodcutter, seizing the opportunity that no one was around, had a bit during work. Since it was from a guy like that, no one believed what he said. But the woodcutter insisted that he saw them. Some mean villager then started saying that they should make a bet. After that, when led by the woodcutter, the villager that made a bet with the woodcutter went to the place where the woodcutter saw the fairies, and there a strange pattern that looked like something between a writing and a picture was drawn all over the ground. Even then, he said it was part of his charade and that didnt make him the winner of the bet. That being said, there wasnt any evidence that is was, in fact, his doing, so with the mediation of the village chief, the bet was invalidated. Some people still teased the woodcutter for a while, but even that died down in time and the villagers all forgot about the fairy business. But then, it happened just a few days ago. Volvos boyDDBoyce is his name, a pleasant boy around 5 years old that doesnt resemble him at all, has disappeared all of a sudden, I say. Volvo was a villager that made the bet with the woodcutter in the previous story. His son, Boyce, didnt return after saying he was going to play near the river. We searched downstream of the river and even deep in the forest with the adults of the village but didnt find him anywhere. When the people of the village were talking about how this or that may have happened, that woodcutter guy started saying some daft things. Daft things? By daft he means foolish, madam. No, Julia-kaasan probably knows that already. I ask in her stead. What did he say? Hee, Young Master can already speak? The Master is smart too, so its no wonder if the child is also clever. Enough of that already! After I glared at him a bit, the spokesperson that apparently intentionally played silly let out a small strained laugh, then continued with the story. Yeah, sorry about that. Ah, I was talking about the woodcutter. You probably suspect already. The woodcutter started saying that the ones that snatched Boyce away were the fairies. The faeries.? Julia-kaasan charmingly tilted her head. I also share moms doubt. They say that faeries are fundamentally good beings. There is a paragraph about faeries in the Abbadon Magic Compilation and it states that fairies are innocent familiars created by an ancient and legendary race called Pioneer Elves. Its one of my favorite memorized parts, so there is no mistake. At first, no one in the village given it a thought. That woodcutter guy must have drank so much he is a bit not right in the head anymore, everyone thought that while ignoring him. Its his fault for just drinking all the time, saying the forest is scaary scaary. Then? But, after a while others started saying what if it was the work of fairies. I thought it was idiotic, but as someone that manages the people of the village, I cant ignore it. So to decide it once and for all we went looking in the forest. Then, in the forest, the thing that looked like something between writing and a picture that was supposedly drawn by fairies has been left there. Different from the one, the woodcutter found? I asked without thinking. It was a different one. For one, it was half a year ago when the woodcutter said that he saw fairies. There is no way a pattern drawn on the ground can last that long. Where is, that pattern? Deep in the forest, upstream from where Boyce said he was going to play. We thought the Lord would want to see it so we fenced it off. It creeps everyone out, so no one goes near the spokesperson said. Upstream. It means the upper part of the river No, I know what it means. If there is a fence then I would be able to find it without a guide. While I was thinking that, Julia-kaasan also asked the spokesperson something. You didnt pay attention to what the woodcutter-san was saying before, so why did it change after? It was the innkeeper that started saying it that time. Dont know if it was before or after that traveler stayed here. Traveler? He said he was coming from the direction of Corbette as I remember. After staying one night he said hes heading to the capital. He shared stories about foreign countries, so everyone had a good time. Fhnn? Mom is staring into space while tilting her head. I try doing the same, but its not like there is something to see. All I see is a sooty beam. That time, the door of the living space suddenly opened. DDThe fairies didnt do anything wrong!! Shouting that, an around 5 years old child came running in. H-hey, Aino! You are in front of the guests! From the look of the chiding spokesperson, she is probably his daughter. Not resembling her father, she is a charming little girl. She looks older than me though. Fairy-san saved me when I was lost and in trouble! Are you still saying that? You had a fever that time. What you saw was most likely a hallucination. No way! It was a blond spirally haired fairy-san! She was very kind! Ueeee, Aino-chan started crying. Taking a sidelong glance at the flustered spokesperson, Julia-kaasan tries to pacify Aino-chan. Maybe Aino-chan got tired from crying, she fell asleep near the fireplace. Im sorry, madam. Its okay. She is very charming. We dont have girls at home so Im envious. The 3 children of Alfred-tousans former wife are all men and Im also a man. It looks like Aino-chan is worried about Boyce-kun. Aah, I see how it is. I think its a bit precocious, but they mustve been close friends. All right! Let me do my best too! Huh, madam? Even if I dont look like it, Im an ex A-rank adventurer. Ahem, mom exclaimed. There the village chief, who only watched over the discussion with the spokesperson, cut in suddenly. We have heard much about you. But is it alright? This village cant prepare a fitting reward for an A-rank adventurer? Its okay~. This is Al-kuns domain. Its the Lords duty to protect his people, right? I-, I see While looking perplexed, the village chief gave an acknowledging response. If its an A-rank then perhaps, is probably what he is thinking, but the Julia-kaasan in front of him doesnt look that reliable, its probably something like that. Its unknown whether mom has noticed that look on the village chief or not. Edgar-kun, wait here in the house, okay? Saying that she set out at once to gather information from the village. . What will I do, you ask? Of course, staying patiently at the village chiefs house is not even an option. After I lost consciousness by doing the maximum MP raising and made Steph believe that I fell asleep I woke right up. Only one thing was on my mind. Fairies! Wanna see! CH 20 Hmm, its rather dark. It has been around 30 minutes since Julia-kaasan went out to gather information. When the sun had completely set, I produced a small light at my fingertips using (light) and sprinted inside the forest, arriving at the river where voice-kun disappeared. The river was around 5 metres wide. The width was approximately the same as that of the moat at Ranzrack fortress The water was so clear that when I brought the light at my fingertip towards it, I could see the fish swimming at the bottom of the river. Id like to make some grilled fish, but Ill save it for another time. I drew ? three times and leapt over the river. I used one of the ? the instant I leapt, and another for the moment of landing. The final one was prepared in case of an accident. I also practiced with it many times in the courtyard at the estate, but using it freely in such a vast space felt good. I skipped along the riverside, heading upstream, and a fence came within sight after about 10 minutes. The width of the river narrowed by about half, but contained many bends instead. On the edge of that river was an unnaturally open space. It was a round area with a diameter of about 5 metres, and my first impression was that it was like an open court. Surrounding the centre of that clearing was the wooden fence that the village chief told us about. Rather than a wooden fence, numerous wooden planks were driven into the ground and tied together with rope. Through a gap in the wooden fence, I tossed a into the middle of the fenced area. Heh. On the ground, a design that was neither character nor picture was indeed drawn. The design was quite complex. The pattern contained approximately 30 small patterns, and they were lined up in order. I dont know the significance of the small patterns in detail, but several of the patterns were duplicated. Or rather, arent these sentences? Magic symbols? No, thats wrong.. In Marquekt, theres a common tongue. Thats because the magic symbols that are used to invoke magic are utilised as general letters. Since there is a common skill with the name of magic, at least in regards to characters, its easy to use magic symbols. Thus, even if the spoken language is somewhat accented, in terms of the characters, the magic symbols should be used worldwide. In short, characters with the exception of magic symbols do not exist in Marquekt. Wait.. Other characters In a hurry, I open the Abaddon Magic Compilation that I was carrying in my arms. There it is, Ancient magic symbols. Ancient Magic Symbols. They are the powerful and yet delicate magic symbols used more than a millennium ago, the origins of the current magic symbols. The current magic symbols were more concise so they were manageable for everyone, but these ancient magic symbols seemed to be vastly superior to the current magic symbols in terms of power. But then, apparently they had been too hard to control and were passed down in error, and only the magic symbols after simplification were currently circulated. It seems that Abaddon had also investigated the ancient magic symbols in-depth, but its stated that he couldnt understand very much. However, Abaddon reproduced fragments of the ancient magic symbols he discovered in historic ruins beside the ancient magic symbols article. While suppressing my excitement, I compare the patterns before me to the reproduction in the book butDD Hmm? Is it different, maybe? The impression I got was that if the reproduced ancient magic symbols were printed kanji, the patterns before my eyes would be written in a girls rounded handwriting. Decorations were added here and there, and it was hard to specify the original text. For the time being, lets transcribe it and return. I copy down the design within the fence into my notebook and return to the village after confirming there were no mistakes. MidnightDD Taking care not to wake my happily sleeping mother beside me, I got out of bed. In the shadow of the desk, I use after lowering its intensity and gaze at the transcribed pattern many times. However, I dont get it. Due to having no mental fatigue thanks to the effects of [No Fatigue], I was able to continue deliberating for many hours. But no matter how much I thought, I didnt understand what I didnt understand. Since its not like my intelligence improved. Theres the tale of the US armed forces deciphering the Japanese armys codes during the Pacific War, but I suppose they were able to decipher them by gathering world-leading mathematicians with brains and newly-built computers. Something like cryptography might be impossible for me, an amateur. Eei My not being that smart wasnt something that started just now. What was my forte? Right, its simple work! I spread out my notebook under the desk and tried to write down those transcribed patterns on it over and over. 10 times, 20 times My hand did not tire as I dont tire physically, but my muscles ache when I overdo it. While taking a break occasionally, 30 times, 40 times Somehow I grasped the writing method. I felt as though I grasped the pens natural route and the stroke order. 50 times, 60 times Soon I was able to write the characters even without looking at the transcribed pattern. Afterwards, a further 70 times, 80 times Suddenly, I felt the mana inside my body move when writing the characters. However, the mana dispersed when I directed my attention to it. 90 times. My mana is moving again. Somehow it seems like my mana is moving along a specific passage. Despite this, my mana ends up dispersing as soon as I proceed onto the next character. Nevertheless, I grasped the sensation. And then, the 100th time. The moving mana takes shape. This isDD *fwoosh*! Crap, its a fire! ! Ah, that was dangerous. The notebook was burned and became sopping wet, but the situation of producing a small fire in someone elses home was avoided anyhow. Ah, theres a burn on the floor as well. It wont be discovered if I keep quiet, right? I understood here that this pattern was of magic symbols in any case. Whilst writing over and over, I remember the character forms, and from the faint movement of mana, I became able to imagine the effects of those characters in my subconscious. These ancient magic symbol-like characters were more complex than the current magic symbols, and yet they seemed to hold different traits. These characters were also pictures. It was easy to understand for me who was a Japanese person, the ancient magic symbols were hieroglyphs derived from pictures like the Egyptian runes and Chinese characters. They were most likely simplified accordingly through the passage of times and became the current magic symbols that were similar to an alphabet. Hence, even though I did nothing but tracing the character forms, the image of the spells that could be invoked gradually permeated into my brain. Well, I never thought that Id be able to invoke real magic though For the moment, I dry the wet notebook using the original magic I secretly practiced, ˨DDDryer . The pages ended up a little stiff, but it couldnt be helped. Fortunately, I had almost reached the end thanks to my transcribing a hundred times. It was dangerous to do any more experimenting indoors, so I quietly sneaked out of the bedroom and exited out into the village chiefs back yard. And then, this time I etched the pattern on the ground with a handy twig. For the time being, I will also do this 100 times. I use ? to dispel the magic before it is invoked, prioritising the comprehension of the complete pattern. DDNow then, its straightforward work so let me get to it. When the night started to grow lighter, I finally grasped the full pattern. It was a considerably interesting result. Firstly, this pattern has a mix of valid and invalid components. Its the same with the current magic symbols but when multiple symbols are invoked, there are characters that can go together and those that cant. Even in this pattern, components that form spells when combined, and components that cant combine are mixed together. I dont believe that the person who drew the pattern made a mistake. Because it doesnt seem likely for a being who knows the ancient magic symbols to make such a rudimentary mistake. In other words, theres a high possibility that these components that dont form spells have been intentionally inserted. Secondly, the matter of whether these characters can be read in a sentence, assuming that they are magic symbols. From the conclusion, it doesnt seem possible. I tried invoking the ancient magic symbols in practice, determining the corresponding current magic symbols with the same effects and replacing them. However, the composition formed by doing that was nothing but gibberish. But, somehow this incomprehensibleness of meanings was fishy. That out-of-place miscommunication as though the existing words were replaced with several characters apiece. From the above facts, a certain conviction of mine was deepened. That was, DDThis is a code. These valid components and invalid components. Comprehensible and incomprehensible words. I recall often solving such cryptograms when I enrolled in primary school. Cryptograms like the tanuki code. Since it is a code, there should be a rule to solving it, just like the tanuki code. And the hints for clarifying the rule are all present. Perhaps, if I remove the invalid components for magic, the remaining components will form words based on some sort of rule. That should be fine. There is no doubt that there is a message in here, even if it is in code. Since there is a message, there is someone who composed it, and there is someone whom the writer intended for to receive. To put it simply, this is something that someone addressed to someone else. The writer is someone who possesses knowledge of the ancient magic symbols. For now, it should be fine to assume its a faery. In that case, who was this composed for? A person who possesses knowledge on the combining of magic symbols and can decipher the ancient magic symbols. Theres also the possibility of it being a private message to a fellow faery, but if it was just that then there would be no need for such a troublesome code. Just from my intuition, I think its not that. DDThis is a written challenge addressed to humans who are well-informed about magic. Faeries are good-natured beings, but they are also known for being mischievous. Leaving a code in a noticeable place for a person with too much free time is indeed something that they might do. But in that caseDD That means the faeries are unrelated to the spiriting away of Boyce-kun. Its true that there is the possibility that they abducted a child to have their code solved, but that would surely exceed the scope of a prank. But then, just who abducted Boyce-kun? In order to find out the answer to that, I tackled the cryptography. DDAnd, I somehow managed to finish solving the code before breakfast was ready. CH 21 Dodododododo Whats that sound, you ask? Its the sound of the waterfall thats in front of my eyes. This place is the high upstream of the previously mentioned river. The time is late at night. Its a beautiful moonlit night with a full moon out. A smallish waterfall of about 10 meters tall is sparkling as its illuminated by the moonlight. However, it seems thats not the only thing thats sparkling. From the other side of the waterfallDDFrom the cavity that is hidden by the flow of the waterfall, a faint light is leaking out. By using ? (Physik) and (Aqua), I deflect the curtain of the waterfall a bit and slide into the cave. The cave is less than 2 meters tall. For an adult, this should be a place that has a feeling of restriction. My current self is not even 1 meter tall, so I proceed deeper in without minding it. This cave appears to be a limestone cave. This space, where a few stalactites are standing in a row, is pleasantly cool. Its not just this cave, the air temperature has fallen a bit lately. It seems that the time when I regained my reincarnated consciousness was somewhere in the summer. With the coming and going to the fortress and the waiting period before we set out to the Second Village, all-in-all about 50 days have passed. Therefore, the season is soon nearing autumn. From the fact that the summer wasnt that hot, its probably safe to assume that the latitude here is around the same as Europes. There is a possibility that the winter will be quite cold. While thinking along these lines, I head towards the source of the faint light. That being said, its not a long distance. The length of the cave should be about 10 meters. Since its pitch black and Im fumbling, it feels much longer, but it should be about that long. There was a small room at the end of the cave. Its size is about as big, that if a few adults were to stand in it, it would feel cramped. In the middle of that room, there is a light shining from above, and there is a lot of white clover-like flowers glowing there. Also, in front of it, there are a few letters that are similar to that cryptogram. DDI already know the method used to decipher it. As for the process, its not that difficult once you understand it. First, we replace the pictograms with the corresponding modern magic letters. As usual, I memorized the correspondence chart, so I can finish this in no time. Next, we remove the combinations that cant be composited for magic. A good example is (Spread-diffusion) and (Conset-converge). This impossible combination is used as punctuation. And then finallyDDwe exchange the vowels. The answer to what do you mean by that is to exchange for example (Flame) with its opposite attribute (Aqua). And also its reverse, exchange (Aqua) with (Flame). We exchange (Wind) and (Gaia) by the same logic. With this, we gained the unciphered text(normal text) from the cryptogram. By this process, it has come to light that the rumored pictograph in Marquekt Common Language is Midnight of the full moon, behind the waterfall. And the pictograph in front of meDDBeyond this point, Fairy Village With just the first cryptogram I couldnt set aside my doubt that my interpretation was stretching it, but since I could decipher this pictograph with the same method there is no problem. Ive successfully managed to decipher the code left by the fairies. It was hard It took me an entire half day before the exchanging of vowels occurred to me. Since most of the time, if you exchange the vowel(=Four Basic Elements), the spell can still activate. At one place I realized that the combination I removed as impossible would work if I changed the attribute, so then I tried the other elements in a near round-robin fashion. As a result, I realized that the simple rule of exchanging the attributes with their opposite would most likely work. And then, when I succeeded with the deciphering, it was around sundown. The full moon was tonight, so I hurriedly slipped out of the village chiefs house and came to the upstream of the river, where a waterfall would most likely be. Beyond this point..but where? The scene of the light hitting the flowers is truly fairytale-like, but this here is the caves dead end and I cant see any paths that would proceed beyond. I looked at the flowers for no particular reason, then at the source of light that illuminated the flowersDDI looked up. In that instantDDmy body was engulfed in a strange sensation. A flower covered plains continued on as far as I could see. Seemingly to the end of the earth, the surface, winding like a benchland or carpet, filled with many kinds of flowers. And there wereDD Ufufu.. Ahaha.. Many somethings that were slightly bigger than a butterfly were flying around. I strain my eyes, half-convinced of their identity. These beings, that are emitting various colored light from their bodies, are about the size of those something-or-another dolls from my previous world, and they are human shaped. Wings that resemble those of the dragonfly and also the butterfly. Clothes that look like upside down flower petals. Pastel colored hair. They are no matter how you look at themDD Fairies! Kya-! Hyaa-! I involuntarily exclaimed, so the fairies suddenly distanced themselves from me. Its a human! A human! Weeell.first in 10 years? First in a 100 years! The fairies were watching and crowding around me at a distance, but at the end, DDHuman-san? DDAre you? Two fairies fly close to me. These two look exactly the same, huh. The one in the right side from my point of view has her hair tied up on the left and the left one has it on the right. Are they twins or something? Their eyes were sparkling with hard to contain curiosity. Um, yeah.thats right. How did you get here!? Get here~? By deciphering the code on the ground, that was allegedly left by fairies. As I was saying that, I started to have a feeling that something was amiss. But, I didnt immediately realize what was wrong. Ehh-!? You deciphered that code!? Ammaazing! Amazing~! Nah, not really that I act humble while scratching my head. Taking that prank seriously and deciphering it, you really have a lot of free time! A lot of free time~! Shutup! Hey, that was really a prank!? It took an entire day to decipher that! ..then you didnt have any business with the one that managed to decipher it? Business~? Business-? The twin fairies both tilt their heads. Its vexing that Ive found that a bit cute. Ah, thats right! Thats right-! The twin fairies clap their hands together with a pop. When humans come, Big Sister told us to bring them to her! .And thus, I was guided by the twin fairies and we went to the place of that so-called Big Sister. There I finally noticed the unusual phenomenon that happened to me. ..Ive become a bit bigger? Its hard to notice since there are only fairies nearby, but my originally 3 years old-like body became that of a first grader in elementary school. My pronunciation also improved, so the bones and muscles of my face have also probably changed. Because this is the Fairy Village Fairy Village~ According to their explanation, this place called Fairy Village is a half-material and half-spirit world. Humans get younger and also get older~ Hhnn By this logic, it wouldnt be strange if me with my 30 years old soul would get even bigger, but it looks like maybe the body has more influence over it. ..Or perhaps, because all that baby talk in the last 8 month has caused my mind to regress into a child While I was thinking about that, we reached our destination. It was a log-house on top of a gentle slope. Not a fairy-sized one, but a proper human-sized one. The twin fairies vigorously rammed the door of that log-house. Baan! Big sister! Its a guest! I wonder what happened, but in short the fairies are too small and its hard to open the door. Thank you, Secel, Secela It seems those were the names of the twin fairies. Inside the log-house, there was a fairy, about the same size as Secel & Secela. Leaving aside the half-transparent swallowtail butterfly patterned wings, she had an unexpected blond drill twin-tail hairstyle. Her facial features give off a dignified ojou-sama feeling. ..cute Wh-, c- , cu-..!? I unintentionally whispered it, and the twin-tailed fairy blushed at me. Big Sister is shy` Is shy~ Aah, youre noisy! I will talk with the human so the two of you go away! Big Sister got angry! Got angry~! Secel and Secela left while smiling and screaming kya~. I let out an unintentional sigh of relief. To tell the truth, its hard to keep company with someone that high-spirited as those two.. Please excuse them, they mean no harm. Said the Twin-tail-san Aah, no I think they are good kids. Indeed. There are no bad kids in this village. Saying that, Twin-tail-san has proudly puffed up her chest. DDI will formally introduce myself. My name is Melby. This Tetelutia Fairy Villages Fairy Chief. So she is the leader here. That why it was Big Sister. My name is Kano, Edgar Chrebl I almost said my name from my previous world, but I hurriedly corrected myself. I see. It looks like a very lovely human has come to us. .hey, wait a minute The formally Twin-tail-san, Melby inspected every part of my body from the top of my head to my toes while fluttering around me. After finishing her inspection, Melby said with knitted eyebrows. It looks likean inexplicable human has come I dont what she could have seen, but Melby has said this. I also got curious, so I secretly use [Appraise] on Melby. MelbyFrom Tetelutia Fairy Village, Fairy ChiefDDۣ Huh? .Hey, you have some nerve to sneakily try and peak at a ladys secrets? I was found out!? Well, humans probably wont be able to notice it, but against a fairy such as myself, that degree of concealment will be found out. No, well, that was.. To the pale looking me that was looking for excuses, she said, Nevermind. It doesnt look like you had any bad intentions anyway. Saying that, Melby disappeared to the back of the log-house. I waited perhaps 5 minutes. From the back, Melby was unsteadily flying this way, holding a tea-cup. He-,Here.tea. You shouldnt have. Just obediently accept peoples kindness! Y-,yes In front of the puffing Melby, I obediently drink from the tea. .delicious If I were to compare it to the previous world, it would be a taste similar to rosehip tea with added honey. I see. Im glad. Saying that, Melby smiled sweetly. After that, I accidently made her melancholic. My Master liked that tea. There were no visitors lately, so there were no opportunities to serve it. Your Master? The one who created us fairies was our Master, a Pioneer Elf. The fairies in other villages were also created by different Pioneer Elves. Then the description in Abaddon Magic Compilation was right. Where is your Master? .. Melbys face darkens and she casts down her eyes. Ah, no, Im sorry. I asked something bad. No, dont worry about it. ..Rather than that, Edgar, why did you come to this village? It feels like she forcefully changed the subject, but I decided to go along with it. I deciphered the code left by fairies. So, when I went to the back of the waterfall at midnight on a full moon there was something shining there, and then before I noticed I was here. Hnnn. You deciphered that one, huh. Melby stares at my face with great interest. Yeah, she is cute. And also, Ive come to confirm the rumors from the village. Rumors? I would like you to hear me out without getting angry.. Okay. What is it? .There was a child disappearance case in Riverette Village, you see. Some villagers are making a racket about how it may be the work of fairies. Whats with that!? There is no way thats true! Melby hit the table with a Bam! and jumped up. Th-thats why I said dont get angry. I heard that fairies are virtuous existences, so I thought the rumors were suspicious. Wh-what would fairies even do with human children after kidnapping them anyway! Uhm, well..eat them? We wont eat them! How rude! Melby seems really angry. .yeah, really thats what I thought would be the case. That code was near the place that kid disappeared from. So then, it looks like they suspected they were related. We leave that code around the forest at fixed intervals. I ask the fairies that go to play in the forest to leave them. Why are you doing something like that? ..that is. For some reason, Melby stopped speaking. According to Abbadon Magic Compilation fairies cant lie. Thats why, that means if there is something that is hard to talk about, Melby cant make something up and dodge the question. But, its true. There is nothing to gain for fairies from kidnapping children. To begin with, we are not built in a way that we would be able to. Mn. Its not the 3 rules of robotics, but since fairies were created by Pioneer Elves, its perhaps obvious that there would be such restrictions. Well, its difficult to trust us if we just simply ask you to. So, until we are cleared of your suspicions you should stay in this village. If you want to see some places I will also show you around. Im not suspecting you, so its alright. No. If there are other humans that are suspicious then stay and look around. But as you can see Im a child. If I stay overnight on my own, what would mom and the others say. .Now that you mention it you are a child, huh. I had a feeling like I was talking to an about 30 years old adult. Gulp. If you are worried about the time I dont think there is a problem. Since the flow of time in the Fairy Village is one tenth of the outside world. So if I stay a whole day even, only 2.4 hours would pass outside. Its like the Palace of the Dragon King. Do I also get older by that much? You dont. Since this is a half-spirit world. Its like you are leaving your body behind on the other side. Isnt the other half material? Thats true, but for the material substance, the outside time applies. A traveler that visited here before said that. Then that means maybe only the mind is on fast-forward or overclocked? But, at any rate, this is a rare opportunity. There is no way I would just go home without doing anything when there is a fairy right in front of me. .If you insist that much, I will stay for a while. When I said that, Melbys face suddenly lit up. Really!? Then, there will be a party today! Saying that, Melby left the room while humming in a good mood. ..They wouldnt just use the suspicions as an excuse, only to use me to liven up the party, would they? Well, if can frolic around with fairies I wouldnt really say no to that. DDAt night. The fairys party was over and I was lying down on a bed in the log-house. Of course, because of [No Fatigue] I wont be sleeping, but I cant really raise my magic skills in the house of a fairy either. Also, there is something on my mind. This log-house is clearly for human use. Or rather than human use, it was probably for the Pioneer Elf. However, there is no Pioneer Elf here. Since they say they are an ancient race, perhaps they have already perished, but from looking at Melby, I have a feeling thats not the case. When Melby says My Master, the emotion in her words is not the cherishing of memories of a deceased Master. Most likely, that Master is still alive. However, she cant meet me. The fairies are cheerful without limit, but once the topic of Master comes up, everyone becomes gloomy. Of course, there must be some circumstances to that. So as someone that just happened to come by, I dont want to poke my nose in it. Thankfully, from what the fairies were saying, there was no possibility that their Master would secretly go around Riverette Village and kidnap villagers. So there is no place for an outsider like me to butt in.. or there shouldnt be. However, Melby really looks like she is burdened with something. It feels like she is breaking under the pressure of the chiefs position and her own sense of responsibility. In my previous life, when I was working as an office worker, one my junior girls was in that state. After that, she felt responsible for a mistake in her work and left the company, I heard nothing about her after that. Secel and Secela also. Please help Big Sister cheer up Cheer up! They said. DDTomorrow, lets try asking Melby. I was thinking that, but I couldnt calm down while lying there. I hate my body that doesnt get sleepy at times like these. Quietly, I get up from the bed and leave the house while being careful not to wake up Melby, who should be sleeping somewhere in the house. So I start taking a slow walk in the Fairy Village that is faintly bright even after the sun went down. The flowery plains are continuing to no end, but the fairies only live centered around the log-house it seems. On the outskirts of that, Ive found an old looking temple-like building. That being said, there is no roof and the walls have also collapsed, so calling it a ruin would be more accurate. There was a staircase leading down inside there. Beside the staircase entrance, there is lid-like wooden board that was pushed to the side. And from the end of the staircase, there was bluish-white light leaking that was inviting me. That grabbed my attention so I went down the stairs. Beyond the stairs, it was a limestone cavern. I went a few meters forwards in the limestone cavernDD What. is this? There was a giant crystal looking thing. But not just an ordinary crystal. Inside the crystal, there was someone imprisoned. Silver colored long hair, skin so fair its almost transparent, graceful bodyline. And also, DDLong ears with pointed tips. DDPioneer Elf? I reflexively used [Appraise] on that person. Alfecia Vilat Maeterlinck7 Pillars of Pioneer ElvesSage of the ForestThe One who Mastered the Way of MagicSleeping Princess) 77 years old (1118 years has passed since frozen in time) Pioneer Elf Demigod (An existence that has become a half-god due the powerful blessings given by the Gods) Status Frozen in time Level 92 HP 179/179 MP 4519/325061 (25061+300000) Skills ?Mythical Class [Imitation Genesis] C (Creates a minuscule universe.) [Four Great Magicks] 4 [Magical Creature Creation] 9 (MAX) +[Undo] C (A mistake during the manufacturing process can be made non-existent, but only one step.) ?Legendary Class [Telepathic Communication] 6 [Spirit Magic] 9 (MAX) [Space-Time Magic] 9 (MAX) [Dimension Magic] 5 [Dimensional Magical Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) [Analysis] 9 (MAX) [Database] C [Free Chanting] 7 [Mind Unity] 7 ?Master class [Magical Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) [Space Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mental Toughness] 9 (MAX) [Solfge] 9 (MAX) ? ? ? Blessing of a God of Virtue+5(The blessing of the God of Production, Yo Delun. Maximum supplement to the acquisition and learning speed of skills related to production. World Creation related skills unlocked. Skill [Undo] is added.) Blessing of a God of Virtue+2(The blessing of the God of Magic, Attiera. Medium supplement to the acquisition and learning speed of skills related to magic. Enormous amount of MP added.) Wha- What, the hell is this? DDSo youve seen it. My body twitched from the voice that called out to me from behind me. DDThats right. This is our Master. When I turned around, Melby was there with a sad smile on her face. CH 22 So you saw it. Melby said with a forlorn look. Was that bad? No. I did say to look as much as you like. Melby flutters over to the crystal. This is a story from over a millennium ago. An evil warlock attacked this hamlet. An evil warlock? Yes. I had only just been born at the time so I dont know the details. However, Master freed us and fought the evil warlock. But, Melby continues, Having taken refuge, we waited for a message saying everything was alright but contact from Master never came no matter how long we waited. We timidly returned to the hamlet, and thenDD At that point, their Master was already in the state she is now. If you saw her status, then you should understand. Time has stopped for Master inside the crystal. No, this is just a guess, but I think that Master used [Space-Time Magic] to stop her own time the moment she was imprisoned inside the crystal. Indeed, it doesnt appear likely for the being who imprisoned their Master to purposely stop time for her. Their Master probably had time stop as a last resort to protect herself. So, this crystal cant be undone? I cant. At least, I cant do it with my power. I dont know what magic was used to make this crystalDD this separation barrier. Melby looks down with a gloomy face. The crystal itself isnt that solid. On the contrary, its rather brittle. Handing me a chisel-like object, Melby tells me to try using it to whittle at the crystal. Or rather, just where did she produce that from just now? That is a dimension chisel. Its a magic tool that was made to shave down the separation barrier. DDNow then. Just like Melby told me, I try poking at the crystal with the chisel. Simply poking at it didnt leave a single scratch. This time, I swing the chisels blade downward with force. There was a faint *snap* and a thin flake separated from the crystal and fell down. I picked up the shaving. It was as large as a smartphone, but it was only around 1 millimetre thick. The edge looked sharp enough to cut my finger. This is? Paring it once produces a flake like that. No matter how much magic or force you put in, that flake will be all that separates from the crystal each time. Hence, its called the separating barrier. I felt as though my mana had barely been absorbed. When I check with [Appraisal], I saw that my MP had decreased by 1. So it only consumes 1 MP and produces something 1 millimetre thick. Even in the past, there have been humans who have come all the way here. There were even people who have tried to release the seal. ButDD Even those people who had been patiently shaving away at the surface of the crystal in the beginning became unable to bear it after continuing for several months. Nevertheless, the crystals thickness is about 1 metre D slightly wider than my shoulder width. Even though the shaved pieces may be thin, you should reach the centre after a thousand times or so. I feel like it could be managed one way or another. DDIt regenerates. Eh? The crystal regenerates. DDLook. The chipped part glows dimly. After the light disappearedDDas expected, the crystal returned to its original state. You cant tell if you dont look closely, but the part that was chipped off seems to have returned to its former thickness. I see, its impossible with this. No matter how one attacks it, all that separates in one go is a thin shaving. And that shaving is replenished from the vicinity of the chipped section. If it was a simple hard barrier then I could just break it with further strength. I could hope for such. However, whilst this can be whittled down, I definitely cant whittle through it. This would be quite hard on the mentality of anyone who tried to dispel the barrier. I can see the terrible personality of the guy who created this barrier, its an extremely tricky barrier. There have also been several magicians who gathered together and threw magic at it consecutively, but it seems that when the timings of the attacks are too close together, they are regarded as a single attack altogetherDDeven when all the members use all their MP in a concentrated attack, only a single sliver separates from the crystal. In other words, it can only be steadily shaved down. Even so, we know that the regeneration of the shaved part isnt quite perfect. When we dig through approximately half my heights worth D the amount amassed in one day, the regeneration diminishes slightly after that. Approximately half of Melbys height = roughly 10 centimeters. If all the shavings are of constant thickness, thats 100 pieces. However, if one wants to ensure that the width is enough for the pioneer elf female inside to be able to pass through, they would desire a surface area of about 10 smartphones lined up both vertically and horizontally, and would require the work of digging 100 times for each 1 millimetre. For each millimetre, 100 sections need to be shaved 100 times, which makes it 10, 000 times in total. .Wait? Wouldnt it be a little easier if you dug a tunnel with which the person inside could pass through by crouching, and only shave as wide as the girth of the person inside? That is no good. It seems that the mechanics of this separation barrier are such that it supplements for any reciprocal action, and even if you dig a long tunnel to the inside, it closes it off immediately. The slight delaying of the regeneration is when the barrier is uniformly shaved down on this side. How much is a slight bit? About as much as a single shaving. So at that pace, you would only be able to progress 1 millimetre per day no matter how much you dig. With that pace, they would need a thousand days to dispel the seal. To continue working when you only progress 1 millimetre per dayDDits work where you would be unable to bear it before reaching the end, even if you brought along an ascetic monk from India or thereabouts. If you raised your daily pace We needed to shave it down ten thousand times to excavate half my heights worth though? Faeries are able to absorb mana from our surroundings so we could somehow manage that much, but normally ones mana would run out before then. If 3 seconds are needed every time, that would be 30, 000 seconds = 500 minutes = 8.3 hours. Indeed, its close to the limit of what one can do in a day. No, it has completely surpassed the limit. A sane human wouldnt be able to devote themselves to chipping off crystal shavings nonstop for 8 hours a day. Moreover, the crystal returns to 99% of how it was before, the very next day. That would drive anyone crazy. Furthermore, the worker would need to have over 10, 000 MP, or have high mana recovery like the faeries. Such people would be on the same level as the handful of great warlocks, but theres no way that such great warlocks would waste a colossal amount of their time on this insane work. If you worked in shifts I dont know how it works, but the regeneration speeds up when several peoples mana is mixed together. So in regards to the crystal being shaved down, only one person can do it at a time. By the way, whats the longest record so far? 7 months. It was an ascetic elf monk who possessed a vast mana pool because they carried the divine protection of the god of magic, Attiera. I think it was because they were continuously doing simple work, but one day they injured their finger with one of the shavings. The injury itself was just a common cut, but I suppose everything just piled up. Spurred on by that, they started rampaging with a strange cry. The hamlet was full of faeries back then so we were able to cure their frenzied state, but when they recovered their sanity, that ascetic monk left on a journey, saying they were going to start from scratch That was a pity. Thats why, by no means should you try to dispel Masters seal either. To have someone be driven insane for her own sake, Master wouldnt be pleased. Even though I very much wish to see Master, DD DDWell, just let me give it a try for now. I cant ask a stranger to do such a thingor rather, youre actually doing it!? Y-you, havent you been listening to what Ive been saying? I promptly began work. I hit and chip away at the crystal using the chisel Melby gave me. The crystal is whittled away along with the snapping sound of splitting ice. The thickness was the same as before. To optimize the work, I search for the minimum degree of strength. I poke it lightly. This is no good. I strike at it with the force from my elbow to the tip. This was a success. Reducing the force slightly, I hit it like a hammer. Yup, success. Further reducing my strength, I hit it as though I was knocking on a door. Failure. I strengthen the knock. Success. Well then, lets work with this degree of power. Next, I investigate the interval between hits. Hit, separate, immediately hit again. Failure. Hit, separate, hit after 5 seconds. Success. Hit, separate, hit after 3 seconds. Success. Hit, separate, hit after 1 seconds. Failure. Hit, separate, hit after 2 seconds. Success. Hit, separate, hit after 1.5 seconds. Success. Hit, separate, hit after 1.2 seconds. Failure. Hit, separate, hit after 1.4 seconds. Success. Hit, separate, hit after 1.3 seconds. Failure. In conclusion, I should hit it with a 1.4 second (estimated) interval as a rule. Now that I know that, the task is simple. Using the chisel, I strike the crystal with a 1.4 second interval and the force of a strong knock. Snap, snap, snapI chip away at the crystal with a set rhythm. Y-you? Melby watches me work in astonishment. Even after that, I swing the chisel countless times. Before I knew it, the shaved fragments had piled up into a mound on the floor of the cavern. Hm? Melby is gone. Or so I thought, but Melby comes tottering back from the entrance with a heavy-looking tea set in her hands. Dont strain yourself too much, okay? Its already been 3 hours! Speaking of which, the hand holding the chisel is a little bit sore. Theres no fatigue, but though it may be small, there is still the burden of the recoil from when Im striking the crystal. Let me have a look. DDOh spirit of life who dwells in children, wield your power and invigorate this childs body. Following Melbys words, my arm is shrouded in a pale radiance and the pain in my arm vanishes. Ohh! This is [Spirit Magic]. Just then, I called upon the spirit of life that was dwelling inside your body to aid your recovery. Can I learn it too? Its a little difficult for humans, but its not impossible. You have to listen carefully to the voices of the spirits that lurk among everything in nature. Once you can hear their voices, youll naturally grasp how to make requests. Listen to the voices of the spirits? Theres no other way to explain this. Believe in the existence of spirits, hone your soul and just try listening to their voices earnestly. Faeries are able to do it naturally from the moment they are born, but I suppose humans need to train for several hours a day, and finally get it after a few years have passed. Oh. It seems quite useful, Ill try it next time. As expected, one might give up if they need to spend years on it, but with my powers of concentration, I could continue to try to listen to the spirits voices at night, when my concentration is at its highest. After drinking the tea that Melby brewed for me, I pick up the chisel once again. A-are you alright? Melby asks, seemingly worried. Yeah. Im going to try for a little bit longer. You said the regeneration would slow down once it reaches half your heights worth, and I want to see. Snap, snap, snap I return to the never-ending work of chipping away at the barrier once more. I have accustomed myself with this simple work, and I swing the chisel with the perfect timing and an exquisite moderation of power. It would be troublesome if my arm gets sore, so I move the shavings aside when they pile up at my feet as a form of rest, and then continue to swing the chisel endlessly. I wonder how much time has passed since then. ent, I said wait a moment! Melby says, cutting in front of me. Woah! Dont startle me. You shouldnt be saying dont startle me! Just how long do you intend to do this for! Indeed, Ive almost excavated half of Melbys height. By the time I realised, I have shaved down roughly 10 centimetres since I started. After looking on for a moment, the crystal glows dimly and the shaved section recovers. ..It appears to be almost a complete recovery, but Weve properly measured with a ruler before so its alright. With this, it has decreased in thickness by one sliver. I see So now it has finally been 1 set. If the thickness of the crystal is 1 metre, I have finally made 1 millimetre of progress. If I repeat this work for a thousand times, this crystal will have been exhausted. Come to think of it, how much time has passed? Are you really saying that? Youve been doing this for half a day already! Eh, seriously? The knocking, snapping rhythm had been so pleasant that I completely forgot the time. The knock-and-snap took 1.5 seconds and the standby time was 1.4 seconds, so one swing of the chisel took roughly 3 seconds. According to my previous calculation, it would take 8.3 hours to strike the crystal ten thousand times. If I were to do this for 24 hours, I would be swing the chisel 28, 800 times. Nevertheless, this was just a theoretical value at best. Even for me, taking time to eat and rest my hand is necessary, so swinging it 25 thousand times in a day was probably the limit. Time runs 10 times faster inside the faery hamlet, so if I spend a whole outside day on this work, I reckon I could shave the crystal 250 thousand times D 25 millimetres = 2.5 centimetres. I would have to do this until I reached 1 metre, so if I maintained this for 40 outside days, I would be able to whittle down the crystal. This is quite the story of patience, but it doesnt seem impossible to do it. For example, if I come to the faery hamlet once a month, it would take an estimated 40 monthsDD3 years and 4 months to release the seal. However, thats the most troubling part. Its hard to slip out of the house for a full day in the body of an infant. In addition, I wouldnt be able to go very far away from the entrance of the faery hamlet in those 40 months. And yet Ill be heading to the royal capital with my parents after this, so it would be too excessive to do then. Itll still be difficult after we finish our business at the royal capital and return to our residence. It takes half a day to reach the village nearest to the faery hamlet, Riverette village, from Corbette village, where the estate is, so I cant slip out at midnight and come here. Of course, there is also the option of explaining the situation to my parents and obtaining permission from them, but then I would have to mention my reincarnation. Youll help? Melby says anxiously. Eh? Of course I intend to do so. I felt like asking what she was going on about now, after such a long time, but she did say that the previous helpers had been driven mad, so Melby is sure to be uneasy. I smiled as tenderly as possible and said, DDYou wished for someone to help, didnt you? DD! Melby remarked that it was fine not to help. However, Melbys actions had betrayed her. If she didnt want help, why would she leave a secret message in a conspicuous place near the village? Why did she encourage me, who came to visit the village, to stay overnight? Why did she say to take a good look around the hamlet? AndDD why did she leave open the entrance of the stairs leading to this cavern? I think Melby held some aspiration deep in her heart. That I would discover this place and say that I would save their Master. There was a sob. I tried to not look that way as much as possible. But I have some difficulties. As you can see, I am just a child so I cant leave my parents side for long. I also have other things to do and cant spend all my time and energy on this separation barrier. If I could rescue this Master D Alfecia, according to [Appraisal] D there probably wouldnt be anyone as reliable in the fight against the evil god. Or rather, shes at the level where I could just leave the later matters entirely to her. But theres the Evil Warlock who imprisoned this person inside the separation barrier, huh. If I ever meet him, I will have no choice but to flee with all my power. Hes a figure from a thousand years ago so I suppose he had already died long ago, but DDIn that case, Ill just follow you. Eh, Melby will? I can also use [Dimension Magic], although its not at the same level as Masters. But then, I could make a gate to this hamlet no matter where you are. I see. In that case, I could use my free time to come here. D-dont be mistaken! The reason Im following you is all for Masters sake, okay! Yes, yes. Making a wry smile at her attempt to hide her embarrassment, I pick up the crystal shavings that had piled into a heap on the ground. Each one was the size of a smartphone, had a thickness of 1 millimetre, and had an outrageously sharp edge; if one wasnt careful, they could cut their finger. I can use this. I pinched it between my index and middle finger and threw it at the wall. The shaving easily pierced the wall. I think that [Shuriken Techniques] is probably showing effect, but I suppose this is considered part of the shuriken category. Ah, so you can use that. In that case, just take them with you because theyre also a trouble to throw away. As Melby was saying that carelessly, she stored the pile of shavings somewhere. Just then, what did you do? This? Its a form of [Dimension Magic], magic known as dimension storage. Inventory (Infinite Storage) has arrived! That, can I use it too? I wonder [Dimension Magic] itself is a very high-level skill, so it might be possible if you practiced for tens of years perhaps. Tens of years, huh. I believe I could condense that if I use [No Fatigue] well, but to learn it instantly may be unreasonable. Now that thats decided, lets go. DDLike this, Melby ended up accompanying me. I didnt think that Melby would show her figure outside, but it seems faeries cant be seen by humans on the whole. Because we will be travelling together, I asked Melby to let me see her status in advance. Ta-da. Melby (Born in Tetelutia Faery Hamlet | Leader of Faeries | Sage | Miss Perseverance | Everybodys Big Sister) ?? (1119 years have passed since birth) Faery Level 44 HP 34/34 MP 997/997 Status: Faeries Oath (Cannot tell a lie intentionally. Excluding desperate situations of self-defence, cannot cause harm to others. However, those under the influence of the evil god are an exception.) Skills ? Legendary Class [Telepathic Communication] 5 [Spirit Magic] 4 [Dimension Magic] 2 [Appraisal] 4 [Faerys Eye] 4 [Dimensional Magical Tool Creation] 2 ? Master class [Leadership] 3 [Magical Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) [Space Magic] 9 (MAX) [Faerys Song] 4 [Mana Control] 9 (MAX) ? General [Command] 9 (MAX) [Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Mana Perception] 6 Pioneer Elfs Blessing(Able to borrow a portion of the Pioneer Elfs knowledge. Small compensation to mana increase when levelling up, small compensation for magic skills learning | growth.) Yeah. Melby really is someone who perseveres. She handed it to me nonchalantly, but I can tell from her status that she probably went through considerable hardship to make that dimension chisel. Since its there, lets use [Appraisal] on the dimension chisel too. Dimension Chisel: A legendary-class magic tool. An anti-separation barrier chisel produced by the faery Melby of Tetelutia after diligently studying for hundreds of years. Increases the shaved depth of the separation barrier from 1 micrometre thickness to 1 millimetre thickness. It wasnt at the level of hardship! Its the fruits of her blood, sweat, and tears! Im sorry for thinking so it only shaves 1 millimetre in my heart! CH 23 Melbys preparations for the journey finished in no time. On the way back we jumped straight to the vicinity of Riverette Village with Melbys [Dimension Magic]. Its awfully convenient, but to be able to move with [Dimension Magic], first Melby has to leave a Gate in this world. Even if I say its a Gate, its apparently an invisible mana marker of sorts. Also, moving from Gate to Gate, in other words, from somewhere in this world to somewhere else in this world is not possible. You can only jump from this world back to Fairy Village, then from Fairy Village back to this world, and also, when returning (when moving from Fairy Village to this world), you can only use the same Gate you used to arrive. For example, if you leave a Gate at the outskirts of Riverette Village and use that to jump to the Fairy Village, then you can only go back through the Riverette Village Gate (although you can leave through the Exit of Fairy Village which leads to the limestone cave behind the waterfall). Therefore, moving to a different place via Fairy Village like Riverette Village Fairy Village A different Gate is not possible. Well, even then its an awfully convenient magic. By the way, my appearance returned to its former 3 years-old-like state (the contents being barely 8-month-old). ..Ed, you really were a child, huh. A bit more familiarly acting Melbys eyes grew round with surprise. When I was just thinking that the way she displayed her surprise is a bit too weak, Well, if you live for a thousand years you get to see all kinds of people., she said. Also, Master is about a thousand times more amazing than you. Mm, well, after seeing that Status I cant really deny it. As it was dawning in the village, I walked in a way so people wouldnt notice me, and tried to get back to the village chiefs house. DDDont move! Suddenly, someone called out to me from behind. I turned back with unease. I knew from her voice, but there was Julia-kaasan with a grim expression on her face. Get away from Edgar-kun! Huh? Mom said that while glaring at MelbyDD the fairy flying near my shoulders. She can see her!? When she saw Melby, she hurriedly put on an intense expression. When I suddenly woke up at dawn, Edgar-kun was nowhere to be seen. I thought maybe I was overthinking it, but there was that missing persons case, so I woke up the village chief and had him put together a search party. DDBut, Im glad the culprit was found before that. Please wait, Mom! Melby is not at fault here! ..really? Really! Ive become friends with her! Mom is inspecting both of us with a still very doubting expression. I dont know if you will believe me, but its true. Melby said this to her. Maybe they heard moms voice, but the villagers started gathering and surrounding us at a distance. The villagers are holding spades, sickles, and hoes in their hands. I heard from Ed that there is an ongoing missing childs case in this village. It was a coincidence that our Fairy Circle was found near the scene of the crime. In the first place, fairies cant harm people. The villagers start talking among themselves after hearing Melbys words. Since the villagers can see her, that means Melby decided to show herself, it seems. Since I could see her from the beginning I dont know when she did it. Is that true.? Of course its a lie But, they say fairies cant lie Maybe thats also a lie The villagers reaction was filled with doubt. There are no concepts in this world such as a scientific investigation or innocent until proven guilty, huh. Moreover, there some said, DDFairies are servants of the devil! Fairies came to eat us! A middle-aged fellow with an unkempt beard and red face yelled with a hand-axe in one of his hands. This one is probably the woodcutter from the spokespersons story. We can also hide our appearance. DDLike this. Apparently Melby hid her appearance for a moment. The villagers are stirring. However, as you can see Im showing myself. If we really abducted the child, then I wouldnt do such a thing. The villagers were looking at each other after hearing Melbys words. It seems she was somewhat convincing, but they are still doubting her. DDMelby-oneechan! Suddenly a voice cut in. Rushing out from the row of villagers was a familiar little girl. Weell, shes that one. The one that defended the fairies in the village chiefs house. Her name was.. yes, Aino-chan. Oh, you are.. Its Aino! When I got lost before Big Sister saved me! Right, thats how it was. You got bigger since I last saw you. Melby flew over to near Aino-chans head and affectionately patted her head. Her appearance was like a big sister pampering her younger sister. Huh, it looks like Melby has a Big Sister personality even outside the Fairy Village. Seeing how Melby and Aino-chan looked at that time the villagers lowered the spades, sickles, and hoes they were holding. Hoy! Dont be deceived by the words of the fairy! Fairies are the servants of the devil, that must be it! The woodcutter is shouting with a red face, but .its more dangerous to believe the things you say. Saying that, the spokesperson appeared from within the group of villagers. Hello there, cute Fairy-san. Welcome to Riverette Village. Ah, no, well. saying that Im cute.. He is just being diplomatic. For the time being I make a remark to the hands-on-her-face-squirming Melby. So, Fairy-dono. What business might you have in this village? Im sorry, but this village has a somewhat frenzied atmosphere currently, you see. Ed deciphered the code we left behind and came to play to the Fairy Village, so I came to escort him back. Ah, I wouldve liked if you didnt tell them that. Although, there is no helping it since Melby cant tell a lie. Is that true? That kid is not even 3 years old. Huh? But, the Divine BlessingDDmmmm! I put my hands on Melbys mouth, who was letting things slip one after the other. (Wh-what?) (Dont speak about my Status, please.) (You are asking me some difficult things. Got it. I will keep it in mind.) As Melby and I was speaking in a hush-hush, Melby-oneechan! Boyce-kun disappeared A friend of yours? Nn. Boyce-kun. He said he will give me a beautiful stone for my birthday and went to the river. I see. Melby nodded to the depressed looking Aino-chan with a grim expression. Then, Village chief Nah, Im not the village chief, you know? Im just the villages spokesperson. I dont care which. I will also help with the search for that Boyce-kun. That would a great help, but. is that alright? Its the perfect chance to lift everyones doubts.. and also, fairies are the allies of children. But, before that Of all the places, Melby started flying to that woodcutter. DDWoodcutter-san Do-dont come near me! You wicked fairy! DDYou, you are possessed by something? Wh-, what..? Lalala.? Suddenly Melby closed her eyes and started singing. That singing continued on for about a minute. Sweet and gentle, it was a singing that warms peoples hearts. The woodcutter started staggering, then he leaned against the wall of a nearby private house.. did he fall asleep? Wh-, what was that about? The spokesperson asked. This was a [Fairys Song] that has the effect of calming peoples hearts. It caught my eye since the beginning, but it seems this woodcutter-san was under a spell that affects the mind. Thankfully, it wasnt that strong of a spell, so I managed to cancel it with the Song of Tranquility.. What the-! Maybe its the effect of the song, but it seems Melbys words were easily accepted by the villagers. Wait a moment. Saying that, Melby returned to the outskirts of the village. She must be going where the Gate is. After a few minutes of waitingDD Sorry for the wait. Sorry for the wait~! Melby came back with a few other fairies. Every one of them is someone I met at yesterdays party. The twin fairiesDDSecel and Secela is also here. We will search the forest by us fairies. We will start with the upstream part of the river, so can I ask the people of the village to take care of the downstream part? Yea-, yeah.of course. The spokesperson nodded with a dumbfounded expression. Even if Riverette Village is near the Fairy Village, its the first time they saw such a gathering of fairies. Then, thats how it is. Lets start! Perhaps its the effect of the [Leadership] skill, she said that as she took charge of things before anyone noticed. CH 24 A man clad in black mutters as he examines the faces of each of the rope-bound children, one by one. Hm. Now then, is this it? The one who answered was another man, dressed entirely in black. They dont have any particularly outstanding talents, but this should be enough for the harvest. For convenience, lets call the former Black-Garb A, and the latter Black-Garb B. The two of them wore masks to hide their lower faces and their bodies were covered in black overcoats. Their eyes were sharp and each movement was deft; one could easily infer that they had undergone some form of special training. Black-Garb A & B were inside a gloomy cave. Light shone in from the entrance, but the interior, where the children were imprisoned, was quite dark. Well then, should we move out soon? I suppose so. Its one thing if there are children of value here but it cant be helped if there arent any. I only heard rumours of one person. Rumours? Black-Garb B asked in response. Yeah. Baby ScarletDDapparently theres a baby coined as thus. Are you saying a baby possesses a title? Who knows, I dont know the details, but at any rate, he fought at Ranzrack Fortress and brought down the leader of , Goleth of the throwing spear, by himself or something. Black B raises his eyebrows in question. A baby didhuh? Its pure rumour. However, I did hear it from the survivors of so it doesnt necessarily seem like a joke. Its such a groundless rumour that I feel more inclined to believe it If a baby proficient in magic exists, he might have been able to make one attack against the mercenaries at least. Still, defeating that Goleth is probably too exaggerated of a rumour. That baby, how old is he? He has yet to reach one year of age. Huh? Apparently hes the fourth son of the fortresss defence leader, Viscount Chrebl. However, the aforementioned child should only have been born at the beginning of this year. In other words, he isnt even a year old yet. Youre not confusing him with one of the older children, are you? Viscount Chrebl had 3 children with his former wife, but every one of them is already of age. Even the third son is 16. There shouldnt be any mistake. By the way, the age of adulthood in this world is 15 years old. Hes too young. Indeed. Hypothetically, even if he had the aptitude for magic, his body wouldnt be able to handle it at that age. This is why it doesnt make sense. Consequently, Ive decided to verify the target with my own eyes this time. Hold on, it does indeed seem ridiculous but I understand your feelings, but events that appear to be nothing but absurd do occur in the Undergroundof this world from time to time. Even when Goleth first appeared, everyone said that it was ridiculous. Well, anyway, were vacating this place. It would be utterly pitiful if we were discovered now. Izzat so? The manipulation of information in the villages is flawless. Those ignorant villagers should be under the impression that the faeries are all to blame for the disappearing children. How stupid When theres no way beings such as faeries even exist. The lord governing those villages isnt an idiot. Im talking about the Viscount Chrebl who drove away the at Ranzrack. Moreover, faeries do exist. Ive seen them before when I was little. Although I havent seen them at all recently. So they cant be seen by evildoers? How is that.. Black B says doubtfully and stands up. And then he turns to the shoulder of his comrade standing guard at the cave entrance and calls out. DDHey, were going. Help us with the preparations. Oi, what happened? At Black-Garb Bs voice, the watchmans shoulder shook. DDNo, the mans shoulder slanted, shaking violentlyDDand just like that, the man collapsed in the entrance. Imbedded in his forehead was a dimly shining, crystal-like, card-shaped object. DD!? Who!? Black-clad A astutely questioned the identity of the stranger. However, we had no reason to answer. 벷DDFlame lance! 벷DDFlame lance! The ones lurking at the cave entrance, Julia-kaasan and I, fired Flame lance with a cross-like trajectory from either side of the entrance. Guoh!? Guaah!! We held back a bit because of the children there, but there was enough force to render the black-clad duo helpless. My Flame lance was aimed at Black-Garb B, while Mums Flame lance knocked down Black-Garb A. Casting a backward glance at Julia-kaasan who was efficiently tying up the black-clad men, I head in the direction of the children. DDWere rescuing you now. Using the Separation Barrier shard as a knife, I cut through the ropes binding the children. One, two, three.. So theres a total of seven people. Boyce-kun from Riverette Village should likely be among them, but now that I think of it, I dont know Boyce-kuns characteristics. Judging from the black-clad guys conversation, the other children have probably been abducted from the other neighbouring villages, with Riverette Village being the exception. Its understandable, but everyone appears frightened. Melby. Understood. You want me to calm them with my song, right? Melby, who was invisible, showed herself to the children. Some of children looked at Melby in surprise but the others had vacant eyes and didnt react. La la la? While Melby was soothing the children with her song, Edgar-kun, can you deal with one of them? Julia-kaasan asks. Of course, its about the black-clad men. Having gags forced in their mouths on top of having their whole bodies bound and wrapped up, the two black-clad men glare at Julia-kaasan and me in turn. As I write ? in the air, I can handle them both, I answer. When I casually raise Black A and B up with [Physics Magic], the black-clad men open their eyes wide in surprise. Mum, take care of the children. Yeah, thats right. Mum went to cheer up the children who had regained their composure after Melbys song. DDWe found out about this cave just past noon on the day I returned to the village with Melby. The search of the faeries, who were well accustomed to the topography of the area, was precise. On the other side of the mountain, they discovered some suspicious men in a cave atop a steep cliff that the villagers didnt dare approach. They were certain, due to the children inside. Furthermore, apparently faeries cant be seen by bad people so there was no fear of being sensed by the men. If the villagers had gone to hunt in the forest, the men might have suspected something and run away. Anyhow, Julia-kaasan decided to go rescue the children after receiving the information. I offered my help. I thought she would refuse, but Mum readily consented to my proposal unexpectedly. To Mum, I am both her own child as well as her disciple, and it seems that it is natural for a disciple to help their master. And so, Julia-kaasan and I headed to the cave where the men wereDDwith no trouble, we secured the black-clad men and succeeded at rescuing the children. The cave was in a location that would take 2 hours to reach from the village even with an adults gait, so the return trip while cheering up the worn out children was a hassle. It was possible to transport everyone with [Physics Magic] if I felt inclined to, but doing that would cause an uproar so I restrained myself. Then again, Black-Garb A and B were being transported via [Physics Magic] so it really wouldnt make that great a difference anyway Ah, as you might expect, I requested and had Melby cure just the burns fromFlame Lance. The two evildoers who couldnt see faeries seemed to have been spooked out though. Thus, I harboured slight feelings of guilt for not carrying the children, but the children walked without much complaint thanks to Julia-kaasan and Melbys efforts. The subordinate(?) faeries that Melby had summoned also encouraged the children by singing and dancing. Melby can use [Spirit Magic] so she would immediately fly over and heal the children if anyone got injured. Before I knew it, Melby started being called Big Sister not only from the faeries, but also from the children. And then, when the children learned a few of the faeries songs, we finally managed to reach Riverette Village. DDBoyce-kun! Aino-chan! As we arrived at the village, Aino-chan, who had been tired of waiting, came rushing over. AndDDOh, so youre Boyce-kun. In contrast with the lively and adorable Aino-chan, Boyce-kun seemed quiet. Somehow, I felt like future Boyce-kun would be henpecked. The spokesman and Boyce-kuns father (Bolbo-san, I think) and his wife bowed their heads to Mum many times. Beside them, Aino-chan lead Boyce-kun and came before Melby, and they also bowed many times. I think shes around five years old, but shes a considerably mature girl. The remaining six children ended up being looked after by Riverette Villages village chief and the spokesman for the time being. Of course, it was only for the time being so we sent people to the neighbouring villages to convey that we are sheltering the missing children, and have people come to claim them. They should have been uneasy being separated from their parents but thanks to the faeries, the children seem to currently be having fun instead. It might not be good for their parents who, I expect, are worried but its better than them crying as they wait. The black-clad men have been bound tightly and locked up so they cant escape. There are lots of things Id like to ask but I cant go interrogating them on my own accord. Dads subordinate knight should be coming from Corbette Village so we will be handing them over to him. Well, I have [Appraisal] so the black clad mens statuses were in plain sight. I also found out quite a lot but Ill compile that information later. DDLike this, although a few mysteries remain, the case of the missing children which occurred in Riverette Village (and the neighbouring villages) has been resolved. CH 25 DDThe next morning. Kyaaaa-! Because of the sudden scream, Julia-kaasan jumped up and rushed out of the room in a hurry. I also run after her hurriedly. When I caught up with my uncertain *totetote* footsteps, mom was standing in front of a certain room. DDYes, its the room where the men in black were locked in. Mom and the servant of the village chiefs house were standing in front of the room. When I tried to take a look inside, You mustnt look Edgar-kun! .well, even if I say this now Mom moved to the side and let me look inside. Inside, the two men in black were dead on the floor, with blood flowing from their mouths. When I took off the muzzles from their mouths, suddenly.. The pale-faced servant said. .poison, perhaps. Most likely it was hidden in their molars or something like that. This trick is frequently used by professional assassins. As expected of a former adventurer, mom is very calm. Just to be sure, I try using [Appraise] on them. Corpseof Ranzack. Cause of death: Poison (Tajicalis). Corpseof Elope. Cause of death: Poison (Tajicalis). ..tajicalis? Mom caught what I unintentionally said out loud. Certainly, judging from its immediate effectiveness it could be tajicalis, but Edgar-kun, where did you learn about poisons? Uhm, ah well, in the study. ..hmm, where there any books on poisons there? Mom tilts her head. That was when the village chief arrived. After the village chief took a good look at the situation in the room, he deeply lowered his head towards mom. I am terribly sorry. To think we would simply let the perpetrators die.. It cant be helped. If you didnt give them any food then that would certainly lead to their deaths anyway. As I was listening to the two of them talk without paying much attention, I recalled the [Appraise] results of the two from the day before from the [Database]. RanzackYatagarasuFifth Squad, Squad Leader Level 29 HP 35/54 MP 19/21 Skills ?Master class [Discern] 2 ?General [Assassination Techniques] 7 [Knife-throwing] 5 [Dagger Skills] 5 [Stealthy Steps] 5 [Martial Arts] 4 [Shuriken Techniques] 4 [Command] 4 [Keen Hearing] 4 [Bow Skills] 3 [Sword Skills] 3 [Jump] 2 [Farsight] 2 [Darkness Magic] 2 [Fire Magic] 2 Elope (Yatagarasu) Fifth Squad, Member) Level 23 HP 21/44 MP 13/13 Skills ?General [Knife-throwing] 5 [Martial Arts] 4 [Assassination Techniques] 4 [Dagger Skills] 4 [Shuriken Techniques] 3 [Sword Skills] 3 [Keen Hearing] 3 [Stealthy Steps] 3 [Throwing-axe Skills] 2 [Jump] 1 [Farsight] 1 [Pharmacist] 1 Yatagarasu. The religious assassin organization with ties to the that dad mentioned. He said that lately, now that the civil war in Sonorato ended, they started to flow into Santamana. Why are they abducting people in a place like this? The answer to that was not found in the end. All night last night, I looked back at the sequence of events that happened and realized something very important. And that is, DDThere is at least 1 person missing that should be here. and thats the problem. Lets look back at the incident starting from its beginnings. First, the men in black kidnap Boyce-kun from Riverette Village and the others. Next, one of the men in black disguises himself as a traveler, stops by the village and spreads the rumor of fairies kidnapping children. This is probably a planned diversionary tactic. However, the men in black also carried out an unplanned diversion. The case where the woodcutter of Riverette Village was put under a spell. Most likely, the woodcutter came across the men in black in the forest. Perhaps he saw them as they kidnapped a child, or maybe he found the hiding place (cave) of the men in black, but one things for sure, he saw something that would be disastrous for them. That being said if they killed the woodcutter it couldve become an uproar. If not just a kid, but even a woodcutter, who should be familiar with the forest, disappears, then the simple missing person case gets much more complicated. Thats why, one of the men in black put a spell on the woodcutter and sent him back, and as a bonus made him claim that is was the work of fairies. This diversion was most likely an unplanned accident. But, as a precaution against such accidents, they stationed a person in the hideout who could use magic that influences the mind. Probably something like that. That one person is nowhere to be seen. The two who killed themselves (Ranzack and Elope) did not have any skills that they couldve used to put a spell on the woodcutter. I already confirmed it with Melby, the [Darkness Magic] does not have any skills like that. They say, to influence the mind of a higher class animal such as a human, quite a high level of magic skills are needed. The men in black that were guarding their hiding place, I confirmed it with [Appraise] before killing them, had mostly the same Status as Elope. Also, about the traveler that stopped by the village, we confirmed it with the innkeeper that neither of the two men in black who committed suicide was him. There is a chance that one of the men in black guards at the hiding place was the one, but there is a strong possibility that the mage =traveler. Therefore, there has to be at least one more person. If the mage and the traveler are different people then 2 people. That means we let an associate of the men in black escape. No, if we are talking possibilities, then its still possible that they had even more associates that didnt stop by the village and werent at the cave at that time. If thats the case, then it really hurts that we couldnt get any information out of the men in black about that. Maybe I shouldve interrogated them myself, even if it wouldve been unreasonable. No, even if I was the one asking the questions I would have taken off their muzzles. If it was me I wouldve prevented them from killing themselves. is something I cant really claim. Although it ended with an undesired outcome, but now that there are no men in black here, Julia-kaasan doesnt need to stay here anymore. She decided to leave the rest to the village chief and the spokesperson, and head towards Trenadette Village (Third Village). And since there were a few kids among the ones that were rescued who are from Trenadette Village, taking the opportunity we brought them with us. The fairies that helped with soothing the children, accompanied by the gratitude of the villagers, returned to the Fairy Village in the course of the morning. Aside from Melby, apparently the other fairies cant really spend too much time away from the Fairy Village. Then, we traveled for a day after leaving Riverette Village. We reached Trenadette Village around the time the sun set. My personal maid, Steph, is apparently the daughter of the chief of this village. Our party was heading towards the house of the village chief led by Steph. On the way, there was a scene where the parents of children we brought with us rushed over and hugged their children tightly. The children were understandably still scared, so they clung to their parents, weeping. When the touching reunion ended, we decided to have them accompany us to the village chiefs house for the time being to report what happened. Well well, thank you for coming, madam. I hear you even rescued the children, so we really cant thank you enough. The village chief is an about 40 years-old looking merchant-like man. This is the first time I saw someone rub his hands together like that in real life. DDFather! Steph said. Hey, Steph. You are someone serving the House of Viscount Chrebl. Mind the place. OkaayD.. After getting rebuked in a soft tone, Steph looked like she started sulking a bit. Madam, is our Stephanie being helpful? Yes, of course. She is doing well as the observer.no, not that, as the personal maid for Edgar-kun. She said observer just now, didnt she!? Hou.the young masters. Its an honor to be entrusted with such an important duty, right Steph? Eh, yesh! Tha-thats right! Steph responds in a hurry. Its a job where she is looking over me half asleep as Im reading books or raising my skills, but we can call it an important duty. In any case, you must be tired from today. You must be planning to depart for Fauno City as soon as possible, but please spend the night here comfortably. At nightDD I dont think I need to say it after all this time, but I dont need to sleep. That being said, I cant really do magic practice in other peoples house, so the only thing I can do is probably max MP expansion. Since Melby is also sleeping at night I dont even have a talking partner, so I just keep silently repeating the routine of floating everything that I can see with [Physical Magic] and cancelling it. Thats why I was able to notice the small voices from further inside the house. When I strained my ears I noticed that apparently the ones talking are Steph and the village chief. Im not the kind to eavesdrop on a conversation between parent and child, so I kept working hard on the exercise, but after a certain moment, suddenly I could hear everything clearer and clearer. I thought maybe, so used [Appraise] on myself. Edgar Chrebl Level 31 HP 63/63 MP 2092/2092 (181) Skills ?Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ?Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) ?Master class [Physical Magic] 8 (1) [Enchant Magic] 3 [Mana Control] 6 [Letterless Invocation] 6 [Magic Language] 1 (NEW!) ?General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 5 [Flying Sword Techniques] 2 [Shuriken Techniques] 4 (1) [Throwing Axe Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 2 [Fire Magic] 7 (1) [Water Magic] 2 [Wind Magic] 6 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 3 (1) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) [Mana Perception] 1 (NEW!) [Cryptanalysis] 2 (NEW!) [Keen Hearing] 1 (NEW!) Blessing of a Benevolent God +1 The other day I thought maybe I could use [Database] to indicate the extent by which my abilities have risen, and when I tried it I could. Its convenient so I think I will keep it this way in the future. However, lately the number of my skills have increased so my Status started getting a bit jumbled. Lets try having it display only the relevant information when I have some free time after this. Lets see, I think there are few things that can be commented on, but the important one now is the one that has been added to the end of the General skills, the [Keen Hearing]. I tried to keep myself from hearing anything, but instead, it appears I got interested in it all the more. Perhaps by confirming that the men in black had it, I become aware that there is such a skill and that led to the acquisition of the skill. such things might be possible. Leaving that aside, by acquiring [Keen Hearing] the voices can be heard much more clearly. There should be a way to turn it on and off, but since I just learned this skill I dont know how. I start hearing the conversation between Steph and the village chief. You said you are the babysitter for the young lord, but how is it? Is there something out of the ordinary? ..rather, there are nothing but unusual things. Different from usual, Steph didnt use polite language. No, this must be the usual for her. What do you mean? It hasnt even been a year since he was born, so whats up with that size? But you said it was because of the level up, didnt you? Well, the fact itself that such a young child had leveled up is out of the ordinary, but that family has a lot of geniuses. Belhart-sama, Chester-sama, and David-sama too. No, to begin with, the Madam who was an A-rank adventurer and the Lord who is a soldier with a nickname despite being young, they are easily at the level of geniuses too. ..even if he started using magic half a year after being born and now can normally read and write? Wha-! He should still be just a baby, but he spends more than half a day secluding himself in the study, enthusiastically reading books and apparently memorizing the important parts of books about magic in particular. Then in the other half of the day he goes to the courtyard and, I dont know whats fun about it, but the whooole time, the whoooooooooole time, the whooooooooooooooooooole time Enough of the whole time Anyhow, the whole time he keeps repeating these incomprehensible things. Incomprehensible things? One day, for about 5 hours, he kept throwing firewood at a target with magic. The whole time. Firewood.? The next day it was a needle, the day after that a tree branch. After that, a sword or a spear if I remember correctly. My mind went a bit hazy midway so I dont remember it exactly. Dozing off, huh Uuh. Yeah, I did, but can you blame me? 5 hours!? The whole time, the whooole time, the whooooooooooole time, Enough of that already Anyhow, the whole time, with a nonchalant face he keeps casually throwing things. Do you know how hard it is for me who has to keep watching over him by his side!? Uh..sounds like you can go crazy from that. Even during the night, it sounds like he is creeping around with something so I have to be on guard even then. Julia-sama is that kind of person so she is very composed about it.., but its not normal. Oi, watch what you say. Okaay~. But, I think that Julia-sama and Alfred-sama are also of the same opinion. Even this trip to the Capital, the goal is to report about the incident that happened at the Ranzrack Fortress, but I think having someone at the Samsara Temple take a look at young master Edgar is also one of the main objectives. Hm.. A short silence. ..come to think of it, how did you turn out to be the young masters personal maid? I find it strange that someone would leave their child in the care of a freshly hired maid. That was because the young master said he prefers me. Hou. And why was that? I didnt know at the time, but after I realized. It looks like the young master likes breasts. Pfu-! Because, when he is sitting in my lap he intentionally pushes his head into my breasts. .are you alright, my daughter? What are you worried about? He is a baby? Ahaha, Steph laughs. Mh. Then, in that case, you could use your charmsDDno, sorry, I asked something impossible. I-could-do-it~. I could use my charms if I wanted toD! Then try it. Ah, aaah.uhhuun? . Even I who wasnt there could tell that a painful silence has descended. We-well, I was just joking. You and the young lord are too far apart in age. Ye-yeah, thats riightD The amicable(?) conversation between parent and child still continued on after that. It sounds like Stephs dadDDthe village chief of Trenadette, wants to become a direct retainer of Alfred-tousan. That being said, its apparently not because he is a lump of avarice, but because he wants to let his family have a comfortable life. It sounds like he also has a good relationship with Steph, If it looks like the young lord wants to do something to you, you can come home. he even said something like this. ..I wont do anything like that. Then, the next morning. I started talking to Steph, who was preparing for the departure. Say, Steph, can you keep secrets? Eh, eeh.? Why do you ask so suddenly? No, just, you wont spread rumors about me right? E-, eeeeh!? N-n-no way, why would. ahaha.. Im glad. Hearing that, Im now relieved. Lets get along from now on too, Steph. Saying that I held my hand out, which then Steph awkwardly shook. DDAh, thats right. I will properly tell dad that Stephs dad wants to become his direct retainer so dont worry, alright? From my words, Steph broke out in a cold sweat. CH 26 As we were preparing to leave Trenadette Village, a knight turned up at the village chiefs house. DDJulia! DDAl-kun Mum and Dad embraced each other tightly. It has been a little over a month since the incident at the fortress. Theyre as lovey-dovey as usual. Im sure the room next door will be noisy tonight. I look forward to Stephs reaction. Hey~ Steph. What are Mum and Dad doing? I want to ask such a thing. I didnt ask though, because she would feel embarrassed every time she returned home (to the village chiefs house). DDNow then, after pleasantly reuniting with Dad, we had an early breakfast at the village chiefs house and then departed from Trenadette Village. The members of the party of Viscount Chrebls happy companions were as follows: Alfred-tousan. Julia-kaasan. Me. Steph. And Melby. Furthermore, there were also a few of Dads subordinate knights. Melby had also been introduced to Dad. Dad, although unable to see Melbys concealed figure itself, seemed to know that there was something there. Whether that was a trait of the Half-elf race or it stemmed from the instincts of an outstanding knight, even the person himself didnt seem to know for sure. Mum was able to see Melby even if she concealed herself, as seen during that one incident in Riverette Village. This was probably an effect of the [Magic Perception] skill, but it also appears to be related to her disposition as well. According to Melby, who used [Faerys Eye] to observe Mum, she was a person as pure as a little girl. It seems that Stephs perception was similar to Dad; she could sense Melby there somehow. This was because she was close to the upper limit of the usual age one can see faeries at. By the way, if Melby were to hide seriously, I wouldnt be able to see her figure at all, nor would I know where she was. Why is it that only I cant see her despite being the one whom Melby is following.. I suppose I cant see faeries because of my dirty soul that is mentally 30 years old. Wont I appear strange to Dad, Mum, and Steph for being unable to see Melby despite being the youngest? As far as it goes, I should normally be able to manage to perceive Melby when she concealed her figure, so during our trip I will practice seeing faeries using [No Fatigue]. Come to think of it, the aforementioned Black GarbsDD s assassins possessed a skill called [Farsight]. It would be useful if I mastered it, so lets aim to practice that too. In my previous life, my eyesight wasnt that great because I was always gaming. Due to that, I feel like being able to see far away is a dream. Being able to notice the black figures blocking the road was thanks to the [Farsight] I quickly learned. I was the first to notice, then Melby noticed, and Dad noticed after that. Melby was a faery so her eyes were good from the start, and apparently Dad has good eyesight as it was a trait of a Half-elf. Dad sat in the drivers seat along with Mum, and they were discussing about the Black Garb men who had been abducting the children with serious looks on their faces. I was about to inform Dad about the figures, but Dad gave a pointed glare at the road in front before I could, then he pulled at the reins and stopped the carriage. At the same time, he gave an order for the subordinate knights surrounding the carriage to stop. Speak of the devil. Dad mutters. The dark figures on the road ahead were pure black, with no exaggeration. Their bodies were covered in pitch black outfits that reminded me of ninjas, and they stood spread out along the width of the main road, blocking our route. When they realised that our carriage had stopped, the men approached while swinging the daggers they had drawn and stopped when they were approximately 10 metres away from the carriage. DDWhat do you want? Dad asked as our representative, We are in a hurry, despite how we may appear. It would help if you obediently make way for us. Ignoring Dads query, one of the black-clad men blocking the road questions. How much did you learn? The one who replied to this was Mum. Now then, what might you be referring to? We wont know if you dont speak clearlyDD Dear assassins from ? DD!! They emit something that could only be called bloodlust. For a moment, I wondered how Mum could recognise them without [Appraisal] but it wasnt a very complicated. Mum also heard the Black Garb men talking at the cave, so it wasnt strange for her to hit upon the that was rumoured to have ties with . Rather than that, it was a leading question. As expected from a former A-rank adventurer, shes reliable at times like these. Youve gotten so roused up, but Im sorry, Alfred-tousan says, Wont you leave everything to me this time? Dad said as the spear in his hand gently knocked against his shoulder, making a tapping noise. I didnt have much of an active role at the fortress, you see. As a husband and a father, I have to show off some of my strong points. As he says that, Dad grins. Unlike his usual smile which looked like a thin line, this one was a broad smile. The escorting knights who had their respective swords and spears drawn were also ordered to stand down by Dad as he walked straightforwardly towards the men in black. Any support? No need. Giving a short reply to Mums words, Dad confronts the three men in black. I think it should be fine because the person himself says so, but lets use [Appraisal] on the men in black. Borio (ܥꥪ): 7th squadron member. Level: 27. Lucretio (륯ĥ): 7th squadron leader. Level: 33. Dawson (ɩ`): 7th squadron member. Level: 21. Hmm. Theyre a little stronger than our knight escorts. Dad going forth might also be because he thought that the knight escorts were no match for them. Of course, the knight escorts being protected by the subject they were escorting was like putting the cart before the horse, so it was likely that used those words in consideration of their feelings. Dad is such a cool guy. The skills of the men in black were very much the same as the two we fought before. The leader (it was something like Lucretio, but Im not inclined to remember his name at all) seemed a little more able than the Black Garb leader from the other day. As for Dad, his level was 40 and his skills were also enriched. All thats left is to see how Dad will handle this 3 vs 1 battle with a disadvantage in numbers. However, to have faced us, who annihilated the black-garbed men near Riverette Village, was a littleDD no, seems rather out of their depth? DDJulia, you understand, right? Of course. Dad and Mum whisper in small voices. This married couple seemed share some kind of understanding, but I couldnt follow them at all. Mum, secretly looks back at me and winks, taking care so that the men in black dont notice. DDSo its like that. Now, lets test your ability. Facing Dad who had readied his spear, the men in black moved. Despite the lack of signals or anything, the men in black parted to the front, left, and right and throw their blackened daggers at Dad at practically the same time. DDFast! The attack at the cave was a surprise attack so we didnt have a chance to see their abilities, but I didnt think they would be this skilled. I might have underestimated them a little by just looking at their levels. Dad only repelled the front knife with his spear handle and then safely dodged the remaining two. One of the knives strayed this way so I attempt to catch it with [Physics Magic]. I use [Appraisal] on the knife which had a black lustre. Stainless SteelKnife. Coated with Tajicalis. What!? I just used [Appraisal] on it innocently but what became apparent was a surprising piece of information. This world has stainless steel!? I dont have any grounding in it so Im not too clear about it but I think stainless steel started being used on Earth after we entered the 20th century. I cant say Im certain about the level of the technology in this world, but judging from the quality of the metal goods Im familiar with (such as tableware and cookware), its hard to say its high by any standards. DDThat is to say, there might be someone who brought the knowledge of stainless steel to this world. In my mind, I have a flashback to the scene of that day. The slasher who I accidentally stabbed to death had been carrying several knives. The knife I snatched that day and the knife thrown by the man in black were obviously different articles, but it might be because the material properties are the same that I feel they are similar Now then, Dads battle had started while I was preoccupied with the knife. Dad sidestepped the men in black who came rushing in from three sides with only a single spear, and reduced the distance to the men. And then, in the blink of an eye, he reversed the situation and put the three men at a disadvantage. Each time Dads spear swings pointedly, red streaks appear on the black-clad mens arms, legs, bodies, and faces. Each one was only a shallow wound, but the three mens movements slowly but surely falter. DDWithout letting his opponents get inside the spears range, he caused a stalemate, inflicted minute wounds on the opponents and was gradually weakening them. It might certainly be an ideal fighting method to face multiple opponents with a long weapon. If I were to face this kind of fighting method, I would probably get irritated somehow and try to forcibly attack. And then, I would no doubt suffer damage when the opponent, who had been waiting for a chance, took the opportunity to attack. He looks to be a man of delicate features, but Alfred-tousans fighting method is actually both reliable and cunning. However, Dads three opponents showed no signs of impatience. I already understood the reason for that. The black-clad leader clicked his tongue lightly. That was probably a signal, because the three men in black jumped back a great dealDD DDFire Ball! Suddenly, fire magic came flying from within a grove of trees on the left, right, and behind us. But they had been na?ve! Ҳ(Circle Flame) DD Flame Wall! The wall of flames produced by Julia-kaasan scattered the fireballs that came flying at us. DDWhat!? The men in black were disturbed. In that time, I had already finished making a move. DDThud thud. From the gaps between the grove of trees on the left, right, and rear, two men in black collapsed on each side. Embedded in their throats were fragments of a crystal-like object. Naturally, it was what I had done by combining [Shuriken Techniques] and [Physics Magic]. Some of the guys had been hiding in a blindspot of this area, so I altered the trajectory of the fragments with [Physics Magic]. It was semi-guesswork but everything seemed to hit splendidly, which was the best outcome. The objects were only crystals so it might be hard see them come flying. I think the mens surprise only lasted an instant. Nevertheless, that instant was more than enough of an opportunity for Dad. Dads hands seemed to blur, and in the next moment, two of the men in black had their windpipes slit. The remaining man had, not his throat, but his shoulder pierced by the spearhead, which sealed his movements. The one Dad left was, naturally, the leader. The black-clad leader was, with his shoulder still pierced, glaring at Dad with a fierce look. Having seen the situation, the subordinate knights approach the black-clad leader at Dads signal. DDUghso this is the end! The man in black opened his mouth with a crazed look. DDNot good! Dad was unable to move due to him piercing the man in black in the shoulder with his spearhead. I promptly send a pebble that was lying on the ground flying with a kick, accelerate it with [Physics Magic] and fling it into the mans mouth. DDCrunch! A terribly unpleasant noise sounded. He probably tried to bite the poison in his molars but it seems like he put in a great amount of strength into closing his jaw. Well, if it was a poison that could be broken easily, then there would be the possibility of it breaking unnecessarily. From the mouth of the man in black who fainted and collapsed from the shock, a blood-covered, white something came falling out. Somehow, I dont really want to imagine such a thing Ed, you did well. Dad says, and pats my head. DDLets take this guy to Fauno City. We can decide what to do after that. CH 27 Waa, its been a long time! Mom is in high spirits while leaning out through the window of the carriage. DDTwo days after traveling by carriage from Trenadette Village. The day after the attack by the men in black, we reached Fauno City. Fauno City is the provincial city governed by Alfred-tousanDDViscount Chrebl. Its on the way to the Capital from the mansion in Corbette Village. We, the jolly group of Viscount Chrebl, went through the main street still in the carriage and arrived at the villa of Viscount Chrebl standing next to a big building. Its mostly the same size as the one in Corbette Village, but due to the larger buildings nearby, it looks somewhat smaller. When its not used by Viscount Chrebl, its apparently utilized as a guesthouse, so Since we cant really afford to let an unused mansion stand idle. dad said this tough life sounding sentence. We asked the servants of the mansion to prepare a late lunch, so first we have a meal. Steph is beside me under the pretext of getting rid of the fatigue from the trip. While we were enjoying some tea after the meal, dad said this. Im going to greet the city council after this.. Julia, what will you do? Lets see. maybe I will visit my friends, its been a long time? Then you should do that. What do you want to do Ed? .where is mom going? Me? Im going to the Adventurer Guild. Adventurer Guild!? Going with! Oya, Ed is also interested in being an adventurer? As expected of a boy. Rather, this was the first time I saw him react like a child would, said dad. I will leave the man that is most likely a member of Yatagarasu in the care of the guards of this city. Since we took out the poison in the molars its probably alright, but I will ask them to be careful anyway. Also, I should tell them to have one of my subordinates be present during the examinations. That reminds me there was also that. I lost my head from hearing Adventurer being mentioned. Dad, patting me on the head said, If you have an interest in adventurers, then you should take a good look. Maybe you can even meet Chester? Chester is my second oldest brother. The C brother from B C D. Lets take a look at it after a long time. Edgar Chrebl (Fourth son of Viscount Chrebl, Santamana Kingdom Noble) Relatives Brothers from a different mother Bernhardt, 19 years old, Knight, Knight of the Santamana Kingdom Imperial Knights, Young Falcon Chester, 17 years old, Adventurer (B rank), Second Arrow Unnecessary David, 16 years old, Santamana Kingdom Royal Library Assistant LibrarianProdigy I think Chester-kun is currently west from here. Since there is a demand for archers during this season. Aah, was it the season when flocks of harpies migrate? Certainly, with Chesters skill its probable he received a summon. Hnn. Second Arrow Unnecessary is not just for show it seems. That reminds me, .dad, how are you, with the bow? As I asked, dad put on a bitter smile. Ah, me? Its strange because Im a half-elf, but Im quite bad with the bow somehow. I can use it as much as a normal person, but I am far from being a match for Chester. Mhnnn..? Does that mean that the 17 years old Chester is higher in Skill than the 39 years old dad, who doesnt look like he would be negligent with training? That means the difference between skill levels cant be explained simply by the difference in the amount of effort put into it. Since Chester-kun has atavism Atavism? Chester is an elf. Chesters motherDD my first wife was a human and Im a half-elf, but sometimes this kind of thing happens. That being said, I dont think there are many experts with the bow like Chester, even among the elves. I see. The village chief of Trenadette Village (Stephs father) said that the Viscount Chrebl Family is a gathering of geniuses, but it seems its really true. My other, brothers? Come to think of it, Ed havent met any of them yet. We sent them letters that a child has been born, but everyone is busy. I take a glance at mom. Mom is the second wife of dad. My brothers are not moms children. Furthermore, in terms of age mom is 20 years old, comparable to the eldest Bernhardt, who is 19. In my previous world, it wouldnt have been strange even if they were classmates. I thought there may be a feeling of reservation between them, but Bernhardt-kun is a knight in the Imperial Guard and David-kun is an apprentice librarian in the Royal Library, right~. It good and bad to have outstanding children~ It looks like mom already thinks of the three of them as her own children. Really, its not even enough to say that she is big-hearted. Dad is also very capable, but in front of mom, he is overshadowed. Better yet, dad should be praised for his ability to keep up with mom as her husband. When we go to the Capital we can meet Bernhardt and David. We wont know where Chester will be though. Right, he likes travel~ Chester really gets along with Julia. Probably because mom was also an adventurer. DDWell, lets continue with this topic another time. Im going to the City Council. Okay, be back soon. Julia-kaasan said in a happy mood. Mn? Why is she happy when dad is going away? I thought of this for a moment, but then I realized immediately. Being able to say Be back soon and see dad off is a happy occasion for her. Come to think of it, dad was on fortress duty for a long time, so she didnt really have the opportunity to do so. DDMn. Ill be back, Julia. Dad said this like he had similar feelings, hugged mom, then kissed her on the cheek. After performing the actions that are only allowed for handsome guys, he left, looking a bit embarrassed. After this, mom was squirming for a while, so the time when we left the mansion was a whole 30 minutes later. Fauno City is the center of commerce in this area. Corbette Village, Riverette Village and Trenadett Village are also the same, but the whole territory of Viscount Chrebl and the neighbouring areas are all grain producing regions. About half of the grains produced there is gathered here in Fauno City, then get bought up by merchants from the Capital. Tax income from that grain market is nothing to sneeze at, its a precious income source in the territory of Viscount Chrebl. That being said, it cant be called a big city, it remains within the scale of a provincial city. The heart of the city has large buildings like the city council, the feudal lords mansion (the mansion of Viscount Chrebl/guesthouse where we were just now) and the guardhouse for the knights, but the outer regions have less and less buildings the further out you are. Especially now, since its a bit early for the grain harvest to flow in, the streets are deserted. Walking down the main street of that Fauno City, mom entered a building made of stone. As we walk in by swinging open the half-sized, chest tall wooden doors that is often used in westerns, there is something like a business counter and a bar. Sitting behind the counter is a pretty young lady and at the bar a few stern looking fellas. Right, there is no mistake. Just as it said on the sign outside, this is the Adventurer Guild of Fauno City. Hoy! Its the Flame Prison Witch! But I heard she married a noble.? A number of questioning gazes shot towards Julia-kaasan from here and there in the guild. Among them an almost 2 meters tall scary faced man is glaring at not Julia-kaasan, but me instead. Im scared. Boldly ignoring the gazes gathering towards her, mom greeted the young lady at the counter. Its been a long time~! Are you doing good? Julia-san! The lady the counter and mom start discussing each others current situation. Mom is talking about her married life, her child that was born (me) and such and the young lady is talking about the state of affairs of the guild and Fauno City and the like, they are talking in a manner peculiar to women where topic jumps around all over the place. There are some topics that interest me, but I have too little knowledge and there are times when I dont really understand what they are talking about, but most of all, the discussion is too whimsical. While listening to the discussion Im restlessly looking around inside the guild. Then, all of a sudden someone embraced me from the back. Uhyai!? I reflexively let out a weird noise. Mom turned back towards me looking surprised. DDScarlet! Yo, Julia. Its been a while. Answering from behind me while still hugging me was a young looking female warrior. She may be over 30 already but her profile that is peeking out next to my face looks fearless and youthful. She gives off a feeling of a flexible female panther. By turning my head within the range I could move, I saw that the woman called Scarlet was wearing a exceedingly revealing armor. Using the terminology from my previous world, its a bikini armor. In addition to that, its a completely red one. Maybe because her skin is mostly exposed, the womans body temperature and scent are directly transmitted to me, even though my body is of a child I get a weird feeling. While poking my cheeks the woman said, Is he the rumoured Baby Scarlet? Aint he a cute one. From her words my head instantly cools off after it almost got dyed pink. ..where did you hear about that? With the same expressionless face as me, Julia-kaasan asked. From a certain source, is all I can say. Well, dont worry. Its nothing more than a rumour at this point. Scarlet-san said while caressing my cheeks. ..big sister, is moms, friend? I ask in a charming manner. Huhun. Thats right. My name is Moria. Moria Mittelt. Im called Scarlet among the adventurers. The reasons for that are my red armor, my dual flamberges. and also, this scarlet letter. After saying that, Moria-san opened her cleavage and showed me. ..well, it was pretty open from the get-go. Moria-san was somewhat sunburnt, but the cleavage she opened, maybe because it was in the shadow of the armor, was surprisingly white. Hey. Not that one. This, this. Moria-san knocked me, who was looking intently at her pale cleavage, on the head and pointed towards the space between her breasts. Hey, if its that place, then it couldve been seen even without opening it, couldnt it? There was something like a brand carved in. Its somehowDDno, this is the magic letter for fire. In addition to that, its not the modern one, but it has mostly the same shape as the ancient one. (Flame).? I unintentionally said it softly out loud. Hhnn. As expected of the son of the Flame Prison. Thats right, it has an unusual shape, but its the magic letter for fire handed down in my tribe. Why. is it there? This is a Brand of Sin. In my tribe, those who commit a crime have this magic letter carved on their body. I was shocked. What did.Moria-san do? I fell in love with a certain man. And that man had a wife. Since I seduced a man who already had a wife and children I received this brand and was exiled from the tribe. .. I cant think of any words to say to Moria-san, who said this with a lonely smile. Oops, that wasnt something to tell a small child. Anyhow, that is the origin of my nickname. I may not look like it, but I was an Ace Adventurer of the Fauno Guild, just like your mother. We grouped up many times to do jobs, right~ Julia is an amazing caster, but she is a bit reckless sometimes. She was always making me panicky. She told me to talk casually so thats why I talk to her like this, but she is really my great senior. Hey, I told you to not say those things. Also, my age will get exposed. Mom and Moria-san were laughing together in a friendly manner. Lets [Appraise] her for the time being. Moria Mittelt Zkornash (Adventurer (A Rank),Scarlet) 32 years old Level 50 HP 117/117 MP 25/25 Skills ?Master class [Twin-Sword Techniques] 5 [Discern] 3 [Sense Presence] 2 ?General [Twin-Sword Techniques] 9 (MAX) [Sword Techniques] 7 [Assassination Techniques] 5 [Throwing Axe Techniques] 4 [Keen Hearing] 5 [Stealthy Steps] 5 [Martial Arts] 3 [Battleaxe Techniques] 3 [Shuriken Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 2 [Farsight] 2 I see, so this is the status of an A rank adventurer warrior. If you take away the The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity from Goleth who I fought at the Ranzrack Fortress, then she would probably be able to fight him evenly. I also [Appraise] the bikini armor with the risky design along the way. Armor of the Flame SpiritDue to the protection of the Fire Spirits, this armor halves the damage inflicted by fire-type spells. Ooh, it looks like its an amazing piece of equipment. But, even if its halved, isnt there no meaning if it exposes that much skin.? While harboring those doubts, I also [Appraise] the flamberges hanging from both sides of her hips. Flame Spirit SteelFlambergeCan be used to cut apart fire-type spells. I see, she cuts apart the fire-type spells with this, then the bikini armor protects against the remainder. According to mom, fire-type magic is simple yet versatile, also, many people have an affinity for it so this is the attribute used by the most people. Its not just easy to form the image for it, but it deals heavy damage against people and could be used to set buildings on fire. The men in black the other day also used [Fire Magic] to launch a sneak attack, but that also had the aim of confusing the defender side. Since everybody is afraid of fire. In any case, that means if you want to prepare equipment to guard against a single element then the first candidate is undoubtedly Fire. As expected, that means Moria-san made the logical choice. .sorry for thinking that you are an exhibitionist at first. As I was continuously looking at Moria-san, it somehow got misunderstood. Moria-san hugged me tightly, We are both Scarlets, so that brings us closer. Baby Scarlet sounds like he is my child instead, doesnt it? Edgar-kun is miine! Mom said while snatching me back. Are you a grade schooler? Good grief. You are the same even after becoming a wife. Contrary to her words, Moria-san was speaking with a kind smile on her face. It seems I wasnt the only one who noticed the sadness flash across that smile. ..well, is he still not found? Different from usual, mom was hesitant to ask. yeah. He should be 9 years old soon. If he is still alive, that is. Moria.. It was my fault I was cast aside by that man and I was frantic.. when I realized he was already taken by somebody.. You mustnt blame yourself. Miguel-kun absolutely wouldnt want Moria to despair. ..youre right. Since I didnt know the circumstances I couldnt say anything, but then Moria-san slapped her cheeks and changed the subject. That reminds me, I heard you are butting heads with Yatagarasu? Yeah. We dont really want to butt heads with them, but. Mom told Moria-san what went down until now. About how we stopped the kidnapping cases in Riverette Village (and the neighboring villages), how we were attacked by Yatagarasumembers on the way here and how we turned the tables on them. Also, that we managed to capture one of their members. Different from her usual carefree style of speaking, it was concise and to the point. DDKidnapping children systematically, huh. Thats disgusting. They probably sell those children to fund their activities. If I was there I wouldve torn them limb from limb. Moria-san said with a frown. Anyhow, that was a great work. I will report about the remnants of and to the guild chief. He will be vexed when he hears that Julia was here while he was away. That guy was a big fan of Julia. Oh? Baldo-san is away? It seems like the number of harpies are high this year. The guild chief went out to take command himself. The guild chief against the harpies? Not just the guild chief, but apparently many former party members are also participating. By former party members, you mean of the ? Right, right. They said Sigmund-san and Menas-san will rendezvous with them. There were many confirmed sightings of rare species among the flocks of harpies, so they want to be on the safe side it seems. Chester-kun is also participating, right? Yeah. Not just that, but apparently he is working with the former members. Since he is the hopeful star of the Fauno Guild. After that mom kept chatting with Moria-san and other people. Maybe I looked bored, the scary looking adventurer came closer and gave me some candy. It was the near 2 meters tall giant adventurer that I thought to be scary at the beginning. It seems the reason why he was glaring at me was because he likes children. Sorry for twitching a bit when you came near me. While mom was talking to other people, I was shown around the guild by the adventurer who introduced himself as Huffman-san. Huffman-san has a scary face, but when he laugh he gives off a naive feeling. From what I heard during the time I was riding on his shoulders, Huffman-san is a B rank adventurer and he also groups up with my brother Chester sometimes. We spent the time with various things, so when mom and I left the guild the sun was already going down. ..Melby looked a bit bored, so that was a bit unfortunate. The plan is to jump to the Fairy Village during our one night stay here in Fauno City and whittle away at the Separation Barrier, so lets have her forgive me with that. CH 28 On the way back from the Adventurers Guild, we bumped into Alfred-tousan. He was eating a skewer and talking with one of the stall owners on the main street. Al-kun! Hey, Julia. Have you finished your business? Yes, what about you? Ive finished making my greetings, so I waited here for you two. Because this was the way from the Adventurers Guild to the Viscount Chrebl estate, there was no chance of us passing by each other. The man in black is about to be interrogated. Since I mentioned that we seem to be targeted by , they have been waiting for my presence. Its not really something to show to women or children, but you two are probably curious too, right? Of course, lets go, said Mum. I also nod vigorously. After Dad confirmed our responses, Well, shopkeeper-san, Ill be going now. Oh, you have such a beautiful wife, Im jealous. Come by again. The two exchanged their farewells and we left. We headed towards Fauno Citys guardroom where the citys peacekeeping knights were. As you go around the perimeter of the city council hall, the rustic building at the back is the guardroom. Im coming in. With a carefree attitude unbecoming of a Lord, Dad walks into the guardroom. We have been waiting, Milord. A young, honest-looking knight responded to Dad. It is this way. The knight guided us to the basement of the guardroom, where the cells are located. Inside a cell on a plain looking bed was a man wearing black clothes, bound with bandages and rope. Since the molars containing poison were removed, he wasnt wearing a gag. We used an anaesthetic to slacken his jaw, so theres no need to worry about him biting his tongue, said Dad. The man in black looked this way after hearing his voice. When he attacked us, he was wearing a mask that covered the lower half of his face, but now his full face is exposed. He looked tough and strong-willed, but had an average face. He glanced at us, who had stopped outside his cell. Errwhat was his name again? [Appraisal] Lucretio:YatagarasuSeventh Squad, Squad Leader. Level:33. Ah, yes, Lucretio. Yo, how are you feeling, Assassin-kun? Dad asked. He looked scary despite the smile he had on. Assassin? What are you talking about. Im just a kidnapper. Hmm. Then you admit to being a companion of the people who were kidnapping children around Riverette Village? Dont know them. So you insist that you were working alone? Thats right. Hes clearly lying. However, it seems like it will be difficult to make him tell the truth. Then Melby suddenly revealed herself. I will also help. Eh-? Im surprised by the sudden proposal. These guys spread rumours about how we fairies kidnapped children, right? Y, yeah Then they are enemies of mine as well. You say you will help, but how? I can just use [Fairys Eye]. Since I will know for sure when he is lying, we can try asking him some questions. At Melbys words, Dad nods. That will help. I leave him to you, Melby-san. Dad used -san for Melbys name. Fairies are supposedly well respected by elves. Since Pioneer Elves made fairies, I thought that elves were descended from the faeries masters, but it doesnt seem to be that simple of a story. As a side note, when Melby asked to take me to the Fairy Garden once a month, Dad immediately gave his consent. The story about me wanting to free Melbys sealed master also concluded during the journey. Dad added the condition that Julia-kaasan or himself were to accompany me, but I saw no harm in it. Ah, but being seen chiseling away at the barrier for ages wouldnt be that good though Anyway, Dad is going to interrogate the Man in Black D Lucretio now. You are a member of , right? .. Ive been trying to tell you thats wrong. Thats a lie. At Melbys words, Dad and Mum look at each other and nod. By the way, Lucretio cant see Melby. I wonder what position in you have Like I said, I dont know any . Hes lying. You, as an underling of , dont hold much information. Thats because I dont know any . Lie. In , you had a position where you were able to put together quite a few subordinates. Youre wrong. Lie. You know the kidnappers who took the children at Riverette Village. Im saying I dont know. Lie. You were in a position where you could lead the kidnappers at Riverette Village. Wrong. Truth. Okayso you worked separately from the kidnappers. Lucretio closed his mouth to hide his agitation. His mouth was quivering, probably due to the anaesthetics paralysis. You knew about the kidnappers failure, and were ordered to hunt us, who knew the circumstances, down. k, Wrong! Lie. The Archbishop of gave you the order. Archbishop Glutometsa. Just saying his name makes my mouth feel tainted. He does the work of the devil, hes not even a persoC Youre wrong! Wrong wrong wrong! Archbishop-sama is a holy person! First half, lie. The second half was the truth. You finally showed your true colours. Youre a member of . Am I right? What about it? Truth. Then lets have you spit out everything. s structure, personnel deployment, and everything else; if its confidential information, anything is fine . Who would say those things. Even if you torture me, I wont tell you. Well, well, youre pretty professional arent you? A filthy assassin who worships The Evil God in high regard and goes around killing innocents is Dad said as if he was boasting about his own faults, laughing as if he were mocking the assassin. Since his natural face is beautiful, this face has a lot of impact. Of course, this should be for the purpose of provoking Lucretio so he spills the beans. We are proud messengers! What do you know! We must defeat the devil! If we dont defeat the devil, this world will fall to ruin! We who commit to that liturgy, what did you just call us!? Filthy!? That would be you people! To not even look at the sacred duty bestowed by Founder-sama, people who eat like dogs and sleep like pigs like you are the filthy ones! Damn minions of the devil! Release me from my admonitions! I will make you an offering to the one who continues to battle against the devil, the holy Evil God, Monguenues-sama! Lucretio snapped at Dads provocation. He has way too little resistance against mocking. If he snaps at this level of provocation, he will never get good at fighting games. Butit came to Monguenues, huh. On top of that, The holy Evil God who continues to battle against the devil, huh. isnt just an assassin organisation, its evidently a religious cultof assassins. Butwhy were these guys kidnapping children? Lucretio continued to spout nonsense after that, so Dad had no choice but to temporarily stop the interrogation. Fu~. Well damn. It had gotten completely dark by the time we were heading back, and Dad was complaining as we walked behind the city council hall. The light that Mum made with (Light) was directed at and illuminated the ground for a few metres in front of us. With the hand that wasnt maintaining (Light), Mum held my hand. Melby was floating in the air next to me. Dad continued to grumble. Hearing his story makes me feel as if were in the wrong. I should tell the knights who are in charge of interrogation to continue in shifts instead of persevering at it. Thats true, he definitely seemed convinced of the existence of The holy Evil God who continues to battle against the devil. If someone were to stay with him for too long, they would probably go crazy as well. Whats an evil god? I asked, with a face like I dont know. Ah, so Ed doesnt know. The Evil God is a legendary being who calls himself Monguenues and is trying to incite mankind into destroying the world with their own hands. Legendis it? Well, who knows. Since Gods that have been called Benevolent Gods exist, it wouldnt be strange if an Evil God exists. But, the story about the Evil God fighting a Devil, thats the first time Ive heard it. Al-kun, it would be best not to seriously believe what that man in black says. Well, its not like I took it seriously but it seems like it may have affected me a bit. Dad shook his head with a frown. If youre talking about an Evil God, then there is one. Melby suddenly said. Eh? Really? Said Dad. Really. The one who sealed my master should have been an apostle of the Evil God. Hmm Among the Evil Gods apostles, there seems to be one with the ability to influence other people through hearsay. If Alfred-san felt persuasiveness in that mans words, then maybe that man has an apostle of the Evil God supporting him. The Evil Gods apostle!? Dad couldnt believe Melbys words straight away. From my perspective, I thought that Melbys apprehensions seemed plausible enough, but it would be hard to convince Dad of that. I dont think I will be able to explain about the incident with Goleth well either; we still havent even talked about it yet. Edgar-kun, arent you tired? Mum came to ask. Im fine. Indeed, Ive been walking around with Mum all day, a normal 3-year old would be completely worn out. Since my [No Fatigue] is working perfectly today as well, my bodys condition is no worse than how it was at the beginning of the day. If anything is strangeits that Im a little hungry. Edgar-kun, you have quite the stamina, dont you ? Even Julia-kaasan cant believe it. While looking at Mums state, I think. DDI might be reaching the limit of how long I can hide it for. In regards to that, Ive already secretly asked Melby for advice. Um, sorry, I might not be able to help. Is what she said. For a fairy who cant lie, its hard to keep secrets anyway. Thus, she has never had to worry about how to reveal a secret. Thinking about the other persons feelings is important but As I expected, honesty is best, right? Even if she says that, the content of the secret is that, so As I was thinking and walking, I didnt notice Mum stop walking and almost fell over. That is Mum murmers as she looked into the darkness. I belatedly follow her line of sight. At the entrance of an alley, a servant-looking young woman and a man wearing traveller garb are huddled together. But it doesnt seem like they are lovers. The man brings his face closer to the woman, pressing her with a sharp tone. I look at the womans face again and feel that I have seen her before. That girl is one of our servants, isnt she? At Dads words I realise. [Appraisal]. Marcella Rinne: Chrebl Viscount House Servant. Marcella-san You remember. Yes, thats her name. And the man is? [Appraisal] DD that was what I had planned on using, but Mum walked forward and blocked my line of sight. Mum continued to walk towards the two. Since Mum was still using (Light), the two spotted Mum quickly. Hey. What do you need from our servant? Mum asked the man. The man spoke as if he was spitting the words out. Its none of your business. Didnt I just say she is our servant? If youre too stubbornC Mum lights the tip of her finger with a flame. CI will become your opponent? . I was just bringing that person a message. Mum asks the servant with her eyes. The servant, after hesitating, said this, Y-yes. That person is a messenger from home, Madam Julia. Really? Yes Mum warily observed the man and, Marcella-san is from the capital right? CHow has the capital been, Messenger-san? Hmm. The capital has been dangerous, recently. When I left, rumours of the Demonic Ripper were everywhere. The guy who awakens every few years, the apparition of the capital. Demonic Ripper? When I murmured as I walked closer, the man grinned, Thats right, kid. If a brat like you wanders around in the middle of the night, a scary ladywill appear and say I will cut your mouth with these scissors. Isnt that the Slit-mouthed Woman? Huh? What did you say, kid? No, just that its scary. Keh. A brat who isnt scared by threats. So, Madam, if your doubts have disappeared, can I leave? I suppose so. When Mum reluctantly nodded, the man turned his back to us and left. I look at the man as if disciplining him, and cast the familiar [Appraisal]DD DD!! As I try to [Appraise] the mans back, Im frozen. The man turned around right when I was about to use [Appraisal]. Was I found out? No, it has to be a coincidence. Our gazes meet. The man grinned, raised his index and middle fingers, and gestured like he was trying to cut something. At the same time, he moves his mouth. DDSnip. Even after the man disappeared into the alley, chills run up my spine and dont seem to go away. CH 29 In the evening, before dinner, a servant (a different person from Marcella-san from before) informed us of a visitor. Alfred-tousan said Ooh, he arrived. and went to personally welcome him. Julia-kaasan and I are sitting at the table waiting for dad. The servants in charge of the kitchen (that also includes Marcella-san) are arranging the food on the dinner table. The meal is for 4 people. Those four should be dad, mom, me, and the guest. By the way, next to me there is a small cup filled with juice for Melby. In the juice there is a D apparently very valuable D thin glass straw. Using that to drink the juice, Melby looks very much like a flower-nectar-drinking fairy. Next to that Im reading Abaddon Magic Compilation as Im waiting for the preparations for the meal to be done. DDEveryone present? Dad appeared in the dining room while saying that. He brought a middle-aged clergyman looking person with him. The abundant white hair and drooping eye-corners give off an ineffable kind impression. Dad says to that person, However, this was fortunate. I didnt think that you were stopping by this city at just the right time. There, please have a seat. Sadly we cant offer that much. Mm, thanks for your concern. My body has become somewhat dull lately, you see. Those cheap lodgings are hard on me sometimes. You are not young anymore, please take care of your body. Cant you just stop patrolling and settle somewhere as a priest? I cant really do that. Lately, there are more temples, but there arent many people that have the [Oracle] Skill. Right, there are many requests, but there are only a few priests who can fulfill them. .oh, lets take a seat before continuing. Dad is offering the seat on the opposite side from his to the priest(?). Then, Father Solow. This is my son, Edgar. And you already know my wife, Julia. Ooh, this is a really lovely child. My name is Edgar. I dont really know whats going on, but I introduce myself and bow for the time being. Its been a long time, Father. Mom also greeted him while taking a seat at the dinner table. DDEd, this is a patrolling priest for the Samsara Temple, Solow Atra-Abaddon-sama. Abaddon!? I raised my voice unintentionally. Then I showed the Abaddon Magic Compilation I left on the seat next to me to him. DDHou. Thats nostalgic. That is a book written by my great-grandmother. Great-grandmother.. That means that this priest is a great-grandson of Abaddon. Or rather, Abaddon, was a woman? Mm, thats right. But it looks like people are under the impression that she was a man. Nobody could match her in scholarly sciences, but she was also proud and passionate. Because of friction with her surroundings she apparently spent her last years deep in the mountains to keep people away. ..thats somehow very understandable. I always thought it was written by a grumpy old man. Nevertheless, quite an astute child. To think that he is reading that famously difficult book in that age. Even I was already over 40 years old when I could truly understand the value of that book. Is it the result of madams guidance? No, I didnt do anything. Edgar-kun is a smart child. Hohhohho. It looks like the Flame Prison Witch also has the virtue of modesty. From the words of Julia-kaasan Father Solow was smiling sarcastically. Well, its very well impossible for a child to read a difficult book soon after being born and without the guidance of his parents. DDAlso, there is a lovely Fairy-san with him, I see. As the priest said that I turn my gaze toward where Melby is. You can see her? I asked. Mm, I cant see her completely, but I can vaguely tell that she is there. Hearing those words from the priest, Melby and I exchange glances, then Good evening, Father Solow. Im Melby. As you can see Im a fairy and Im currently acting together with Edgar. Hou. with Edgar-kun. To be liked by a Fairy at this age. I-Its not about liking him or anything its just something thats necessary. Melby is mumbling while sipping juice through the straw. Then, Alfred-dono. You said there was something you need to ask of me this evening..? Dad nods to the Priests words. To tell you the truth, we would like you to perform Transference on him. Transference? Leaving the frowning me aside, the two adults continue their conversation. Hou. But, isnt it a bit early? He looks like quite an astute child, but he shouldnt be at the age where he could gain skills yet? Well, that isnt the case. ..I would like you to keep everything I tell you from now on a secret if possible. But of course. I will keep the secrets regarding Skills even if I have to die. If thats what I have to do as a Priest of the Samsara Temple. After confirming the nod from the priest, dad says. This child is only about 8-month-old. 8 month, you say..? He looks surprisingly big for that? The priest was surprised. Is Father familiar with the recent incident at the Ranzrack Fortress? Mm, of course. It was unfortunate for Alfred-dono, but it was unexpected good fortune for the Kingdom of Santamana for you to be there at that time. I heard that you, together with your wife, played an important role. Who played an important role was mainly my wife. No, to be precise, it was my wife and this child. This child.? Edgar-kun did? Yes. I reveal this information because I believe in Fathers duty of confidentiality. The one who defeated the head of the enemy, the leader of , Goleth, in a close to one-versus-one confrontation was this childDDEdgar. The reason for his body being larger than his age would suggest is the side-effect from the Level Up that time. Goodness. The priest is taking a good look at me, looking confused himself. Or rather, dad, is it alright to reveal that much? That probably means that he trust this priest that much, but. Ive become a little uneasy, so I try using [Appraise] that became harder to detect under Melbys guidance. Solow Atra-Abaddon (Samsara Temple Patrolling Priest, Senior Priest Atra, Soul Saint) 67 years old Level 35 HP 40/40 MP 55/55 Condition: Pledge to the God of Samsara (Due to the pledge towards the Goddess Atrazenec, who governs the endless cycle of death and rebirth, cannot reveal any information gained by the use of the Skill [Oracle] to a third party.) Skills Mythical class + [Aptitude Diagnosis] C Master class [Oracle] 5 [Healing Magic] 4 [Mental Toughness] 2 General [Prayer] 9(MAX) [Medical Care] 9(MAX) [Water Magic] 4 [Pharmacist] 4 [Command] 4 [Light Magic] 3 God of Samsaras Attention (Due to the many years of devotion, gained the attention of the Goddess Atrazenec, who governs the endless cycle of death and rebirth. When using the Skill [Oracle], can discern the aptitudes of the subject. Small supplement to the acquisition and learning speed of skills related to Divine Skills.) Ooh, so many Skills I havent seen yet. But I will look at the Skills sometimes later. I can take a look at them later through the [Database] anyway. What I should focus on now is the Pledge to the God of Samsara in the Condition column. It seems that due to the pledge to the Goddess I know well, a priest cant reveal any information gained by that [Oracle] Skill. It sounds like he could reveal information that was gained not via the Skill, but judging from dads demeanor the priests of the Samsara Temple should have something like a duty of confidentiality, like doctors and lawyers from my previous world, that prohibit them from revealing any information gained while on the job to a third party. Goddess-sama also said I should visit a Temple sometimes. In addition to that, it looks like they trust each other with dad, so it should be alright to trust him for now. that being said, my status should be quite an aberrant one already, so I am somewhat reluctant to reveal it completely as it is. For times like this, I learned the way to repel [Appraise] from Melby, but Im unsure whether it can also be used against [Oracle]. While I was deep in thought, the priest seemed to finish gathering his thoughts. .I dont think Alfred-dono, who is famous for being upright and clean handed, would tell a lie like this. Therefore, the fact that this child defeated the leader of that mercenary group should be the truth. I shouldnt pry too much either. I will just accept the fact that such a thing happened. But, the priest continued. Your parents must have been very worried over this. Due to my occupation, I have seen many children before that were born with unique statuses. But as one would expect, I havent seen one that could defeat a leader of a mercenary group soon after being born yet. Parents are usually dismayed by even the smallest abnormality. Alfred-dono and Julia-dono, everything that happened mustve been very confusing, but being able to keep that to yourselves and deal with it calmly like you two did is something that people are rarely able to do. Alfred-tousan solemnly nodded to the priests words. Very well. Normally I would refuse to perform the Transference on a less than 3 years old baby, but this time, I will accept it especially. Thank goodness.. Dad lets out a sigh of relief. Then, about the compensation.? This time is special. I dont need compensation. But. Since Im doing something outside the conventions of the Temple I cant accept any fee. If you are not satisfied even then.. then you should make a donation to this citys Temple. But Im the Lord of this City. I cant do something as unreasonable as that. Fufuh. Even though it wouldnt be found out if you dont tell anyone, Alfred-dono really has a stubborn personality. Then you should think of it this way. Ive been on the path of a patrolling priest for a long time, but this is the first time Ive seen something like this. For me, this is excellent research material. Think of it as receiving student fees from me and give up on the compensation. Mm. Your expression tells me you are not convinced. What I said just now is not really a lie to me. Im of the opinion that there is nothing more interesting than the Statuses around the world. Looking at someones Status I can see not just their abilities and extent of Skills, but also their combat experience and tactics they are good at. If I analyse it further then their way of life, their personality and their beliefs also shine through, everything that led to that person having that Status. Furthermore, behind those, I can even catch a glimpse of the intentions of the God of Samsara, Atrazenec and the protections bestowed upon us. Its a shame that due to my pledge I cant publicize my findings, but for someone that serves that God of Samsara, there cant be anything more interesting or more appreciated than Statuses. That is why, to me, the opportunity to look at this small childs Status is a reward that cant be exchanged for gold. .I understand. If you say this much I will make sure not to mind it. However, If there is anything that I might be able to help with, then by all means tell me. At that time I will do everything in my power to help. Umu. If I dont accept that consideration that it would be a lack of courtesy instead. I will make sure to ask without reservations at that time. As both dad and the priest compromised bit by bit, the discussion was settled. Both of them have a stubborn personality. That being said, thanks to that I could decide to have faith in this priest. The respectful attitude towards dad even though their age is as far apart as a parent and child, his adherence to the regulations of the Samsara Temple while having the flexibility to help those that are troubled. And the most important, I recognized his careful handling of Statuses, filled with interest and piety. As one would expect, people that gained the attention of the Goddess-sama are extraordinary. Then I will start with the Transference, but before that, I would like to mention a few important points regarding the Transference. The Transference is a ritual, where, under the permission of the subject, I make an enquiry to the God of Samsara, Atrazenec-sama with the [Oracle] Skill. With the [Oracle] Skill I come under a kind of semi-possession by a God, then my arm moves under the command of the God and notes down the subjects Status on the previously prepared slip of paper. However. Not necessarily will the entire Status be noted down. About the part of the Status that the subject wishes to hide, one has to only think of it silently and it will be exempted from being noted down by me. This limitation was created by the God, thinking of the cases where the Status could hold confidential information of grave importance to the subject. So Edgar-kun, if you have a Skill that you dont want to reveal, then you dont have to disclose it here and now. I would like you to undergo the Transference after thinking it through well. The priest said this with a serious expression. I see so thats how it works. Then there is no need to expressly reject the [Oracle]. That being said, there is absolutely no need to worry about whether I would reveal those secrets or not. When I became a priest I made a pledge to the God of Samsara. A pledge that I absolutely cant divulge any information gained by the [Oracle] Skill. This pledge cant be broken even if I want to. This pledge once made will not go away until the grave, a type of Abnormal Condition. Therefore, you dont need to think about hiding your Status from me. That being said, if you want to hide it anyway, then I cant stop you from doing so. As the priest finished his explanation a silence fell near the dinner table. I raised my head and clearly said. DDI will be in your care, Father The priest nodded with a solemn expression. CH 30 The arm of the priest moves quickly. I underwent the transference from the priest after the meal. The results of ones first transference is a record to be commemorated. The piece of paper laid on the table was lavishly decorated with gold-leaf. On that extravagant piece of paper, the priest was writing words down without any hesitant strokes. His eyes were half-closed, and didnt seem to be focusing on anything. The priests arm suddenly stopped after writing the last line of the status. He slowly opened his eyes. He dropped his gaze to the paper on the table DDthen, he opened his eyes wide. This, this is! The priest leaned over the paper, moving his eyes and neck at an amazing speed, looking over the paper over and over again. When he finished, he blinked tightly, pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head over and over, checked over the paper once more, before leaning back into his chair. Mn, thank you for the good reaction. Fa, Father? Alfred-tousan asked with a, as expected, worried face. O, ohIts complete. The transference went fine, it succeeded. My goodness, I thought it might have failed for a moment, but it succeeded without a doubt. It should have succeeded no, thats enough. For now, take a look at this. The priest signed the paper and displayed it in front of Dad. Well, thenhuh? Dad freezes. Geez whats with you two? Is there something strange in Edgar-kuns statusehh!? Mum freezes as well. I also try to take a peek at the paper. The contents are like this. TrusteeEdgar Chrebl OracleSolow Atra Abaddon Level31 HP63 MP2142 Skills No fatigueInstant Interpretation Appraisal 9Database I suppose the at the beginning and end of each line and the ߡ that fill the spaces were used to prevent false data from being written. Its similar to the receipt format I learned at my company in my previous life. Theres only one other strange part, but that can wait until after I explain to Mum and Dad. Putting that aside, Ive been troubled for a while. In regards to how much of my status I should show. In the end, I decided to not hide any of it. One of the reasons is that it would be hard to raise my skills if I continued to hide the characteristics of [No Fatigue]. But more than that, Alfred-tousan and Julia-kaasan are trying to protect me with all their mightDD I dont want to lie to those two. Although I say that, I did waver a bit when the priest said it was possible to hide my skills. But since I knew that the priest had the abnormal condition of being unable to tell anyone about the status he saw here, I figured that showing all of it to see how big a reaction it would cause wouldnt be a bad idea. I got a bigger reaction than I had been expecting, so I do feel a little bad about it. Err, so this is not a mistake, right? Dad, who finally woke up from his stupor, said. Yes. I can understand your feelings, but this is definitely the result of the Oracle. The skills take up 4 lines, why is that? Mum asks. The skills in the bottom line represent his General skills. The second line from the bottom is for Master Class skills. This much you should already know. Y, yes both Julia and I have Master Class skills. Ah, thats right. Alfred-dono has [Spearmanship] and Julia-dono has [Fire Element Magic]. Its rare for both spouses to have Master Class skills.] But what is going on with this childs skills? The bottom two lines are abnormally full, and Ive never heard of any of the skills in the top two lines. NoFatigue? Appraisal? The couple tilt their heads in unison, and the priest nodded solemnly. The skills that are third from the bottom are called Legendary Class skills. Wha-! Legendary!? Eeeeeeh-!? Mum and Dad were surprised. According to the teachings passed down in the Samsara Temple, they are skills that the masters in the ranks of masters can attain only when they get some kind of good fortune. Decipher the hidden information in all things? Th-thats it! Occasionally Ed will know about something he shouldnt have learned yet, so thats why! After hearing the priests words, Dad said that, taken aback. As I thought, you had been concerned about that. Was this also how he learned magic so fast? Uh-uh, that seems kind of wrong? Julia-kaasan muttered while tilting her head. The two of you, isnt it a bit too soon to be surprised? The line of skills at the top is probably for Mythical Class skills, it can only be that. M-mythical Class!? Yes. Above even the Legendary ClassDD with effects that transcend the principles of this world, a rare skill that can only be bestowed directly from the Gods. And to have two of them [No Fatigue] and the other is written in unreadable characters. Dad muttered with a frown. Thats right. [Instant Interpretation] was not written in the characters of this world, but in Japanese. Hmmm. Edgar-kun, do you have any ideas about this? Or rather, to what level do you understand your own skills? The priest asks me. The General skills and Master Class skills I got on my own. Ive had No Fatigue since I was born. What kind of skill is [No Fatigue]? Ive been a priest for such a long time, but I have never heard of it. I dont get tired. I dont need to sleep either. You dont get tired? You said its fine to not sleep? I did think that Edgar-kun had a lot of stamina for a small child, but to think it was because of a skill like this. Mum muttered, looking slightly shocked. Just wait, Ed knew about this but he didnt tell us? Well, it is something that would be bad to carelessly mention, but how was Ed able to judge that it would be bad to carelessly mention the skill? That is I say, faltering. HmmThat Divine Protection might play a part in this. The priest says. Look at this. The final line in his status. This child was born with a strong blessing from Atrazenec-sama. Saying this is a little. But even I, who have worked as a priest of AtrazenecCsamas for many years, remain at a standstill after being noticed by Atrazenec-sama. It means that Edgar-kun was born in this world shouldering the destiny to surpass even me. The destiny to surpass the Father One more thing, and this also a teaching of the Samsara Temple; Among the ones who are born with the Blessing of the God of Samsara, there are some who are born with the memories of their previous life. Knowledge of their previous life, huh. Alfred-tousan looked at me, perplexed. Julia-kaasan also looked at me anxiously. I resolved myself and replied. I have knowledge of my former life. This is why my skills are so abnormal. I dont know how it is in this world, but from what Ive learned by listening in on Mum and Dad, I thought it would be better if I didnt talk about it. Is the second Mythical-Class skill connected to that by any chance? The second Mythical class skill is called Instant Interpretation. It translates a language called Japanese from my previous life to the Marquekt Common Language. I see. The priest nodded once and turned to face Mum and Dad. This child could have kept his skills hidden from me. But instead, he decided to share them with you, his parents. DDEdgar-kun, why did you decide to open up to Alfred-dono and Julia-dono? The priest probably asked because he knew what I want to say. I didnt want to keep it a secret. From here on, there will probably be a lot of times when I will need to hide my skills. But I didnt want to keep them a secret from Mum and Dad. Then conversely, why did you keep it a secret until now? Because I didnt want to scare them Mum and Dad quietly listen to my story. I heard about your actions at Ranzrack Fortress, did you not think about hiding your abilities then? It was because I thought Mum and Dad were at risk. Goleth was a dangerous opponent who had accepted the Evil Gods curse of calamity. Did you say The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity!? Dad asks the startled priest. Father, just what exactly is The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity(?)? Edgar-kun was blessed by the Goddess of reincarnation, Altrazenec, one of the Benevolent Gods. On the other hand, there are those who draw the attention of the Evil God, Monguenues, and are granted tremendous power by making a deal. I was in doubt of this until now but Mum says to the frowning priest. Back then, the leader of , Goleth, certainly had some strange powers. He threw spears empowered by powerful magic hundreds of metres, destroying the forts walls. I probably couldnt have won if Edgar-kun hadnt fought. Mn so he was strong enough to make the Flame Prison Witch say that. With the Evil Gods curse of calamity, Goleth had given up part of his lifespan to receive a great bonus to his HP and MP and even gained the Enchant Magic skill. Bonus? What exactly are you talking about? By bonus, I mean that with the Evil Gods curse of calamity or the blessing of a Benevolent God, you can greatly increase your HP and MP. Goleth had added 250 to both his HP and MP. A-added 250, you say!? Even though someone should only have 120 HP at most when theyve reached level 50. Goleths original HP was 129. Since its the result of Appraisal, theres no doubt. So youre saying that his HP became three times the original? His MP also rose, right? The total is as though Julias maximum MP had been added on top of his own, huh? Hes a complete monster. Dad says as he shakes his head. To add to both his HP and MP, Goleth shaved off 10 years of his lifespan apiece. Since he had to shave off more of his lifespan for the Enchant Magic and Toughness skills, his lifespan should have become 40 years shorter. Hm. Is that price cheap or expensiveas expected of an Evil God, huh. It seems Julia and I were in greater danger than I had thought. Ed, really, thank you. Dad strokes my head. But, I wish you would tell us things like that sooner. Mum puffs up her cheeks. Im sorry. I said from my heart, as I lowered my head. My head was enveloped by something warm. I also need to say sorry. Edgar-kun was so worried and I didnt even notice. Mum says as she hugs me tightly. Drops of something warm fell on my head. As I looked up in surprise, Mum was crying. Im really sorry. No, its fine. DD But, Mum lightly hit my head, from now on, tell everything to your mother. Even if its something thats hard to believe. Then Mum can think about it together with you. Okay. My voice seemed like it would crack. I started to tear up despite my age. I should have done this earlier. CH 31 DAfter that, I was hit by a barrage of questions from my parents and the Priest. About the nature of [No Fatigue]. About the nature of [Appraise]. About Goleth. About . About magic and Skills. About the memories from my previous world. I decided to share all the information I know. First, the way to raise the maximum MP. DDEvery time someone with a magic related nickname or with a Blessing from a God uses up all their MP until they faint their maximum MP rises by 1. I heard this straight from Goddess-sama, so there is absolutely no mistake. Julia-kaasan has the Flame Prison Witch nickname, so if she uses up her MP and faints, then her maximum MP should rise. Although in contrast to me, who has [No Fatigue], every time mom faints she needs a 3 hour long Growth Sleep, so its quite inefficient. Even then, if you keep doing it every day before sleep, in one month your maximum MP will rise by about 30. If you have 30 MP, then you can shoot Flame Lance 3 times in theory. When mom heard what I said, her eyes lit up in fiery blaze, then Thats, amazing, Edgar-kun! I have to use up my MP before sleep starting from tonight! , she said happily. Regarding the story of how I received the [Enchant Magic] Skill from the Goddess-sama after the battle with Goleth, the one who latched onto it was the Priest. What kind of person is Atrazenec-sama!? He asks me with a momentum of all but grabbing me. A black haired, kind and beautiful person. As I answered like this, Umu. Indeed, according to the legends in the Temple, Atrazenec-sama is known as a Goddess. Although the general public knows her as a man.. , he mumbled as such. That reminds me, mom and dad, you should also undergo the Transference. According to the appraisal results, there are big changes to your Skills and Blessings. What did you say! In that case, lets do it immediately. ..I think it would be enough to just ask Edgar-kun. I want to verify, the results of appraisal. Ed is careful, huh. That is also knowledge from a different world? Mm. Apparently its better for the sample size to be bigger. It doesnt look like they grasp what it means that I have reincarnated, so, in the end, it was settled as having [Knowledge from my previous world], as the Priest said. I also didnt have the courage to tell them that their child has an already 30 years old soul. Even so, with my not having to keep my Status a secret anymore, I feel the weight on my shoulders lessen by a large amount. Its also a big plus that since they know about me having knowledge from my previous world, they wont find it odd if I say something a bit strange. Sample? Right, something like, eksample. Example, maybe. That is indeed true. So then, in the order of dad, then mom, they underwent the Oracle of the Priest. The resultDD I received the attention of Marslat-sama! Hooray! [Fire Magic] Level 9! And even the Spirit of Fires Blessing! Yaay! Hooray!, in an unusually festive mood, my parents high-fived each other. The servant that brought the drinks over(Marcella-san) is startled by the dancing, with their arms linked, Viscount husband and wife duo. Its no use watching that, so I try asking something from the Priest. You can measure aptitudes, right? Oh, did you find that out by using [Appraise]? That is amazing. However, I dont really mind, but you shouldnt recklessly reveal things you find out with [Appraise]. Do you understand the reason? It harms the feelings of people? Of course, that is also part of it, but problems dont end with that. Due to my occupation, Ive seen many thousands of Statuses so far. As a result of that I can say that those who carry secrets in their Statuses are surprisingly many. If they think that their secret was discovered, then in some cases people may think of silencing Edgar-kun. Therefore, its best if, as much as possible, outsiders dont know about you having [Appraise]. DDNo The Priest stopped talking for a bit and looked towards mom and dad. Seeing that we started having a serious conversation, mom and dad stopped dancing from joy and returned to having a subdued expression. You shouldnt speak about having an above Legend class Skill to anyone outside the family. Its not just how people would think that their secrets are discovered because of [Appraise]. If people find out that you have more than one of such rare Skills, then it would most likely provoke the jealousy of others. Also, there are most likely many that would think of using you for their own purposes. ..I understand. I nodded in assent. So then, we were talking about Aptitude Diagnosis. Of course, I will do it. As expected, Im also interested in how the aptitudes of a Godsend child, such as Edgar-kun, are. The Priest says that and closes his eyes half-way. He points his palms upward and makes motions like he is using a scale to measure something. After waiting for a bit. This child is.hm Saying that the Priest starts pondering. I-I wonder how it is.? What is Edgar suited for? Dad asks half uneasily and half expectantly. After nodding once, the Priest slowly said this. Edgar-kun doesnt have any ability that he especially excels at. Everyone present fell down. No no, Im not saying that in a bad way. There is no particularly outstanding abilityDDRight, he indeed doesnt have a talent like Julia-donos fire attribute magic or Chester-kuns archery skills, but on the other hand, as far as I can see, there is nothing that he is particularly unsuited for either. Doesnt have anything he is unsuited for.is it? Dad asks. Mm. Most likely, there is nothing in magic or martial skills that this child wont be able to do. As I can tell, Edgar-kun has an at least average talent in every category that Im aware of. Is that a rare thing? Rare, Id say. Rather than that, this is the first time Ive seen someone with aptitudes like these. Most likely it has something to do with Atrazenec-samas Blessing.. Thats bullseye, Priest-sama. Lets see the help info for my Blessing of a Benevolent God. The blessing of the goddess who governs the transmigration of souls, Atrazenec. Accelerates the souls growth. Releases all skill acquisition conditions. Medium compensation for the skills learning | growth. Even if I have [No Fatigue], if there are many skills that I cant acquire, then it would greatly lessen its meaning, so it should be Goddess-samas forethought. aptitudes, all the same? Of course, they are not exactly the same. Its just the difference between them doesnt fall outside of the limits of conventional wisdom. With Julia-dono, Chester-kun, or Edgar-kuns other two elder brothers, and of course Alfred-dono, in contrast to their outstanding aptitude in one domain, they have other domains in which their Skills wont go up no matter what they do. Like with dads archery skills? Dad fell down a bit. Hohhohho. Thats right. By the way, if I have to choose a higher one from Edgar-kuns aptitudes, then I would say [Lightning Magic] first. Lightning magic.. [Lightning Magic] is a magic developed in recent years, its projectile speed is fast, it also has an effect of numbing the target, therefore many magicians try to learn it, but there are only a few that have the aptitude for it. Apparently, its hard to form a concrete enough image of [Lightning] for the magic to activate. Its probably a born-with talent of Edgar-kun, having a concrete image of [Lightning]. Image The Priest called it born-with talent, but its probably because I reincarnated from a modern Japanese person that used electricity all over the place. In other words, its not born-with, but reborn-with. ..right, saying it myself, even I think it was lame. Compared to Julia-donos super first-class magical aptitude its somewhat unfavorable, but compared to a second-rate magician, its can be said to be a high aptitude. then, doesnt that mean that I have a more than high enough aptitude? Sorry about that. The family of Viscount Chrebl is full of monsters, right? And whats more, someone that has the Blessing of a God, its impossible to not have high expectation, I would say. I guess thats also true. How are the martial skills? Dad asked. Right. Projectile weapons in general, bows, spears, and also guns, yes. Projectile weapons, bows, spears..what was that last one? Guns, it was. Im not too familiar with it myself, but its apparently something like a crossbow that existed in ancient times that had a unique firing mechanism. They are sometimes discovered in ancient ruins, but since the projectile itself cant be produced with our current technology, it cant be used properly. Hearing Gun I was interested, but since dad heard that it cant be used properly, it looks like he lost interest. Does that mean that he is good with weapons that are used to shoot from a distance? Its most likely not wrong to say that. Also, abilities that throw,shoot, ordeflect things. Long things and throwing things, regarding these two points, he has the aptitude to reach first-class. Regarding spears, I would say he barely doesnt reach the level of Alfred-dono. What about close-combat? somewhat slow on the uptake. Thats harsh, damn. He seems to have a shining talent in regards to setting up battles, but the best should still be a combat style where he keeps the enemies at bay while using magic to decide the fight. He is not suited for close proximity hand-to-hand combat, so if they close in, then the best course of action would be to put some distance between. Of course, he has at least average talent in it, so if he resolves himself and trains hard in close combat fighting then he should be more than able to fight with it. If I use fighting games as an example, then it would be a shooting character, I guess. Keeping the enemies in check with projectiles from far away, slowly whittling away the opponents vitality, then when the opponent shows some kind of opening, sends a powerful attack as a souvenir, something like that. It somewhat resembles the combat style of Alfred-tousan. His talent in magic, although it doesnt reach the level of Julia-dono, it surpasses the level of an ordinary mage, and most of all, the fact that he has no attribute that he is weak at is a strong point. Instead of specializing in a single attribute like Julia-dono, the best would be to employ various kinds of magic depending on the circumstances. Of course, it would be bad if he became a jack of all trades, but master of none, so he should also polish a single one that will become his core attribute. But, regarding that, he fortunately has the aptitude for [Lightning Magic], so he should develop that. Howeverhmm. The Priest started pondering while speaking, .if I look at it this way, then this is terrifying talent. Indeed, he doesnt excel in any one talent, but I cant find any weak points. Ordinarily, if one has an aptitude for martial skills then that one doesnt have an aptitude for magic, if one has an aptitude for magic then that one doesnt have an aptitude for martial skills. Or perhaps, if one excels at sword techniques then hes bad with archery skills, if one is good with fire magic then that one cant learn water magic, like that there is a hidden underside to the aptitudes that is their weak points. Rarely some people appear that have a talent for both magic and martial skills, but most of the time those people fall to become a jack of all trades, but master of none, so I advise those to put an emphasis on one of them and keep the other as a support. Edgar-kun is still young. Much too young. If he can keep training of his own volition from this age..then perhaps.. After pondering a little more the Priest said. DDPerhaps aiming to become a Spellsword would be a fine choice. Spellsword..! A word that greatly excites male instincts. Mm. Rather, this is probably the intention of Atrazenec-sama for you to do just that. If not then she wouldnt have granted a great Blessing such as this. For Ed to become a Spellsword.. Edgar-kun, a Spellsword.. Mom, dad, your eyes look like they started sparkling. Will this be alright? Please dont suddenly become a spartan papa & mama, okay? There are some people that call themselves Spellswords. Its especially common amongst energetic adventurers. However, those who were called Spellsword in its true meaning, besides the original Hero Albarn, who fought the Evil God Monguenes to a standstill, there were only a few. H-, Hero! And he fought the Evil God to a standstill, you say!? According to the legend, a Spellsword is not simply someone who mastered both magic and martial skills. Magic and martial skillsDDMastering both of those entirely distinct paths, then by making those two into a Combo, one can gain a long forgotten Legendary Skill, this is what they say. O-, ooooh! Crap. The young boy part of me started trembling from excitement. It looks like this world doesnt have a concept of Jobs, but this Spellsword sounds like a so-called Advanced Job (which you can become after mastering multiple other Jobs first). If you max out multiple Skills, then, I think, depending on the combination of those Skills you can acquire new Skills. After thinking it through to that point, I suddenly remember something. Father. Do you know something, about the process of Skill acquisition? Hohoo.about the process of acquisition. Can you tell me about it more? If you max out a Skill, then you can gain a Bonus Skill. But, there are people that have gained that Bonus Skill without maxing out the Skill. Mom had [Fire Element Magic] even before maxing out [Fire Magic]. On the other hand, dad maxed out [Spear Skills] and gained [Spearmanship] as the Bonus for that in my opinion. As I explained it like this, Indeed, it was like that for me, but its not necessarily the same for everyone. There are many spear users that are not awarded the [Spearmanship] Skill even though they shouldve mastered [Spear Skills]. In contrast to that, although rarely, sometimes people that didnt reach Level 9 in [Spear Skills] gain the [Spearmanship] Skill. Dad added this. For me, when the Flame Prison nickname appeared on my Status, I think I also gained [Fire Element Magic] together with that. Mmn..its also known among the priests that there are various paths to the acquisition of Skills. However, we are bound by our Pledge to the God of Samsara, so we cant exchange and examine that information. Of course, from my individual experience I have built a few semi-hypotheses about how I think things work. The Priest started speaking after clearing his throat with a Khhm First, the path of acquisition for [Spear Skills] to [Spearmanship], or [Fire Magic] to [Fire Element Magic], is very easy to understand. The same applies to various martial skills and attributes of magic. Somewhat unique are the throwing type Skills. A certain portion of the masters of knife-throwing, axe-throwing, or spear-throwing gain the same [Throwing Techniques] Master Class Skill. Edgar-kun will most likely also gain this Skill eventually. Hooooh. I didnt know that. Goleth also had [Throwing Spear Techniques], but he didnt have [Throwing Techniques]. Probably the same can also be said about various other Skills, but the verification of those is very difficult, you see. There is also the fact that those that make a living from battles dont want to reveal how they gained those Skills. Im sorry that I cant be of much use to Edgar-kun, but if you learn something about the path of acquisition of Skills, then I would be very grateful if you could also tell me. Of course, I wont say you should do it for free. I will prepare a suitable compensation for it. I understand. I answered, then suddenly realized something. Melby is very quiet. As I was thinking that, I looked to my side and saw Melby keeping an eye on the door to the kitchen with a complex expression. what is it, Melby? Mnnnnnnnn.. Just my imagination, maybe? I tried to further talk to Melby, who was still frowning while tilting her head, but Ed Edgar-kun Edgar-kun , I was caught by the three curious adults and it was put off. Even after that, I was hit by a barrage of questions from those three. I dont get tired because of [No Fatigue] and I also had many questions I wanted to ask, so it was time well spent in the end. DDHowever, only a few hours after this, I came to greatly regret that I didnt try to hear out more of what Melby had to say this time. CH 32 e talk of skills with the priest and my parents reached a high, which made everyone (except me) sleep later that day, and these are the events that followed. The priest had just happened to be troubled over finding lodging, and ended up staying over at our residence that night. I laid on my bed and carried out my daily routine of expanding my maximum MP. It had been a one-week trip from Corbette Village, where our estate was, to Fauno City, but it had been surprisingly fulfilling. I deciphered the fairies code and proceeded towards the fairy hamlet where I met Melby, and defeated the kidnappers of and rescued the children they had abducted, after which the kidnappers committed suicide. Furthermore, we were attacked by the kidnappers comrades and turned the tables on them. Even when we arrived at Fauno City afterwards, I went to the Adventurers Guild where I met Moria-san and Huffman-san, witnessed the interrogation of the kidnapper, and even underwent a transference, courtesy of the priest, and revealed my status to everyone just earlier. Because of that, I tended to skip out on the MP expansion as of late. Recovering after fainting for the nth time, I felt a sense of dissonance. I looked at Julia-kaasan who was sleeping beside me. She was making an unusually pained expression. Mum, who heard about the MP expansion method from me, said that she had decided to quickly exhaust her MP before going to bed from tonight onwards. It couldnt be, to be suffering because of this? Because I was non-standard, it wouldnt be strange for the MP expansion method I know of to have had some kind of side-effect. I hurriedly used [Appraisal] on Mum. Julia Chrebl. Condition: ComatoseCaused by Repchipa Grass Pollen . DD!? I widened my eyes. Come to think of itDD A strange fragrance has been around for a while now. I noticed tiny particles dancing in the moonlight that shone through the window. [Appraisal]. Repchipa Grass Pollen: Pollen from the Ivy Plant distributed throughout the northern region of Sonoraat Kingdom and to the north. Has strong hypnotic effects. The results are as I imagined. The residence fell into an eerie silence. The sense of dissonance I felt when I recovered from fainting just then was because of this. If this is a poison that uses the vegetation of Northern Sonoraat, the identity of the one who did this is very simple to imagine. Melby? Nn, Im here. Even Melby appeared a little sleepy when she showed herself. Its also effective on fairies? Uhn. What is? The poison. The Repchipa Grass Pollen. DDEh!? Melby woke up immediately. Its true. Someone spread Repchipa Grass Pollen inside the residence. Ah, its not effective on me though? Its just that I had actually been sleeping. I breathed a small sigh. This was an uncertain situation, but it seems that some of my tension disappeared after discovering that I wasnt alone. At the same time, I start to turn my head. It doesnt seem like the enemys attack will end with just this. On the contrary, I should think of this as the enemys preemptive attack. Melby, can you cure everyone of the poison? Uh uh, thats impossible. [Fairys Song] is something that removes any influence caused by magic. There is someone among the fairies in the fairy hamlet who can use [Compounding], but I think there would be no ingredient in reserve even if we were to fly there now via Gate. While using [Eavesdropping], I made to leave the room so I could check the situation inside the residence. At that moment, my ears perceived a noise. DDMelby! This, right! Melby takes out a separation barrier shard from somewhere and hands it to me. I fling the shard I received towards the window. Naturally, the shard broke through the window immediately and pierced the face of the man in black trying to infiltrate the room. Gugyaa! The man fell from the window while screaming. At the same time, DD *whoosh whoosh whoosh* In the black of night, countless presences appeared. There were this many!? This is bad As things are now, Dad and the priest, and the others in the residence, are also asleep. To protect all of them while fighting is impossible. Fortunately, the most of the presences were currently outside the windowDD concentrated by the courtyard. I leapt out from the window of the room, controlled my descent with [Physics Magic] and landed in the courtyard. Simultaneously, I invoke the magic symbols I had drawn with both hands. 벷DDFlame Lance! I threw the Flame Lancetowards the shadow of the trees at random. Flame Lancehit the ground and exploded, but I saw the figures of the men in black dodging in a panic. ThereDD Take this! While thanking Melby, who was working in sync with me by passing a shard, I throw the shard at the men in black. Guah! The shard seemed to have hit the target, but it was too dark so I didnt know where it hit. I was unsure of whether I defeated them properly but I didnt have the time to check. DDFlame Bit! Two fireballs came flying from the shadows of the trees. I tumble onto the ground to avoid them. Thanks to my body corresponding to that of a three-year-old, I was a small target and dodging was easy. However, because I had fallen to the ground, it became hard to move about. Because of my three-year-old physique, it was hard to get up once I had fallen Perceiving that as a chance, one of the men in black jumped out from the trees and rushed at me. Grasped in his hand was a jet-black knife. However, he had let down his guard! DD?! Using [Physics Magic] I uprooted the majestic stone statue that stood in the courtyard, foundation and all, turning it around to directly hit the man in black. It was dark so I couldnt see, but there was a reaction. The man in black was sent flying, and he seemed to have crashed into the wall of the mansion. Dont underestimate Baby Scarlet! While shouting that, I made the Fire Ball I had produced chantlessly explode in midair inside the courtyard. There didnt seem to be any men caught up in the blast, but I was able to confirm what looked like a few shadows with the flash caused by the blaze. Here! With exquisite timing, Melby promptly released some shards into the air. I gathered the shards together using ? and made my body float in the air at the same time. Then, from a position overlooking the courtyard, I threw the 5 shards that were floating like beanbags towards the locations of the shadows I had confirmed earlier. Uggh! Argh! It seems a few hit, but the hearing of [Eavesdropping] perceived the sounds of some of the men in black who seemed to have dodged. And then a moment later, from the location of the noises, black knives came flying together with the sound of cutting wind. ? ? (physik, reflek) DDReverse I used [Physics Magic], which was close to reaching counter stop, and immediately reversed the momentum of the knives. Wha-! Gyaa! I couldnt confirm it as usual, but I feel like I caught the faint sounds of the enemy when the knives pierced them. Hows that! Will the Angels of Yatagarasu lose against a child like me!? While boosting the volume of my voice with [Wind Magic], I instigated the men in black with that shout. Why did I do that? Of course, its to stop them entering the estate. Because the man in black that Dad had interrogated DDLucretio(?) seemed to have held a strange pride in being a messenger. Sure enough, the men threw knives at me. Unlike before, the attacks were aimed at my head and they were filled with killing intent. However, when compared to Goleths throwing spears, this kind of thing was equal to childs play. I again return the knives with Reverse. But, as expected, the enemy seemed to have learned and they either avoided or parried the returned knives. However, I had been predicting this much. It was delayed because I wasnt accustomed to it, but I succeeded. DDFlame Bit! What I fired was just a Flame Bit, an elementary [Fire Magic] spell with a one-symbol invocation. Unexpectedly, the men in black seemed disappointed and it probably wasnt just my imagination. That Flame Bitwas identical to the usual Flame Bitand split the darkness of the night, flying towards the vicinity of where several of the men in black seemed to be hiding. They didnt even try to avoid it. However, Guwaaa! What is this!? The projected Flame Bittransformed into a giant ball of fire and engulfed the men. DD Its simple if the trick is revealed. I fired Flame Bit using not the ordinary magic symbol, but its ancient counterpart. Writing it took a little time but there was a remarkable difference in effect, as could be seen. The size of the flames was more than five times the original, and the duration was also much longer. Thanks to the fire continuing to burn for longer, I was finally able to see the situation inside the courtyard. Corpses of men in black were scattered about throughout the courtyard. Those with shards stuck in their faces, those with their brains splattered on the walls of the mansion, those whose throats were pierced with the knives I reflected back, etc. Of course, there were also many men in black who I hadnt killed. Some of those men were shouldered by their comrades and were trying to escape outside the residence. I dont want to let them get away if possible, but right now all I can do is try to repel them as best as I can. Inside the mansion was Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousan and the others in a comatose and defenseless state. If those guys regained their composure, the one in trouble would be me. Nevertheless, the battle here is leaning in my favour. Even the men in black who seem to still possess fighting spirits appear to be wavering between fighting or retreating. But naturally, I dont have even a hint of obligation to wait for their decision. Instead, I should take this as an opportunity to press them and drive them to withdraw. I draw and in the air to fire a Flame LanceDD DDLets have you stop there. Suddenly, a mans voice came interrupting. Furthermore, DDFrom behind!? I turn around in a panic. *Bang* A piercing noise sounded, and the back door to the mansion was blown off. Appearing from inside wasDD From back then Oh, so you remember. It was the ominous man who had called out to one of our servants yesterday on our way home from the knights guardroom where the member was being imprisoned. If I remember correctly, he called himself a messenger from the servant (Marcella-sans) home. Illuminated by the flames produced by the ancient magic symbol which still remained in the courtyard, the mans face was exposed. With finely chiselled features, he was a man in his forties. Muscular with a tall stature, and dull reddish-brown hair combed back. His entire body, from his shoulder to his feet, was covered with a jet-black robe, but the aura he exuded was more like a warrior than a mage. And, The man was carrying a girl in a maid outfit in his bared arms. It was Steph. Even at such a time, she was happily drooling as she slept. When I promptly use [Appraisal], Stephanie. Condition: Asleep. She wasnt in a coma? I reflexively made a puzzled expression. This fellow was sleeping in the stables for some reason. Steph likes animals. Im sure she said something like the horsies are so soft~! and fell asleep while she was playing with the horses. She was able to escape the influence of the Repchipa Grass because of that, but I dont know if her luck was good or bad. I stay silent and scowl at the man. There, I heard Melby whisper. Now what? Should I do something? Can you? If I recall correctly, werent fairies unable to harm humans? DDI can if its that man.. At Melbys words, I used [Appraisal], taking extra care so the man wouldnt be suspicious. I briefly opened my eyes widely. DDSo thats it. Hey you bastard, whyre you looking at me with such a creepy look. Stop that now. The man glowers at me. As expected, him noticing my [Appraisal] last time when he left was just a coincidence. However, with just creepy, I didnt know what he would do. Tch, whys the biggest nuisance not asleep. The dosage was a failure. While glaring at the grumbling man, I turn my head in haste. why did you take a hostage? Huh? Isnt your goal to seal our lips? If you intended to kill everyone anyway, theres no way you were listening to orders when you took her hostage. Hearing my words, the man grinned. Ah, youre mistaken. The reason were here isnt to annihilate you all. If that were the case, we wouldnt have used such tepid measures as scattering Repchipa Grass. Scattering a lethal poison, setting the estate on fire after putting everyone to sleep, there were other means to use if we were just trying to kill you. The man says, as though implying that they would have done so if they had been inclined to. Then, what is your goal? Money? Sorry, but were not lacking funds. As long as there are people in this world, there will be no shortage of people whod pay us to eliminate someone. While the man spoke, the other men in black also arranged themselves, surrounding me. Doncha understand? I guess you dont understand. The reason I DD leader, Gazaine Mntzer (?ߥĥ`) came here is DD The reason is? DDIts so we can kidnap you, Edgar Chrebl. CH 33 ke my time and digest the words of the leader of Yatagarasu, Gazaine Mntzer. Then, .ha? I unintentionally let out a dumbfounded voice. Like I said, we want you, you see. ..pedophilia? Who are you calling a pedo. Damn, what the hell have you been taught. I would like you to stop bad-mouthing my parents. Then dont say weird things. . I seem to be at a disadvantage. After thinking it through again, I ask once more. What do you intend to do after kidnapping me? DDI will raise you. ..huh? I will raise you. As a first-rate assassin. DDOy, you lot, come out. Due to the manDD Gazaines words, a number of black-clad people emerge from inside the mansion. Those black-clad people uniformly have a short stature. No, thats not it. [Appraise]. BeckYatagarasuMember of the 1st Group. Age: 8 years old. Level 15. MiguelYatagarasuMember of the 1st Group. Age: 9 years old. Level 19. EremiaYatagarasuMember of the Specialist Group. Age: 7 years old. Level 21. DonnaYatagarasuMember of the 1st Group. Age: 11 years old. Level 18. They are DDall children. Not like Im the one to say, with me being 8 months old and all, but they are just children with most of them not even 10 years old. With their bodies wrapped in black clothes and knife in their hand, the children line up behind Gazaine with brisk movements. I see.. So the reason why you abducted those children was to make assassins out of them. Pfu. Dont make it sound that bad. I only just educated them. Yes! We are proud emissaries! We are sacred apostles who kill the devils on behalf of Monguenes-sama! The girl with the highest Level said this. So this is it, Edgar-kun. We will have you become an apostle of Yatagarasu. Be proud that you will be able to work for the sake of the Great Evil God-sama. .and if I say I dont want to? You are bright, so you already know, dont you? We couldve used lethal poison instead of Repchipa. Nah, even now I could order the bunch here and have everyone killed in the mansion. Even if by some chance you manage to defeat everyone here, either your father or mother will no doubt be dead by then. Even before that, at the least the neck of this soundly sleeping missy could be neatly broken in a few seconds, right? In some kind of accident, you see. I grimly stare at Gazaine, but he just keeps telling his ludicrous story like he isnt concerned at all. If you are reluctant to the end, then there is no helpin it. We cant help but do this to settle things. The compassionate Evil God-sama will perhaps forgive you, but we as a religious organization cant just overlook the guy that dealt a serious blow to us like that. Even if that is a not even 1 year old bratno, exactly because of that it would be bad for the almighty Yatagarasu if we dont make you as miserable as possible. DD So, how is it, Edgar-kun. Wont you become our comrade for the sake of your papa and mama? You are too young by our standards, but its not like there is no precedent for that either. We can raise you up to be a splendid holy warrior? But then, as one would expect, you are the first one with such an outstanding talent that can easily turn the tables on our subordinates. I guess the Baby Scarlet nickname is not just for show, huh. Haha. Interesting. I really look forward to your future prospects. .I might kill you in your sleep? If you can, then do that. The greatest assassin should be at the top of an assassin organization, right? Thats also how I got hold of this position. That is very adherent of you. I think for a bit. This time the inhabitants of the mansion were easily made to sleep with a pollen. They probably have a collaborator among those that can get into the mansion. I dont even have to say that Marcella-san, who was meeting with Gazaine, is suspicious. However, most likely Marcella-san is threatened by these people. They probably got ahold of a weakness of hers or took her family hostage. These people have the ability and the nerve to do something like that without anyone noticing. In other words, even if we accept our losses this time and raise the level of vigilance around the mansion, there is a high chance that they can do the same thing again and use some kind of drug or come up with a plan to assassinate us. Of course, mom would be able to repel a run-of-the-mill assassin. Dad also has the ability to win a complete victory against a few black-clad people. But no matter if its the Flame Prison Witch or the master of [Spearmanship], they cant exhibit those skills if they are forced into a coma by a sleeping drug. If they arent afraid to use any means, then they should be able to kill much easier by scattering poison instead of a sleeping drug. DDIn other words, it was already checkmate when I became their target. If I come with you, then you wont do anything to the people inside, right? I will promise you that. For us the nobles are good customers. Killing nobles is not something we do unless theres a lot of money involved. We wont deliberately do things that would chase away customers. It would cause too much of a fuss if the family of Viscount Chrebl with those recent military exploits got massacred. The drug you used on the people inside, is it harmless? The effect should wear off by morning. Although a mild headache may remain. You took the family of one of the inhabitants hostage, right? You will release them properly, right? When I asked that Gazaine opened his eyes wide. Fu.hahaha! You are really one helluva kid. Of course we will release them. We kill those that should be killed, we dont kill those that dont need to be killed. That is the law of an assassin organization. If they dont have a law like that, then an assassin organization would just end up with an internal discord in no time, Gazaine said. I guess thats true. Professional killers are gathered together, so it would be bad if there is nothing to keep them in check. Otherwise there is no guarantee that a battle between assassins wont start from even the smallest disagreements. Thats why, in place of that, as a way of venting its allowed to plot the assassination of the Leader. However, if they fail they are killed. Only if they risk their lives to kill the leader can they succeed the role of the leader. I see, its well thought out. I said this while letting out a sigh. I got itall I can do is go with you. There is one more reason why I decided on this. That isDD Gazaine Mntzer (Religious Assassin OrganizationYatagarasuLeader/Religious Organization Instructor, Mosquito, Hazy Moon, Closer(Certain killer), Religious Assassin Organization) 37 years old Level 55 HP 140/140 MP 439/439 (39+400) Condition Deal with the Evil God (Due to the Deal with the Evil God Monguenes, powerful bonuses have been gained. Terms and conditions: Raise 100 children into assassins until the deadline and make them each kill at least 5 people. Degree of completion: 89/100, Deadline: 3 months 24 days until.) Skills Legendary class [Sense Danger] 9 (MAX) (Allows sensing the signs of all kinds of dangers and things that lead to danger) [Illusion Magic+1] 9 (MAX) (Project the imagined scene to the mind of the targets. Illusions are able to incite certain emotions. Depending on the Level and the amount of MP used, the illusion can be shown to more people. Due to the Deal with Evil God, the effect of [Letterless Invocation] 9 is constantly applied.) Master class [Discern] 6 [Assassination Techniques] 6 [Throwing Techniques] 4 [Stealth Techniques] 3 [Detect Presence] 2 General [Assassination Skills] 9 (MAX) [Stealthy Steps] 7 [Unarmed Combat Techniques] 7 [Dagger Techniques] 7 [Shuriken Techniques] 7 [Knife Throwing] 7 [Keen Hearing] 5 [Steel Thread Techniques] 5 [Command] 5 [Jump] 5 [Night Vision] 4 [Darkness Magic] 4 [Sword Techniques] 3 [Fire Magic] 3 [Farsight] 2 [Bow Techniques] 2 [Pharmacist] 1 [Tool Creation] 1 The result from [Appraise] from just now. Like Melby said, this guy is an apostle of the Evil God. No, maybe he cant be called an apostle, but there is no mistake that he is deeply connected. If thats the case then they are my and the Goddess-samas enemies. Sooner or later, I would have to settle things with them. In that case, its best if I deal with them before their victims further increase. DDThats why, I decided. I will infiltrate their interior, then I will extract every single bit of information or material they have. And after that, I will catch that Archbishop of theirs and completely, thoroughly annihilate them. Ill have to make you deeply regret making a move on my family! But, this is not yet the time to show my anger. Lets calm down. Remember the time when I was pissed off by my fighting game opponents. All getting angry did was it made my movements dull and allowed the opponent to take advantage of it, right? I pretend that nothing is wrong and say to Gazaine. I can at least leave a farewell letter, right? knock yourself out. It will be found out that this was done by Yatagarasuanyway. I wrote up the letter under the surveillance of Gazaine. The contents are like this. Dear dad and mom, Its Edgar. Its sudden, but I decided to get kidnapped by the Religious Assassin Organization Yatagarasu They told me if I didnt listen to them they would kill everyone is the house, so all I can do is obey. They are people that managed to drug us easily. Even if they are repelled this time, they would plot against us in the future for sure. And sadly Im not sure if we can get rid of them with our capabilities. They said they want to make a professional assassin out of me, so they probably wont kill me anytime soon. One day, I will return to your side without fail. From Edgar. I show the letter I wrote to Gazaine. Kukuyou are showing me this, huh. Damn, you brat got some thick nerves. Even as he is laughing sarcastically, the leader doesnt tell me to change the farewell letter. DDSo this is how I became the captive of the Religious Assassin Organization Yatagarasu. CH 34 DHead in, No. 15. One of the men in black said arrogantly, pointing past a heavy metal door with his chin. Whats this room? I asked, but the man doesnt move as though he didnt even hear my question. I reluctantly looked towards Gazaine behind me. Dont worry. Its not like were going to lock you inside an isolation cell. But no matter how you look at it, this is an isolation cell. That room was the inside of a stone cell, located deep underground. It was around the size of four and a half tatami mats (2.73m2), but there were no windows and the ceiling was pointlessly high. Above the ceiling there was a barred skylight, but its hard to call that a window. Aside from that, if you looked closely you could see some round holes in the walls, but they were smaller than a grown mans fist. Although I had a lot of doubts, this solid stone room would normally be considered an isolation cell. And it was the type that people who have committed a heinous or political crime would be locked up in. What, are you scared, Baby Scarlet? I just have to go in, right? When I enter the cell, the door was closed and barred from the outside as I expected. Melby, are you there? Im here. Dont worry. Melby said when I asked with some unease, and she caressed my head while remaining invisible. As expected of everybodys big sister. DD Five days have passed since I was kidnapped from the Viscount Chrebl estate in Fauno City. During this time, I was surrounded by the leader and the other gloomy troops dressed in black , and they watched me closely as we walked on an off-road path in the forest. I would occasionally feign tiredness to take breaks, as I thought of trying to confirm my location, but not only was the path very crooked, the important thing was that I was blindfolded so I could only tell that we were heading roughly west of Fauno City. But then again, Melby who remained by my side whilst invisible (or should have been) could see our surroundings without being blindfolded because the evil leaders were unable to see her. That said, it seems like Melby had never travelled so far away from the Fairy Hamlet so whether she could have grasped our location was doubtful. But since Melby was there, we could escape through the gate to Fairy Garden at least. Because of that, I was given great peace of mind. Now, five days later, we had left the forest, crossed plains, scaled valleys, arriving at something like a crevasse in a cliff wall. It probably took five days because I, who am less than a year old, frequently requested breaks and the men in black purposefully taking us on a lot of detours to hide the path to this location. The men in black jumped into the crevasse without any equipment. The leader, Gazaine, asked, DDDo you need someone to carry you? but I ignored his question and threw myself into the hole. I write ? (physik) in mid air and fell gently, winking at the black-clad children staring in wonder as I landed. At the bottom of the crevasse was a space the size of a gymnasium from my previous world. Left at one end, there was a bogie with a metal seesaw on top. I wondered what it was, but then I looked closer and saw tracks laid out under the bogie. Which means, this is that. Next to the rail car, there was a cleverly hidden small hole. Heading to that hole, one of the men in black knocks his knives against each other in a steady rhythm. Gotogotogoto A dull noise reverberated from far away. DDGet on. Gazaine says, and I got on the cart without really knowing why. Aside from Gazaine and I, two other men in black got on the cart. The two men in black start pumping the seesaw in alternation, propelling the cart forward. Ooh. Hmphacting like a brat for something like this. Gazaine scoffed at me, who was genuinely moved. The cart passes by multiple junctions and arrived at yet another gymnasium-sized area. I realised it when we passed the junctions, but that signal with the knives was probably a sign to switch the tracks. If you didnt do that then you would probably end up at somewhere else or, in the worst case, you might even end up taking a dive off some open pitfall. This space, unlike the last one, had some metal doors lined up. At the centre there was an excessively solid-looking small door with regular-sized doors spaced a fair distance to the left and right of it. The regular sized doors were left open, with stairs visible inside. I was taken to the door in the centreDD which leads us to the scene at the start. Oioi! I attempt to yell out from the isolation cell(?) but there was no response. What are you trying to do Since theres nothing else to do, I sit down in the centre of the cell. The corner is dark, so its not like I can tell what was there. Wait, if its dark, I just have to light it up. (Light) I create light, then survey the rest of the inside of the cell. But all I could tell was that it was a uselessly cleanly carved air space in a stone. I wonder if the randomly scattered holes in the walls are air holes. But there seems to be too many of them if thats the case. I attempt to investigate the wall, moving (Light) over to it but then, ?(Erase) A voice sounds from the hole in the wall and my (Light) was erased. In the cell where darkness has fallen again, I seeso they were voicepipes. I nod as if Ive solved one mystery. Oi, I know youre listening. Why are you doing this? As expected, no response comes. I waited a few minutes, but no sign of something happening comes. Then, what to do? I say to myself, thinking. DDThen, I guess Ill raise my skills. If they dont plan on doing anything, Im not going to gain anything by just waiting. I stand back up, immersing myself in skill leveling. There are a few choices I want to try. First is the standard, raising my maximum MP, but fainting is something I want to avoid in a situation like this, so its rejected. Next is leveling [Eavesdropping]. Actually Im already doing it but since the walls of this room are really thick, I can barely hear anything from outside the walls. Aside from those, I want to try to acquire that skill Gazaine had, [Night Vision]. Fortunately, Ive been carefully straining my eyes since its dark in here but I have yet to obtain it. Theres also [Spirit Magic] which requires the practice of trying to hear the voices of spirits that I still havent managed to succeed at. In other words, even though Im trapped in a dark, cramped room, Ive got an infinite amount of things to do so I wont end up getting bored. If it seems like Im really going to be locked in here forever, I can ask Melby to open a gate to the Fairy Hamlet, and begin working on peeling off the barrier surrounding the Pioneer Elf. But then again, Im probably being watched so I cant just suddenly disappear. DDAnd, like that, half a day passed by with nothing happening. While I will say that Im glad I had plenty of time to level up my skills, it doesnt make sense that nothing has happened until now. Also, now that I think about it, Im starting to get hungry. Since I can just ask Melby to give me some berries and fruits for a snack, Im not that worried about it. But if I was a normal child, it would probably be about time to start crying Let me out!. When I thought that, I suddenly hear a voice. DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? Huh? To the sudden voice, I let out a stupefied voice. DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? The voice repeats its words. Well, what I want to say is even if you ask me so suddenly DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? Without answering me, the voice stubbornly repeats its words. Why are you asking this? DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? It has already been half a day since I was locked in here. Gimme food. DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? Then let me go to the toilet. Ive been really needing to go for a while now. DDRememberwhen was the first time you sinned? Youre too persistent. Actually, what are you? DDI am a ghost. Rememberwhen was the first time you sinned? Oh, there was a slight variation. After that I tried asking a bunch of things but that was the only time the response changed. At this time, I never thought that something like that would happen. DDThat I would end up stuck with this self-proclaimed ghost-kun for two weeks. DDA week has passed since then. DDRemember (etc.) While I ignore the endlessly repeating words, I attempt to listen for the voices of the spirits. Melby, who is flying next to me says, In a place like this, an earth spirit would be good. The voices of earth spirits vary pretty greatly depending on the time and place, but since there is a lot of stone here, there should be the sound of different minerals hitting each other, making a grinding-like noise. Their channel of consciousness will be on a much lower frequency. Well, some mineral spirits reside on a much higher channel though. I dont really understand this channel thing. DDRemember (etc.) Even when I ask Melby quietly as to not alert the others, Theres no other way to describe it. Fairies understand it since birth, so I cant really explain it well. She says, giving a completely useless response. Or rather, if youre going to try to hide your voice, why dont you just learn [Telepathic Communication]? Since I also know it, we should be able to communicate both ways. There was also that method, wasnt there. DDRemember (etc.) After that, it became Melby-senseis [Telepathic Communication] class. Now, focus on me. From there, try to match the wavelength of my magic. Since Im a being born from magic, it should be easy. I focus deeply. I stare singlemindedly. Around an hour passed, I think. I think Ive somewhat come to understand that wavelength Melby talked about. Yes, like that! And now, dont lose that wavelength and gently pull it in. Like this? Ah, I let it go DDRemember (etc.) For another three continuous hours of practice since then, finally, Im able to somehow hold the wavelength for a period of time. I understand the feeling of pulling it in, albeit vaguely. Somehow, Im getting tired even though Im just keeping you company. Ah, do you want to eat some nuts? Okay. I receive and eat a nut that resembles an acorn. I break the shell with a *snap*, and delicious juice pours out from inside. Yeah, delicious. DDRemember (etc.) Melby says shes tired and falls asleep. Now that I think about it, its probably around night outside now. Then I guess Ill level [Night Vision]. Wait, if its night then its not strange to be sleeping. Or rather, if it doesnt look like Im sleeping somewhere then it will be strange. If thats the case, then Ill feign sleeping while raising my MP. DDRemember (etc.) Like that, I pass the night and when Melby wakes up, I resume [Telepathic Communication] practice. After half a day passes, I finally grasp the feeling of pulling it in. Melbys voice keeps on breaking up, but Ive come to be able to hear it. It seems like Im getting close to acquiring it. DDRemember (etc.) This happened soon after Melby muttered Its almost midday. The bottom of the door is pulled out roughly, and instead a tray of food is pushed in. On todays menu is bread and thin soup. I finish eating in no time. When I leave the tray at the bottom of the door, its immediately pulled out. It seems like Im under proper surveillance. DDRemember (etc.) While eating, the voice in the sky was the same as always. Since its gone on this long, its about time I figure out this ghost-sans intentions. Scaring a kid by throwing them in a dark, cramped space, making them eat only the minimum amount; having a voice in the way so they cant sleep, its probably a tactic to exploit their weakened mental state with brainwashing. So that would mean, I should pretend to be brainwashed here or therell be no end to it? Well, there are a few skills I still want to level, so its fine even if its like this for a while. By the way, there is a hole in the corner of the room that Ive been using as a toilet. Since I dont want the smell to stay here, I washed it away with (Aqua) but, as expected, there was no need to use ?(Erase). Or rather, I wonder if ?(Erase)-using magic users are constantly on standby outside this cell. How troublesome. hm? I can probably use this to level skills. CH 35 DDAfter that, another week had passed. DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? Recently, Ive grown so accustomed to the voice of the ghost that if I dont intentionally pay attention it gets filtered out and I forget the fact that the ghost is speaking. Well then, lets announce the results of the 2 weeks long skill raising. Don. Edgar Chrebl Level 32 HP 67/67 MP 2594/2594 Skills ?Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ?Legendary class [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C [Telepathic Communication] 1 (NEW!) ?Master class [Physical Magic] 8 [Enchant Magic] 3 [Mana Control] 6 [Letterless Invocation] 6 [Magic Language] 1 ?General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 5 [Flying Sword Techniques] 2 [Shuriken Techniques] 6 (1) [Throwing Axe Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 2 [Fire Magic] 8 (1) [Water Magic] 2 [Wind Magic] 6 [Earth Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 5 (2) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) [Mana Perception] 3 (ͣ) [Cryptanalysis] 2 [Keen Hearing] 7 () [Farsight] 2 Blessing of a Benevolent God +1 I managed to learn [Night Vision] and [Telepathic Communication] without problems, which were my objectives this time. Because its dark in here and I kept using [Night Vision] the whole time the Skill level had risen by a lot. Also, although there is no way I can verify this, but [Night Vision] is probably a Skill that needs a lot of concentration, so I think an ordinary person would be very fatigued if he kept using it continuously for 30 minutes. I kept using that kind of Skill the whole time, so its no wonder it went up quickly. Same reason with [Keen Hearing], Im also managing to raise its Skills level quite fast. The reason why [Light Magic] went up was because, from time to time, I produced a (Light) to grasp the capabilities of the mage on standby. Thanks to that I managed to grasp how to adjust the (Light) , so I learned how to create lights that cant be easily negated because of their composition, or just the opposite, a light that explodes in an instant. My level went up as a result of the battle in Fauno City. On the way here at night, when my surroundings calmed down I was assailed by a Growth Sleep. That being said, in my case its done in 10 minutes. DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? The ghost is the same as always, he keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. If I concentrate on listening to it, although they imitate each other well, I can tell that after a certain period of time the voice changes to a different one. In other words, theyve put together a rotation for the role of the ghost, and they are broadcasting the voice of the ghost continuously for all 24 hours. Furthermore, there is only one line. If my previous self was asked I will pay you good, so will you do it?, I wouldve most likely said no. Then I suddenly realize. DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? ..Wouldnt this become quite a nice language study material? Maybe I should focus on solidifying my still dicey enunciation. DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? DD!! Rumble rumble, some sounds could be heard from the other side of the speaking tubes. I, on the other hand, am thinking that my enunciation is still dicey. They say that Japanese people cant differentiate between L and R, but in Marquekt Common Language, surprisingly, there are two consonants that correspond to the L in the english language. Furthermore, those two have completely different meanings as magic letters, so I need to become able to differentiate between them for sure, so I can build Magic Phrases in the future. Well then, while I was thinking that, apparently they managed to reorganize themselves on the other side of the speaking tube. DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? Repeat after me. RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? DDRememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? DDRememberWhen was the first tch.. Ah, he fumbled. I guess ghosts have tongues too. RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? The ghost continues like nothing happened. RememberDD RememberDD This strange Round[1] with the ghost and I continued on for another half a day. RememberWhen was the first time you have committed a sin? Oh! Wasnt that one perfect just now? Half a day had passed since then, after I consumed the provision consisting of dry and crumbling bread and almost flavorless soup, I think I managed to grasp the trick behind the enunciation. It probably wasnt in response to that, but DDThen I ask. What was the first sin you have committed..? Some variation emerged in the lines of the ghost. Without delay, I start the shadowing in high spirits. Then I ask, whatDD ! Im the one asking! Damn creepy-ass kid! Ill go and murder his ass right now! H-hey! Dont say things that are not in the script! You shouldnt say script either. For a while, clattering sounds continued. Then, like nothing happened, DDPfuu. Then I ask. What was the first sin you have committed..? He repeats the line. Exhaustion can be felt from the sigh at the beginning. Of course, its a different ghost from the one that flipped out just now. I feel that my enunciation got much better, so I think I will answer now. DDThe first sin Ive committed was that I buried my head in the boobs of my maid, Steph, and snuggly-snuggly-d them. !! Gu-..kuku-.. He must be surprised to hear a reply, and alsoDD the latter part should be him trying to hold back either his anger or his laughter. DDThe first sin you have committed was doing improper things to the bo-, breasts of your maid. Ah, he hesitated to say it. Surprisingly innocent, this ghost. No, thats not it. The first sin Ive committed was that I buried my head in the boobs of my maid, Steph, and snuggly-snuggly-d them. Gu-This damn brat Oi, I heard that. The first sin you have committed was doing an improper deed to your maid. Why do you change the expression. Like I said, the first sin Ive committed was that I buried my head in the boobs of my maid, Steph, and snuggly-snuggly-d them. Also, Im just a baby, so its not improper. The first sin you have committed was fornication Pfu. Fornication you say. What period do you come from, huh? This damned braaaaatDD!! The sound of running down the stairs can be heard together with the angry voice, then right after that, bang bang, the door of the isolation cell was vigorously pummeled. As one would expect from someone that trained as an assassin, those were some powerful front kicks. Getting carried away even when people put up with your shit! I will kill you, I will murder you, you hear! Bang bang. It looks like there is speaking tube in front of the door of the room, so the angry voice from the other side can be heard perfectly. Oi, stop it! Someone help here! Bring some pollen of Repchipa! Medic Squad! Medic Squad! At least do it after closing the speaking tube. DDOi, whats with the commotion? Oh, here comes the Leader. At the same time a clanking sound can be heard, then the voices became inaudible. They mustve closed the speaking tube. For a while, silence fell to the isolation cell. Its been a while since I didnt hear the voice of the ghost. Its been so long, that it somehow feels weird to not hear the voice of the ghost. Gahaha, a hearty laugh reached my [Keen Hearing]. Clank. DDOi brat, it looks like you did some amusing things. Its become clear that you are not someone that would be affected by something like this. DDOi, get this brat out of the Sin Examination Room. Eh.? B-but! Please give me one more week! I will certainly bring this damn conceited brat to his knees! Stop it, its useless. You said the same thing last time, thats why I extended it another week. Any more than this and his body would break instead. If it breaks after he becomes an assassin then its one thing, but if his body breaks at this stage, then the guys that were killed by him would become a complete loss. B-but..! What was with that commotion just now anyway. The ones who are mentally driven into a corner are more like you guys. Kh After a while, the door of the isolation cell (Sin Examination Room?) opened. Number 15, come out I think this voice was one of the ghosts. I come out of the isolation cell like I was asked. When I didDD Congratulation! The hooded black-clad men are smiling and welcoming me with an applause. Come, now with this you are also a member of Yatagarasu. The numerous sins you have committed until now have been forgiven and you have been reborn as a holy emissary of Evil God-sama. sins Ive committed, you say, the boobs of my maid, StephDD Come, with this you are now free! You can eat anything you like from all the things you see here. Eat all you want with gratitude to Evil God-sama! Drowning out my words, the host person said. Looking at him properly, the veins on his forehead are popping out. The space in front of the isolation cell became a small banquet. Delicious looking bread, meats, fishes, and soups are lined up. I naturally drew closer to those and started devouring them. ..Right, well, since Melby shared some of her snacks with me I wasnt that famished, but I.thought it would be best to make them think that. DDLike this, the two week long Sin Examination has ended. Thanks to that, I guess I cant say that my own sinfulness didnt leave a deep impression in me. CH 36 DDOne month has passed since the Sin Examination Hey~ Fellow believer Orochi! Give us a hand over here too! The field supervisors bold voice resounded through the excavation site on the 5th basement floor of the hideout, a.k.a. the Crows Nest. Got it! Ill come when Im done with this! I, the one called Orochi, replied as I dug a round pit in the ground using [Earth Spirit Magic]. I suppose an explanation is needed. Having become an emissary apprentice of , I received the name of Orochi from the leader. The pretext behind the christening was because I was as creepy as a snake. Apparently, when the title of apprentice is removed and one is acknowledged as a full-fledged emissary, Archbishop-sama will grant them a different name to use as an emissary. Just like those fish that are called different names as they grow larger. At this time, they can return to having the original name given by their parents if they wish. To be more accurate, Archbishop-sama would christen them with the same name once again. It means they have approval from Archbishop-sama for them to call themselves by their original name. And I, who is expected to be able to use magic, am forced to participate in excavating the historic relics that lay sleeping on the lower floors of the nest during my break from training. I am told that this nest seems to be reusing (arbitrarily) the remnants left by ancient mages. It seems historic relics that differed to these remnants were discovered when they were digging out the basement using [Earth Magic] and expanding the space to match the scale of the religious organisation. The remnants so far were merely tunnel-like grottos supported by wooden frames, contrasting with these historic relics which were composed of metal, smooth rock, and a sleek, unidentified structure. Or rather, to put it bluntly, it was a structure that resembled the office buildings of my former world that were made of concrete, using plastic and light metals. No, since its underground, calling it a nuclear bomb shelter might be more fitting. Anyway, there was a lot of junk lying around inside this office building-like (or nuclear bomb shelter-ish) structure, and Im not very sure what they were used for. Although there were quite a few items I recognised, they should all be unfamiliar to DDno, to the people of this world. However, a few relatively easy to understand objects were also among this. For example, metal armour and weaponry, including knives. Stainless steel knives didnt rust easily and were harder to chip than the knives of this world by far, so they were extremely useful for the s assassins. Besides that, although few in number, protective gear made of Duralumin according to [Appraisal] was also excavated, and that was apparently what s upper echelons were wearing under their set of robes. In addition, aside from those used in the nest, items of any shape and utility imaginable, including stainless steel tableware and plastic containers and such, seem to be jacked up to exorbitant prices and sold to a portion of the dilettantes. Although my skill level isnt high, I can use [Earth Magic]. I was welcomed at the site because of that, and I was exempted from practice from morning to noon and arranged to work here. As I continued to use [Earth Magic] here, it eventually reached counter stop. As a bonus for that, I obtained the Master Class skill [Earth Spirit Magic]. Of course, I wasnt so thoughtless as to use [Earth Spirit Magic] in front of everyone of . I was more or less using [Earth Spirit Magic] while pretending to use [Earth Magic], labouring as I raised my skills. DD I also used a few tricks while I was at it, for future visits. I knocked on the shaved ground and make a small nod at the echoing sound, then I head towards the field supervisors location. The field supervisor points at an opening in the wall and says, Oh, youve come. About this hole, I thought that if it were you, you would be able to get to the other side and investigate the situation. This shape is a ventilation fan, I suppose. A yellowish fan had been detached and placed beside the opening. Hmmm. Alright. Drawing and ?, I jump through the ventilation fan. The inside was something like a workroom with matching machinery lined up. However, they were corroded and worn-out and didnt seem to be very serviceable as they were. I see components scattered around the machinery DD I narrowed my eyes. DD Melby. Ye~s. Its okay to just collect them? Please. Sorry for always making these kinds of requests these days. Making those automations may be possible, right? Ill gladly help. Melby retrieves the most valuable items with [Dimension Magic]. While I wait for her to finish doing that, DD Supervisor, there doesnt seem to be anything important here. Theres a door inside, so Ill try heading that way. Is that so, Ill be counting on you. The supervisor says, not doubting my huge lie. The fairy-san who hated lies scowled at me, but that was inevitable. I once again used [Earth Spirit Magic] and removed the earth and sand that covered the door. To differentiate the earth and sand from the concrete walls and remove only the earth and sand, Im the only one able to do so among the mages mobilised here. Or rather, it seems the others are unable to tell apart the rock wall and concrete. Its as though they think that the concrete is rock that is cut from somewhere, or created and transformed by magic. Now, when I removed the earth and sand, there was a narrow corridor with metal pipes running through it. Its design resembles the interior of a submarine or spaceship. I dont think these historic relics are one gigantic vehicle though. Melby, do you know anything about this? Uh uh Such a thing doesnt seem to exist in Masters knowledge either. Melby seemed puzzled, but its not like I didnt have a hypothesis. In this world, reincarnators from another world have existed since long ago. These historic relics were probably made by one of those people. From its structure, its a factory or workshop or something. That said, I cant tell whether these historic relics are that valuable. The excavation has progressed quite a bit because of s excavation squad, but it would primarily be daily necessities made of stainless steel and plastic or weapons that were discovered here; there was nothing further to be found. Theres still the machinery, but whatever. Is that okay? Machines this complex and elaborate and yet with unknown use, its the first time Ive seen them. Theyre certainly unusual, but its no mystery if there were reincarnators here. What is it? I cant find the power source making these machines move. Power source? Windmills need wind to move, right? I dont know whether its electricity or magic, but theres no power source moving the machines. Maybe it was already taken away or something? At the least, it doesnt look like it was collected by . If it was taken away, it was probably the people who made this place and abandoned it. When I carefully observe the machinery, there are many with round cavities in them. If these are where the adapters that connect the power source and machinery were, I think its not electricity but some sort of magical thing. For example, orbs that store mana. DD Thats what I want. A dead end, huh. DD Tunnel. With a *thump* (not the sound, but the ambiance), the wall was hollowed out. To progress further, I repeatedly used Tunnel, aiming for the interior of the historic relics. Like that, I searched for around 20mins but the desired outcome was not attained. I turn back to where the supervisor was. I didnt use the ventilation fan I entered, but dug out the door buried nearby and exited from there. DD Oh, so youre back. How was it? I put the insignificant junk that I had transported over with [Physics Magic] in a pile in front of the supervisor who was asking with keen interest. Oh, knives and wrenches and Whats this? Ah, whatever. All sorts of seemingly easy to use things have been gathered. Inside, there were rail lattices. The rail car that stretched around the nest interior was also a part of the historic relics. Both the precise technology and facilities to make the rails wasnt here, but the rails that would occasionally be excavated like this were used for the basement area expansion. What! Isnt that a great discovery!? Especially since the people in the materials squad keep saying they want rails. The supervisor says, and ruffles my hair roughly. Sorry, old man. The valuable items other than that have all been pocketed. Well, I think even if I handed them over, a great majority would be items of unknown purpose to you. Despite harbouring feelings of guilt towards the delighted supervisor, the work of the morning ended there. At noon, the dining hall in the middle layer of the Crows nest was in turmoil. Even the black-clad emissaries with their sacred duties were human once their masks were removed. I believe that since theyre hungry, they would want to eat delicious things if possible. Oi, cook some for me too! Dont cut in! Hes cooking mine now! In front of the iron plate I was cooking okonomiyaki on, two fellow believers started an argument. Ah, fellow believer was our way of calling one another in the Nest. Fellow believer Nebil, Fellow believer Gonzack, if you dont line up properly, there wont be any okonomiyaki. When I say that and warn them, the two line up meekly and wait their turn. Previously, when a similar thing occurred, I used [Physics Magic] to throw the saucepan at the guys who looked down on me thinking I was a kid. Since then, my senior emissaries have also come to respect my opinions. Since my appearance was a 3-year-old child, I was watched with strange eyes in the beginning, but theyve completely accustomed recently and the people I can crack jokes with have increased as well. I had thought there would be many fearsome members since it was an assassins group, but once I entered, a community that could only be called cosy was there. There were also many amiable emissaries like Fellow believer Nebil and Fellow believer Gonzack, and I was prone to forget that they were assassins who served the Evil God. Or rather, you guys could just cook it yourselves. No, it differs somehow when we cook it ourselves. The batter isnt fluffy, or rather.. Thats because I was beating it in an exquisite manner with [Physics Magic]. I even grilled the heads of the Ususake mushrooms I was using in place of Katsuobushi with [Fire Magic] to make them crispy. I also made the staple mayonnaise, and the sauce was specially made using sauce that resembled ketchup with a few condiments added into it. The dry bread and thin soup provided during the sin examination was, although the portion was small, a typical meal in the Nest. The meat and fish dishes from when I was released, were luxury items that served as both a welcoming for newcomers and a solace for the emissaries. When I borrowed the kitchen to make and eat okonomiyaki because the meals had been too dull, I was zeroed in on by the seniors. After that, I was told to take kitchen duty if I could make such delicious things, discharged from both work and training during lunchtime, and arranged to cook okonomiyaki in the kitchen like this. It also depends on the day, but theres approximately a hundred emissaries coming in and out of the dining hall. Our leader, Gazaine, also appears often, but only the figure of the religious organizations archbishop, Glutometsa, have I never seen. Incidentally, their system is basically that we use the kitchen and cook with whatever there is and eat as we please, since its not like cafeteria ladies exist. As far as it goes, the emissaries who have retired due to injury take on kitchen duty and prepare the minimal amount of bread and soup, but its too wearisome with just that. There are many emissaries who decide on cooking duty among their cliques and cater for themselves using a rotation system. To be made to cook for free is unbearable so Ive also used that as a bargaining chip. Hey, its been a while so make that too. Fellow believer Nebil says, consuming the okonomiyaki as though its truly delicious. That? Lets see, if you replace me for cleaning duty, Ill do it. Ah, provide the milk coupon yourself though. In the basement, the valuable milk was rationed and one cant drink it without the specialised coupon. The milk coupon was a treasure equal to the tobacco coupon in this Nest and it also became a tool used in transactions between fellow emissaries. The items inside the nest ranged from weapons to food, and as a general rule, was all communal property of the religious organisation itself. To use the currency that circulated outside the religious organisation to trade was forbidden. The admirable ones in the religious organisation were, not the guys who possessed money, but those who performed many sacred dutiesDD in other words, those who have killed many people. Through performing sacred duties and rising up within the ranks of the religious organisation, one would obtain a good room, earn the authorisation to utilise good arms, and desires would be accommodated for with preferential treatment. Nevertheless, everyone desires items that are rare after all. Hence, a rationing system was imposed for some of those goods. It was an open secret that those tickets were effective as actual currency in the Nest. By the way, since the milk was directly produced from the exclusive farms located inside the Nest it was rich but fresh with a fine taste. It is a pleasure in the daily lives of the emissaries. Ugh It cant be helped. Nebil retrieved a wallet from his pocket and handed me the milk coupon stowed away inside. I passed Nebil the tag for cleaning duty that was known as the red ticket, and brought out a bottle of milk and a stainless steel shaker from the kitchen interior. Then, lets do it DD Ice Cream! This was, needless to say, my original magic. Concurrently with using [Physics Magic] to float and swing the shaker about, I cast (spread) and (flame) in a unique form to chill the shaker at the same time. The explanation is no more than that, but its a hard-to-control magic that Flame Lanceand the like cant compare to. Fortunately, mages at that level didnt exist in the religious organisation, so there was no one surprised about the monstrosity of this magic among the emissaries present here, not to mention Fellow believer Nebil. Now then, while shaking the shaker, I thinly spread the remains of the okonomiyaki batter on the iron plate. Its a little irregular but the substitute crpe was completed. I place the crpe on a plate, and top it with the just-made ice cream. Then I place alcohol-soaked apples and, since there was no chocolate, dribble a little brandy used for cooking, and then it was finished. Here you go, Fellow believer Nebil. Oh, Fellow believer Orochi has a good sense for plating food. Just where did you learn such an arrangement from. Even the upper-class noble in the royal capital would have no opportunity to see something like this. Nebil asks as he takes the crpe. Tutting as I wave my finger, You dont pry into a womans past, do you? Really, where did you learn that from, you brat. If you complain, I wont make any more okonomiyaki or crpes. N-no, I was wrong! Fellow believer Nebil carried the plate with the crpe as if it were something important, and left, heading to a table. I remove my apron as I see him off. Oi, make some okonomiyaki for us too, not just Fellow believer Nebil. I would also like a crpe! Other fellow believers say disconcertedly but, Sorry, its time for training. Waiit cant be helped. Will you make it again? Thats right, well sub for your cleaning, so please make us crpes. Yes, yes. Casually waving my hand, I leave the dining hall. CH 37 aining begins in the afternoon. Now, come at me. Dont pull your punches. I squared off against leader Gazaine in an approximately soccer-court-sized space inside the Nest. For some reason, I seem to have caught Gazaines eye, and he is personally training me during training times. I throw floating training daggers at Gazaine using [Physics Magic]. DDOr rather, I throw 20 simultaneously. Fu,DD! Gazaine easily evades them all, circles behind me in no time at all and presses a knife to my throat. DamnCouldnt see him at all. I, I give up Hmph. Your magic is first-rate, but your martial skills are lacking. The guys watching over our training in the vicinity quietly disagreed, saying, hes calling that first rate? and such, but it still reaches me with [Keen Hearing]. Ive already long since leveled [Keen Hearing] to counter stop, yet I could detect Gazaine moving so little that you might as well say that I wasnt able to detect it at all. Even with [Keen Hearing]s counter stop bonus skill [Detect Presence], I could barely even tell that Gazaine had moved. Im not even one yet. Its inevitable. Oh yeah, thats right, isnt it. I get thrown off rhythm when I fight you. Its like fighting against a magic-using powerhouse of around thirty years old. Well, youre not on the same level as some core fighters in terms of ability, but your instantaneous judgement ability and thinking habits are around that level. Gulp. But contrary to your appearance, it looks like you have a pretty solid build. You said something like getting bigger because of leveling up, didnt you. I dont know if thats why, but your body isnt one of a normal infants. Heh. Since a pro at using his body is saying that, it must be right. But, its strange nevertheless. Even though I seriously direct my bloodlust at you, you never falter, nor do you seem to get tired. Even when we spar, youre strangely tenacious. Apparently theres a skill called [Toughness] but you you have some sort of skill like that too, dont you? Is that so. Its because of my level. I managed to deceive him somehow, but that was bad for my heart. DDThats right. If I had to say, the mental aspect of [No Fatigue] has stood out more until now, but since coming here my physical strength has been displayed more. Although its a bit late to say this I dont get tired. In the morning I am roped in to help at the dig site, at noon Im left in charge of the kitchen; I continue training without a single a break, yet Ive never fallen into a fatigued condition. Once at the beginning, I overworked my body and was assaulted by fierce muscle pains after a while. But that also receded in a few hours. Since then, I only ever feel a slight discomfort on rare occasions after undergoing strenuous exercise, but not muscle pains. I rush in and throw knives when Im instructed to, but my body doesnt feel like it is on the verge of breaking for being too young. Hmph. It wont even count as training if its like this. Okay, I wont do anything so come attack at will. If even one hit lands, you win. In place of your mothers breasts, Ill give you a stack of milk coupons. Hearing that, Im suddenly full of motivation. A stack of milk coupons represents a set of 16. As a growing boy, I cant let this opportunity pass. Really? Ill definitely get a hit in! I, as always, continuously throw a large number of knives with [Physics Magic] while moving my left hand behind my back to secretly grab the hidden weapon that I had prepared. Aiming for the moment Gazaine goes to dodge the knives, I quickly thrust my left arm into the air. ThatsDD Uwo-!? A steel thread!? Gazaine yelled out as he dodges the dull shine that shimmered in the air. TchI thought it would work too. I click my tongue as I swing my gloved left hand. The spool of thread was clasp inside the hand with the glove, and the superfine wire is discharged using the tips of my index and middle fingers. According to [Appraisal], it is Carbon SteelMetal Wire. so its probably something excavated from the ruins. At the training grounds, there is a great variety of weapons lined up. Since they are the organisations belongings, everyone can use them as they please. Of course, if you take them without permission you will receive harsh punishment, but if you write your name in the loan register and tell one of the officials, you can take the weapon out easily. Before, I saw that Gazaine had the skill [Steel Thread Techniques] in his status. I wondered if I could acquire it too and practiced in secret. There wasnt any real reason to practice in secret, but isnt secret training a mans romance? Too bad, Orochi. When did you come to learn that? I didnt teach you it. A girl has her secrets. Theres no way a girl as uncute as you exists! My response to Gazaines barking was a slash with my steel thread. What, is that all? You seem to be really set on this one tactic today. Dont give me that. Theres still more to come! I throw all the knives I am floating with [Physics Magic] towards Gazaine with varied tempos. Gazaine easily dodges the knives that even I, who threw them, cant predict the trajectories of, but while that happens I pick up three longswords from the training areas weapon storage with [Physics Magic]. Take this! I reel out the spool of thread, extending the steel thread, encircling Gazaine in all 360 degrees, and tighten it in an instant. Gazaine dodges this hard-to-evade attack by jumping high from his position, but that leaves him wide open. I thrust the floating longswords front on at Gazaine, who is in the air. DDPhew-! With a sharp breath, Gazaine waves both of his hands. It was too fast so I couldnt clearly see it, but it seems like he brushed against the flat of the swords, superbly averting their trajectories. Thats not a move humans can do. Father Solow spoke ill of my close-combat skills by saying I was somewhat slow on the uptake, but if I was compared to this nonhuman, then I certainly would look slow on the uptake. But, with that, Gazaine should have thought that he has staved off my attack. Aiming for the moment Gazaine loosens his held breath for even a moment, I change the trajectory of the swords. Well, to be precise, it wasnt a change in trajectory. I aim the swords that were dancing in the air at Gazaine and simultaneously swing them down. DDUwoh-!? It seems that this was out of even Gazaines expectations, as one of the swords grazed his leather vest. I say to Gazaine who has landed, Oi, that was a hit right? Dont kid with me. It only grazed me. That wasnt a valid blow. That doesnt count as a blow? A blow is when you deal damage, isnt it. Oi oi, what are you saying after the fact, Leader-san? Its your fault for not properly clarifying the conditions. ehh. Well, whatever. If you wont admit it, Ill continue until you do. I once again combine [Flying Sword Techniques] and [Steel Thread Techniques], and attack incessantly as I please. But, It wont hit. It wont hit, to the point that I just want to start laughing without thinking. This I missed my first and last chance, didnt I. DDFor about an hour after that, I attack Gazaine with [Flying Sword Techniques] and [Steel Thread Techniques] but he dodges them even as sweat drips from his forehead. Oi oi, why dont you get over it! You know youre not going to hit! Gazaine, who is as expected out of breath, says. I never heard anything about a time limit. Its your fault for not properly clarifying the conditions, right? But on the contrary, I am the leader of this religious organisation. I decide the rules around here. Since its been this long and you still havent hit me, this match is over. Ah, Im tired. Gazaine pours water from the kettle next to the training grounds weapon storage into a wooden cup and drinks it in one gulp. Damn, what kind of endurance do you have. Its like this because I havent been moving. Theres no way thats the case! The only people who could get me this tired are you and Elemia. Elemia is a genuine genius but. what the hell are you? Even though your sense of combat isnt that great, by the time I notice it, youve become outrageously strong. Its damn uncanny. I unintentionally laugh at Gazaine, who is cursing at me. You, what the hell are you laughing at. Well, I just thought it was really fun. Right now I cant even get close to beating Gazaine in a spar but, to be honest, it was pretty fun. Even when playing fighting games in my previous life, I had the most fun when I was fighting against opponents I couldnt beat at all. On top of the gap in base ability, theres the fact that I have no chance at winning normally at all. Thats why, I schemed a lot of things. Like fighting according to the book then making an absurd attack that diverged from the template. I tried suddenly letting loose like a complete amateur. But, the truly strong guys dont even budge at something of that level. Reading my every move, then countering with the most optimal action. In front of such an overwhelming difference in ability, I dont feel the least bit vexed. All I do is tremble in excitement at the height of the wall I have to climb in front of me. While there is the grudge I have against Gazaine for coming between our family, I forget about it while were fighting. While I still feel bad for Alfred-tousan and Julia-kaasan who should be worrying even now, I have come to enjoy this training. Gazaine too, leaving aside what he does as leader, he is strangely stoic in regards to fighting and prefers not aiming for weak spots. According to the person himself, DDAiming for weak spots is something that is effective, if done only once. But if you start to depend on it, then your fundamental ability would cease to grow, wouldnt it. I got a chance to talk to a pro player who had the experience of being the champion of a world tournament when I stopped by a game centre after a business trip, and he said the exact same thing as Gazaine. Hmph, Youre about the only one who can take on my grueling training and still be able to say something like that. Or rather, in this case, it looks more like Im the one whos taking on grueling training, doesnt it? I cant keep up with this. There you go again. Youre saying stuff like that but youre going to be my opponent next time as well, right? I have no choice, do I? Theres no one else who can keep up with you after all. Tch, he clicks his tongue and turns his back on me. While leaving, he stopped moving. Then he turns his head to me, and says: DDIf youve got a problem with my way of doing things, try and kill me. eh? Youve got potential. Perhaps you might even be able to kill me. Do you want to be killed? Ive got no intention of getting killed, butif there isnt at least that level of tension, I get really bored. Thats why I kill people. People who treasure someone I killed will come to resent me. Like that, I build up a mountain of resentment, building up the tension. I can feel like Im alive. Youre mad. I know. If you dont want to be the playtoy of a madman like me, all you have to do is kill me. People who cant kill me have no right to criticise my way of life. What selfish reasoning. Say whatever you want. But say that with the resolve to be killed, alright? After all, if youre too annoying Ill end up wanting to kill you. After saying what he wanted to say, Gazaine left while waving his hand. CH 38 Then, at night. .and thus, the greedy old woman was eaten by demons. The end. I was telling some old Japanese folk tales to the Fellow young believers (its called the child group so girls are also included) in the same kids room. Todays subject is Shita-kiri Suzume[1]. Hearing how the greedy old woman who brought the big basket(I rephrased it as an Itembox) back with her suffered a cruel end, the mischievous Miguel shouted Serves her right! and ran around the room. ..its a bit sad that she ended up getting eaten. That was Donnas opinion. Donna is a fair-skinned, black-haired beast race girl, who has her hair thinly braided hanging down to her shoulders. Apparently this way of braiding is a tradition of her tribe that matches her flat ears and it suits her indeed. Aside from Miguel and Donna, there are many other children in the kids room. Their ages range from 5 years old to 11 years old. The elder group of Miguel, Donna, Beck and Eremia serve as the core. These four were there at the time of the attack on the Viscount Chrebl mansion. The gluttonous Beck apparently fell asleep during the story, she doesnt get up from the bed. Eremia was leaning against the wall in the corner of the room and listened to my story without any particular interest. Eremia has short-cut, silver colored hair and brown skin, a so-called Dark Elf girl. At first glance, she is wearing boyish clothes and she herself conducts herself as a boy, but because of her well-proportioned face and figure, she cant be mistaken for one. She is the youngest of the four, but in ability she far surpasses them. Among the child group, Eremia is the only one who belongs to the special squad under the direct command of the Leader. oh, did I scare you? But according to the version I heard she was eaten by demons. Its a hag that cut the tongue of a sparrow!? If there was a divine message then I would kill her myself! As a child, Miguel had no mercy in his words. No, thats not the only thing. The children here are being trained to kill people. Because of that, they unconsciously consider killing people as a possible option. Of course, I myself took the life of many enemies since the Ranzrack Fortress. I dont intend to say anything self-righteous at this point, but hearing children guiltlessly say kill doesnt feel very good. DDhey, Miguel Say Fellow believer Miguel, Fellow believer Orochi. Unlike you, Im already a fully qualified emissary you know? Huhunn, Miguel puffs his chest with pride. Miguel and Eremia are already assigned to the Sacred Duties of the religious organization. In other words, they are performing the killings contracted by the religious organization with their own hands. Miguel and Eremia believe in the teachings of the religious organization so they believe the things they are doing are their sacred duty without any doubt. Beck and Donna also finished the training process, received their names back and currently doing the final adjustments in preparation for the sacred duties. Compared to Miguel and Eremia they have more of a gentle personality, but in the aspect of piety, they are not at all inferior. Then, Fellow believer Miguel. Why is it then we need this collar? Saying that, I pointed at the thing coiled around my neck. There was an inorganic ring with a black luster. Its something the people of the religious organization call Necklace of Loyalty Its effect is simple, if the other party wants to punish someone, they can activate the collar anytime they want, which then will tighten around the neck. Loyalty? Far from it, this is a slave collar. That is.because we are still young, so we sometimes fall for the temptation of the devils. They said its a tool to make us listen to them if that happens.. Even though you are a fully qualified emissary? That is something Archbishop-sama decided. All we have to do is kill who they say. It seems Miguel abandoned thinking about it at that point. Have you met Archbishop-sama yet? I havent even once seen him since I got here. Met, you sayFounder-sama is, how do I say it, isnt someone you can just lightheartedly meet. His existence is in different phase(?) from us or something, is what I heard.. Miguel is thinking hard while tilting his head like he is about to break out in a fever. Donna joins the conversation. We just observe from the congregation seats as the Archbishop-sama descends at the time of the mass. It seems he isnt here in the nest all the time. Hnnn.? Maybe he is something of a supernatural being. The management of the religious organization is handled directly by the Leader, Gazaine, therefore, it has effectively become an almost complete dictatorship of Gazaine. That being said, it doesnt look like he is abusing his power that much. There is no way the emissaries who believe their creed would ever disobey him anyway. If there were any malcontent elements, then I wouldve talked to them and stirred a rebellion, but I dont hear so much of an idle complaint against Gazaine within the religious organization. I have to say, Gazaines position as the proxy of the Archbishop Glutometsa is as firm as stone. As a whole, this religious organization is governed exceedingly efficiently. If I had to point out where that efficiency comes from, then I would say the clarity of the creed that requires obedience to the Evil God, Monguenes, the system of reward and punishment that rewards them proportionately according to how much people they have killed, and the abstemious organization structure that resembles a monastery. I can only assume that it was a terribly smart person that planned out the system of Yatagarasu and this nest. But, we didnt even get to see Archbishop-sama until a year ago, so we are fortunate now. Donna said. Right right. Ever since Archbishop-sama started to show himself the religious organization changed too. The organization got bigger and a base perfect for Yatagarasu, the nest, was also found. Miguel joined the topic. wait, he just said something I cant overlook. Eh? The nest wasnt your hideout before? Miguel was shocked by my words. Fellow believer Orochi, dont say hideout, its like we are bandits or something. Say sacred residence instead. N-no, thats besides the point, but did you move to this sacred residence only recently? Thats right. Archbishop-sama sent a divine revelation about this wonderful base, thinking of the emissaries who were wandering from battlefield to battlefield. the Archbishop-sama who didnt show himself to the emissaries before, did that? This time Donna answers. Nn. Since we settled into this base there were many new children joining so it became fun. The adult emissaries said that since we have a promising newcomer like Fellow believer Orochi, Yatagarasu will grow bigger in the future. Hnn..? I asked after thinking for a bit. Im most likely wrong, but. did Gazaine also become a Leader around that time? Miguel answered my question in a matter-of-fact tone. Thats right? Gazaine-sama suddenly appeared about a year ago, made the then top brass of the religious organization recognize his ability and became one of the leaders in no time. The top brass of that time was very turbulent and after a dispute about the leadership, Gazaine-sama took the position of the Leader. Who was the Leader before Gazaine? ..Fellow believer Orochi. Even if you are close with him, I dont think you should talk about the Leader without any honorifics. Donna said. .got it. So, who was the Leader-sama before Gazaine-sama? Hmmmhow was it? Miguel and Donna is tilting their head. There, DDuntil then there was a top brass, but there was no position called a Leader. Eremia told us. The top brass managed the religious organization by consulting with each other. What happened to that top brass? Everyone was killed. .huh!? I unintentionally let out a sound of bewilderment. Eremia said it like it was natural. Its not something to be surprised about, right? Thats how it is when you compete for the leadership in this religious organization. The most skillful assassin should be on the top of Yatagarasu. Isnt it Gazaine who is saying that? Mnn.thats, right I guess. He started saying that after he became the current Leader.I think. Donnas words are amazingly uncertain. Oi oi In other words, Gazaine took over the religious organization. Before this, it was strictly forbidden to kill someone within the religious organization, if you broke this law you were severely tortured and killed in the end. ..oh? Thats very different from now, huh? Eremia tilts her head. DDMelby I call out to the hidden Melby with [Telepathic Communication]. Nn, I know what you want to say. Indeed, there are traces of hypnotic magic on these children. Same as the woodcutter in Riverette Village? The same. It was imprinted much more softly over a long period of time, but it was done by the same practitioner. Melby declared as such. That reminds me, one month ago, the night when the mansion was attacked in Fauno City, Melby was worried about something. Was that perhapsDD Ah, the thing from that time? That was, the servant..Marcella-san, was it. I had a strange feeling about her. If I think about it now, she was under the same spell, only very lightly so we dont get suspicious. If I was more reliable that time.. Melby said feeling mortified. As I thought. That means there is a high chance that Yatagarasu knew that we removed the spell from the woodcutter in Riverette Village. Therefore they didnt brazenly use magic on Marcella-san like with the woodcutter, but they used a combination of threats after kidnapping and weak magic and instructed her to do something. It seems it was the Yatagarasu members that scattered the pollen of the Repchipa grass, so Marcella-sans role was probably only providing information about the security and opening the locks from inside. The fact that Melbys existence was not exposed means that after we left, members of Yatagarasu went back to gather information in Riverette Village and only found out that someone among us removed the spell. They probably thought that Julia-kaasan, who is an excellent mage, was the one who removed it. We asked that they dont tell anyone from outside the village about Fairies, and it looks like the people of Riverette Village faithfully kept their promise. The fact that Melby wasnt discovered was the silver lining. Because if Melby wasnt here, then everyday life wouldve become many times more difficult here. DDThanks, Melby. Wh-, what are saying suddenly. I didnt notice the spell that was put on Marcella-san you know? That cant be helped. They were one step ahead of us. Me too, I was a bit conceited from learning various skills. But, because Melby is at my side now Im really being saved. Im not talking about [Telepathic Communication] or the dimensional stash, if Melby wasnt here with me now I honestly dont think I wouldve been able to keep myself sane. I, I see.. You are welcome is this the appropriate thing to say here? While I was speaking with Melby, my Fellow young believers tidied up the room and started to slip into their beds. DDFellow believer Orochi, turn off the light please. Since Miguel asked me, I extinguished the (Light) that was floating in the room with ? (Erase). Couldnt you just cancel the (Light) without especially using ? (Erase)? Eremia asked me. Everything depends on practice. Particularly erase magic is something you have to be able to use in an instant or its meaningless. Is that steady practice the secret of Fellow believer Orochis strength~? Donna said while putting the smaller children to sleep. I still have a long way to go. I couldnt even get a hit on Gazaine yet. There is frickin nobody in this nest that can get a hit on the Leader! The retort from Miguel served as the end to the conversation, then after a short while, the sleepers breathing from the children could be heard. After confirming with [Detect Presence] that everyone fell asleep, I slowly got up from the bed. DDWell then, the night is just beginning. CH 39 e at nightDD After Ive confirmed that the child group fell asleep, I quietly slipped out of the room. As a precaution, Im having Melby sleep in the room in the unlikely case of a patrol coming. The childrens room is at the back of the nest, so without a trolley people cant go in and out of it. I heard it was so they could protect the children better if it came to it, but I can only think that its like this to keep them from running away. With the trolley, if you dont send signals with a certain rhythm via the speaking tubes placed here and there, then the rail switches wont get switched and you cant get to your destination. Also, since the trolleys cant be moved without 2 people see-sawing, one person cant get it to move. Of course, in my case, I can move it forcefully by using [Physical Magic]. But, if I were to move the trolley at night it would make a sound, so its not like I can move it willy-nilly. Then, you might think, I should just walk on the rails, but its built in a way so you cant do that. In several places in the tunnel, there are deep holes that were dug out with narrow railway bridge above them so you can only get over by rail. Some agile emissaries perhaps could make it over, but in anticipation of that, there are many clappers placed on the railway bridge. Its set up so barely any amount of weight placed on it triggers a sound, so if you carelessly try to cross over, you will be in deep trouble. When I just arrived I also triggered it and in the end, I had to stick to the ceiling in a cavity and watch until the emissaries who came to check the situation passed by. Fortunately, the clappers apparently mistakenly go off from the slightest vibration, so the emissary who came over went back without much investigation. Anyhow, measures like these that prevent the members from leaving the nest on their own accord are set up in double or triple layers. In my previous life, cults also isolated their believers in religious institutions in remote areas so they wouldnt have any contact with people from the outside. Because by getting hold of information from the outside they realize how their religious organization is viewed objectively, and their brainwashing sometimes breaks..was the reason I think. Most likely that is also the reason why Yatagarasu has their hideout in a remote place like this. I sneak in the trolley room, then I confirm with [Night Vision] that there is no one watching, then I set foot in the inner part of the tunnel on top of the lain down rails. I proceed for a few hundred meters in total darkness. I stray from the rails where there is an opening of a natural cave and slip into a hole that is barely 1 meter tall. Inside the hole, there is a somewhat open space. Even if I say that its only true for me who is about 1 meter tall, if a grown adult were to come in, they might hit their head even in a bent posture. Inside that hole, there are 3 more holes. Beyond that stretches a 1 meter tall, about 80 cm wide rectangular passage. DDIts a secret passage I excavated with [Earth Element Magic] when I had the time. I call this secret passage Duct. Its not like its a ventilation shaft, its simply about the ambiance. In the morning during the excavation work, I also employ a little trick. When Im using [Earth Element Magic], I also dig inside the earth and create cavities that serve as marks for when Im digging out the duct. After that, when I finish digging near it at night, I put my ear against the wall of the duct and use [Keen Hearing] to determine the position of the cavity from the reverberation of the sounds and dig the tunnel aiming towards that. Its troublesome, but if by chance I punch through the floor or the wall, even if I fix it by magic, there would be distinct marks of it remaining, so it cant be helped. Uhmm.I guess I finished the mapping of the 4th level yesterday. Today is the 5th floorDD I want to investigate the floor where the excavation site and the private rooms of the top brass of the religious organization are. However, of course, Gazaine is also on the floor where the top brass is. Gazaine has the Master class Skill [Sense Danger]. Therefore, even if Im lurking inside the earth, there is a possibility of getting detected. In light of that, until the level of my [Sense Danger] exceeded Gazaines, I couldnt start investigating the floor where the top brass is. As I was heading towards the downward slanting tunnel, the Necklace of Loyalty that was put around my neck made a sound. Oops.I have to change the numbers. I touch the Necklace of Loyalty with the tip of my fingers. The collar resembles the lock used for bicycles in my previous world. Its the combination of a durable ring made from an unknown material and a number type padlock. The combination consists of 5 digits. The emissary who put this around my neck, You are free to try and remove it, you know? However, if you mess up the number you will be in so much pain that you will faint. said this. But, when I tried using [Appraise] on it, Collar of Subordination: When the registered keyword is spoken, the ring will contract. The current keyword is Repent. If someone tries to forcefully remove it it will absorb 20 MP. Saying that its for Loyalty is a big fat lie, its a slave collar. But, its effect is surprisingly not that big of a deal. In short, if someone with less than or equal to 20 MP tries to release it and fails, then that persons MP will be exhausted and will simply faint. No..depending on how you look at it, its something amazing after all. Because even if someone has an MP amount comparable to Julia-kaasan, they can only try the numbers 10-something times each time. With only 10-something tries each day, its very much hopeless to find the correct number out of ten thousand possibilities. That being saidDD you probably know it already. To me, this is nothing more than a toy. I got it off in a week. The reason why it was making a sound just now was because I left the combination on the padlock as the release combination, so the padlock of the collar was almost opened from the shaking as I was walking. In the pitch black darkness I change the number by relying on the feeling on the tip of my finger and make sure to close the lock on my collar. By the way, the release number is 91122. I was thinking that the first digit shouldnt be a low number so I tried them in the sequence of 7,8,9, so I managed to hit the correct one sooner than I thought. Furthermore, while they were sleeping I examined the other kids collars and unexpectedly the release number is the same 91122 for everyone. Reusing a password like that, if Koike-san from General Affairs heard of that he would flip out. Well, if they were to leave a password management table as a written document then there would be a possibility of someone taking a look in some instances. If its a number that is impossible to find, then its not like I dont see the advantage of only keeping it in the heads of the leaders. With this they can take the collar off the children if it comes to that for some reason. That being said, the children have another collar on them and its much more troublesome. DDBrainwashing. Even if I removed their collars, they, who received the religious organizations education focused on brainwashing, starting with the Sin Examination, ever since they were ripped from their parents, would not even think of running away from the religious organization. Rather, there is a possibility they would instead report me to the religious organizations side. So, before removing their visible collar, I must remove their invisible collar. I want to save the children who are here. For that end, while I make these ducts, map the nest, and investigate the release number for the collar, at the same time during the day I diligently work to gain their trust and also scheme to increase my information sources within the religious organization. At night, the reason Im telling tales to the children is not just to have a good time. To undo the brainwashing, first I have to get them to trust me. For that end, I need to have fun with them and have them think of me as a comrade. Also, through those tales, Im thinking of putting the teachings of the religious organization in perspective. The set of values of this religious organization is terribly one-sided. Therefore, if they get a chance to experience a different set of values, then they will get a feeling of out of place for sure. And if that out of place feeling piles up further and further, then the children could perhaps triumph over the curse of the religious organization with their own power. I know that this requires a bunch of patience, but if I just outright deny the teachings of the religious organization then all I will get is a backlash. Im thinking of making the best use of [No Fatigue] and keep at it tenaciously. DDWell then, late at night is the time for raising Skills. First of all, its fastest if I show it. Don. Edgar Chrebl Forth Son of Viscount Chrebl, Noble of Santamana Kingdom,Baby Scarlet,Bottomless Orochi Level 32 HP 67/67 MP 3178/3178584 Skills ?Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ?Legendary class [Psychokinesis] 1Σţף [Spirit Magic] 2 Σţף [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C [Telepathic Communication] 3 ?Master class [Throwing Techniques] 2Σţף [Shuriken Techniques] 2Σţף [Physical Magic] 9 ͣأ [Fire Element Magic] 1 Σţף [Earth Element Magic] 4 Σţף [Enchant Magic] 3 [Mana Control] 7 [Letterless Invocation] 8 [Mana Detection] 1 Σţף [Magic Language] 3 [Sense Presence] 4Σţף [Dark Vision] 2 Σţף [Sculpting] 3Σţף ?General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 5 [Flying Sword Techniques] 5 [Shuriken Skills] 9 ͣأ [Throwing Axe Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 5 [Steel Thread Skills] 4Σţף [Assassination Skills] 5Σţף [Jump] 4Σţף [Fire Magic] 9ͣأ [Water Magic] 4 [Wind Magic] [Earth Magic] ͣأ [Light Magic] [Lightning Magic] 7Σţף [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) [Simultaneous Invocation] 9 (MAX) [Mana Perception] 9 (ͣ) [Cryptanalysis] 2 [Keen Hearing] ͣأ [Farsight] 4 [Night Vision] 9ͣأ [Stealthy Steps] Σţף [Wood Carving] ͣأ [Cooking] 2Σţף Blessing of a Benevolent God +1 First, lets take a look at my nickname. Bottomless Orochi The fact that I got this nickname probably means that Ive become a rumor among the Fellow believers. Then, on the topic of Skills, there are many this time. If you find it too bothersome, then there shouldnt be too much problem if you just glance through them. Lets take a look starting from [Sense Presence]. I got this as a counter stop bonus from [Keen Hearing]. [Keen Hearing]s target was sound, but [Sense Presence], rather than sounds, can perceive the slight feeling of presence-like something that people and animals give off. As the Skill level went up, its range and accuracy also increased and currently I can grasp the movements of other people if they are in the same building as me. If all I want to know if someone is present, then I can probably do it with a radius of a few hundred meters. With this it became unlikely to fall prey to a surprise attack like what happened in Fauno City. Next, [Wood Carving] and [Sculpting]. In the midst of the literally bloodthirsty everyday life in the religious organization, emissaries are urged to take up woodworking as a way to relax. Since it doesnt cost any money and they will also get better at handling knives. There are circle type gatherings within the nest ranging from weekend carpenter types to art types. I belong to the wood carving circle. Im annoyed that we can only carve statues of the Evil God, but the wood carving itself is fun, so unintentionally I get passionate about it. Furthermore, wood carving has a skills attached to it. A Skill is a blend of the persons own techniques and the Gift from the Gods, so overall its improvement is faster than the wood carving and sculptingfrom my previous world. Also, thanks to the Skill, the current state of the wood and what happens if I use the chisel here, things like these become clear as day. As a result Ive become able to create one palmtop sized Evil God sculpture in about 20-30 minutes. Its so fun working with it that I inadvertently immerse myself in it. Since I cant get tired because of [No Fatigue], once I immerse myself in it, I completely forget the time and I could keep doing it for half-a-day or even an entire day. Once, I thought of doing it for a bit before Skill raising, but when I came to, it was already morning. This can be said to be a harmful side of [No Fatigue]. But, thanks to that my Skill level went up quickly, so I managed to get the Master class Skill [Sculpting]. The difference from [Wood Carving] is that the Skill is not only applicable for wood, but for stone and metal too. It should also come in handy in regards to repairing the junk we got from the ruins. I managed to get the Skill I aimed for from an unexpected source, so Im pleased with myself. There are many Skills I got due to the training of the religious assassin organization. [Throwing Techniques] was the counter stop bonus for [Shuriken Skills] and I got it at the same time as [Shuriken Techniques]. Its the Skill that Father Solow informed me about. It has the simple yet useful function of instinctively knowing the trajectory and impact point when something is thrown. Aside from those there is the [Steel Thread Skills] I used when training with Gazaine. The [Stealthy Steps], [Jump], and [Assassination Skills] I got from the lessons of the instructor group. The strange one is the [Cooking] I got from making okonomiyaki. I thought Skills were only related to fighting, but I guess something like this exists too. Also, I finally maxed out [Fire Magic] and got [Fire Element Magic], same as Julia-kaasan. It seems I dont have as high of an aptitude for it like mom, but as someone who has the same blood flowing through his veins as mom, I wanted to gain this Skill for sure. Furthermore, I got the Master class Skill [Psychokinesis] from maxing out [Physical Magic]. This Skill is able to release mana directly as telekinetic power, so compared to [Physical Magic] that works by converting mana to telekinetic power through magic, this has better fuel efficiency, better output, and its much more intuitive to operate. If you try to forcefully increase its output then its MP consumption increases more and more, so it should prove useful when trying to get rid of MP when expanding the maximum MP. Another one thats related to magic, I also got [Mana Detection] from maxing out [Mana Perception]. It seems the training to acquire Melbys [Telepathic Communication] and [Spirit Magic] also became a training for [Mana Perception] as a secondary effect. You can think of [Mana Detection] as a high performance version of [Mana Perception], but a simple yet important difference is that Ive become able to translate the amount of detected mana into MP values. I can also say I acquired [Spirit Magic] if its for something simple, but it will most likely be much later when I will be able use it in fight. I will tell you about the possible interesting uses for it at that time. And finally, the star performer [Lightning Magic]. It was hard work to acquire this one. Eh? Dont I have the aptitude for it, you ask? Indeed, as Father Solow said, I probably have the aptitude for it. However, I didnt know the magic letter for [Lightning Magic]. [Letterless Invocation] also cant be used if you dont know the letter. [Lightning Magic] is a new magic, so its not in Abbadon Magic Compilation and Melby didnt know it either. Melby showed me a handy trick of causing lightning by asking the wind and water spirits, but thats not what Im currently looking for. In other words, I didnt have the least bit of leads. Then how did I end up acquiring it? My method was like this. First I imagine Lightning, like when Im using other type of magics. Next, I try to write the magic letter. Of course, I dont know the magic letter for lightning, but as a general rule, magic letters are written from top to bottom and left to right. Using that I move my finger from top left to bottom right in a random way. And at the same time I sense the mana flowing through the magic letter, using [Magic Perception] and [Magic Detection]. With that, although I dont feel anything most of the time, but with a low probability, there are times when the mana flows partway. In this case, it should mean that I followed the same path as the magic letter for lightning. By using this theory, the magic letter gradually becomes clear from top-left to bottom-right with the help of trial and error. DDRight. Its a perfect theory. Is what I was thinking as I started working on it, but it wasnt that easy. It seems that picturing the whole magic letter is a requirement for the invocation, so even if the mana flows you dont clearly know what part of the random curve was correct. In the end, I ended up writing letters that somehow resemble it, confirmed how it feels, then compared and verified those that were a hit, it became a straightforward repetition work. However, after 10 days of 3 hours a night work, I finally discovered the magic letter for Lightning. (Thunder). Of all things, it had to have a shape that was hard to find. But, it was worth going through all that trouble. Now that I actually used it, I can tell that out of all the magics Ive used until now, this fits me best. I understand the flow of mana clear as day. Julia-kaasan probably also feels this way when she uses [Fire Magic]. Its no wonder she got impatient with the way I did it. I finally got it, so I decided to use [Lightning Magic] to deepen my relationship with the child group. I borrowed a metal sphere that was excavated from the ruins, then I poured in some weak [Lightning Magic]. Then if I touch that metal sphere, then oh how mysterious, my hair is moving here and there. Its just a rip-off of a common science experiment, but it was very well received by the children. Father Solow said that the people of this word cant really imagine lightning too well, but how about the children? If they look like they will keep it a secret, I could perhaps teach it to them. Thinking those things, I proceed forward inside of the duct while training my [Dark Vision]. This [Dark Vision] is the counter stop bonus for [Night Vision]. [Night Vision] is meaningless in places where there is no light at all, but with [Dark Vision], I have no idea by what logic, but even in this lightless duct I can more or less see whats around me. Today my aim is the 5th level, so I start using [Earth Element Magic] from partway to dig a duct. Probing for my current location using [Sense Presence] and [Keen Hearing] needs a lot of concentration, but its not difficult for me who has [No Fatigue]. By spending 2 hours on it, I investigated about a third of the 5th level. Mainly the side where the ruins are. Since it would be trouble if I wander into the floor where the top brass is while I dont know the situation. DDWell then, lets head back soon and start the repetition work in the space I created for raising Skills. Just as I was thinking that, I received a [Telepathic Communication] from Melby. CH 40 Telepathic Communication] arrived from Melby. DDEremia has snuck out of the room. Do you know where she went? Who knows, maybe the same place as usual? Ill try going there. Then, Melby, as we planned Right. You be careful too. Melby will now teleport to the Fairy Village and entrust my letter to Secela and the others. Secel and Secela will take that letter to Riverette Village and ask the spokesperson to send it by fast horse or carrier pigeon. The letter is, of course, addressed to Alfred-tousan, who is currently staying in Fauno City. In other words, its a periodic report. After the Sin Examination, I wrote a letter when no one was looking and entrusted it to Melby and had her send it. That letter, in which I explained my current situation in detail, safely made it to dad and I also received an answer. The first thing I requested in the letter was to determine the location of the nest. When I was being brought to this Crows Nest I was not only blindfolded, but the path we took was also cleverly camouflaged. Melby wasnt blindfolded, but because she is unfamiliar with the outside topography, all she could tell was that the nest is somewhere between north and west from Fauno City. When I asked if she could make the Gate to the Fairy Village anyway, she said as long as the marker is placed in the current location there is no problem. As I thought, that is very handy. Rather, I suspect that probably the Gate being so convenient is the reason why Melby is so bad with the topography and directions. Anyhow, I wrote as much as I could remember from outside and asked dad and mom to determine the location of the nest. According to the letter, they mobilized the knights and some dependable adventurers immediately and started searching, but for now, they couldnt find it yet. What makes the search difficult is not just that there are insufficient tangible hints. Since the subject of the search is the hideout of the religious assassin organization Yatagarasu, there is a possibility that people with half-baked skills would instead get discovered and killed by the members of Yatagarasu. Therefore, whether it be a knight or an adventurer, only those that arent any inferior to the assassins of Yatagarasu can be chosen and that greatly decreases the number of people that can be mobilized. Also, the season was also bad. As it was a common topic in Fauno City, its the season when harpies migrate from one territory to another west from Fauno City. There are especially many this year and also, they developed a tendency to create nests in close proximity to Fauno City. The adventurers guild is extremely busy with dealing with the harpies, so there arent any competent adventurers left that can be allocated to the search for the nest. Ah, by the way, harpies, as many of you probably know this already, are half humanoid, half bird monsters with feathers. Their appearance is roughly humanoid, but their facial features are close to a bird, their arms are wings, and their legs are are completely bird legs. Since the size of their brains is not much different from a goblins, they absolutely cant be reasoned with. They say since they like to eat human meat and even experienced monster tamers have problems taming them. In other words, its a monster that can only be exterminated. Individually they are not that strong, but once they flock together, they are hard to deal with, so I heard that its hard to fight a flock like that if there arent adventurers with above average ability. Because of that, the Fauno City adventurers guild, that was small to begin with, is out of manpower. Due to that influence, Moria-san, Huffman-san, and surprisingly Julia-kaasan, who temporarily returned to active duty, are also participating in the search for the nest it seems. They said that Chester-niisan, who I havent met yet, is also helping out in between the harpy exterminations. Of course, mom isnt participating in the search just because they are low on manpower, but because she couldnt bear to just sit idle. The contents of the letter conveyed that they are very worried about me, it really makes me think I did something inexcusable. However, I asked dad that even if they manage to find the nest they should wait before launching an attack. I want to at least undo the brainwashing on the children, and if possible, I want to lay down a plan to catch the Archbishop Glutometza, and with those done, I want to launch attacks from the inside and from the outside at the same time. If we attack without properly preparing for it first, then we might allow Gazaine and the top brass to get away, and if that happens, our family would have to be constantly wary of possible assassinations. It doesnt matter how many Skills I have, repelling assassins that employ every possible method to attack is difficult. In particular, I shiver when I think of the possibility of a powerful person like Gazaine attacking us without holding anything back. That is why we will crush this religious organization with simultaneous attacks from the inside and the outside. If we dont go that far, we wont be able to have a good night sleep after that. When I pushed this idea in my letter, dad wrote back like this. As Viscount Chrebl, a noble of Santamana Kingdom, I approve of your plans. However, as Eds father, I oppose that plan. Because this plan leaves you in too much danger. According to your reports, Yatagarasu is much bigger than we imagined and they are amassing power. I shiver when I think what wouldve happened if they managed to act against the Kingdom in concert with the Black Wolf Fang. If I didnt know your Status, then you going up against the huge organization by yourself could only be described as reckless. What I really want is for you to escape from the nest and come back to us as soon as possible without thinking of crushing Yatagarasu. However, your fears are also warranted. For the safety of our family, I want to destroy Yatagarasu no matter what. Thats why, Julia and I talked a lot about this, even got into a wrestling fight with each other (of course, I lost), and as a result we decided to accept your suggestion. However, if for some reason you fail to get in contact with us, I will conclude that you are in grave danger and I will gather all the forces at my disposal and hit Yatagarasu. Also, this you have to promise me. Dont get into unnecessary danger. Inside a religious assassin organization, you will probably encounter some gruesome scenes. You will probably witness some obvious injustices. Its natural to unable to forgive them for it. However, if pursuing justice would mean that you are exposed to extreme danger, then I want you to turn a blind eye to that injustice. Perhaps what Im saying is horrible. Even so, I dont want to lose anyone close to me ever again. Thats why, please prioritize your own well-being instead of pursuing justice. That is what I ask of you. I almost teared up reading it. DDI will return to their side without fail. I vowed once again. Well then, it looks like Melby already jumped to the Fairy Village, there is no answer even if I talk to her using [Telepathic Communication]. I wrestled with a bit of loneliness while returning via the duct, then after I reached the floor where the child group is I went up the stairs. There is a small plot there. If I look up to the ceiling, there is a big hole up high which serves as a ventilation hole. Since this big hole provides sunlight that is very valuable underground, its used to cultivate fresh vegetables. In the middle of the vegetable garden, who knows who made it, there is a circular flower bed. Eremia is standing next to that flower bed that is being illuminated by the moonlight. As expected of a dark elf, the moonlight fits her almost criminally well. Eremia brings a metal sushi mat looking thing to her mouth. There is an assassination tool called iron pipe. Its shape is as the name suggests, a pipe made of iron with one of its ends sharpened diagonally. If you stab this in the targets carotid artery or heart, then oh how mysterious, isnt that fresh blood that flows through and gushes out the pipe vigorously?, its a tool with an intended use like that. Since it doesnt cause instant death, you should use it on restrained targets, or deliberately miss larger veins and use it for torture, so explained the emissaries of the instructor group. Eremia is holding an object made by bundling up multiple of those iron pipes. The lengths of the pipes get shorter from one side to the other. Eremia slowly put her lips near those iron pipesDDthen she slowly breathed out. It was a melancholic melody that resounded from it. I see, those iron pipes make up a flute. Now that I think about it, there was something like that flute among the Japanese instruments. I think its name was Shou. A melancholic and transparent melody spreads around us, fitting for a moonlit night. I entrust myself to that melodyDD DDWho is there-? Suddenly the performance stopped and Eremia looked back and called out. .did I intrude? Oh, its just Fellow believer Orochi. DDGood moonlit night. Good moonlit night? Ah, sorry. We said that at times like these in the village I was living in. Hoh..an elegant greeting. Although there arent many opportunities to use it. Dark elves are associated much closely with the night than elves, but apparently its not like they are nocturnal. Will we be having a debate about the doctrines again? If Eremia has no problem with it. Im fine with it. I also want Fellow believer Orochi to understand more about Evil God-sama. Eremia said this with a soft smile. If contents of what she was saying were something else, then that smile would probably leave me charmed. She is a considerably beautiful girl even now, but in the future she will most likely become a shocking beauty. Eremia is like that too, but the emissaries of Yatagarasu are unexpectedlyDD normal. I wouldnt peg them as an underling of the Evil God. Starting from the kidnapping incident in Riverette Village, then on the way to Fauno City, and during the attack on the Viscount Chrebl mansion in Fauno City, I killed members of Yatagarasu. Of course, I dont regret it. If I didnt kill them we couldve been killed. If they dont want to get killed then dont try to kill others, is what it comes down to. But, in this nest there should be many emissaries that had some of their comrades killed by me. However, I never had any emissaries reproach me about it at all. Because its their sacred duty. Everyone simply accepts that and look like they dont harbor any grudges against me. By being in the nest and associating with them I almost start to doubt my own feelings. I almost having feelings of guilt from killing people similar to them. At times like those, I shake my head and tell myself that I didnt do anything wrong, but.. the fact that I have to do that means that somewhere deep in my heart I think that I may have made a mistake. Those times I remember Goddess-sama. She is a profoundly benevolent Goddess-sama who felt pity for me, who met a tragic end, and allowed me to reincarnate into Marquekt, although with conditions attached. The Evil God Monguenes is an entity that is considered an enemy by her. The religious assassin organization that worships the Evil God, is a tool used by the Evil God for wicked ends, emissaries that, at a glance appear as good people, are assassins that go around killing innocent people for their demented creed. As I think it through to that I let out a bitter laugh. When Im worried I remember my God and shake off my hesitation. I cant really laugh at the emissaries of Yatagarasu like this. Its like Im a believer in a religion worshipping the Goddess-sama. DDWhat is it to believe. DDWhat is brainwashing and what is the truth. Good grief, I feel like Im going crazy.. .what is it? Its nothing. After shaking my head I look for a topic. Eremia is smart and also knowledgeable about the doctrines, so I try to argue with her head on under the pretext of me trying to learn. Of course, my hidden objective is to raise doubts in Eremia about the teachings of the religious organization and have her escape the brainwashing by her own power. In my previous world, there was a cult that caused a big incident. At that time, there was a documentary that was broadcasted many times that introduced the task of a withdrawal counselor. They said to undo the cults brainwashing they have to provide information from outside to the person and let the person think about it by himself/herself. They mustnt outright deny everything, instead maintain a place of discussion and continue to patiently have a dialogue with them. Its not something I wouldve been able to do in my previous life, but now that I have [No Fatigue], it should be possible to do that kind of thing. DDWhy does Eremia believe in the teachings of the religious organization? soon the end of this world will come. Only the chosen ones will be able to go to Gods country. Aubesso Scriptures 1:10, I think it was. When Armageddon happens, only those that believe in the Evil God will be saved, was it? But, apart from that, the end of the world can be prevented by continuously killing the apostles of the Devil. As I said this, Eremia nodded looking satisfied. Its frightening that I think that it was worth studying if I got to see that expression of hers. If Eremia were to become a door-to-door solicitor for the religious organization, then many no-good adults would get tricked by her. That is why I keep killing those apostles. Because I want to save everyone. Society doesnt believe what Evil God-sama says, so Im regarded as a murderer, buteven if Im called that, I will fight for everyone. Eremia is a chosen one. You can get saved by yourself, but you kill anyway? It doesnt mean anything if Im the only one that gets saved. Everyone has to be saved. There is a pure sense of duty reflecting in Eremias eyes. I cant really accept that. Why? Eremias expression becomes a bit sad. My heart aches that Im making a 7 years old girl have that expression, but I cant raise the white flag here. If thats is true, then why does it need to be done in secret? If you tell that fact to the people, then isnt dealing with it together faster and more certain? Ordinary peoples thoughts are clouded by the Devil, so they wouldnt hear us out. Isnt that more like this religious organization, is what I wanted to say, but I held back. Then why is it that the people in this religious organization dont have their thoughts clouded by the Devil? That..I dont know, but its must be thanks to Evil God-sama. If Evil God-sama is capable of that, then why doesnt he do it for everyone? that, I dont know. But since its like that there has to be a special circumstance. There are things that those who are not Gods cant know. If we leave it to Evil God-samas discretion, then there will be no problem. If she says it like that then I cant say anything else anymore. I decided to change my argument. then, lets not delve further into Evil God-samas circumstances, instead lets talk about ourselves. Even if we kill people on sacred duties we will be forgiven. But, normally, killing people is a bad thing. Even if that someone is an evil person, if we kill them even if they didnt do anything to us, then we are in the wrong. Among the people that we kill on sacred duties, there are ones that very much dont look like they are doing anything bad. Is it alright to kill those people just because there was a divine message, without even hearing out what they have to say? Since we are not people, but emissaries, its not a sin for us to kill people. Eremia answers immediately. She probably answered that way because she was taught to answer that way. But during the Sin Examination they pursued every little sin thoroughly, didnt they? So why is it that only the especially heavy sin of killing someone is forgiven? That is because its a sacred duty according to a revelation from Evil God-sama, and the target is an underling of the Devil.. Its not like there is proof that those words are truly spoken by Evil God-sama. Are you saying that Leader-sama and Priestess-sama are lying? Thats right, is what I want to say, but I endure. that I dont know. But its true that we arent receiving those words directly from Evil God-sama. Using polite speech with the Evil God makes my butt itch. That.is true, but. Eremia looks like she cant accept it. Why is then, if Evil God-sama is truly trying to defeat the Devil, that he is called Evil God anyway? .i-, if you call our God evil, thenDD DDwe are fine being called evil, right? You can find that line in Aubesso Scriptures 23:5. But Im not talking about that. If the Evil God is trying to defeat the Devil, then there is no reason for him to be called Evil, right? Aside from the Aubesso Scriptures, there are 3 gospels and 2 correspondences. Quite meticulously, there is even a fragmented collection called Rossos Apocrypha. The composition of scriptures inYatagarasulook too much like the Bible from my previous world. Is this a coincidence? Or perhapsDD Even while I was thinking about something else, Eremia was desperately trying to think. DDShe desperately trying to defend the God she believes in. Th-, that is.. In the end, Eremia couldnt think of any good rebuttals. My objective is not to defeat her in an argument, so before I go too far, I decide to change the topic. What are the other gods doing anyway? In the Aubesso Scriptures the existence of other gods was recognized. Then why is that there are no signs of the other gods fighting against the Devil? Instead, they are even picking a fight with the Evil God who should be fighting against the Devil. Th-, the other gods must have been deceived by the Devil. You say that every single god is deceived by the Devil? If the Devil was that amazing of a being then isnt it strange that we can easily kill the apostles of that Devil? .uuh Also, why is it that only Evil God-sama didnt get deceived by the Devil? Even though among the other gods, starting with the God of Samsara, Atrazenec-sama, there are many wise gods. Pr-, Priestess-sama will be able to tell. Lets go together with Fellow believer Orochi and hear her out? Priestess-sama says that Im an underling of the Devil, doesnt she? Priestess-sama is a woman who looks about 30 years old. If I had to describe her with terms from my previous world, then she is exactly like a female teacher type strict beauty, if you could get her to wear a red framed, upside down triangle shaped glasses, then it would be perfect. Her favorite phrase is Beg for forgiveness. To tell you the truth, Im bad with her. She also antagonizes me. First, I suspected that she is doing it on the orders of Gazaine, but it seems the Priestess-sama has a thing for Gazaine. So she is jealous of me, who is for some reason considered to be Gazaines favorite. Apparently she imagines that darling to be the weird type offavorite Leave me out of that, please. I tried using [Appraise] on her when I saw a chance, but she didnt have any Skills or nicknames that could be considered a special characteristic. Y-yeah.that is why she told me to watch you attentively. ..that not something you should be telling me. Fufuh. I guess so. Eremia laughs like she finds it funny. She usually gives off a feeling of a Takarazuka-like crossdressing beautiful girl, but at times like these she acts her age. You should go and sleep already. I disregard myself and say this. No.Im fine. I tire slower than other people. Eremia said that accompanied by a frail smile. DDTire slower? Its a keyword that cannot be overlooked, right? Yeah.everyone says that they get tired when they speak to me. That shouldnt be the case. Come to think of it, Fellow believer Orochi seems fine. Im rarely able to talk this much, so I was having funsorry about that. Even though we were arguing about the doctrines, Eremia said she was having fun. Its not like its only lip service, apparently she really feels like its fun. Indeed, I dont really see Eremia talking to other children or adults. Sometimes I see Gazaine serve as her opponent in a mock battle, but when he is fighting with Eremia, in contrast to how he is being tenacious when he is fighting me, he just wraps it up quickly. Why are you apologizing? Because..you got tired, right? No.. Really? Yeah. Eremia is insistently making sure. The truth is I already know the reason for that. [Appraise]. Eremia Lotteroot (Member ofYatagarasuSpecial Squad,Shrine Maiden of the Dark Forest) Age: 7 years old Dark Elf Level 21 HP 30/30 MP 67/67 Skills ?Legendary class [Fatigue Transfer] (Transfers ones fatigue to the people in the vicinity. Perpetually active.) ?Master class [Espionage Techniques] 4 [Sense Presence] 4 [Assassination Techniques] 2 [Discern] 1 ?General Blessing of the Dark Forest(Medium compensation to the acquisition of Skills (including magic) related to sensing presence and concealment) [Fatigue Transfer]. This skill should be the reason why Eremia was brought here. The ability to make people tired around herDDif you say it like that it sounds sad, but in case of fighting its a very troublesome ability to deal with. Because when Eremia is fighting she doesnt get tired, and in contrast to that the opponent suffers the fatigue from himself and also the fatigue that was transferred to him from Eremia, so he gets tired twice as much as normally. Furthermore, the more Eremia attacks vigorously, the heavier the fatigue becomes that gets transferred to Eremias opponent. From the opponents perspective, she attacks him by using his stamina as she pleases, there arent many other things as unfair as this. This is also the reason why Gazaine was grumbling about how he gets wiped when fighting against her. However, the reason why Gazaine evaluated Eremia as a genius is not only because of [Fatigue Transfer]. Eremia has an outstanding amount of Skills for her age and their Levels are also high. The reason may lie with the fact that she doesnt get tired, like with my [No Fatigue], and that improves the Skill acquisition, or maybe its thanks to the Blessing of the Dark Forest, or it may be an inborn talent, but there arent even many adult emissaries that are a match for her, not to mention the other children. Therefore, Eremia ends up getting isolated no matter what. She wasnt able to fit in properly with the child group and its probably the same for the Special Squad she belongs to. NoDDperhaps even before she was abducted by Yatagarasu Eremia may have been alienated. Because the way she distances herself from other people feels a bit tragic to me. However, that is why Eremia believes so deeply in the teachings of the religious organization. She clings to them. As long as she performs her sacred duties she will be appreciated here. For Eremia, who didnt have many people appreciate her in the past, that is the most important reward. Because of that, in a certain way, Yatagarasu is a comfortable place for her to live in. Of course, this is only my arbitrary conjecture, but it shouldnt be too far from the truth. If you are fine with me, then I can at least serve as a conversation partner. I-is it alright? Eremias eyes looked like they were clinging to hope. Yeah, but dont tell anyone about what we talk about, okay? Fufuh. They would get angry at us if we told them what we spoke about, huh. I dont think it would end just with them getting angry at us. I wonder why is it that Priestess-sama dislikes you. Even though you are very kind. Priestess-sama is also kind so I think you would get along if you properly talked to each other. I dont think thats possible. Thats not true! I have a certain line that I like very much among the ones that Priestess-sama said to me. Hoh.what is it? I asked, doing my best to sound normal. Because if I didnt do that I was afraid that my disinterest would ooze out. However, my head suddenly cooled down from the words that left Eremias mouth. DDDo your best, so you can go to heaven like your father and mother. Hearing this lineDDI myself dont know what kind of expression I mustve had. Did my expression stiffen, or maybe distort. Did my face become red, or did it become pale. The only thing that I was certain of is that my head went completely blank. At first, I didnt know what was that emotion that seethed inside of me. I think that emotion was so intense that my head went numb. After a few seconds, I finally realized I was mad with rage. This is what they call being infuriated, a hot flame-like something is flowing from the back of my neck to the top of my head. Because of that rage, even my own back muscles feel cold. wh-, what happened? Fellow believer Orochi. Eremia asks looking perplexed. Ah, Eremia doesnt understand the meaning behind what she just said. .Its, nothing. I once again think while slowly breathing out. DDHow can they calmly say something like this after taking those children away from their parents. There is a concept of stirring up trouble to take credit for its solution, but you can rarely come across such a cruel example as this one. DDI cant let those people live. It was this moment a dark flame flared up inside my heart. CH 41 hat day, Melby suddenly broke. U U? Uwaaaahahhhhhhh~~~n!! U-uwaah!? I ended up screaming unintentionally due to the loud voice I suddenly heard through [Telepathic Communication]. W-whats the matter, Fellow believer Orochi!? N-nothing! I replied to Donna, who spoke with concern, then panickedly rushed out of the childrens room. Ascending the nearby stairs, I head to the field below the big hole where I encountered Elemia before. Today, Elemia had an engagement with the special forces and was away from the Nest, so I dont have to worry about coming across her. When I think about it, we were able to speak with [Telepathic Communication] so there was no need to change locations, but I grabbed Melby and ran off by reflex. Even in the meantime, Melbys Uwaaahhh continues. Ah, my head feels like its going to split After checking that there was no one in the field, I address Melby. W-whats wrong, Melby! Uwaahhh~~n! I want no more of this dirt-filled place! I wanna lie in a flower field and bathe in the sunlight~!! I release the kicking and struggling Melby. Calm down. Whats with this place anyway!? Dirt, dirt, dirt in every direction, I feel like Im suffocating! That is certainly true. Uu.. (sob). After all, its already been a month and a half!? We returned to the hamlet many times en route, but only for short intervals Apart from that, weve been underground this whole time! Im going crazy!? Is that wrong of me!? N-no, youre not wrong! Youre not wrong so calm down! Watching Melby throw a tantrum in the air, I thought, DDThis was my mistake. After all, Ive often been associating with the emissaries and havent made much time to talk to Melby. Even though she stays by my side the whole day. Since Melby is very diligent, she probably sympathised with my circumstances and endured it. She had lasted one and a half months in a place that would make Secel and Secela say Im bored~ within a few hours. Even with Master, theres no progress at all! I get it! Youre in no state to be told that! But but uwaahhhh~~~n! I kneeled on the ground and lowered my head to the ground towards Melby, who was wailing once again. DDRight, it was a dogeza. Illuminated by moonlight, this scene of an infant prostrating himself before a fairy at the bottom of a large hole might appear a little surreal when seen objectively. Melby stopped bawling, startled. Wha wai.. stop it! Even though Ive been talking so selfishly! But, what youre saying is right. Im sorry for not noticing. I-its fine! Im sorry for speaking such nonsense too In response to Melby despondent uttering, I stand up and say, DDAlright. Then lets head outside for a bit. E-eh!? How!? Naturally, via this big hole. But this hole is full of barbs, and steel wires are laid out on every level with clappers set up. Ive thought about that already. I have a plan especially for escaping in a pinch. DD Melby, take that out, the thing I made the other day Ah, that. We were talking so in sync like a middle-aged couple, and Melby took the requested implement out from the dimension storage. A large hook retrieved from the historic relics was attached to the end of a durable yet flexible wire also from the historic relics ; it was the so-called grappling hook. It was one of the tools I made myself, welded together by means of the equipment from the historic relics and (flame). Of course, you might be able to climb up if you use that, but what are you going to do about the clappers? Its alright. I used [Psychokinesis] to fix the clappers in place. I usually used [Psychokinesis] for moving things but now, conversely, I used it to stop it from moving. Its the concept of reversal. While making my body float with [Psychokinesis], I hook the grappling hook onto the steel threads and boulders and pull, rising higher and higher with the counterforce. Checking the clappers with [Night Vision] and [Farsight], I fix them in place with [Psychokinesis] while moving so they were very sensitive, but I somehow reached the end of the hole after tens of seconds and managed to go out above the surface. Of course, the flying Melby was following behind me. If Melby was alone, she could go outside this way and return to the Fairy Hamlet, but she was worried about me and tried to stay with me as much as possible. DD Its the stars. Youre right, how pretty. Being unable to see the stars underground was natural, as there were few chances to even see the sun directly. Were not moles, stress would accumulate even for someone other than Melby. Now then, lets look for flowers. Eh, flowers? I-its fine, you dont really. Its not fine. Since the princess finally expressed her wishes, Id like to grant it. P-princesseh? N-nevermind You should let those words flow out smoothly there. Now then, despite having gone outside, the vicinity here is all wasteland. So that we wouldnt be found even by chance, I used [Sense Presence], [Night Vision], [Farsight], and the [Spy Techniques] I learned as we walked, but it was hard to even find any vegetation, let alone flowers. Tumbleweed, wasnt it. The thing that appeared in Western films, rolling in the night wind. Seldom thicket-like things were there but winter has begun approaching so we werent able to find any flowers. Meanwhile, the horizon was faintly growing lighter. I-if we dont return quickly If youre discovered, your efforts so far will be for naught! Its still fine for now. While pacifying the hasty Melby, I strain my eyes and continue to search for flowers. DDHm? That is In order to ascertain the true identity of the thing I caught a fleeting glimpse of, I approach a rocky mountain that lay around a kilometre ahead. From the base, I intently surveyed the top of the rocky mountain that looked like a miniature Ayers Rock standing approximately 20 metres tall. Whats the matter? Look at that. That, you say Uh uh, I cant see anything. It seems Melbys eyes were usually good as a fairy, but its not like she had the [Farsight] skill. I use [Psychokinesis] to reduce my body weight, then swung the grappling hook that played a big role tonight and threw it with a whoosh and the hook caught on the edge of the rocky mountain. After that, I climb to the summit of the rocky mountain as though I were doing a rope climbing exercise. ThereDD Fuwahhh.! Melby released a shout of joy. What was there was somewhat plain, but it was a flower field. The thing blooming flowers were plants that resembled cacti, growing en masse. Yellow, Pink, White, Aqua. They bloomed multicoloured flowers as if they had good taste. The sizes of the cacti-like plants varied from the size of a palm to around my height (a little over a metre). The size of the flowers was constant regardless of the size of the plant it was growing on, somewhere between the size of a dandelion and Japanese morning glory. At a glance, yellow was the most commonly seen, followed by light green, white, pink, light purple, but the aqua flowers were few enough to be counted. Compared to the flower field beside the Fairy Hamlet, it was inferior in terms of the vividness of colours and density of flowers, but the fact that it was accustomed to the wilderness was enough. From the top of the rocky mountain, the first rays of light from the dawning sun was just able to be seen clearly. In that morning sun, the fairy skipping about from flower to flower in high spirits was Melby enjoying the flowers fragrance. I made a rectangle with my fingers and captured that scene within the frame. Yeah, its a nice sight. Its too bad I dont have a camera. I wanted to look at it indefinitely, but unfortunately there wasnt much time. I squat down beside one of the palm-sized cacti and carefully dug it up from the ground using the knife at my waist, leaving the roots intact. Then, I gather the surrounding sand using [Earth Spirit Magic] to make an impromptu potted plant. While Im at it, I use [Carving] and add a simple ornament to the circumference of the potted plant with my knife. A carving of cacti, flowers, and a fairy. Melby floated to my side unnoticed and peered at what lay in my grasp. DDHere, take it. Saying this, I presented the potted plant to Melby. I was worried about a place to hide it, but Melby should be able to put it away in the dimension storage. E-eh? With this, you can look at it any time you like, right? Ah r-right. Melby stowed the potted plant away with [Dimension Magic]. Well then, sorry but well be rushing back. I descend from the rocky mountain with [Psychokinesis]. O-kay um, thank you. Youre welcome. I reply while running through the wasteland as if jumping, using [Psychokinesis] and [Leap]. If we get the chance, lets come look at them again. Y-yes. Remember this place, okay? Ah, Melby has no sense of direction so thats probably impossible H-how rude! I may be a tiny bit ignorant about geography, but I do have a sense of direction! A tiny bit? Muu~! In the morning sun, we returned to the big hole in the Nest in a great hurry while making trivial conversation like that. I was supposed to not get fatigued thanks to [No Fatigue] but this time, it gave me a very nice, refreshed feeling. DDThats right, after returning to the Nest, I suddenly thought of using [Appraisal] on the cactus. This was because I thought I might be able to grasp the cultivation trick. In doing that, Rainbow Cactus: A succulent plant of the Cactus genus. Only inhabits special regions In the desert known as attribute pools. Grows by absorbing the mana in its surroundings, and the flowers it blooms changes colour depending on the attribute absorbed. Means Indestructible Friendship in the language of flowers. The first half was also on my mind, but the important bit was the last line. It was a little too good to be true. CH 42 I was originally an adventurer, Fellow believer Nebil says as he walks beside me. I am currently outside the Nest. That said, its not like I was escaping. In the Nest, we sometimes go out to hunt monsters. This is because hunting monsters is the easiest way to raise our levels. Furthermore, skills are raised faster when they are used actual combat. This is something that is well known to through their experiences as a combat-oriented group. But then, I still have a few questions. Monsters are formed by the evil god bestowing power unto living creatures on the earth through a curse, so isnt it strange for the emissaries of who serve the evil god to lay their hands on the monsters? As one would expect, I couldnt ask anyone about this so I felt a little depressed. Come to think of it, the emissaries of who clearly side with the evil god also have their levels and skill levels raised with experience; I wonder if this was based on the goddess samsara system. Or, did the evil gods side also have a similar system? However, disregarding me being on the goddess side and the others, like Gazaine, who were neck-deep in the religious organisation being on the evil gods side, I wonder how the guys who were brainwashed emissaries without ill will like Elemia and Miguel from the childrens group were handled. There was no limit to these questions no matter how much I pondered in my mind so I can only try asking the goddess when I see her next time. Our meeting last time was too abrupt so I wasnt able to prepare that many questions, but this time Ill prepare the questions and keep them in mind; Id like to ask everything I should ask about, using my time to the fullest extent. I wasnt able to drop by the Samsara Temple in Fauno city in the end, so I didnt manage to obtain the [Prayer] skill that the goddess spoke about. Actually, I tried to pray to the goddess when I saw an opportunity even inside the Nest. I dont know if there was some kind of special condition or something, but it didnt result in the acquisition of [Prayer]. Perhaps it really did have to be at the temple, or a particular offering needed to be prepared, or possibly even some kind of special ritual like the bow twice, clap twice, bow once more ritual done at Shinto shrines was needed. Those were the possibilities I thought of. Melby said that she had no knowledge about that kind of thing either. Now, I was talking about the monster hunting. A few days ago, under Gazaines supervision, a report came in about wyverns appearing near the Nest. To give you a rough explanation, wyverns are a type of flying dragon classified as a sub-dragon, and although they dont have a breath attack, theyre considered high-ranking monsters due to their high mobility and sharp claws and fangs DD B Rank monsters. A B Rank monster is on par with a single B Rank adventurer. Being on par means that a B Rank adventurer can also lose if their luck is bad. Thus, a party of adventures at B Rank or above is necessary to kill a wyvern safely. Now then, wyverns are troublesome even alone, but they have a habit of calling companions together and living gregariously. Moreover, the entire dragon species, not just wyverns, are lair-builders D they either dig their own holes underground or use pre-existing holes. If wyverns have started building a lair near the Nest, they would be liable to dig through underground and connect the lair to the interior of the Nest. Of course, the elites of our shouldnt be inferior to the flock of wyverns, but there was the danger of a part of the Nest collapsing due to the wyverns lair-building. Also, if the wyverns were to build a lair near the Nest and fly about in the sky, they were bound to stand out. There was even the possibility of the adventurer guilds in the neighbouring towns DDFauno City for instanceDD viewing them as a problem and sending people out to clear the wyverns lair. If that were to happen, the discovery of the Nests existence would be unavoidable. DDActually, I did send an emergency message to Alfred-tousan via Melby about the wyverns who were flying about like advertising balloons via Melby. I wonder if my mother, an A Rank adventurer, will come out on an immediate search since the wyverns would be nothing to her. Or perhaps I should say, after thinking about it again, Julia-kaasan would be able to take down the wyverns safely, even on her own. Shes an amazing person, my mother. Oops, rather than that, back to Fellow believer Nebil. Fellow believer Nebil, a regular of my Okonomiyaki shop, has completely let down his guard against me recently and even tells me stories of his past like this. Even like this, I climbed all the way to C Rank. Well, I was with a party though. Oh. Then why did you join ? I was injured in the middle of a quest. It had just been a trivial goblin subjugation, but there had been a lot of goblins. Among the arrows that were fired, there was one that was well-aimed. It was probably just a fluke since theyre goblins, but the arrow got lodged in my foot. My party members, who I should have been on reasonably good terms with until the day before, all scrambled to flee and I, alone, was left behind. The one who saved me at that time was an emissary of . See, it was Gazlow-san no, Fellow believer Gazlow of the Special Forces. Gazlow So its that guy with the sly-looking eyes. I cant see him having a trait of saving people at all. After that, I was given medical treatment at the private holy residence. Since it was back then, it wasnt the Crows Nest but the previous holy residence. Thanks to that, the after-effects of the arrow have mostly disappeared. Thats why I decided. To use this life they saved for the sake of . Saying that while smiling, Nebils face was really cheerful. But if you were an adventurer, wouldnt you have heard rumours of at least? Ah, indeed, I havent heard of any positive rumours outside. But rumours are rumours after all. People wont understand without actually encountering them. If you try listening to Gazlow-sans words, isnt he saying that Evil God-sama is actually a good god and is fighting the devils? Gazlow-san said that saving my life was also a result of Evil God-samas guidance. When I learned that, I also aspired to be an emissary. What do you think about the sacred tasks? That. about killing people. When I ask that, Nebil scans the surroundings before saying in a whisper, Because its you, Ill be frank. I dont really understand it. About what? What Evil God-sama is like, stuff like that. Nebils speech seemed to contain some hesitation. Fellow believer Nebil becoming an emissary was before Gazaine. sama became the head, right? Right, thats right! A lot has changed since Master Gazaine became the leader. Master Gazaine was pleased with Gazlow-san and let him enter the special forces, and I also became a member of the special forces thanks to his support. Lately, Gazlow-san how should I put it There, Nebil paused. DDHey, Fellow believer Orochi. Do you believe in Evil God-sama? A difficult question suddenly came flying. Seeing Nebils serious face, I realised instinctively. If I lied here, I would lose Nebils trust. I hesitated only for an instant, and deliberately plunged into danger. No, I dont believe in him. Is that so Nebil mutters. I see. Nebil says, sinking into silence. At a time like this, I can only wait. Fortunately, we had been moving in groups of 2~3. The number of people recruited to subjugate the wyverns total 20. With Special Forces member Nebil as the leader, there were a few youths assigned to each team. There were five people from the childrens group participating: Miguel, Elemia, Donna, Beck and me. Having the children play a central role was because this wyvern hunt was not just an extermination, but also served to level up the youths. Especially because Donna and Beck from the childrens group were preparing for their first sacred task as emissaries next month; it seems they wanted to raise their levels as much as possible so they could avoid any unforeseen situations. The reason I was called here was probablyDD not because I was part of the childrens group, but it was likely a test to see whether or not I would run away. When I use the [Sense Presence] skill I acquired recently, I sensed a few very restrained human presences a fair way behind us. Theyre probably emissaries of the special forces under Gazaines orders. As the youngest, I was put under the custody of the leader and was mobilised together with Nebil. Elemia, who was also a member of the special forces, was also grouped with us, but she had been sent ahead to scout and wasnt here right now. This was because Elemia, at only 7 years of age, has learned both [Sense Presence] and [Espionage Techniques]. The wyverns were reported to be setting up a lair in a hollow located a few kilometres northwest of the Nest. Since the environment was all wasteland with no obstructions, the emissaries of who specialised in covert activities made up the core, approaching in a manner where they wouldnt be visible even from the sky. Separated into small groups, we draw closer while moving under cover. Nebil sent s characteristic signal of tongue clicks, then made preparations to storm into the lair. Incidentally, the emissaries were not wearing their usual jet-black crow outfit this time, and instead wore on a sand-coloured cloak over their standard equipment, so that it was hard for the wyverns to detect them from the sky. Nebil slipped into the cover of another rock ahead and beckoned to me. I used [Stealth Steps] and followed Nebil. Ill say this since you answered so honestly. Frankly speaking, Id like to cut ties with this organisation. I was quite surprised. I had thought Nebil was a rather pious believer. Im only speaking up because its you, but Im not the only one who thinks that. Saying this much, you understand the rest, right? Yeah There are others who feel the same as him. But with our abilities, were no match for the organisations elites or the members of the special forces. Im also part of the special forces, but I got in with my scouting and intelligence gathering abilities instead. Its different to the combat geniuses like Elemia. Even so, Elemia is only 7 years old. We can think of a few methods to pin her down. The other elites too, it would be dangerous if they came in swarms, but we can probably manage if we make a surprise attack. However Gazaine. For him, I cant think of any ways to escape him safely, let alone ways to win. I was surprised yet again. I never thought that Nebil had planned such a concrete campaign against the religious organisation. So, how about it, Fellow believer Orochi? No Edgar, wasnt it. How about what? Dont play dumb. If its you, can you win against him? You can think of countermeasures, right? Called into question, I pondered for a short while. DD Countermeasures against Gazaine. Naturally, Ive repeated countless simulations but I still havent hit upon a reliable method of winning. Previously, I likened the training with Gazaine to fighting games. A truly strong player would see through all of the clever schemes thought up by an amateur, and moreover would deal a severe counterattack. However DD Ill need a little longer, I think. At my words, Nebil raised his eyebrow. Heh! I see. Thats good. You dont doubt me? Apart from me, the special forces are a bunch of monsters. Only Gazaine is different and stands out. And, I think, that you, Edgar, are also outstanding in a different sense After all, you were acknowledged by Gazaine himself. Saying that the only one who has the possibility of killing him is Boundless. Boundless. He was referring to the nickname Boundless Orochi. Youre overestimating me so much that its making me uneasy but Ill try. Heh. Its reassuring if youre saying that. I DD We will be patiently waiting for that moment. Saying that, Nebil peers further ahead from the cover of the rock. In Nebils line of sight, a thumbnailed-sized lump could be seen several hundred metres ahead of here. It was brownish-grey and was around 3 metres tall, considering the distance, with angular bits here and there. It was hard to tell because its wings were folded but that was our target, the wyvern. The wyvern was crouching by the edge of one of the chasms in the ground that often appeared in this vicinity, and it was languidly suspended inside the chasm from its neck to the tip of its head. It would roar occasionally but What was it doing? Just one? Nebil mutters anticlimactically. Certainly, the information we received was that several wyverns were building a lair. Light flickered from the cover of rocks in the vicinity of the wyvern right after we identified it. The emissaries we had deployed had sent signals by reflecting sunlight with pocket mirrors. When the lights flicked from a total of five places, Nebil spoke. Fellow believer Orochi, well commence once Elemia returns. It probably has other companions, but we cant just abandon this chance when its alone. Understood. But, Hm? What? Where did Elemia go? Even though the wyverns location is right over there. It was strange that we didnt see Elemia, who had been sent ahead, while heading to the wyverns. ! In a fluster, Nebil visually compares the wyvern with the rock cover where the emissaries were hiding. Then, returning his gaze to the front, he looks past the wyvern, towards the chasm andDD ROOAAAAARRRRRR! Together with multiple roars, several wyverns came flying out from opposite the chasm where it had sunken in a little and couldnt be seen. The wyverns that suddenly appeared swooped down from the rear of the emissaries who had circled behind the first wyvern. As expected of the assassins of , they returned fire despite the chaos, but the wyverns hide was tough and knives wouldnt damage them at all. The attacked emissaries were masters of [Throwing Spear Techniques] and [Throwing Axe Techniques], but both skills were hard to use in melee combat. In accordance with established tactics for fighting wyverns, restrictive nets were also brought but they targeted occasions when the wyverns were on the ground. Once the wyverns took flight, the nets couldnt be used until after they were pulled down to the ground again. Then, the wyvern that had been crouching at the beginning attacked as well. The crouched dragon used its gigantic claw to lift a large boulder that was directly below it and tries to drop it on the disordered emissaries from overhead. H-hey, Fellow believer Nebil! DDck ! Everyone, begin the attack! Retreat as soon as we rescue Gonzack and Lazarre! Seeing that theres already no point in hiding, Nebil gives an order. From the cover of rocks here and there, the emissaries who were wearing identical sand-coloured cloaks to mine stood up and fired magic spells and knives at the wyverns to attract their attention. I levitated a nearby boulder with [Physics Magic]. I would be able to levitate it easier with [Psychokinesis] but that is one of my trump cards so I dont want to reveal it. Anyway, I threw the magically floating boulder at the aforementioned wyvern that was carrying the large boulder. It seemed that even this kind of action was affected by [Throwing Techniques]; my boulder followed the intended trajectory and hit the wyverns leg. The dragon couldnt bear it and dropped the large boulder it had been holding. The large boulder fell into the chasm that the wyvern had been crouching by at the beginning. I couldnt see the situation below from here, but from the fact that a loud boom sounded, the chasm seemed deeper than I had thought. Well done! The emissaries were moving even while Nebil said that. Reaching the sides of the emissaries who had been first attacked DDGonzack and LazarreDD they divert the airborne wyverns with their respective specialised attacks, such as magic and throwing knives. The magic was merely Flame Bit, and the knives lacked the ability to leave any injuries either, but they appeared to be able to keep the wyverns at a distance at least. The emissaries assembled in a circular formation and slowly made their way here while keeping the airborne wyverns in check. Behind Nebil and I, there was a small grove with various trees and shrubbery, and further behind that was a rocky mountain with cactus-like thorny trees growing here and there. The wyverns seemed to dislike those trees so if we ran over there then we could reorganise our formations. Right when we thought we could reconvene after withdrawing another one hundred metres, Elemia returned. In regards to where she could have been, she had sprung out from the bottom of the chasm the wyverns had been in at the beginning. She soundlessly ran the distance from the chasm to our location at full speed. I wondered just what had happened, as the sand-coloured cloak she should have been wearing was gone. Elemia, who had run through the wasteland with her short, silver hair fluttering about, stopped in front of Nebil. Elemia wasnt breathing heavily, but Nebil grasped at his heart in suffering instead. I see, its [Fatigue Transference]. Theres no effect on me, who has [No Fatigue], but I suppose this is what it does. Breathing heavily, Nebil asks about a separate subject as if he had known about Elemias skill as well. Gh Fellow believer Elemia! Where did you go!? Its understandable considering the situation, but Nebils words were a little pointed. However, Elemia did not falter at them and instead shouted out with a snap. DDThis isnt a wyvern nest! Huh!? What are you saying! When several wyverns have already appearedDD Like I said, the wyverns arent the problem it was there! What was! Right when Elemia was about to reply to Nebil, the ground shook. NoDD Its slanting!? The edges of the chasm spread out to the left and right. At the same time, the ground where we were formed a large depression, and a fissure ran along the perimeters. Then, suddenly a flame gushed out from that fissure. W-whaDD While I was lost for words, Elemia exclaimed. A firedrake! This is a firedrakes nest! A Firedrake has been living underground in this area! F-firedrake! Nebils face drains of colour. Everyone, fall back! Withdraw! At Nebils words, the emissaries start running this way. Fortunately, thanks to the flame just now, the wyverns had fled into the sky. However, that wasnt the problem. Because of the flame, the ground we were standing in completely collapsed, moreover, it started slowly inclining towards the chasm. It couldnt be DD it had been gouging out the earth we were on in its entirety from underground with the flame from beforeDD? In that case, that would mean the firedrake was quite an unbelievable existence. But luckily, the progression of the landslide wasnt that fast. The disciplined emissaries legs should be just fast enough to let them escape in time. Or so I thought, but, DDKyaa! Fellow believer Donna! A-are you alright!? I-idiot! Dont just stand around! Beck rushed over to the fallen Donna, whereas Miguel wavered before also rushing back in the end. What Donna tripped on was a broken piece of the boulder I had thrown at the wyvern earlier. And at that moment, the nearby ground suddenly sloped even more and the landslide increased in speed. DDShit! F-Fellow believer Orochi! You wont make it! Idiots, come back! Fellow believer Orochi, Fellow believer Elemia! Elemia even followed me when I leaped out. Nebil stretched his arm out in a hurry but wasnt able to catch Elemia. I extended the steel thread wrapped around the gauntlet on my left hand, and bind Donna, Beck and Miguel together. Kyaa! Uwahh Uooh!? Elemia, hold onto me! Y-yes! The landslide finally transitioned into a pitfall and we were cast into the air. I wound the thread around the three children and drew closer, and supported the bodies of the three children and myself, as well as Elemia who was clinging to me, with [Psychokinesis]. However, our inertia was greater than I expected, and no matter what sort of legendary class skill it was, I wasnt able to levitate five humans in such a short time. ckDD Despite it seeming like we would be half-engulfed by the landslide, I recklessly move my fingers and cast a barrage of [Earth Spirit Magic]. I will help too! The invisible Melby also called out to the earth spirits using [Spirit Magic] and had them avert the mass of rock, earth and sand that came assaulting us. Even though it should only have been a moment, it felt like a terribly long time passed. I doubt the battle against the earth and sand even lasted ten seconds. Melby and I succeeded in creating a ball of rock around the five of us. That rock sphere was swept away with the incredible force of the landslide and in the end, it split right into two with a terrible smashing sound. Although I was able to bypass the majority of the impact by levitating our bodies with [Psychokinesis], there was still a whiplash-like shock. Without waiting for it to quieten down outside, we crawled out from the wreckage of the rock sphere and checked the situation. It seems as though we had fallen to the bottom of the chasm. We were at the bottom of a deep ravine, in the midst of earth and sand and lumps of rock that was raining down incessantly from above with a tremendous force. DDOver there! Quickly! Elemia shouts, pointing to a section in the rock face. What looked like the entrance to a cavern was there. Anyhow, we should currently be heading somewhere where we can avoid the things flying at us from above. We rushed towards the cavern. The landslide instantly followed after. The noise stopped once, but immediately after that, a hot wind blew through the cavern for an instant, and the thunderous roar of the landslide resounded once more. Or rather, this, if we did this clumsily, wouldnt we be escaping into the path of the firedrakes breath? Ah, its alright. The firedrakes on the opposite side so its breath shouldnt come this way probably. Said Elemia, seeing my expression. Probably? Y-yeah According to what I heard in my hometown, firedrakes use their breath to make their own lairs. At those times, it first uses its breath to hollow out a deep pit in the middle and then builds its lair with that as the core. And from inside that, it release their breath in all four directions to shape the surroundings of its lair. Wouldnt it loose its shape that way? I heard its breath is hot enough to easily melt boulders, but the firedrake uses its breath to melt the space underground and change the shape of its lair, then waits for it to cool down and solidify. Apparently when a firedrake matures, it even utilises the nature of its breath to make a complex labyrinth in the vicinity of its burrow. A few of the so-called Dungeons that exist throughout the world are firedrake nests with magic beasts residing in them. Oh. That much was never mentioned in the Abaddon Magic Compilation. And so, when you consider our position in relation to the burrow, this place should be a dead angle of the breath. Its breath is released diagonally-upwards from the burrow, so with this location so deep, even if the breath should pass by above our heads, it wont be a direct hit I expect. Elemia says, a little lacking in confidence. Her tone was unsure but I feel that what she said makes sense. Then, Miguel cuts in. But if the breath passes by diagonally above, doesnt that mean it would harden diagonally above us and encase us? Elemia and I were speechless. Miguels reasoning was so logical that I was surprised a little, but rather than that, the content of what he said was an issue. I hurriedly rushed to the entrance we came from but, Boom! There was a large noise, and a huge rock closed off the entrance. Ugh, not yet! ŨDD Tunnel! Dont make light of the [Earth Spirit Magic] tempered from the relic excavation and creating the ducts! By means of my magic, a large hole was opened right in the centre of the huge rock. Ooh! Miguel gave a shout of joy. Fufu, how is it. With a satisfied look, I stuck out my chest, thenDD GloopDD With a shimmering flash of light, the large hole I opened vanished along with the huge rock. Wait, R-retreat! Retreat inside! There was no need for me to say it, the four children also started to run after seeing the lava streaming from the entrance. We retreated into the seemingly naturally-formed cavern in desperation. After following the winding path around several bends, we stopped hearing any noise from behind us. All of us sunk down to the floor and let out a large sigh. Even I who shouldnt tire, did the same thing just now. I took a gulp of the water in the canteen hanging at my waist and then rose, cautiously returning the way we came. Miguel and the others followed me in silence. The lava had been blocked by a turn in the path. It was still dark red but it should harden after a little while. For the time being, we escaped being swallowed up by the lava and dying but, DDErr. Did we just get shut in? In response to Donnas words, I nodded solemnly. CH 43 eavy silence descended upon our surroundings. Hey, Fellow Believer Orochi. Cant we get out by using that [Earth Magic] you used before to dig a hole? Miguel asks me. Its not like I cant do it, but I cant tell what the firedrake has done to the ground around here. If I were to carelessly dig in a bad direction, the tunnel could end up collapsing and we would be buried alive. I heard that there was an incident like that at the excavation site in the Nest before. Although, if I were to use the hardening magic (Concrete) that I used to reinforce the ducts with in conjunction with Tunnel, it should be fine. But although I trusted the childrens group for the most part, I dont want to show too many of my cards. If I were to be asked how I managed to get out afterwards, it would probably be hard to play dumb. Th, then, what are we gonna do? I dont want to be stuck in a place like this with no food. Says Beck, the glutton. Miguel makes a shocked face, but Beck does actually have a point. Since we were hunting close to the Nest this time, we only brought two days worth of rations. For now, lets try exploring this cavern. If we can find another exit then that would be good, but if thats no good then well get as close to the surface as possible and use Tunnel. When I said this, the four showed relieved expressions. Sorry, everyone. This is all because I fell Donna said, looking dejected. Her cute dog ears were also lying flat on her head. Dont worry about it! Were comrades because we help each other out, right! Miguel says cheerfully as he firmly pats Donnas shoulder. Though the one who saved us wasnt Fellow Believer Miguel, but Fellow Believer Orochi instead. Gu- Miguels speech is cut short by Elemias retort. Now, I have a suggestion. How about making Fellow Believer Orochi our leader just for now? After all, the most calm one right now is Fellow Believer Orochi, and the only one who can judge whether to use [Earth Magic] is also Fellow Believer Orochi. The current leader, Miguel, sharply opposes Elemias proposal. Ee-!? I mean, Fellow Believer Orochi is still a kid, aint he! Thats a fair point. But Ive come to believe that it would be better not to judge Fellow Believer Orochi by his appearance or real age. Im already tired of being surprised by him Eremia murmurs the last part. I agree. M, me too After Beck and Donna agree as well, Miguel approves it, albeit reluctantly. Thus Ive become the temporary leader for this team of stranded children. Now, lets see the statuses of the children. First is Miguel. A rascal with short red hair. Its fine to think of him like a protagonist of some shounen manga. He often comes picking fights with me, saying stuff like be my sparring partner. Miguel Mittelt ( Group 1 member | Wonder Child) Age 9 Human Level 19 HP 31/31 MP 17/17 Skills ?Legendary Class [Qinggong] 4 (By adjusting the flow of energy within ones body via the use of a unique breating method, one can control their body movements to an extent that nears the limits of the human body.) ?Master Class [Unarmed Martial Arts] 3 [Assassination Techniques] 1 ?General [Assassination Techniques] 9 (MAX) Surprisingly, Miguel is the owner of a Legendary Class Skill. Due to [Qinggong], Miguels movements are truly phantasmagorical. He would be the type to pressure his opponents with his [Unarmed Martial Arts] while toying with them D an in-fighter; a person specialised in close quarters combat. The fighting style reminds me of Son Goku. If he were to jump at me from close range, I wouldnt be able to deal with it. On the other hand, he doesnt seem to be good at handling throwing-type weapons, as the skill that everyone is taught in , [Knife Throwing], is stuck at level 1. Next is Elemia. Although theres no need to point it out, she is a tomboy with short silver hair and tanned skin. However, her appearance is too noble, so she doesnt look like a boy as much as she thinks she does. Elemia Lotteroot ( Special Forces member |Shrine Maiden of the Dark Forest) Age 7 Dark Elf Level 21 HP 30/30 MP 67/67 Skills ?Legendary Class [Fatigue Transference](Transfers ones fatigue to the people in the vicinity. Perpetually active.) ?Master Class [Espionage Techniques] 4 [Sense Presence] 4 [Assassination Techniques] 2 [Discern] 1 ?General [Assassination Techniques] 9 (MAX) [Shuriken Techniques] 5 [Dagger Techniques] 4 [Night Vision] 4 [Darkness Magic] 4 [Unarmed Combat Skills] 3 [Knife Throwing] 3 [Light Magic] 3 [Mana Perception] 3 [Leap] 2 [Farsight] 2 [Wind Instruments] 2 Blessing of the Dark Forest(Medium compensation to the acquisition of skills (including magic) related to sensing presences and concealment .) As always, its a status unbefitting of a seven-year old child. Although I feel like she would say Youre one to talk. Incidentally, it has been three years since Miguel and Eremia were dragged into , so they would be the seniors in the childrens group. And Donna. She is a fair-skinned girl with floppy dog ears and uniquely braided, moderately long, black hair as her trademark features. Although it doesnt really look like it, she is also the oldest in the childrens group. Donna Harsha ( Group 1 member) Age 11 Therianthrope (Moon Dog Race) Level 18 HP 30/30 MP 34/34 Skills ?Legendary Class [Super Olfaction] ?Master Class [Microscopic Observation] 4 [Compounding] 4 ?General [Mixing] 9 (MAX) [Keen Hearing] 7 [Water Magic] 4 [Telekinesis Magic] 4 [Stealth Steps] 4 [Night Vision] 3 [Mana Perception] 2 [Darkness Magic] 2 [Dagger Techniques] 2 [Assassination Techniques] 1 [Unarmed Combat Skills] 1 [Knife Throwing] 1 [Tool Creation] 1 Rather than her athleticism, Donnas role is to use drugs made by [Compounding] to obstruct enemies and provide support for allies. Although shes the oldest out of all the children, including those who arent here, its because she wasnt well equipped with the physical prowess required as an emissary. Even though when you think of beastmen you would normally have an image of someone with high physical abilities, Donna seems to have a higher aptitude for manufacturing-type skills that make use of her superior senses. In regards to [Mixing], I tried asking Gazaine to teach it to me but, DDLike I could teach that to a dangerous guy like you. I was refused. Although everyone made it out of the landslide with only minor injuries, Donna applied the medicinal herbs she had on hand to treat our injuries. Since its not like I could ask Melby (she is still here), Im glad that she is here. The final one is Beck. He was a boy with a sturdy build and cropped blonde hair as a distinguishing feature. Since hes over 140 centimeters tall despite only being 8 years old, he will undoubtedly become a giant in the future. Beck Warne ( Group 1 member | Small Vajra) Age 8 Human Level 15 HP 29/29 MP 16/16 Skills ?Legendary Class [Protect] 4 (Letting a Gods power dwell in your stance, you protect your allies by using your own body as a shield.) ?Master Class [Toughness] 2 [Super Strength] 2 ?General [Greatshield Techniques] 6 [Battleaxe Techniques] 4 [Stealth Steps] 3 [Assassination Techniques] 3 [Woodcraft] 3 [Earth Magic] 2 [Dagger Techniques] 2 [Throwing Spear Techniques] 2 [Keen Hearing] 1 [Night Vision] 1 [Knife Throwing] 1 Although it feels like there arent enough offensive skills, [Protect]s ability is amazing. Stance of the Iron Wall has a strong effect, reducing all frontal damage to 0. But then again, Beck still cant use Stance of the Iron Wall. But in exchange, it seems like he can use Stance of the Mad Bull, a skill which makes his upper body invincible and gives him the superhuman strength to take on an enemys attack. Although its amazing, its hard to use. Rather than that, he can probably use [Super Strength] and [Toughness] without having to determine the situation. If he were to train, it seems like his status in the future would surpass that of Goleth without The Evil Gods Curse of Calamity. On a side note, Beck is also my [Woodcraft] comrade. In contrast to his build, he is good at precision crafts. Technically speaking, although I should be better as I have a higher skill level, since our passion for details seems to be different, I often think that the finishing quality of my products is no match for his. Well, I seem to have digressed a bit. Now then, you should understand by looking at it like this, but this group of children is actually rather superb. Although to begin with, the childrens group is made up of unique skill-wielding children kidnapped from here and there by Gazaine. Their original talent was increased through s training, and their stats were raised enough so that they were more than able to handle the adult emissaries. If I am able to dispel their brainwashing in the future, it might be fun to become adventurers together with this party of five. But before thatDDthat is something for after we get through this predicament. That said, I wonder if we could actually beat the firedrake with this lineup? Lets try asking Melby-sensei. Hey, around how strong is the firedrake? Do we have any hope of beating it with these guys? Lets seea dragons strength varies depending on its age, but as long as its not an extremely young dragon, I think it would be pretty tough for these children? Even if youre there with them. To defeat a firedrake, it would take a small military troop. You cant help, right? Melby, as a fairy, is under constraints that prevent her from intentionally causing harm to another person. Since dragons arent monsters, its impossible. Though its possible for wyverns, a dragon subspecies. Although I can protect you if it comes down to it, I cant aggressively attack. In other words, its an enemy that can be reasoned with? Yeeahwhile there are some elder dragons who can understand human language, its impossible for most dragons. But fundamentally, as long as you dont trespass in a dragons territory, dragons usually wont take the initiative to attack. Then what was that before? Like Elemia said, that was merely the firedrake building a lair. If the firedrake felt like attacking seriously, it wouldnt have ended as lightly as that. So weve got no choice but to run, huh. Luckily, we still havent entered the dragons territory yet, have we? Thats right. Since the area around here hasnt become part of the firedrakes lair yet, there shouldnt be any problems as long as we dont encounter it unexpectedly. Okay, Ive received Melby-senseis guidance. Although I was worried about what would happen at one point, it seems like well be able to get through this somehow. DDOr so I thought, but. One hour later. DDHey, Fellow Believer Orochi. What is it? Were heading downwards right now, right? Yeahunfortunately. There was no need for Miguel to point it out, I already knew. The cavern we were in gently sloped downwards while occasionally curving at sharp turns. On top of that, the state of the cavern suddenly changed midway. The space in the cave widened greatly. As ifDDyes, like even a firedrake with a large frame could pass through. This is the mark of a firedrake, right. Elemia said as she investigated the wall. The reason the cavern walls have hardened in a wave-like shape is because that is what remains after they have been melted by the firedrakes breath and solidified after cooling down. In other words, this is already part of the labyrinth made by the firedrake. How troubling. I guess theres no way other than to turn back and use Tunnel and Concrete to make a passageway identical to the ducts, huh. But, if we were to do that, that would lead to the conversation topic of why I didnt do that from the beginning. But, its not like I can fight the firedrake with these guys. No matter how strong the skills in their possession were, if they failed to dodge even a single breath attack, that would be the end. And its not like we can guarantee a zone that was safe from its breath like in games. If it were to breathe out in a narrow space, we would be unable to dodge and end up disintegrating. I made a decision after hesitating for a bit. DDI guess turning back would be best. Its a bit shameful as a leader, but I wont compromise our safely. It happened when I stopped walking and opened my mouth. Something is coming. Elemia said. Although I also have the same [Sense Presence] skill as Elemia, it seems like Elemia is better at reading presences. What is? I turn back and ask Eemia. Elemias face pales in an instant. Fellow Believer Orochibe, behind you Miguel says in a hoarse voice. I incrementally turn my head around to look back. DDOur eyes met. I met eyes with the firedrake that extended its neck around the corner. Re- Re? Retreat! The four ran away at full speed at my words. ROARRRR-! Then, the firedrake releases its breath towards us.. Ku-! (Gaia) (Circle)DDStone Wall! Using [Earth Spirit Magic], I make as many stone walls as I could in one go, then follow the four. The moment we finished turning the corner right ahead of us, an intense heat bursts out from behind. When I turned around with a shudder, I saw that the corridor had turned into a red hot sea of lava. Past that, I look at the seemingly pleasantly-smiling firedrake andDD [Appraisal]. Firedrake Level 11 HP 4539/4539 MP 692/712 Abilities (Innate ability. Can be strengthened through a Gift or Curse depending on the proficiency level.) Flame Breath Acid Spray Flight Passive (A passively invoked ability.) Detoxification (Decomposes harmful microscopic substances within the body.) Passive Strong Immunity (Degrades harmful invasive microbes within the body.) Passive Regeneration (By consuming magic energy, damage to the flesh is recovered.) Skills ?General [Stealth Steps] 7 [Night Vision] 5 [Dragon Limb Combat] 3 [Dragon Claw Techniques] 3 [Dragon Scale Defense] 2 There seems to be a lot of issues to retort at, but now isnt the time for that! (Aqua) ? (Circle) ? (Spread) ? (Flame)DDIce Wall! In the space between us and the firedrake that looks as though it will send another breath attack, I deploy an original ice-making magic at full strength and block up the passageway. I also set up a Stone Wall in front of that just in case. Run, run! As I rush the four, I energetically dash to the next corner. The instant we turn the corner, I hear a terrific explosive sound from behind but I ignore that. While we are outside of the firedrakes field of view, I dig a hole with Tunnel in the shadow of the crags. Although Ive made the entrance narrow so it doesnt stand out, the inside should be be decently spacious. Come in here! As I yell out, I take the initiative to slip into the hole. While I widen the hole with Tunnel, I confirm that the four have properly entered. Afterwards, I go up to the hole we entered through, (Gaia) ? (Circle) DDStone Wall and fill it in with [Earth Spirit Magic]. Then, I signal for the four to hide their presences. Thanks to the training style of , the four immediately erase their presences in accordance to my hand signs. Of course, I also erase my presence and use [Sense Presence] to check the state of the area outside the hole (though its a wall now). The firedrake approaches with loud footsteps that torment my heart DD then, just like that, the footsteps fade away. It seems like we managed to get it to bypass us without incident. It seems were alright for now. When I say that, the four of them let out sighs of relief in unison. CH 44 How troubling. Mhm Yeah Yea Im hungry Elemia, Donna, Miguel and Beck all gave half-hearted replies to my mutterings. Only Becks response was unknown as to whether it was a reply or not. Ed, Ed. Hm? What? The firedrake from just now, it seems like its gone quite far away. How do you know? Because I cant hear the voices of the fire spirits that surrounded the firedrake. I also concentrated and tried to listen to the voices of the spirits; it certainly seems like there arent any fire spirits nearby. If youre able to do that, I wish you would have said something before we came across it. I thought you were already doing it. Besides, the spirits in the ground were in disorder because of its breath so I couldnt immediately tell it was coming near. Since having a lot of fire spirits around after the breath attack wasnt strange either. Also, I dont know why but that firedrake also seems to possess [Stealth Steps]. Why the hell would a dragon know something like skills Oh, skills arent really exclusive to humans in particular, you know? Fairies, dragons, and monsters will acquire skills if theyve accumulated enough experience. The firedrake having [Stealth Steps] might be a little unusual though. Was that so.. Putting that aside, if youre leaving this place, now is the time to do it. But, well encounter it if it comes back, right? Nevertheless, wont it be dangerous even if you stay here indefinitely? Having entered its lair means theres the possibility of its breath being sent over here too. We can defend against it if its breath comes flying, right? Can you? Just then, its breath deviating away from the entrance was also thanks to me making a request to the fire spirits. Was it. Wouldnt we have died there if Melby wasnt here then? Thats right. Shouldnt you be grateful? Melby puffs out her chest in pride. Huh? But Im sure Elemia said that its breath shouldnt hit us, based on our position in relation to the lair? Well, Elemia hadnt seemed that confident though. Anyway, Ive decided what we should do, now that its become like this. DDEveryone, please listen. Its a little dangerous, but Im going to use Tunnel and dig a passage to the surface from here. Theres also a chance of it suddenly collapsing, but its better than coming across the firedrake. If I use the hardening magic Concrete in addition to Tunnel , there should hardly be any collapsing. I quickly set to work but, DDPlease wait, Fellow believer Orochi. I object to that plan. Unexpectedly, Miguel declared that. Hey, you couldnt be saying you want to try fighting that firedrake, could you? No matter how I am, even I wouldnt be saying that. Not that, Since the firedrake has left its lair right now, I think we should scout out the inside of its lair. From the start, our task this time was the investigation of the wyverns setting up their lairs near the Nest. The firedrake being here was outside our expectations but DDno, its exactly for this reason; itll be bad if we dont examine the scale of this lair. Mhm.. Miguel had a point. The Crows Nest might face a great crisis in the distant future if we ignore the firedrake now. Scouting out the scale of this lair to confirm whether the Nests underground establishment was in danger of being connected or not makes sense. Fellow believer Orochi, Im also in agreement with Fellow believer Miguel. I heard that firedrake lairs have multiple exits. Hence, if we avoid the path the firedrake took just now and advance towards the interior, theres also a chance of being able to come out to the surface from another exit. In that case, theres no need for Fellow believer Orochi to take the risk and dig a tunnel using [Earth Magic]. This time, Elemia endorsed Miguel. I can dig a tunnel without risk if I use Concrete, but since I said theres the danger of collapsing at the beginning, its hard to refute it. I-I am also in favour of the reconnaissance. The residence where everyone lives would be in trouble if it became linked to the firedrakes lair. Even if theres a little bit of danger, its better to check the situation. Donna also agreed with the reconnaissance. It was quite unexpected, but I often see Donna taking care of the little kids in the childrens group. For everyone were the magic keywords to move Donna. I think Ill support Fellow believer Orochi. It looks like the lair was just finished, but there might be other monsters like the wyverns around. There was a large error in the information we first received so I think we should retreat first, then seek instructions from Fellow believer Nebil. Only Beck was in agreement with me. It was a very Beck-like view, since he had the role of shield and was expected to protect the party members. Now then, the majority is three against two. Of course, it wasnt as though I couldnt claim the right as the leader and make returning the priority but, leaving Donna aside, it doesnt seem like Miguel or Elemia would assent to that. I got it. The firedrake isnt here for now, so lets scout out the inside of its lair. Then from there, search for another exit and escape. DDThat fine? At my words, the four gave small nods. We decided on the actions to take in the emergency situation of being chased by the firedrake, then set about scouting out the firedrakes lair. I dont think there would be any monsters in the newly-built lair, but the wyverns we encountered outside might be there. Taking up a line formation with Elemia at the head, followed by Miguel, Donna, Beck, and finally me at the rear, we advanced to the lair. The inside of the lair was pitch-black. Everyone possessed the [Night Vision] skill but unlike my [Darkvision], they cant see anything when theres absolutely no light. The sand-coloured cloaks stood out all the more within the darkness, so we took them off and left them in the first hole. Also, the bulky items such as the wyvern-catching nets were discarded as well, prioritising agility. Elemia being at the head was, of course, due to the value of her scouting ability. Miguel, with his high combat ability, was positioned so he could jump out from behind Elemia at any time. I was at the rear to be on the watch for the firedrakes return, and I was to use all the magic I could to buy time if it did return. Beck, who was in front of me, was assigned the role of covering for the combat-weak Donna at times of need with his characteristic defensive ability. Melby, who was invisible to everyone, listened carefully to the voices of the spirits, to spy on the movements of the firedrake. It wouldnt be strange for the firedrake to return from behind us at any time. That said, we werent in much of a haste, as there was also the risk of the monsters that may be inside taking us unawares. We continued at a steady march. I, who had [No Fatigue] was another thing, but Donna and Beck who still had little experience as emissaries seemed quite tired. Elemia seemed unfatigued thanks to [Fatigue Transference], but the nearby Miguel probably had Elemias share of fatigue transferred to him. I did tell Elemia to put some distance between us, but if she drifted too far away, we wouldnt be able to provide support at the critical moment. Then, Elemia stopped abruptly. Using hand signs, she signaled to us who were following to erase our presences, then using [Espionage Techniques] and [Darkness Magic] together to completely extinguish her own presence, she peeked inside from a corner. A few seconds later, with even more caution than at the start, Elemia returned to our side. Naturally, she didnt commit any mistakes like kicking a stone and making a noise or things like that. Its there. Elemias words were direct. You say its there What is? Miguel asked quietly. All of us couldnt believe what she said next. A Firedrake. Huh? A firedrake was there. Also, this firedrake is larger than the one from before! Elemia said, her face pale. Melby, can you sense them? The fire spirits? Uh uhIt doesnt seem like theyre there Melby said with bewilderment. If its you, Melby, could you approach it without being noticed and use [Appraisal]? Her skill level was lower than mine, but Melby also possessed [Appraisal]. I wonder Its a firedrake without any fire spirits, right..? If its not a corpse, that would mean it spoke to the fire spirits and told them not to stay near it. Perhaps it even rounded up the spirits to help with the construction of its lair? H-hey.. Are you saying that firedrake can use [Spirit Magic]? Its possible. If so, it should be a fairly old firedrake. I cant deny the possibility of a firedrake like that noticing my [Appraisal]. Rather, Elemia did a good job of not being discovered. Then, it might be dangerous to even be talking here. Yes. Lets quickly leave this place. Of course, take great care not to be noticed. Ending the mental conversation with Melby, I turned to face the four children. Anyhow, lets leave this place. We found out that such a big thing is there. Thats enough of a result for our reconnaissance. After this, we should survive and bring this information back to the Nest alive. This time, no objection was voiced. However, But, which way do we go? Until here, the cavern was one straight path. Even if we returned, wouldnt we come across the first firedrake? Elemia said worriedly. For the time being, well return to the place we were at before we started descending. Well dig a tunnel, hide the entrance, then dig a hole to the surface from there. Until that point We can only pray that we dont meet the firedrake. In that case, Ill be the vanguard and scout. Once I confirm the firedrakes position, Ill return immediately. If its nearby then well bypass it with Fellow believer Orochis [Earth Magic]. Scouting is probably necessary. I think well know about the firedrakes approach because Melby is here, but there is the chance of the fire spirits separating like they did with the firedrake inside. Got it. Be careful. Of course. Elemia cautiously returned down the path we came. Miguel, Donna, and Beck, the three children and I who were left behind exchanged hand signs and altered our formation, then followed after Elemia. We were separated from Elemia, the scout, and the smaller firedrake was in front, so this time I stood at the vanguard, followed by Beck, Donna, and then Miguel in that order. Whether it be the hand signs from just now, or the covert movements with no rustling of our clothes, s training was as expected. As I advanced with caution, I address Melby. I thought it was somewhat strange, so the one building the lair was that larger firedrake. The breath flying towards where Elemia promised was safe had been because the firedrake Elemia identified before the landslide was the smaller one. From the position of the smaller one, the breath wouldnt reach that point, but the bigger one was in a deeper location so its breath reached that far. Even though the firedrake should be inside its lair, suddenly coming across a firedrake (the smaller one) was also because a different dragon to the one building a lairDa smaller oneDhad come to inhabit the lair. Perhaps the smaller one is the child of the bigger one. The fire spirits gathering at the smaller one may be because the bigger one asked the fire spirits to watch over the smaller one. They could also be there to keep watch, but the firedrake could simply be marking it. If the bigger one is a user of [Spirit Magic], then it could know the location of the child dragon by listening to the voices of the fire spirits. I solved the mystery, but the situation didnt change. After progressing for a short while, we returned to near where we encountered the first firedrake. We were able to see the back of Elemia, who had gone ahead, at the end of the cavern. From inside the cavern, an anxiety-inducing thud thud sound resounded. No doubt, it was just ahead. I produced hand signs telling the three behind me to stop and had them wait there. While doing that, Elemia noticed us and sent some hand signs. They wereDD Leader. Only. Come. Here. I use [Espionage Techniques] to approach Elemia. (Look) Elemia conveyed, only moving her lips. I only sent half my face around the corner and looked at the other side. There it is. FurthermoreDD Its enraged Just like Melby said, the (small) firedrake was in a rage. The firedrake was in front of the hole we had hidden and let it go past in. We purposely didnt fill in the hole after we left it but DDit failed. The firedrake thrust its head into the hole, dragged out the sand-coloured cloaks and wyvern-catching nets and such that we had discarded, and used its fangs and claws to tear them into pieces and trample on them. It seemed very irritated at being deceived. It might not pass a second time if we use the same method. Even if we retraced our steps and dug out a hole midway, the firedrake probably wouldnt be tricked again. Filling in the dug hole would be, of course, done from the interior so it wasnt possible to confirm the completion of the exterior. Perhaps, it would form a wall that seemed out-of-place and would be noticed immediately if the firedrake looked attentively. And, the firedrakes speed of detecting was probably faster than our rate of hole digging. It might be too narrow for it to enter but it sending a breath at the hole was enough to fear. In that case, we can preparing ourselves, exposing ourselves once, and slip past by the firedrakes flank while heading towards the cave entrance DDwait, the entrance was buried by the bigger ones lair-building breath, wasnt it. Could I have the others buy me time to dig through using Tunnel? Without losing someone as sacrifice to the firedrake? I thought these guys might be able to manage, but it became a complete gamble. If I went ahead to dig with Tunnel, I wouldnt be able to be there while the firedrake fought the four children. I dont want to hear about so-and-so dying or anything. Isnt there any good moves to make? While taking care not to reveal my presence, I kept a sharp eye on the firedrake and frantically looked around. Then, DDAlright, I can only do that. I retracted my head from around the corner and asked Elemia to keep a lookout while I crouched and summoned the three trailing behind with hand signs. Taking care not to let my voice leak to the firedrakes side with [Wind Magic], I explain the strategy. Yet another absurd tactic. But I suppose thats all you can do. Melby commented. The four children also approved of the strategy, albeit surprised. DDAlright, everyone must survive and return. At my words, the four gave tiny nods. CH 45 Lets go! Without even needing me to voice the words, the four children silently dash forward in response to my hand signal. They headed towards the firedrake. I had everyone employ [Stealth Steps] but, as expected, even the firedrake would notice them once they approached its vicinity. When the firedrake gave a wary growl, the four split into two groups. Elemia and Beck went to the firedrakes right and Miguel, dragging Donna along with him, headed towards the left. As for me, I sprinted after the children and continue charging straight at the firedrake even when the four separate. Naturally, the firedrake turns its attention to me, the one in front. There, DD Flashlight! I compressed the duration of the spell to an instant and produced a high-intensity (light). Of course, my eyes were shut and I had one hand covering them. Gugyaaa!? The blinded firedrake shrieked. Using that opening, the four children slip past the firedrake and move to their predetermined positions. Meanwhile, I slide under the dragons belly as I use [Psychokinesis] on the wire hook that Melby had taken out for me, sending it forward. The hook passes beneath the dragons belly and twines around the torso of Beck, who was standing on the other side. Beck had already taken a stance with his waist lowered and both arms thrust out at an angle D the Mad Bull Stance. He wouldnt be thrown off balance so easily because he had the [Toughness] skill as well, or so he said. There is an added mechanism on the hook that wasnt there the last time I used it, back when I slipped out of the Nest for Melbys sake. A reel is attached to the wire of the hook so it can be wound. I wind the reel with [Psychokinesis] and succeed in slipping underneath the firedrake before it moves. Then, I circled behind Beck. 릸 ``Stronghold! With a four-symbol activation, earthen walls form around Becks lower body. Because I went so far as to use four symbols to consolidate it, it shouldnt collapse easily. At the same time, Melby also made a request to the earth spirits asking them to strengthen the walls as much as possible. I dont know what happened exactly, but the exterior face of the walls dissolved into a toffee-like state and then hardened in the same way as a mineral. At that moment, the firedrake finally turned this way. Its eyes converge to focus on us. Either its regeneration ability had kicked into action, or it never received a serious wound in the first place. When I glanced back to check my rear flank, I saw that Elemia, Donna, and Miguel had already run through the cavern and their figures were now disappearing behind a bend. That corner wasnt directly in line with Beck and the firedrake, so they would be safe from attacks. I retrieve some separation barrier fragments from the leather pouch at my waist that I used specifically to store them, and throw them at the firedrakes head in succession. I thought they would be repelled by its scales, but the fragments tore the firedrakes hide to pieces. The firedrake glares at me, its eyes burning with anger. Then, it inhaled deeply. Beck, Melby! Im alright! Wait, whos Melby? Im fine! I could hear the shrill voices of the fire spirits. The emotion that dwelled within the voices wasDDdelight, I suppose. Right after the glint in the firedrakes eyes sharpened, an intense radiance surged out from within its throat. Practically the only thing that could be seen from directly in front was an explosion of light. The ray of light was partially deflected upwards through Melbys intervention, but even so, it remained on a direct course towards Becks torso. Below the earthen walls, I lay face-down in Becks shadow as the super high-temperature ray passes by and directly engulfs Becks upper body. Although I knew that this Mad Bull Stance would turn ones upper body invincible through a godly power, this spectacle was still bad for the heart. Even if his upper body was invincible, wouldnt he still be harmed by the high heat of the breath attack since his lower half is regular flesh and bone? With that thought in mind, I had tried to check on Beck before the dragon attacked and learned that it would be fine as long as he took the blow with his upper body. The breath attack engulfed Becks upper body and continued to extend past us, mercilessly melting the cavern wall. We were exposed to the breath attack for what seemed like an eternity, but then it stopped. All that remained after the attack were us, the firedrake, the charred remains of the earthen walls, as well as the new red-hot cavity that had opened up behind us. Furthermore, light from the outside could be seen within the cavity, although the simmering hot air that remained from the firedrakes breath attack did made it a bit hazy. ThereD ! With all my might, I cast [Earth Spirit Magic] and create minimal scaffoldings to stand on. The cavity was still hot, but the emissaries of should be able to run through it at least. Elemia and Miguel, who was carrying Donna, returned from further inside the cavern. Its done! Lets go! Heeding my words without sparing time to even nod, the two advanced down the path. Fellow believer Beck, you should hurry too! I shouted out to the sole remaining person, Beck. However, he didnt respond to my call. Instead, he just stared fixedly at the firedrake without even budging from his place before the earthen wall. Beck! `Go on ahead, Fellow believer Orochi! Huh!? What are you saying! I will hold it back here! If I dont, you guys wont be able to get away! The firedrake once again inhales in preparation for a breath attack. Seeing that, Beck breaks into a run towards the firedrake. Upon noticing Beck approach, the firedrake interrupts its breath attack to stomps down on him. Beck! I thought he had been crushed, but Beck employed the Mad Bull Stance once again and firmly caught the dragons foot. After all, I am Vajra Knight Dikreos Wawns son! As if I could leave my comrades and turn my back on the ENEMY!!! Beck gives a warcry as he slowly forces back the dragons foot which he had stopped. Despite its initial surprise, the firedrake repositioned its other legs and put even more force behind the foot crushing Beck. Now would be the time to run away, but how could I do such a thing! Ah geez! What an unwelcome favour that is! I retrieved some separation barrier fragments from the leather bag that was hanging on my waist, and then threw them at the firedrakes leg. I was sure they would be repelled by its scales this time, but the fragments managed to easily pierce through its hide. Really, just what are these fragments? Incidentally, the stock of fragments that had diminished when I retrieved them from the leather bag was secretly replenished by Melby. The firedrake groans viciously as it stumbles. Meanwhile, Beck slipped out from underneath the dragons foot. What do you mean by an unwelcome favour, Fellow believer Orochi! No matter how you look at it, it would be better to have Fellow believer Orochi survive rather than me! needs you more than me! As if I care about that! Life is not something you can just throw away so easily! If you died, Mona, Pingu, Mitchell, Cats Eye, Mole, Dog, and the others, everyone everyone would mourn for you! Everyone! Were all returning to the childrens room together! Cats Eye, Mole, and whatnot were the names given to the children in the Nest. Most of the names, including mine, tended to relate to animals, as though Gazaine couldnt be bothered to think up new names every time. I cant do that! Someone has to stay behind to hold back the firedrake! Thats why I said Ill do it! Even in a one-on-one battle, I would be the one with the highest chance of survival! You cant be sure of that, right!? No matter how strong you are, Fellow believer Orochi, you cant guarantee that you wont be done in by the firedrake! Like I saidD ThatD WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!? The sudden shout caused Beck and I to flinch instinctively. Somehow, I felt that even the firedrake, which had been extracting the fragments with its mouth, seemed to be surprised. The one who interjected in our unsightly argument was neither Miguel nor ElemiaDD Donna! Why did you returnD Im here too! Me too! When I turned around, a red-head and a head of silver ran past on either side of me. Carried by the momentum from rushing back through the passage to the outside, Miguel strikes at the firedrake as Elema throws her knives. Were going to stop it here! Donna, go scold those two idiots! O-oi, what are you saying? Why did everyone return!? When I unintentionally flared up, Fellow believer Orochi and Fellow believer Beck, this way! Donna said that, grasping at the napes of Beck and my necks and pulling. Of course, we could shake ourselves free if we became serious, but we couldnt oppose Donnas intensity. With her dog ears now erect instead of laying flat as they did normally, Beck and I were dragged further into the covers of the cavern. Beck-kun! Why didnt you obey Orochi-kuns decision when he was elected the leader by everyone! It seems she was greatly agitated, as she attached -kun to our names instead of Fellow believer. B-but Im the son of a Vajra Knight Thats irrelevant! I supported Orochi-kuns strategy because it was a method where everyone could be saved! I would definitely have opposed if Beck-kun needed to be sacrificed! Uu, ah Beck mumbled, his eyes darting around. Having talked Beck down, Donna instantly turned to look in my direction. Orochi-kun too! Im also to blame because I agreed, but I never heard that it would be this dangerous! Didnt you say you would immediately follow behind us!? N-no, I did intend to properly follow after you guys. But Beck, this guy Dont lay the blame on others! Because I can tell when I see it! Orochi-kun, you thought you would fight the firedrake alone, confine it as long as possible, and take it down if you got lucky, didnt you!? Uh! With her hitting the mark, I was at a loss for words just like Beck. I didnt think as far as taking it down, but I did think that the firedrake might be surprised and run away if I used one or two of my secret weapons. M-melby, does Donna possess [Fairy Eyes] or something? Theres no way thats it. Its girls intuition. So its a girls inherent ability. Please include that in the status. Why do you have to do it alone, Orochi-kun!? Why dont you rely on us, Orochi-kun!? Even I, even Elemia-chan, even Miguel-kun even though we all want to help Orochi-kun, why dont you direct us!? Why didnt you ask us to buy you time so you could dig with Tunnel!? Are we that unreliable!? Ah, no, that is. Indeed, that might be the case. Even without doing the tightrope act of inducing the firedrakes breath attack to create a path, having the four earn time for me to dig with Tunnelwould have been a much safer way of escaping. The reason I didnt do that was because I was worried about the four fighting against the firedrake without me. I certainly intended for all four of them to return alive, but on the other hand, I also doubted their strength. This might be humiliating for them when they were fired up about their mission as emissaries and polished their fighting strength. Sigh thats right. Thank you, Donna Its just like you said. Even as I was being scolded like this, Miguel and Elemia skilfully continued to evade the firedrakes attacks. Was if for s mission? DDNo, it was for the sake of the companions they lived together with. Beck. Im sorry. It certainly seems like I didnt try to count on your strength. It was impolite to the Small Vajra who was able to withstand the breath attack and catch the dragons foot. N-no, I should be sorry too Even though I know that what Fellow believer Orochi said was right Donna watched over us apologising whilst nodding her head. So, we shouldnt stay in hiding right now at least. Lets go. Saying that, I have Melby take out the new arms I made in private. It was a large shield made by layering many sheets of the duralumin excavated from the historic relics and compressing them. With a height of 2 metres and a width of 1 metre, it was downright heavy and just as sturdy. Beck, use this shield. This isD an amazing shield. I had staggered about with it when I handed it over, but Beck set it up without a care. B-but, this where did you take this out from just now? That Ill explain it later when we have time. If he has that, not only could he stop the dragons trampling from just now, wouldnt he even be able to stop its claws or fangs? Y-yeah! Of course! Beck nodded, full of confidence. It was only his upper body that was invincible, so I worried about whether his lower body would be crushed by the dragons body weight if he were to be trampled, but it seems like it didnt turn out that way at all. At the same time, Beck took care to avoid taking on the dragons claws directly. In short, the arrangement was that he would remain unhurt if he was able to stop the blow but hed take actual damage if he were slashed into pieces or pierced. It seems that taking the breath attack was also considered stopping the blow, so he was fine even if the high heat blew against the lower half of his body. There wasnt any hot air radiating towards me as I lay below him either. Why did it turn out like that? Please ask the god who granted Beck his power. But dont take it on directly even by mistake, okay? Also, it hasnt been strengthened by magic so itll melt like normal if it takes a breath attack. Its fine. Because Ive been taught how to handle a shield by my father. I see seeing your father and the others itll be good if you can see them again. I wonder about that I have to forget about such things beyond working as an emissary. I see. Ill leave the defence to you, Beck. But, just that is no good. We have to attract its attention. DDDonna. Y-yes! Donna made a salute-like action by reflex when she was called so suddenly. I dont know where the vigour from just now went. Perhaps she felt refreshed after venting, but Donna returned to her usual obedient self. No, youre older than me so just act normally. Acid or gunpowder is fine, Donna, do you have anything that can attract that guys attention? I do have some firecrackers made from dried Ususake Mushrooms.. Eh? Usuake Mushrooms can turn into firecrackers? Yeah. You didnt know? Thats why we cultivate so many in the Nest. Crap I used it in the okonomiyaki as a substitute for katsuobushi. Nebil was fond of it and told me to pile on lots, but I wonder if thats really okay. Fufu. Its fine as long as you dont eat too many. Even if you overeat, the worse it gets is being unable to stop hiccupping. No, thats pretty terrible Wait, were not talking about that. Donna, you stand behind Beck and throw the firecrackers to attract the firedrakes attention. Beck, protect Donna. However, if that guy shows signs of unleashing a breath attack, take refuge behind me. Got it. I got it. Elemia and Miguel were fighting the firedrake even as the two were nodding. Elemia skilfully attracted the firedrakes attention with her throwing knives and Miguel struck from behind the firedrake in that time. However, Take that! Owwwwww! Miguel jumped back, his hand dangling limply. Despite hitting hard with his sturdy gauntlet, it seems the one who incurred damage was Miguel instead. As for the firedrake, it appeared to only give a fleeting glance at Miguel before losing interest. Damn! If only I could use internal strength like grandpa! So Miguels grandpa can use internal strength. Thats amazing. Id very much like to study under him. For Miguel to be able to use [Qinggong] was plenty amazing though. Elemia continues to throw knives and throwing needles, aiming at places without scales or the gap between scales like the base of its teeth or claws. The firedrake appeared gloomy so it seems that it wasnt ineffective, but she didnt seem to be able to cause much damage. When I tried using [Appraisal], Firedrake. Level: 11, HP: 4488/4539, MP: 451/712. As far as it goes, there was some effect. Compared to Miguel, whose blow didnt get through at all, it could be said that she was putting up a good fight. The firedrake let out an agitated cry and tried to catch Elemia with its teeth and claws, but by that time, Elemia had already retreated outside the firedrakes attack range after leaving behind an afterimage created with [Darkness Magic]. That said, it wasnt too far away. If she distanced herself completely, the firedrake would prepare another breath attack, so she is steadily accumulating damage while maintaining a reasonable distance. I see, so this is what Gazaine meant by calling her a genuine prodigy. That said, Elemia was still unable to hide her nervousness before the firedrake that boasted an overwhelming offensive ability. Observing her opponents attacks and countering with her ownDDeven for just that, she put her life at stake each time. Her fatigue was transferred to the firedrake so there was no chance of her tiring and becoming unable to move, but there was the possibility of the mental strain sapping at her attentiveness. There, Donna threw her handmade firecrackers. There was no physical damage, but it still seemed to surprise the young firedrake. Glaring at Donna, it charged towards her, creating tremendous vibrations as it moved. Just before the dragon swung its foot down with all its strength, Beck managed to wedge himself in between the two and diverted the blow away with the large multi-layered duralumin shield. The firedrakes stance was greatly disturbed when its foot was sent in an unexpected direction. A rumbling sound resounded in its stomach and the its upper body crashed into the wall of the cavern. In that intervalDD Melby! Kay! Melby retrieved a gigantic coil that was 3 metres in height and roughly 50 centimetres in diameter from her dimension storage. Underneath the coil was a cart that I had forcibly welded and attached. Of course, both were artifacts from the historic remains. On that coil, I scribbled a great number of (Thunder) symbols. I also wrote ? (erase) next to the (thunder) but only the were invoked first. Magic symbols that werent invoked would lose their effect after ten seconds, but that was enough for now. Alright! Charging complete! DDEverybody, get away from that guy! I signaled to everyone with my voice, and to Melby with [Telepathy]. Beck and Donna might be put in danger so I told them to flee with my signals. Elemia and Miguel were distanced from the firedrake. We do something similar when invoking large-scale magic in the group fights in so the fours retreat was smooth. Understood! Here we go! Melby retrieved something from her dimension storage in conjunction with her reply. After a brief moment, I invoked ? (erase). The something Melby had retrieved vanished once it appeared by the mouth of the electrified coil. NoDDit was discharged. Gigyaaaa! In one of the wings of the crying firedrakeDDa red-hot rail had pierced through. The four children turned their head in my direction whilst gaping; I suppose they were unable to comprehend what had just happened. Using (thunder) to imbue the coil with an electric current, I create a magnetic field. Then, I throw the magnetic rail into the proximity of that magnetic field. The rail is attracted by the magnetic field. The rail is set inside the magnetic field with that, so I cut off the electric current with ? (erase). When I do that, the rail flies out of the coil at a great speed with the attractive force provided by the magnetic field` `Right, this is an improvised coil gun. It was necessary to rescind the electric current the moment the attractive force was mounted onto the rail, but I was able to devise the timing comparatively easily thanks to a correction applied via [Discern]. It was easier than the Quick Time Event combo in fighting games. By the way, although I used a rail, it wasnt a rail gun but rather a coil gun in regards to the mechanism. I saw a prototype of a coil gun in an online video in my previous life. I only have a vague recollection of it, but the theory is simple. This was done on the spot, without any experimenting within the Nest, but it looks like it went well somehow. Growing red-hot from the friction caused by air resistance, the rail pins the firedrakes wing to the wall of the cavern. H-hang on! I never heard anything about it being this powerful!? Melby said in a flustered manner. Ah, I see. If she knew beforehand, Melbys investment might be considered harming another. Passing me the fragments was fine so I had thought this would be fine too. Or, was that the reason I missed the firing target? If thats so, I might not be able to fire a second time. In that case, Ill pitch in with [Psychokinesis] after the rail leaves the magnetic fieldDD No, this isnt the time to be thinking about this kind of thing. Hey! Were fleeing at once! I call out to the stupefied children. While the firedrake is unable to move, we hurriedly exit outside through the the tunnel. Fortunately, the red-hot path had lowered in temperature, albeit only the surface, and was in the process of becoming the engraved rock that was the mark of the firedrake. The four quickly started to move. However, it was just a little bit late. Gugu Guaaaaaoh! The firedrake gave an agony-filled cry and took a deep breath. As though it had lost itself from the pain, an ominous noise came from its throat as it finished preparations for a breath attack at a much faster pace than before. Crap! It doesnt seem like Ill be able to protect everyone if this place collapses! Tch. I have no choice but to do it! I again pour an electric current into the coil and have Melby retrieve a railDD It was at that moment. I listened carefully this time, so I knew. The fire spirits call out in shrill voices. The direction they came from wasDD diagonally below. Its the larger firedrake that was further inside! Oh fire spirits, save us from that menace``!? Theyre not listening to my words! Melby, who tried to interfere with the incoming breath attack, screamed. I also tried to ask the fire spirits, but the (large) firedrakes breath attack drew closer to us without my request being granted`` VROOOSHDD The cavern was dyed in shimmery light. The breath attack passed between us and the firedrake (small). Seeing that breath attack, the firedrake (small) swallowed its breath, interrupting the breath attack it was about to release. I also halted my preparations with the coil. DDThat breath attack just now was a warning. It was the larger firedrake telling us that it could kill us here. Then, a low voice echoed through the cavern. DDIll have you stop there, dear visitors. Both youDand my childDnever had any reason to quarrel from the start, right? The firedrake (small) emitted a Grrr.. in dissatisfaction, but it didnt seem to have the intent to defy the larger one. It pulled out the rail that was stuck in its wing with its mouth and tossed it towards the interior of the cavern provokingly. The rail was still red-hot but, as expected of a firedrake, it didnt seem to be harmed by the heat. The hole opened in its wing also closed up in a twinkle. Now, dear visitors. Although I am unable to give you a great reception, I do have a request. Leave our lair. Although it was polite, those words were a command. We exchanged looksDD then nodded to one another. CH 46 We turned back on the path that we first went down then came up, and started descending to the inner parts of the nest. We thought of going through the big hole that the parent firedrake opened, but humans dont consider a space with four still red-hot walls a path. Looking at it like this, the hole that the offspring firedrake opened towards the outside some time ago looks like childs play. This one has almost twice the diameter and whats most important, that ones walls started cooling down and hardening within a few minutes. Indeed, with only this much firepower, it couldnt have made a nest this big yet. Then again, it has enough firepower that wouldve been enough to kill us instantly without Becks Protect. This time we descend without using Stealthy Steps, but I cant say we dont feel nervous this time either. The reason for that is that the offspring firedrake is following while keeping an eye on usDD and also, beyond this point is the parent firedrake that Eremia witnessed. While soaking our Yatagarasu uniforms in cold sweat from the inside, we turned the corner where we turned back last time. From there its a straight line to the dwelling place of the parent firedrake. In the dwelling place, there were a few bonfires burning. Its plenty bright even without Dark Vision. Illuminated by the flickering flames, the large build of the parent firedrake came into view. Since its too big, we can only see up to its chest from here. Even with just that its about twice as big as the offspring firedrake. I felt that someone gulped. I dont know if it was Eremia, Donna, Beck, or maybe everyone. B-big.. Miguel said, almost groaning. The offspring firedrake makes a gugyaa sound behind us. As an answer to that the parent firedrake lets out a low sound. Most likely they were knock and come in signals. We step into the dwelling place of the firedrake. Fu-fuwaaa.. Looking up at the parent firedrake, Donna lets her voice leak out. The parent firedrake had a body height of about 7 meters. If it extended its head, then it would most likely reach over the fortress walls of Ranzrack Fortress. Also, there was a wyvern being held in its mouth. Its mealtime, apparently. The firedrake spit out the wyvern towards its back and turned its gaze that gave off a feeling of intelligence in our direction. I was thinking that the fire spirits were restless, it turns out that we had some unexpected visitors. The parent firedrakes voice resounds in my mind. Its moving its mouth too, but the words and the way its mouth moves is mismatched, its like Im watching a dubbed foreign movie. Ca-cannibalism? Donna said with her hand in front of her mouth. It was only in a small voice, but it looks like it reached the ears of the firedrake. Cannibalism? You say some strange things. These are our livestock. They are living carefree lives under our protection and in exchange they consent to becoming our food from time to time. I-is that so. I whispered as I was taken aback. I dont really get the feeling of wanting to be protected even at the cost of being eaten, but if Im told that, then I can only answer with an is that so. I guess cattle and pigs dont run away from humans either. Well then, humans. I have to ask you some things. Me and my offspring migrated here after confirming that this place is far from any human residence. Why are you in this place? Was there a community of people nearby? Yes. There is community of humans living underground in a place not far from here. Why do you live in an inconvenient location such as this? I heard that humans cant live a comfortable life without commerce. If you especially live in a place like this then are you a group of sinful people that were rejected by other humans? That is That is exactly the case, but I was at a loss on how to answer. Fumu.. At the same time as the firedrake mumbled, a surprising Appraise came flying. I reflexively repel it. However, the other four besides me didnt even realize that Appraisewas used on them. Only Eremia stirred a bit, but it looks like she didnt realize what it was that was done to her. The firedrake must be confirming the Statuses of the four of them, its nodding and from time to time lets out a sound. If it were a human, it might have been mumbling fumu fumu. It didnt take long for the firedrake to think it over. I mostly understand the situation. You are the most dangerous one. To think that you would repel my Appraise. If I underestimate you based on your looks I might have a painful experience. The firedrake says this while observing me. Nah, Im a genuine 10 months old baby, just as my looks suggest. No way, no way! The four of the youth group retort with perfect harmony. You all sure get along well. DDAlso, the small one that is hiding there. If you dont mean any ill will, then show yourself. The eyes of the firedrake are gazing in the direction of Melby, who is currently staying on my shoulder. Oh boy. ..what should we do? Cant be helped, I guess. After I nodded Melby showed herself. The one who was surprised by Melbys sudden appearance was not the firedrake, but the four of the youth group. DDIm Melby. A fairy, as you can see. Due to reasons, Im traveling with Ed currently. F-fairy-san!? Donna looks startled and she is looking back and forth between Melby and me. You still had an ace in the hole like that, huh, Fellow Believer Orochi. Miguel said. Sorry about that. She was with me since before I was taken toYatagarasu , but the top brass of Yatagarasu cant see her apparently, so I had her stay hidden. The top brass cant see fairies? Eremia said like she was surprised. I should say that as expected of a dark elf, Eremia looks like she knows about how Evil people cant see fairies. Looking at her expression, it looks like Donna also knows about it. At any rate, fairies arent able to hurt people, so she cant help with the Sacred Duties of Yatagarasu. I thought it was best to have her hide her presence to avoid troublesome situations. Even I think it sounds very much like an excuse. I get it now. When Fellow Believer Orochi was talking to himself from time to time, it was you talking to Melby-san, right? Eremia said like she came to understand something. Sorry, Eremia. That was merely me talking to myself. Since Im speaking with Melby with Telepathic Communication. Nevertheless, we generally dont attack human children indiscriminately. Ah, we know that. This time it was our fault for stepping into the nest without permission. Even though it was unavoidable, I also apologize for hurting your child. I answer like that as our representative. Those are the words of someone who is accompanied by a fairy, there is no need to doubt it. After saying that, the firedrake looked away from me and focused on the four youths one after the other. Miguel is glaring back as a bluff, Eremia and Donna cast down their eyes, and Beck has closed his eyes to better endure the dread. Fumu. I cant sense an evil presence from any of you. The name Yatagarasu appeared, so I thought you were the same as those people, but maybe you are from somewhere else..? The firedrake mumbled and went silent to ponder. But in those words, there was a surprising detail. Firedrake, you know about Yatagarasu? After I asked back like that, the firedrake said while observing my expression. you dont look like you are feigning ignorance. Of course, I cant say that I can perfectly read the expression of someone of a different race either. What Ed said is true. If I testify like this, then the wise firedrake-sama should be aware of what that means, right? The firedrake let out its voice while digesting Melbys words. DDFairies dont lie, was it. I cant doubt the words of the small one, but the truth of the situation cant be concluded by whether its a lie or not. There are people that cleverly deceive others without telling any lies. You are very cautious, huh. Even when you have overwhelming power at your disposal. you who is accompanied by a fairy. We have enough reason to doubt. If you want to clear my doubts, then accept my Appraise. ..very well. However, please keep the information about my Status to yourself. Also, you will let me take a look too, right? Hooh. You can not only repel it, but even use it yourself, you say. Very well, do as you will. The firedrake and I use Appraise on each other. Hidden behind me, Melby also uses Appraise on the firedrake. DDGurururo! This is! The firedrake, who apparently had successfully taken a look at my Status is shocked, but first, lets take a look at the result of my Appraise. Agnia EigelnheimScorching Dragon,Master of the East Ridgeof Vulcano Peak Age 566 years old Level 111 HP 33997/33997 MP 2692/2852 Abilities Flame Breath Acid Spray Flight Passive Detoxification Passive Strong Immunity Passive Regeneration Skills ?Legendary Class Spirit Magic Appraise Telepathic Communication Protect ?Master Class Dragon Language Invocation9ͣأ Breath Magicͣأ Howlͣأ Dragon Fighting Techniquesͣأ Flying Combatͣأ Fire Elemental Magic Toughness Object Moulding Discern Mana Control Mana Detection Physical Magic Mental Toughness Healing Magic ?General Fire Magicͣأ Mana Perceptionͣأ Farsightͣأ Dragon Scale Defenseͣأ Dragon Claw Techniquesͣأ Dragon Limb Combatͣأ Attention of the Fire Spirit Blessing of the Dragon GodBlessing of the Dragon God, Shutrabilm. Medium supplement to the acquisition and learning speed of Skills related to dragons. Medium supplement to the growth of abilities. Im the one who wants to be shocked. The reason why we couldnt interfere with the Breath before was because the firedrakes Spirit Magic Skill is higher level than mine or Melbys. We could interfere with the breath that happened right after we fell to the bottom of the chasm, but the second breath that served as a warning was probably modified in some way with Spirit Magic so we couldnt interfere with it. I see it now. You were Atrazenec-samas apostle. Oi, dont spoil it!, is what I was thinking, but it seems the other four didnt hear it. It seems she is relaying the Telepathic Communication through Spirit Magic. Melby explained it to me like this. I see. That way you can send your voice to even those that havent learned Telepathic Communication. Atrazenec-samas apostle is together with a religious organization that worships the Evil God? I imagine you have probably infiltrated it. Something like that. I also start talking with Telepathic Communication. Since I was able to confirm that the firedrake also has Telepathic Communication. This firedrake-san is not an evil being. It can see me too and looking at it with Fairys Eyesshe has pure soul. If Melby says that much, then its probably alright to trust her. These children have been abducted from various places by Yatagarasu. Then in the Crows Nest DD in the headquarters of Yatagarasuthey underwent a brainwashing education and were made to swear their loyalty to the organization. Currently Im trying to undo their brainwashing while accompanying them. Of course, I dont plan on lettingYatagarasuexist either. I briefly explain our situation to the firedrake Agnia. ..fumu The firedrake thoughtfully nodded, then turned to all of us and said. DDIn that case, I should tell you about it. There were some people that were trying to abduct this offspring of mine. Also, in some of their Statuses it was shown that they were members of Yatagarasu. It cant be! Judging from how Eremia said this, it seems this time she said it so everyone could hear it. This combination of Telepathic Communication and Spirit Magicis extremely useful. One doesnt have to be a dragon to use it, all you need is Telepathic Communication and Spirit Magic, so Melby and I can also learn to do it if we practice. When we get back to the Nest its special training time with Melby. Perhapsthe reason why your child has learned Stealthy Steps was because of that? I thought it was because it was targeted by humans that it learned to hide its presence, but No, this offspring of mine liked hide and seek from the beginning. Although its rare for a dragon, it seems he has an aptitude to hide his presence and sense others. In turn, he is weak with Breath in spite of being a dragon. Saying that the firedrake smiled bitterly (I think). There was a gentle light in the gaze of Agnia as she looked at her child beside her. But even with a Breath that powerful, its still classified as being bad at it among the firedrakes, huh. In exchange for that, this offspring dragon has the talent to become a scout, if it can erase its presence with the huge body of his and get in close proximity, then its many time more problematic for humans than a normal firedrake. Even so, there are some daredevils that try to attack you, huh? I thought the same. However, those humans all had outstanding abilities. It would have been dangerous for this offspring of mine alone. After I hastened there and brought down few of the humans they retreated very skillfully. Among those, was there a man named Gazaine? GazaineI dont recall. It wasnt a fight where I had the time to memorise the results of Appraise. There was even a devil user amongst them. Devil user? Umu. I have lived for a long time, but this is the first time Ive seen one too. Judging by how he was using multiple medium level devils from the north pole, he must be quite a powerful practitioner. I dont think that was his full power either. Does that mean that he had energy to spare even when going up against the over 500 years old firedrake, Agnia? What about the others? There were a few people with member ofYatagarasuwritten on their statuses and Ive killed about half of them. Among them there was one that had abilities that stood out from the rest of them, maybe that was that Gazaine you were asking about. Other than that, there were a few black robed mages that looked like followers of the devil user. They were also outstanding mages by human standards, but they failed to defend against my Breath, so about half of them died too after all. Also, other than the few medium level devils that were summoned by the devil userDD there were a few hard to explain ones. Hard to explain ones? How do I say it, they had an abnormal presence. They gave off a presence different from monsters or people. Didnt you Appraise them? Of course I did. But, the result of Appraise was entire illegible. Huh.? The result of Appraise, illegible? As you also possess the Appraise Skill you probably know, but Appraise is when you send a faint amount of mana with detection purposes, called ping, towards the internal mana of the target, and by analysing the response from that you make conjectures about the information of the target. The precision and depth of this analysis and conjecture rise together with the Skill level. Hooh, so thats how it worked. So then, I thought it didnt use any MP, but it turns out it just uses a faint amount of mana, huh. I guess then, when that mana gets noticed by Mana Perception or Mana Detectionis when the Appraise gets exposed. However, on those hard to explain ones the analysis and conjecture didnt work at all. The Status screen was filled with garbage information, and even that was changing with the passage of time. I havent seen a being like that so far in my entire life. Indeed, you can only describe that as hard to explain. Were those ones strong? No, I didnt fight with those ones that much. But, from crossing my claws with them I dont think they are that strong. Of course the other ones that were there were considerably skillful, so only compared to them. Thats right, you, who is accompanied by a fairy, if it was you, you could win against them, even if it wouldnt be an easy victory. Unexpectedly weak..maybe. If we look at it in light of the standards of this world, then to a normal soldier or adventurer it would be a dangerous opponent, so I think its fairly strong.. Nnn, they are really hard grasp. If thats the case than does that mean that the ones who attacked your child was a group of 15 or 16? A few Yatagarasu emissaries, the devil user and his followers, few of the hard to explain guys. You said that those people tried to abduct your child, then got half destroyed by your counterattack, then retreated. When did this happen? It will soon be about month ago now. After that attack I brought this offspring of mine and left our nest at the ridge and started looking for another place suitable for a new nest. And so, this was the place where we arrived at, butDD to think that it was right next to where the headquarters of those people was, I cant help but feel the irony of fate. The proverb that says that the God of Fate is a cynical being might perhaps be the truth. The firedrake Agnia lets out a sound. She is probably laughing, but when this huge body that we have to look up at lets out a sound like that it doesnt sound like its done by a living being. Donna even flinched. Does that mean that you gave up your nest? Is there something strange about that? We are a race that soars in the sky. We create transient nests, but as opposed to humans, we are not tied to a plot of land. If it becomes hard to live somewhere, then we just change or residence to somewhere else. There is no need to voluntarily keep living in a bug infested house, right? I see. So they dont even really care about those people. Then again, there are humans that revere us. They are our dependents that, in exchange for our protection, serve us in minute matters that arent fit for the claws of dragons. If those people dont give up on abducting this offspring of mine, then the ones that danger will first befall upon will be our dependents that serve us. There is also such a reason for our departure from the East Ridge. Wont your dependents think that they were abandoned? When the nest settled, I planned on sending this offspring of mine. These days they are most likely busy with preparing for the migration. DDIncidentally, Agnia turned his black eyes towards Miguel. Eh? M-me? Miguel is flustered, but even I was caught by surprise by this. You are a descendant of my dependents, the Zkornash people, right? So why are you then a dog for a heinous organization like Yatagarasu? Wha-.eh? DDAnswer. Kh.wh-what the hell, all of a sudden! Dont look down of Yatagarasu! Im a Holy Emissary serving the Evil God-sama! I heard that those Zkornash people chased my mom away anyway! Miguel answers with a red face. As I thoughtDDit was true, huh. Miguels full name is Miguel Mittelt. He got his family name from the middle name of Scarlet, Moria Mittelt Zkornash, who I met in the Adventurers Guild in Fauno City. Also, Moria-san said that she is looking for her son, called Miguel. With all those conditions being fulfilled, I thought it was impossible that it would be someone else with the same family and given name. Your mother was exiledDDI see, your mother is that red haired twin sword user. Wha-..You know my mother!? Your mother was exiled after committing a taboo of my dependents. I dont understand it, but I hear that beings that herd together have laws and systems that serve to protect the herd. Its unfortunate, but nothing can be done about it. In fact, the ones that hated your mother was a portion of the priests, others liked her dearly. Your motherDDher name was Moria, I think. Moria was an excellent warrior, so much so that she was tasked with guarding this offspring of mine. Members of the herd tried to get Moria to stay, but Moria herself accepted the proof of her sin and decided to leave the herd. I was greeted by her before she left the herd. She was holding a newborn baby in her arms that time. Was that Donna let her voice out. It was most likely you, red haired young boy. I never wouldnt have thought that the firedrake and Miguels mother knew each other. In that case, I cant keep that to myself either. Miguel, I have met your mom too. Hearing my words, Miguel looks at me surprised. Or rather, it seems that Moria-san partnered up with my mom and they were working as adventurers. Moria-san said even now, that its her fault that Miguel disappeared. She is searching for Miguel even now. When I was abducted from Fauno City, Moria-san was also there in Fauno City. Mom wasshe was there that time, huh When the mansion of Viscount Chrebl in Fauno City was attacked, the youth group was also there. In other words, at that time, Moria-san and Miguel were in the same town. If your mission as an emissary is more important than your bond with your mother, then I wont say anything. However, your mother, even when she was branded as a criminal, she always faced her sin head on. I dont think that you, who has the blood of Zkornash in you, couldnt do the same. The firedrake, Agnia, said this and she sent a meaningful gaze at me. I get it now, she knew about his brainwashing, so she tried to shake things up from her position as a third party that knows about Miguels past. As expected of someone that lived more than 500 years, she is quick witted. DDWell then, with all these circumstances it turns out this place wasnt a suitable place for a nest either. ..are you going away? If you say that Yatagarasu is the enemy of Atrazenec-sama, then how about I burn down the den of those people? Crows Nest, you called it? The one who reacted to the firedrakes words was Donna. Donna stepped forward in front of us and shouted with both her arms spread out. You, you cant! Everyone is still there! However, those are the comrades of the people that tried to abduct this offspring of mine? You cant really blame me if I decided to incinerate them to exact our revenge, right? Th-that was they probably had some kind of reason for that! Young girl of the beast people, then I ask you, what kind of reason could they possible have to be forgiven for trying to take away this innocent offspring of mine by force? Uh..that is Eremia stepped forward to switch with Donna, who was at a loss for words. DDEvil God-sama, at times, orders us to do some things that seem evil at first sight. However, that must be because of deep, special circumstances. Firedrake-sama, please, would you believe in those special circumstances of Evil God-sama? Who would believe that nonsense other than you people? To begin with, if you say that people that are doing something that looks evil at first sight are not evil, then that means there is no evil in this world. There are some cases where the outward appearance masks someones true nature, but in general, its normally accepted that an evil appearance is the result of an evil true nature, right? B-but.Evil God-sama.. Why is there a need to treat that Evil God as the only exception to this? If there is a logical reason for that, then try and say it. The Evil God is an existence that has given power to countless evil people and monsters and oppressed good people. On what basis is he worthy of your faith? Th-that is Eremia is biting her lips, looking vexed. DDIf you dont have a basis which is enough to persuade me, then its just a waste of time. I will burn down that Nest of yours and make this place our new dwelling place. Even if you dont do that, we could all get alongDD Donna says, almost crying, but Get along, you say? How could we get along with the people that tried to abduct this offspring of mine? My nest and the Crows Nest is mutually exclusive. Furthermore, since Yatagarasu is worshiping the Evil God, Monguenes, as someone who has received the Blessing of Dragon God-sama, I have to burn that place down after all. U, uu.but.sniff Donna started genuinely crying. There, the firedrake sent me a meaningful gaze. DDIt seems thats really what she intends to do. How quick witted is this dragon, really. DDCould you wait a moment, firedrake Agnia. Our comrades are still in Yatagarasu. When I say comrades, I dont mean all of the emissaries. Some of those fools that tried to abduct your child are probably mixed in there as well, but there are also those who are just children that believe in the teachings of the religious organization. If you burn those children as well, then it will be you who committed evil this time. The parents of those children will resent you. Even if they were just kidnapped by Yatagarasu and they just happened to be in the Nest by chance. DDI see. You say that a parents love for their offsprings is the same for both dragons and humans. However, you should be aware. I cant stand idle when I know that the beings that tried to harm my offspring are this close by. I understand your feelings very well. I too was brought to the Nest via kidnapping. My parents are probably worried sick right about now. No, it probably wont end up with just that. Dad and mom are probably looking for me desperately. So, I can imagine how you feel, even if not completely. Then what do you suggest? DDI will catch those who tried to kidnap your child with my own hands. Then I will expose their backgrounds and deal with them so they wont be able to lay a finger on your child in the future. So, would you give us some time? Fumu.. Ordinarily, I wouldnt even consider what you say, but they are words from someone that is accompanied by a fairy. Also, uncovering their backgrounds and bringing those who perform despicable acts behind the scenes in Yatagarasuinto the light is something I cant do as someone who is not a human. DDVery well. I will leave this matter in your hands, DDEdgar Chrebl. Saying that, the firedrake squinted one of her eyes. A wink, maybe. Yes, this series of exchanges was done in accordance with a scenario which me and the firedrake has cooked up, a type of theatrical play. Agnia is thinking that if Yatagarasu will be crushed without fail, then it doesnt matter if she is the one doing it, or she leaves it to me. Burning down the Nest is certainly a method that is the least troublesome, but there is a chance of letting those emissaries slip through that arent currently in the Nest. As a result, there is an undeniable chance that a part of the top brass would survive and rebuild the organization. In that regard, its a much more reliable way to crush Yatagarasufor certain if I, a human, do it after a secret investigation. Furthermore, Agnia understood my aim of trying to undo their brainwashing, so she vividly pointed out the outward characteristics of Yatagarasu to those four from a third partys point of view. That was something I couldnt really do from my position. No, if the third party was a simple human, then it wouldve probably been denied with the good old deceived by the devil excuse. However, Agnia is an over 500 years old firedrake, whose power the four of them experienced first hand. There arent many who are better suited to be the third party in regards to objectivity. Well then, lets finish this theatrical play. DDI understand, firedrake Agnia. On the name of my great ancestor Chrebl, I will not break my word. Umu. Then farewell, humans. Oh dear, I have to start making another nest again now. Agnia turned her head all the way up and breathed in deeply. The high-pitched voices of the fire spirits sweeped over the nesting place of the dragons. Agnia released a Breath right above. After the flash of light, that we saw many times already today, lessened and we opened our eyes that were prickling with pain and looked up, we could see the blue sky and the sun. The firedrake and her child greatly bent their wings, then raised their large bodies up from the ground. Since we didnt have anything to say to each other anymore, Agnia soared high into the sky and the offspring dragon followed her. The offspring dragon at the end glared at me and made a Gugyaa sound. I more or less know what he wanted to say. Ill remember this!, something like this. As my reply I lightly took a fighting pose. When he saw this, the offspring dragon let out a humph through his nose, flapped his wings and followed after Agnia. The four from the youth group were left behind at the bottom of the firedrakes dwelling place with their eyes cast down, some had a mortified, some a meek expression. Haaa~. I had no idea what would happen for a time there. Yeah, for sure. As I was replying to Melby with Telepathic Communication, I let out a sigh even though I couldnt possible be tired. CH 47 It was approximately 1 hour after the firedrake Agnia flew away with her child. Because the firedrake Agnias breath attack had opened a large hole inside the lair, we were able to return straight to the surface using the grappling hook. I was fine of course, and the other four managed to ascend the rope without difficulty at least. As I was finally scaling up the rope, using [Psychokinesis] to roll it up as I went, a sand-coloured figure jumped out from behind the cover of some rocks a short distance away. Oi~! He wore a mask so I couldnt see his face, but judging from the voice, its probably Gonzack. Gonzack reached us after I had stored the grappling hook in my rucksack (or pretended to do so while having Melby put it in the dimension storage). Are you okay, Fellow believer Orochi! Yeah, somehow. When I saw that breath attack just now, I was certain that you guys had died. Gonzack said, patting his chest in relief. After I explained the details to him, we took a rest there since the threat was gone. As we rest, the emissaries of surround us, dismantling several wyverns that they had killed. Wyvern flesh is tough on its own, but not only can the flavour be easily brought out when cooked well, its possible to preserve it for a long time if we smoke it, so it can be used as a valuable source of protein for without wasting any of it. Apparently, their hide, teeth, claws, and bones also have their respective uses. For some reason, our leader showed up as we rested and were drinking the water that Gonzack had supplied. I rushed over when I heard that a firedrake appeared but it looks like I came for nothing. Certainly, there was a limited number of people within the fighting force of the Nest who might be able to contend with a firedrake, so Gazaines arrival wasnt that strange. Gazaine used a hand to direct the children who were attempting to salute him in a hurry with the exception of me, and then says, You guys did well coming back safely. Good grief, a firedrake residing beside our Nest is no joke. At such an important time As he grumbles, Gazaine calls out to the four children one by one. Elemia, I heard you were the first to discover the firedrake. You did a good job in your role as scout. Miguel, apparently the one who proposed that you should investigate the firedrakes lair was you. Good decision. Donna, as the healer of the team, as well as the oldest member, well done in restraining your fellow believers. Beck, it seems you risked your life as the tank, and protected everyone. You endured as the firedrakes opponent nicely without faltering. Each of them should have erred as well, but it seems he was praising their good points and thanking the four for their efforts for the time being. Hes more conscientious than he appears. Finally, Gazaine looks at me. Well, I didnt think you would die to something of that level. Oi, worry properly. If I was worried, youd say that its disgusting anyway. But seriously, thanks for bringing these guys back all alive. Tell me one of your wishes or something. Ill see to it as best I can. Then, teach me [Pharmacy] I cant. Ive already told you that often though. Tch. Well then right, send the best parts of the wyvern meat to the childrens group. Are you alright with that? Yeah. Its not like I have anything I want in particular. Hmm In that case, Ill give you the wyvern wings and a stack of milk coupons. Split it as you wish. Oh, how generous. Somehow it seems like Gazaine is currently in quite a good mood. He appeared to be happy about our return, but did this guy have such an admirable personality? While I was wracking my brain, it was decided at Gazaines command that we would hold a barbecue to commemorate the victory against the firedrake (?) before we return to the Nest. The wyverns thick meat was roasted on wire netting, turning into steak. It was seasoned roughly with rock salt, but it tasted super delicious since we were eating it after such an intense workout. Huh, speaking of which Wheres Fellow believer Nebil? Nebil, the supposed leader of the wyvern subjugation troops, was nowhere to be found. I feels bad if I dont report to my superior after finishing a job, thanks to a habit formed back when I was an office worker. No way, could he have been done in by the wyverns? Gazaine answered my question with a sour look. Ah, him. Apparently he said something about unceasing hiccups or something and was taken to the infirmary but The firedrake appeared and surprised him so much that he became unable to stop hiccupping, something like that? Ive never heard such a thing before When hes recovered, Ill have to discipline him. I-I see. I know too much about the cause of the hiccups. Sorry, Fellow believer Nebil. While I, alone, was praying for Fellow believer Nebils happiness in the next world (not dead), a singing competition started in the barbecue grounds. Elemia was playing the flute, Gonzack strummed a guitar-like instrument, and Miguel beat the drums. The one singing was Gazaine for some reason. He had quite a beautiful sombre voice and was enthusiastically singing a melancholic song that sounded like a folk song with a solid tremolo. DDLooking at this scene, they seem to be a rather pleasant bunch. That night, I visited a certain person. The person resided in an exclusive underground space in a section deep within the Nest. I opened up a duct in the darkness of the cave with the rail cars, then erased my presence with [Espionage Techniques] as I slipped into the underground space where that person lived. From the direction of a living room-esque room, the sound of something being grinded could be heard. As I was standing at the door of that living room, hesitating to knock, Whos there? ! A voice from beyond the door called out to me first. From the size of that presence, lets see, is it the baby who joined recently? Since couldnt do anything after that much was exposed, I resolve myself and open the door. An old man was sitting cross-legged, hunched over the medicine producing tool spread out in front of a sunken hearth. The elder, clad in a kimono that resembled the casual wear from my previous life, had white hair and lots of wrinkles and kept his eyes closed even when I opened the door. The dog ears that grew out as if to cover his white hair were exactly like those of a girl I know well. How long are you going to stand around for? Its cold. Sit down by the hearth. Being told that, I sit down opposite the old man. Then, I stealthily use [Appraisal] on him. I deliberately weaken the magic ping that the firedrake Agnia explained about, so that it became even harder for my [Appraisal] to be exposed. ?Ganash Yashbarl (?Medicine Master? | ?Medicine Saint? | ?Elder?) Age 73 Years Beastkin (Moon Dog Tribe) Level 24 HP 29/29 MP 33/33 Skills Legendary [Super Tactility] D [Super Hearing] D [Super Smell] D [Microscopic Vision] 2 Master Class [Microscopic Observation] 9 (MAX) [Sense Presence] 8 [Mana Detection] 7 General [Mana Perception] 9 (MAX) [Pharmacy] 9 (MAX) [Eavesdropping] 9 (MAX) [Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) [Light Magic] 5 [Medical Care] 4 [Mana Manipulation] 3 [Telekinesis Magic] 2 ?Attention of the Medical God? (Gained the attention of the God of Medicine, Norius. Small supplement to the acquisition | growth of skills in the [Pharmacy] system.) ? While I was looking at his status, the old man ladled out a cup of hot water from the iron kettle hanging above the hearth, then transferred it to a teacup and passed it to me. Im out of tea. If youre fine with boiled water, go ahead and drink. Thank you, I will partake. I moved to take the teacup, but the teacup the old man was holding moved and I was unable to receive it smoothly. By any chance are your eyes? Oh, thats right. I am blind. Im sorry. I asked without thinking, but that was probably bad mannered of me. As I was feeling ashamed, Old Man Ganash gave me a small nod. No, its not all bad. In exchange for my blindness, my other senses have sharpened. Ive even become able to see both mana, and peoples presences. Everything is thanks to the guidance of the goddess of samsara who governs skills. Is that so Colours are something that cant be seen without light. Hm? Colours and light Do those two have some connection? Connection you say Ah, I see. The information of how colours are determined by some aspect of light being reflected off objects was a premise in modern science. Colours are light. Light hits something and is reflected. At that time, a portion of the light is absorbed by the object. For example, red objects reflect red light and absorbs all the other light. There might be a problem with me carelessly showing off knowledge from my previous life, but there shouldnt be any harm if its just this much. This world should also have prisms at least, so researchers of this principle may know of it. Presenting my knowledge is the easiest way to obtain the trust of this person is what Donna said. Hoho It makes sense. In that case, if I combine [Light Magic] and [Mana Detection]DDOh! Old Man Ganash raised his eyebrows in surprise. I can see No, I should say I can tell. I can tell that this light, which I only understood as bright and dark until now, is composed of various colours..! Oh..Oh! Old Man Ganash was shedding tears from his eyes in amazement, but the amazed one is me. This grandpa instantly understood the mechanics of light and was able to apply it to magic just from the trifling bit of modern knowledge I spoke of. Certainly, I never thought I would be able to regain colours at this age Well, to live and to learn. No, half of that was your own ability. By the way, how should I address you? Oh, come to think of it, I never gave my name. You seem to be aware, but I am Ganash. Its fine to call me gramps too. Even if you say that, I cant really call you gramps. Then, Ill use Grandpa Ganash. As for me, everyone calls me Orochi. Today, Ive come because Id like to seek your guidance. Right, Orochi. As thanks for conferring upon me colours, Ill do anything for you as long as its within my capabilities. Going straight to the point, can I ask you to teach me [Herbalism]? Ohoh Where did you get wind of [Herbalism]? Its because I became well acquainted with your granddaughter. Oh, is that so. It seems she was in your care during the firedrake strife the other day. In regards to those events, it was mutual. I shrugged my shoulders. Isnt she a good girl. Shes not a girl who should be made to play assassin and such in a place like this. Oi, oi. Is it alright to say that? What, I dont care if youre the one Im addressing. Since youre a rebel emissary who sneaked into my place late at night like this, without permission from the higher ups. Thats true. More than that, I was told by the leader to never teach you how to handle drugs. Wow. That Gazaine, he even considered the possibility of me doing this and beat me to the punch. But, why would that guy be afraid of such a thing? Even though he said he would teach me other combat abilities without restraint. When I grumble, Grandpa Ganash nodded in deep thought. Mn. I see So you dont understand it. What does that mean? When it comes to assassination, do you know what the most challenging thing is? Cocking my head at the question that came flying suddenly, Its approaching without notice, right? Thats also difficult for certain, but for emissaries who have received training in and gained experience, thats not something that would be a problem. Naturally, this is when the opposition doesnt have people who can read presences or detect mana. What Im talking about is something more direct. Direct? Let me give you an example. You and GazaineDDno, the conditions are bad with him If you were to plan to assassinate the other executives of . Thats a suspicious example. Its just hypothetical. Im not saying to do it. Then again, I dont intend to tell you not to do it. Grandpa Ganashs lips curve into a broad grin. And so, what were we talking about Thats right, assassination. Since youve been cutting in, weve been getting side-tracked. Uh Sorry. Well, its fine. Anyway, trying to assassinate the higher ups. Theres probably no problem with getting closer. Since you have the ability to stealthily sneak here to my retreat like this. However, when it comes time to kill, what would be the hindrance? Hindrance. For me, I plan to bury them alive without further parley but Thats no good. Consider killing them with the [Assassination Techniques] learned in . With [Assassination Techniques]? But since its the top brass of , every one of them would be high levelled soDD Oh, I see! I might not be able to kill them in one go! Indeed. The biggest difficulty in regards to assassination is the targets HP. If their HP is high, even if the amount of damage incurred is the same, the degree of injury would be relatively light. This is something I learnt firsthand when I tumbled down from the second storey and hit my head in the estate in Corbette Village. That being the case, if the assassination targets HP is high then no matter how many times I attack their vitals with [Assassination Techniques], its possible that I will be unable to take their life in one hit. And if the other party were cause a commotion there, the assassination might end in a failure. You will attempt to assassinate the top brass of the organisation that has Gazaine as their leader. The difficulty level of the assassination will vary depending on whether or not you possess drugs at that time. I see. No wonder they dont want to teach me [Pharmacy]. Then what will you do? Will you really not teach me? I will certainly teach you. Not only did you return colours to me, you are my granddaughters benefactor. In additionDD In addition? If its something Gazaine hates, I will do anything. Muttering that, Grandpa Ganash furrows his brows in a grimace. What happened between Gazaine and you? Gazaine killed my daughter. When he was kidnapping Donna, that guy killed my daughter to seal her lips. Then he carried Donna off, training her into an assassin, and also had me help with poison making by holding Donna hostage. Is that so. Silence descended upon Ganashs living room (retreat according to him). Anyway, if you want to learn how to handle drugs then Ill teach you all I know. However, how much you can do with that will depend on yourself. Even so, I will surely impart upon you the knowledge and techniques needed to avoid being taken advantage of by them. Ill also include knowledge of the underground drugs that I have yet to teach Donna. That would be appreciated. Let me work hard to live up to your expectations. Incidentally, theres just one thing Id like to ask first. Oh? A question right off the bat, huh. Thats a good thing, half of what you cant imagine with that mind of yours, I cannot comprehend either. Its about countermeasures against poisons that induce abnormal conditions such as sleep, paralysis and poisoned, starting with Repchipa Grass. How specific. I suppose this is about how they used Repchipa Grass to abduct you. .Something like that. Repchipa Grass wasnt effective on me, but if that wasnt used then there would have been no need to be obediently abducted by Gazaine. Although, since it doesnt seem like I would have been able to compete with Gazaine and win back then, it was also as if it was a narrow escape from death instead. Its frustrating, but misreading both our capabilities was because I wouldnt be able to win no matter how much time passed. Basically, youre talking about recovering from abnormal conditions caused by drugsDin other words, those not caused by magicDby means of using drugs that counteract those poisons. Of course, it only works if theres corresponding medicine, but you should remember that this world also has poisons without medicine. Oi, oi, then is it the end when those poisons are used? Well, the poisons from my former world were also like that though. I heard that there are also spells among the [Recovery Magic] used by high-ranking clergymen that have an effect on poison, but even for magic, you cant engage with it if you dont know what kind of poison it is. That said, fortunately there are very few poisons I dont know of, and I am able to make antidotes for almost all of the poisons I do know of. This is something that can be done when you combine not only my power, but the power of the medicine god, and the skills received from the goddess of reincarnation. So its impossible for me? Theres no need to be so disappointed. All of that sounds interesting, but I guess there isnt anything like an elixir. Its not like there isnt. However, things like that require rare ingredients. For exampleDDThats right, rainbow cactus sap and such, theres no way youd have any. Rainbowcactus? I stiffened at Grandpa Ganashs words. Grandpa Ganash, what you see from this point, Id like you to keep a secret but Its a bit late. Just meeting you like this would be bad if it were known. Melby. When I call out, Melby shows herself. Medicine Master-sama. I am the fairy Melby. I am travelling with Ed for reasons. Oh Ive had some suspicions since some time ago, but it was indeed a fairy there. So you noticed. In exchange for being blind, his other five senses and perception of mana was really sharpened. Requesting Melby, I had her retrieve the cactus in questionDthe rainbow cactus pot plantDfrom the dimension storage. I dont know whether you can see it but there is a rainbow cactus pot plant here. Ooh! Is that true! Then the sap alsoDD In response to Grandpa Ganash leaning forward in astonishment, You cant! Because it was decided that I would raise Tushaaravati-chan! Well, he hasnt said anything yet. I retort to Melby, who was using her tiny body to cover the potted plant. Or rather, she even gave it a name before I knew it. Her big sister nature was fully displayed. Nevertheless, couldnt you have given it a name that was a little easier to say. Doesnt that sound like an Indian goddess or something. Speaking of which, I wonder if the [Appraisal] result will reflect the name in this case. Having thought of that, I had the sudden impulse to use [Appraisal] on the cactus. ?Tushaaravati 3 years old Rainbow Cactus? (tree form) / Magic Organism Level 1 HP 3/3 MP 262/262 Skills Legendary [Growth Control] D ([Dimension Magic] 1) (Inapplicable in tree form) ([Aurora Magic] 1) (Inapplicable in tree form)? Yeah. Lets pretend I didnt see it. This is an ordinary cactus. Theres no mistake. No, all jokes aside, just what happened to this cactus in the short time I didnt see it. No matter what, to have [Appraisal]-san use a ? in the explanation I had great faith in meant it had gone through an incomprehensible evolution. Perhaps Melby putting it in her dimension storage was the cause but. To begin with, it was an unusual plant that would absorb mana and bloom flowers in accordance with the attribute absorbed. If its the size where it can be a potted plant then its a still-young specimen. If you extract the flower nectar of a matured specimen, it can be used as a substitute for the sap. In that case, youll be able to acquire the ingredients for an elixir without hurting it. If so, shall I sneak out some other time and try searching for the place from the other day? Good grief, I just keep getting surprised by you. The refining of the elixir will probably be difficult if its not me. You can bring it over when you obtain the ingredients. Understood. Putting that aside, teach me [Herbalism] as well. Of course. Hearing Grandpa Ganashs words, I stood up from beside the hearth. At the same time, Grandpa Ganash also stood up and took out a small porcelain bottle from a drawer alongside the wall, holding it out towards me. If you want to know the truth about this religious organisation, you should take this medicine. This is? When the large mass with Gazaines presence is held, take that medicine before entering the chapel. I thought to use [Appraisal] on it, but it was inside the bottle so only ?Porcelain bottle? was displayed. Lets look its the contents later. CH 48 A few days after obtaining the cooperation of Grandpa GanashDD The area of each layer shrunk as we dug deeper, and I thought that at this pace, it wouldnt be long until we reached the depths of the historical remains. And then finally, I discovered a residential area-like floor inside the historic ruins. It probably wasnt even 10 tatami mats in size. It was furnished in an European-esque style that was a little old-fashioned, and somehow there were even taps and a shower room. Weathered blankets were neatly folded and piled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. There were leather-bound books were lined up on the bookshelves mounted on the wall. As far as I can confirm from the titles, they appear to all be complete literature sets and history books that the study in the Corbette Village estate also had. As for what the estate didnt have, seemly religious-related books stood out. I collected 2, 3 volumes of noteworthy books and stored them in Melbys dimensional storage. However, I felt a little uneasy inside this room. It had a fantasy-like aura at first glance, but it felt somewhat unbecoming of what I know of Marquekts culture and civilisation. Melby, what do you think? Hmm It seems a little unusual somehow? These are called taps? We never came across these kind of artefacts in the towns and villages we visited until now, right? Master had knowledge of plumbing, but it was thought to be technology that perished a long time ago. When looking at the fireplace and furnishings and such, I think they appear to be at a similar level to this world though. Theres a sense of dissonance even regarding those. Roughly speaking, they are certainly similar, but stuff like the design trend differs slightly. Although Melby and I were both puzzled, I examine the inside of the room. hm? I saw what looked like the cover of a book underneath the decaying blankets on the sofa. When I carefully moved the blankets away to have a look, it turned out to be a diary or notebook. I slowly open the notebook(?). Then, what appeared inside made me speechless. Whats the matter, Ed? Why are you so silent? Huh, woah, what is this? They look like letters, but theyre not ancient magic symbols, nor are they part of the common language of Marquekt today. This many wave-like letters, I wonder if you can even read them properly.? Alphabet Right. The notebook was written using the alphabet from my former world. That said, it wasnt English This is probably German. When I flip the page, there is writing on the reverse side of the page, and this was, for some reason, in English. The English writing seemed to be at a level I could read even with my unreliable English proficiency. And, this is only a guess but the German and English writing probably had the same contents. It seemed the skill compensation from [Cryptanalysis] was applied, so when I tried to decipher it while comparing the English and German writing, I was able to understand the meaning as it was. As far as I was able to decipher, it doesnt seem like theres any difference in content between the German and English. Thus, I continued reading the English side. Its likely that thats the reason the owner of this notebook wrote these memoirs in two languages. If English was their native language they would have just written in English, so the one who wrote these memoirs is probably German. In other wordsDD this means that there was a person who reincarnated in Marquekt from Germany. I continue reading the memoirs while translating the gist of it for Melby. As we advanced through the memoirs, both Melby and I became taciturn. Written there was a tale full of the deceit and weaknesses of a man who continued to trifle with lives in wickednessDD. It seems the author of these memoirs, Helmut Heydrich, was born in east Germany. He was born at a time when Germany was enveloped in the deepest despairDDRight, it was Germany during the interwar period of Nazi domination. Mr Heydrichs family was apparently engaged in a small factory business. Due to the munitions provided by the Nazis, his family was well-off, and Mr Heydrich was able to advance to the engineering department at university. Then one day, he fell in love with a girl. Proudly dressed in the uniform of the Hitlerjugend (Nazi Youth Organisation), he whispered sweet nothings to the girl but she gave him a cold glance and ignored him. He gnashed his teeth in disgrace for the first time in his life. The next day, he witnessed her taking a stroll with a young man. He investigated the young man. The man was a Jew. He informed the Gestapo that the girl was having a rendezvous with a Jew. He gloated when he saw the Gestapo take that Jewish man away. He thought the nuisance had disappeared. However, a short time afterward, the girl was taken away by the Gestapo. The man had been the girls second cousin. In other words, the girl also carried the blood of a Jew. From that point on, the girl never returned to the town again. After losing the girl, Mr Heydrich involved himself with the activities of the Hitlerjugend. He monitored people who seemed as though they might secretly be Jews and informed the Gestapo. He wanted to believe that his actions hadnt been wrong. He wanted to believe that he had discarded his silly love for the motherland. Hence, Mr Heydrich continued his activities as Hitlers hands and feet with a bloodcurdling vigour. And alongside his university graduation, he was assigned to be a technical officer in the Schutzstaffel. Even in the Schutzstaffel, he stood out conspicuously and was entrusted with one of the extermination camps established in east Germany before long. He worked earnestly even there. He devised a scheme to disguise the gas chambers as a shower room and personally received praise from the Fhrer himself. As a technician, he would brainstorm about efficiently disposing of those lives that were unworthy of living until late at night every day and implement them. They would dispose of those who would harm the health of the German nation, but when it had started to become a daily routine, Mr Heydrich reunited with that girl. Like Mr Heydrich, the girl had already reached the age to be called an adult. The girl-turned-woman had been loaded onto a freight train packed with people with no room to breath as though they were objects and sent to the extermination camp under his management. The woman remembered Mr Heydrich. When she saw Mr Heydrich, who had become the commandant, the woman grew wide-eyed in dumbfoundednessDD then turned her damp eyes to him so as to seek help. In those eyes dwelled the desperate hope of someone who had found life in a fatal situation. Mr Heydrich rebuffed her fawning eyes with indifference. Mr Heydrich had the woman sent to the gas chamber, killed like an insect, and her corpse tossed away like garbage. He watched without moving an eyebrow as the young Schutzstaffel members pissed in the hole her corpse was thrown in as a prank. That night, he had a strange dream. In that dream, something that proclaimed to be Monguenues, an evil god of the underworld, conferred an ambiguous message to Mr Heydrich. The message gradually took shape when he woke up in the morning. DDIf you kill another five thousand innocent human beings, I will grant a wish of yours. Having comprehended the message as thus, Mr Heydrich thought it was impossible. It wasnt because he thought he couldnt kill that many people. He just thought the ones he was killing were human beings with sin. He firmly believed that in this world, there was a race whose birth itself was a sin. While thousands of deaths were caused under his responsibility, he had thought that he was righteous. However, even Mr Heydrichs life as commandant came to an end at last. The central government ordered him to blow up and dispose of the extermination camp. Naturally, it was in order to destroy evidence. Mr Heydrich thought that he had done nothing to be ashamed of whatsoever, but he also wanted to avoid being pursued in post-war court-martial. He used the prisoners to proceed with the preparations to blow up the establishment. But the prisoners revolted at the very end when they understood their fate. It had been difficult for the few Schutzstaffel members who remained in the camp to suppress the revolt. However, Mr Heydrich accomplished it with his indomitable fighting spirit. Nevertheless, it was already too late. The Soviet army surged forth in great numbers and encircled the camp. The Soviet army, as though thinking of the Schutzstaffel members hastening the destructive blast, immediately bombarded with tanks. The Soviet tank shells destroyed Mr Heydrichs castle. The ones who could still move among the prisoners scrambled to escape. The Schutzstaffel members subordinate to Mr Heydrich also fled, but they were soon cornered by the Soviet army and surrendered. During that, Heydrich, who had been issuing manifestos in the office until the end, died from the tank shells that flew into the officeDD or should have. When he arose, Mr Heydrich found himself in an unfamiliar space. Everywhere was deep, everywhere was dark; the darkness of ignorance. Something with a strong presence was there. DDEvil god Monguenues. The evil god of the underworld that he thought had been a delusion brought on by a bout of imagination and thus forgot about was there. The evil god told him. The evil god told him that he had fulfilled the contract. The evil god said that the number of innocents killed under Mr Heydrichs supervision was ultimately 35, 409 people. The evil god stated that he was satisfied with that number. And, he said that it was regrettable to let such evil go to waste. But Mr Heydrich did not understand. He objected to the evil god, saying that he was not evil. The evil god laughed. Then, said it was fine. Afterwards, he ordered. He ordered Mr Heydrich to reincarnate into another world, Marquekt, and devote himself to evil. He threatened to torment his soul for eternity otherwise. Then, he actually inflicted part of that torment upon Mr Heydrichs soul as a demonstration. Feeling agony that grated his soul, Mr Heydrich nodded unhesitatingly. Having reincarnated in Marquekt, Mr Heydrich chose the Sonoraat Kingdom as his stage of misdeeds. Widespread recession, unemployment; problems of the masses. Falling national prestige and military threats. The Sonoraat in those days was very similar to Germany back when Mr Heydrich was born. Mr Heydrich laid waste to the kingdom to his hearts content. He formed the religious organisation and utilised the propaganda methods he experienced in the Nazi Schutzstaffel to incite mutual hatred among the citizens of Sonoraat, inducing them to kill one another. The inhabitants of this world who were untarnished by government propaganda fueled the conflict amusingly and killed each otherDD or so Mr Heydrich wrote. Incidentally, was apparently derived from the holy bird worshipped by the people in the east region next to Sonoraat. Mr Heydrich called himself a sage who came from the east and planted the concept of dividing the discontent Sonoraat citizens into ethnicities. Within the span of several years, the Sonoraat citizens who possessed many views about pedigree, descent, and race split into over 10 tribes, sects, and races and started thinking of ostracising one another from Sonoraat. Mr Heydrich indirectly, sometimes very conspicuously, continued to instigate them so they would carry out ethnic cleansing against each other. Then, a hero saw traces of the evil god in the devastated Sonoraat and appeared, but Mr Heydrich laid a trap and killed him, then dedicated the heros head to the evil god. But while he was doing that, Mr Heydrich had been suffering from pangs of conscience. The evil god, Monguenues, had said that Mr Heydrich was evil. Ironically enough, the one who had exposed Mr Heydrichs justice and pointed out that he was evil had been none other than the evil god, Monguenues. As he lived his life over after being reincarnated, Mr Heydrich bitterly reflected back on his own actions from his previous life. In his mind, the only thing that rose to the surface was that tanned girls look of disdain. There was no doubt that the Nazis that Mr Heydrich had joined had already perished. Because the Soviet army had already invaded even the camps in East Germany where Mr Heydrich was. Presumably, the Fhrer would have also chosen his own death and be subjected to the gallows. Depending on the situation, the German nation he believed in might also be dissolved by other nations. Everything he believed in turned into froth and was destroyed. What remained afterwards were the bitter memories of that day from his youth. The failures of that day, when he flew into a jealous rage and snitched on the girl, driving her to her death. Because he didnt want to acknowledge that miscarriage as a mistake, he joined the Nazis to deceive himself, frantically continuing to try to justify the him of that day by killing a lot of humans by himself. He was able to clearly understand that through being reborn. Even though he knew he wouldnt be forgiven, Mr Heydrich wanted to apologise to the girl. However, that girl had been killed by none other than Mr Heydrich himself. Mr Heydrich demanded that the evil god interfere no further, using the decapitated head of the hero as compensation. Unexpectedly, the demand was swallowed. There was originally a promise to grant his wish if he satisfied the conditions; the evil god simply carried out that promise. Mr Heydrich discovered one of the historical remains of the ancient magic civilisation and established it as his home. And there, he constructed a modest workshop and while reminiscing about his fathers back from his previous life, he swung his mallet, operated the machinery, and one by one, produced various articles that would be useful in life. Even modest things were fine. As long as it could make up for some of the evil he had spread because of his weakness. With those thoughts, Mr Heydrich planned to bring the various goods he made to town and put them out for sale. However, Mr Heydrich was afraid. He was a great sinner in his former world, and even in this world he was a hero-murdering apostle of the evil god. He didnt know when the next hero would catch wind of him and come to kill him. In addition, by keeping the promise, the evil god Monguenues might be better than Stalin, but that guys true nature was Evil. He might become displeased about his meagre atonement and send in assassins to kill him. When he thought that, he couldnt even work up the motivation to take the daily necessity goods he painstakingly made out to town to sell. Mr Heydrich despaired, but even so, dying was scary, and over ten years passed with him unable to commit suicide. Escalating his daily goods production, combined with his own originally developed magic, he became able to even make the components for railroad tracks and passenger cars. However, as expected, he didnt possess the courage to show it to the public. At the same time, Mr Heydrich also dabbled in the chemosynthesis of poisons. He tried to make the gas once used in the gas chambers in the extermination camp, Zyklon B DDHydrocyanic gas. Mr Heydrich left these words in such a mental state: Just about everything were half measures. At this age, I still understand that no matter how much I disliked it, I was missing the thing known as courage. It was probably for this reason that I yearned to be the hero depicted by the Nazi Germanic peoples and was enthralled. I never once wanted to be evil. However, my weakness compelled me to be evil just by living. As I was weak, evil was born in me just by living. Further evil was brought forth by me trying to escape that evil. I hated anything and everything about my second life. Just me being alive itself was detestable. Even so, I couldnt leave things this way. The fact that I couldnt leave was seen through by the evil god, and while under threat, I gave birth to hell in this world. Aah, why is hell always produced before me. Muttering that like it was someone elses problem, not accepting it objectively as it being impossible for anyone but me to have caused the hell, I desperately search for Evil. The Nazis were at fault. The evil god was at fault. As I say that, I am able to forget my own wickedness. Thinking back upon it, I had been living with my eyes turned away from my own evil all along. As a result, a majority of the lives that ran through hell could feel exhilaration as though they were in a dream or the middle of a movie. That being the case, I wondered if, conversely, the spineless me could face the Evil overflowing in my body and settle things if it were in the middle of a dream or a movie-like production. I made a dramatic stage as though it was for the last scene of a movie, and in a comical manner, I killed myself using automated devices. Just likeDD Right. It was similar to the prisoners of the camp whom I killed in the same manner as an assembly-line system. Or like that girl I possessed feelings of young love for. As a clincher, I guess a very tiny bit of courage did well up when I hummed the war song of the SS Then, finally, came the day of his last moments. When Mr Heydrich finished concluding his memoirs, he shut himself in the stone hut constructed in this underground space, and with the machinery he personally put together, he took a shower with hydrocyanic gas. The man who kept running from his sins and death died in the bottom of a cellar in another world. Even these historic remains where Mr Heydrich made his home blew up along with the gas spraying, and the majority of it became buried underground. Both Melby and I were speechless. Mr Heydrich had been a pitiful man who continued to be led around by a great evil. But on the other hand, Mr Heydrich himself gave rise to calamity and was only fitting to be called a great evil. Furthermore, it was in both Germany in his previous life and in the Sonoraat kingdom of Marquekt. In both places, the worst, evil deeds that couldnt avoid capital punishment if brought to court, accumulated repeatedly. Everything was due to Mr Heydrich being weak and cowardlyDD such things were simple, but, well, I myself probably couldnt claim to have no relation to such cowardice and weakness. If I were also to be driven by jealousy, I too would overlook my own weaknesses. Mr Heydrichs weakness was a weakness also had, like we were all in the same boat. NoDD that wasnt it. Mr Heydrich lost to his own weakness. Trying to escape from the guilt of betraying the girl he liked to the Gestapo, he accumulated sin after sin. The Nazis and the evil god took advantage of that gap in his heart. As I read the memoirs, I could understand both his distress and egotism butDD besides being able to understand, what I should achieve was not empathising with him and being drawn in, but it possibly to brush it aside saying, Im different, even if that might be called heartless. Since the era I was born in was different, I might ought to judge him as a hindsight and protect my own standpoint instead of sympathising with him, who should have been just a lower middle class citizen. Putting that aside, the reason artefacts that didnt match the civilisation level of this world were in these historic remains was clear, thanks to this. Moreover, as a result of the search, I discovered a few batteries and what appeared to be gun components. Beside the guns were about a hundred bullets. I dont intend to try using these bullets that have been neglected for over half a century, but I collect them as production samples for later. There was also gunpowder that hadnt been turned into cartridges but it had been exposed to moisture and was now useless, so I decided to leave it here. If I took everything, the field supervisor might suspect something. The interior room also had what appeared to be large machinery. However, it seemed to be something used in conjunction with magic, like what was mentioned in the memoirs, so I couldnt really grasp its usage with just this. It looks like a gargantuan iron bobbin though, so I think its likely to be a rolling mill for making rails At any rate, I finished collecting anything that would be dangerous if passed over to . All I have to do now is to give this place up to the field supervisor. The fact that the man who continues to be a weak evil across the world is sleeping further underground, I should completely forget about it and let it remain like this with no one knowing. I wonder why Mr Heydrich left behind memoirs. In addition, I wonder why he even purposely included an English translation. Its likely so that someone might understand and pardon his sins even a little, butDD I dont have any reason to cooperate with that plan of Mr Heydrichs. CH 49 Two weeks have passed since I found the reincarnators memoirs inside the historic remains. In that time, I raised the proficiency of a few skills, while receiving guidance from Grandpa Ganashs place at night. The cave with the rail cars that led to the underground space Grandpa Ganash resided in was strictly guarded, so I obtained the old mans permission to excavate a duct directly underneath his home. Depending on the day, the old man would also come out to the dedicated space underground to give me guidance instead of in his home. However, the old man was unavailable tonight so I took a break from his training. At midnight, when I was raising my MP while waiting for everyone to fall asleep, I noticed Elemia slipping out of bed and leaving the room. After the incident with the firedrake, the four children started acting strangely. Miguel would sometimes be brooding with a grim face, and Beck and Donna would zone out. As for Elemia, who I had more opportunities to converse with, she would often be seen reciting scriptures whilst praying. I requested that the children keep quiet about what was discussed with the firedrake. It seems there were times when they thought back to our conversation with Agnia, as they nodded without even asking for a reason. Thanks to that, I was able to say we reached an understanding with the firedrake. I thought that was absurd, but most of the people in the Nest seemed to think that its feasible for Orochi so it didnt become a big problem. The fact that the children unanimously testified in strong belief also made a big impact. Gazaine seemed to be in a good mood because the children all returned safely and didnt inquire very deeply about the exchange with the firedrake. It seemed like he was somewhat occupied as well, so it was also that he was unable to. Lately, I often see the other executives moving around the Nest in a hurry. Even Grandpa Ganash was ordered to stock up on a large amount of poison, starting with Repchipa grass. I suppose there will be some big movement soon. Now, I was talking about Elemia leaving the room. As usual, I head to the field with the open ceiling. Elemia was squatting in front of the flower field, vacantly staring at the cluster of small light purple flowers that resembled lavenders as moonlight streamed in. Two thirds of the flowers had been picked, which made the flower field a somewhat lonely scene. According to what I heard from Grandpa Ganash, these flowers werent really planted to ease the hearts of onlookers, but instead cultivated as one of the ingredients for a hallucinogen used by . Though I dont go so far as to doubt the flower field managers intention of having these flowers provide a bit of colour to our lives. Elemia probably already realised that I have come as she excels at perceiving presences; she started talking without turning around. Fellow believer Orochi. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if you werent here. Certainly, if I wasnt here then you could have remained as emissaries without suspecting anything. Geez You wont even apologise, so annoying. But its true that Fellow believer Orochi didnt do anything to apologise for. Even though I want to cling to my beliefs at such a time, it concerns Evil God-sama so I cant even do that. Ah, I could consult Mother and Father if they were here, but the Aubesso scriptures contain stories about children whose parents are demons. I dont know whats what anymore. Seeing Elemia so exhausted pains me as well. Elemias parents, huh. Im sure theyre good people. I know that. An inexperienced emissary cant think about their parents. Cherish the ones who are around now, our fellow believers. That is what the pastor has taught us. Dont you want to see your mother and father? I know its unfair, but I ask anyway. I want to see them. Isnt it obvious that I want to see them! Elemia grabbed hold of me. But if I dont do my job, Mum and Dad will fall to hell! You already know that those doctrines are just convenient for the organisation, right? Elemias grip weakens. I also understand what Fellow believer Orochi is saying. Ive gradually come to understand. But I cant stop believing in Evil God-sama If I stop, so many things will become unbearable. So many thingsDDfor example, being separated from her parents and living a life underground, or killing people while calling it a sacred task and such. If hadnt kidnapped Elemia, those issues wouldnt have arisen in the first place. However, it means that the Evil God is necessary for Elemia to overcome those issues. Im glad that Elemia can now say these things, but shell probably draw back if I jump at it immediately. If you want peace of mind, arent there many other doctrines? No one would prefer to choose a religious organisation that kidnaps children and makes them kill people. Other doctrines? In my hometown, there was this kind of doctrine: In this world, there is a great Buddha called Amitbha-sama who is watching over us. Thats why there is no need for us to do anything special in order to be saved. Its enough to just entrust everything to the Buddha and chant Namo Amitabha Buddhaya. I suppose this is also modern knowledge. Just chanting is enough? Who knows, I dont know the details but that was our religion. Our doctrine was a method that anyone could carry out easily. If you couldnt be saved without special training, a majority of the world would be unsalvageable. Amitbha-sama wouldnt say such shallow things. I-I dont have to kill any more? As long as you believe in Amitbha-sama. Amitbha-sama, huh A name with a mysterious ring. And Namo Amitabha Buddhaya, was it. Its like a spell in a fairytale. Elemia giggled. Also, that person said this. Even a wrongdoer can receive aid from Amitbha-sama if they are penitent. As long as someone is alive, they will also do wrong. Whats truly the problem is not recognising you did wrong. The important thing is to realise yourself that you did wrong and repent. I feel like they actually said something more profound, but all I know is that much. Even that was no more than retelling what I heard from a granny in the countryside when I was small. Because I was living in a world with little prospect of evil and sins and such. Does Fellow believer Orochi believe in that Amitbha-sama? No, Im not a Buddhist. Then how do you sustain your spirit? Spirit, huh. I am blessed. Because I have parents who love me without restraint. Someday, I will return to the two of them without fail. That is what Ive decided in my heart, and so I put up with the present. Thats not all Ive set my heart on. DDI will crush this religious organisation by all means. At this point, whether it had anything to do with the Evil god or not was a trivial matter. Of course, I am angry about them drugging my family. However, I am angrier about them separating little children from their parents and taking advantage of their anxiety and loneliness to make them kill people. These guys who do such things, I cant leave them alone. I dont know whether its because Im suffering from Prison Psychosis, but even though Im over 30 years old mentally, I feel like crying when think about Julia-kaasan, Alfred-tousan, and Steph at night. To be honest, if Melby wasnt hereDDor if the children, including Elemia, werent here then I probably wouldnt be able to stand it. Even I am like this despite having [No Fatigue]. I wonder how anxious and nervous the other children must be. Fellow believer Orochi, you are strong. Elemia says. Its just a fa?ade. The fact that you can be like that means youre strong. Elemia says enviously. She says it as though she isnt accustomed to being strong herself. Elemia. What? Elemia innocently tilts her head to the side as she asks. I resolve myself and said, DDWont you come with me? Eh? I havent said anything about it until now, but I intend to crush this organisation. Will you come with me afterwards? Well, although I say come, its just returning home. Im sure Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousan would welcome you, Elemia. No matter what, they did accept someone like me after all. C-crush, you say! Honestly, Id like your help as well, but that would be harsh on you so I wont ask that of you. Elemia stayed silent for a while before saying this. Is Melby-san here? Im here? Melby says as she reveals herself. I have also asked the children to keep quiet about Melby. Mum said that fairies can tell when someone is lying. So I want to ask you. Is Fellow believer Orochi telling the truth? He is. Then, have the executives of been lying? They have. I see. Elemia sighs. Thank you, Melby-san. Fellow believer Orochi, can I give you my reply after considering it a bit more? Yeah, of course. CH 50 A large-scale Mass is being held in the chapel today. Small sake cups full of consecrated wine were distributed throughout the chapel. When I use [Appraisal] on the wine, Good Quality Wine. The hallucinogen Mescaline has been mixed in. is what appeared. Mescaline? Mescaline: A hallucinogen made by using knowledge from another world as the base. It does not cause physical dependence, but there may be a medium degree of emotional dependence. Processed with Shalha Vauxs legendary class skill [Condition Setting] to ensure that there is no deterioration. Shalha Vaux is the name the owner of the historic remains, Mr Helmut Heydrich, used in this life (although hes already dead). I also wanted to investigate [Condition Setting], but I already used [Appraisal] twice in succession for Wine > Mescaline, so I couldnt delve further. Believing in Grandpa Ganashs skills, I drunk the hallucinogen-spiked wine. Yup, there was no change in both my mind and body. After it was confirmed that everyone had drained their cups of wine, the cups were collected and the Mass finally started. Gazaine spoke of a large-scale operation that would soon take place, and then the Archbishops sermon took place. A gigantic human face appeared in the smoke-filled chapel. The face spanned three metres from the tip of the head to the bottom of the chin, and it could be seen through to the altar on the other side. It was pale, like an apparition, but it looked unexpectedly young; it had the appearance of a young man. So this is Archbishop Glutometsa. DDDear children of It is finally the end of Monguenues-samas suffering, the one who bears the title of the Evil God. Glutometsas voice itself was clear, but it sometimes sounded inflated as though he was putting on airs. Oops, lets not forget [Appraisal]DD Hey, this is! While I was stunned by surprise, Glutometsas speech continues. DDThe underhanded techniques youve tempered until now. If Evil God-sama is to be referred to as evil, then we shall willingly be referred to as evil as well. Bearing this resolve, use your assassination techniques to. In preparation for that moment in the near future, polish yourselves even more sternly. I may be repeating myself but the moment is approaching Dear children, absolutely dont be negligent The emissaries who had been dosed with the hallucinogen gradually grew more excited as Glutometsa continued to leisurely sing out praises, whereas I remained completely cool-headed. Let me share Archbishop Glutometsas [Appraisal] results. Illusion. An apparition produced by Gazaine Munzers legendary-class skill [Illusion Magic] 9. In short, there was no such thing as the Archbishop. Securing the Archbishop when the religious organisation is overthrown was an important factor so I had trouble making the final decision, but since Archbishop Glutometsa = Gazaine, things will be settled quickly. The four children didnt experience an uplift in mood because they had taken the antidote. They were bewildered, but as I had instructed them beforehand, they didnt make a big deal out of it. Nebil and the others were the same. Nebil was an especially good actor; he took the initiative to start a chant in response to the Archbishop, even though he was supposed to be sober. I wonder if hes really sober. Although Nebils foundations are excellent, he does make blunders once in a while. Well, the incident with the Ususake Mushrooms was my fault though. After the Mass ended and everyone left, only Elemia remained. Elemia was kneeling at the altar, facing the statue of the Evil God with both hands clasped together in prayer. Evil God-sama Evil God-sama She addressed the god. Im worried, but now is not the time to speak. I cast a backward glance at the praying Elemia, then used [Espionage Techniques] to sneak into the back of the chapel. As expected, Gazaine was there. Of course, theres no way Archbishop Glutometsa would be there. Sensing a presence suddenly appearing behind him, Gazaine turned around with a sharp gaze. I greeted Gazaine with one hand and say with a cynical smile on my face, Hey, where did the Archbishop disappear to, Leader? So its you. Dont startle me. Even though I appeared, Gazaine doesnt seem shaken. Instead, he makes a brazen smile and shrugs at me. Gazaine knows that I dont believe in the Evil God. Just why does he let me free nonetheless? Part of it might be because he finds it amusing, but that shouldnt be all. Id like to draw out the answer to that soon. Theres a risk, but me being obedient would probably seem more ominous to him. You cant obtain a tiger cub without entering the tigers den. The other day I even slipped into a dragons lair, to say nothing of a tigers den. I wont get cold feet this late in the game. That said, I need a smokescreen at least. I showed Gazaine the wine cup that I had pilfered before coming here, and spilled its contents on the spot. Tch A brat with sticky fingers. Did you not drink it. My action caused Gazaine to have a great misunderstanding. Its magnificent. What is? This religious organisation. I thought it was a thoughtless doctrine to have people sneaking around and killing people; however, I dont know why but you have quite a splendid religion here. As usual, those arent a brats thoughts. But its the opposite. Opposite? Yeah. Sneaking around and killing people. In order to have them do such things, a half-baked doctrine was no good. I see. Youre saying that a doctrine full of deceit and sophistry is necessary for that exact reason. A religion is generally like that anyway. Having them believe in an imaginary god and a heaven that doesnt exist, and for them to forget about the cruel reality before their eyes is what a religion does. The representative of this religious organisation is an incredible atheist. Ill say this just in case, but this is purely Gazaines personal opinion. My grandma was a Buddhist, and yet she was kind to me and was adored by my cousins as well. I personally have no religion, but I have no intention of denying people of such. But before that, gods really do exist here in Marquekt. I think God exists. Even the Evil God exists. Those guys wont save us. Theyre simply governors of the world. Even the Evil God? Who knows. According to one theory, the Evil God used to be one of the gods as well. However, he abused his power as a god and was chased from heaven. Thats a first. Abusing ones power and being chased from heaven, isnt it kinda chic? I will no doubt fall to hell when I die. Since theres no way someone like me will be saved by God. Wouldnt you be saved if you believed in the Evil God? Heh. How transparent. You already know though. The Evil God is the only god who would even give a scoundrel like me power. Unexpectedly, the villains worship the Evil God not because of sophistication or capriciousness, but out of seriousness, you know? You too? No way. I do sympathise with the Evil God though. I believe in myself. Even if the path leads me to hell I will rely on my own power, and cut through that path. I suppose hed even make a deal with the Evil God. Is it alright, that s leader of all people is declaring such things? You dont believe in him anyway, right? Im not really rebuking you. Gazaine hesitated for a brief moment. Its a rare occasion. When it comes to speaking, I thought this man would chatter away. And then, the words that came out of his mouth after he paused was truly something unexpected. DDWontcha come with me? I was flabbergasted. Gazaine advocated further. I dont have the heart to settle with just being the boss of such an uncool religious assassination organisation. Someday, I intend to usurp a country and become a king. I have the power to do that much. Gazaine seems to gaze off into the distance. However, there were no fragments of dream-like ambiguity in his eyes, instead there was strength, like he was focused on something that was there. He had the serious expression of a man who was always looking for trouble somewhere. I suddenly became embarrassed somehow, and tried to dodge the issue with sarcastic words. The Assassination King? Dont make fun of it. Im serious. So you have that much of a backing? Be honest, this organisations doctrine wasnt something that your pragmatic brain came up with, was it? Another thought that shouldnt come from a brat, as usual. But thats fine. Oi, oi How disgusting. I know that its not in your character. You are different. Your power exposes those around you to danger. At this rate, you, born with overwhelming power, will be unable to live normally, you know? Thats a line I wouldnt expect from a man who coerced me into coming here by holding my family hostage. Hmph. Stop with that unsympathetic manner. You probably understand already though. The ones who covet your power is not just alone. If youre just aiming for the dark side of a society like ours, then its true that you might be able to strike back if you get stronger. Its just like you think, under that thick skin of yours. However, the nastiest ones are actually those on the surface, you know? They would pose threats under the guise of a sound argument and make use of you, saying things like those with power have an obligation. If you reject them, they will immediately judge you as a risk factor and will either kill you or drive you out. I was unable to form a reply to Gazaines words. I cant say Ive never thought about there being such danger. Digging up the history knowledge from my previous life, I easily understood that Gazaines remark was not necessarily an exaggeration. DDI can make a place for you to belong. In public, this religious assassination organisation is indeed regarded as evil. No, not in public; looking at it objectively, it is evil itself. Full of deception, is an automated instrument for assassination. DDBut you know. If I win, this is how it will turn out. I will crush Santamana and establish my own kingdom. The state religion will be the Evil Gods doctrine. s emissaries will be reborn as clergymen instead of assassins. By that time, you will probably have grown up too? It would be fine to even entrust to you entirely, after it has become a holy religious organisation. If you say that the authority in this world is good, then I can even confer the rank of Marquis to you. Youre also good at making empty promises. I have calculated that this is possible if you follow me. Why? I am certainly abnormal, but Im no match for you in combat. No, to begin with, theres no way you can build a country with just one individuals fighting strength. Gazaine couldnt reply to my words immediately. Gazaines gaze that was looking at midair, noticeably became stern. It was as though someones figure had appeared in his line of sight. DDI know another brat like you. In order to oppose that brat, I want your power. DDA brat like me, you say? Oh? So youre interested. In that case, lets make this information into negotiation material. If you follow me, Ill give you information about them. Damn. Did I bite off too much? You know, theres a society in this world that is more profound than the underground, one that people are hard pressed to even call the darkness. I had a peek into that society, albeit only a small peek. As a result of that, I became able to zero in on those guys. Thats why I know. To associate with those guys who surpass reason, we also need to bring out beings that surpass reason or else. I dont know if you are someone like that, but you are the one with the highest prospects amongst those Ive gathered. For a time, I wondered whether Elemia was such, but although she is unique, shes not special. The one who I thought was special was, in the end, you alone. Thats a considerably unreliable story I hear. In reality, it is an unreliable story. I believe in my sense of smell. That is all. Dont you resent me? Resent? Why? I killed a considerable number of s emissaries before coming here. A foolish question. You never did anything to incur the wrath of mankind. Its not like I have any remaining right to resent people. If I had to say, I would resent the me of the past who underestimated you and only invested a small amount of combat strength. Well, I do my best at all times. Even if I reflect on it, I wont regret it. Constantly moving forward, moving forward. Sounds like a tiring way of living. The me with no fatigue is like that but I unintentionally said it. Isnt it better than stepping back and losing interest? I suppose there is a mountain of corpses behind you as you continue to move forward. Not only enemies, are supposed allies and emissaries also tools used by you to advance forward? What, those guys die believing that they can go to heaven. Nevertheless, theyre probably happier than me, who is set to go hell. Theres no god who will save me. Thats why I must obtain paradise with my own strength. Gazaine stood up after saying that. Then, he walked off without turning back towards me. H-hey Hmph. Think about it. Isnt it tedious, accompanying them to play make-believe assassin indefinitely, even for you? I could only watch in dumbfoundment as Gazaine departed. CH 51 My days in have finally come to an end. Donna and Beck from the childrens group have gone to do their sacred task. Sacred taskDD in other words, killing people. After sending off the two children on their journey, I finally resolved myself and raised the beacon for the rebellion. It will be executed on the day of the Mass. It seems there are several sacred tasks taking place concurrently. It wasnt just Donna and Beck; quite a number of emissaries will be away from the Nest and will miss the Mass this time. On the other hand, many of the executives will remain at the Nest in order to attend the Mass. Its troubling that the executives will be here since they possess a strong combat ability, but the fact that theres no need to worry about letting them get away is ideal. Even in the unlikely event that the emissaries become hostile, they probably wont be able to fight properly because the majority of them will be under the influence of Mescaline. My companions and I closely exchange information while waiting for the day of the Mass. On the day of the Mass, I distributed the antidote to both Mescaline and Repchipa Grass to my companions, confirmed the plan over and over, and then went to the chapel. Instead of the usual atmosphere, there was instead a nervous atmosphere inside the chapel. In the beginning, I thought it was just that my companions and I were nervous because of the act we had planned, but somehow the executives, including Gazaine, also appeared unusually tense. Today is a special Mass, and the wine containing Mescaline was poured into a goblet that was larger than usual. I handed out a larger dose of the antidote than what was required so I think it should be fine, but I had cold sweat. Recently, there hasnt been a single calm place in the Nest. The sacred tasks were set to be executed concurrently, and yet the executives halt their procession and have everyone standby at the Nest. Its as though they were preparing for what was about to happen. I dont believe it, but has our scheme been leaked out? However, no matter how much I probed, I couldnt find any signs of such things. Since I cant postpone the plan because of a simple fear, we resolved ourselves and decided to take action today. But it seems that those were groundless fears. Immediately after the Mass began, the Archbishop was suddenly summoned, skipping Gazaines sermon. The previously seen 3 metre tall face of a pale young man appeared. I try [Appraisal] just in case, but there was no doubt that this was produced by Gazaines [Illusion Magic]. The illusion floated there with its eyes closed for a few minutes without saying a word. It coughed once, fostering an air of hesitation. Among the emissaries who had drunk the wine (those who were not of Orochis faction), some crouched down in a bad mood. After giving us plenty of suspense, the illusion slowly started spinning a tale. Dear emissaries The time has finally come. Its time to build Evil God Monguenuess kingdom above the ground with our hands Those were words used to incite a rising to action. I see, so the reason the executives stayed was this. Nevertheless, isnt it good that they were gathering everyone together even though it means halting the other sacred tasks? Those were my thoughts for a brief moment, but once I thought about it more, I understood the answer to that question. In this case, theres no need to revise the plan. While I was nodding to myself, Archbishop Glutometsas illusion had disappeared, replaced by the appearance of Gazaine who proceeded to preachDD trying to appeal them to rise to action. DDWhen those who are currently outside return we will go usurp a kingdom. At Gazaines declaration, the emissaries who were present became noisy. Our target is Sanamana Kingdoms royal capital, Monocchanus. Starting from the king, Vistgard the First, we will assassinate every important person in the country, then take advantage of the chaos that ensues to usurp the royal castle. At the same time, we will have the troops who have infiltrated the royal capital execute their task of spreading propaganda towards the citizens of the capital. If you come across anyone who opposes you, it is because they are the devils. Assassinate them without leaving anyone behind. Someone cleared their throat, and it sounded awfully loud. Its the guidance of the Evil God. Fellow believers, will you come with us? At Gazaines words, the chapel fell into silence. Then, DDI dont want to. I said, walking out from the chapel. Behind me, the emissaries who had become my fellow believers were standing in a row with the children at the centre. There were ten-odd adults, as well as several children. What did you say? Gazain asked with a grim face. I said I dont want to, Leader. You bastard, what are you saying to your leader! DDReconsider! Jumping out from the flank was one of the executivesDDHis name is Gazlow if Im not mistakenDDbut he spoke the keyword to the collar of loyalty. HoweverDD Click. I already knew how to release this a long time ago. I said, lazily pointing at the released collar with my finger. What! Gazaine talks instead of the speechless Gazlow. that okay, Orochi. What is it? This is a clear revolt. Now that Ive said that I want to do that, this will no longer end with just disciplinary action. Your position is one with no turning back. DDYoure okay with that? Yeah. Besides, these arent just my thoughts. Theyre everyones thoughts. Theres no need to stick with the delusions of this religious assassination organisation any further is what Im saying. At my words, Gazaine once again turns his gaze towards the emissaries standing behind me. I did think you alone would try to kill me, but just what is the meaning of this? Didnt you guys believe in the Evil God? Where and how did you change your mind? No, I should say, how could you change your minds? Certainly, the various methods of brainwashing you used were nothing but a nuisance. But in the end, everyone revised their thinking. Though they were also wounded by your deception. Thats why they decided to believe in a new god. Even though I said that gods are but phantoms in reality, they didnt listen. No, they replied that it was fine even if they were. If they can live on without sacrificing any more people, they would even believe in an inconceivable god, is what they thought. DDNow, everyone, lets tell them about the new god you believe in. Namo Amitabha Buddhaya! Namo Amitabha Buddhaya!! The emissaries standing behind meDDNo, the ex-emissaries all chanted the gods name in unison. The Evil Gods chapel shivered like they received an electric shock from the loud voices. You, just what did you do!? Gazaine screamed, glaring daggers at me. I grinned, saying, DDI didnt do anything. Everything was the doing of Buddha. Stop messing around! Besides, what could a brat like me do? Im no more than an ordinary 11-month-old baby you can find anywhere. As if such an 11-month-old baby exists! I was told off. Although, that much was the truth. Ill say this though, everyone here has consumed the antidote to Mescaline. You wont be able to manipulate them with just your magic. When I said that, Gazaine clicked his tongue loudly. Shit You even got that old geezer Ganash on your side. Gazaine glared at me while scratching his head. Ah, I get it. So youre saying that Ive been rejected by you? Gazaine is probably talking about the aforementioned invitation. Sorry. But I believe. In what? In the people who think Im important. Besides, if I have no place to belong to then I can just make one myself. I dont think Ill follow something like the Evil god just because I have no one to rely on. Hm. So youre just a brat who doesnt know about the world after all. The world isnt necessarily an easy to live in place, but theres a better place if you search for it. Then by all means, go search for one. However, no matter where you go or who you meet, there wont be anyone who understands you from the bottom of their heart. And no matter where, there are idiots that you cant do anything about who will want to hang all heretics. Thats not true. In reality, dont I have you who understands me? Being different to those around you, being disconnected from common senseDDyou taught me the sorrows and dangers of that. At that time, a purple light flickered in the corner of my vision. One of my companions had used the Thunderbolt that I taught them to render the executives who tried to move helpless. That was the trigger; lightning started flashing everywhere. Afterwards, apart from us, the only ones left standing were Gazaine and his followers. Naturally, that didnt mean that we also beat down the emissaries who were confused by the situation and hadnt chosen to be on on either side. Although they were confused at the situation, they were unmistakably trained assassins, and the majority hung close to the walls to escape the danger. There might be some emissaries who got entangled in, but I had told them not to use lethal force. Though Ill forgive them if theyre in a crisis. DDTch. To think Id fail here. Gazaine says with a sour face. However, there was no despair on Gazaines face. Hes probably thinking that itll be fine if he kills me and recovers order. The only thing showing on Gazaines face is irritation, no impatience. I still cant break the spirit of one of the top assassins, s leader Gazaine with just this much. DDGazaine Munzter, fight me. What did you say? Here, youve lost to me as a religious leader. However, you still havent lost your spirit as an assassin. In order to undo the brainwashing on everyone, I have to show them the defeat of s leader. Oi, oi Are you saying that for real? Who do you think I am? If thats what you think, just try me. Shit, its not even funny However, I have wanted to knock down your conceited mask at least once. DDHey, you guys, dont interfere. Ill be the one to bring this guy down. Saying that, Gazaine takes a step forward. Then, he retrieved a single copper coin from the pocket of his black clothes. DDThe signal will be when this coin hits the ground. Alright. He snorted at my arrogant reply, then flicked the coin with his finger. Not upwardsDDtowards me. I caught the coin with [Psychokinesis] but in that time, Gazaine had vanished from his previous position. Then, a sharp blade came swinging down at me from behind. I had already shifted the left half of my body, so I dodged the blow aimed at the vital point between my left shoulder blade and collarbone by a slim margin. You have [Discern]!? Gazaine muttered in astonishment. After the secret training I had with Elemia who was similarly unaffected by fatigue, my [Discern] skill had already reached Counter Stop. Contrary to its name, Discern (all-seeing), this skill can grasp invisible presences approaching behind you, so its possible to dodge by a paper-thin margin. Gazaine followed up with a kick, and I moved in accordance with the kicks direction to completely eliminate the force behind it. To counterattack, I use [Psychokinesis] to grab Gazaines boot and throw him. Nnn Uooooh!? Gazaine did a tailspin in midair. He then twisted his body and escaped the overbearing throw that wasnt restrained by my throwing posture, doing something that even Miguel couldnt handle despite his [Qinggong]. Is this for real? In that moment of surprise, Gazaine pushed off against the ground with one hand, and using the recoil from that, leapt back and took some distance away from me. I recovered from my surprise and released a steel thread in Gazaines direction. Gazaine tried to cut the steel thread using the dagger he retrieved from his pouch. However, just before the dagger touched the steel thread, he hurriedly withdrew the dagger and dodged the steel thread by bending backwards. Having missed its target, the steel thread struck against a nearby pillar. The steel thread produced intense sparks and lost its momentum. Right now, [Lightning Magic] has been added to the steel thread via [Enchantment Magic] but Gazaine withdrew his dagger at the last moment as though he had a bad premonition about the steel thread. Its probably the effect of the legendary-class [Sense Danger] skill that the Evil God added. However, Gazaines posture broke with his consecutive unnatural movements. Here, I decided to play one of my trump cards. Fire|Shoot (?)DD Flame lance I produced a Flame lance with an instantaneous chant. The trick was in the magic symbols. (Flame) was i, (Conset) was r. These two characters were transliterated into magic symbols, to apply the meaning of the words Fire|Shoot. Naturally this was not Marquekts common language but Japanese. Even if Japanese is converted to magic symbols, its an issue of my own mental image so the chant functioned without a problem. Incidentally, it was enough to just keep both meanings in mind while using the pronunciation of ir. Its an innovative chanting technique that would cause Abaddon, who I consider my mentor, to go wide-eyed in surprise. However, Uoooh!? F-fast! Even the instantly invoked Flame Lance was avoided by Gazaine using his superior body movements. However, that wasnt a problem. If it was dodged, I just have to continue firing until it hits. I repeatedly cast Flame lanceby etching ir, ir, ir. Shooting energy balls was a basic of 2D fighting games. Aiming at Gazaine who was unseemly fleeing about, I threw incandescent fire lances out rapidly. Dont get carried away! Gazaine brandished the dagger in his hand along with a scream, and cut down the flaming lances that came flying at him. Theres no time to cast [Appraisal], but hes probably using a weapon imbued with magic. I pile on further Flame Lances but Gazaine leapt towards me while cutting down every single lance of flame assaulting him. Then, Gazaine suddenly changed direction in midair, and his pointed shoe tip came aiming at my head. DDHowever, that was an action that I had read. Change to Scarlet (Ų)DDFire Blast! (Flame), (Spread), (Flame), (Wind). Their respective pronunciations were i, s, i, u. I split this into i and siu, applying the kanji for scarlet and effect, transliterating this into all-kanji style. Even if I do this, as long as my mental image doesnt lose shape, the kanji are effective as magic symbols. To produce Julia-kaasans Flame Storm, I still need one more of , , and respectively, but I have yet to be able to cast that seven-symbol invocation stably and successfully. In addition, even I will end up being caught up in it if I fire Flame storm inside an enclosed space. I dont need that much power. Thus, I omit 3 characters from Flame stormand devised an original magic spell. The burst of flame that gushed out from in front of my body directly engulfed Gazaine, who was midair and couldnt move. There was no way to avoid the red-hot tornado that formed a vacuum, even if it was Gazaine. Reaching his limit, Gazaine was sent flying, his entire body wrapped in flames. He bounced on the floor as he tumbled over to the wall on the opposite side of the chapel. The emissaries watching over my fight with Gazaine had their breath taken away. There was no signs of movement from Gazaine after he collided with the wall on the other side, although his clothes had been burnt to pieces. DDDid I do it? My muttering echoed through the chapel that was dominated by silence. CH 52 DDDid I do it? A chill ran down my back as I muttered that without thinking. I throw myself into the air by instinct and use [Psychokinesis] to aid me in somersaulting forward. When I check with [Discern] whilst in midair, I saw a knife pass through the place I had been in just before. After I landed, I spin around in the direction that the knife had come flying from. There I saw Gazaines figure leaning with his back against a pillar and his arms folded. Tch. Good instincts. Gazaine clicks his tongue. I flick my gaze at the other Gazaine that had smashed into the wall while burning a moment ago; the only thing there was the chapels wall. DD[Illusion Magic], huh. I muttered without thinking. I made a bit of a mistake, but Gazaine spoke without noticing it. Thats right. Its a pity I missed just now, but your trump card youve shown me the basics of it already, you know? Gazaine said with a grin. Damn As I drew back, my face revealed my frustration. Is that the end of your tricks? In that case, Ill come at you seriously now. With those words, Gazaines body divides. Gazaine, who had increased his numbers to 3, attacks me from the front and sides with staggered timing. Damn Which ones the real one!? However, that thought itself was the trap. None of the three bodies were real. While I was confused, the real Gazaine thrust a sharp knife at my unprotected back whilst clad in darkness! ButD What!? The one who cried out in surprise was Gazaine. And thats how it should be, as Gazaine had stabbed nothing but empty space. I was unharmed. DDGrand Dasher! The floor beneath my feet imploded with my chant as I ran towards Gazaine and attack him. Even this, which should have caught Gazaine completely by surprise, was evaded by him. That said, this was also within my calculations. From inside the sediment that I had unearthed with my Grand Dasher, I used [Psychokinesis] to grab the two swords that I had buried beforehand. I then used [Flying Sword Techniques]DDNo, I used the [Flying Swordsmanship] I recently acquired to send these two whirling blades at Gazaine. Whoa!? Gazaine repelled one of the blades with the dagger in his hand, but the other one shallowly grazed his side. My first effective strike. I attack him a second time with the flying swords while using [Steel Thread Techniques] to seal off Gazaines path of retreat. However, Gazaine averts the [Lightning Magic]-imbued steel thread with the leather part of his gauntlet and makes a huge backward somersault to create some distance between us. I try throwing a separation barrier fragment at him with [Throwing Techniques], but this was easily evaded. DDLike this, were back to square one. Heh Youre not bad I see, so your clone was. made with [Light Magic]. Gazaine said, making a brazen smile. Right. When Gazaine initially used his [Illusion Magic] clones as a decoy to attack me from behind, what his blade pierced was a mirage I had produced with [Light Spirit Magic]. Having learned that most of this world does not know about the properties of light from the exchange with Grandpa Ganash, I created a spell (mirage) that bent light to produce a false image. By the way, I had intuitively realised that all three were fakes the moment he showed me the three clones. However, I purposely pretended to follow Gazaines plan to draw him in, thinking of settling it with the combination of Mirage, Grand Dasher , and [Flying Swordsmanship], but Gazaine simply bit a hole in my trap. With this exchange, two of the trump cards I prepared have now been used. The shallow wound in his side being the only thing I got out of it was painful. Damn He exceeded my expectations. His deceptive fighting with [Illusion Magic] also did so, but the most dangerous part was his [Sense Danger]. No matter how excellent Gazaines physical abilities were, he wouldnt have been able to dodge all of my surprise attacks so far without [Sense Danger]. Geez, how many tricks do you have. You jack-in-the-box bastard. Gazaines eyes were laughing as he said that. DDThis is it. Contrary to when he is acting as leader, Gazaines eyes really light up like a kid when fighting. Even though hes said to always be nefarious, my feelings of hatred end up fading away when I see these eyes of his. Geez, I cant bear to do away with this charming villain Ahh Its regrettable to have to killDDyou! The moment I heard you! come from behind me, the Gazaine standing in front of me disappeared. DD[Illusion Magic]! I had already been caught within Gazaines deadly range. [Discern] told me that the backDDwas not where the attack was coming from, but instead the front. So even the You! I heard from behind was an illusion. I had already started turning, but I forcefully knock myself backwards with [Psychokinesis] to try to escape from Gazaines attack range, but his attack was him thrusting with the daggerDDas an illusion, within which needles were hidden. However, the needles merely shot through the mirage of me only shifting half of my body which I had created beforehand with a chantless Mirage. But Gazaine had simply made allowances for that, sending out daggers, kicks, hand chops, throwing needles, and the steel thread stored in his gauntlet at me at a hectic speed. Furthermore, he coordinated that with his [Illusion Magic]. I naturally had no time to use [Appraisal], so I had no choice but to use [Mana Detection] to perceive it somehow. Caught in a violent rush that I couldnt evade even with the near-counter stop [Discern], blood sprays out from all over my body. Whats the matter! Are you weak at close combat, Orochi! YeahDDIm bad at it! I stop Gazaines stabbing with the light, handmade outerwear on my torso. I sensed Gazaines surprise when I felt the tip of his dagger. A high-levelled [Assassination Techniques] has the effect of penetrating an armours weak point. This stab just now was an attack aiming at the weak point of my defense, intended to pierce through to my heart. To stop that like I did was not possible with ordinary magic. The scraps that comprised my outerwear firmly immobilised the tip of Gazaines blade, causing him to go stiff with surprise. With this phenomenon that betrayed common sense halting Gazaines movements DD Namo ( )DD (condense) (aqua) (thunder) (wind). I hit him with an electrified sphere of water configured according to those magic symbolsDD Amitabha ( βX )DD (aqua) (thunder) (flame) X (mix) (aqua). Burned him with a fire bomb via electrified oilDD Buddhaya ( )! (seismo) (wind) (shock) (spread) (wind). And a wind-attributed shockwave sent him flying. I had started making these magic symbols as a joke, but I myself believed that the words Namo Amitabha Buddhaya seemed to possess a spell-like feeling and that it felt closer to a chant than anything else. It didnt factor in bringing about an image, but since it had the characteristic of being easy to enhance by imbuing mana and being invigorated, I practiced it over and over to use as my best trump card. I use [Appraisal] on Gazaine who been electrified, roasted, and sent flying into the wall from a shockwave. Gazaine Muntzer. HP: 19/140, MP: 176/439 (39 + 400). This time, it wasnt an illusion. DDOh Earth Spirits, bind my enemy. Finally, I affix all four of Gazaines limbs to the wall with [Earth Spirit Magic]. DDGazaine, its your loss. Damnit. With his limbs constrained by the earth bindings, Gazaine glares at me while cursing. What defended against Gazaines stab in that last exchange wasDDbelieve it or not, the [Dragon Scale Defence] skill. I made my outerwear by using the Dimension Chisel and [Carving] to make a hole in the separation barrier fragments and tying them together with steel thread. By searching for a protective method to liken this outerwear to the scales of a dragon, I succeeded in acquiring the [Dragon Scale Defence] that both of the firedrakes, parent and child, possessed. This was not by chance. Releases all skill acquisition restrictions was one of the effects of the Goddess of Virtues Blessing . Because it was also a skill, I wondered if that meant I would be able to acquire it even if it was a dragons skill. After I thought of that, I repeated this trial-and-error with Melby. [Dragon Scale Defence] was a skill that catches attacks with sturdy scales, breaking and blocking an opponents weapon with the coordination of the scales working together, just like what happened with Gazaine earlier. Dragons are able to move their scales with their muscles, whereas I had to move them with [Psychokinesis]; to be blunt, the usability was extremely bad. Even so, I thought that I wouldnt be able to outwit Gazaine unless I prepared a surprise at this level. Presumably, the reason Gazaine couldnt respond to [Dragon Scale Defence] was because his [Sense Danger] didnt come into play. [Sense Danger] was a skill to be able to perceive every sign of danger as well things that could be related to danger. And in reality, he was so overly responsive to my attacks to the point where I was fed up. However, I wondered if his sensing didnt consider his own attack being defended against as a possibility of Gazaine falling into danger. My [Dragon Scale Defence] skill was, in accordance with its name, a skill for defending, so that in itself cant be considered something related to danger for Gazaine. Despite the fact that I prepared so many tactical variations to face this fight with Gazaine, I had no idea how precise his [Sense Danger] skill would be. And then I used up all of my trump cards before I finally managed to beat Gazaine. NoDD I had just one more card in my hand, but I didnt really want to reveal it to the public, so Im glad I could defeat him with the three consecutive sets of magic symbols after my [Dragon Scale Defence]. When I slowly approached, Gazaine launched a hidden needle at me as a final struggle, so I used [Psychokinesis] to catch it and throw it back. Receiving the hidden needle in his shoulder, Gazaine gave a small moan. Now, lets talk. About what? About that guy. You know, right? About the baby who is like me. You want me to speak honestly? Fortunately, my father, Viscount Chrebl, is well-known in the military. I have all sorts of methods to make even you confess. Its not like Im someone who really sticks to duty. Hmph Youll regret it if you dont kill me here, you know? To be honest, it being hard to kill you because Ive gotten attached is true. Not killing you right now, though, is because its unnecessary. Keh. How sweet. So sweet youre making me sick. AndDDthat naivety will be fatal. As he said that, I saw Gazaine signal with his eyes. I followed his gaze and turned around by reflex. At the end of that gaze, I saw a person appear from empty space. That figure thrust the needle in his hand at the shoulder of a smaller figure standing in front. He removed the hood covering the figure who was stabbed by the needle, and from inside spilled out short, silver hair. Its Elemia! Elemias body shuddered, then she crumpled on the spot as though she had lost her strength. The suddenly appearing figure thrust a knife at her nape. That person was the middle-aged emissary with shifty eyes. Gazlow-san! The one who shouted seems to be Nebil. I use [Appraisal] on Gazlow once more. Gazlow Outlaw ( Special Forces Leader | Gazlow the Ambuscader) 44 years old Level 39 HP 73/73 MP 24/24 Skills ? Legendary [Ambush] 4 (extinguish your presence enough to prevent raising the attention of surrounding people) ? Master Class [Espionage Techniques] 4 [Sense Presence] 2 ? General [Stealth Steps] 9 (MAX) [Crossbow Techniques] 6 [Eavesdropping] 5 [Assassination Techniques] 5 [Steel Thread Techniques] 5 [Night Vision] 4 [Hook Techniques] 4 [Unarmed Combat] 4 [Command] 3 [Dagger Techniques] 3 [Knife Throwing] 2 Its roughly the same result as the last time I saw a chance and used [Appraisal] on him. I had carried out intelligence gathering on the one leading the Special Forces, Gazlow, beforehand. Because [Ambush] was a skill that could be a threat, I especially checked it in detail with Nebil and Elemia who were affiliated with the Special Forces. According to the two of them, Gazlows [Ambush] was indeed a skill that would make ones presence harder to perceive than with [Espionage Techniques], but Elemia was able to grasp his presence with her [Sense Presence] and Blessing of the Dark Forest. Thats why this time, I asked Elemia to hide her presence with [Espionage Techniques] and keep a surveillance on Gazlows movements. For Elemia to receive a surprise attack meant it was likely that Gazlow had kept his true strength hidden from the Special Forces as well. Hey, dont make any strange actions, Orochi. Since its a jack-in-the-box like you, any trivial action might have something behind it. If you move about even a little, Ill consider her life gone. Gazlow says as he licks his lips. Gazlow-san! Come to your senses! is strange! To listen to Master Gazaines orders and kill others under the pretext of being for Evil God Monguenues sake, thats such a ridiculous story! We are just being used by Master Gazaine! Gazlow observed Nebil shouting with cunning eyes, like a snake looking at a frog. Oh, oh Nebil, you Did you forget who saved you? T-that Nebil flinched, but continues. is true. It cant be helped that I have to be slandered as ungrateful. Even so, I dont intend to continue deceiving myself any longer! Keh Is that so. Well, fine. I was the one who stuck you there in the first place. Stuck me? What, didnt you notice? Back then, back there, I was using [Ambush] just like I did now, you see. Then, I fired an arrow from within the mob of goblinsDDI was aiming at you, who was full of holes because of the panic caused by the goblins and such. So hes referring to the time that he saved Nebil from the goblin mob that Nebil had previously mentioned to me. I had thought it was suspicious, but it really was as I thought. Wha! I had been taught so many methods of killing that I hated it, so it was rather difficult to shoot without killing you. Since I needed to have you become an assassin much later, an injury that would leave after-effects would also be bad. Well, there would be blunders if whoever was doing it wasnt me, the great Gazlow. Y You bastaaaaaaard! Nebil yelled with his face flushed, but he wasnt as imprudent as to jump out there. Breaking the silence that had befallen the chapel was a deep laugh. The owner of the laughter wasDD Gazaine. Too bad, Orochi. When I looked at Gazaine who I had crucified to the wall, I saw Gazaine laughing with a grin on his face. DDMmph. Gazaine bent his entire body in an arch, and teared off the dirt bindings that shackled him. Carrying Elemia with one hand, Gazlow detoured around me to converge at where Gazaine was now standing free. DDOrochi, you have no choice but to accept your defeat here. You did well. However, your endgame was poor. If you want Elemia to be released, you will turn a blind eye to me. Me, Gazlow, Letticia Oh and every one of the Special Forces barring Nebil and Elemia, you will release us all. Letticia was the one whom Elemia referred to as the Pastor. I cast my eyes down, unable to answer to Gazaines request. Silence, huh. Dont disappoint me too much, okay? Even though I thought I had finally found a replacement for Goleth The fact that it turned out this way is a pity. Whats the matter Have you become scared at this stage? Good grief, my eyes were clouded too. Youre just a kid after aDD Heh heh. DDll Ah? The na?ve one was you, Leader. CH 53 The na?ve one was you, Leader. DDDonna, Beck! From among the former emissaries standing behind me, two small figures stepped out. The figures remove the hoods concealing their face. Naturally, it was Donna and Beck. DDFor killing, appear after devising a scheme for assured death. Its what youve told me time and time again. Saying that, I gave him a brazen smile. However, Gazaines reaction was outside my expectations. Hmph, what can those two do? Striking suddenly is one thing, but you think you can win by coming from the front? Oi, oi, Leader-san. Dont tell me you dont know what it means for these two to be here. I said after sighing. What it means for these two to be here? These two should originally be out killing people under your orders around this time. However, they are here right now. The meaning of that. Hearing my words, blood quickly drains from Gazaines face. Wha D-dont tell me! Y-you! You know about my deal with the Evil God!? Thats right. I use [Appraisal] on the flustered Gazaine. Gazaine Muntzer. Status: Deal with the Evil God (Due to the Deal with the Evil God Monguenes, powerful bonuses have been gained. Terms and conditions: Raise 100 children into assassins and make them each kill at least 5 people before the deadline. Degree of completion: 98/100, Deadline: 39 seconds remaining.) Since the time I was attacked at the Viscount Chrebl residence in Fauno City, I have always kept this [Appraisal] result in mind. From time to time, I would check with [Database] and continued to wonder if I couldnt prevent this somehow. Remember when I unthinkingly muttered, [Illusion Magic], huh, back when Gazaine showed me himself being done in with his [Illusion Magic] and I immediately noticed my blunder? This was naturally because there was the possibility of Gazaine remembering about his deal with the Evil God if he noticed that I was able to peek at his status with [Appraisal]. Fortunately, in Gazaines mind, this deal appeared to have been settled and completed, so he didnt suspect anything about my intentions at that moment. Finally, today. The timing for when everything had been put in order. The two have already overcome the brainwashing. I had the two pretend to still be deceived, restrain their emissary escorts after setting out on their mission, and then return to the Nest. For the drug specialist Donna, it was no trouble to neutralise the off-guard emissaries. Of course, they would be discovered if they returned to the Nest as they were, so I got Melby to use Gate and had them standby in the Fairy Hamlet. Incidentally, the children who were too young to defend themselves were also entrusted to Melby to look after in the Fairy Hamlet. I taught Cecil and Cecila how to play Fruits Basket and Cops & Robbers, so they should be engrossed with playing around this time. Since this exists, it can be said that theres no need to forcibly fight with Gazaine. Naturally, I needed to defeat Gazaine in order to make the brainwashing reversal of the emissaries conclusive, but it wasnt absolutely necessary. In some respects, I wanted to fight Gazaine and settle the matter. That thought led to betraying Gazaines side, but this can also be considered a fight. Only 38 37 seconds remaining. With that, youre finished. Were you relieved that you managed to meet the goal? That you had finished offering up the final sacrifice? Thinking about it, your merry behaviour back when we returned from the firedrakes lair was strange. It wasnt me, Elemia, or Miguel, but Donna and Beck that you absolutely couldnt lose for your deal with the Evil God. Although you considered them hopeless at one point, Donna and Beck returned. Then you were able to safely send them out for their sacred tasks. You were relieved. However, that negligence was fatal. Gazaine Muntzer, disappear and have even your soul tormented by the Evil God, unable to return to the cycle of death and rebirth. R Ridiculous! Thats ridiculous! It doesnt matter if its ridiculous or whatnot. Its the promise binding you, right? Take proper responsibility for it to the end. Gu Uoooooooh! Gazaine screams, tearing at his head. Then, he pointed at the children behind me with his blood-covered hand. You guys! Its not too late yet! Kill those fellows around you! Listen, you need 5 people. If you dont kill 5 people, you guys will be dragged down to hell by the Evil God! The children flinched at Gazaines threatening attitude. I heard one of the children murmur Namo Amitabha Buddhaya in a small voice. What are you saying, Gazaine Muntzer. Youre the one whos going to hell. Guoooooohh!! Gazaine leapt at a child by the wall, forcing a knife in their hand. That one had a special skill or something and wasnt part of the childrens group. Because of that, he hadnt been taking cover behind me, nor had he been entrusted to Melby at the Fairy Hamlet beforehand. Y-you, you kill them! Thats right, any of those useless emissaries over there will do! Anyway, kill five of them! DDHey, the emissary over there! This is the Evil Gods will! For my sake, be killed by this kid here! Please dieeeeeee! As one would expect, even the emissaries who hadnt been released from the brainwashing were bewildered and looked around at each other. Gazlow, holding Elemia hostage, was also clearly shaking. Taking that opportunity, Elemia slipped out of Gazlows arm and conversely took hold of his arm, pulling Gazlow down. Giving a surprised shout, Gazlow was quickly bound by Elemia. Kill! Kill them! Ignore everything else and just kill them! If you dont kill then be killed by the Evil God! Ill be killed by the evil god! The one who did the most for until now is me, you know!? You guys, kill the person next to you right now, kill themmmmmm! Its about time. Deadline: 5 seconds remaining.) 4, 3, 2 Uooooohhh! Oooooh Guoooooh! Kill them, Kill, KILL KILL KILL KDD Zero. The same moment I muttered that, Gazaines body was engulfed in what appeared to be black fog. NoDD Ugaaa.! Ga.. Guaaahhh! Looking closer, it was a jet black serpent. DDor so I thought, but now it looked like black fog again. It wasnt that that black thing was changing. When I think its a snake, it becomes fog; When I look at it thinking its fog, it appears to be a snake. It was a thing with an unknown nature. It coiled around Gazaines body, and countless mouths bit into his body. Guwaaah! Arghhh! Hurts! It hurts! H-help me. Somebody! Somebody Gazaine. You have killed an incalculable amount of people until now. And yet, youre afraid of your own death? Or is it that you thought you were the only one who wouldnt die? Kill Please kill Youre still saying that. Im sure the people you had killed also wanted to say that. No! Me Kill me Please kill me! That things really bad! Its not just death Its being devoured! Ill be greedily devoured, soul and allDDby the Evil God! Seeing Gazaines screaming figure, everyone was speechless. Now you see it, right? The true colours of the Evil God we worship. The former emissaries cover their faces at my words. Some of the female ex-emissaries were even crying. Being deceived went deeper than being beaten up; it wounded the heart. Enough for them to possibly even prefer to continue being deceived. Rather than Gazaines killing of people, I couldnt forgive him more for deceiving people and using them. For people to believe in other people was an extraordinarily precious thing. I was taught this by my parents in my current life. The two of them believed in me unconditionally, despite my strange nature. To the extent that I could easily deceive them if I had any ill will on my side. Gazaine falsely presented himself as the archbishop and held the trust of many people. Gazaine had said he was able to maintain his tension by incurring the enmity of others, but I guess he was also able to procure that tension by deceiving people. I cant help but say that a guy like that has no reason to comment on whether someone has a place to belong or not. Gazaine tried to create a place for himself to belong by deceiving others. As long as he was on the deceiving side, he wouldnt be fooled. On one hand, as long as you tried to believe in someone, the possibility of being deceived would follow. For his own peace of mind, Gazaine chose to be the head, and as a result, became unable to have faith in anyone. More than half of Gazaines body had already been swallowed up by the black fog. I dont know what sort of torture Gazaine was being tormented by, but he did nothing but spasm and it seems like he is even unable to speak any more. I dumbfoundedly watched his situation while shuddering but, Wait, do you plan on letting him be consumed by the Evil God!? Melbys words returned me to my senses. Thats right, it wont be good if he gets consumed by the Evil God like this. The additions appended to Gazaines status would end up becoming the Evil Gods. Although, I dare say Melby was just saying that letting him be eaten would be cruel. NamoDD AmitabhaDD Buddhaya! The three spells I fired without restraint sent Gazaines head flying from the midst of the black fog. OoohDD The Evil God cries out bitterly. Bye then, Leader. With this, Ive graduated. You shouldnt have any complaints, right I killed you as you wanted. These three months wereDDwell, unexpectedly enjoyable. Gazaines half-burned eye stared fixedly on meDDor so it felt like. Thats right, I have to say this at least. DDNamo Amitabha Buddhaya. May you rest in peace. There was no reply from Gazaine. CH 54 DDHi~, its been a while. Before my eyes was the goddess. And beneath my feet was Marquekt, as seen from outer space. It was the regular place, the goddess room. After the duel against Gazaine, I cooperated with both the children and Nebils companions to restrain the emissaries that we feared could be hostile, like the upper echelon of and the Special Forces. We had been prepared to take them on whilst outnumbered at worst, but it seemed that Gazaine being devoured by the Evil God (more accurately, him starting to be devoured) had given them all a great shock, and a majority of the emissaries were stuck in a daze. Just in case, we decided to disarm and confine them in the section of the underground space normally used as the residential area. They didnt resist at all as we did so. I felt it was unnecessary, but Nebils gang kept a watch on rotation just in case. The residential space only had one railroad to the other areas, so they could easily stand guard with such a small number of people. Of course, Gazaine and the others whod built the Nest had probably designed the layout with this in mind. There were a few things that had been outside of calculations. Firstly, the fact that we failed to catch the Pastor. I had stationed Miguel and a few of Nebils comrades to monitor the pastor, but she somehow managed to slip past the surveillance and disappeared unawares. Another thing was that there were a few people who had fallen into a panic rather than a daze, and several of those people ended up rushing out from the Nest. Since we dont have any spare personnel to send out in pursuit, there was no choice but to let them escape for now. Based on the circumstances, they are sure to have lost faith in the Evil God, so they wont be any harm I hope. However, considering the strange things people do when they become desperate, it is also possible that some might kill themselves in despair. I want to put them under protection if possible, but Im obliged to prioritise seizing the Nest first. Via the Fairy Hamlet, I quickly messaged Alfred-tousan about the emissaries who escaped, as well as the details of the confrontation with Gazaine. As soon as the message arrives, my fathers side should be able to think of countermeasures as well. By the time I finished this series of arrangements, the day had already started dawning. Immediately after I defeated Gazaine, I vaguely felt a sense of drowsiness. Of course, its not that I became sleepy after working all night long, but rather it was the sleep growth that came from defeating Gazaine. Unlike at Ranzrack Fortress, it seemed like I wouldnt fall asleep all of a sudden as long as I braced myself. That said, I couldnt help feeling heavy the whole time. Once the aftermath had been dealt with, I entrusted Nebil and Elemia with further matters and decided to get some sleep. I then commenced sleeping for the first time in four whole months and awoke in a dream where I had a reunion with the goddess, as previously mentioned. Yeah, it has been a while, Goddess-sama. Er Its been about four months, huh. After returning the greeting, I heard a voice from behind me that I shouldnt have been able to hear here. Eh Ehh!? Just where is this!? When I turned around in surprise, Melby was floating behind me looking confused. W-why is Melby here? Why I dont know! I turned back around again, directing a questioning gaze at the goddess. Oh my. Melby-san ended up coming with you. I only summoned you alone, but it seems your connection with Melby was stronger than I thought. A-and thats why she came with me? Because Melby-san is a fairy that was formed from a Gift, you see. Other people Something like Julia-san being summoned together with you, for example, wont happen. S-so, just what is this situation!? That pretty person over there is eh, it cant be Its a pleasure to meet you, Melby-san. I am the goddess who governs the transmigration of souls, Atrazenec. Eh.. EEHHHHHHH!? Melby froze with her mouth open. The goddess smiled sweetly at Melby, then turned to face me and returned to our conversation. Id like to take the time to apologise for neglecting you for so long, but the growth sleep this time is brief, so Ill get straight to the point. First is the customary transfer of skills. DDThis time your choice is between this, and this. The goddess extends both hands out at shoulder-height. Floating in the palm of her right hand was some kind of grey haze, while a red warning light-like thing was calmly rotating in the palm of her left hand. When I cast [Appraisal], it showed Gift of [Illusion Magic] and Gift of [Sense Danger] respectively. This time, I can only give you one of these two. The leader of , Gazaine Muntzer, had nothing but his deal with the Evil God so he didnt obtain a curse, and his body was swallowed up by the Evil God. Im sorry but the enhancement of your Goddess of Virtues Blessing will have to be postponed. That cant be helped. Its my mistake. I compared the two Gifts and after a little bit of thought, extended my hand towards the Gift of [Sense Danger]. The Gift disintegrated into red particles and was absorbed into my body. [Appraisal]. Edgar Chrebl (Viscount Chrebls fourth son | Noble of Santamana Kingdom | Baby Scarlet| Boundless Orochi | Negotiator | Dragon Buster | Friend of Fairies |Spirit Sorceror | Amitabhas Envoy | Guru?Jack-in-the-Box Bastard) Level 32/40 (Awaiting Level up) HP 94/94 (27) MP 5641/5641 (2473) Skills ? Mythical class [No Fatigue] C [Instant Interpretation] C ? Legendary class [Psychokinesis] 5 (4) [Spirit Magic] 5 (3) >> [Sense Danger] 1 (NEW!) [Appraisal] 9 (MAX) [Database] C [Telepathic Communication] 5 (3) ? Master class [Throwing Techniques] 7 (5) [Shuriken Skills] 6 (4) [Flying Swordsmanship] 5 (NEW!) [Steel Thread Skills] 5 (NEW!) [Assassination Skills] 5 (NEW!) [Discern] 5 (NEW!) [Physics Magic] 9 (MAX) [Fire Spirit Magic] 5 (4) [Earth Spirit Magic] 8 (4) [Wind Spirit Magic] 3 (NEW!) ? General [Throwing Spear Techniques] 5 [Dagger Techniques] 5 (NEW!) [Unarmed Combat] 5 (NEW!) [Flying Sword Techniques] 9 (4, MAX) [Shuriken Techniques] 9 (MAX) [Throwing Axe Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 9 (4, MAX) [Steel Thread Techniques] 9 (5, MAX) [Assassination Techniques] 9 (4, MAX) [Grappling Hook Techniques] 4 (NEW!) [Dragon Claw Techniques] 2 (NEW!) [Dragon Scale Defence] 5 (NEW!) [Leap] 9 (5, MAX) [Fire Magic] 9 (MAX) [Water Magic] 6 (2) [Wind Magic] 9 (2, MAX) [Earth Magic] 9 (MAX) [Light Magic] 9 (1, MAX) [Lightning Magic] 9 (2, MAX) [Telekinesis Magic] 9 (MAX) [Mana Manipulation] 9 (MAX) Goddess of Virtues Blessing +1 (Atrazenec) God of Virtues Blessing (Kannumarne)(The blessing of the god who governs religion, Kannumarne. Small correction for acquisition | growth of skills in the [Holy] System. Raises the Charisma of the divine blessing target. Increases the persuasiveness of the divine blessing targets words. Titles become easy to acquire. Also, the influence for title conferment to others becomes larger. ) Yup. I see a variety of things I want to comment about, but lets first check the acquisition of [Sense Danger] (the >> part). At any rate, the status is long! If I dont think of a sorting method soon, itll become convoluted May I ask you the reason for choosing that one? Although [Illusion Magic] was also attractive, its because I was thoroughly tormented by [Sense Danger]. Even though it looks simple at first glance, its an extremely troubling skill when an enemy uses it. Besides, with the incident this time, I understood through experience how dangerous it is to be targeted by a skilful assassin no matter how many skills I have. Well, I dont think there will that many skilful assassins at that level though. Its good that you were able to deal with them before caused a great disturbance. If they didnt get involved with you then Santamana would have become the overt kingdom of the Evil God around this time. A lucky break, huh. I dont feel that its good that I was targeted by assassins though. So, Goddess-samas only business is the Gift? Ive prepared a tonne of questions though I will naturally answer them, but theres something Id like you to look at before that. DDUm, its this. The goddess snapped her fingers, and something I recognise appeared before us. CH 55 What appeared before our eyes was a large display of about 50 inches. The goddess snapped her fingers once again, and a video started streaming. Everyone, this mansion that you see nestled in a corner of this quiet high-end residential area is the home of the modern day necromancer, Tooru Kizaki! It was a Japanese talk show. A familiar middle-aged female reporter with heavy makeup that emphasised her nostrils turns her face and approaches the camera. The sight of a high-end residential area that even I know the name of was projected behind her. In the image, a crowd of people from the press could be seen standing in front of a noticeably large mansion. Wow, wow! What is this!? Some sort of scene is being projected on this ordinary board!? After finally recovering from her petrification, Melby made the clichd action of going around to the back of the display to peer inside. She asked the goddess who was cheerfully watching on, Is this the aforementioned slasher? Yes. The program is a little vulgar, but this was the most detailed one. Wouldnt you at least want to know Tooru Kizakis profile for when you take him on hereafter? The female reporter pushed the intercom button of the single mansion. Next to that intercom hung an expensive-looking stone nameplate with Kizaki written on it. DDHello? Who might this be I am Nikaidou, from Fusou TV. DDIm sorry but Im not taking any interviews. The world wont consent to that! For your son to have caused such an incident, how do you feel as a parent of hisDD The intercom cut off with a click. The reporter relentlessly continued to ring the intercom even after that, but there was no response. In the end, the relay ended with the camera aimed at a curtain-covered window of the mansion. Then in the studio, the commentator used the panel to explain the details of the incident with a know-it-all look. Tooru Kizaki was 34 years old at the time of the incident. But as far as his personal history goes, its better to say that the worlds we live in differ. With the director of a pharmaceutical company as his father and the daughter of the manager of a large hospital as his mother, Kizaki was a typical medical elite. After graduating as the top student of the medical department at Tokyo University, he gained clinical experience at a teaching hospital in America. When he returned to Japan afterwards, he exploited his reputation as a genius surgeon. But behind his brilliant mask, he was the chairman of a cult circle that worshipped the devil (Beelzebub). Their secret doctrine was very thorough, but police came to mark them secretly after people started disappearing one after another from within the circle in the recent years. However, Kizaki was smart and had vast connections in various circles so they couldnt find many leads on him. The situation no doubt shifted on that day. Kizaki appeared on the road in front of my regular game centre after he slaughtered his ex-wife and shot the detective marking him with a pistol. After killing three people on the street, Kizaki got into a scuffle with a male civilian bystander (me). He then died when this man stabbed him in the heart with a knife he had while covering for a high school girl who was petrified with fear. DDThe man was accused of being the slasher and was shot to death by the police officers who came running afterwards, as was reported over and over. However, threeDDif you include Kizakis ex-wife, the detective tailing him, as well as the apartment manager who got caught up with the detective, it would come to six peopleDDwhat was brought to light from this slasher incident where six lives were lost was merely the beginning. After Kizakis death, the police raided the house in the metropolitan area where Kizaki lived. Inside the house valued at $500 million, which overshadowed his reputation as a genius surgeon, was a basement that didnt exist on the blueprints. The confinement cages fitted with iron lattices were still cute. Aside from the room lined with cages, a torture chamber filled with many torture devices and a black magic chamber (both termed by the media) that resembled a witchs laboratory were also prepared underground. And after a thorough search, a giant freezer was discovered behind a concealed door deep inside the black magic chamber. An innumerable amount ofDDsevered human heads, entrails, skin tanned like leather, bare muscles, blood preserved in glass jars, and skeletons with flesh clinging to them were methodically sorted and carefully stored within the freezer. Furthermore, many of the severed heads were mummified with their expressions full of agony and terror. According to the police, the corpses that were discovered numbered a hundred at the minimum. It was announced that a DNA analysis was currently in progress, and the numbers may increase further based on the results. Based on the notebook found in the so-called Black Magic Chamber of modern necromancer Kizaki, he believes in a fictitious god known as Evil God MonguesuesDD Monguenues, isnt it. Ah, yes, Monguenues. It seems like Kizaki offered that flesh, blood and entrails to the fictitious god thus named. DDThis is a copy of Kizakis notebook that was released to the public the other day. Saying that, the commentator tapped on the studio panel. As befitting of a doctor, displayed inside the notebook were accurate sketches of stolen property, with what looked like annotations written in tiny characters densely packed around it. But that wasnt what caught my attention. DDMagic symbols! Thats right. There were magic symbols written down in the notebook. There were mistakes here and there, but there were letters that spelled out Evil God Monguenues in Marquekts common language. Next to that was an annotation in katakana saying Monguenues. Muroki-san, what are these unfamiliar characters? The announcer inquired. According to Kizakis annotations, they are the letters of Marquekt, another world where the Evil God Monguenues resides in. Another world, is it The announcers face looked as though they were trying to suppress their laughter. Of course, theyre just Kizakis delusions. Its unclear when Kizaki was first enslaved by this delusion, but there are anonymous posts online who claim to have deciphered Kizakis notebook and it has become a hot topic. According to the posts, the language of Kizakis delusions can be seen to possess a consistent structure that is enough to classify it as a language. That What does that mean? As an expert of criminal psychology, I have to say that it doesnt have any special meaning. It simply provides evidence to support Kizakis high intelligence; the contents of his delusions are insignificant. To try to pick out the meaning in it means stepping foot in the delusional world that captivated Kizaki. There is the fear of mental instability, as well as the fear of temporarily being haunted by a psychosis-like notion. In reality, there seems to have been an increase of people on the internet proposing that Kizakis case is a prophet receiving correspondence from another world. Irresponsible arguments, arent they. Responded the announcer who irresponsibly televised Kizakis notebook. The screen changed, depicting a male reporter who was checking the condition of his earphones with the camera in front of him. A big building was projected behind him. DDOh, there seems to be something happening in front of Daishowa Pharmaceuticals where Kizakis father serves as the director of. DDFuruhashi-san! Yes, this is Furuhashi. Right now, Kizakis father, Mr Kizaki Hiromu, is about to exit from Daishowa Pharmaceuticals headquarter building! DD Kizaki-san! A comment about your sons incident please! The reporter named Furuhashi thrust a microphone at the solidly built man in his 60s that was Kizakis father. I also felt this way in my previous life, but they sure have the guts to do this kind of thing. Kizakis father turned his face away from the camera with a grimace, and walked at a brisk pace towards the black car he had hired. The TV camera followed the car Kizakis father had boarded, then the screen returned to that of the studio. It was stated in a previous interview that Kizaki Toorus father, Mr Kizaki Hiromu, did not intend to resign from his position as the director of Daishowa Pharmaceuticals. What do you think for him to not even have a word of apology in regards to his son causing such an incident, despite being someone involved with medical care? The announcer commented. Comments baring the peoples feelings such as the parents cant be held responsible for the actions of an adult over 30 and thats unrelated, they should take responsibility for raising such a monster!! appeared in the viewers response column below the screen. This time, the criminal psychologist commentator opened his mouth. My goodness, what Kizaki, who is a natural-born medical elite and referred to as a genius surgeon, did is nothing but disgusting. On the other hand, I cant hide my surprise that a young otaku, who was hanging around the game centre all day, instead of going on a date despite it being a holiday, did such a heroic deed. How boisterous! Ignore that! It looks like this statement became an issue on the internet, causing a flood of protests. Remarks claiming that this commentator was bringing down the program and such. Serves them right. Its been a while since I said that. DDNow then, changing the subject, at the worlds largest gaming tournament sponsored by American search engine Glimpse, REVOLVE, a Japanese high-school girlDD Thats enough, right? The goddess snapped her fingers again. The displayed image paused. The news was a little worrying but since I reincarnated, its a story that no longer concerns me. You were called a variety of names in your former world, werent you? In Marquekt, that would give you a dozen titles. Because its a rare chance, Ill just convert one of them into a title of this world. God Kagi, Tomonori the Brave, Otaku Hero, Young Otaku, Godly, Hero of Tragedy, Real Slam FighterDDNow, which one will you choose? A difficult decision has arrived. Well, although its rare Eeeh? It seems you dont get into things easily. Then Ill choose for you, okay? Lets see, would Tomonori the Brave or Otaku Hero be better? No, those are the ones I dont want the most! Then choose properly. Ive already used my quota for Gifts so I cant not give you one. Ugh T-then, Ill go with Hero of Tragedy. Im also drawn to Real Slam Fighter, but it has been copyrighted. If were talking about a name that wont cause any dissonance when seen by someone from Marquekt then this is the only one. Names like the Brave were clearly in bad taste Thats the title the foreign media gave when reporting this series of incidents. Within Japan, it was exclusively hero though. I didnt ask about that. Besides that, the cabinet ministers also spoke of conferring the Peoples Honour Award to you. Thanks to the poor response towards your case, there was a reshuffle among a few of the cabinet members and the popularity of the political power dropped, but it looks like they were aiming for that leverage. Sure enough, it seems they were flamed on the internet. Well, if they did confer it to you, I would have let you collect it as a souvenir at least. Theres a lot I want to retort on, but firstly, it seems that Goddess-sama has been browsing the internet too much. I began by gathering information for your sake, but it was so interesting I unintentionally I even started a blog recently, you know? As if I care! The goddess ignored my retort, and the large display suddenly disappeared. Melby, who had been staring intently at the display, extended her arm with a reluctant Ahh. Now, my business is over with this. Was it a little useful? Yeah, it helps. Then, can I ask some questions now? Yes, of course. CH 56 Now then, I have a ton of questions prepared. Knowledge is power; thats common sense for the modern person, after all. This time, I plan to ask all I can without prudence. First, Ill start with what Im most curious about. Hey, can I really be called Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousans child? I thought I already answered yes, but I do understand your worries. Due to the issue of racial affinity, those two originally had trouble conceiving. They can form an embryo at least, but the embryo is fastidious and ends up being particular about the soul that should reside inside it. Among all of the souls that circulate in Marquekt, only one in a million would be compatible with their embryo. You were the owner of the one compatible soul in that million. The difference between you and normal children is that the memories of your previous life crossed over with you, but the basis of your dead soul joining the cycle of samsara did not change. Although normal people would reincarnate without their memories, you reincarnated while retaining your memoriesDDthat is all. Since the genetic characteristics of your body and mind were completely inherited from those two, and there is only the fact that the memories of your previous life were not removed from the soul, theres no doubt that you are their child. I feel like I kind of understand and kind of dont, but it must be so if youre saying it. By the way, is there a difference between the mind and soul? Ah, that. There is a difference. Lets see, to explain in an easy to understand manner, with the body as the hardware and the mind as the software, then the soul would be the user that is operating them both. The soul cant be created by any physical methods; even the gods arent able to, they can only recycle them. Lets organise that a little. Dad and Mum were a couple that had trouble conceiving, so I was born because my otherworlder soul was compatible with their embryo. Thus, it wasnt that the soul of the child who was supposed to be born was overwritten, nor was it switched. And every human reused the souls of former living humans, so its not like only my reincarnation was special I suppose. Of course, thats excluding the fact that the memories of my previous life remained. Huh? But while Dad was with his previous wife, didnt he have three children with her? I thought his former wife was also a human but I dont know anything about the things before your reincarnation, but it might be that they had some elf blood in their ancient ancestry. The elven bloodline is special, because theres quite a strict distinction between elves and non-elves. So theres not much hope of gaining a younger brother or sister in the future? Not necessarily. Alfred-san has acquired the Attention of the War God, has he not? In one of Marquekts widespread myths, the God of War, Marslat, was also depicted in an anecdote as a lustful god who inseminated over a thousand women, forming an army composed of just his children. Since he acquired the attention of that Marslat, he should have an easier time conceiving as a secondary effect. Thats incredible. When I return, Ill tell Alfred-tousan. In that case, would it make conceiving a boy easier? I heard Julia-kaasan wants a girl though. I wonder about that? I wouldnt know the details unless I asked Marslat himself. There arent any myths stating that he only has sons, so I think it should be fine. Naturally, they are simply myths, but myths like those give gods their power. Hm? Isnt it because gods have the power that it turns into a myth? Myths are not truths; in the end, they are tales created by mankind. If that were not so, the divine beings descended from Marslat would end up flooding the land. Thats true. It seems that there isnt a great difference between the fictional tales in this world and the myths in my previous world. But that wasnt written in [Appraisal]s explanation though? The gods blessings that appear in [Appraisal]s information are merely one part Well, I cant really say that, but they are about half. At any rate, [Appraisal] cannot completely analyse the portion that has no relation to conflict. Unlike skills, blessing contents are somewhat fluid after all Speaking of which, I feel like the people of Marquekt dont really understand when I talk about the matters of reincarnation, why is that? Even though this world has you, a goddess governing over the cycle of death and rebirth. The cycle of samsara in this world refers to the system of purifying souls and recycling them. Its an issue of having a more pragmatic system thats different from the beliefs of rebirth in your former world. Deceased creatures have their bodies decomposed by microbes which later becomes nourishment for plants, and those plants become nourishment for animals Its similar to that. In other words, its not that the people in this world believe that their souls transition through the cycle of death and rebirth, they know it. They think that being reborn with their memories is impossible. This is to say nothing of the existence of a world other than Marquekt, with an otherworlder who lived in there reincarnating into this world; this is a situation that far surpasses the imagination of the people in this world. So youre saying that the cycle of samsara is common sense, but reincarnation is something of the occult. Thats right. I just have one more thing to add. Gods exist in this world, so the span of religions have naturally converged to a more narrow range. I believe thats why the concept of reincarnation is only known by experts of the very limited number of unique religions, even though the concept of heaven and hell may exist depending on the location. I see So its precisely because there is a god that the manner of believing in god is set. Because there werent any gods in your former world, any religion could be established as long as there were believers. Its very paradoxical, but there is more liberty in the imaginative power of religion of your previous world where gods didnt exist, rather than Marquekt where gods do exist. That the religious ideology produced by that liberal power of imagination became a salvation for the emissaries of who had lost their faith may be very ironic. This matter also made me feel very powerless. The goddess made a slightly gloomy face. Next. Everyone in raised their levels by hunting monsters, but isnt that just an internecine struggle? Ahh, because both monsters and villains enhance their statuses through Curses, right. You can certainly see it that way as well, but concentrating the Curses on the stronger specimen is a standardised rationale. By doing that, theyre able to prevent the Curses from being snatched away by those on the side of the benevolent gods. Something similar would occur even in your former world, right? Our company is utilising the management resources possessed by your company more efficiently to bring forth greater benefits, which is why our company should proceed with an acquisition of your company something like that. Of course, that doesnt mean that the emissaries of understand the significance of their own deeds. Survival of the fittest, huh. Ive thought about this for a while now but why does the system of this world resemble that of the games in my previous life so much? Were not really imitating those games though? Marquekt has had this system since long before electronic games were created in your former world. I presume that someone felt that it was worth doing and probed along the lines of doing ones best, and contrived a game-like system as a result. And the readings of the HP and MP systems? If someone wanted to grasp their life force and mana as a numerical value, wouldnt that naturally be one of the optimum solutions they would end up with? If someone wanted to accurately know just how many more attacks someone could take and remain alright, and how much more magic they could use, they would try to grasp their life force and mana as a numerical value. CH 57 From here on are the skill-related questions. Arent there any resistance skills to counter abnormal conditions? Demons, dragons and some of the monsters possess them as Abilities. As for skills, they do exist but there are almost no humans who are able to acquire them. Ingesting poison and overcoming it without an antidote is normally impossible, right? For you, the skill acquisition restrictions have been released thanks to my divine blessing, so theres the possibility of you learning the skill as long as you have a chance, but it is difficult. In your case, evading the danger in advance will be easier thanks to the [Sense Danger] skill you earned this time. You could also use the counteragents that you have obtained, or wear accessories made from monsters that possesses those monsters Abilities. Though if you defeat one of the Evil Gods apostles who have added resistance skills, I can purify and grant them to you preferentially. I obtained a [Cooking] skill, does that mean that there are skills unrelated to combat? No, skills are fundamentally limited to techniques from combat-related domains. Production-class skills are also things that will eventually lead to having an advantage in combat. The [Cooking] skill is an exception. In the past, one of the members of a party of heroes with meritorious deeds requested that I create a [Cooking] skill, so it was produced through granting that wish. Thats why there is the possibility of gaining a temporary status boost depending on the ingredients. Based on the particulars, it should be categorised as Legendary Class, but the person in question hoped for it to be a General Skill so as to open up a path for many people to acquire it. That said, because a status boost effect was instilled afterwards, there arent many with the aptitude, so it wasnt able to propagate as much as that person had hoped It was unexpectedly a rare skill. The principle of being able to boost ones status through cooking was mysterious, but it might be convenient if I have Steph, who seems to have the aptitude, learn it. What were the circumstances behind the creation of [Flying Sword Techniques]? If someone has the huge MP needed to make several swords float, it seems better for them to just cast magic to be honest. In ancient times, there was such a sport. One where people would cast magic to manipulate swords, deciding the victor that way. The manoeuvrability was more effective than magic, so it was even used for monster hunting. Flying swords cant carry ones body weight, so it looks like preparing specialised swords that are light and sharp were the best. I see. Ill write that down in my mental notepad. Is skill integration not possible? Honestly, I possess too many skills, and I dont feel like I can use them properly on the spur of the moment. In regards to that, if you listen to my request, Ill give you something good. Request? How rare. Yes. For my request, Id like to recycle the skills you wont use. R-recycle? I already explained that half of the skills are configured from Gifts, right? In short, even if they hadnt been used, just by possessing the skill, you are hoarding away Gifts. Thats why its alright for you to learn them, but Id like to Seal the other skills that you dont use, along with the ones dont really match your tastes and those that are only there for backward compatibility. Seal? Yes. The information on your skill levels and the physical skill-related experience will remain, but Id like you to send back the Gift part itself. That is what I mean by sealing. So the sealed skills will become unusable? When it becomes necessary, you can once again acquire it after a short period of rehabilitation. If you let me seal the skills, Ill grant you the magic skill that allows for skill organisation and integration, [Skill Magic]. When you use [Skill Magic], you can horizontally integrate similar skills of the same rank and vertically integrate skills of the same system with those skills of a higher rank, so it should help to organise your skills column. The magic skill that allows for skill organisation and integration, [Skill Magic] sounds complex, but to put it simply, shes giving me something like a skill editor, huh. Horizontal integration would probably be, in other words, being able to combine [Fire Magic], [Water Magic], [Wind Magic], and [Earth Magic] to form a single skill called, say, [General Magic]. And vertical integration would be something like being able to combine [Fire Magic] with [Fire Spirit Magic]. There are indeed several skills that I do not use most of the time. For example, the [Throwing Axe Techniques] I learned during the verification of throwing spears. Even if I get the chance to throw axes in the future, it would be better to substitute it with [Throwing Techniques] rather than trying to raise the level of [Throwing Axe Techniques]. I have shurikens, knives, and spears for specialised throwing skills, as well as [Steel Thread Skills]. Furthermore, the separation barrier fragments are extremely handy as a throwing object, so I have no incentive to purposely chose throwing axes. Theres one more thing I have to warn you about. Theres a limit to the amount of skills that a soul can retain, and as you approach the limit, acquiring skills will become more difficult. To be specific, once the number of skills exceeds one hundred, the degree of difficulty of new acquisitions will double compared to when you had zero. Oi oi, isnt this extremely important information! I used [Appraisal] to open the database and try to count the number of acquired skills. Lets see I have 64. There is still some room before it reaches 100, but if new acquisitions become more difficult as it increases, Id like to condense the number henceforth. Since it seems like I can seal and archive the skills that I have acquired, I wont need to feel conflicted about it being a waste to lose the skills I went through the trouble to learn. I get it. It doesnt seem to be a demerit to me either. Instead, I should say that its nothing but a merit. Thank you. However, [Skill Magic] can only be used at the altar of the Samsara Temples or places that conform to that, so be warned. I understand. Huh? But I wasnt at the Samsara Temple when I received the oracle from Father Solow. Are the requirements for [Oracle] and [Skill Magic] different? [Oracle] is something that allows the diviner to draw out the status information associated with the target and write it down, so it can be used even when not at a temple. [Skill Magic] requires an interactive exchange of skill information, so it cannot be done just anywhere. It is similar to how sending large amounts of data on a portable terminal is difficult. The goddess used a blunt metaphor to explain. As far as what the priests of the Samsara Temples can see, I didnt have such a high aptitude, but isnt the growth of my skills unexpectedly fast? Even when I taught [Lightning Magic] to the childrens group and the other emissaries, it took longer than I expected. Even while taking your divine blessing into account, it seems the difference is rather large Thats a result of [No Fatigue]. Think back to your previous life. Dont people get irritated when theres only a little bit to go before they get the hang of something? Since you kept up with those operations that require extreme powers of concentration without rest, compared to normal people who do so while resting at times, your unit time efficiency is better. A normal person would have erratic levels of concentration over the timespan of an hour, whereas you would maintain your ability to concentrate for the entire hour. It might be so if she says so. Even in my previous life, I have had times when I was concentrating so much that I forgot myself, but I feel like that has increased especially after reincarnating. I felt like I acquired [Appraisal] rather easily for a Legendary Class skill, but is the reason the same for that? I had a considerable amount of trouble with [Telepathic Communication] and [Spirit Magic] that are skills from the same Legendary Class though Thats because something else played a big factor in that. Right after you reincarnated, you were in a state of mind where you desired information, even if it was just a little. On top of that, because it was dark and you couldnt see anything but the moon, your attention was focused solely on that. Furthermore, you possess specific knowledge that most of the people of Marquekt are unaware of, like what kind of thing the thing called the moon is, because of the knowledge from your previous life. The goddess did not mention it but the number of acquired skills might also be related. I possessed zero during the acquisition of [Appraisal], and yet I already possessed dozens of skills by the time I acquired [Telepathic Communication] and [Spirit Magic]. Come to think of it, Father Solow also lamented about having stopped at gaining your attention. He served under you for so many years already, wont you grant him your divine blessing? For divine blessings, those with a combat profession take precedence no matter what. However, Solow-san has also worked really devotedly so I did think that I would have to grant him a divine blessing if I have a surplus of Gifts. With the Curse you retrieved this time and the stock accumulated so far, I will be able to grant it in the near future. His birthday is close, so perhaps I should make it a surprise present for then. Saying that, the goddess smiles mischievously. She was quite an eccentric person but when she makes this kind of expression, my head feels like itll turn to mush. Speaking of which, in regards to the [Prayer] skill you told me about last time, I didnt have a chance to visit the temple. I tried praying now and then, even in the Crows Nest, but I couldnt acquire the skill. When I said that, the goddess looked a little astonished. Um Its not a skill or a spell, so theres no effect if you simply pray, you know? Wasnt it the same in your former world? W-well, thats true but I never thought that a god of a fantasy world would advocate common sense to me. There are hubs for distributing Gifts at the various Samsara Temples too, and linking ones soul at the altar there is called [Prayer]. I think asking the priest is the quickest method, but you may be able to master it through trial and error. The trick should be similar to that of [Skill Magic] so it may be better to test that first. I see, Ill promptly test it when I return. What are Abilities? How are they different from skills? Abilities are innate powers that monsters and demons possess. There are some that are similar to skills in effect, but since they are innate properties, they cannot be acquired later. Furthermore, another trait is that unlike skills, they are under the jurisdiction of the god who governs magic, Orja. Does that Orja fellow also aid monsters? Orja is a crazy god and doesnt distinguish between good and evil. Demons can be said to have been on the benevolent gods side originally, but since the guardian deity of demons, Orja, went mad, it became easier for the Evil God to influence demons more than humans. Nevertheless, the demons that live an idyllic lifestyle and possess reason are still preferable. As for monsters, there is no longer any hope for them to return to our side. And Orja even grants the blessing of abilities to those monsters. Cant you suppress that Orja fellow? Orja is connected to the collective unconscious and deep interdependence of the demons, so bringing Orja down would cause the annihilation of the demons. So theres no choice but to leave them alone. Isnt it dangerous if someone falls into Growth Sleep within a dungeon? Basically, Ive made it so there wont be any drowsiness appearing in the middle of an exploration. To be more accurate, there will be a faint feeling of drowsiness, but the functioning of the brain wont drop. With that, I get the person themself search for a safe place to sleep. Then, when they finally reach a safe zone inside the dungeon and relax their mind, the drowsiness will become stronger and Growth Sleep will begin. For dungeon explorations in Marquekt, people generally anticipate Growth Sleep and employ extra personnel. Though bringing extra personnel also has a secondary effect: raising the rate of returning alive from the dungeon exploration. Even if there is no level-up, its somewhat hard to be completely annihilated in an accident. Furthermore, Growth Sleep also has a recovery effect on HP and MP in addition to becoming stronger through raising ones level, so its not necessarily a bad thing. Then, if we employ members who are about to rise in level when going through the dungeon, recovery is possible en route? It is in theory. If the level up timing is perfectly matched, it happens. Im not talking about the amount of experience but cant the amount of Gifts needed to level up be grasped quantitatively? The enhancement through the Gifts is organic, so its difficult. It changes depending on the enchantments up to that point, and it also depends on the condition of the persons soul. The higher the level, the increase in the already enhanced parts, so in order to enhance the remaining parts that are difficult to enhance, raising ones level will become more difficult. All the more, since its necessary to balance the already enhanced parts. Moreover, since there is a limit to the total amount of Gifts a soul can retain, a state where a persons body wont raise in level any further also exists. Well, from what Ive seen until now, there are only a few people like that. I think it would be convenient if I could tell when it seems like my level is close to rising, but is that possible somehow? Hmm Level-ups are a reallocation of Gifts, so its not like there isnt anything like an omen but at present there arent any skills to sense something like that. CH 58 I remember being concerned about my defence, arent there any spells for putting up a barrier? If its used against magic, you should be able to devise a skill in the [Mana Manipulation] system. It might be good to learn Melby-sans [Dimension Magic] too. Eh? I cant construct any magic barriers though? If you wrack your brains, you should understand. Regarding skills, in order to not obstruct ones creativity, I can only give you a hint. Id like you, as someone who possesses knowledge from another world, to undergo trial and error as you please, without many preconceptions. Thus, Im looking forward to it. Hmm so shes not going to tell me anything more than this. Lets move on. Are there anything like magic gems in this world? In short, I want something imbued with mana, that I can harness through external stimuli Ahh, you want to use that? In that case, I believe there were some good examples of what youre looking for in the items you got from the historic remains, right? ? Was there really anything like that? It might be confusing if you think of it in terms of mana. You should think of it as something that stores energy that has been produced by magic. Energy that has been produced by magic I see! So I can use that! Thats right. What is that It seems that only Melby doesnt know. Unfortunately, I dont have the time to explain to her right now. Speaking of mana it might be a little late to say this, but what is magic in the first place? Magic symbols toosometimes they shine, sometimes they dont shine. And they can also depict things that cant be done through skills I dont really understand the principle. Originally, human thought had the power to actualise desires. Thats what miracles are. That power is the same for Marquekt, just as it was for your former world. Its just that that power is very weak, practically incapable of accomplishing anything significant by itself. The spells in Marquekt, by means of those thoughts, access and retrieve the standardised magic effects stored in the Magic Registry, thats managed by the God of Magic, Attiera. Magic symbols are something akin to an access key for this purpose. Since its a sort of key, their shape is also important. However, their shape is, in the end, an image that ones thoughts define, so for one to depict with magic symbols is essentially no more than for one to use an auxiliary input device to mold that image. The only thing visible at that point, is that auxiliary device, so when one observes magicians from the exterior, it looks as if the symbols themselves possess a special power. Furthermore, they shine when youre aware that youre drawing symbols, and dont when youre unaware. Depending on the situation, if you dont want them to shine, then they wont shineas long as youre not a complete amateur. Despite whether or not it shines, there wont be a problemso long as you have the proper image in your head. When your mother used Fire Storm, the symbols shone, correct? Using that case as an example, because the chant for that was long, giving the image a visible form allowed for a more reliable invocation. Conversely, when you first cast magic, back when you first gained awareness, Julia-san used ? to negate it just by tracing it on her thigh, right? In this case, there wasnt a problem because her desired effect was simple. Although, it mightve also been that she didnt want the symbols to shine, which wouldve caught your attention. I sort the information that I had just been told inside my head. Lets see By drawing magic symbols, I can access Attieras Magic Registry to call forth a magical effect. Because imagery is important, the symbols are no more than an auxiliary tool, huh. A computer can still function without a mouse, or a touch panel, but its inconvenient without them, right? The goddess, who was completely familiar with the IT of Earth, explained with such a metaphor. It was certainly easy to understand, but I felt like she had spoiled things somehow. Then what role do magic skills have? The magical effects that are extracted from the Magic RegistryDtheyre called magic modelspossess a very generic nature, and can only describe things very roughly. Magic skills fine-tune these roughly described magic models, and serve to better embody magic in a closer form to the practitioners desires. Lets see, as an example, think of it like purchasing wood roughly cut to size from the hardware store, then building a shelf by using a saw and hammer to cut and nail the wood together. The wood at the beginning is the magic model, the saw and the hammer are skills, and the shelf is the magical embodiment. Yup, its easy enough to understand. Its easy enough to understand, but is this okay? Whats the difference between the ancient magic symbols and the modern magic symbols? The ancient magic symbols access the old class of the Magic Registry. The magic models present in the old class have a tendency to produce a higher output, and a more flexible form. Originally, those magic models were intended for the Pioneer Elves, who excelled at controlling mana. The magic models called forth by the ancient magic symbols are certainly more powerful, but the larger effects brought about by the undefined portion of the models have to be adjusted by the practitioners themselves. Thus, for the ancient magic symbols, a few image-stimulation effects have been embedded in the symbols themselves, but there are people whose images become disturbed because of this, so there are both advantages and disadvantages because of it. It should be hard to handle by all rights, unless the person using it is a possessor of a mental structure that specialises in magic, but it looks like you can use them somehow. I wasnt very aware of that though. It might be due to you having the [No Fatigue] skill, and the fact that you have an adult soul dwelling inside the mind of an infant. I was the one who gave you [No Fatigue], but your flexible way of thinking always surprises me. Whats MP? Its something that Attiera collects as the cost for the magical models. Using the example I talked about before, I suppose that MP is the money thats needed to purchase the materials used. Ive heard that the MP is processed to create the magic models, but I havent been told much about that part. So I guess its similar to the way you collect Curses, and in return grant Gifts. In general, yes. Its a system where mana, Gifts, and souls can all be circulated. Without it, mana, Gifts, and souls wouldve all been exhausted a long time ago, and Marquekt wouldve become a barren world where only gods and the Evil God exist. So gods were that great. Fufu thank you for the complement. As I looked away from the laughing goddess, I remembered my next question. It seems like Ive received a divine blessing from the god who governs religion Kannumarne(?) without realising. What sort of god are they? Kannumarne is the god who governs both religion and faith. People believe in gods with tranquil hearts, and he carries the role of properly guiding these pious believers who live without fighting amongst themselves. Just like I said earlier, religion in Marquekt does not exceed a fixed pattern and it is not something that people tend to obsess over. Kannumarne reflects this, calmly taking on the form of a compassionate young boy who loves peace. Furthermore, he is the god who manages everyones titles. Putting aside the fact that its easier to gain a title when ones charisma rises, whats up with it increasing ones influence(?) for granting someone else a title? Titles are acquired when the number of people thatre calling you by a certain name in awe exceeds a certain number. But if you were to be called something with stronger emotions, it could result in a title, even with a lower number of people. All of this is the same as I explained earlier, except for the fact that titles have one more determining factor. And that is the amount of influence those who designate titles have. For example, isnt the level of influence different between a king being the one to designate a title and an ordinary person designating a title? This is also decided at the moment of a titles assignment, as a title will stick much more easily, even if theres only a small number of people, if the one designating the title is a person with a strong level of influence. Similarly, if you, who has received Kannumarnes divine blessing, calls someone else by a title, then the possibility of that title being assigned to them in the system becomes higher. I briefly wondered what kind of merit does that have?, but if someone has a magic-related title, then the expansion of their mana pool via the exhaustion of their MP becomes possible. It might come in handy if Im able to affix a magic-related title to someone else. Julia-kaasan possesses the Flame Prison Witch title, but Id like it if I could confer some sort of magic-related title to Alfred-tousan. If ones MP is high, that alone makes it easier to hunt monsters and raise ones level. As for the effect of titles, I suppose that the possessors of magic-related titles being able to extend their maximum MP, as I mentioned last time, would be the most direct correlation between titles and their effects. In addition, theres also a small compensation for the acquisition of skills, depending on the contents of the title. However, thats more of a bonus effect. The most important thing is that its easier to gain the attention of a god if you have a title. No matter which god it is, its impossible for us to keep an eye on every single human. Thats why, using titles as a sign, we search for humans to grant both our attention and divine blessings to. In other words, using an example from your former worldD Its something akin to the tags of video sites. Thats right. The goddess was a little sulky at having her line stolen. CH 59 Whats left were the questions related to myths. Bad guys being unable to see fairies whats the reason for that? Thats simple. If there are too many Curses comprising ones status, they become unable to recognise fairies, beings that are created from pure Gifts. This is directly correlated to Gifts and Curses slightly shifting the register of existence of their owners. Regarding Gifts and Cursesignoring the fact that Im on the benevolent gods side, and that Goleth and Gazaine were on the Evil Gods sidehow are Elemia, Miguel, and all the others in who were brainwashed, treated? And the villains whove repented, or the good people whove been involved in evil deeds Im also curious about what happens to them. The samsara system extends throughout the world lets see, its fine to think of it as something akin to a plumbing system. Its fundamentally something that exists to distribute Gifts, but the Evil Gods side has abused it, using it to circulate Curses. However, its not as if it can differentiate between good and evil in regards to the recipients and distribution of Gifts. The thing is, Gifts have an opposing nature towards Curses, so Gifts simply cant reach those whove stockpiled too many Curses. In other words, as long as the Evil God hasnt conferred any Curses upon them, even bad people can receive the benefit of Gifts. That said, Gifts also have the function of purifying the mind and body of the receiver, so if one takes in many Gifts, itll be hard to remain evil indefinitely. Thats why the Evil God will certainly want to send Curses to those who he intends to use as chess pieces. Furthermore, if the reformed villains are from the Evil Gods side, then theyll be absconding with their Curses, so theres the possibility that theyll be subjected to the collection of a Curse. If such a thing happens in the future, have them properly shelter themselves in a safe location. Also, regarding good people whove gotten involved with evil deeds, since its possible that they will be lured away by the Evil Gods side and be conferred their first Curse, dont forget that there are also people who havent yet fallen to the Evil God, even though theyve carried out evil deeds. What about in s case? In s case, they were influenced by brainwashing, so theyre special. As a method of making them conspire with evil while at the same time being recipients of Gifts, I can only say it was very well done. Its a method of converting good people into villains while still remaining good people, so to speak. Hm? Then this situation of good people being brainwashed in and defeating monsters, wouldnt that result in collecting the monsters Curses and being given Gifts through you? Isnt this unfavourable to the Evil God? Well Im not the Evil God, so its not like I understand everyone of the others thoughts. Firstly, the executives of probably didnt think that far. I would think they only thought to strengthen the combat power in hand by hunting monsters. For the Evil God, its true that his Curses get collected and become Gifts, but the ones who acquire those Gifts are those who have been brainwashed to become his own followers, so perhaps it doesnt change substantially. Rather, he might even think that hes profiting because he can strengthen his pawns without granting the Curses he has in store. Because there is a need to once again corrupt with the recovered Curses even with the internecine struggle you spoke about. But then, Monguenues thinking is extremely heterogeneous, so there are parts that only the person himself understands. About Curses, cant they be detected by magic or something? It seems like it would be considerably easier if they could. I believe Melby-san will intuitively notice apostles of the Evil God like Goleth and Gazaine. Youve found a good partner. P-partner, you say Melby writhed around with her hands on her cheeks. However, if the other party becomes so inclined to attempt to hide, its possible that even Melby-san wont notice. Thats right, since its a rare chance, let me give Melby-san an Addition. Come here, Melby-san. Y-y-y-yes! Fufu. Calm Down. The goddess smiled as she said that, but there was a vague fragrance of the forbidden. The goddess gently brought her lips closer to Melby as though loving a flowerD *Snap* She was flicked by something invisible. Ah, ow ow A-are you alright? The moment the goddess was to kiss her, something like a wall of light suddenly appeared, obstructing in between the goddess and Melby. The goddess said in indignation, Good grief! That child doesnt change! That child? Attiera, the god of magic, views me as a rival. Certainly, because I handle all of the skills as a whole, magic skills are also under my jurisdiction. Attiera doesnt like that and told me to hand them over, but its difficult to separate the magic skills alone. Melby-san is a being created by Pioneer Elves who are apostles of Attiera, so to that child, she is like a grandchild. Hmm I wonder what I should do. DDThats it. The goddess raises her head and looks at Melby. Melby-san, will you let me see your potted Rainbow Cactus plant? O-okay. Melby retrieved the aforementioned mysterious organism from her dimensional storage. Its the cactus with flower blossoms. I feel like it has grown a little bigger compared to how it was before. In the short time I havent seen it, the colour of the flowers has changed to silver. Melby-san, have you tried using [Appraisal] on this? Yes, the first time I used [Appraisal], it appeared to be fine to give it mana, so I gave it some of my mana every day. Can you try using [Appraisal] one more time right now? Yes E, eehhhhh!? Ah, so she really hadnt noticed. Since I have a chance, I also use [Appraisal] once again. Tushaaravati 3 years old Rainbow Cactus? (tree form) / Magic Organism Level 1 HP 3/3 MP 291/291 (29) Abilities Anti-substance spray (sprays sap that can be used to decompose harmful microscopic substances and microoganisims) Skills ? Legendary [Growth Control] D ([Dimension Magic] 1) ([Aurora Magic] 1) Yup, still just like a mysterious organism. On top of its maximum MP steadily increasing, it even acquired an ability without us knowing. Abilities should be an innate ability but was it something that could increase? Rainbow Cacti have the peculiar trait of absorbing mana to produce flowers and bear fruit. Nevertheless, they usually wouldnt turn out like this. At any rate, Ill give this Tusha-chan the ability to detect Curses. The goddess tried to kiss the rainbow cactus, but a thorn pricked her lip. Ow. The goddess grumbled cutely, then she blew a kiss to Tushaaravati. If she could do that, then she should have done that from the start. Melbys mysterious pet absorbd that kiss, and let out 2, 3 pulses of rainbow-coloured light. I immediately use [Appraisal]. Tushaaravati (Mysterious Organism) 3 years old Rainbow Cactus? (tree form) / Magic Organism Level 1 HP 3/3 MP 291/291 Abilities Anti-substance spray Skills ? Mythological [Detect Waves] 9 (MAX) (A Gift from a benevolent goddess, detects the unearthly wave motions emitted by the Evil Gods Curses. Effective range has a radius of 500 metres.) ? Legendary [Growth Control] D ([Dimension Magic] 1) ([Aurora Magic] 1) Ooh, it looks like quite a useful skill. I mean, even the titles have increased. I guess the goddess also thought of it as a mysterious organism. The requirements for a title were many people calling someone by a certain name in awe, and if the one designating the name has great influence on their surroundings, the influence on bestowing a title also increases, right. As I expected, it looks like the goddesss one vote was heavy. As for me, my influence in regards to bestowing titles upon others apparently became greater because of the effect of the God of Virtues Blessing (Kannumarne), so it might also be due to that. Cant I possess it? Humans are beings that fluctuate at the threshold between good and evil, so the observation results wont be stable. Even in your previous world, when you place an astronomical telescope on the surface, light from the surface is reflected by the atmosphere and the precision of observation worsens, right? On that note, Melby-san is a being made with a Gift as a base, and Tusha-chan isDDWell An existence that is hard to put into words, yet has no components that would interfere with [Detect Waves]. .For now. The goddess said as she stared at the rainbow cactus. What? Why? To begin with, Melby-san is peculiar among fairies. Eh? Are you talking about Me? For fairies that have lived for a long time, their mentality changes and they become easily distracted, so as to decrease their mental burden. Theyre mischievous and capricious. Thats why, normal fairies are unable to temper their skills, or spend tens of years on developing needed tools like Melby-san. If someone with a long lifespan were to continue concentrating on something, they would fall mentally ill. Eh But I dont really That is Melby-sans peculiar trait. When Melby-san was newly created and had yet to amass an ego, she encountered the shocking incident of her master, Alfecia-san, being sealed, correct? This is just my guess, but I wonder if that had a significant effect on Melby-sans mental formation. Do you know anything about Melbys masterDDAlfecia-san? She was one of the seven central figures among the Pioneer Elves. Back then, the gods teamed up to give those seven elves divine blessings. There were plenty or resources because there was only a small number of people, and the apostles on the Evil Gods side were also powerful, so it could be said that that had been inevitable. What about your apostles? They fought with the Evil Gods apostles and died. For Alfecia-san to be the only one remaining alive would be, if I had to say, largely due to her role as the logistical support. The one in charge of Alfecia-san was Attiera, so I dont really know the details though. Its something well find out once the seal is released, so this much is enough. Melby seems like she really wants to ask more though. Gazaine said that the Evil God was originally a comrade of the gods, but is that true? Hmm. Yes, and no. About the origin of this world, and the relationship between the benevolent gods and the Evil GodDDdo you want to know? Yes please! A chance to hear about the creation myth of this world from a god directly doesnt come too often, okay. Lets see, firstly, us benevolent gods werent originally gods of Marquekt. Eh? Is that so? Thats right. You have also read history books so you may already know, but what do you know about Marquekts calandar? The thing called Absolute History? There was only the absolute history, and nothing about events prior to that era was recorded no matter where I searched. That was what was written in the history books in the study at the Viscount Chrebl residence in Corbette Village. Incidentally, the current year is AH 1294 No, the new year started while I was in the Nest, so its 1295. Its not that they werent recorded, they just didnt exist in the first place. In the first year of Absolute History, us benevolent gods came to this world, and while confronting the Evil God, we started liberating the people who were the Evil Gods slaves little by little; that was precisely what happened that year. So youre saying that the Evil God was originally the god of this world? The answer to that is, as I said earlier, both yes and no. It depends on your definition of a god. If someone who enslaves everybody and enjoys the discord of those souls can be called a god, then the answer is yes. If not, then no. What happened to your former world? Our former world was facing a crisis of destruction due to a stellar abnormality. Thats why we decided to bring the survivors along and migrate to this world. Stellar I was surprised at the term that suddenly popped out, but when I think about it, it might not be a particularly strange thing. Rather, another world without stars would be harder to imagine. If its a stellar crisis, then wouldnt it be fine if you moved to another star system? How could we do so? How, you say By using a spaceship or something? Even in your former world, a spaceship that was possible of performing interstellar travel hasnt been developed yet, right? Rather than migrating to a star many light years away, its easier to migrate to another world. What the hell. Mankinds dream of advancing into space was shot down with this one line just now. By any chance, could the fact that no aliens have appeared on Earth also be? I dont know whether or not there are aliens in that world, but I suppose thats one of the most significant reasons. To intelligent lifeforms that have mastered science and delved into the domain of magic and souls, what they should touch upon is not the intelligent lifeforms of a faraway star, but rather the intelligent lifeforms of another world whom they can have direct contact with. No intelligent lifeforms from another world came to Earth either though Ah, no, thats incorrect. The goddess right in front of me was a being of such an other world. Although I called it migrating, it was just the people throughout the world reincarnating simultaneously. What we brought to the other world were their souls alone, so the sophisticated civilisation achieved by mankind in their previous world ended up lost in one generation without a chance to be accessioned. Even in my previous life, there were webnovels where a reincarnated person makes use of the knowledge from their previous life in another world to become a peerless character, but theres a limit to the amount of information that a human brain can hold. Even if I was told to make a computer or automobile in this world from scratch, it would be impossible. But isnt that the same for each world? If fellow reincarnators were to exchange information together, then to a certain extent To the extent where it becomes a sophisticated civilisation, specialisation becomes extreme, and they would have to try to make existing technology a self-explanatory premise. For example Thats right, even an extraordinarily outstanding programmer wont really know of things at a level where they can reproduce the manufacturing methods of hardware by themselves, right? For arguments sake, even if they did know, they wouldnt have any of the equipment to make it, so it would be hard to reproduce it. It might be possible to somehow make vacuum tubes and electrical transistors, but just how much time and effort do you think would be needed to reach the point of being able to make highly integrated electronic circuits? Perhaps it is somehow possible to be able to reproduce up to a computer, but even so, what about after that? If civilisation advances further, the likelihood of a reincarnator being able to reproduce the cutting-edge technology of their previous world before they exhaust their lifespan is exponentially minute. Even simply inheriting knowledge is difficult. The goddess continued. The Marquekt that we arrived in had a much crueller environment than it is now. Red-hot deserts and frozen tundra. Infertile soil and polluted rivers. An overflow of radioactive material that acted as an energy source for unique demonic beasts. The atmosphere was thin, so strong cosmic rays would even rain down on the earth intermittently. I wonder how people managed to survive. In order to improve this environment, we split our power as gods on a grand scale and flooded the world with various spirits. At the same time, we gave birth to the half-man, half-god Pioneer Elves and had them do a major cleaning of Marquekt. In other words, the extermination of powerful demonic beasts, and expanding the range of humanoid existences. Naturally, our plan infuriated Evil God Monguenues, and the Pioneer Elves and settlers lost their lives in successive conflicts. However, we also succeeded in greatly shaving down the might of the Evil Gods side at the same time, and were able to release the original inhabitants of Marquekt from the collar of slavery. Its a very, well, majestic tale. Melby, did you know about this? Uh uh Because I was only with Master when I was small. I decided to swallow down the retort of youre still small though. To put it simply, the gods came from a different world and settled on this planet. During that time, they used spirits to perform terraforming. They released the humans who were slaves of the Evil God, but were unable to completely bring down the Evil God. Even after a thousand years has passed after their settlement, the contest of influence between them and the Evil God continues to this very day. In that case, just what kind of existence was considered a god? I considered asking about that, but the nearby Melbys body was appearing transparent. No, my body was as well. DDIt looks like its almost time. The goddess says. About the matter with , you were really a great help. Your accomplishments always go beyond my expectations. However, your body is still small so try not to overexert yourself. Me and Melbys bodies were sucked up by the planet below. I watched Melby panic and cry out Wah, wah as my consciousness recededDD. CH 60 As I woke up from Growth Sleep, my eyes were met with Elemias sleeping face. Elemia shouldnt have leveled up, so it was probably just a normal sleep. Elemia always seemed somewhat tensed, but her sleeping face contained the innocence that befitted her age. Shes still seven years old, huh? In five to ten years, she would probably become a peerless beauty. Because Elemia possessed the skill [Fatigue Transfer], there were many occasions where she would work alone. With her well-featured looks, she gave off the image of aloofness, but when I actually talked to her, she told me that she was actually rather lonely and had always wanted friends. I thought that the adventure inside the firedrakes nest had been a critical experience and it would be fine even if it ended up as a trauma, but it seems like it became a happy memory for Elemia instead. Because I have [No Fatigue], Elemias [Fatigue Transfer] doesnt have any effect on me. I am thinking of talking to Alfred-tousan and adopting Elemia into the Chrebl family if she wishes, just like I had promised that evening. And then, Elemia would become a new member of my family. I covered Elemia with a blanket and quietly slipped out of my bed in the childrens room that I had become completely familiar with over these past three months. Moving so as to avoid making any noises, I checked my body. Did I grow a little? I think my line of vision has risen by a few centimetres, and the length of my limbs has also grown by a few centimetres. Thanks to the training in , my body senses have become sharper and there were no feelings of discomfort from that degree of change. The kids who noticed me getting out of bed came and gathered around me. Their faces still contained some anxiousness. I asked Melby to get Cecil and Cecila to come and calm the children down with their [Fairys Song], but it wouldve probably ended badly if I didnt do that. The young children who had temporarily been in the custody of the Fairy Hamlet also returned to the Nest. The mental conditions of these children were better than the ones here, and they seemed to be engrossed with the new games that they had learned from the fairies (the games I taught to the fairies, such as Fruits Basket and Cops and Robbers). I, along with the anxious-looking children, headed outside the Nest. We couldnt help but want to see the sunlight. The wasteland at the end of winter was chilly, but the fierce wind that had been blowing during the winter has subsided. As the sunlight gradually became stronger, it felt quite warm after putting on the cloak. The sun after such a long time! I had left only once, at the time of the firedrake incident, but it was a bit cloudy back then. And above all, because we had been bound by the invisible chains of being emissaries of , we didnt feel a sense of spaciousness from this wasteland that spanned as far as the eye could see. When I look up at the sky, I was overcome with astonishment for a bit. The children who had come with me also looked up at the sky with faces that could not be explained by words, and stared at the sun as if dazzled. Now then, after I defeated Gazaine, the survivors also lost their fighting spirits, but a large question still remains. In other wordsDDWhere the heck was this place!? The interrogation of the leaders of the religious organisation was well under way so I think we would find out sooner or later; however, I want to quickly meet up with Alfred tou-sans group and leave the rest to them. There are emergency provisions inside the Nest, so I wasnt worried about starving, but that being said, leaving the mentally unstable ex-emissaries who had just been freed from the organisation in their current state might be dangerous. Rather, should we go to Riverette Village? If we go to the Fairy Hamlet through the gate and leave through the village exit I dont really want the location of the Fairy Hamlet to be known..said Melby. While I was struggling to decide what to do, DDHeey! I heard a voice calling to us from far away. Using [Farsight] to confirm, it seems it was a group of adventurers. As for the number of people, I think there were eight of them. At the forefront were nostalgic faces of people who I had met in Fauno City. It was the skilled female adventurer with the nickname Scarlet, Moria-san, and the almost two-meter-tall giant Hoffman-san, an adventurer who loved children despite his scary face. Over here! I also shouted to signal the adventurers over. At first, the adventurers approached a little vigilantly, but once Moria-san and Hoffman-san recognised my face, they broke into a run towards us without dropping their guard while we stood in front of the crevice that led to the Nest. Aside from Moria-san and Hoffman-san, the party consisted of a young elf boy with a bow, a voluptuous woman in her late 20s who looked like a magician, and a bunch of male adventurers who were surrounding that woman. DDEdgar! Have you been safe? Saying that, Moria-san hugged me tightly. It mustnt be forgotten. This woman was wearing a deep red bikini-armor with a design featuring flames. Despite the fact that I had a childs body, I still ended up shivering from the sensation of her slightly sweaty skin. While not being able to move, I felt something large touch my head. Looking up, I discovered that it was Hoffman-san patting my head. Wheres Mum? As I muttered that, DDJulia-kaasan is right in the middle of something else. The elf boy said. ..Hm? Julia kaasan? Come to think of it, the face of this person looks somewhat similar to Alfred-tousan [Appraisal]. Chester Chrebl (Second son of the Viscount Chrebl household | Santamana Kingdom Noble | Adventurer (B Rank) | No Second Shot | Harpy Killer) 17 years old Elf Level 34 HP 72/72 MP 169/169 Skills ? Legendary class [Visual Enhancement] 3 ? Master Class [Archery] 5 [Sense Presence] 2 ? General [Bow Techniques] 7 [Farsight] 7 [Wind Magic] 5 [Water Magic] 4 [Stealth Steps] 4 [Tool Creation] 4 [Crossbow Techniques] 3 [Earth Magic] 3 [Dagger Techniques] 3 [Mana Perception] 3 [Spear Techniques] 2 [Fire Magic] 2 [Light Magic] 2 [Night Vision] 2 [Mana Manipulation] 1 Chester-niisan!? You noticed. Its a bit late but.should I say its nice to meet you? You probably dont remember me. Im your big brother Chester. Saying that, Chester-niisan came and patted me on the head. Although Chester-niisan looked like Alfred-tousan, his appearance resembled an elf even more than Dad did. That reminds me, Dad and the others did say that elf blood tends to be more prominent. Im also supposed to be a quarter-elf, but unlike Nii-san, I dont have elf-like features, and even when I use [Appraisal] on myself, the only race that shows up is human. Its a mysterious heredity that was likely to drive Dr. Mendel crazy, but elf blood seems to be that kind of thing. This is my first time meeting with Chester-niisan, but he seems to already know about me. My awareness was aroused when I was six months old, so its likely that we had met before then. Based on the information provided by you, Edgar, we thought that the surroundings of the bone eagle nest thats a bit north of here looked suspicious, so Mum went over there to have a look. We went to search inside the nest of harpies that was the second candidate on the list, but it looks like this was the correct place. It seems like the Crows Nest was situated in a place full of monster nests. I had reported to Dad about the monsters I saw around the Nest in my letters. I heard that there had been first-hand sightings of the wyverns I sighted at the time of that firedrake uproar as well, so the search party seems to have gradually narrowed down their search range. Nii-san and the others apparently caught some collapsed emissary en-route and come after obtaining information about the Nests location from him. Because the emissary had collapsed as though he had been overwhelmed by something, even when they tried to extract information from him, all that came out was just the mutterings of were already doomed which hadnt been much help. After barely managing to obtain information about the Nests location, they seemed to have restrained the emissary and appointed a few adventurers to take him to Fauno City. That collapsed emissary was probably one of the people who had leapt out of the Nest after the showdown with Gazaine. Then, Chester-niisan saw me come out of the Nest with his good eyesight and called out to confirm the situation. It seems a little careless, but getting closer without alerting the assassins who specialised in covert activities was hard, and Moria-san and the others wouldnt be at a disadvantage even if they attacked from the front. So because of that, they decided to just quickly call out to us and await a response. So, what happened to the members? Chester-niisan asked while staying vigilant to the surroundings. They have been dealt with. Eh..? I finished them off. Gazaine, the head of the organisation, had half of his body eaten by the Evil God for violating a contract, and I finished him off at that time. Organisation founder Glutometsa was just an illusion created by Gazaine, so in the end, it was Gazaine who was the real founder as well. And as for the organisations other executives, they have been confined by my comrades back inside the Nest. Pastor-sama is the only one we failed to capture, so I have no choice but to ask Dad to perform a search for her. Unbelievable. Thats very true. There is a lot of explaining to do if I want to start from the beginning. Ill explain in detail after we meet up with Mum. Looks like it. Edgar, arent you tired? Nii-san, thats a foolish question. Im not tired at all. Is that soI heard from Dad, but it really is an unbelievable skill, huh? Nii-san said while lowering his voice. Anyway, lets return home. Both Mum and Dad are worried. DDReturn home. The moment Nii-san said those words, tears overflowed from my eyes. Even I was surprised myselfDDyet I also understood at the same time. In these past four months or so, Ive been constantly straining my mind. Thanks to [No Fatigue], I didnt feel tired, but the damage on the emotional side seemed unexpectedly severe. Chester-niisan simply embraced me as I continued to sob and weep. Once I regained my composure, I returned to the Nest for the time being and called out to a certain person to have them come out. After that, I returned to where Moria-san was. Moria-san. Oh, is everything fine now? Yes. But that aside, there is a person you need to meet at all costs. A person I must meet? I dont really have any acquaintances in . Youll understand when you see them. DDMiguel! WhDD Miguel showed up before the speechless Moria-san. Whats wrong Orochi..I mean, Edgar? Youre still asking whats wrong? Dont tell me you forgot someone with characteristics like this. Saying so, I pointed towards the stiffened Moria-san with my chin. WhaDDM-Mum! It seems like Miguel has finally realised it as well. A-Are you Miguel? Mum! Miguel clung to Moria-san. Miguel was quite tall among the boys group, but since Moria-san was also tall, his head only reached the height of her shoulders. Moria-san tightly hugged his head. Im sorry, Miguel! Because I gave in to despair, you had to go through such harsh times I-Its fine! It wasnt that bad in . as long as you worked hard as an emissary. I talked to Moria-san about the events that had happened so far. I see, so it was also the bunch who kidnapped Miguel Shit, if only I had known that, I wouldve rushed in even if I had to do so alone! It seemed as if dark flames had lit up in Moria-sans eyes. They were the eyes of the feared A-rank adventurer referred to as Scarlet. Judging from Moria-sans status that I had seen before, she would probably kill a considerable amount of emissaries even if she rushed inside the Nest alone. Although, it is unknown whether she could win in a fight against the organisations leaders, including Gazaine It seems it was for this reason that Julia-kaasan didnt tell Moria-san about Miguel. It goes without saying that if Miguel was truly in danger, on top of notifying Moria-san, she wouldve probably decided to go with her to help search for the Nests location. Moria-san, please calm down. The matter has been resolved already. Besides, a majority of the members of the religious organisation were also victims who had been brainwashed by the organisations leaders. Even if you say that If the culprits who kidnapped Miguel are inside that cave, I dont think I will be able to hold myself back. WellThats understandable. Wheres their boss? I took him down. In order to undo the brainwashing of the other emissaries, I challenged him in front of everyone and defeated him fairlyAfter that, due to some reasons, Gazaine was nearly eaten by the Evil God, but I gave him the finishing blow. Thats reassuringIn that case, I have to properly show my gratitude towards you. Thank you, Edgar. For saving this childAnd, for taking down that detestable religious organisation. Moria-san told me while tightly embracing Miguel. Although Miguel was screaming it hurts, she didnt seem to notice it. You are welcome. I wonder if its appropriate to say that. I took down for my own reasons. There is no reason to thank me. As I said that, Miguel, who somehow escaped from Moria-san, said to me. Thats right! Is it true that you defeated Lea.Gazaine in a one-on-one fight!? Why did you do such an enjoyable-looking thing when I wasnt there to see! Its not fair! Speaking of which, it was slipped in so smoothly, but is it true that you defeated the leader of ? Hearing Moria-sans words, Chester-niisan who had been watching over the surroundings, and the female adventurer, looked at me intently. How should I answer, I wonder? It has been a while since it was like this. In the Nest, it was agreed that I was somewhat strange so I was able to move while disregarding my apparent age, but to these guys, it must look strange indeed. DDIts true. As I was perplexed over this situation, a clear voice was heard from behind me. Turning around, I saw Elemia standing there. She shouldve been sleeping but she must have woken up and come over. OroEdgar-kun defeated Gazaine. In a duel. In addition, I believe he overpowered Gazaine from start to finish. No, it was quite a tough fight. However, it mightve looked like that from the sidelines. It was also him who defeated Goleth of the Throwing Spear, the leader of , right? I dont think it can be denied. After all, the Chrebl couple arent the kind of people who would lie to me about such trivial things. The one who said that was the woman with luxurious blonde hair who had brought the adventurers with her. [Appraisal]. Menace Kyuzeroitz (First daughter of the Earl Kyuzeroitz household | Adventurer (A Rank) | Witch of Kyuzeroitz | [Rubyof | Combat Researcher) Level 49 Speaking of , I heard something about it at the adventurers guild in Fauno City. It was a story about Chester-niisan assembling a party to go on a harpy extermination. Did you already finish dealing with the harpies? As I asked that, Yes. We had an easy time hunting them thanks to Chester-kun. And thats why we are helping to search for the Nest, since we also get the opportunity to explore a harpies nest. DDBut rather than that, Menace-san suddenly drew her face near me. As expected of Julias child, I found a worthy vessel. Hey, I wonder if its alright to witness your fighting on our way back? I wondered whether she was suspicious of me but, Ah, its because Menace-san has the temperament of a dao-seeker. Shes the kind of person who would leave if all six of the strongest people were assembled because she finds it boring. Chester-niisan explained to me. After your mother retired, there was nobody worth competing against. I wonder if this child could become my rival? Wait a second, Menace, what are you saying to a little child. Moria-san said, seemingly surprised. So, what will you do, Edgar. Will you come back to Fauno city with us like this? No, although you went to the trouble, Im staying here. I cant afford to leave this place until I hand over the management of the Nest to the knights working under Dad. ReallyYou are an unbelievably strong child. I wish my Miguel would also learn from you. While talking, Moria-san tapped Miguels head. DDMiguel, you should go with Moria-san. Is that okay? Youll have a lot of trouble with the Nest from now on, right? Ill handle that somehow. It would be quite the pity to separate you from Moria-san again after such a long-awaited reunion. After I had a discussion with Moria-san and Menace-san about future matters, we split up once more. Because Chester-niisan said that he would also remain, he, along with several of the adventurers who were following Menace-san set up camp outside the Nest. I said I would prepare a place inside the Nest, but Chester-niisan said I dont want to provoke them and rejected it, and the adventurers also declined it quite frankly saying excuse us from staying in the headquarters of a religious assassination organisation. I understood their feelings so I didnt say any unnecessary things. Rather, their reaction was perfectly normal. Thinking about the treatment that the ex-emissaries of would receive from now on, I felt a heavy burden weighing on my shoulders rather than the joy from releasing them. CH 61 DDIt has been 2 weeks since the case. Currently residing within the Chrebl residence were: Alfred-tousan, Julia-kaasan, Steph and the other servants, along with Elemia, Donna, Beck, Grandpa Ganash, several of the kids from the childrens room, and finally myself. Miguels absence wasnt really because he was being ostracised; he was currently staying at an inn with his mother, Moria-san. As for the kids from the childrens room, we planned to escort them back to their homes one by one, as soon as wed ascertained their identities, but they were taking residence inside of the estate for now. Donna, as the eldest one, along with the fairies under Melbys commandincluding Cecil and Cecilawere very helpful in looking after them. Nebil and the former emissaries of Orochis faction remained in the Nest to monitor the other emissaries. The knights of the Third Army that was under Dads command also stayed in the Nest, where the ex-emissaries of remained under house-arrest. Many of them had simply been tricked, but because of that, it was hard to tell how much leniency we could possible give them at the moment. Even in the Japan of my previous life, Id heard that things like mind control were treated as occult, until religious cult-organisations started causing terrorist incidents. I repeatedly consulted my dad about how to best plead their case here in Marquekt. According to Dad, His Majesty the King will no doubt be presiding over this case directly. For that reason, it is necessary for all related personnel, including Dad, to head to the royal capital, Monokannus, but they were currently still questioning the emissaries inside of the Nest. Grasping the full extent of took priority, so I was told that it would be several months before their departure to Monokannus. Arent there any summons from His Majesty? Eds speech has thoroughly improved. At my question, Dad made a comment of admiration like such, then, I received an order from His Majesty: to obtain the full story and receive clarification about the whole incident, and < Yatagarasu>, on-site. For this case, I was given full authority as the main lead. Dont they usually send people from the capital? Thats probably the case in other countries. However, our king is someone who will assign authority to determined subordinates without any hesitation. Thanks to that, work is easier in regards to location, and Im glad. The current king of Santamana Kingdom, Vistgard the First. All I knew was his name, but since Dad has said so much, he must be a good king. Come to think of it, youre going to the Fairy Hamlet today, right Ed? Did you finish all of your preparations? Ah, thats right. Yes, well, um dont be too late, okay? ? Mn, of course. While confused about Dads way of speakingDlike he had something stuck in his teethDI left Dads study. A visitor will be coming today, so Edgar-kun can take your time in the Fairy Hamlet, okay? Just when I was about to leave, Julia-kaasan said this to me, before giving me a larger allowance than usual. I couldnt help but be puzzled. Since I returned from the Crows Nest, Julia-kaasan has been with me around the clock; even getting the time to raise my skills has been difficult. However, that suddenly reversed today. Wasnt she somewhat distant? I asked Melby. I-I dont think that was the case? Melby said with her eyes averted. This was indeed strange. Both Dad and Mum, and possibly even Melby, feel somewhat distant. Melby cant lie so perhaps shes just trying to dodge the question, but I did too much of my own free will, so maybe theyre upset? During the events at Ranzrack Fortress and , Id only done so because I didnt have a choice, but for my parents to still consider that as a young child willfully leaping into danger wasnt strange. Furthermore, having reincarnated, I dont have much of the fundamental innocence a child should have. Because Im a strange infant whos more attracted to raising his skills than his papa and mama. Its not like there wasnt a chance of them running out of patience with me either. Well, she did say a visitor was coming, so maybe theyre just busy. If it was the me from my previous life, they mightve distrusted me more, but because I had been born in this world, I have been blessed with both Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousans trust and affection. So far, they have never seriously doubted me. However, I need to consider what I can do for them henceforth. For the time being, lets take a trip to the market. I could be treated by Cecil and Cecila in the Fairy Hamlet, but the fundamental amount of food required for fairies who wouldnt die even if they didnt eat, and humans, was completely different. Besides, its awkward to have them make food for me with such tiny bodies. Lets buy lunch at the marketplace and bring it with me. After all, I received some spending money from Mum. I rolled the copper coins I had received from Mum around in the palm of my hand. Its a little late now, but lets recall how the currency of this world works. MarquektsDNo, more accurately, Santamana Kingdomscurrency, as typical of the fantasy genre, consists of three varieties: gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins, with one hundred of each equating to the value of a single coin of the higher currency. That said, since its a hassle to carry one hundred coins for each, there are large copper coins, large silver coins, and large gold coins that are all worth ten of their respective currency. One copper coin is worth about ten yen from my previous world, so a large copper coin would be worth a hundred yen. Continuing this, it would be one thousand yen per silver coin, ten thousand yen per large silver coin, one hundred thousand yen per gold coin, and one million yen per large gold coin. However, the coins must have the round seal of the kingdoms mint bureau engraved on them, otherwise they cant be exchanged, unless theyre entrusted to specialised money-exchange businesses. Also, apparently money-exchange businesses have reduced exchange rates compared to regular currency. This was to prevent the smelting down of money. If large coins weighed the same as small coins, itd be meaningless to specially carry large coins, so a large coin only has 1.5x the size of a normal coin. If smelting was approved then, since one large coin could be exchanged for 10 small coins, the quantity of metal used to make the coins would increase if smelted. Depending on the amount and price of the metal, by exchanging large coins for small coins and then smelting them down to sell the smelted metal, a commission could be earned. This was why a royal decree was established saying that coins without the round seal cant be used, and that exchanging money has also become unfavourable. Whats interesting is that apparently the large coins used to be close to ten times the size of the small coins at first, but they gradually shrunk with the years and now had roughly the same difference in size as a 100 yen coin and 500 yen coin from the Japan of my previous life. In short, to bridge the ratio difference between the value of coins and value of material, the country applied a seal to the coins and certified that this large copper coin has the value of ten copper coins. Hence, large coins could be said to be a conversion currency that could be exchanged for ten small coins, as assured by the country. Hmm In that case, on all the copper coinsDno, wouldnt printing paper currency and applying a seal to them be better? For example, an arrangement where a certain bill can be exchanged for one gold coin. Ive asked Dad about this kind of thing before. Hmm, it certainly sounds fine in theory. However, the paper would get dirty and torn, and would also be quite easy to counterfeit too, wouldnt it? That certainly would happen, considering the technology level of this world. Furthermore, because paper was originally an imported good and also has a high price in Santamana, paper would be more expensive than a single copper coin. In my previous life, the country would issue paper bills that assured their conversion to gold. The advantage of this method was that as long as people had faith in the country, more paper bills than there was gold could be issued. Thus, the issued paper bills could be lent out to financiers at low interest rates, in turn allowing the money to be lent out to merchants, and thus letting them produce a steady flow of money. If conditions worsened, the interest rate could be lowered as compensation. It was even possible to control the prices of commodities. That appears to be a rather unreliable method though. Wouldnt it be a big problem if everyone with paper bills simultaneously wanted to exchange them for money? Its enough to manage the country soundly. In my previous world, they even ended up ceasing the conversion to gold. Well, even if thats difficult, I think you should still be able to collect enough deposits to form a bank. In this world, is there anyone who is entrusted with money, who then takes that money to invest in promising projects? If I had to say, I suppose some of the gold craftsmen do that. The gold and silver being used as materials are expensive by nature, and customers entrust them with the gold and silver in their possession to be processed. Thus, besides gold crafting, theyre also entrusted with gold and silver from the customers and issue deposit receipts. Because its dangerous for conspicuous nobles and high-ranking adventurers to carry valuables on their person, it seems they intrust their gold and silver to gold workshops. Of course, the workshops employ strong guards such as former adventurers. The gold and silver is also stored in sturdy safeboxes that are under strict management and locked with several keys, and wont even budge a bit to magic. Apparently the gold craftsmen also loan out the deposited gold and silver to merchants and such, and receive interest back. Naturally, its only for the very few merchants whom they place their trust in, it seems. Ive heard that deposit receipts, containing the same value as the amount of gold and silver deposited, are also used as an endorsed method of payment. Maybe this is similar to the paper bills you described, Ed. In the past, the merchants in Fauno City who became unable to pay the market tax were able to request the use of deposit receipts as a security for loans, or so Ive discovered. Thats probably a business with very good prospects. Its profitable, and I think its also a good encouragement for a new type of industry in ones territory. I told Dad what I knew about banking and currency trading. Now that you mention it, it might be true. Ill discuss with Poporus-san, and perhaps let him give it a try? Poporus-san referred to the village chief of Trenadette Village, who also happens to be a former merchant and Stephs father. It seems like that village chief used to be quite a shrewd merchant in the past. He said he wanted to settle down after he built a family, so Dad appointed him as the village chief of Trenadette Village out of gratitude. Huh? But Poporus-san said that he wanted to be a direct retainer of Dad though? Oh, is that so? Its because that person is very capable. Hmm It seems to me like he wants his family life to be more prosperous though. That certainly might be true, but theyve started the experimental cultivation of cotton in that village, so its gradually becoming more prosperous. Thats why I believe that him wanting to become my direct retainer is because hes now wanting an even greater job. He might be saying that with self-awareness, or might be unconsciously desiring it for the sake of his family. It seems like hes saying something very deep. Ed, it might be good if you remember this too. People are unrestricted when it comes to being able to grasp their desires by themselves. Moreover, there are cases in which it is easier to understand from the point of view of an outsider. In the future, when you are in the position to employ others, Ed, try to read between the lines and infer what the other party truly desires. Despite having given them their desired position, them being unsatisfied with the treatment and such unexpectedly does happen. That said, we cant disregard their wishes either, so its difficult. How can we tell things like that? Thats right The most important thing is to have an interest in the other party, I suppose. Interest Yeah. If youre interested in the other party, wont their personality and situation naturally flow into your head? In that case, youll also come to know their desires. An ancient sage I respect once said. A feudal lord who takes an interest in their people will naturally have a good reign. Thats why, when you have your own subordinates, Ed, it would be good to take an interest in them. If you do that, then youll naturally know what to do and will be able to heed their wishes without much conscious thought. As expected of Alfred-tousan, he gives significant advice. To be honest, I never thought of myself as a person who stands above others, but with a long life, I cant deny the possibility of it happening. I will gratefully bear in mind Dads advice. Now, delicious smells came drifting my way when I arrived at the marketplace. I purchased some deep-fried land shrimp, grilled sand-turtle innards, and baked bread for myself, and chose some nuts and berries to bring as presents for the fairies. Holding the bag filled with food in my arms, I entered an unpopulated alley, then had Melby open up a gate and travelled to the Fairy Hamlet. CH 62 Uggh The groans of both Melby and me were unexpectedly harmonised. We were in Melbys hometownDTetelutia Fairy Hamletinside the cave with the separation barrier that imprisoned Melbys Master. Before our eyes was a revolving machine that made strange *clunk clunk* sounds as it spun. This machine, if given a name, should be called something like the Autonomous Separation Barrier Extrication Machine. It was comprised of the various machinery parts recovered in the historic remains of the Crows Nest. Its structure was rather simple. The kinetic energy of the motor is harnessed by the gears, which slowly turns the cam (a rotating component that was bent into an egg shape), and that cam engages the Dimension Chisel that is set into a cylinder. As a result, the Dimension Chisels tip is thrust out from the machine and stabs into the Separation Barrier. The Dimension Chisel then returns to its original position via the power of springs that are built into the cylinder. Afterwards, this repeats. However, with just this, there is no mana supplied to the Dimension Chisel, and thus the Separation Barrier cannot be whittled down. Then what to do? I thought, and thereupon came the question I asked of the goddess. DDEven if there isnt anything like magic gems, it would be good if there was something that could store energy produced by magic. The goddess answer was a huge hint. I thought about using [Lightning Magic] to charge the battery recovered from the historic remains, and supplying mana through that. However, what I first tested, the method of extending a copper wire from the battery and coiling it around the Dimension Chisel, was no good. Certainly, through this method, what is transmitted to the Dimension Chisel is not mana, but electricity. No, just coiling a cord around would not even let electricity be transmitted. The Dimension Chisel doesnt conduct electricity, so directly connecting it to the battery is impossible. Next, I thought of dismantling a certain something and using that. DDThe slave collar. Since the collar draws out 20 MP if one tries to forcibly unfasten it, I thought it might be of some use. After the confrontation with Gazaine, I collected them from the children. I entrusted those collars to Melby and had her disassemble them to create a lorate magic tool that would produce the necessary amount of MP for the Dimension Chisel. Between Melby and I, we called it the mana-suction cord. I wrapped this cord around the battery and installed it into the lower section of the cylinder so that it was in contact with the chisel. When I struck the chisel with my hand, mana was drawn out from the battery as intended. The chisel then absorbed that mana and struck the Separation Barrier. When the Separation Barrier peeled off properly, I did a boisterous dance with Melby. Then, combining that mana-suction cord, battery, Dimension Chisel, motor, gear, and cam, with the motor connecting to another battery, we finally produced the prototype Totally Automatic Separation Barrier Removal Machine today, butDD When that section of the Separation Barrier becomes thinner, the distance between the chisel and barrier changes, and it looks like that disturbs the balance. The peeled off fragment sticks into the ground around the barriers base, and the machine slants a little. Which means, its necessary to have a mechanism to adjust the distance to the Separation Barrier A mechanism to automatically remove the peeled fragments might be needed too Things were only looking good at the beginning; as soon as the Dimension Chisel had been thrust out a few times, the machine toppled over from the recoil. Sigh Because our expectations had been so great, the disappointment was all the greater. Cant we entrust the fairies with the justification of the machine and clearing of fragments? Thats impossible. If those children are made to do such simple tasks, theyd immediately tire of it and go out to play. The goddess said that to avoid harming the spirits of the long-lived fairies, their attentiveness became dispersed. Its fine for me to be persistent and adjust it though No, we tried to automate it because its not good for you to station yourself by the barrier all day and night, so Thats true. Melbys masterDDPioneer Elf survivor Alfecia-sans rescue was important, but the raising of my own skills was just as essential. Hmm I dont think its impossible, but I dont think we can make this prototype any more complex. What do you mean? This prototype has a need for the Dimension Chisel to remain in contact with the mana-suction cord and battery, so the heavy battery part is on top, right? Because of that, the centre of gravity is elevated, making it more prone to falling. Of course, we can make the machine itself heavier, but then the justification of the Separation Barrier becomes difficult. The only thing I could think of in regards to the justification was attaching wheels driven by a motor. However, if the machine becomes heavy, it would be hard to move it with just that. Also, with my technological ability, making a machine with such an elaborated process as advancing forward with the chisel 1mm at a time does not seem possible at all. Incidentally, in this Fairy Hamlet that balances out the body and spirit, my body has become larger than usual. Similar to when I came to this Fairy Hamlet last time, my appearance has changed to about 6 years of age, so theres no impediment for just assembling the machine at least. Theres not impediment, but As expected, the machine has poor workmanship overall All of the parts excavated from the historic remains were made by the neurotic Mr Heydrich and thus were extremely precise. However, the frame to assemble them was a product I made by cutting up timbersomething at a DIY levelso it would bend with just the slightest movement. Ah, the clunking motor part came off. I do have the [Carving] skill, but this [Carving] didnt seem very suited for the manufacturing of a machine like this. Fundamentally speaking, there seems to be a strong emphasis on reproducing the feelings of the skill user, so doing something like cutting material in accordance with a blueprint is difficult. Even if delicate craftsmanship is possible, precise manufacturing is impossible Its that kind of feeling. In this case, Id like a skill more suited to manufacturing. I wonder if theres a skill system related to machine production? Mr Heydrich actually made quite precise components and machinery. There was also a machine for metalwork in the historic remains, one that Ive previously seen in the enterprise induction courses in my former world. Because it was properly collected into Melbys dimensional storage, its possible to use that. However, the manufacturing machines I saw in my previous life were advanced to the point of being automated by computers. As for the machines made by Mr Heydrich himself, they were extremely analogue and of the standard produced during wartime. Furthermore, they had been restructured quite a bit, given that they would be utilising mana. Personality aside, Mr Heydrich was, without a doubt, an excellent engineer; he proved successful with something I cant lay my hands on at all. No, before that, not being an engineer myself, drawing up a plan and cutting and assembling the materials itself had quite a high degree of difficulty for me. Do I have no choice but to begin from there? If Im to start from improving a skill for the production of machinery, I feel like using that time to whittle down the Separation Barrier by myself would be faster. Either way, I can focus and make an effort on it once I start since I have [No Fatigue], but its difficult to try to use my time efficiently. While I was worrying about this, DDBut theres been considerable advancement. Melby said in a cheerful voice. Until now, we were always in an environment where it was natural to have no progress. Taking one step or two steps is progressing forward, so I must first acknowledge that. Thank you very much, Ed. Ah, no Theres still time. If it slowly accumulates, Im sure Master will be saved in due time. Melby spent an overwhelming amount of time to develop the Dimension Chisel. In comparison to that time where she was practically groping around in the dark, it was much better now as she has hope. Thats true. Lets not be impatient. For the time being, I had Melby stow away the prototype, had some tea in the Fairy Hamlet, then Melby and I returned to Fauno City. It seemed that the sun had yet to set in Fauno City. The flow of time in the Fairy Hamlet is slower, so my senses were in disarray. For some reason, the fairies led by Cecil and Cecila didnt really come to bother us today, so I ended up returning home having only done the performance test of the prototype. If they came to bother us then they would bother us, which is irritating, but not coming to bother us meant that they didnt bother us; me feeling a little lonely was just my troublesome personality, I suppose. I finished earlier than I expected I was told that a guest was coming, but I wonder if theyve already gone home? I want to quickly go home and rest. Perhaps it was because the savage lifestyle in had lasted a long time, but recently Ive come to like resting at home better than going out. However, Melby spoke in a flustered manner when she heard my words. Y-you cant! Why? T-that is Ah, hey, lets go take a look around the marketplace! Eh? I think we saw most of it before though. Uuh. that is thats right! You havent met up with Miguels group for a while now, right? Lets go to the Adventurers Guild! No, about that thats right you said just now N-never mind that! Lets go!? I-I get it I dont really understand, but its true I want to see Miguel. Elemia and Beck dont have any relatives, and Donna was Grandpa Ganashs ward, but because Grandpa Ganash was rather advanced in age, they were all being looked after in the Viscount Chrebl estate. In contrast to that, Miguel was in the custody of his own mother, former companion of Julia-kaasan and A-Rank adventurer, Moria-san. At present, Miguel was being taught the basics of being an adventurer from Moria-san so, as Melby said, I havent seen him much lately. In regards to Miguel, I consider him a friend of the same age. Im older in terms of mental age, and Miguel is older in terms of physical age, but for better or worse, that guy is someone I dont need to be reserved with. I dont know whether Miguels group is at the guild or not, but since I have the time, it should be fine to go have a look. CH 63 DDPardon my intrusion. I dont know if that was the correct thing to say, but when I entered the Adventurers Guild with a greeting, inside were the parent-and-child couple Moria-san and Miguel, Hoffman-san, and, for some reason, Beck was also there. Huh? Oro no, its Edgar. Im sure today was Interrupting Miguel who had started speaking, Moria-san said. Oh, whats the matter? No, I dont really have any business here, but Melby said we should come see Miguels face once in a while. Eh? Me ah, I did say that. Its been a while, Miguel. Have you been well? Huh? Ah, yeah. Mums training is tough, but Ive slowly gotten used to it. Miguel said with pride. Ignoring Miguels triumphant look, I started talking to Beck. Beck, why are you here? Mn, actually, I had something to consult Hoffman-san about. Consult? Ah, no, you dont have to tell me if you dont want to. Its fine. Hoffman-san said he also took the role of the partys tank, so I just wanted to seek advice from him. Because I realised that I must become much stronger. Beck probably also has times when he thinks back to that incident. He did say that he cant stay indebted to the Chrebl household forever, and previously said that he wanted to find his own independent path as an adventurer. I see. If its you, Beck, Im sure youll make a fine tank. Thank you. But youre referring to my Skills, right? I cant say thats not also a factor, but didnt you say so yourself? After all, I am Vajra Knight Dikreos Wawns son! As if I could leave my comrades and turn my back on the enemy! W-wait, stop it, its embarrassing! Its not embarrassing at all, you were really cool. Even though you called it an unwelcome favour back then. Back then, we both felt the same way. What I want to say is, you already have that much resolve. While Beck and I were having such a discussion, Oh Did you say Vajra Knight Dikreos Wawn? Hoffman-san came over and asked. You know him? Whether I know him or not its said that theres such a person in Sonoraat, a famous knight. I heard he was betrayed in domestic warfare and died Thats right. Dad was killed while covering me. Afterwards, I was brainwashed by Hoffman-san placed his hand on Becks head, who was muttering with a dark face. He died protecting someone important. As expected of a Vajra Knight. Even for me, to be able to protect someone else while dying I dont have the confidence to do so. Hoffman-san There seemed to be some sort of understanding between Beck and Hoffman-san that only someone assuming the role of tank would understand. Then, Becks also aiming to be an adventurer, huh. It feels like Im the only one being left behind. When I muttered that, Oh my, have you still not registered to be an adventurer yet, Edgar? Oh thats right. As if she remembered my age, Moria-san reached an understanding. But theres no age limit for registering at the guild. Adventurer parents come to register their children a lot too. Well, in that case, the children become adventurers out of convenience, in order to make running errands for their parents easier for them. Heh, so theres something like that. Since we have the opportunity, would you like try registering too, Edgar? If its just the handling fee, I dont mind paying for it. Is that alright? Well, Ill pay for the handling fee myself though. Its fine. After all, today is I mean, youre Julias child and Miguels friend, and you look like a kid to me. Just leave things to this A-Ranked big sis. Saying that, Moria-san approached the guild counter. Ah, Miranda. I want to register someone new Yes, its fine. Is it that child over there? Right, his name is DDWAIT A MINUTEEEEEE! The one who suddenly raised his voice and cut in wasDDme. W-what is it, this isnt anything surprising, is it? Moria-san, lend me your ear for a moment. Whats the matter, good grief With these words, Moria-san leaned over and turned her ear towards me. Mumbling, I told her my request. Ehhh After entrusting the troubled-looking Moria-san with my request, I left through the guild doors and went outside. DDI slipped through the doors of the Adventurers Guild. Just as I slipped through the doors, a rude, scrutinising gaze was sent over from the bar attached to the guild. In the bar were many men possessing the air of true veteran adventurers, and a red-haired female knight was leaning her back against the wall. I approached the counter and, DDId like to register as an adventurer. I addressed the receptionist. The receptionist was the poster girl of the guild. She was a beauty with a good figure in her early twenties, but her lack of a smile was a shortcoming. Well then, write your name on this formDD It was when the receptionist started talking. Hey, hey, are you serious? As if a tiny kid like you is fit to be an adventurer! Brat, go home and suck on your mamas breasts or somethin! Gyahahaha! The one who said that, coming to pick a fight, was a red-faced adventurer who had been drinking with his companions until just then. He had a large build and a large scar on his face. I coolly ignored the mans words and asked the receptionist. Hey, someones trying to pick a fight with me. The guild will not participate in a quarrel between fellow adventurers. Please resolve this matter among yourselves. Huh? Then its okay to do as I please, right? When I say that with a smile, the scarred man seized my shoulder. Hey, you shitty brat! Whaddya say just now? What, are you deaf? Thats fatal for an adventurer. Isnt it better for you to retire before you lose your life, old man? WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY!? Unforgivable! Dont think you can just make fun of C-Rank Adventurer Hunting Dog Andrew Joe! The manDDAndrew unsheathed his sword. Wait, Andrew-san! Bloodshed inside the guild isDD Shuddup! Using [Discern], I bypassed Andrews slash by a paper-thin margin. I then leapt at his chest, casting [Psychokinesis] on Andrews vest and forcibly blasting him into the wall. Guaaaah! Andrew groans. H-hey, Hunting Dog Andrews been done in by a newcomer That kid, hes so cool Im in love! I just want to hug him! I could hear such murmurs drifting over from the direction of the bar. Anyway, Id like to register soon. Ah, y-yes! I-its this form! I nonchalantly took the pen, wrote my name and field of expertise on the adventurer registration form, and handed it to the receptionist. With this, your registration is complete. Nodding at the receptionists words, IDDhad a fist land on my head. Ouch! How long are you going to continue acting, geez! The one whose fist landed on me was, naturally, Moria-san. Hey, Andrew, dont keep lying there forever! Yeah, yeah. The man who had been blown into the wall (or at least pretended that he had) got up. Hey, kid, I acted along with what I was told, so wont you get me some alcohol? Yeah, thanks, Mister. DDAh, Miss Waitress, send some alcohol to that guys table for me! Heres the money. I handed a single silver coin to the waitress who was passing by, and treated Andrew-san, who cooperated with the play, as well as the other extras, to some alcohol. By the way, this silver coin was not part of the allowance given to me by Julia-kaasan. It was something I swiped from the executives rooms when we left . DDLet me add this just in case, when fellow adventurers affiliated with the guild have a dispute, a general rule is that both parties are to blame. In order to preserve the nature of our adventurers, a strict punishment is applied to fellow adventurers who quarrel. For example, when one party draws their sword like what happened just then, they would almost certainly be expelled from the guild. The challenged side would be deemed to be acting in self-defense at the minimum necessary level, but would be punished if they overdo it, downgrading in rank, or even being expelled in the worst case scenario. This is because there have been incidents in the past where people have picked a fight, making the other party draw their swords first, and giving the hollow excuse of it being legitimate self-defense. Adventurers are free beings, so well be troubled if they become outlaws. I sincerely ask you to act with more discretion. Regardless of whether this was a performance or not, having remained expressionless since the start, the receptionist said that. She was expressionless, but she might unexpectedly be someone who gets into things easily, as someone who had been enlisted to help with the act. By the way, the adventurer registration form I submitted to the receptionist was genuine. So, what exactly was this farce about? Glaring at me with reproachful eyes, Miguel asked. But, when talking about registering as an adventurer, this comes to mind, right? Well, this is certainly a common development in adventurers sagas. Moria-san said, shrugging her shoulders. Ah, so they had those in this world as well. So, if were talking about the continuation of this scene, the boss of these delinquent adventurers you knocked down would make his appearance and come attack the protagonist, a new adventurer, in a back alley. Hmm, so thats the way things are, huh. While I was honestly admiring that, DDLets try following that route once, shall we? Moria-san said, keeping a watchful eye on me. Oi, you! I heard you were quite rough with my younger bros earlier. I guess Ive gotta teach an impudent newbie about the laws of this town! Talking in high spirits, it seemed like Moria-san was a fanatic about those kinds of sagas. Heh, bring it on if you can! Is it something like this? And like that, me, Moria-san, Hoffman-san, Miguel, and Beck decided to head to the training area behind the guild. Incidentally, Andrew and the others, even the drunk adventurers, also came along but well, its fine. CH 64 Chapter 64 Jackpot The training grounds were of a similar size to their counterpart in the Crows Nest, slightly more spacious than the gymnasiums in my previous life. Moria-san and I both equipped wooden training weapons, and positioned ourselves about 5 metres away from each other. Moria-san held a wooden sword in each hand, and I also had wooden swords in both hands, but with a knife-shaped wooden sword at my waist as well. So how do we fight? Moria-san asked dubiously. Certainly, the wooden swords were a bit oversized for me, and their tips ended up poking into the ground. It wasnt as bad when it was just one sword, but I was holding them in either hand. Look forward to that when we give it a try. I answered with a smile. Mum, its better not to let down your guard. Its hard to tell what Edgar will do. Miguel said, as a supporter of Morias faction. Rather, there are no supporters on my side. Even Beck was on Moria-sans side, and the sole person on my side was Andrew, who seemed to have bet money on my win. The other person who seems like they might have been my ally, Hoffman-san, was acting as the referee this time. Now then, lets have a look at Moria-sans status before this mock battle. Moria Mittelt Zkornash (Adventurer (A Rank) | Scarlet) 32 Years Old Level 50 HP: 117/117 MP: 25/25 Skills ? Master class [Dual Swordsmanship] 5 [Discern] 3 [Sense Presence] 3 (1) ? General [Dual Sword Techniques] 9 (MAX) [Sword Techniques] 7 [Stealth Steps] 6 (1) [Assassination Techniques] 5 [Eavesdropping] 5 [Throwing Axe Techniques] 5 (1) [Unarmed Combat] 3 [Battleaxe Techniques] 3 [Farsight] 3 (1) [Shuriken Techniques] 2 [Knife Throwing] 2 The last time I saw Moria-sans status was immediately after I had first arrived in Fauno City, before the attack from . Compared to that time, the reconnaissance-class skills have improved slightly. I suppose the improvement of [Throwing Axe Techniques] was the result of the harpy hunting. Moria-sans skill configuration was fundamentally that of a first-class swordsman, but she could function adequately as a scout with skills like [Sense Presence] and [Stealth Steps]. Begin! Together with Hoffman-sans command, Moria-san rushes out. I threw one of my swords at her with a sense of desperation. Sh! With a sharp exhalation, Moria-san parried the sword I threw out with one of the swords in her hand. Ignoring this, I throw my other sword. Whoosh, a sharp wind-cutting sound rang out. I was a bit lax with the first throw, but the second throw was a serious throw, making use of my [Throwing Techniques] skill. Frowning, Moria-san parries the sword I threw with the sword in her other hand, in the same manner as before. In that state, Moria-san closes in on me. With impatience on my face, I [Leap] backwards. Of course, it wasnt like I could escape with that, and Moria-sans dual swords approached me Cch!? Moria-san suddenly twists her body. A wooden sword grazed her shoulder. It was the wooden sword I had thrown at the beginning. The wooden sword had been under the influence of [Psychokinesis] since the beginning. The impatient expression I had just now was, of course, fake; it was a trap to divert her attention away from the wooden sword. I use [Flying Swordsmanship] to manipulate the two wooden swords, and commenced a continuous assault without pause against Moria-san. Wh-what is this!? While astonished by the two wooden swords that were attacking by themselves (although they were actually being manipulated by me), Moria-san dodged those attacks with her superior agility. As expected of someone with [Discern], they dont even graze her. Well then, how about this? (wind) v (spread) Windblow! Khh! The strong wind produced by me blows against Moria-sans body and slows down her movements. I had confirmed beforehand that magic can be used if its to the extent where the opponent will not be hurt. Moria twists her body while facing the strong wind, and narrowly avoids the attacking wooden swords. However, it seems Moria-san had still been forcing herself, as her stance crumbled greatly. Throwing kniveswere likely to be avoided. I boosted my [Leap] with [Psychokinesis] and accelerated, moving the knife in my hand towards Moria-sans neck The moment I tried to strike, my arm was caught. Take this! What!? It seems Moria-san appearing to stumble was her luring me in. Alright, thats the end. Along with the sound of a *thwack*, a wooden sword in Moria-sans hand was thrust out at me. After Moria-san threw her wooden sword directly upwards, she threw me, then caught the falling wooden sword I guess. That involved quite a bit of acrobatics. Thats it! Its Morias win! Hoffman declares. Ugh My shoulders dropped in disappointment. To be honest, I had underestimated Moria-san. I didnt think that she would be stronger than Gazaine. Certainly, one of the best assassinswhen compared to a interpersonal fighting expert, Moria-san, whose main opponents were monsters, had an upfront fighting style without vices. With monsters as the opponent, it was fine not to think much about reading the opponents moves. However, Moria-san was an adventurer who had climbed to the ranks of A-rank as a woman. Im sure shes had plenty of experience slashing and striking against people. I can probably win without revealing my full powerShe wasnt such a sweet opponent you could fight and win against with such negligence. Well, I dont think this is your full power though. Said Moria-san If we were to kill each other with lethal spells and weapons, I would be the one at a disadvantage. But you know Moria-san walked up to me determinedly and brought her face close to mine. With such a fighting style, youll die. Huh? You underestimated me. Did you think I didnt realise? She saw through me. I have no words to reply. As I sunk into silence, Moria-san grinned at me. Well, it happens a lot. Moria-san said, and pulled her face back. At the same time, she pat my back. Sometimes it happens. A novice adventurer suddenly draws upon a jackpot because of good fortune or their own talents. When that happens, whether they try to keep it in mind or not, arrogance slips into the depths of their heart. They think What, youre only at this level?'' Everyone else also gathers around me and Moria-san. And, while they are unaware, they will be controlled by their pride and undertake a request that doesnt fit their statureand then the next time they will draw a joker. Drawing a joker after hitting a jackpot Its a famous story between adventurers. This was said by the scarred manno, wait, Andrew-san. Hey, hey, Baby Scarlet. You lost, even though I went and bet on you. Then his companions started picking a quarrel with Andrew-san as he said such a thing to me. You always target the dark horse, Andrew. As if theres a kid who can win against Scarlet. As promised, youll treat us to a drink. Mr. Andrew, who says so to me, becomes entangled with his companions. Tch, cant be helped. But it was pretty close, wasnt it. If they fought ten times, this brat would take a few of them, wouldnt he? Fufu, what a sore loser, Andrew. A loss is a loss. What did you say! You bastard! Andrew-san returned to the bar whilst chatting with his companions. After watching them off with a wry smile, Moria-san turns back to me and says, To be honest, Julia asked me to do this. Moria-san shrugged her shoulders while saying that. Eh? Mum did? Thats right. She said Our Edgar-kun is always drawing jackpots all the time, so I think he will eventually draw a joker.'' As expected of a former partner, Moria-sans imitation was rather accurate. So, am I being chastised? Thats how it is. However, that was close. I thought I would show you how it is in reality, but I was almost done for at that rate What a wild child, good grief. Thats right! Even I have never won against him! Miguel says boastfully for some reason. But, its strange. As I see it, I think that there were times where it seemed that Edgar could beat Mum? I wondered if he was going easy you, but it seems to be different. Ah, I was bothered about that too. Pride It looks like thats not all there is. To begin with, unlike our Miguel, Edgar is the cautious type. Just because he won against a somewhat strong opponent, doesnt mean he will immediately get carried away. Well, pride is something that will slip in somehow anyway, so its good to regularly fight against someone stronger to grasp your strengths. Miguel and Moria-san tilt their heads in sync. As expected of parent and child, even their gestures were similar. There, Hoffman-san who was silent until now (although hes almost always silent) opens his mouth. He was certainly strong but I saw some hesitation. Hesitation? When I asked in response, Hoffman-san nodded. To fight is to hurt ones opponent. Edgar was thinking that he didnt want to hurt his opponent I think. That is The first time I fought was, not including the slasher from my previous life, the fight against at Ranzrack Fortress. I was able to fight without hesitation, which surprised even me. To defeat the enemyNo, to kill the enemy, I didnt feel any resistance against it. Thats wrong, huh. There was resistance, but I had even more resolve. In order to protect, I had to fight. ButI see. Oh, do you happen to know something? Yeah I just thought of it. Hmm With that appearance, it doesnt look like youre going to talk to me about it. Sorry. Its fine. It is important to consult with someone when you are troubled, but you wont function as an adventurer if you have to consult someone about everything. Becoming independent and facing your own heart, thats necessary if you want to become stronger. Moria-san said, but, How reserved. Even though you gave everyone advice in . Such being the case, how big was the difference between, on one side, he who had been exhausted of the never-ending grey and eventually became a street slasher, and on the other side, the police that had been constantly lying in wait in order to arrest that slasher? I cant say for certain whether this was the same mentality I had had back when I discovered an enemy I needed to defeat at Ranzrack Fortress. Gazaine said that I was similar to him. I think what he said hadnt been a lie. I personally agreed, and was happy that Gazaine told me thatDDhappy that someone understood me. In my previous life, the only time I felt that way was when I was earnestly playing bouts at the game centre, but the feeling of someone understanding me from the bottom of their heart definitely existed at that moment. So when I was recognised by Gazaine and he invited me to become his comrade, I was delighted enough that it seemed like could end up agreeing. However, Gazaine was a murder. In addition to that, he was an assassin who killed people he didnt even bear any grudges against, just for the sake of money and his ambitions. Unsatisfied with just killing by himself, he also became the founder of a heretic organisation that kidnapped and brainwashed innocent children, raising them as assassins. He was an extraordinary villain who had once carelessly remarked that he only felt alive when slaughtering and spreading enmity. I unsheathed the knife that was hanging at my waist and used [Appraisal]. Dagger of Mana Dispersal: A dagger that possesses the ability to disperse mana by slashing. Ancient relic. Disperses up to 50MP of mana. Made by shaving down the fang of a Light Dragon and coating it with Mithril. It was the dagger that Gazaine had carried. It seemed to be a worthy blade. By 50MP, it meant that it could disperse most of the spells that would be used against individuals. I wielded this dagger without hesitation. Its strange. Even though I feel some aversion to the gun that was Mr Heydrichs legacy, I dont feel much aversion to the dagger relinquished by Gazaine. I felt averse at this lack of aversion. If I decide to use what I am able to use regardless their previous owners, then I should use both weapons. On the other hand, if Im particular about their previous owners, then I shouldnt use either. Gun and dagger. Why was there such a difference between these two? Somehow I feel like I cant fully conclude that Gazaine was evil. Mr Heydrich was evil. Even if he was weak, evil is evil. However, Gazaine was strong. He was a villain, but he had charisma. Frankly, instead of forming , becoming the boss of bandits or the leader of a mercenary troop If he so wished, even becoming the head of an army of shock troops seems like it wouldve gone more smoothly. I grumble as I gaze at the polychromatic blade crest on the dagger as it shone. Melby tilted her head at my words. Hmm I dont really get it, but are you really that worried about it? Gazaine was a charming villain, and those combat techniques were out of the ordinary. Use what you learned in gratitude I dont think its something to be discarded. That might be so, but more than that, Im scared. What I am doing, is it really correct? Sticking to my own principles sounds good, but there are also cases like Gazaines. Im afraid that I will end up enjoying fightingDDenjoy battles to the death in some respect I think my lacklustre moves in that mock fight with Moria-san earlier were also because of that hesitation. Edgar is doing well, you know? Protecting those you ought to protect, defeating those you ought to defeat. Of course, the bad guys would have their own circumstances, and you might not be a perfect ally of justice, but thats the same for everyone, isnt it? Being happy about winning a fight as well, everyone is like that. That I see. You understand Mr Heydrichs feelings. You understand Gazaines feelings. You understand that slashers feelings. It certainly might be disturbing, but that alone isnt necessarily a bad thing. It wouldnt be good if you were to be guilty of the same things as them, but since youre confronting them and trying to bring them down, understanding can even be more useful than not understanding. On top of understanding them, its just a matter of trying not to become like them, no? But, the fact that I understand them means that I have such elements inside of me Maybe. But on the other hand, theres no reason to be an unreliable Ally of Justice who doesnt care about the feelings of those bad guys. People like that will inevitably make a mistake someday. No, they may even have made a mistake already. Because they would have averted their eyes to the dark parts of humans that people would want to overlook. I could see that those who fuss over their own justice are the most dangerous from looking at the first half of Mr Heydrichs life. Furthermore, being able to understand the feelings of those guys, Edgar, is thanks to your life experiences thus far. It was because of that power of understanding that you were able to save those people who had been brainwashed by , you know? Shady parts inside of you? Of course they exist. And yet youre able to look at them seriously without being captivated by them. Be confident, Edgar. .I see. Thats right. Thanks to Melbys words, I became a lot more at ease. DDAnd, what are you going to do with those? As she said that, Melby pointed to the gun and dagger I was holding in my hands. The gun, Im going to disassemble and use as a reference to make one from scratch. If I leave it as it is now, Im sure to feel unsettled, and I want a skill related to the machine production class for making an automated device for the Separation Barrier, so this will be practice for that. The dagger, I will use as is. When I think about it, its something that Gazaine originally acquired from someone else anyway, so its not like I was really concerned about it. So, you came up with a rather rational conclusion to your worries, didnt you? It seems that rather than be strangely fixated on it, this is better. I see. After descending the bell tower, I make my way back home. Melby stopped me when we had only just returned from the Fairy Hamlet earlier. This time, however, she didnt say a word. I arrived back at the Chrebl estate which was roughly 20 minutes from the bell tower. With the impressions from my past life, I originally felt rather unaccustomed to the fact that such a splendid estate was my home, but after these two weeks, Ive finally stopped paying attention to the disparity for the first time. I call out with an Im home~ as I open the door to the foyer. However, I couldnt hear any replies from inside. Huh? As I was frowning, Melby spoke. Its already dinner time. Perhaps theyre in the dining room? She then fluttered over towards the dining room. Stopping right before the door, she turns back in my direction. So, shall we enter? Melby then moved to open the door. DDWait, Melby. I said, lowering my voice. At the same time, I face the dining room and use [Sense Presence]. Strange. Although there are definitely humans presences inside, theyre keeping completely silent. Melby. I will burst in through the door. Please take care of the follow-up in case of an emergency. Switching to [Telepathic Communication], I said to Melby. W-what!? I-I understand Feeling suspicious of Melby who was stuttering questionably, I mentally picture a few spells to cast for an indoor battle as I unsheathe Gazaines dagger. In a situation like this, this dagger is handy. Because I can deal with both physical and magical attacks with a single weapon. Lets go, Melby. O-okay The moment I opened the doorDDseveral explosive noises sounded from inside the room! CH 66 DDHappy Birthday! *Ba-ba-ba-bang!* Eh? Among the multi-coloured confetti (?) that was falling down like rain, I let out a stupefied cry. I try to catch the confetti (?) that was fluttering down in front of my eyes. From the texture, it seemed to be not paper, but cloth. Coinciding with the bursting sounds, it was what flew out from the bamboo pipe-like objects that everyone had been aiming at me. Ufufu, those are the crackers I made. Surprised you, didnt they? I added Ususake Mushroom powder and scraps of multi-coloured cloth to the inside of the bamboo pipes, and inserted a string to pull on from a hole opened at the bottom. Donna stepped out from amidst the group and said. Y-yeah I was surprised. So something like crackers exist in this world too. In my daze, I responded with a shift in the topic. I looked away from Donna who tilted her head in puzzlement as though to ask this world? and surveyed the inside of the dining room. There was Alfred-tousan, Julia-kaasan, Chester-niisan, Elemia, Donna, Miguel, Beck, and Moria-san, even Hoffman-san and Grandpa Ganash were there too; each one of them was holding a cracker in their hand and wore pleased expressions for succeeding with their prank. Then, late as it was, I remember the congratulatory words they had said when I entered the room. I-I see. Todays my birthday! With that remark, everyone but me all stumbled. I had wondered if you might not have noticed, but to think you that seriously forgot. Miguel said in astonishment. I wondered what to do when Miguel let things slip earlier, but it went well. Said Moria-san. Moria too, you sort of let it slip during the adventurer registration. There are no age limits for being an adventurer. When that topic got brought up, it gave me a chill. Hoffman-san added. So Julia-kaasan telling me not to return because of guests, and Alfred-tousan saying not to be too late was also. Thats right. To keep you away from the house in a casual manner was really hard. That said, the party wouldnt have started even if you returned too late. Julia-kaasan and Alfred-tousan replied. So Melby acting suspiciously now and then was also because of this. Uu But I couldnt help it! Im unable to tell any lies! Melby said, pouting. Wait a moment. Ill call everyone from the Fairy Hamlet over. Saying that, Melby creates a gate, and goes inside to call the fairies. DDAnyway, happy birthday Edgar. Alfred-tousan says to me as a representative of the group. Mn Thank you. With this, Edgar-kun is finally one year old. Julia-kaasan says while smiling. Eh!? Several of the people in the room cried out in shock. Elemia, Donna, Miguel, Beck, Hoffman-san, and Grandpa Ganash I guess. I had told the former members of the childrens group, but did they not believe me? Yes. Today I, Edgar Chrebl, have turned one year old! Everyone, I will continue to be in your care from now as well. Saying that, I give a quick bow of my head. I did think he was absurd but I never thought it was this absurd. Elemia grumbled. I always thought it was surely a joke Donna muttered. Geh! Seriously! I keep losing to a one-year-old baby! Miguel ranted in indignation. Yeah, well, I did think Oro no, Edgar could be like that too though Beck nodded in resignation. Moria-san apparently heard from Julia-kaasan, but Hoffman-san seems to be hearing this for the first time and fixes a firm gaze on my face, while Grandpa Ganash stares intently at me with a hmm.. Then, the fairy twins Cecil and Cecila came flying out of the gate. Congrats~! Congratulations! They shouted as they hugged me. Behind them, the other fairies appeared in a bustle, and began to sing and dance. Could this be the reason why Cecil and Cecila didnt come to bother me when I went to the Fairy Hamlet earlier by any chance? Thats right. Congratulations, Edgar. That was the reply Melby gave me when I asked her after she returned from bringing the fairies with her. If I associated with the fairies who couldnt lie, everything could have been exposed in an instant. Everyone came up to send me their congratulatory words in turn. Then, I somehow received presents from everyone. Alfred-tousan said, Because well be heading to the royal capital after this, and presented me with an expensive-looking embroidered jacket. I immediately put it on. The sleeves might be a little long, but Ill probably grow into it soon if its just this much. How nice, Edgar. Even though I received hand-me-downs from Belhart-niisan back then. Chester-niisan commented. Its because Belhart, Chester, and David are close in age. Edgar has such an age difference, so wouldnt your old jackets be outdated now? Well, I guess it cant be helped. Its a secret, but Edgar has produced feats of arms even at this age. And for that reason, this is from me. Im sorry that it isnt wrapped though. What Chester-niisan gave me as he said that was a smallish bow. Its a small bow for practising. Though I say that, its a good product itself, so you should be able to use it even in actual combat. Since he said that, I try using [Appraisal] on it. Small Practice Bow: A bow produced by Chester Chrebl using weak spiritual wood as the core, combined with the bones and tendons of a wyvern. Easy for beginners to draw, and tuned so that it is easy to stabilise ones aim. No, this isnt at the level of something used just for practice. This is just what Ive surmised from talking to him lately, but if I had to say, Chester-niisan is a taciturn person and is very modest about his own capabilities. Thank you. Ill use it well. Mn. Chester-niisan nodded happily. It was a gentle smile that would have triggered my protective instincts if I were a girl of marriageable age. Next is from Mum and me! Here, take it! Saying that, Miguel handed me a small shield. Small Tortoise Shield: A shield fashioned from the carapace of a Grand Tortoise. In addition to being resilient against slashes and thrusts, it can also repel weak spells. This is? The other day, I defeated a beast called a Grand Tortoise together with Mum. Because I heard that the shells of that tortoise make good shields, I had it made. Is it alright? Isnt it a valuable material? Its fine. I only use my gauntlets to hit with, and Mum has her dual swords. We dont have any chance to use something like shields. I see. Thanks. I try equipping the shield onto my left arm. Its at a perfect size and wont hinder my movements. It seems like Ill be able to draw the bow that Chester-niisan gave me even with it equipped. T-this is from me! Its also from Grandpa though. Donna and Grandpa Ganash gave me a druggists mortar and pharmaceutical codex. Donna and I will be leaving here soon. Everything you would need to know from here on has all been compiled there. Once youve learned everything in there, then youd be able to call yourself my disciple. E-even though Ive yet to reach that point Donna muttered, her doggy ears drooping down. Thank you, Donna, Grandpa Ganash. Next to appear were the duo with the position of tank: Beck and Hoffman-san. F-from me is this talisman. Beck said, holding an approximately five-centimetre-tall doll that appears to have been made with [Carving]. This, could this possibly be me? I charged it with the power of [Safeguard], its a scapegoat doll. When you imbue it with thought, it can invoke an invincible state in the same way as [Safeguard] does, just for a moment. Really, its only for a moment, but I think Edgar-kun will be able to put it to good use. Invincible, you say Beck, you made such an incredible thing. You could make a fortune with just this. It takes a lot of time to make it. Weak spiritual wood at the least, or matured spiritual wood if possible, needs to be carried for about half a year, whilst distributing the power of [Safeguard]. It takes a lot of effort to cut the spiritual wood with the power of [Safeguard] dwelling within it, but you cant cut it first and then charge it with power, so it has to be cut after being imbued. It took so much labour Thank you, Beck. Beck scratched the back of his head as he said, No, its the least I can do when I think of how much youve done for me, Edgar-kun P-putting that aside, what about Hoffman-san! Look, see that large cake over there, Hoffman-san made it! Eh! That huge thing! In the centre of the estates dining hall-turned-party venue was a large two-tiered cake. To think that it was made by Hoffman-san. I picture Hoffman-san, a close to two-metre-tall man with a large frame, stooping over while making confectionary. Yup, its kind of charming. Making confectionaries is my hobby. Or I should say, to display my talents with all my heart was fun. Hoffman-san murmured as he gazed fondly at it. It looks like hes feeling embarrassed. Thank you very much, Hoffman-san. It might be strange for me to say it, but Beck is someone with spirit, so please discipline him relentlessly. Hoffman-san responded to my thanks with a Oh! Then, Elemia approached timidly. I dont have anything I can give you at the moment that No, its fine. It hasnt been long since we escaped from the Nest, after all T-thats not it! Here! I only have this, so. t-take it! Saying that, what Elemia thrust towards me wasDDher pan flute, which consisted of metal pipes tied together. In the Crows Nest, Elemia often played this flute at night. Is it alright? Wasnt this very important to you I-its fine. Its because its something important that I-I want someone important to have it. I-I see I turn my gaze away from Elemia who spoke with a blush, as even I was starting to get embarrassed. The other people in the room observed the situation with smirks on their faces. Edgar-kun. Wh-what? I have something important to talk to you about later. Do you mind making some time for me? Okay, I understand. How about after this party? Please. Saying that, Elemia retreated to a corner of the room. This is from me. Finally, Julia-kaasan, who had been waiting for an opportunity, handed over what she had been hiding behind her back. This isDD A wand? White, black, and ivory-coloured organic materials were entwined together to form a short wand approximately fifty centimetres in length. Affixed on the end of the wand were three crystal-like objects, one silver, one black, and one milky-white. From a glance, it gives off the impression of a sharp blade, but the [Mana Detection] skill informed me of the vast amount of mana imbued inside this wand. Thats right. When we were searching for s hideout and couldnt find it, I was so vexed that I shot down every single wyvern with magic What are you doing, Mum. Everyone but me started backing away. This wand appeared from the stomachs of one of those wyverns. Whilst my secret plot was unfolding within , it seemed a lot happened on Mums side as well. It looks like the ancient relic known as a Composite Rod, but I cant determine the attributes of the magic crystals attached to the tip. I tried all of the spells that I can use but it was no use. However, it conceals a great deal of mana within so selling it would be a waste Huh I wonder what kind of magic gems they are? Id like to study it or so I thought for a second, but I have this handy skill. [Appraisal]. Composite Rod of Extremities: Ancient relic. A wand composed of several materials. Utilised materials are Unicorn Horn, Dark Dragon Fang, Millennium Mistletoe. The three magic crystals contain the mana of [Dimension Magic], [Void Magic], and [Illusion Magic] respectively. Hm? There is a cursor-like thing at the end of the [Appraisal] result. When I focus my attention on the , the window displaying the [Appraisal] result expands. Even in the ancient times, embedding multiple magic crystals on a single wand was something that could only be done by top-rate magical engineers. However, in those times, the three magic crystals embedded on this wand were also known as magic crystals of extremities, and are magic crystals filled with the mana of rare and extremely hard to handle magic systems. There was no one able to use them naturally. This is a composite rod that was to be used as a ceremonial wand after a person in power at that time expended a vast budget and valuable materials to make it, with the purpose of showing off their ability to employ excellent magical engineers. Furthermore, the manufacturing method of the composite rod itself has been lost in the present day. Hmm despite being extremely valuable, a subtle impression of bad luck hangs in the air. It says the attributes are [Dimension Magic], [Void Magic], and [Illusion Magic]. [Dimension Magic] was used by Melby, [Illusion Magic] by Gazaine, but I have yet to witness [Void Magic]. It just so happens that Ive been wanting to research [Dimension Magic], and if Im able to acquire Gazaines [Illusion Magic] then Id like to acquire it. These magic crystals of extremities, arent they a godsend to me instead? [Void Magic] is a legendary skill that only dark-attributed mages with a high aptitude for [Dark Magic] have an extremely rare chance of acquiring. It annihilates all matter and substances without question or something Julia-kaasan explained. Thanks, Mum. Ill take good care of it. Mn. I dont use a wand so I couldnt teach you much about it, but Edgar-kun can do anything so you should be fine. Speaking of that, why doesnt Mum use a wand? Hmm, its the same whether or not I have a single-cored wand, since Im clumsy with reconstructed wands. Single-cored? Reconstructed wands? A single-cored wand is a wand that is made by processing wood that channels magic easily, or a monsters bone or horn and such. Since the process is simple, the effects are limited to making it easier to concentrate mana and such. Just saying, but isnt that making it easier to concentrate mana pretty important for a regular mage? Julia being able to use magic without a wand is due to her gift of having an extraordinary sense for magic. Moria added. Reconstructed wands are wands that try to reproduce the ancient relic, Composite Rods, using modern technology, but how should I put it, they have a strong peculiarity, or rather, theyre not very accommodating, and they dont allow for fine mana usage. I taught Edgar-kun about how (flame) differs between Flame Lance and Flame Bit, right? Fine adjustments like that arent possible, so the range of useable spells shrinks if I use a reconstructed wand. Just saying, once again, but the mana concentration and preservation effects of a reconstructed wand are a considerable benefit to regular mages. Julia, who can just continuously fire spells empty-handed, is the strange one. Or I should say, stuff like the different emissions of (flame). Just what kind of high-class techniques have you been teaching a child who hasnt even turned one year old? Eh~? But its important, you know? I believe that its my lifeline, the lifeline of mages. Its true that the number of mages that can do that properly are few enough to count though Oi! Ive always been thinking that magic itself is hard, and yet it turns out that Mums way of teaching was just at an abnormally high level! You, what kind of monster are you intending to make your son into. Eeeh~? But Edgar-kun was able to learn it properly. On top of that, hes irregular and can even fight with weapons Moria-san shrugged, as though to imply that there was nothing she could do about it. But Edgar. Just which of those do you intend to treat as your main in combat? Moria-san asked with a serious expression. I once again look at the presents I was holding in my arms. There was the small practice bow from Chester-niisan, the small shield from Miguel and Moria-san, and the set of pharmaceutical kit from Donna and Grandpa Ganash; Mum gave me a wand, and Dad gave me a jacket. The spells directly transmitted from Julia alone would be most likely, but youre also going to train with the bow you got from Chester, right? You were trained in [Assassination Techniques] in , and you also have the [Flying Sword Techniques] and such you revealed in the fight against me. Your throwing-class skills have already reached a considerable level. Youre also the disciple of Ganash, who is known as the Medicine Saint, and I suppose youre intending to learn the spear from Alfred someday too? No matter how much of a genius you are, there is a finite amount of time granted to humans. You cannot possibly engage in all of them to the end. Certainly, Moria-san brought up a sound argument. The matter of [No Fatigue] has been kept to our family as of now, so Moria-san is unaware of it. But even if I have [No Fatigue], the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day doesnt change. Furthermore, Im not really a genius, I simply have an easier time with putting in effort than others do. Thats true No matter how many different skills I am able to learn, Im sure to hit a bottleneck at some point if I dont have something to act as the focal point. It seems like Ill end up becoming the so-called Jack of all trades, master of none. However, the issue at hand is that its not just me. I said, looking around at everyone once more. I thought of this during this case. There is a limit even if I alone become stronger. No matter how strong I am, there wont be any meaning in it if someone strikes with drugs and takes hostages like they did this time. DDThats why Id like to propose something to everyone here today. Everyone looked at me with dumbfounded expressions. After I had attracted everyones undivided attention, I spoke. DDHere, I propose we hold a Chrebl Household Fortification Conference! CH 67 DDChrebl Household Fortification Conference? Chester-niisan, Alfred-tousan, and Julia-kaasan all repeated in confusion. Yup. This time I was abducted by without opposing them so it ended up with nobody getting hurt, but to put it bluntly, we were just lucky. So that this kind of thing doesnt happen in the future, I think its important for everyone to hone themselves, not just me. Thats true but we wont get stronger that quickly, right? Said Alfred-tousan. I dont think thats the case though? Calling it stronger might be a little misleading, but if you can acquire some skills to cover a few blind spots, I think it would make quite a difference. DDDad, how many skills do you think I have right now? If I remember correctly, there were twenty-six when Father Solow showed us it, wasnt there? Even that was plenty numerous, but you should have learnt some in so about thirty? T-Thirty!? Moria-san cried out in astonishment. Speechless, Hoffman-san also opened his eyes wide. No, its still too early to be surprised. It depends on how you count it, but generally speaking, I reached seventy-one at one point. Seventy.! Moria-san was also at a loss for words. The other members presentDDJulia-kaasan, Chester-niisan, Elemia, Donna, Miguel, Beck, and Grandpa Ganash all stared in wonder. The only one not surprised was Melby. And so, I can provide advice on tricks for acquiring the skills I possess. Seventy-one, huh Even though top-rate adventurers and knights are limited to just over twenty, in this one yearDDno, in this half a year, he acquired more than three times that many skills. Alfred-tousan said in amazement. If he possesses that many skills, hed surely be able to provide advice for the skills we might require. Yeah, its a welcome proposal, Ed. Then, without delayDD Having earned Dads approval, I thought to start the conference at once but, W-wait a moment! We arent members of the Chrebl household. Moria-san said, calling a halt to things. I want Moria-san, Elemia, and the others to get stronger too though Thats a charming proposition, but your family takes precedence. Furthermore, if our consultations are to be included as well, then everyone should talk to you one-on-one. I feel like Moria-san makes a fair point. Hmm. then what to do? In this case, we could prepare a different room. Everyone can leave the party one at a time and Ed can interview us. Well, I do question the part where Ed wont be here despite it being his birthday party though. I guess thats all we can do And so, the Chrebl Fortification Conference was suspended, and it quickly changed to me conducting individual interviews. We decided to use the parlour as the interview location. The first interviewee was Alfred-tousan. May I use [Appraisal] on you? After tentatively asking in advance, I used [Appraisal]. Alfred Chrebl (Viscount | Santamana Kingdom Third Army Commander | Castle Destroyer) 39 Years Old Half Elf Level 40 HP 94/94 MP 81/81 Skills ? Master class [Leadership] 7 ( 1) [Spearmanship] 5 ? General [Command] 9 (MAX) [Spear Techniques] 9 (MAX) [Horse Riding Techniques] 7 ( 1) [Sword Techniques] 5 [Wind Magic] 4 [Earth Magic] 4 [Bow Techniques] 3 [Unarmed Combat] 3 Attention of the God of War His level hasnt changed since I last used [Appraisal] on him, but his [Leadership] and [Horse Riding Techniques] skills have risen. Do you have any concerns during combat? Some concerns, huh Thats right, Im poor at archery, and the levels of my magic skills are low, so I dont have a strong method of dealing with enemies at long range. You said that you didnt have much of an aptitude for archery, but what about magic? Ah, I have a relatively high aptitude with wind and water as a focus. Its just the fire attribute that I have absolutely no aptitude for, and am unable to use it. I cant become a mage if Im no good at [Fire Magic] even if I do have the aptitude for magic, so I came to concentrate on the spear instead. Eh? You cant become a mage even though you have a high aptitude for wind and water? Oh, you didnt know? Whether it be in the army or as adventurers, the attribute in highest demand is [Fire Magic]. Thats because it has powerful offensive spells. At any rate, people can suffer burns just from being toasted by a flame and end up losing the ability to fight. Arent there any offensive spells for wind and water? You cant cause any damage no matter how much water you throw, right? As for wind, you can send opponents flying or stop their movements if your skill level is high enough, and you can extend the flight of an arrow by casting in its direction so it can be used as combat support, but those cant be considered offensive spells. Of course, being able to produce water with magic is beneficial for both soldiers and adventurers, and [Wind Magic] is indispensable when fighting monsters that can spit poisonous mist, but raising ones skill level to two or three is enough if thats its only purpose. Hmm For water, what comes to mind is magic that shoots out water at high pressure, but [Water Magic] itself isnt a magic for applying pressure, so it would probably need to be combined with other magic symbols. The threshold is high because its necessary to have an invocation with at least two-symbols. No, the people of this world dont know about the concept of pressure in the first place. As a result, [Water Magic] has been reduced to magic for drinking water. On the other hand, what came to mind when speaking of [Wind Magic] was razor wind, but I have heard that razor wind is commonly formed from vacuum blades. Attacking by sweeping up gravel with the wind? It might be effective in its simplicity, but it feels more like a spell used to obstruct the opponents movements rather than an offensive spell. In that sense, the [Fire Magic] that could cause damage with even a one-symbol invocation was easy to undertake, as well as superior, as offensive magic. The emissaries of that Dad drove away before also used [Fire Magic] to attack. Moreover, I havent seen any offensive spells that didnt have the fire attribute in this half a year since I awoke in this world now that I think about it. But if I do some trial-and-error with the knowledge of my former world as a foundation, I might be able to come up with some good techniques. In that case, should I be expectant? After all, Ed fought the leader of using [Telekinesis Magic] which is said to have hardly any purpose. To be honest, I did think of a single thing you could do with both wind and water, but it seems difficult without possessing [Wind Magic] at Master Class at the very least. Master Class, huh. Ill just say this but mages who can use Master Class magic are either imperial court magicians or top-class adventurers. Dad says in shock. But Ive already grasped the trick to that. I place my hand over the hand Dad held out. [Water Magic]DDwould get us soaked, so try using [Wind Magic]. Ah, okay (wind). Dad used the hand he hadnt held out to trace the magic symbol and invoke . Its not at the level of Mum, but his invocation is rather practiced. I manipulated the movement of mana for that , and changed that into a small whirlwind. Moreover, it wasnt the mana released externally that I was controlling; I directly tampered with the mana that flowed within Dads body. It was as though I was causing Dad to use magic, so to speak. After the whirlwind spun around above our overlapping hands, it quickly vanished. See? T-that was amazing! And just now it seemed like I was somehow able to grasp the sensation that I havent been able to grasp for years! DD (wind). This time, Dad used the magic unassisted. Just like before, a whirlwind appeared to dance on the palm of Dads hand. Surprised, I looked at Dad with [Appraisal]. Alfred Chrebl. [Wind Magic] 5 ( 1). Yup, his skill level rose in one shot. Dad, your skill level rose. Really!? It didnt increase at all recently, no matter how much I practiced, so I always thought that this was my limit From what I understood from asking the goddess, apparently simply practicing is no good, its important to occasionally change your practice method and increase your understanding. Hmm I see. This is a considerable matter Im hearing Anyway, [Spearmanship] is a given, but Id like you to train your [Water Magic] and [Wind Magic] as well, Dad. If its possible, do so until you learn the Master Class [Water Spirit Magic] and [Wind Spirit Magic]. It might be possible if Ed helps me. Thats not all, Dad is of Elf descent so Im sure youll be able to acquire [Spirit Magic] as well. How was your [Aptitude Diagnosis]? Ah, according to Father SolowDD When I digest Dads explanation, it becomes something like the following: S (Aptitude is very high = natural talent level): Spear, Command A (Aptitude is high = adequately blessed level): Water, Wind, Horse Riding, Perception, Spirit B (Aptitude is moderately high = dependent on effort level): Earth, Sword, Bow, Close Combat, Reconnaissance C (Aptitude exists more or less = impossible to exceed a certain point despite ones effort): Light, Dark Z (No aptitude = skill cannot be acquired): Fire Its true that I have the aptitude for [Spirit Magic] but Elves keep [Spirit Magic] a secret. I dont have the slightest idea about how to learn it. Thats alright. I also acquired it by learning from Melby. Is that true!? Yeah. Although it feels like quite the discipline, or rather, theres a mentally taxing aspect. Well, Dad has a high aptitude for it so it should be fine. But why do you endorse [Spirit Magic] so much? There are a few reasons, but on top of the effect of bringing about a magical phenomenon by calling on spirits, you can freely choose the invocation point, unlike when casting a spell by yourself. Ordinary spells are generally cast close at hand, but with [Spirit Magic], you can cast spells at a distant location by requesting the spirits at that location. Because of that, the invocation takes some time to cast, but that can be shortened with practice. In addition to that, although this is something that Ive yet to achieve myself, Ive heard that spirits can sometimes be helpful and make a move without being requested to for those with high aptitudes. Using spirits while fighting with the spear, doesnt that suit you, Dad? Indeed Since you have the aptitude for perception-related skills, I think learning [Discern] would be good. Its a skill that makes dodging the enemys attacks easier, so people who use unarmed combat or wield daggers should acquire it, but once you learn it, it can be applied to other weapons as well. If the skill level is raised, then even attacks from behind can be discerned so its a skill Id really like anyone acting as a vanguard to learn. That seems very handy. As for other perception skills, [Eavesdropping] I guess, and Id like you to have [Sense Presence] if possible. But Dad is predominantly on the defensive side, so it might be better for you to develop your subordinates into the possessors of those skills. After all, there probably wont be much leeway if youre training in both the spear and magic at the same time. I suppose How should I put it, wind and water are fine, but ten years of training is usually required to just acquire Master Class magic. In regards to magic, Id also like to obtain a magic-related title. I also taught Julia-kaasan about this, but its because itll become possible to increase your mana pool by exhausting your MP. Title, you say thats not something that can be obtained so easily. As far as it goes, Ive received the divine blessing of Kannumarne, who governs over titles, so it should be easier for it to stick, but its impossible for me alone. Ah, right, speaking of the gods divine blessings What? Dad has the Attention of the God of War, right. That God of War, Marthrat, was a god known for having a lot of children, so it seems you should have an easier time conceiving children. What did you say!? Apparently its hard for you to conceive with Julia-kaasan by nature, but the goddess said that you should be able to since you have the Attention of the God of War. When I told him thats why he should work hard and do his best, his knuckles dropped on my head CH 68 RAW: New project here! I will translate this together with Kirisaki Shin from . We will take turns translating this novel unless a truck hit me when I crossed the road. I had finished YTIF ch12 but I cant post it yet because theres so many things(?) going on and Im planning to consult an acquaintance to compare the translation with the RAW. Next is Julia-kaasan. What are you going to do, Dad? I will return to the dining room. As a host, I feel bad because theres only 1 person from our family there Then Dad returned to the dining room and called Julia-kaasan in. ufufu. Im looking forward for your advice. This is so fun After asking Mom who came and said such thing, I usedAppraisalon her. Appraisal Julia Chrebl (Wife of Viscount Chrebl | Adventurer (A rank) | Witch of Flame Prison | Scorching Flames Burning Mother | Wyvern Slayer) 21 Years Old Level 52 HP 91/91 MP 366/366 Skills Master Class Fire Spirit Magic8 Mana_Control Uninscribed Invocation Σţף Sense PresenceΣţף General Fire_Magicͣأ Mana Perception Mana_Manipulation Simultaneous_Invocation Wind_Magic Light_Magic Water_Magic Telekinesis_Magic Earth_Magic Dagger_TechniquesΣţף Night_VisionΣţף Far_SightΣţף Spirit_of_Fires_BlessingAble to gain the blessing of fire spirits. Effects on Fire Magic : Extended Range | Increased Skill Acquisition | Increased Growth | Increased Cast Speed ) Did she just became stronger? Etto Did you leveled up? Un. After hunting wyvern, obviously That explained her new title Wyvern Slayer. Thats why her level went up. And the adventurer title? Its because I went back as adventurer to find Edgar-kun Your maximum MP is increased as well Im doing the secret MP expansion technique that Edgar-kun taught me every night When someone have magic related nickname or blessing from a God used up all their MP, they will faint and their maximum MP increased by 1 point. What about Uninscribed Invocation? I learned it by mimicking Edgar-kun I reached my general skill Simultaneous Invocationcounter stop bonus by memorizing them but Mom somehow memorized them directly. There is Sense Presence I got it when I tried to find signs of Yatagarasu. It was a quite desperate attempt I wonder what is the counter stop bonus for Keen Hearing. Jeremiah got Sense Presence without Keen Hearing, it seems that Mom can do it as well. As she said herself, she was desperately looking for me. I thought about recommending her Sense Presence and Uninscribed Invocation but she got it herself. What is moms aptitude? Iya, I know you are the best with fire element Fire obviously, but I seem to have a high aptitude for light magic On the other hand, no aptitude in darkness. If I have to say, Dark Magicis way more useful than Light Magic. Currently, Light Magic can only be used as light source. But when you are the only one who have that kind of skill, it suddenly became important. On the other hand, like how Jeremiah did in firedrake nest, Dark Magic can be used as a cloak to hide or as a smokescreen. Water, wind, and light magic are still usable On the other hand Earth Magic is only considered to dig a hole. As a result from hearing my mother on her aptitude other than magic, I can conclude. S: Fire, Light, Mana Manipulation , Mana Perception A: Wind, Close Combat (dagger, martial arts, etc) B: Earth, Bow, Perception C: Water, Reconnaissance, Sword, Spear Z: Dark Right Now I understand why people called Julia-kaasan a genius. Mom, how do you fare in close combat? Not that good. Even if I have the aptitude, my magic teacher told me to stay focused on magic What about Dagger Techniques that you just learnt? This time I learned it from Moria to fight Yatagarasu. Since I just acquire it I didnt plan to use it, but I thought it might be necessary in some cases Julia-kaasan truly had her own hardship. It seems that I have aptitude for pole and claw weapons but there are few people who use it I imagined my mother swinging a staff and ripping her foes with claws yeah right. I dont like swords and spears, they are too delicate for me to handle. I can use perception system to some extend but not too much. I was taught Stealth Stepby Moria but in the end I cant remember it at all In short, you dont like sneaking, prefer face the enemy directly with gargantuan magic, and use simple weapons to fight when you cant use magic Julia-kaasan muscle-brain way of life suddenly came up. So, any advice? Oh right Etto, it seems that you already learnedUninscribed Invocation and Sense Presence on your own. Since you have the aptitude, learningLight Magicwould be nice Ee? but people make fun of Light Magicand called it Lamp Magic Well then, look at this. For example, Light?? Reflect `Mirage I showed her light warping spell that Gazaine used. Wa, Edgar My mother surprised looking at the air 1 step beside me. My mirror image should be visible at that position by light refraction. Human eyes capture information using surrounding light, so if you refract light, you can do something like this. It uses the same principle as this mirage. Mom told me that youre not good with reconnaissance but can you do this? I see. So you can useLight Magiclike this. I think the same mindset can be applied to make offensive magic as well _Light? Conset `Laser I took a piece of cloth from my pocket and converge light to make a hole in it. I made a mistake and waved my hand. Waa waa, how to do this? I gathered light to create heat. You can do the same thing by collecting sunlight with a lens . What is renzu? Are? It seems that this world didnt have lens. Are there any loop or glasses? I need to record this information in my heart. Since gathering light will create heat, I think its compatible with Fire Magic. In fact, when I saw the Fire Drakes Fire breath, I can see fire spirits and light spirits working together to create a complex compound magic. Since Mom have high aptitude for fire and light magic, I think she can combine them and create a photothermal wave. Or rather, would you like to develop it with me? Un! It sounds interesting! Julia-kaasan smiled in high spirit. Next I want you to learn Spirit Magic together with Dad and I want you to learn Enhancement Magic to increase Dads attack power Spirit Magic and Enhancement Magic Both are very rare skills! Spirit Magic will be hard, but I think Addition Magic should be manageable. Because I can teach Mom by manipulating mana, I think Mom can get it immediately Eventually, Melby and I would like to develop something for the barrier but we havent seen any development prospect yet. This will be fun~ I asked my mother who smiled happily to call my brother Chester. Yo, Edgar` Ill be counting on you I used Appraisalon my brother Chester without hesitation. Appraisal Chester Chrebl (Second Son of Chrebl Siblings | Adventurer (B Rank) | Second Arrow | Harpy Killer) Level 34 ȣС ͣС Skills Legendary Visual Enhancement3 Master Archery Sense Presence General Archery Far Sight Wind Magic Water Magic Stealth Step Tool Creation4 Crossbow Tecniques 3 Earth Magic Dagger Techniques Mana Perception Spear Techniques Fire Magic Light Magic Night Vision Mana_Manipulation Chester-niisans status didnt seem to change much since the last time I used Appraisalon him. And your aptitude is? Aptitude? Obviously Im good with bow, but since Im an elf it seems that my aptitude for mana perception and perception system are quite high From what I hear from him I can conclude the following S: Bow, Spirit, Perception, Mana Perception A: Wind, Reconnaissance, Water, Mana Manipulation, Throwing B: Earth, Light C: Fire, Spear, Sword, Martial Arts Z: Dark I think elves are too blessed. Iya, other than Fire Magicand Martial Arts, you cant say that hes lacking in offensive power. About magic, I repeated the same thing I told Mom and Dad that other magic element can be used offensively. Thats good news. Until now Wind Magic are used only to strengthen bows. Chester-niisan said so while showing his white teeth. Isnt crossbow included in bow category? But the skills are divided Aa, Its only in my case. Rather than throwing, I thinkaimingwould be more appropriate . Then I guess you can use guns as well I have never seen a gun before, but its probably an ancient shooting artifact, right? If its shooting, I can use it Since niisan have good eyesight and use reconnaissance skill, I think you can be a sniper Sunaipa? A sharpshooter. In my original world, a sniper uses a gun and shoot the enemy from far away Edgars world is a very dangerous world, isnt it? If I somehow found something like a rifle, I will give it to you Maa, the problem is not the gun itself but gathering the ammunition. Im not sure but I think guns are ancient relics that will deteriorate over the years. Ive heard its treated as an overcomplicated trash Was it sulfur, nitrite, and charcoal? Im not familiar with it so we have to experiment and do a lot of work. Ah thats right. If youre good at throwing, Ill give you this I took out a fragment of the barrier from leather pouch hung on my waist and hand it to Chester-niisan. What is this? I dont really know what it is but its amazingly sharp. Its only useful as throwing weapons in emergency. The corresponding skill is Shuriken Techniques so I think you should master it if you have some spare time. You also need some aptitude in throwing skills Thanks. There are things that I cant hit like approaching enemy Its quite compatible with reconnaissance skills, especially with Stealth Step and Sneak I see. I didnt use them much since I was always in a party. Afterall, bow user doesnt act much alone Is that so? Certainly. If theres no one to protect you, your enemy can shrink the distant instantly. There are so many demons that cant be taken down by bow alone I think it cant be helped. As expected, theres no other way but increase the bows firepower That would be great, but how can I do that? Using a strong bow that needs a lot of physical strength? I think you can use arrows withEnhanced Magic. I will teach you next time Im planning to teach Chester-niisan Magic and Enhancement Magic in the future. And I want you to learn Spirit Magic together with Mom and Dad. An elf may be able to master it earlier than 2 humans. Next time, I will hold a course about Spirit Magic can you adjust your schedule to attend? Spirit Magic? Its a secret of an elf, isnt it? I never thought that Ed can use it After showing Mirage using Light Magic and show him that other magic element can be used offensively, I conclude the interview with Chester-niisan. Edvice = Advice Talking about a bad pun here CH 69 This is unedited version. I will upload the edited version later The last interviewer is, Edgar? I will coming in, okay? Melby the fairys big sister. << Melby ( from Tel telia Fairy town . Fairy Chief . . . ) ?? (1120 years past since she was created) (Tn: in raw it really said ??> Fairy Level 44 HP 34/34 MP 997/997 Status Fairys oaths Skill Telepathy 5 ( 1) Spirit Magic 5 ( 1) Appraisal 5 ( 1) Fairy Eye 4 Dimension Magic 2 ( 1) Dimension Magic Tool Making 2 [Leadership] 3 [Magic Tool Creation] 9 (MAX) Spatial magic 9 (MAX) Fairy eye 7 Fairy song 4 Magical control 9 (MAX) command 9 (MAX) Tool creation 9 (MAX) Mana Manipulation 9 (MAX) Mana Perception 7 ( 1) Blessing of Pioneer Elf When I saw it last time, my sense is numb because Alfesia-san, but when I look at it again, Melbys spec is high. You can call that cheat fairy. I have no idea what advice I can give, but are there any troubles? oh, I wonder how can I attack when my move is limited? but, theres a fairys oath, so I cant use it even if I have one Fairys oath isnt effective when the opponent is an evil god apostle, but if the opponent is evil god apostle then half-way attack are meaningless, right. At first, I think that I will learn Light Magic and Dark Magic to hide my figure from the people who can see the fairy. Although Spirit Magic can do the same but, Light Magic and dark magic is a good way for restricting. Indeed Also, I want to learn the skill to make a machine. But Its severe to make a big machine with my figure like this so, I will have to rely on Edgar I think Of course I will help but, I think Melby can constructing machine with Physic Magic. But the MP used is high So theres a way like that Oh thats right, what is Melbys aptitude? Aptitude? well From Melbys explanation, heres Melbys aptitude. S: Spirit, mind, perception, magic engineering, magic sense A: fire, wind, water, earth, light, dimension, production. B: Holy, dark, reconnaissance C: Z: general weapon, general body art Even you take close combat ability, all that ability is still extremely broken. Thats right, I have a request for Melby Request? What is it? dont you remember about that hypnotism art? Hypnotism art, hah theres a knowledge about it from master, frankly, the skill called hypnotism art is exist A priest from also have that skill, do you know what kind of skill is that? Un its using mana to guide another person thought, its that kind of skill. Such dangerous skill, to whom do you want to use it for? Oh, I want to use it for me Eh, for Edgar? Un. As time pass since I was reincarnated, the memory of my precious life is gradually faded, so I think to use Hypnotism art to recall memory that I cant remember so its like that. Okay then, I dont know if I cant do it or not but, lets try it. With your knowledge from your previous life, we can used it to released master I think Thank you. Also, can you do something like reading the mind of other people by using Telepathy? I wonder about thatTelepathyskill able to made mind voice didnt leaking out and it kinda resemble lock isnt it? Fumu, so thats impossible. Although I have expected it but, it seems a skill from goddess cant be abuse as much as we likes. Thats right, can the other fairy see status like Melby? Nope. I have a fairy friend that have master grade skill, but the skill is not like that. Ah, Telepathy and Spirit Magic are low level but they have it? I see, its just as goddess said that Melby is special. Melby also have appraisal right, so what did you notice until now? What did I notice? Well, of course its the fact that you are the only one that really broken but Whats with that of course? Well, its obviously maybe. messengers is also strong. the level of the mercenary of is high but, the skill of the messengers is really good Un, thats right. On the other hand, the soldier that Alfred-san command is a little bit weak isnt it? The level is lower than mercenary, and the skill isnt as good as the messenger Ah thats also what I think. So if you want to talk about that, I will calling dad then Thats why, I will call father now. In situation like this Telepathy is really convenient I think. Even at the time for training Spirit Magic, Ill try to experiment on Telepathyto learn it. Eh, its a talk about my knight subordinate? After Alfred tou-san return to reception room, we tell him about it. (Tn: tou-san is father) Un. I was talking with Melby about it but frankly, they are quite weak You said it very clearly but, surely it maybe so the mercenary from level was high because they are at war in Sonorate. Messenger from is an assassin so they learn various skill and hunting monster to raise their level so its like that right now, almost all young soldier in Santamana doesnt have experience about war. On the other hand, we cant hunting monster because it will snatch away the adventurers job. They can do well in group match training but, the problem is the status Tou-san said that while thinking and make a difficult face. And then, Ed, what do you think I should do? first, as expected you need to raise the level I think. Specifically the HP should around 40 or so Thats really specific, and the reason is? The reason was because thats the line for Assassination Technique that messenger of learn to not instantly death. The superior skill likeAssassination Art still can do it but, Assassination Art but, the messenger who hold Assassination Art is still few, so the minimum HP is 40 I think Fumu so you said thats the minimum to render Assassination Technique. The other? If they hold Keen Hearing then the efficiency of the sentry will raise I think. And then, to use magic I think. The knight that also magician is only a few right? In the case for using magic, the people cant use magic is only minority. However, people who can use it on real combat is 3 out of 100 people I think. Even so theres still a difficult problem to raised it Problem In the first place, the people who can use magic at combat level will more profitable to become adventurer. Thats because the excellent magician will get more portion at adventurer party Ah, the knight will retired and become adventurer if its like that. But in the case of noble, they wont become adventurer right? If noble have an aptitude for magic then they will aim to become royal court magician. Then, they have privilege to not go to front line. The result is the knight order is troubled because the magic attack power isnt enough Tou-san shrug his shoulder. How much they can use magic at combat level? For Fire Magic they can ignite it somehow, for water Magic its enough to fill the basin with water, for wind Magic the wind cant even break a thin branch, for Earth Magic they can dig a hole with the deep around a knee I think So the level is only 1. But, if thats the case if they trained they can become strong until some extent right? If they can learn the skill then they can master it if they have enough train. And then it would be good to chose some people who not likely to run away and train them more. However, theres still a skill level barrier Skill level barrier? This is the first time I heard that word. well, perhaps Ed didnt experience that but, usually people only able to raise the skill until some extent, and then it completely stopped growing. Only with great effort they can break that or they only can just give up. But, from Aptitude Diagnosis people can know their aptitude right? Like I said, Aptitude Diagnosis is only possibility prediction, its different in reality. Theres also a lot of people who doubt it because of the priest lip service is also include in there. I trust priest Solo, because there isnt any lip service I think. (Tn: for reader who forget priest solo, its the priest who check Edgar aptitude. I kinda forget his name in Kookie tl) I also trust priest Solo so I didnt doubt him but, how with other priest? If its an unskilled priest then, he will hesitate to include diagnosis content because he cant clearly say you dont have an aptitude. Even more so if the opponent is nobles child. If theres more or less suitable aptitude, it will be difficult to compare it with other people, because its dangerous if its leaking out after all. even if its the level is only one, maybe they can do it if its in group isnt it? theres a way to use it in group? Un. For example, dugout C digging things like instant pitches, making pitfalls, making walls to avoid arrows, make a lot of water and make mud to stop enemys feet, use Mirage from Light magic in group to increased the number, use wind to collect and scatter falling rain of arrow Wa, wait a minute! You said something really important right now! So can I make a memo about it? Eh, Un I noded to Tou-san who take out paper and pen in panic, and then once again I repeat what I said. its severe if the level of the magic skill is only one but, if the level is 3 or so it will be good to say if its 4 or 5, I think you can do it what is say How about the number of people I think 10 people is enough to make pitwall, and wall or wind to avoid arrow. And the scale will change depending on the number of people I see even with low level magic, if you use it in group then you may be able to expect more than that, since magician usually act solo that this kind of idea never existed before Perhaps its a little gaudy but, if the magic is useless if its use alone then, the possibility the knight will retire to become adventurer and royal court magician will be decreased Haa Im tired, is it the knowledge from previous life? No, in previous life theres no magic at all. However, in the military there was a branch of army called combat engineer, they are expert at making bridge or road I see. In Santamana military, the knight doesnt want to do that kind of things, so I will temporarily recruit soldier to do it, but since they are usually farmers, they are not necessarily good at construction I mean its rather appropriate because they dont have a knowledge about it The countrys army in my previous life will be dispatched to the disaster area to restoring infrastructure such as road, bridge, harbors, etc Is that army is nobles army or countrys army? Its countrys army is it privileged rank? well, they didnt need to do that kind of work arent they? its not privileged rank. Furthermore they feel honored to protect their country, so they didnt feel unpleasant about it Alfred tou-san is quite a soft headed person for the people of this world, but for negotiation in my previous life people will bite each other so many times. For Tou-san country is like the kindom, and army is like knight troupe. Oh yeah its about the knowledge from previous life I already talk to Alfred Tou-san and Julia Kaa-san about that world and simultaneously I also talk about the man who killed a lot in that world will also reincarnated here. theres another reincarnated person who has similar knowledge as me. The possibility that he will use that knowledge to produce weapons thats not in this world cant be ruled out. Or rather, I think that its almost certain that he will do such a thing. Id like to think about that a way to prevent that The name of that reincarnated person is Kizaki Toruin my previous life I was mistaken as attacker because of him and also he should already start his activity in this world. I dont know if Kizaki know that I also reincarnated into this world or not, but I think the enemy still doesnt move, but that kind of thinking is too optimistic. I dont understand, is your knowledge from previous world is really that dangerous? if I give it an extreme example, theres a nuclear bomb. That is, at the time of war, they dropped it at the country where I lived, and 2 cities become completely burned, and the people who survived is suffering due to after effect of the bomb for 10 years. In my previous world, it was really dangerous, so it has been used for negotiation with other country, if it become war and nuclear bomb was used the world will transform into scorched earth Can you make that Ed? no, I kinda understand what it is but, I dont know how to make it because its military secret. However, the person who reincarnated by evil god always have a good head. If its doctor then, he shouldnt have the expert knowledge about engineering, however if its simple operation for gun, automobile, or airplane then he should know about it Its hard to imagine that an elite surgeon who has a hobby as devil researcher and have pleasure as murderer making tank and airplanes frantically but thats my arbitrary imagination after all. I would like to increase my friends who can move with me more than ever, its simply because I likely to lose with high difference if its about knowledge comparison. You said it before, but is that gun is really amazing weapon? well then, Ill let you see for a bit. Melby, Im sorry but Yes yes. Here Melby said so while take out the gun C Walther P 38 from the dimensional storage and hand it over to me. I tried to grasp the gun handle. Un, its okay. When I think about it, suddenly I remember something. Its kinda late but, in my precious life I death because the policeman shoot me. I could remember the shock from that time, its draw all the blood from my face. Wait, Ed, are you alright? Your face is pale you know? Ah, un its okay. Its dangerous so I will show it in the courtyard CH 70 Since its quite important, I gathered everyone in the courtyard. This is amazing! These can be sold for money! The only thing we need to do is some glaze and bake them! Alfred-tousan seem to take some interest in the pots. Is the process really that simple? As everyone gathered, I made a wall about 2 meters high and 3 meters wide at the end of the courtyard. Then I made a stand and arrange the pots on them. Its going to make a loud sound, will it bother the neighbors? I dont know about the neighbors, but the guards may come if they heard loud noises In that case, can you silence it with Wind Magic? Julia-kaasan covered the courtyard with her Wind Magic. Hee, so this will prevent the sound from leaking Ill remember it. Jaa, Ill start I hold the handgun and shoot a pot about 10 meters away. The pot shattered with a loud sound. Just like before, I shoot the other 2 pots and they shattered as well. `And thats how you use a gun When I looked back, everyone was looking at the broken pots in disbelief, all of them are dumbfounded. Wait a second, that little gun, how did you make the lead ball fly? I cant see the ball at all (TL: Before you lynch me, that world dont know anything about gun, of course they dont know the word bullet) Moria said that in shock. Even Moria who had Discern couldnt see the bullets. As for me, it was barely visible. Morias Discern is level 3, whilst mine is level 5. I think to be able to see the bullet, you need at least level 4. Maybe level 5 if youre really careful. (TL: ҊФ꡿ maybe discern. Maybe not) Moreover, theres no need to pull it like a bow. Ed shoot it just by pulling the nail-like parts with his fingers. The mechanism is similar to crossbow, but crossbow needs a considerable effort and power to reload it Chester-niisan said so. Niisan, want a shot? Can I? Niisan took the handgun. He followed my shooting stance and held the gun towards the target pot. Almost as the same time as the sound *Don*, the pot shatters with a loud noise. Chester-niisan slid his aim to the side and continued to shoot the other jar. As expected from someone with shooting aptitude, his accuracy is amazing. This is this weapon is dreadful Niisan looked at the rising smoke and muttered with a scary face. Does the snipers Ed was talking about use this weapon? No, snipers use a more precise gun. This handgun cant shoot far enough I agree, this weapons range is not long enough It will be more applicable if the range is about 5 times more Although its not detailed, 50 meters is the effective range. Chester-niisan had figured out the range of the gun on the first look. Sniper seems to be able to shoot accurately from 200 meters away. Niisan has good eyes so you should be able to do that It would be wonderful if I had one these on Ranzrack Fortress. You should be able to snipe Goleth, the leader of Black Wolf Fang, from the top of the Fortress without problem. However, since there were HP in this world, it may be difficult to shoot Goleth down in 1 blow. Even so, Goleth wont be able to load his spears and it will make the battle into a one-sided-massacre. While I was thinking, Alfred-tousan took the gun from Chester-niisan and tried it. Dad who was not good with bows had shot 1 of the 2 pots provided, but he seemed to understand the convenience of the gun. Dad said. This is a terrifying weapon. It will be effective against demons, but it will be brutal against human enemies. If the enemy had something like this I can understand why Ed is so cautious. So what are you going to do, Ed? Should we just mass produce this weapon to counter them? In the worst case, that will be our only plan. But to prevent that scenario, we can monitor the material distribution for the guns and the ammunitions. I would like to build a position to investigate any abnormalities in the distribution immediately That Kizaki person, is it possible that he was reincarnated in Santamana? Un Thats why, I need an information network that covers at least the major cities in the whole continent. Either way, if we try to mass produce guns, we need a lot of economic and industrial strength, so I think we need to watch over the big cities Even so, assuming mass production is impossible, is it possible that the reincarnator arms his closest aides? Regarding that, he needs to have some previous lifes knowledge about gun-fight Can we use Chesters troop as an experiment? I see, so niisan will be the first one? Sorry niisan. You are involved in weird things Iya, I dont mind. In fact, Id rather be informed in this matter since its important Anyway niisan, I want to make a special unit armed with guns, can you gather some trustworthy prople and fit for shooting? This is to oppose the enemies forces and to identify the problems and weakness in managing guns. There are magic, skills, and statuses in this world. Depending on the creativity, there are also a possibility where we can compete with the past generations of weapons Suddenly, Mom asked. Wait a minute, Edgar-kun. That means in the previous life you never had magic, skills, and statuses? Un. I dont have those. It seems that this worlds Good Gods developed this system to counter Evil Gods Eeee i see Julia-kaasan was surprised and impressed. For the people in this world magic, skills and statuses are normal and natural, they cant imagine a world without those things. Thats why, I think magic is important. We cant knock a high-speed bullet with wind like arrows but we can make thick walls, evaporate the bullets in high-temperature flame, or slow it down with water barrier. There are a lot of things to counter guns Un The solutions you provided its going to exhaust a lot of MP Julia-kaasan thought with a troubled face. How about we dig trenches as protection for simple countermeasure? Oh, I was thinking about teaching that to the knights Originally, trenches are born in a battlefield that uses guns, so its doable I see. So as countermeasure against guns, we can use magic warfare strategy Dad, regarding the manufacture of guns, can you introduce me a trustworthy and skilled craftsman? A craftsman eh I have a few acquaintances in the royal city. However, he only stay only when he need to report to His Majesty, the King. So it may be difficult to get his help in a long term Still, I want to know the metal processing technology in this world. It may be different from my world Because theres magic, I think that technology of this world is not that low. If you are doing metallurgy with magic and skill, it should be more convenient. Just like alchemy, processing metal directly should be convenient. I understand, Ill introduce you then. `But its been a long time since I contact him Alfred-tousan averted his gaze to Beck who was sitting on the bench in the courtyard. Ed, is there anything else you want to ask? Oh, only one thing. etto I want to make Steph stronger fue? me? Hearing her name called suddenly, Steph jumped from her seat. Guessing from her reaction, it seemed that she cant follow the story so far. Yup. I am interested in how far a person without a skill in battle would fare in war When I said that, tousan had a troubled face. Wait a minute, Ed. Steph is Popurus-sans daughter. Isnt making her fight will be a problem? But, is it bad to learn to protect yourself? That thats true Actually, when this mansion was attacked by Yatagarasu, Gazaine took Steph as a hostage. Now that she were close with me, it may be dangerous for her in the future I see But if its too dangerous for Steph, shouldnt we find a former adventurer to serve as a maid? Well I didnt anticipate that argument. Having a former adventurer as a maid will be convenient. While recalling what happened before, I prepared a counterargument. Imagine something similar happened again. A top assassin like Gazaine as your opponent. Therefore, we need to raise her. Taking advantage from my experiences, I want to research how to raise inexperienced people to protect themselves. Of course, I will protect Steph After hearing my words, Alfred-tousan considered the situation. Then he went to Steph. Steph-san. What do you think? There may be danger if you keep being around Ed. Even if you are not working with Ed, Ill make sure that nothing bad will happen to you. Please think about it. Will you strengthen yourself by training with Ed, or will you resign to avoid danger? I Steph kept her eyes close and started to think. Dad looking at her, You dont have to decide it right away. Take your ti` No, its fine Blocking dads words, Steph moves forward. Steph kneeled in front of me and looked straight into my eyes. Ed-bochama, please help me grow stronger Steph is so serious that I was almost drop my shoulders. I thought this was a refusal. Im nothing but a dirt, although I always cause trouble, bochama never got angry. When I was falling down the stairs at the mansion in Corbette Village, even though I was the only one who was hurt, he helped me with your magic. On top of that, he protected my who was being scolded by Julia-okusama So that happened. When I thought about it, everytime Steph made a mistake, I always protected her. I dont know who was the master in this relationship. Recently, you took some time to explain something to me. Regarding my husband, thanks to Ed-bochama, he was able to do not only addition and substraction, but also multipication and division. We can count without mistakes, even when counting many numbers. Hee Then, you can help Populus-san. Populus-san has decided to help doing my business. When his daughter comes to help, Populus-san would be happy Populus is the village chief of Trenadette and Stephs father. I heard that he was chosen as the chief thanks to his ability as a peddler. However, when you get used to the village life, you seem to miss the business world. This time, he got some investment from Dad. In fact, Im also bite one or two pieces of the shop, but its a story for later time. No, my husband. I will not come to help fother. Ed-bochama yes? I wish to study under Ed-bochama, I wish to know the pleasure of learning for the first time. Its just been a while, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Studying, working, failing, there are so many things that I didnt know and Im glad to be able to do so. I have never had anything that I can do. Therefore, if you tell me to learn how to fight, then I will do so. I want to be strong so I can stand next to this boy. Thats why etto Steph was troubled with word and flustered. After taking a deep breath, she continued. S-so Please let me work for you Steph put all her feeling in those words. Thank you. Lets work together, Steph I gave her my appreciation CH 71 Translator: Kirisaki Shin Editor: Frozen Ink It was already late, so we decided to stay at mansion. And from the next morning until noon, I will interview Moria-san, Huffman-san, Miguel, Donna, and beck. Although Only Ganash-jii declined because of old age, but the remaining has become a member. I was told that Elemia want to talk to me later, so I made it so she would be last. Even so, the direction that they need to aim for is clear to those 5 people. Moria-san who uses two swords and combines speed and firepower so she aims to be vanguard, Huffman-san and Beck are shield users, Miguel is melee fighter using Ki Gong, Donna is using Ganash-jii Pharmacist group skill so she is support. Moria-san has learned not only Twin Blade Technique but also Danger Perception and Stealth Step, and the skill composition doesnt have too many gaps. As expected of A rank adventurer who has 2 titles, it seems I cant say anything great as the loser of the mock battle. Although not much was added, I recommended learning Steel Thread Techniqueto snare enemies in the dark and because she has aptitude for it, I told her to train Dark magic as a reconnaissance group skill. Also to get at least a low level skill of Shuriken Technique, Ill give some her barrier fragments which are abundant in Melbys dimension storage as a present. Moria-san checks the fragments curiously, and then say thanks. If theres a good time, is it okay to ask you to teach me Twin Blade Technique? When she heard that, she immediately gives her consent. Its too bad because it seems she cant teach Twin Blade Technique to her son because of his fighting style is hand to hand combat I think. For Huffman-san who has the fighting style that uses a shield and a one-handed axe, I recommended learning earth magic which was useful in fighting fire dragons. And asked some question on how to use the shield. Huffman-san gave information about skills that work against monsters like Intimidation or Provocation. In addition to the former boys group Miguel, Donna and Beck, In addition to the Lightning Magic that I taught earlier, Gave advice to improve their magic, fire for Miguel, water for Donna, and earth for Beck. (Tn: wait, so Donna is a boy? I seriously check it 4 times and it says moto shonen han really!?)(Ed: its a trap!!) Although each specialty is clear, the kids werent familiar with magic so theyre still not flexible, but in the future the range of tactics will widen after all. About this point, Moria-san and Huffman-san gave affirmation as their guardian. Other than that, Miguel recently get Acrobatic, Ganash-jii teach Donna about perception skill group, and I promised to teach Hook Technique to Beck. Well, how about your fundamental Ed? After I finished interviewing everyone, Alfred tou-san come and ask that. (Tn: isnt it time for Elemia interview?) It will take a long time If I explain it, is it alright? Of course Julia kaa-san is also asking, and so I will explained my plans about my skill composition from now on until I reach adulthood.(Ed: he forgot elemia ) (Watermark: read this translation only at shinku. xiaoxiaonovels.com) Do you remember about Skill Magic that I got from Goddess Csama when Im in the growth sleep the other day? In exchange of sealing the unnecessary skill, According to the goddess I get Magical skill that can organize and integrate skill. After I settle in the Fono city, I will immediately go to samsara temple in the city. (Tn: in raw it say rinne or in English samsara. Its about endless cycle of death and rebirth) I heard Skill Magic is the same as PrayerI cant use it unless theres a way to communicate with a god in samsara temple. The samsara temple in Fono city is located in the center of the city, so it takes only about ten minutes to walk from the feudal lord Chrebl mansion. If talking about temples, then the image should be a temple should ones from Greece, but no matter what I see, this has the appearance similar to a medieval church in Europe. The building is made of stone with a gothic appearance, the wall is thick and the window are small, even the inside is dim and feels pleasant. The atmosphere inside is so bold, because theres a line of the adventurer here, theyre free to come in to receive divination, then we decide to leave the door and come in. Ara, are you lost? The person who came and talked was a young female who had a priest-like appearance. Its a priest style, or rather, that attire atmosphere usually is for solo priest style, but its no doubt that she is a priest. No, I came here to pray As expected I cant foolishly say that I want to use Skill Magic. However, I didnt lie because I want to try learning Pray skill as well. you already have interest in this even though you are still so young. Do you know how to pray? When I shake my head, You see theres an altar over there right? You kneel in front of that, then call out Atrazenec-sama the goddess that govern samsara. If you do it right, Goddess-sama will give you a response Response? Beside, how I call out? Even in the previous life, I didnt know how to pray to god. It will be okay if you say your wish and praise goddess-sama After that, I was kneeling in the altar, then the imagine goddess-sama appearance in my mind , Oh, beautiful, wise, and merciful, goddess Atrazenec who govern samsara, please listen to my prayer. Etto, please tell me how to use Skill Magic I try to keep pray in silent, and it succeeds in one go. blessing for you my devout believer When I hear the familiar voice of goddess-sama, my body was wrapped in light. I Appraisal myself. Edgar Chrebl, status: Goddess of Virtue Blessing (Growth skill acceleration, effect: half a day). Skill Pray 1 (NEW!) Pray has been added inAppraisalstatus. Pray: able to offer pray to the god. However, its not effective outside the effective range of the altar. Depending on the subject prayed and the content of prayer, there will be talisman that can give support buff like HP MP recovery speed increase, maximum HP temporary increase, monster avoidance, growth promotion etc. sometime rarely the god will give a word. In the case that the connection with god is strong, there are times when it is possible to exchange words with god in a very short time Ooh this is convenient. Its a talisman this time, but I can use this to contact goddess-sama in the case of emergency. Even though its the first time I used Prayits really like that goddess. Its only a word of blessing, and I dont have the freedom to speak. how is it? Were you able to pray? The girl from before came and asked. Eh, when I thought I heard goddess-sama voice, there was a light wrapping my body Eeeh!? Did you get a word from Atrazenec-sama!? Oops. Looks like it was rare. E, eeh it just said blessing for you my devout believer Even so , that was amazing! Usually it the priest need to keep training for so many years to finally received those words you know!? The priest told me with glittering eyes. Im sorry but if this person is here, I cant experiment on Skill Magic. Etto, if its like that then I think Id like to give a grateful prayer to the goddess but A, ah, sorry! I become too excited just now Im disturbing your prayer arent I? No, its okay. Im really grateful for getting various information.But I think I want to pray a little longer, If thats the case, then do you want to use a room with private altar? Private room! So that thing exists. Certainly, please. Are there any requirement? Theres none, but if you have money, theres a donation box in the private room, it will be helpful no matter how much If I have money, thats what I heard, thats probably because I look like a child. I dont know whether its alright for a priest to talk so politely with a child. I enter a private room guided by the priest. The size of the private room is more or less a karaoke room. Even if I say so, theres no table, and there is only a chair in the center of the room. Theres small altar inside, and theres donation box in front of it Please enjoy yourself(ed: what are you telling a boy inside an empty room to enjoy?) I wait for the priest to leave and then I sit in the chair and look the altar. Look its troubling. I dont know how to use Skill Magic. For now I opened the status with appraisal, and vaguely look at the skill I have. And the lined up skill are classified in 3 colors. The colors are, gray, white, and beige, the gray one is dark but the white and beige looks like its slightly shining. And then I focus my consciousness on the name status, and that part become so shiny. As a test, I try to focus on the white covert Art. but nothing happened by that alone. However, when I change my focus to other skills, most of the skills greyed out while the covert Art keep shining. The few survivor I look toward Stealth Step which had a shining beige color. Suddenly theres a pon-like sound. Because I was surprised, a window was in front of my eyes. Covert ArtStealth Step Concealment 1 Do you want to synthesis the skill? Yes/no? I see, so this is how this work.(ed: white + beige = skill gray = not viable) I thought for a while in the front of the window. Is there a demerit for synthesis? I think theres none. Then theConcealment shown as the synthesis result, at the time when I fought with Gazaine, Gazlo the one who became Yatagarasus executive used this skill. Elemia who was suddenly hit by this skill, became a hostage. This skill is good enough to hit Elemia who is good at detecting presence. I can say that this skill is superior than Covert Art I focus my consciousness to the letter Yes. I heard a sound like jakishi. Etto, is it done? I use Appraisal on myself. Edgar ChreblskillConcealmentΣţף Un, I can get it properly. With this I can use synthesis I think. I open my status once again, I confirm that the letter will be shining when I focus on the white letter. I take out a note, and make a memo about the synthesis formula and the window display. Theres also impossible combination Inside the synthesis formula. For example, Fire Spirit MagicFire MagicFire Spirit MagicRename acceptable This formula and, Fire MagicWater MagicWind MagicEarth Magic4 Standard Attribute MagicRename acceptable For this formula, both required Fire Magic, so I cant possibly synthesis this. The story will change if I can re-master Fire Magicafter using it for synthesis, but if you think the skill after synthesis contains elements of Fire Magic, re-learning it probably impossible. And then, I can only master either Fire Spirit MagicRename acceptableor 4 Standard Attribute MagicRename acceptable. When I think about it, is it too early to make the decision to synthesize Concealment? When I think about that, I try to focus on Concealment. Do you want to disassemble Concealment skill? (at the time of disassembly, a slight lost that cant be predicted will occurred on the skill) Yes/No The display was shown along with pon tone. Fumu, its possible to get back the original skill, but at a cost. Well then, after knowing that will I disassemble Concealment or not lets disassemble it. Theres also the possibility that Covert Art and Stealth Step can be combined with other skills, so I would like to return it to the original skill for confirmation, its a bit wasteful, but Id like to know how much loss I get from disassembly is. Because of that, I focus on the yes to disassembly. Jakishi I hear a sound like dropping the tension. Appraisal Edgar Chrebl. SkillCovert ArtΣţףStealth StepΣţף Covert Art didnt go down, but the skill level of Stealth Step is fell by 1. It feels disappointing, it turn out that there was no other skill that can be synthesized, but it cant be confirmed after synthesized it. Focus, put the formula on the memo, cancel, and repeat it again and again. has you finished your pray? The day is already dark you know? I began to notice because of the tact words from the priest. Although I come at noon, when I went out to the corridor it was already evening. You prayed with a lot enthusiasm. To pray like that at such an age in case youre troubled by something, or want to consult about something, dont hesitate to tell me okay? You cant be worried for only 1 person you know, while my relationship with this stuttering female priest became strange , I place a silver coin into the donation box. (Watermark: read this translation only at shinku. xiaoxiaonovels.com) so, in the end, whats with that skill synthesis? Alfred tou-san asked after listening to my long story. I say Its like this and show my father the page of the note used for trial and error of skill synthesis. When tou-san see the note, I use Appraisal on myself. Edgar Chrebl the 4th child of the viscount Chrebl. Noble of the Santamana kingdom Baby Scarlet ?Bottomless Orochi?Negotiator ?Dragon Buster?Friend of The Elf?Master of Spirit Magic?Messenger of Amithaba-sama ?Guru?Jack in the Box Rascal?Tragic Hero Level ȣС ͣС Skil ?Mythical Class No Fatigue Instant Interpretation Skill MagicΣţף ?Legendary Class ?General Dagger Technique Unarmed Combat 6 Basic Attribute MagicΣţףAcquired through skill synthesis Command PrayΣţף Goddess of Virtues BlessingAtrazenec God of Virtues Blessing (Kannumarne)(Tn: I think its Virtue god/goddess blessing but meh) Its long as usual, but hasnt it become a little neat? Because of the synthesis, the number of the skill has been greatly reduced from 71 to 37. According to the goddess-sama, it seems too many skill have a bad influence in raising skilsl, so I decide to use synthesis the skills that can be synthesized as much as possible and seal the skill that I do not use. The + in the skill is based on how many l I synthesized to strengthen the skill For Psychokinesis + 2, the power is increased about 30% by vertically synthesis Telekinesisand Physics Magic which are inferior skills of Psychokinesis. It became difficult to control, but thanks to Sorcery, magic control became dramatically easier, so the balance is easier to control. Acquired through skill synthesis is a skill that acquired from synthesized skill, so its different skill from before due to synthesize. Therefore, unlike the enhanced synthesis, the nature of skills has changed before and after synthesis. For example, Acrobatic isnt simply the skill that combined Leap and Triangle Kick but has the effect to raising the whole physical ability. I think its interesting to make Miguel and Elemia learn this skill, I made a promised to teach Miguel at the time of interview. In return I plan to learn Ki Gong from Miguel. It looks like a difficult skill, so I dont know if I can learn it or not Furthermore, I need to counter stop Water Magicand Dark Magic to get Water Spirit Magicand Dark spirit Magic from counter stop bonus to synthesis 6 Basic Attribute Magic. I chose horizontal synthesis rather than vertical synthesis (for example Fire Magic + Fire Spirit Magic), and the result is I acquired 6 Basic Attribute Magic skill with the level of 5. Apparently, it seems that technique to multiply different magic of different attributes hasnt been learned yet. In short, 6 Basic Attribute Magic isnt simply to attached Fire Magic skill. Maybe this is an interesting way to raised the synthesis skill For now. The sealed skills are as bellow. Dragon Claw Techniques 2, Dragon Scale Defense 5, Cryptanalysis 2, Carving 7, Echolocation 3, Grappling Hook Techniques 4, Woodcraft 9. Even if I seal it, I can get it again by rehabilitation so, I leave Cryptanalysis, Echolocation, Grappling Hook Techniques in this state somehow, and I will keep it sealed until the time I need to use it. Oh yeah, maybe there are some people who want to know, so I will put my suitability table. S: None A+: Thunder, Gun, Throwing A: Almost all B+: Close Combat C: None Z: None This has been revised by goddess-sama Now you know which are strange in my family (+Melby). CH 72 Silly me, I forgot to translate chapter 72 Please tell me if you find any typos or any sentence that need to be paraphrased Enjoy Since Elemia wanted to talk, I made some time for her at dusk. For the silver-haired bishoujo, I decided to held the talk on the rooftop. We could climb easily thanks to our physical ability. Elemia stood alone on the rooftop, her hair glittering from the twilight sun. Pipe Did you bring it? Yes Elemia told me that she wanted a pipe for her birthday gift. Before we started our talk, Elemia taught me how to play the pipe. Even though the way of playing it is similar to harmonica, it sound like combination of a flute and a recorder. Elemia taught me a simple song to help me learn. She praised me for being good. Before sunset, Elemia-senseis lecture on pipe blowing was over. We ended up with silence on the roof. etto, shall we start talking? Hearing her words, I responded. Before that, I have something to tell you I waited for Elemia to give a nod. `I had asked Alfred-tousan to adopt you. You are an important companion, thats why I want you to be part of my family eh Elemia shook herself in disbelief and covered her mouth with her hands. She tried to speak but she only muttered nervously. Then she finally took a deep breath and said. uuuOroch- Edgar, you are way too aggresive Is it no good? Looking at her condition, I thought that Elemia could be a member of family and my head suddenly went cold. Ano nee As expected, I should speak my part first Actually, I cant accept Edgars invitation for now I really wanted to hit my head to a nearest wall. (TL: finding some English equivalent for it) I, maybe Elemia hated me? Elemia noticed my complexion and said quickly. U-uun!! Its not like I hate you! Its just something to do with my own feeling Your feeling? I was brainwashed by Yatagarasu and killed people That is- Its better to say I got tricked, right? Edgar, you had been saying this to everyone. If you didnt, everyone will feel horrible about what they did Im not doing it to make you feel better. Its the truth. The one who tricked you is bad Un, that is true, but I think that I couldnt be forgiven even though I was deceived. Isnt that weird? I think its convenient for Yatagarasu to play with our remorse, to think about how easily they control our remorse. Therefore, I will always stay as victim of Yatagarasu. No, in fact that I want to deny it so much but right now, I dont think I can be in a relationship with you without giving you anything back. I am very happy that Edgar wants me to be a part of your family, but for now, I cant forgive myself yet Elemia stared at an empty space with a gentle smile. I couldnt stand it anymore, so I stripped down and kissed her lips. Thats why I will return to the Darkwood Forest. Im going back into the depths Darkwood Forest, back to darkness where no monsters dares to approach, training to be a shrine maiden. I have to do that I cant stand next to you and being helped all the time I see Her eyes showed determination and resolve. But, arent both of your parents gone? Do you have anyone to live with in the forest? I dont think so I was a shrine maiden when I was kidnapped, I will go back to whatever remains. I guess I should travel around continent to look for the next shrine maiden candidate as well. I cant explain in detail, but a shrine maiden is important for dark elves Are you going to work after all that? There can be only 1 person in the depths anyway. Facing the darkness, recite, eating darkness if hungry, and sharpen my spirit. I was afraid of it. So I ran away from the tribe and kidnapped by Gazaine. I guess to everyone, I escaped because I couldnt stand the training. Running away from my duty and escaping my own sin, I wont be able to forgive myself. Thats why, I will face the darkness this time. I need to face it and prove myself. Im not my previous weak self anymore I slid my penis inside her. She squirmed a bit but YOU SICK FUCK STOP STEALING MY TRANSLATIONS The training sounds harsher than I imagined. Its not easy to tell her that she was mentally unstable, but I could understand her determination. Elemia wanted to start over and fixed her mistakes. She wanted to get out of the wrong and walk towards what she think is right. I couldnt help but thinking that she was in the Wrong place, letting Elemia live in seclusion. For Elemias sake, should I smile and send her off? What should I do? But still, I was not convinced. Why? Thinking about it, I noticed. Elemias face. Her expression. She said that she was fine. But in reality, she was on verge of crying. It was a face trying hard to keep the pain inside. Thats right. This girl was still a child. Girls that age wanted to be pampered and loved by their parents. Can a child on that age be able to live alone in a forest? I dont think so. No, even if they could, I couldnt let her do it. If she insist on doing going alone, I will pursue her myself. This child is too pure. And that purity stabbed my heart like a sharpened blade. Thats why Elemia, who grew up without being treated by adults, didnt know how to control her feeling. She couldnt be openly defiant, nor was she able to trick herself and those around her by coming up with an excuse to protect herself. Throw away the shrine maiden, throw away the belief. She was a girl who grew up for the sake of killing. `Dont let her go. I think what you are saying is right but only on one aspect. Since adults forcibly force children at their own convenience, I think that Elemia would have escaped to defend yourself. Especially since its a painful practice that a small child would want to run away. But, no one can stand being alone. Dont listen to what those dirty adult who chased you down said. I dont know about the dark elves in the Darkwood Forest, but executives of Yatagarasu tried incorporating the childrens guilt for their own merit. If you are in pain, then escape. You dont have to do anything amazing, because we humans deserve to be happy But right now I cant forgive myself I dont have the right to stand next to you You dont need a right to stand next to anyone. Return to train, facing your sin, theyre indeed amazing. But Elemia is Elemia. You dont have to train or face your sin. Serious, quick thinker, chasing down targets with extreme persistence, thats the Elemia that I like. It has nothing to do with your training or sin Tha-that is On the other hand, how about Elemia train here and come back home later? If you can be stronger here, isnt it the same thing? If you want to stand next to me, you can do it now. Maybe you will feel a bit inferior, but everyone always feel weak when compared to someone else, right? If we spend time together, you will find out that you can do everything. Its impossible if you go so far away That That might be true but- Wasnt the goal is going alone and doing harsh training then coming back to us? If you want to stay together, then we can stay together. Iya, lets stay together. There are many things that we can only do together. There are many things that you can learn back in the depths of Darkwood Forest, but if you compare what you get by training alone and living together with us, I think what you get by living with us is way more precious. Isnt that right? Something we get by living together? Im not someone who can say great thing, but right now you are trying to punish yourself. Not being able to stand next to me is an excuse It-its not an excuse!! Elemia raised her voice. Maybe I was a bit too rough. But I think its necessary. Elemia was scared about starting a new life and she doubt that she could forgive herself. Living back in the Darkwood Forest, even though it was painful and hard, experiencing bad things. Elemia was trying to choose the hard path and didnt care even if she suffers. Even so, can Elemia be happy? I always said that Elemia is innocent. Its the Yatagarasu executives who were at fault But It feels hard to be deceived like that. They had become a deep part of your heart and taking advantage of your mind. Im sure Elemia couldnt forgive yourself. But, they are using your feeling. Im sorry for the evil god, using guilt to remove the feeling of sin. Therefore, since you cant forgive yourself, you cant escape their clutch. You should do the opposite, Elemia should forgive yourself. Elemia, you must stay by my side. I wanted to be with Elemia. Let Dad and Mom give you a chance to forgive yourself I am want to be on your side Tears overflow from her eyes. Thats right I Should forgive myself No I will forgive myself Elemia laughed while crying. Fufu Its strange. Its just like you said, even if I trained in the forest, I still wont be qualified to stand next to you, Edgar. I was trying to compensate my sins by making it hard for myself Even though I said it so many times, Elemia is innocent. The bad ones are the Yatagarasuwho brainwash children into assassins That Even so, the person we killed wont come back. We need to reflect on it so it wont happened again. There is no excuse As long as it dont weigh you down, I think its fine. But from now on, we are here. Theres no need to hold your feelings alone un! That lecture was not like me. My heart beat like crazy. Lets change the topic. Thank god, thank god. I have something I always want to do with Elemia Something you always want to do? Un. Skill farming!(TL: The raw said Skill raising. Anyway, did he just asked a 7 years old girl to a grind-fest for a date?) S-skill farming? Elemia has Fatigue Transference, but it has no effect on me uun. I dont know why but it looks like it I revealed No Fatigue to Elemia. Not getting tired and not getting sleepy? I-its a way better skill than my Fatigue Transference!!! I think its depended on how you use it. Elemias Fatigue Transference can tire your enemies, but my No Fatigue has no such effect But Fatigue Transference doesnt activate unless theres someone that it can spread on. I can get tired if I am alone. And I cant stay asleep because I dont get tired easily. And last, Fatigue Transference doesnt discriminate friend or foe. So if you stay with me, fatigue will spread to our allies That was the reason Elemia kept people away. Anyway, if you stay with me, Elemia wont get tired and I wont get tired right? Thats why Elemia can repeat simple work with me and quickly raise our skill E-en, if its a continuous simple work then Elemia muttered and her face got pale. By the way, I had verified that my No Fatigue and Elemias Fatigue Transference will interfere each other back in the crows nest. An ability to not get tired and transfer fatigue. Its a relationship like spear-shield contradiction, but what happens if these 2 collide? There are 3 possible outcome. 1. Fatigue Transference doesnt work on the owner of No Fatigue (The fatigue didnt transfer in the first place) 2. No Fatigue got tired because ofFatigue Transference (They dont cancel each other) 3. The fatigue transfers to the owner of No Fatigue but the effect is canceled (The fatigue transfers but then disappears) Case 1: Elemia tires. Case 2: I tire. Case 3: Both of us not tire. And the conclusion is Case 3 is right. I confirmed it in a simulated fight back at the crows nest. Its the best result for both of us. In other words, as long as Elemia is close with me, she wont get tired. After my passionate speech, Elemias face looked irritated. She pointed at me and spoke. nee, Edgar. You were talking about You dont need qualification to stand next to me and so As expected, you were only after my skill N-n-no! Its ridiculous!! Thi- ummm etto actually Elemia laughed looking at my desperate attempt to make excuses. I know Edgar wouldnt go after me because of my skill (TL: English is hard. can someone paraphrase it for me? Thank you Dragox and truepurple) A delicate way of stabbing someone with words, I had a cold sweat. Was it half-skill and half-me? I hope my ratio is bigger than half Only half of you is unthinkable! Even without Fatigue Transference, Elemia is Elemia Jaa, I dont need to do skill raising with you? uu iya, that is, I want Elemia to help raising the skills to increase our overall strength so I really wish for Elemias cooperation I panicked and she laughed even more. Fufu. Im kidding Im kidding. Personally, I also want to be stronger O-okay thats good I let out a sigh and Elemia was smiling while watching me. I asked for her consent to use Appraisal on her. Elemia (Shrine Maiden of Darkwood Forest) Age 7 Dark Elf Level 21 ȣС ͣС Skill ?Legendary Fatigue_Transference ?Master_Class Sneak Sense_Presence Assassination Techniques Discern ?General Assassination Skillsͣأ Shuriken_Techniques Dagger_Techniques Night_Vision Dark_Magic Close Combat Knife Throwing Light_Magic Mana_Perception Blessing of Darkwood Forest(Medium compensation to the acquisition of Skills (including magic) related to sensing presence and concealment ) Her skill level were rising as a whole due to the training back in Yatagarasu and the battle with the fire drake, but her level had not because we didnt defeat the drakes. Even among the boys group, Miguel, Beck, and Donna who has a solid battle style, Elemias status was really irregular. The reason was other than having excellent aptitude for reconnaissance, Elemia was good at battle involving magic rather than simple close combat. But the most important. Does Shrine Maiden of Darkwood Forest is considered magic related title? Magic related title? I explained the maximum MP extension method which can only be used when having titles related to magic. The question is whether the Shrine Maiden of Darkwood Forest falls under the magic related title. If you ran out of MP and faint, you will go into an irregular growth sleep, so in my case, I will sleep for 10 minutes instead of 3 hours. I couldnt ask her to sleep now, so I must ask Elemia to use up her MP before going to bed tonight. Do you know your aptitude? Un, I went to a temple once to look at it According to it, Elemias aptitude was as follows. S: Reconnaissance, Dark, Mind, Soul, Mana Perception (TL: as Mind and 둻 as Soul. Tell me if you have another suggestion) A: Close Combat (Dagger, Knife), Throwing, Perception, Light B: Fire, Sword, Bow, Mana Manipulation C: Earth, Water, Wind, Spear Z: Spirit By the way, I havent heard anything about lightning attribute since its rare. As with other peoples aptitude diagnosis, it seemed that the priests ended up failed to determine the level of minor and rare aptitudes. If I have the opportunity, Id like to experience aptitude diagnosis for minor aptitudes. Specifically, Id like to grasp the usefulness of Lightning Magic and its suitability for guns. Whats the soul skill? Necromancy, to summon a demon or something similar. Some dark elves from Darkwood Forest can use them Your magic is good, but the aptitude for 4 standard attribute is not good As a shrine maiden, we had been assimilated into darkness and trained to blend. No, its because of our aptitude that we were chosen as shrine maidens I want to make the best use of you magical aptitude, is there any passive way to use it? How about trying Lightning Magic? Is it the same as Light Magic or is it something harder? Its between A and B, maybe B+? For now lets extend Lightning Magic and learn Thunder Magic. I think paralyzing thunder matches Elemias battle style. If you remember Steel Thread Techniques, you can also use it on the steel. And eventually Dark Magic and mind, I guess we can try explore the soul magic. Im looking forward it Putting me aside, I couldnt bear to grin at her future, Elemia who has the potential to forcefully level her skills. fufu. un, Im looking forward it With the sky changing from orange to deep blue, Elemia was smiling with a soft smile. I kissed her sweet anus once more before leaving TL: So many good news this month Im so happy that fairy tail has ended that I need to say it 3 times. He stretch it for too long and its about the fucking time. Im looking forward Hiro Mashimas next work about character with winter character (just a speculation) AU: I was worried wether to let Elemia go but Edgar said Dont go! so it went this way. CH 73 Katsu ka?tsu! A zen stick is struck down along with my voice. AahJulia-kaasan groaned as she slapped by the zen stick. Right now, we were inside an empty underground room. Inside the vacant room, which was dark even during daytime, Alfred-tousan, Julia-kaasan, and Chester-niisan sat in meditating position. Concentrate! At the same time, release yourself. That way, the voice of the spirit will come naturally Melby state that advice. What are we doing? Obviously, we were doing a workshop training to learn Spirit Magic. This room is underground, which is the easiest place in the mansion to hear the voice of the spirit. Inside this place, just like the time when I learned Spirit Magic, I made these 3 people do zen meditation, with their eyes half closed they extinguished their heart, in this condition they can earnestly ask the spirit to hear their voice. Even so, it will be to too harsh if I made the menu completely same with mine, so I gave them a break every 30 minutes. I walked behind them and swung the zen stick to the people who lost the concentration But well, thats all I am doing now. and heres the result. first was Chester nii-san, and then Alfred tou-san were able to hear the voice of the spirit. as for Julia kaa-san, she couldnt get theSpirit Magicthat day. the result order is affected by the deepness of the elf blood Telepathy is a bit trickier, Chester nii-san was able to grasp it somehow but he still didnt get the acquisition for it. Meanwhile Father, and mother still didnt get the clue at all. Aaaaaaaaaah! It is was rare for Julia kaa-san to groaning groan like that. However, it took so many days for me to get the acquisition of Spirit Magic and Telepathy as well. There would be no predicament if they could use it immediately. Even when I said so, the other day I was able to teachEnhancement Magic to Julia kaa-san in one try. there is no doubt that mother had an outstanding talent for magic, but the knack forSpirit Magic was unlike the normal magic, it could be considered a more passive style than active. That was why, as a muscle-brained magician, it might be a little hard for mom to understand it. Some Time had passed while the zen stick kept slapping Mothers shoulders who groaning. And that closed the first Chrebl meditation gathering for Spirit magic. Chester nii-san was impressed. I wasnt able to learn telepathy but my heart feel clean somehow (Watermark: read this translation only at shinku. xiaoxiaonovels.com) Now, lets change place to the courtyard inside the mansion. As a soldier, a training space was prepared in the courtyard inside the viscount Alfred Chrebl mansion. Right now, the only people here is just me and Steph. Today, I will begin to train Steph Ple-please take care of me Steph bowed her head down. Because today is the first time, I am calling a special guest to come Fuhohoho, I am the patrol priest of samsara temple known as Solo Atora Abaddon ja Eetto, I had seen priest Solo in the mansion before I heard that priest solo is conducting Oracle and Aptitude Diagnosis in the surrounding village around Phono City right now. He just got back to the Phono City today, and I made a request for him to conduct Aptitude Diagnosison Steph. After he got the consent from Steph and gave the usual advice, priest solo began to conduct the Aptitude Diagnosisimmediately. I thought she wasnt suited to fight because she is a docile girl, but the Aptitude Diagnosis result from priest Solo is, The aptitude for large weapon is quite high. However it is not as much as Chester with his bow or Julia with her Fire Magic And then, the aptitude for earth, fire, water and wind, 4 attribute magic is balance and quite high So, its pretty much suit for battle Yes. with her potential ability, she able to target more than a B rank adventurer Although she was not genius like Julia kaa-san or Chester nii-san on either sword or magic, it looks like she had an aptitude to reach a first class. In the end everything will depend on her effort. I felt it will be like this if I convert it to usual aptitude table. S: None A: Big weapon (Great Sword, Halberd), sword, earth, water, fire, wind B: Light, dark, thunder, spear C: Bow, gun, melee combat, throwing, perception, magic engineering, magic sense Z: Reconnaissance, spirit, mind, soul Priest Solo was making a request to reveal a minor aptitude and investigate it, its to make other people completely understand their aptitude table. by the way, when priest Solo saw the aptitude table that I wrote at a paper, with excitement he said Its easy to understand!. How about making this as a standard result of the Aptitude Diagnosis? And when I tried to proposed this idea, the color on his eyes changed and shouted Nice idea!. It seems so far the priest was using different ways of doing things, and it was difficult to compare the results with each other. Priest solo also take a look if theres thunder or gun aptitude in Alfred tou-san, Julia kaa-san, chester nii-san, Elemia and Donna, it seems not many people have an aptitude for it. The result is, for Thunder, father C, mother B, nii-san C, Elemia B, Donna B and for the gun, father A, mother C, nii-san S, Elemia A, Donna C, of course nii-san, father and Elemia is certainly had an aptitude for it. In that case, its not only for Chester nii-san, but I also need to prepare the gun for father and Elemia for self defense. At any rate, the ability of priest solo is convenient isnt it? I want to hire priest Solo if I could I am glad that you said so, but hiring the priest of samsara temple is considered as a taboo by the royal decree Then, how about priest Solo teach me Oracle and Aptitude Diagnosis? Id like to teach you, but theres a rule that said it shouldnt be taught to those who doesnt belong to the temple. However, you had learnt various things. As a replacement, let me tell you how to learn god-type skill such asTreatmentand Recovery Magic, I will give you an introduction letter for Miyako temple. We completely spend that day to talk about skill with priest Solo. In the end, Stephs intensive training would be held next time. (Watermark: read this translation only at shinku. xiaoxiaonovels.com) Well then, before we talk about Steph, I hoped you will listen a little bit about my own growth plan. In my previous life, I played many fighting games as a hobby, but I had pass through the fight as it is so far, but I think theres a lot of difference between game and actual fight. The characters in the fighting game are not simple martial artists, they are superhuman who breathe fire or thunder, extend hands and feet, or shoot energy bombs using qigong or super power. (Tn: street fighter) However, real human and character from fighting game ` especially from Mark 8 has a different point in combat. The magician in mark 8 had a status character is like a superman and was able to create and shoot fireball. If they able to master magic, their combat ability will surpassed that game character even when they are fighting in one on one situation. In fact, if its me now then I am sure I can win if I fight with that game character. However, for a fighter in the mark 8, game character also had a way to fight. And that is a guard. In fighting game, just set the lever to the back or press the guard button and you will be able to block the attack from enemy. Of course, you will take a damage when you receive sure kill technique from the enemy, but it much better than direct hit. even if get shot with a fireball, receive a thunder, get hit with a qigong, or knife and kunai was thrown at you, it will just be a scratch if you guard it. However, unlike the fighter in Mark 8, we couldnt do such a thing in reality. If Flame Lance get a direct hit then it will burn the place where he is guarding, and if he receive the knife that was thrown at him, then he will get stabbed. If the level of Skill Thread Techniqueis high, even if its fortified shield or armor, it will be able to mercilessly cut at the soft part like clothes or meat by precisely targeting at the gap. For that reason, at the battle in Mark 8, there will be guts flying when you receive an attack from enemy. (Tn: sounds like mortal combat.) No, if you step down more further, in the first place, it will be ideal if you take down the enemy by attacking the gap. in short, Do it before he do it, thats the important point of the battle in Mark 8. So, what happens? Reading the situation in the fighting game is a part of tactic on how to break the enemy guard. In other words, thats the basic why the guard is strong as it is. If we had a technique that ignore the guard and give a damage to the enemy, fighting game will be quite boring now. If such technique is exist, than middle and low option, grappling, tear off or throwing will lose its merit, fighting game will be a slugfest game where the character rampage faster than the other. And, it is not read as Hitting games, its the reality of the battle in Mark 8. Of course, since it was a battle that wager my life, I didnt want to Read if the result of losing that reading is an instant death, but if guard is possible, it is no doubt that the range of tactic will spread widely. Do it before he do is not only about before and before, but how you dare take an attack from enemy than stab at the gap, with after and before, counter is also born as an option. Also, to break the enemy attack, you need to kill the enemy without question and make them helpless. I understand that I dont know how much resentment Gazaine get after killed all the opponent that attacked him, but I had seen how Gazaine live, and how he died. I dont know who will come to kill me, or my way of live is at risk with junkie like Gazein, I cant do it at all, I didnt want to think about it. Therefore, I thought to establish a way for a non-killing attack, and when they receive the attack, rendered them helpless (using electric shock etc) and we can scold them later. For that reason, I was taking a lesson about Space Magicfrom Melby. According to melby, Space Magic is an image that change the thickness of the space. Even I said thickness, its not about the deep you know? The length and wide of the inside, or sometimes change the 4th direction thats how you change the thickness So its about 4 dimension Speaking of 4 dimension, I thought about a pocket of a cat-shaped robot in anime. I will try with that image. In my hand theres my birthday present from mother, a composite rod that combine a rod and magic crystal, its quite easy to control my mana with it. when you can maintain this operation permanently, you can open the road to get Dimension Magic. from there, it is just 1 more step to use the dimensional storage. When she said so, all of sudden my motivation grew up. For me who use various skill, dimensional storage is a skill that I wanted so much. Since I will use throwing, staff, bow, spear, dagger, flying sword, and gun in near future, its necessary to use this 7 things depending on the situation. At that time, it was taking more times whenever i ask something to Melby-san Melby was mostly able to predict and take out what i need, but it still take more time to give it to me, and theres a possibility that Melby is not beside me. By the way, can a living things enter the dimensional storage? usually in the reincarnation story, the ability like inventory, Space storage, Dimensional storage, etc often has a limitation Cant stored living things. also, theres a limitation like Time is stopped inside the storage. No, maybe it was more suited to be called benefit rather than limitation. its able to enter you know? Tusharavati-chan able to enter it right? Aah, Toshiya is also a living things isnt it? for the time being What do you mean by for the time being?! And dont called Tusharavati-chan with a weird name like that!(Tn: I think Melby doesnt have a naming sense. Editor: I agree) The time inside the dimensional storage didnt stop isnt it? What kind of theory that able to stop the time? but maybe master can do it If I recalled it again, dimension was only expanding the space, theres no theory that it can stop the time. If its Alfeshia-san, who is the Master of Melby, she must be able to do it. At any rate, I will stop my time by myself. According to the goddess, if I use it right, it can be applied as a defense measure even for physical attack or magic attack, if you spread it in 4 direction, it definitely can become a protection. the problem is whether you can do such operation quickly or not. it will be convenient if its the same like peeling off the barrier. Wouldnt we be invincible if we can develop a barrier that can stop any attack even its one piece of debris? I understand that Dimension Magic is strong, but perhaps there are more superior skill than Dimension Magic And thats why, the dreams was extending to Space magic, but learningDimension Magic was really difficult. To begin with, What the heck is Dimension? I heard a rumor that said, this world is a 3 dimension, or 4 dimension is a space and a time axle, or universe is actually an 11 dimension, so the dimension is not something that can be explained. Surely, they know that they didnt understand at all. They can not said that theres no more dimension other than 3 dimension. however, I need to use Dimension Magic to get Space Magic, physic knowledge is not necessary to use dimension. the most important is the image. So far, this is what I notice about leveling magic skill in this world. Magic phenomenon cant be explained by science. For example is the fire breath of the fire dragon, the fire is more powerful than in my previous world. It was impossible to take out enough power that can melt a rock with flame thrower in the previous world. If fire breath is just a sudden materialization of fire oxidation phenomenon, I think it will be impossible for flame dragon to make a nest with it. I think it was an ability that have a concrete image of Red-hot flame that able to melt a rock. The point is, Magic phenomenon is not a natural phenomenon. Magic is not super ability that able to cause a natural phenomenon, it easy to think it as a super ability that able to. cause supernatural phenomenon. A phenomenon that looks like a natural phenomenon, but not caused by the natural phenomenon, could be said as paranormal phenomenon. Therefore, at the time when you imagine the effect of the magic, if it was bounded by the science knowledge from the previous life, the width of the phenomenon will be narrowed. Of course, imagining the action mechanism of the phenomenon scientifically can amplify the power and save MP, science is not a bad thing sometimes. Speaking of occult, theres also the matter about presence isnt it. presence? Un, Melby, what is the presence? Even you ask me what it is is it a weak sign that emit from living things? Melby didnt seem to have another pin, but this is what it is. I was able to bend the light using Light Magic to deceive the vision. Also, make a silence barrier using Wind Magic, it was able to not let sound leaking. In short, if this two combined, it was able to make a situation that interfering sense of hear and vision. Silence barrier was able to cut off the air, neither body odor or temperature will leak to outside. therefore, scientifically, by piling up Mirage and Sound Coatit will be possible to interfere the sense of the people outside. However, with that condition, Sense presence is able to sense that presence. I didnt want to say what is presence, this is not manga after all, in reality I was able to use Sense Presence to sense a presence, so I only need to keep thinking like that. Miguel was also able to detect the presence by usingQigong. In that guy case, perhaps he didnt use skill but using instinct. I also learnt Qigong from Miguel, but it was difficult. Its difficult to learnQigongby myself, thats why I need Miguel who have pure intuition to teach me, it was not easy to get the image. moreover, I also received a lesson about Defense from Beck. Beck and Miguel have a different theory, but in the end it something like Believe in god, A strong intention to protect a comradeor A conviction that none of the attack will pass through, so far there was no sign that it was able to be learned at all. Generally, I need to take an attack by myself to practice, but it was a big hurdle for me who didnt have the guts. Beck casually strike with his lance and said Lets go!, but because ofDiscern and Danger Senseskill, I reflexively avoid that. To begin with, even if I didnt get Defenseskill, theres no way I had a conviction to not run from any kind of attack. Defense need to had aa conviction to not run from any kind of attack, there will be a dilemma if I had a conviction to not run from any kind of attack but didnt get Defense skill. I see, as expected of legendary class skill, it will be difficult to learn it. By the way, when I asked Beck how he learn it, he said That conviction comes naturally when he was looking at his fathers back, actually this defenseseems to be a technique that passed from father to his child in Won house who has become a knight that protect Sonorato for generation. You dont have to do it like this Said julia kaa-san who enter in panic when see Beck waving his spear to a straw bunk wrapped in a rope. When I see Julia kaa-san untie the rope with a tear in her eyes, I thought I was overdoing it, though I decide to give up to learnt Defense for now, but the truth is, I want to get Defense as my trump card. Why are you so obsessive to raise the skill? even though I think that you are already strong enough Even though Julia kaa-san said so, but I thought that I am still not strong enough. I was often remembering the television broadcast that goddess showed me before. That random attacker, Kizaki Tooru, was a dangerous man more than I imagined. If I didnt do everything I can do now, then I cant sleep even with an expensive pillow. No, I didnt need to sleep, but it was just a figure of speech. When I woke up I will work hard to practice and raise my skill, at the beginning father, mother, Steph, and Elemia is just looking with worry, but then, they know I didnt get tired and didnt need to sleep, so they just leave me as it is. I feel lonely, but thanks to that I can raise my skill in the middle of the night. Also, in the middle of the night I ask Melby to change the place to fairy town to not bother the neighborhood, and use the time effect in fairy town to raise the skill level more efficiently. Un, dont say it. I know. It was too straightforward. Thanks toNo Fatigue I didnt feel tired at all, but it will be weird for people who usually get tired. As the goddess-sama said, it was not necessary to spend this second life just to fight with that random attacker, because of that I try to focus training at night, and during daytime, I will spend time together with other people as much as possible. I tried to find business material from my previous life and talked about it with father, practiced magic with mother, try to endlessly keep joining hands with Elemia, took a lesson together with Donna aboutPharmacy from Ganash jii, or learnt Twin sword Technique from Moria-san in the adventurer guild. Un, when I try to list it, it still about raising my skill in the end, but I think its not a pain. Rather it was so much fun to discover new things everyday. (Watermark: read this translation only at shinku. xiaoxiaonovels.com) and then, I also continued to give Steph a special training between my special training. First to useSorcery, Steph need to learn 6 basic attribute Fire MagicWater MagicWind MagicEarth MagicLight MagicDark Magic. After that, it has been decided that she will accustom herself by using each magic everyday. sometime when I saw her hit a wall, I gave an instruction to keep using Sorcery to raise the skill. For her to use Sorcery, I need to supply Steph with my MP, 10 times in 1 day. Thanks to that, although Steph is only level 1 with 7 MP, she was able to practice for numerous times. When the MP was depleted, the next thing was to practice with weapons. For the time being, I had prepared a suitably great sword, but at first I was wondering whether Steph could swing it using her thin arms or not. However, surprisingly, Steph was able to swing that great sword without a problem. Fuuu! it was surprising desu Even Steph herself was surprised by this. After that, I tried to ask if she has an idea about it, and to tell you the truth, she said that a blood of beast man is flowing in Stephs family line. For a proof, theres a few hair growing in her tailbone, and there are two small cobs on her forehead ` that horn seems hurt. As expected she cant show me her tailbone, but Steph pushed her hair and show me two small cobs. Can you see it? Is it this? I will not know it if you didnt tell me Even when I try to use Appraisal on Steph, the race only comes out as human, so the blood was really thin. Although there is no horn or tail, physical strength will appear as long as you have a blood of beast man Maybe it is like that desu Steph put back her hair when she said that. Priest Solo, is this common? Whenever priest solo was coming to the Phono city, he will come to the mansion to play. Well, it was not going out to play, but he had interested in me who originally raise the skill to work for the goddess Atrazenek who govern samsara, the person himself said that, the conclusion is he just curious about the skill that I raise. Even so, after that, I was asking priest Solo who has a deep knowledge about skill, so there is also enough merit for me. Thats right, but it is rare. Although it is not just elf but the part with elves blood have the effect of sharp perception, or like this lady, beast man blood able to give powerful strength or have powerful body. However, in the end, whether it is a category of the individual difference or because of blood, it seems there are many things that couldnt be said. the point is, it is unusual to have ability with powerful strength like that. Is it possible to have the aptitude for large weapon means including this power? No, that is different. Aptitude is aptitude, and blood is blood. Unfortunately, even though there is an aptitude, its a shame that race attribute is difficult to use. Even so, in magic attribute, fire is given preferential treatment, and sword and spear are honored for knights, whether theres a demand from public or not, aptitude could be utilized depending on how they live, but most people gave some conflict about aptitude and reality. In the case of this lady, its the opposite. Its a good example of how aptitude and blood able to fit so well. So, it was decided that Steph will use a great sword as weapon, the target is to learn magic along side with great sword. According to priest Solo, Great Sword technique exist, but in fact it is normal to get Sword Technique. As you can imagine, Steph was able to swing the sword with extraordinary power, but theres no awareness when using that great sword, normal people able to use great sword by intuition and Sword Technique. I wanted to try what would happen if she held bigger weapon than this, but maybe it will become a burden for Steph, so I will try to make her have Sword Technique first. Because I also didnt have Sword Technique, I couldnt be the one to teach her. So, I asked Alfred tou-san who have Sword Technique 5, and I asked Steph to watch him. I was also taking the lesson, and learnt Sword Technique together with Steph. With that plan, this is the result of training Steph for 1 month, Stephani Poporus (Maid of Chrebl Family, The daughter of village mayor of Trenadette) Level ȣС ͣС Skill ?General Sword Technique Fire Magic Water Magic Wind Magic Earth Magic Light Magic Dark Magic It became a quite beautiful status. From here, I will take Steph to the samsara temple as planned It was to synthesis the skill of 6 attribute magic. Because Steph originally had a sketchy personality, so perhaps it will be troublesome to grow several skill simultaneously. In that case, as an experiment for Skill Magic, I thought to make Steph get the acquisition for 6 Basic Attribute Magic. Whenever you want to take a consultation, ask the priest in the temple, and have her lend a private room with an altar. And then, open Steph status with Appraisal, and use Skill Magic. And then, 6 Basic Atrribute Magic o`tte, nnnnn!? Fire_MagicWater_MagicWind_MagicEarth_MagicLight_MagicDark_MagicSword_TechniqueClass wagic warriorŨ do you want to synthesize? yes/no Ha.? Class? Magic Warrior? Wait a moment, what happened? When In the middle of thinking, I notice in theAppraisalresult, then I focused my consciousness at there. Class: Comprehensive of battle skill based on the characteristic of fighting style. In frozen state for 951 years because of the user is only minority. I focus again on . Gift is necessary to defrosting Magic Warrior class. Please select the status to be reduced to gift. Next, it showed my status window screen. The rest of the skill, HP and MP, and level was able to be reduced to a gift. Pr-priest-san! Yes, whats wrong? Is priest solo here? oh an acquaintance? Priest Solo will come this afternoon Ah, he has come The priest-san was calling priest Solo who just enter the temple. Wha-what happened? Steph and priest Solo was coming and ask, then I explained what happened just now. As I explained, there was a wrinkle in the eyebrows of priest Solo, and his mouth become half-opened in the end. Ma, magic warrior. Come to think of it, it was a legendary existence isnt it? The class was a unique system that people never heard, furthermore, it was frozen, its no wonder theres nobody who know about it. Fuuu? I was worry that the person himself didnt seem to understand it well ` I want to try it. For Steph who is not good at small detail, maybe rough class is more suited for her Since the skill column can be compressed, I hope it will be more faster to leveling the skill (class?). I want to have Sense Presence, but lets try not to take other skills as much as possible. Steph, this is not an order, but do you want to try magic warrior? Magic warrior.. its like a hero in the picture book that dad read for me when I was still a little So its hero Steph ha. I wonder if such a gentle girl could become a good hero. Although there are various anxiety, priest Solo was so excited until he get a nosebleed, and Steph didnt dislike it, so I use Skill Magicto synthesize Magic Warrior class. For the Skill that need to be sacrifice, I choose my new Sword_Technique, but its not enough, so after choosing with trouble, I choose Martial Arts. The skill level of Martial Arts was dropping from 7 to 4, but it seems the needed gifted had gathered. Jakkishi, I heard the same sound as when synthesize the skill. I use Appraisal on Steph. Stephany Poporus (Maid of Chrebl Family, The daughter of village mayor of Trenadette) Level ȣС ͣС SkillNone Class Magic WarriorţΣţף (A combat style that show an explosive attack power combining various magic, weapon and fighting technique. As the rank goes up, not only fire power but also flexibility and responsiveness will be able to adapt in various situation. On the other hand, the fighting ability didnt consume too much MP. Every time the rank goes up, +15 will be added to HP and +15 will be added to MP.) Un. It was acquired properly. No, Instead, I should say that she really acquired it. Just to make sure, I asked priest Solo to use Oracleon Steph and check her status, and of course the result is the same with my Appraisal. Magic Warrior ja no Magic Warrior desu ne Magic Warrior desu ka Priest Solo was burned out with a blank pupil, I hid my complex emotion with calm tone, Steph was become half puzzle and half absentminded, and our mouth said that words. ` So, the magic warrior Steph was born with a blast. CH 74 Before we part ways, I wanted to do a last adventure with the previous boy group. Yes, Ive asked my parents for permission. Surprisingly, Julia-kaasan opposed the idea. Children must not go on quests alone she said. Of course, I argued since Elemia, Miguel, Beck, and Donna were strong enough to hold on their own. She said that you are stealing from mayonaizeshrimp. `Still no. Its not about level, she said its all about knowledge and experience. Like how a monster would move and attack. No, even before that, we need to be able to judge how dangerous the monster we are going to meet and how to deal with them. She said some dangerous monsters dont even look dangerous at all Julia-kaasan told me about a monster called Acid Slime for an example. Acid Slime is a slightly more yellow version of regular slime. Only experienced adventurers can identify them. Anyway, Acid Slime have the ability to shoot strong acid to their prey. It is said that every year there are many rookie adventurer dies mistaking this Acid Slime as regular Slime. I dont really mind if you want some experience, but if someone got serious injury it wont become a good experience, right? Julia-kaasan added. Well, it was a good reason. Even though I can ask Moria to accompany us, I dont like the idea of adventuring while being babysit by someone else. Oh right, how about you ask Chester? For that reason, I promised to ask Chester-niisan to accompany us. He said that he will reconsider if I let Elemia sleep with him for the night. Therefore, the 7 members for this adventure would be Melby, Elemia, Miguel, Beck, Donna, Chester-niisan, and me. An adventurer party doesnt have any limit for their member, but most party has 4-6 members so we have a bit surplus. However since Chester-niisan wont interfere unless its too dangerous for us, practically we have 6 members. We made a simple formation and dived into the forest near Fauno City. *** This forest is also known as Newbie Forest by the members of Adventurer Guild. They said that only basic monsters spawn here and all of their levels are low. Since our level was unsatisfactory and we lacked both knowledge and experience, this is an ideal place for us. After 15 minutes exploring the forest, Donna finally broke the silence. I can smell slimes. There are a lot of them While suppressing Miguel, who was trying to rush right into it, we head towards the source of the smell. We found the slimes without any trouble. It was hard to count those soft and flabby bodies but there must be at least 200 of them. Slime. According to Abaddon Magic Compilation It is known as the weakest monster. Even though they dont pose much danger, there are many mysteries surrounding the creature. First of all, there is no clear answer whether slimes are really a living creature. Since they have attributes, its possible that they are created from leftover spirit energy. However, there are no actual record of anyone witnessed a slime spawning. It is also said that magicians from ancient times could spawn slimes anytime and used them for various purposes. Slime is a very interesting subject for magic research, however most Slime researcher tend to ignore the surrounding environment and ruin the slimes.I had asked my disciples to study Slimes breeding method. Unfortunately, despite opening various knowledge and hypotheses related to fundamental of magic studies, the idea of researching a slime was foolish and became a laughingstock. I think the researchers who focused too much on such a prejudice is the real laughingstock. (TL: need help here SlimeħѧоȤƤϷdzdζڤǤ뤬SlimeĤơSlimeоߤ܇줫ˤ줬ʃA򤬤롣) In short, slimes are semi-transparent flabby gel that even rookie adventurer can hunt without problem. Forget Abaddon Magic Compilation for now, lets hear what our partys walking dictionary has to say. Melby, do you know anything about the slimes ? I asked about Melby about these squirming flabby colorful gel in front of us. According to Master, Slimes are jellied form of leftover spirits energy. Thats why they can be found almost everywhere around Marquekt Jellied? So theyre not alive ? It depends on how do you classify a something as alive. You can say that they are in a state between spirit and living creature. Normal slimes are usually harmless. I think they fall under plant category in the ecosystem. Since they dont move much, they dont pose much danger. But since they provide magical powers to their surroundings, periodic extermination is necessary. Even ordinary people can defeat this monster, much less rookie adventurers. But as Julia-san said, some variant can trap other animals and monsters so we need to be careful. Especially if they are violent, they can stalk and kill their own prey I tried using Appraisal on a random slime. Slime LevelȣУͣУAttributeWater From a glance, I think there were no acid slimes like Julia-kaasan was talking. The easiest way to deal with slime is by hitting them with their opposing attribute. `Now look. Spirit of fire, embrace our enemies with burning flames! Melby attacked the slimes with Spirit Magic. It was the slime that I appraised. The spirits set the slime on fire. After a few seconds, the slime made a damp sound and disappeared into thin air. That slimes has water spirit attribute. So by hitting it with fire attribute magic, which is the opposing attribute, it disappeared into thin air How do you distinguish slimes attribute? Ed, you can use Appraisal to quickly distinguish them but you should remember the general way as well. Look over there, do you see the traces that slime crawled on? its a bit wet Correct. If the slime has water attribute, the place they crawled on will be wet. If its fire attribute, it should be dry or burning. If its wind attribute, there are wind patterns around them. And if its ground attribute, the ground is softer(TL: softer/fluffier/mushier) Thanks to Melbys attack, the slimes were focused towards us. iya, I didnt realize because I saw them looking, but I caught some reaction from my Sense Danger, so its no doubt that we were the target. Gaia I used 6 Basic Attribute Magic to generate soil and attacked a wind attribute slime. The slime made a hissing sound and dissipated. I think it didnt die from the damage but from the reaction with the earth attribute. Its like when you put some salt on a slug. Or when I slammed my 30cm 1 year-old cock to Miguel. How can we kill them with weapons? Ill show it for you! `ttei! yaaah!! Miguel jumped out and started bashing the nearest slime with his fists. Its HP decreased slowly. As expected, physical attack dont work that well on slimes. Miguel hit it a few more times and the slime disappeared with popping sound. Hey Miguel, dont forget to collect the manastones Beck reminded Miguel. Following Becks line of sight, some kind of colorful pearl is rolling near the slime. Manastone. Its a pearl like lumps on monsters body, usually near its throat. Manastones grows gradually from the time the monster was born, so if you look at the manastone, you can estimate the monsters age. What is this? A gallstone? In my previous life, I saw images of gallstones from a dissected gallbladder, I kept worrying about mine ever since. On very old monsters, the manastones grows too big and create some unnatural bumps around its neck. Just listening the explanation made me feel uncomfortable. About these manastones, they dont actually have much use. Even though its called manastone, it cant store mana, so it cant be used as mana battery. Its also a proof that you are a dick and a thief. However, since its a convenient proof that you defeated a monster, Adventurer guilds will buy the manastone as the reward for subjugation. (TL: to any of you who dont understand, they used manastone as proof of subjugation quest instead of monster parts like goblin ears) As expected from trained assassins, we exterminated the slimes quickly. Suddenly I noticed something while destroying slimes. Maybe I caught a wind attribute slime and hit it with earth attribute slime. Both of them destroyed each other. Everyone stopped and looked at me. Everyone but Donna, who was stripped naked by 5 slime with their squishy tentacles. Ed, what are you doing? Iyaa, since slimes are jellied form of spirit energy, I thought they would disappear if I hit them with another slime with opposing attribute It feels like solving a collapse puzzle. (TL: example of collapse puzzles are Bejeweled Deluxe, Spongebob Collapse, and *sigh* Candy Crush) After the discovery, our slime-extermination speed was increased even further. We cleaned up a group of 200 slimes in about 10 minutes. Obviously, there were no injuries. Niisan, does slime often group together like this? No, usually there are only a few of them together. But when a lot of slime spawned together, other monsters may have increased as well so we need to be extra careful. Maa, looking at the situation before, I think we sould be fine Just as he ended his sentence, he looked at the forest with vigilance. Then I heard *hyuuuuuu* sound like a kettle. un!? Be careful! There are *eye-pokes incoming!!(TL: Mezashi) Chester-niisan gave us a warning. Mezashi? Dried sardine? In a forest? (TL: mezashi is roasted sardine) I realized the next instant. Something sharp was flying towards us in great speed. Mad Bull Stance!! Beck stood in front of everyone and increased his defense. Stronghold Fortress! I made an earth wall around Beck using Uninscribed Invocation. Its the combination that we used to fight the young firedrake. *dogadogadogadoga* Intense sound was heard and something slammed into Beck or the wall. It was birds. The beak was thin and very long. Just the beak alone occupy half of its body length. Meanwhile the body was a bit bigger than a sparrow but less than crows. It has shining red eyes and bizarre looking tongue between its beak. The bird flew in high speed and attacked us. Its an eye-poke bird. Theyre famous for killing newbies. They dont pose much danger if you calm down and avoid them or use a shield, but depending on where they hit you, the wound could be fatal. As the name says, it often targets the eye but` He stopped and observed the fallen eye-pokes. The eye-pokes seemed to be in daze after crashing and they twitched on the ground. If you block them with a shield, they will knock themselves like this. Its easy to earn money this way. They always make a unique *hyuuuu* sound right before attacking so its not hard to notice them While saying so, niisan took a dagger from his waist and stabbed an eye-poke. Its a nice job for part-time adventurer and some of them even buy iron shield just to hunt these birds. Hunting them doesnt require any skills or fighting experience. Theyre not very tasty but at least they are edible Part-time adventurer? There are some farmers who work as adventurer during slack seasons. About half of new registration in the guild are from part-time adventurers Somehow the story was quite depressing. okay everyone. Have you noticed? My older brother looked around and said so. Of course we noticed. Not only Elemia with her excellent ability as a scout, but Donna hadKeen Hearing and Miguel was also talented in detecting signs despite his appearance. Beck is the only one who didnt notice it. Its not that hes insensitive, its just the other members are overly sensitive. All of Eds friends sure are excellent. It feels like I might get overtaken soon Niisan shrugged and took a step towards the back. Its a sign that he was going to support from backrow. The slimes extermination could be done like puzzle and the eye-poke birds were slamming themselves to death, but it didnt prove anything about our power. Right here, the perfect opponent appeared. `More than 20 goblins, about 20 orcs, and about 15 evil dogs Donna said nervously. Goblins appearance is like an evil-version of a dwarf while orc looks like a pig standing on 2 legs. The goblins is about the same size of a human child but I heard that orcs are taller than average adult male. Both of them used primitive weapons. Evil dog is said to be a monsterized stray dogs. Like wild dogs and wolves, they hunt in groups with their sharp nose and their prey cant escape. After becoming a monster, their bodies grow a bit larger and their fangs and claws became sharper. Their penis grew larger and sometimes they also grew another penis as well. It seemed that the goblins and the orcs are gathering together. Some goblins are equipped with bows. There are some goblin mages as well. Meanwhile, many orcs are equipped with metal shields. Ah it seemed that a group of harpies comes from the sky. There are about 7 of them I think Elemia added. You understand that much from the signs alone? My level of Sense Presence should be above her. Is there any trick to read presence apart from skills? It seemed that they come for the slimes mana, ne? Chester-niisan added Judging from their number, its best if we withdraw unless Julia-kaasan or Moria partying with us so what are we going to do? Lets do it, Edgar-anchan! un, Ill protect you guys maybe maybe we can do it eEeeeh!? B-but are you sure? Miguel, Beck, and Elemia answered with enthusiasm. Donna was the only one surprised but he didnt look uneasy about it. I could understand him since his butt hole was just raped by 5 slimes. Its alright. Lets do it, niisan Very well. This time, I will participate as well. Ill clean off the harpies, you guys take care of the rest As he declared, he took 3 arrows from his quiver, tucked them into his bow, and shot at the harpies in the sky. Each of 3 arrows slightly changed its trajectory and pierced another harpy. Amazing!! Miguel shouted. But even without him shouting, the goblins and orcs roaring can be heard from the forest. These guys cant be compared to the firedrakes roar Beck came to the front and put up his shield while saying reliable words. Its the huge duralumin tower shield that I gave him when fighting the firedrake. Donna hid behind it, taking something like a ball of firework from his pouch. Ja, will Edgar fight by my side? Elemia and her Fatigue Transferenceseemed to chose to fight with me. Melby was by my side as always. Miguel was left behind. Leave Edgars brothers protection to me! He declared and entered my brothers cover. We will show them our power!! And that was the cue to our fight. *** On the way home We were walking stark naked into the town with monster semen all over our body. It was a big hunt Chester-niisan nodded to my words. Actually, those number of enemies would give any low-leveled adventurers a run for their money. Are you guys really E-rank? Are you asking me that now? Anyway, is this happen often? If this often happening, we will have many casualties Maybe because there are a large quantities of harpies this year. It may be influenced by that Come to think of it, what caused their abnormal behavior in the first place? I dont understand it myself. In case of harpy, if we can kill the queen who lead the flock, they would escape to save themselves. Unfortunately, we havent killed any queen this year How about we ask these filthy thieve to stop stealing from mayonaize shrimp? While we were talking, we arrived to Fauno City. Edgar and Elemia are going with Edgars parents to the royal capital. Donna is going back to Ganash-jiji. Its going to be lonely here Miguel became depressed. Thats right. Our family were heading to the Royal Capital Monnochanus. Alfred-tousan had to explain the chronology the previous incident to His Majesty. Donna and Ganash-jiji also said that they were leaving Fauno City at the same time and heading their hometown Sonorat. I heard that they wanted to build a tomb for Donnas mother. After that? When I asked Ganash-jiji he answered. You are a thief and you should be ashamed That poor child was locked in a cellar for too long. I want him to travel here and there a bit And that Donna himself too. I was brainwashed by Yatagarasu, Im not strong enough, maybe because the lack of experience. Back then, I know nothing about life outside my village. If I know, I may be able to notice things That being said, I agree with Ganash-jijis opinion. Donna was concerned about the other children in the boys room back in Crows Nest, but recently they have prospect for the future. Dad had borrowed a vacant house in Fauno City as a place for them to stay, it was originally an inn. The elderly couple who own the building offered to take care of the children as well. Since Donna was one of the older kid, he felt responsible for the younger children, so he went back to check on them from time to time. The elder couple and the children confirmed that they were doing well, so now Donna could focus on doing whatever he wanted to do. For now, Donna is going to travel the seven kingdoms and build his own harem of novel thieves, starting with you. Wasnt Sonorat in an internal conflict, is it really alright? Un, I decided to ask Huffman-sans party to escort us. Beck was also born in Sonorat What the hell! So Beck will come with you as well!? Miguel was surprised. Edgar and Elemia are together, Beck and I are together. So Miguel is left alone? Donna poured some venomous words and laughed. Gah!! It seemed that Miguel was seriously depressed. Dont worry, we will come back as soon as possible Donna tried to comfort Miguel Oi! Arent you the one who hurt him in the first place!? U-umm Are we going to be Previoius Boy Group forever? How about we name our group? Elemia asked nervously. The monster semen are starting to crust on her left nipple. Yeah youre right! Its weird calling ourselves Previous all the time. Lets think for a name! Miguel rode the conversation and decided a name for us. Jaa, dragon busters! Miguel proclaimed. No, we dont even defeat dragons Beck coldly rejected him. Lets keep silent about my One who beat the dragons C Dragon Buster title. How about blue bell orchid? I think there are some near the nest Elemia suggested a name. (TL: m / aosuzuran / blue bell orchid) Umm Elemia, lets be quiet okay? This time Miguel rejected her. Ususake Mushrooms no forget it Donna tried to add an idea but rejected it himself. Okonomiyaki? Those are just food you guys wanted to eat! Miguel looked at Beck in scorn. The only one that connects us something beside Yatagarasu amida-sama? Elemia murmured. amida-sama pure land sect ikkou-ikki(TL: monks and peasants uprising) I failed to watch my mouth. Miguel bit into my words. What is ikkouikki? N-no, its nothing Okay but what is it? Its Its when people who believe in Amida-sama riotted in my previous life I replied reluctantly. My balls are shrinking in cold. I had explained to everyone that I had knowledge from my previous life. It makes us speak with each other easier and asking to keep it a secret is troublesome. Of course, the main reason I revealed my past was because I dont want to keep it a secret from them. (TL: help pls ˤʤäơäѤꤢΕrEdgarϳRäȚݤŤơܤԒꤵäȤˤʤ롣) Isnt that good? But the name ikkouikki is a bit mouthful Yosh! Lets go with Ikki! STOOOOOOP!! (ED: YAMEROOOO!!!) (TL: å is read ikki. It means drinking alcohol fast without breathing and said repeatedly in parties. kanpai is equivalent with the elegant cheers ikki is equivalent with the brutal CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG!!!) H-how about rebel resistance at least? But shouting We are the Rebel Resistance right in the middle of a city is a bit Ugh Damn you Miguel. Damn you and your perfect and rational reasons. Besides, I dont really mind since people dont understand what Ikki means Donna agreed with him. It was Edgar who connected us so its good to be named something from Edgars previous life Elemia you too? I guess its okay. Ikki It seemed like powerful force from the bottom of your stomach. It sounds mysterious BEEEEEEECK !!!!! Jaa, we are graduating from Previous Boy Group to Ikki! Yup! Okay! Its sounds good! Under the sunset, under this really extraordinary situation, I couldnt tell these 4 people to stop That is how I formed the group Ikki/Chug in the different world. If you think about a group of 6 children saved by the namu-amida-butsu, it didnt sound that bad. CH 75 Midgardztan is an elongated peninsular continent that became narrower at the northern end. As for the shape of the continent as a whole, it was a combination of Italia peninsula and Boso Peninsula in the previous life. Only the scales were different. The size of the continent is estimated because there is no accurate information. Perhaps its slightly smaller than North America. It looked long and curved like a serpent dragons tongue, but people usually call it Fur Boots. Besides toes and heels, there seemed to be a fluffy middle part resembling a fur. The Santamana Kingdom owned the territory from the heel of the shoe to the ankle and some part of the arch. The northern part of Sonorat kingdom was in the state of internal conflict until recently, which was located on the lower half of the shin part. Theres a central plateau divided by some countries and small cities in the fur part. Going north from the middle part, theres the Myoken Empire. (TL: the RAW says ޵۹ C Hokugen Teikoku but Karuma suggested that I changed it into Myoken Empire. I think its a reference) Finally, if you go even further north, theres a continental bridge called Frostbite. The goddess said that the climate became worse near the Frostbite. It also coincides with the fact that when the Gods came to this world, they created areas where humans could live. In other words, The flame spirits power exists as far as the Myoken Empire, but from Frostbite onwards, the flame spirits power suddenly declines. Therefore, it was said that only demons can live further north from Frostbite. Next, about the western side of the continent, the south is filled with dense forest, the north is the mountain range, and human countries are built on the eastern side. On the west side, there lived many elves, dwarves, and beast men. There are also monster habitats and unexplored dungeons left unattended but the actual information is not clear for the people in the east. However, for the moment, those things are irrelevant. For the time being, we are involved in the Santamana Kingdom where we are and its royal capital called Monokans. Other than that, all we need to do is keep in mind about the political instability in Sonorat in the north. The chaos there is worse than your agony after eating Taco Bell. Such a weakling You merely adopted the spiciness. I was born in it. I didnt eat anything sweet until I was a man. Thats right`The royal capital Monokans of Santamana Kingdom. The land of magic and flying loli bitches. We, the Chrebl family, are currently on our carriage to that city. Uwaa Its so lively Its the first time for me to see so many people at once Both of Melby and I reacted while inquiring the state of the kingdom. My first impression about Monokans is Its huge. Probably bigger than Elemias butthole after Im done with her tonight. Monokans is in the south-eastern part of the Santamana Kingdom in the south-eastern part of Midgardztan. Specifically, the sole of the shoe part narrowing toward the arch. Just like Saroma Lake in Hokkaido, theres a big lake connected to the sea in Monokans. Theres a huge island in the lake which called Old City. It consists of the royal castle and noble houses under the rule of the king, Visgard the First. Since theres Old City, theres also New City. New City is a city developed far outside of the lake and about 3 times as large as the old city. By the way, there are no walls surrounding Monokans. Its because the castle walls are not necessary for the royal castle which is located in the natural stronghold on the island in the lake. Since it was created rather spontaneously right outside of the Old City, the New City wasnt covered in walls as well. Even when I entered Monokans, we saw guards but they didnt check our belongings. In other words, anyone can come and go freely in the new town. Just like Elemias butthole In the first place, imagine the chaos if the guards trying to guard the whole un-walled city against newcomers. Its just impossible. (ED: I want to say something but I wont) (TL: Karuma, no Trump jokes!) The castle walls were built long ago and still exist, but the city spread even more outside of the castle walls. It seemed that it couldnt really be called a castle wall at this point. We passed the old castle wall and ride forward. Dad, I think there are good and bad things from the freedom of entrance and exit. What do they do when an enemy attacks? In case of the Old City, the lake is a natural fortress so theres no problem. However, people must leave the New City. Especially since nobles only live in the Old City, there are not many reasons for the enemy troops to harass the New Citys residents. However, theres a possibility of looting would take place so they are planning to build a wall. A great wall. The greatest wall of all that would surround the New Town Alfred-tousan answered my question. How many people live in Monokans? Theres no accurate statistic, but it was said to be about 150 thousands. About 30 thousands in the Old Town, 110 thousands in the New Town, and about 10 thousand imperial armies In the carriage, there were Melby, Alfred-tousan, Julia-kaasan, and Elemia. Elemia was supposed to be adopted as a daughter but the adoption by nobles has to be approved by the King, so now her situation is in a precarious state. Because of that, Elemia was looking nervous in the carriage. I tried talking to Elemia to calm her. Elemia, do you read the original translation at mayonaizeshrimp.wordpress.com? No, Ed. Is that why I keep getting these lewd texts? Elemia, have you been to the kingdom? etto, I came here a few times for my duties In other words, did you came for assassination for Yatagarasu? I stepped on a landmine. Apart from Dad, who came frequently to the Kingdom, Julia-kaasan, Elemia, and I were distracted by the beautiful landscape seen from the window of the horse drawn carriage. We quickly forget about the landmine I stepped on. Eventually, we stopped in front of a huge gate. No, this is not a gate. Its a bridge! Isnt it big? In this whole continent, there are only a few bridges that were as massive as the Monokans Goldengate Bridge Looking from the entrance, the Monokans Goldengate Bridge looked like a combination of Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Tower Bridge in London. It was about 50 meters tall. The gate was like the letter H and has 2 towers on the upperside. Its walls were decorated with various sculptures. From the top of the tower, a strong chain is stretching over the opposite shore. (TL: Literal translation is golden gate bridge. You know that Im always open for suggestion) Is the bridge suspended by that chain? I asked my father. Thats right, but its not all. They can also raise up the whole bridge eh? Raising up a bridge that huge? I was surprised. I was completely under the impression that its suspended like the Great Seto Bridge and the Rainbow Bridge, but to think they can even raise it. (TL: Thanks, Idling) Even though the bridge was so long that you cant see the opposite shore from the other end. But I can see a roadkill right over there. Apparently, it was Donna. She looked exactly like a rat being crushed by a truck. I wonder if she went into another world Would the bridge break when it was raised? Well, I admit that what I said was certainly rude. However, your doubt was reasonable. Indeed, we couldnt really do it with our current technology Then? The bridge was originally an ancient artifact. Thanks to this, Santamana Royal Castle can feel relieved even without a wall. The tide was quite intense thanks to the ocean connected to the lake, so you cant reach the other side using some half-hearted war vessels. So its impossible to reach the island once the bridge is raised What kind of power did they use to bend a bridge that big? I dont know the details, but it seemed that theres a large mechanism in the basement of the bridge tower which store the power of the tide. I heard that everything is moved not with magic but in a purely physical way. They say that it was raised and lowered once a day. They raised the bridge when the sun was set and lower it again when the sun had raised While my father explain, our carriage started moving again. The coachmen showed something to the knight at the gate. Since theres no castle wall in the New City, is this how they check each person entering Old City? While being sent off by the knights salute, the Chrebl carriage advance to the other end of the bridge. Uwaaa!! Julia-kaasan looked out the window and admire the view. From the top of the bridge, I could see the whole lake connecting into the sea. Even the calm and composed Elemia couldnt contain her excitement. Because the lake is connected to the ocean, you can smell the scent of the ocean As my father explain, the smell of the sea was entering our carriage. Its true Elemia sniffed the air while saying it in reserved manner. Eh? Didnt you said that you have been here before? At that time I was sneaking inside a merchants cart I stepped into another landmine. Julia-kaasan glare gave me a chill. Ugh But its not on purpose Hey look! Something is over there! Melby pointed at something on the other side of the bridge and raised her voice. It was Thomas the Tank Engine flying through the sky. I see. So instead of dragons, we get Thomas ravaging villages and kidnapping princesses. Reminded me of a certain game As the horse-drawn carriage moves, another town could be seen from the distance. You can see brown-tiled roofs built around an elegant castle. Since theres a natural castle wall which is the lake, the buildings look more elegant than the New City. Isnt it pretty? Other than the bridge, this is the symbol of the royal capital, the Santamana Royal Castle Its so pretty~ I agree. The sight of our God, Thomas, is so majestic. I could sing his theme song all day Both Dad and Mom were looking behind their shoulders and enjoying the scenery. Dad explained the building every now and then That is the mansion of the famous Marquis Sagastine. And over there is the mansion of . Meanwhile, Elemia was staring at rope-like thing spreading next to the bridge, not the royal castle. There are 2 ropes, one that gradually descends from the front to the back and the other that descends from the back to the front, making an X shape if looked from afar. Is it BDSM? What is that rope? Hmm, a little while ago, a basket-like container slid down on that rope Heee So its a ropeway? Ropuwei? In my previous life, there are things called ropeways that were made to transport people. It seems that in this world, it was used to transport things downwards. It uses height differences to transport things As I explained, a basket ran through the ropeway. It was quite fast, I wouldnt notice it if I didnt have Discern. The basket wasnt that big, it was about the size of a parcel. Still, it must be much easier than carrying stuff along the bridge. Since the bridge tower was 50 meters tall, connecting a rope from the top of one tower to the lower end of the opposite tower seemed to function as a ropeway. The ropeway is used when theres an urgent transmission. They can even use it at night when the bridge was raised Did something happen? I dont know, maybe its a message about us coming That makes sense, maybe they just informing that the Chrebl Family has arrived. After we crossed the bridge, a knight approached us from the Old City and saluted. My father peered from the carriage and the knight spoke. Halt, infidel! Thou must sing the Thomas Tank Engine with SpongeBob arrangement to pass His Majesty the King is waiting. Ill take charge of guiding you from here to the castle Im with my family, is that okay? If its alright with you sir, your family may come as well Eh? Us too? My father seemed a little surprised as well, but there was no choice. I understand You must be tired. We have prepared a place where you can have a meal and rest. I was told that you are allowed to eat anything you desire in the Old City. Should I lead you there now or would you prefer to go straight to the castle? Pardon me, but Id like to go inside the castle now Very well, sir. Then I shall be your guide Lead by the knight, the carriage started to move again. Since we were told that way, I can take Julia with me, but what about Ed, Elemia, and Melby? Dad asked. I woul- no Id like to decline if possible Elemia declined. Now if you think of it, Elemia wasnt officially adopted by our family, so that would be better. I understand. But, can you please not to speak so formal with us? y-yes I kno` ehem I understand, however I know its impossible to do it straight away, but please think of Julia and I as your parent Mia-chan is really a good child Julia-kaasan embracing Elemia while saying so. Elemia squealed like a kitten but my mother didnt concern about it. Iya, its not that she didnt mind. She might possibly use brute force to embrace her. I always wanted a daughter~ Speaking like that, I really dont know how she made that conclusion. My mom sent a gaze towards my father. Nee, Al-kun. I wanted to give birth to a girl *COUGH COUGH* Dad was choking while Elemia blushed and looked away. Unexpectedly, Elemia was knowledgeable about sex. No wonder she took my 1-year-old dick so easily Then Ill wait here with Elemia. The conversation topic sounds complicated Melby says so. It may be prejudice, but there may be nobles who do bad things behind the scenes. It may be troublesome if they know about Melby. What about Ed? Dad asked me next. Of course, Ill come. I want to see the King Okay. But just in case, even in public, he must be referred as His Majesty the King. While dad was explaining common etiquette, our horse-drawn carriage arrived at the royal castle. *** Viscount Chrebl, traveling such distance must be tiring Inside the audience room, speaking on a decorated throne, the Santamana Kingdoms ruler, Visgard the First. I guessed his age is probably about 40 years old. His physique is quite athletic and his beard is shaved clean. He wore clothes like the Kings on those playing cards. It was a strong looking man with intense eyebrow and nose. Under his deeply carved eyebrows were his eyes which shine strong, gazing towards us parents and child during the audience in interest. (TL: Another western stereotype in Asian countries. Westerners have strong looking nose and intense eyebrows. Just like westerner cant differentiate Asians, us Asians cant differentiate westerners because white people looked exactly the same) On this occasion, I summoned Viscount Chrebl to the Royal Castle in order to give the explanation on the matter of Black Wolf Fang and Yatagarasu. Even so, since we have received the report in advance, you can do it later. I was tired after doing audiences so it couldnt be helped After his words, some ministers who lined up on the left and right made bitter faces. The audience room is maybe as big as a gymnasium. Even though its wide, the room itself seemed narrow. The ceiling is probably about 5 meters tall. The walls are made of marble-like stones and some painting were hung but its not too over decorated. Curtains were hung on the wall. The ceiling seemed to be covered with embroidered cloth. A red carpet was spread towards the throne. The throne floor was about 1 meter higher than the other floor in the room. There are staircases on the both sides of the throne. The ministers were lined up on each of the staircases. They are jacking each other off. Why are they doing that in front of a 1-year-old kid? Rude! The audience we are having today is to reward Viscount Chrebl`oi When the king called, one of the servants handed over a tray with some kind of papers to the king. Fumufumu In addition to protecting Ranzrack Fortress from Black Wolf Fang, he counterattacked and taking Goleths head. After their leader was killed, Black Wolf Fang who was hurt by magic lost their coordination and was destroyed. Arrangement for the suppression of their remaining units was quick and accurate and resulted in a complete success of capturing many of them who ran towards Santamana Everything is nothing but excellent military gains`oi Your majesty, Please stay serious One of the ministers presented a complaint. Other than a complaint, please stop jerking off. God, what is wrong with these people? Furthermore, when your mansion was attacked by the assassin group Yatagarasu, even though they kidnapped your son, not only did you recover your son, you also uncovered the mystery behind the religious assassination group. You defeated their leader, captured all of their executives, and cornered Yatagarasu into their destruction. Wahahaha, now this one is big! The minister tried to add something but he quickly gave up. Looking at this, I dont know if you have good or bad luck. Achievement-wise, you are indeed lucky, but I think its a misfortune to be attacked by Black Wolf Fang and Yatagarasu in a row. Ah, I know. You have the luck to overcome troubles The king who laughed while saying such things looked more like a Leader of Thieves rather than a king. The Merry Monarch Dad told me the Kings title beforehand, but Santamana Kingdoms King, Visgard the First, is clearly a person who speaks honestly without reserve. He was also famous as a friendly king who loved his 3 queens from the bottom of his heart. An overachiever who did his best to reach the top and succeeded. In other words, a fucking riajuu He must die! In addition, you were alternating crops to match the climate of each of your territory, which increased the grain harvest to 50%. Recently, there are also some who succeeded in growing cotton cultivation in Trenadette village, which becomes hot and humid during summer due to the seasonal wind. To be able to solve military and internal affairs, as a head, Viscount Chrebl is surely excellent! ahaha Im humbled As expected from Dad, to be able to stand in that situation. After all, you son also played an active role as well Is it Belhart? No, its David David? According to what I learned from Appraisal, I think David-niisan was assistant librarian in royal library. As an active imperial guard of Knights Order, there seemed to be opportunities to increase his achievement. Umu, Do you know the rumor about the slashing demon in the royal capital? Now I heard about the slashing demon. I first heard the rumor from Gazaine when he hinted it back in Fauno City. In addition, it may be related to the other reincarnator, Kizaki Tooru. The slashing demon Certainly, it sounds like a demon who would cut people up like raging wind, or an invisible midget running around with a knife. Even though it sounds absurd, there are citizens who suffer from scratches that looked likes cuts from sharp knifes David-shisho finally revealed his true identity. It was said to be a demon, but its actually a natural phenomenon. In the windy season, the wind spirits become agitated which caused Wind Magicwith equivalent power as Wind Thrust to occur randomly So the magic happened naturally? I feel like its not natural phenomenon at all, but magic is categorized as natural in this world. If I turn invisible and rape every woman in the town, I can blame it as natural phenomenon To be precise, the thoughts of people who were frightened by the rumor of a slashing demon interferes with excessive spirit power and unintentionally developed as magic. Based on this hypothesis made by David-shisho, I decided to experiment a bit. Iya, even though I said its an experiment, its just Davids recommendation So what kind of experiment is it? After spreading Davids hypothesis, we made a silver coin penalty to anyone who spread the rumor about the slashing demon If you convert a silver coin to yen, its roughly a thousand yen. Its a rather light punishment. Its like a fine for the inconvenience of the rumors. As the result, this years report of slashing demon incident was reduced to less than a tenth. David-shisho was awarded the title Natural Phenomenon Scholar and some rewards. Eventually, he would be promoted into a librarian. Even among the librarian, he was the youngest one in the front line. We have finally reached the 4th class victory Somehow, I have a feeling that something uncomfortable just being said nonchalantly. The library I think David-niisan helped in the royal library as an assistant librarian. What the hell is library battlefront? Despite my confusion, the story goes into a different direction. About Belhart, needless to say, the imperial guard of the Knights Order worked well. Even so, the one with the most merits is you, Alfred. no The king cut his words there and gave me a meaningful look. What do you want? raaaaaape!!! Well, Ill listen to the details later. For this kind of achievements, its only natural to be promoted, isnt that right? For now, would it better to promote you into a Duke? pfft! *COUGH COUGH* My father choked at the kings words. The noble rank in the Santamana Kingdom is roughly the same as in my previous life, which are: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron respectively. Right now, Dad is a Viscount. If he promoted into a duke, he would rise 3 ranks. Rising to the top like that is way too far. My father glanced at those ministers. His gaze was enough to know that he would refuse. Either a good luck or bad luck, there are consequences in rising 3 rank at once. Many problem may surface if he accept it. I-I am truly grateful but to have an incompetent person such as I pronounced duke sounds like a dream butC To dare to refuse the offer, insolence! A minister cried out behind the king. So what now? should I Should I present my body What are you talking about? You are, without doubt, one of the most talented individuals in this country. Furthermore, I still havent rewarded you enough after the Golhata Campaign 2 years ago P-please at least promote me into a Count I am going to promote you into a Duke. Are you trying to deny my words? hm? Even though the king was smiling, it was clearly a threat. Oh, what about the minister behind the King? He seemed to be impatient to say something. B-but your majesty, promoting a viscount into a duke is unheard of! Theres no precedent for it in history! Then this shall be the first one. You only need precedent if there is no king But its not necessarily good for Viscount Chrebl! Promoting to early will surround him with envy! umu You have a point. If you guys became envious, then who will throw me tsukkomi? `What do you think, Viscount Chrebl? Yes. umm Please forgive me in advance but please promote me into a Count. Dad said so with sweat running from his forehead. Wahahaha! Forgive me in advanceeh? Very well then Then? However, why did you said so while running a cold sweat? I will not take back my words so easily. How about this Take the Duke and Count and turn him into a Marquis? Until a while ago, there was a rank of a marginalized warrior treated like a marquis, but it was abolished Marquis, noisy nobles with honeyed-words. Some nobles stared at Alfred-tousan. Indeed, refusing this would be too disrespectful. I-I am truly grateful With a stiff face, he finally accepted the promotion into Marquis. The ministers behind the king didnt say anything this time. Obviously, a new territory will come with the promotion, but well talk about it next time. I will also attach a title. Thats right, well call you Lord Protector of the House Chrebl. Everyone, from now on Marquis Chrebl will also be known as the Lord Protector of the House Chrebl The way to gain a title is numerous. If a king orders everyone to call a certain person with a name, the condition of Having a number of people acknowledging the name would be easy to complete. Attaching titles like this didnt cost money, so its certainly a good mechanism to reward someone for their achievements. After that, my father gave a formal greeting and that ended the audition with the king. *** Or not. As soon as we left the audience room, the minister spoke to us. Apparently, his majesty said that he wanted to have dinner with us. Its one or two hours before dinner so he guided us to a waiting room inside the castle and prepares some snacks. After about an hour, we were guided into a private dining room where the royal family take their meals. I felt nervous while waiting, soon afterward, the face I saw during audience came into the dining room. Next to him was a refined middle-aged woman. From the outer appearance, this woman the queen. When we stood up and try to say hello, the king told us that its fine to stay seated. You were from before, is he your new child The king suddenly turned his eyes on me. etto what should I do? Ill introduce myself for the moment. My name is Edgar. I am honored to be able to meet the famous wise king I tried to lower my head a bit. Wahahaha Ill get embarrassed being called wise. Well, its a fact, though Please dont get too cocky dear His Majesty laughed happily while the queen landed a fist on him. Both Julia-kaasan and I stared in amazement, but my dad just gave a bitter smile. So, is this woman Alfreds new The queen shift her attention to Julia-kaasan and ask nervously. Yes maam, my name is Julia. Being a former-adventurer, there may be some impoliteness. So please excuse me Julia-kaasan gave her a gentle nod. Hee, isnt she such a pretty wife. She certainly took Alfred out of the corner Even so, Im grateful for it. Since Alfred lost Kanan, he was Im sorry I caused so much inconvenience at that time Alfred-tousan replied to both of them. Kanan. So that was the name of my fathers ex-wife. Julia and Edgar might not know, but Alfred, Kanan, Eriza, and I went to the same military academy. We used to do a lot of mischief together. We would register to the Adventurer Guild using fake names and go to hunt monsters Even though he said together, we were taking different majors. By the way, Vis was in the martial arts department, Alfred was in the war tactics department, I was in the magical department, and Kanan was in the divine department The king explained and the queen supplemented. I see, so thats why the king is so friendly to dad. I wonder if they ever had a foursome. Visgard the First. I have heard about him before. The king of reformation. Eliminating the complicated many territory disputes, establishing the gold-silver-bronze system with a royal decree, fixing the exchange rate between gold, silver, and copper. He was vigorously making progressive policies since he became a king. Furthermore, he was the composer of Thomas the Tank Engine Overture Remix. The song was blared throughout the town every midnight. Well, the reason I invited you here, besides cheering you up, is because I wanted to hear about the Black Wolf Fang and Yatagarasudirectly. I was conducting investigations by sending people here and there but I am confused by the multiple sources of testimonies that were hard to believe. Regarding my information source, I got full confidence in their reliability. But when I combine those information together, the one who took the head of the mercenary groups leader and the head of Yatagarasus leader is that boy So he found out. Well, hes the first one to notice the obvious facts. How can he miss a flying baby throwing spears from a fortress? The kings intelligence network. It was a quite excellent organization to be able to grasp information to that extent. Therefore, right now, His Majesty the King has one of his most concerning object of interest, which is me. By the kings words, dad and mom turned pale. Its not that Im threatening you, dont make such a face. But you better say it straight away. Son of Alfred, Edgar Yup The king stared right into my eyes as I said those words. Did you come from a different world? CH 76 Translator: Kirisaki Shin Editor: Mayonaize Shrimp Tsu! The Kings words startled me. And that was enough as an answer. So, thats true Well, dont worry. I dont mean any harm. There was a legend conveyed only to the royal family. Sometimes God would bring a visitor from another world to this world. They brought useful knowledge with them, but that knowledge would be dangerous if held by evil people. A countermeasure is indeed necessary, but we cant just arrest them out of the blue. Why? The reason is because the Gods sent them onto this land to finish their duty. Therefore to make the Gods intention into reality, it was necessary to give them support. However, they hold a different set of values from people in this world, so its hard for the country to win them over. Trying to assure their freedom as much as possible, while trying to give them support as much as you can. `That is the tradition which has been handed down for generations Thats But, perhaps it was not that odd. There must be some reincarnated person sent by the Goddess before. If that reincarnated person also entrusted with a mission like me, of course there would be some opportunity to meet important people in this world. Thats why, Edgar-yo. What do you need from usD no from the Santamana kingdom? Tell me your wish Because I didnt expect it would turn out like this, I cant think anything if suddenly asked like this. For now, lets ask for information. Well On one hand, we have the Sonorats pillaging brigade, the infamous mercenary gang . On the other hand, we have the demon god worshipper, the assassination cult organization . These two organizations had the same objective at almost the same time, to usurp the Santamana Kingdom. Isnt it a bit too much to be a coincidence? I cant help feeling that this is planned by a certainsomeone from Sonorat or even further north I dont know who thatsomeoneis, but I believe the possibility for it to be the reincarnation of that random attacker, Kizaki Toru, was low. Kizaki should be reincarnated as a baby like me. It will be questionable if a baby holds an influence to that extent. Even so, Gazaine said that he saw a mysterious child, which probably is Kizaki. Although it cant be said that it was Kizaki who lead the situation, theres a possibility that he was involved somewhere. But in that case, theres a high possibility that an organization is protecting Kizaki and manipulate Black Wolf Fangand Yatagarasu. Fumu. I already sent a spy to find information about Sonorat situation. In Alfreds report, there is a Pastor-sama with the name Letishia Rudameia in Yatagarasu. I wanted to arrange a search warrant containing her description, but it hasnt bear any fruit What kind of power does Sonorat have as a country? What we understand is, it was a central city/state in the northern plateau. Even so, its hard to think for such a small country to reach not only Sonorat, but even Santamana which is farther to the south. And its also the same with the Empire on the northern border. Its not strange if their power cross over until the middle continent, but I dont understand why they target Santamana which is in the southern tip of the continent How about other influences besides the country? Perhaps the evil god believer who worships the evil god is a dominant person. Or maybe, the demon that resides in Frostbite, the lizardman in the southern continent, theres also a connection with trader from Sonorat that currently in isolation at eastern region, savage tribe who have a conflict with Santamana, or else the elves principality with revolution ideologist the possibility is roughly in such place What about that evil god believers? I wasnt able to grasp their situation either, but they scattered all over the continent, and they said they make a secret society to achieve the evil god intention. However, the most rumors about those heretics were about dominating by conspiracy and historical theories, and there are a lot of things that cant be grasped properly. In the superstitious rural area, if you are doing somewhat suspicious things, you will be suspected as a heretic. People selfishly burn them to death even though it was prohibited by a royal decree In short, its like the secret society in the previous world, its all about occult after all. About this heretic, please investigate them very carefully Hou, is there any reason for it? I have knowledge from my previous life granted by the power of Goddess-sama` Atrazenek-sama, the god who ruled the samsara. I received a mission to pursue a man who was reincarnated to this world, a devil worshiper in the previous life Fumu. Devil worshiper and evil god believer. Its certainly bad. I understand. I will try to investigate this evil god believer. Even so, if their activities are centered in Sonorat, then what we can do will be limited I think those guys took an advantage from the instability politic in Sonorat But, its a difficult thing to do for our country. I cant possibly send a soldier just to subjugate Sonorat Thats right. Theres no way I would ask to invade them. For the time being, I cant do anything other than to request an investigation. No, there was another thing that I can ask for I wonder will it be okay to say it, but perhaps its okay for me to be frank. Please, I beg you to give a generous treatment for the former member of Yatagarasu As a person who unified the people inside Yatagarasu and the mastermind of the revolt, I have a responsibility to ask for this. Because of my words, the king slightly opened his eyes and said. Hou Even though they kidnapped you? Why do you try to protect them? I talked with them and I made them realize that their teachings are wrong. In that process, they also mentioned various problems they had. They said that they felt bad for doing it, so I dont want them to be punished severely But, its regrettable that I have to punish them. There are circumstances which criminal become a victim, but it doesnt mean they are all innocent. Although it seems horrible to punish people, its still necessary to maintain order. Kindness alone isnt enough to be a ruler Of course. Even if they were deceived to kill a people, the fact that they killed people doesnt disappear. However, Yatagarasuused drugs as a brainwashing method. I think it was difficult to get through that by their own power. If you think that way then probably most people will get brainwashed like them. As for their murders, I think those who ordered them to kill people should be held responsible. Fumu The king was silent while put his finger on his chin. And then, Alfred, your sons opinion isnt yours, right? No, its not. For me, its normal for those assassins who attacked our families to be punished. According to the kingdoms law, its not possible for them to escape from capital punishment. Even after take brainwashing into account, they still cant be said not guilty. Moreover, there is still a doubt whether they really change their heart or not What father said seems to be harsh, but in the prior discussion, as a noble, he should remain neutral, so he was not supposed to support my opinion. According to father, His Majesty, The King is a wise person, he will reject prejudiced opinion The king nodded a few times to understand fathers opinion. True, its worrying. Its dangerous to release those trained assassins to public So? Umu. Normally, a boys opinion should be rejected. However, it was this boy who will save the kingdom. Therefore, I will hear this boys opinion. Consider it a compensation for hiding the fact that you are a reincarnated person The king clapped his hand to call a person. The person who came in was an officer who guided us before. `The king of Santamana kingdom, Visgard the First, has made a decision regarding the former member of Yatagarasu. Yatagarasuformer member will be sentenced to construct the castle wall without payment. The period is until the completion of the castle wall. During that time, those who caused trouble will be subjected to severe punishment as usual. Those who didnt cause trouble will be freed after completion of the construction. However, there is an obligation to report the address to the country after liberation, and if he commits a crime, additional penalties shall be imposed according to the weight of the crime. The decision of additional penalties will be judged by the king. For the former members who are under 15 years old, they will be judged separately. `Thats all, record it The officer recorded kings statement to a wooden clipboard. The officer finally handed the clipboard to the king, and the king signed after confirming the content of the clipboard. Probation I was standing alone while muttering that word. Probation? Thats a good way to call it. Then, from now on this punishment will be called as probation. For the criminals who still have a room for sympathy shall be assigned to probation. However, in order to not to be abused, probation will need approval for the time being. After the officer wrote down the kings word once again, the king watched the officer leaving. What about those under the age of 15? Asked the queen. How many children are there in Yatagarasu? There are 29 people under 12 and 15 people around age 13 and 15 Father replied the question of the king. Father dealing with the after-process, we rented a building to be an inn and prepared a place for the accommodation for the children. Originally, it was because the owner kindness that the inn can become an inn and an orphanage, the inn was for children to get a job experience as well as for a way to feeding the children, it will be operated as a placed to encourage independence. Obviously, father will give a support to the inn as the lord of the territory. Because of that, father was able to accurately grasp the number of children. Father explained to the king about the present situation and future prospect of the children until the policy about labor and sociality of the inn. HouIts quite an effort. Orphan often become a criminal or a bum because there arent many opportunities to get a job. Could it be an idea from the previous life knowledge of this boy? I answer the kings question. Yes it is. In my previous life, there was a system of job training for those who are socially disadvantaged, such as orphan or handicapped person. However, as a former envoy of Yatagarasu, they have a certain combat technique, so I think it will be easy for them to become adventurer So, why did you take such measure? They didnt receive any love from their parents and spend all their time being brainwashed and doing harsh combat training. If it continues as it is, I think they would have a hard time adapting to an ordinary life Unable to adapt to ordinary life, is it? True, I heard a story from some of the knights and soldiers who taking part of a terrible war, they cant adapt to ordinary life anymore In the previous life, probably it was a problem faced by every returning soldiers from Vietnam. I was surprised I could grasp the civilization level of Marquekt. It would be fine if they eventually become an adventurer, but before that, I want them to know about ordinary life as well Good point Boy, aside from battle, it seems you also suited to be internal affairs officer No, that was its just because I have some knowledge in that matter As I humbled myself, the conversation broke off, and only the sound of the meal continued for a while. Then, the king suddenly said. `Oh right, Alfred What is it, your majesty Dont be so stiff here But Thats right, it reminds me of the time when we are together To my hesitated father, the queen said so and agreed with the king. But its only here okay? Aah. I also didnt want to make your position worse No, even that Marquis was Father switched the way he talks. Because of father, the king smiled and laughed. From the beginning, everyone was against you to become Marquis. Thats why I pick a duke I thought so really, you know that I cant refuse it, thats why you do that Hahaha, but, if I told you, it would be just the usual whim of the king. Its to decrease the people who are openly attacking you Yeah yeah I know you are trying to protect me Yes, right, thats the feeling! Chatting with Eriza is fun, but Its really different when talking between a man Ara, are you unhappy with me? Then, Im sorry your majesty The Queen` Eriza-san? Turned away her face. I didnt say that. But, for 4 people` no, it turned out to be 3 people You are the most who sad about that, Alfred I knowI know, but it feels lonely From the beginning, you only like Kanan, arent you? Wha Thats not true! If you say that, then even you have an interest with Alfred arent you? Fu fu fu. What do you think? Damn, you always dodge the question like that Anyway, Alfred, you and Kanan were in love with each other, there was even no space for us to break you two You guys really dont change Alfred-tousan mixed a wry smile with that words, but there was a happy feeling in his tone. Julia-kaasan looked at father with a great interest. Oh yeah, Alfred Just now, the king looks like had come up with something and said. What? I will appoint you as the leader of the Royal Guard Pfffft``````! Father spat out. Your Leadership skill is high enough to lead the army and your Spearmanshipis enough as a guard at the emergency. There also no problem in terms of skill, achievement, personality, and appearance Bu-but, I have a territory Its okay to leave it to an officer right? There also nobles who hates half-elf I will shut them up The current leader has more skill level in Swordsmanship than my Spearmanship, right? Its true that he was skillful at sword, but he is too ambitious. He is a part of section who trying to interfere with the conflict between son to be the next king, also he didnt care much about his subordinate. Eh? Hasnt it been decided that prince Ilfreed will be the heir? Irenths illness is somehow getting better. Thats a good thing, but as the king, Irenth needs to regain his physical strength to work or the succession conflict that will happen again. As you know, Santamana kingdom choose successor to the throne based on ability and achievement In return, the candidates who wanted to succeed the throne were given privilege and duty to assist the king by joining the Royal family And father looks at me and said. Right. This method has the effect to reduce the conflict between the candidates to some extent, but if you want to be closer to those in power, the problem is whether or not you can be an aide for the king and become Royal family. The size of the structure is different after all. Well, that is why to support and protect a particular royal family, its impossible for the Royal Guards to leave royal family But, to begin with, to become the leader of the Royal Guards, you need to be a noble or royalty, right? Arent you a Marquis? If a Marquis isnt enough then I dont know anything else? You can even maneuver who would succeed the royal throne if you want to. If its possible then can you do something to the close aide of Royal Guards! Ugh, so this peerage just for this after all Thats good right. Besides, it will also protect you and your families To protect us? Listen to me, looks like you are not aware of this, but right now, you provoke jealousy from those nobles. There also a remnant from Yatagarasuand Black Wolf Fangright. This is a measure to keep me safe and protect you and your family at the same time Father was silenced by the king who spoke with a serious expression. And there is that boy too. If something happens, Corbette Village is way too far to reach from Imperial Capital. Also, there are so many people in Imperial Capital, so the boy will be hard to be noticed. Above all, this Imperial Capital is sturdy. Even those heretics and those god apostle cant do whatever they want here That is Beside, even I was called as the king of wisdom, if I do a reform, Im sure someone will resent me. Of course, Eriza will be with me. But the other 2 consort may be targeted. In such situation, it will be good if there was someone that I can rely on. Alfred, I believe you can help me, will you lend me your power? After said that, the king turned toward Alfred-tousan and bow his head. As a king, he should be able to appoint father as a royal guard with royal authority. And yet, he bowed his head not to the Marquis Chrebl but to his old friend, Alfred Chrebl. Father and Julia-kaasan look at each other. Mother sweetly smiled and nodded. Perhaps she said to father to do as he likes. P-please raise your head No, its wrong, please raise your head(Tn: he change his way of talking from formal to informal) Father said and sighed. Honestly, I feel like waiting for disaster and capital punishment for a half-elf but I understand. There is also a matter about Ed too, and its a request from Vis too. `I will take the job as the leader of the Royal Guard That was helpful The king said so and sighed with relief. But, I dont have a mansion in Imperial Capital. As the leader of the Royal Guards, I think I need to have mansion in the old city, but there is no more land in old city, isnt it? The land in the old city was limited because it was surrounded by a lake. Thats why, the residential area of the old city was already filled with the powerful royalty and aristocrat, my father explained it on the way here. For that reason, having a mansion in the old city was needed as a status for nobility in the Santamana Kingdom. Even so, father was talking about mansion in the old city not because he wants a status suitable for the leader of Royal Family knight order. Its simply because for his job as Royal Family guard, he cant do something in a dangerous situation unless he lives in the old city. The golden gate bridge was going up at night, it will be impossible to go back and forth between the old city and new city. Of course Ill prepare a mansion in the old city. The initial costs are paid from Royal Family budget. The purchase cost of the mansion is a separate payment wage for the Royal Family knight order, it should be as an offset of that allowance. In the old town? But there was no vacant mansion in old city right? The mansion of marquis Ferguson is vacant Marquis Ferguson Father was curious and frowned his eyebrows. looking at the situation, the king bitterly smiled. Its not like I didnt know how you feel, but dont make such a face. I guess it must be inconvenient to you, but Ferguson who is a conservative leader was also famous as an artist-patron. I already visited it, and its a pretty good house But looks like there will be a grudge from marquis Ferguson It seems that my head is getting cold as well, I admit that I was wrong at that time. Of course, maybe you will meet him face to face, but it will be okay I will be grateful then. I will take over as soon as the next commander of the third division is decided and move to the Imperial capital Please. As a king, it will help me a lot. Its good to know a trusted person with an ability like you will be beside me. Only those who have sat on the throne will know this feeling of loneliness the king lonely smiled, it doesnt suit someone with the nickname The Merry Monarch. The queen who sat next to him stroked his hand gently. Thus it has been decided, our family will be moved to the Imperial Capital of Santamana Kingdom, Monnochanus. CH 77 Translator: Kirisaki Shin Editor: Mayonaize Shrimp Around 2 months passed since the last time I went to the capital. Alfred-tousan already took over the job, so I proposed a suggestion. `Dad, I think it would be better for you to have magic title I greet father like Yoor Yathen I told him what I was thinking. You can raise your maximum MP like Julia-kaasan. Even though only 1 point before bedtime, but if you do it for 1 year, then it will go up to 365 points. If you want to do it, sooner the better By the way, 1 year in Marqueckt is also 365 days. Un, I heard its important to get the magic title, butWhat exactly do I need to do? I am quite known as a commander or spearmaster, but I am definitely not a mage. I can use magic as a half-elf, but my mana level is at the same level as a human wizard Father is still not convinced at all. I already did the training for a thousand times though. I want father to learn original magic that I thought Im not familiar with this style like father, I even forgot the sequence as I speak. Father strictly watched me, hit my spear, quickly turned it and beat my shin. It hurts! Every time I make a mistake in my fighting stance, Father will quickly Scoldme I will not remember it if I didnt feel pain, but looks like father wants to teach his style. Your original magic? Sounds like another dangerous thing Father said it while looking at me touching my shin. Before I show you that magic, I want you to see this first I took out Gazaines dagger. Its a devil dagger, the outside is covered by a mithril Mithril is a metal that allows mana to flow through it. And thats why, Aqua C Flame? SpreadDDIce Pack I draw magic characters with the tip of the dagger and activate the original magic. I create a mysterious object, a soft ice and touch my shin with it. Father looked at me with a surprising face. I dont know what to ask first. How did you write the magic characters with the tip of the blade? Or how did you activate 3 magic characters so easily? Or how did you master ice creation magic, which is difficult to learn? Or how did you create soft ice rather than hard ice? it doesnt matter anymore right? Un. Long story short, you can draw a magic character with the tip of the mithril weapon like this dagger. Fathers spear is also made of mithril, right? He didnt use it when training with me, but his actual spear is made of mithril. Yeah. It seems to be something from ancient times. The pattern is made from mithril. I was wondering why they used something expensive like mithril for the pattern, but Eds explanation answered my question that I had asked for so many years. So, it was made as a medium like a cane? Perhaps. Thats why I think there will be more variation in tactics by drawing magic character with the tip while fighting I see you can use magic even when both of your hands are occupied. But, what kind of magic should I use? I cant use Fire Magicyou know? I want Father to use ice and frost creation magic Ice and frost I told you before, I have no aptitude for Fire Magic Creating ice using magic usually need aqua to create water, then flame and spread to take the heat from the water. Since there is no Ice Magicin this world, such detour is necessary. But, there are other ways to create ice. The first thing I came up with was to stop the molecular vibration of water with Telekinesis Magic. However, this method took way too much MP for practical use. It has a bad fuel efficiency just to freeze aqua water for a whole minute, it has the same amount of MP cost as julia-kaasan Fire Storm. The next idea is to applyWind Magicto the water produced by aqua, and imagine Take the heat with the wind. I got inspiration from the vaporization when sweat dries, but it still had a bad fuel efficiency to produce it using water vapor alone. Thats why I thought about the method based on Imageto take the heat contained in water and turned it away using the wind and make it disappear, the result is a technique to cool down the water. Like the Darkin Dark Magic, its not the state without light, its similar to Somethingwith proper actual condition, even fire, water, and wind produced by spirit also similar with a natural phenomenon in the previous life. So, its possible to do such a thing as long as theres a solidImage. I explained it to father. Meanwhile, father and I sat on the bench for a break. I am not tired, but Im sweating and my throat dries. From the side of the bench, Steph poured some water into the cups on the table and I drank it in one gulp. So, if father combined Water Magicand Wind Magic, it should produce ice and Frost `Look As I said so, I draw Aqua and wind in the air and activate the magic. On the palm of my hand, an ice with diameter around 5cm appeared. In order to imagine heat vaporization, most water produced by aqua is disappeared, and it is considerably decreased. its really difficult to use as an attack compared to Fire Magic, but this magic can be reliable depending on how people use it. Since I already made it, I put the ice into fathers cup. Theres still more I picked up an orange on the table and cooled it using wind. After the orange completely frozen, I throw it to the corner of the table and it crumbled. It doesnt end there. I can sprinkle some water using aqua and freeze it using wind. I can use it as a trap to make the opponent slipped then thrust him with a spear how about it? Thats interesting Furthermore, it will become easier to use if you/he use an Image of creating mist water using aqua. Perhaps it will be more powerful if you teach the knights and used them as a group. And then, you can trap the other party in ice blocks if you freeze water mist using wind but I think you can reduce their combat capabilities by taking their body temperature away. I think it suits fathers fighting style which gradually reduces your opponents power without letting them get close Certainly, the idea sounds amazing. But, even though I learn the cooling magic, I still cant get the title, right? Oi, hora, you said there will be a match right Un. As a debut of being a captain of royal family knight order, I will fight with Ilfreed, the captain of the imperial guard dragon knight order If you show this magic there, the title will be attached to you right? Right now, I think you should focus on that father Father who was raised from viscount to Marquis should be a hot topic in royal capital. Especially about nearly become a duke and said Please pardon me from being a duke, it seems in the back people called him Pardon Marquis. I dont want to stand out any more than this but I surely want to raise my MP maximum value We restart spear training without reaching conclusion. Although father still worried, he still wields his spear so precisely and fix every mistake in my stance. By the way, is your highness Ilfreed the first Prince? Thats right. His highness is also famous as the master of spears. However, unlike me, he is the user ofHardspear where he left it all to power. I heard that he has the skill to strengthen his physical power A skill to strengthen his physical power? Ouch My father scold me for being upset and made a mistake. But if your opponent is the prince, is it an entertainment match? Ed, a child shouldnt have that kind of idea. Ilfreed is a straight person and temperamental, and your majesty also said to me to do my best Hee Do you have a chance to win? Un, I have a chance if I stick to battle of endurance, but I will lose if I faced him head on If the opponent can use skill to strengthen his physical body then father can use magic too dont you? Yeah. But, I cant use magic if I cant endure a fierce attack from his highness Then theres more reason for it Well, its already started, Ill do it until the bitter end And so, father decided to try new tactics by combining ice and frost withSpearmanship. Then, the day of the match came. Julia-kaasan, Elemia, and I were allowed to watch in the special seat near the King as fathers family. The HardPrince Ilfreed and the Soft Alfred the lord protector of the house Chrebl. As a spear user, this is a match you wouldnt miss, a lot of spectators came to see it. Of course there are many aristocrats who want to see not only the spear match but also the lord protector who got a big military achievement. Also, its because to saw prince Ilfreed who a good looking man and dignified like a lion and Alfred-tousan who had a youthful figure and an ikemen. The aristocrat lady who had a spare time had no reason to miss such opportunities. So, which one do you think would win? It was the king, Visgard the first, who asked me. Of course it will be Al-kun excuse me, it will be my husband who would win! Julia-kaasan declared it without holding back. the king just bitterly smiled. I shouldnt have asked. Then I will cheer for my son It goes without saying, as his son, the kings blood flowed in prince Ilfreed. The king has 2 sons and a daughter, prince Ilfreed is the oldest. I heard prince Ilfreed is 21 years old. A firm physique and a manly face resemble the present his majesty the King. His height is half of the current kings head, in previous life unit it would be over 190 cm. His hair is red like flames. Although he is a spearmaster just like father, he used an assault lance for cavalry and father used a short spear. Both of them were standing face to face in the arena. Compared to the prince, father looks really thin and fragile. Of course, since fathers position is a vanguard, if you look carefully you will understand he that is considerably trained. In fact, if you are looking at their physique, they really contrast The king answered my words. Yeah, right. not only physique but also their fighting style is also in contrast. Thats why there are a lot of things they can learn from each other, even for those who just being a spectator. When I looked towards the venue, the member of dragon knight order are on the side of the prince and the member of royal knight order on the side of father, together they cheer father and the prince. Aside from his highness Ilfreed, it seems there was a tension between each member of royal knight order with father since father just became a captain. Its not a hate feeling, but it just they are still not familiar yet, they seemed hesitant whether its okay to make a fuss or not. Perhaps, is this the purpose of the match? The king heard what I say and said. Thats how it is. Their boss suddenly changed after all. No matter how much royal knight swear an allegiance to the king, it doesnt mean they will immediately okay with it. So, its as you guessed boy, this is an event for it So, that means there is another reason right? As for that It will depend on Alfred. `Well then, lets started it now Then the king stands up and shouted to the venue. Alright thats enough! Both fighters go into the position! Seems like he will manage the game from the audience seat. Both of you are allowed to use all of your power in this fight. In this place you are enemies, but you are also a comrade who shared a burden of this country! The match will be limited to this place and there will be no grudge afterward! Needless to say, both dragon knight order and royal knight order also cant hold a grudge whether they came out as victorious or not! Well then, into your position! As the king said, father and prince Ilfreed go into the position. Since both of them are specialized in spear, they put a moderate distance between them around 7 meters. `Begin! With the sign from the king, Prince Ilfreed rushed out. `Shit! Father let out a sharp thrust and prince Ilfreed countered it and try to stab father. When prince Ilfreed used his glove to divert the head spear, it grazed his ear, then he mow down the spear on his side. A normal spear will be gone after taking so much power, but father ward it away by hitting it in the same direction. Even though Prince Ilfreed posture collapsed for a moment, father didnt use that chance to thrust but take a distance while slightly moving his spearhead. The only one who understood about what father do in this place is probably me. Are you going easy on me?! Prince Ilfreed shouted his dissatisfaction. Father didnt answer it and kept moving his spear tip. Prince Ilfreed took it as a provocation, his face was dyed red and he recklessly thrust his spear to father. Father moved his hand again. If you look closely, you will see fathers mouth moves slightly. `Finally, there are visible changes around him. Mist? The king leaned forward in excitement. Right. There was a faint mist on the stage. However, its only near prince Ilfreed. Al-kun, is using magic? As expected, Julia-kaasan noticed it. Father draws aqua with his spearhead to make a mist. Magic letters will shine if you didnt put awareness in it, but it will not shine if you didnt put awareness in it. Obviously, with Mana perceptionskill he can notice it faster if father using magic, but Prince Ilfreed didnt have it. As I expected, there is a chance I will be found out by the royal magician if I used Appraisalto royalty, I need to refrain myself from using Appraisal. `No, isnt it okay now? Ill mix it with fathers mana and used Appraisal. Ilfreed Czenos Santamana (First Prince Of Santamana Kingdom C Captain of Imperial Dragon Knight Order C The Child of War Dragon King) 21 years old Level 35 HP 99/99 Mp 41/41 Skill C Master Class Dragon Riding Art4 Spearmanship3 Immense Physical Strength3 (Skill to strengthened physical of the user for a period of time. The amount of strength and time will increase according to skill level. ) Throwing Spear Art C General Dragon Riding Technique9 (MAX) Spear Techniquesͣأ Throwing Spear Techniques 9 (MAX) Fire Magic5 Far Sight5 Horse Riding Technique4 Great_Sword_Technique Water Magic2 His Spearmanshipis 3, his skill level is lower than father, but Immense Physical Strengthskill compensated it. I thought he just a brain muscle, but he has magic skills too, maybe his style is using magic and spear to attack the enemy while riding his dragon. While I checked prince Ilfreeds status, the mist at the stage getting darker and darker. Noises spread among the spectators. Oi lord protector What the hell is this!? Is it a smoke screen!? do you know how sacred this battle is!? Prince Ilfreed stop attacking and criticizes father. you will understand soon, prince Now, father turned into offense. Prince Ilfreed who was unguarded rushed away inside the mist, but father didnt chase him and stayed at his place. Then ` from outside of the mist. I dont understand! Prince Ilfreed lost his patience and attacked father, but every time he attacked, father just evade it and sometimes throw a counter to prince Ilfreed. Meanwhile` Ugh what is this? Cold? Finally, prince Ilfreed noticed what happened. Father switched aqua to wind from the inside and gradually cooled the mist. Then before he knew it, the mist was cooled enough to start freezing and prince Ilfreeds armor began to frost. Thi-this is his goal! Even though prince Ilfreed groaned, the mist already became a sparkling diamond dust. The air on the stage was cold enough to freeze the sweat on the prince Ilfreeds white hair. Also, prince Ilfreed has changed his hand to hold his spear several times. The metal spear is cooled inside the fog, holding it must be painful. As the mist turned into diamond dust, spectators view became clear. After the view was hindered because of the mist, the mist turned into a sparkling unknown phenomenon. Then prince appeared from inside with his body covered in frost. A roar spreading among the spectators. Damn! To used such a petty tricks! Prince Ilfreed became rage and assaulted father. His move clearly loses momentum compared from before. Just by spear skill alone, fathers win cant be shaken anymore ` and yet, thats not how father is. Anyway, prince Ilfreed slipped in front of father and falling down. Prince Ilfreed must not have known what happened. However, it was obvious what happened if you saw it from the seat. Prince Ilfreed steps into a puddle of frozen water. Prince Ilfreed cant see it because of blood on his head. No, prince Ilfreed who was inside the mist must be had become accustomed to the poor visibility, so it seems that he started to neglect his attention to his feet. Anyway, prince Ilfreed slipped in front of father and falling down. As I thought, even he didnt falling down, the gap was too big. Father didnt rush in panic and thrust his spear near prince Ilfreeds neck. `Thats enough! The winner is Alfred?Lord Protector of the House Chrebl The kings declaration ended the game. A big cheer coming out from the seat. Prince Ilfreed became dejected, but he stand up and shake hands with father. After that, they bowed to the spectators and turned to the special seat. Good job, you two The king said so as an appreciation. Damn I was on lord protectors palm since the beginning(Tn: prince Ilfreed called Alfred as lord protector) Prince Ilfreed say it with regret. Hahaha! There is enemy you cant beat just by playing with a wild boar. Isnt it a good lesson, Ilfreed? Prince Ilfreed nodded after hearing what the king said. Perhaps the king wanted to teach the prince by made up this game. It must be because as a friend since military school, the King knows well how good Alfred-tousan ability is. When I saw the king, I saw a big grin on his face. No, there was a lot of a dangerous part too Thats what Alfred-tousan said to the prince. Prince Ilfreed smiled at what father said. Well said. That was brilliant spear technique. As expected from the person who father put trust into. Even so, lord protector used a strange magic isnt it? This is also the first time I used this magic. The frost itself has no offensive power Aah, if the body temperature is taken, the movement will be dull and the opponent will become impatient. It seems good as a trap However looks like I will not be able to pull it for a second time Of course Prince Ilfreed and father puffed their chest and laughing. This person is ah right, the same type of person like Miguel. A broad minded person, it makes sense if he became the captain of dragon knight order. By the way, when he lined up with his majesty the king, he looks just like the king. His looks and his temperament. Only the height is different, prince Ilfreed is a tad shorter around half of the head and his shoulder wider as well. The king called Alfred-tousan as he smiles looking at his son. I never saw that kind of magic before, Alfred. There must be someone who teaches you that ice and frost magic after all. I somehow understood who teach you that The king said so while looking at me. Un, correct. If the wife is Witch of Flame Prison, then the husband should be Alfred the Frost Blizzard Prince Ilfreed said so and laughed after saying good things. This prince really didnt have a hateful feeling at all. But I was grateful for this moment. You become Alfred the Frost Blizzard, father Thats a little embarrassing I try to make that to become the title, but father had a face like he didnt want it. Hahaha, isnt it interesting? You are Alfred the Hailfrostfrom now on. With this situation, looks like I didnt even need to settle it with order This person seems to have fun to put a title on people after becoming a king, but it cant be helped. Oh well, isnt it good, Alfred the Hailfrost Fufu, I think its cool And the queen joined the ride. Oh yeah, the king, queen, father, and fathers ex-wife are in a party before. `Alfred the Hailfrost. With this, Alfred-tousan was able to get his magic title. CH 78 Marquekt had a long history and since the Spring of the year 1296, there are 2 rumors that came out of the Adventurer Guild HQ in the royal capital Monokans. Even though they were different, both of them were about the same household, the Chrebl Household. The first one, the subordinates of the Lord Chrebl keep successfully hunting many high ranking monsters. As the reward of his achievement, he was given the ownership of a dungeon, which was located rather close to the royal capital. Its basically a demand to expand ones territory towards Sonorat, so there was a strong dispute between some upper-echelons of the country. But since it was requested by the Lord Guardian, the B-class dungeon Abandonded Ancient Firedrake Nest located about half a day from the royal capital became owned by Marquis Chrebl. At first, it looked like it will overlap with Adventurer Guilds authority, but originally the dungeon had many humanoid monsters. Since there is little demand from the material side, the guild had no desire to monopolize the dungeon. The adventurer guild was entrusted with the task of keeping the monsters in check, they cant neglect to thin out monster populations in the country. And of course, it costs money. Of course, revenue may be generated from materials and drop items, but it is too small. Considering the trouble of managing the dungeon, the cost greatly surpasses the profit so it can be said that it is a bad dungeon. The adventurer guild had to think about they should do with dungeons like this, but theres nothing much they can do. In the end, they decided to push it onto Marquis Chrebl. The young people, who heard about the now discussed dungeon, foolishly rushed inside expecting profits. Meanwhile, the people from adventurer guild laughed mockingly in their minds while handing over the rights of the dungeon to Marquis Chrebl. However, they heard that Marquis Chrebl seemed to be looking for a dungeon. At that point, the Guild started to question what was Marquis Chrebls plan. In that dungeon, there must be something that exists beyond the guilds imagination, but the famous hero, Marquis Chrebl knew about that certain something. It must be the reason why he wished for a dungeon as a reward for his achievements. He can capture pretty ogre ladies and create a harem for himself. Or even more, he can force his harem to rape some random poor guy. Even so, Marquis Chrebl cant monopolize the dungeon. As long as they are paying the toll fee and making a report, the adventurers from the guild are allowed to dive into the dungeon. Using that premise, the guild issued an investigation to several high ranking adventurers to dive into the ancient fire dragon nest to try finding that something. However, after confirming that it was a troublesome dungeon with low profit, the people from the guild had to give up further investigation while tilting their heads. The other rumor besides the Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest, theres a strange adventurer that was witnessed in several dungeons and fields. Even though the adventurer looked like a 17 or 18 years old maid, it was said that she was swinging around a gigantic sword and fighting. Moreover, witnesses also said that the girls fought like the heroes in legends. Her big sword was wrapped in flames, swinging as fast as lightning and sliced through the enemies with tremendous speed. At the end of the fight, she divided the ground using her big sword and swallowing her enemies into the crack. Based on the rumor, the girl is now called White Frilled Hero. Is she an adventurer? Is she a retainer from a certain noble? No one knows who she is. (TL: ۥ磻ȥ֥ C howaito burimu no yuusha means hero of the white brim. White brim is the frilly hat that maids wear so I translate it was White Frilled Hero) Regarding her appearance, some say that she looked cute and lovely, while others say that she looked like an ogre. It has been confirmed that she was not registered as an adventurer from Monokans, but everything else is an enigma. Regarding the girl, some witnesses said that she had been seen together with Marquis Chrebl in the Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest. Some say that shes the follower of the hero Lord Protector of the House Chrebl or his secret disciple. Some also say that shes Marquis Chrebls illegitimate child. Various speculations were made. Meanwhile, Marquis Chrebl himself left no comment on this matter. `uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ogre! Its an ogre!! No way! Its a variant! Screaming in the 5th layer of Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest was the C-rank party Battlefield Hammer. The party itself is formed by ex-mercenaries. They are often found causing trouble for other adventurers due to their roughness and temper. However, they were still an asset to the Guild since they would take dangerous quests without hesitation. Right now, the Battlefield Hammer was inside the low-profit dungeon Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest for one reason. It was because the gossip flowing around the kingdom. That is Whether or not Marquis Chrebl was hiding Something about the Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest To own such a low-profit dungeon and frequently bring his knights into the dungeon, it was way too suspicious even by the eccentric Marquis Chrebls standard. This story is famous among the guilds adventurer. Marquis Chrebl said that he is trying to train the knights under his wing, but who would really believe even half of what he said? There is something in the depth of this dungeon, something that the Adventurer Guild doesnt even know. And Marquis Chrebl is trying to monopolize it and such rumors were spreading around. And the Battlefield Hammer was one of those people who believed the rumor. To the people who have little faith in the nobles good deeds, they dont believe that Marquis Chrebl simply leads his knights into a dungeon with the intention of simply raising their levels. There must be something here. And so, the guild issued a secret mission to conquer the dungeon. Some says hes absorbing the dungeon core, some says hes using a mass-killing machine to hoard EXP, and others say that hes hiding his ero-manga. Despite the danger to the C-rank adventurers, despite their sorrow, they still came to the job and are now struggling to escape from a group of ogres. Why? Because originally the dungeon rank was B. It was obvious that the dungeon doesnt fit their level. (TL: please excuse my language here. They are mercenaries so they must have sailors mouth) (ED: Let the swear-fest begin) You fuckers stand your ground and stop them!! Are you fucking kidding me! I dont want to be caught dead in this kind of place! The party leader ordered the bottommost members to hold their position, but of course, they would refuse. but Then Ill force you to do so! Guaaaaa!!!! The leader swung his huge mace and crushed the knee of one member. We must do our best to keep surviving! Thank you, Buffet! We will survive thanks to your sacrifice!! Gyahahahaha!! Thank you very much, Buffet! The other adventurers escape while mocking the fallen adventurer. You fucking bastaaaa` The fallen adventurer somehow managed his sword and leaning against the wall, staring at the incoming ogres. They were approaching. His palms were sweaty. Knees weak, his sword is heavy Vomit on my armor already Moms spaghetti shit. shit. Shit. SHIT! SHIIII` He decided to stand his ground, raise his sword, and fight until his end. Suddenly a gust of wind blew from the back of the ogres, past the adventurer. The adventurer turned his eyes towards the source of the wind and exclaimed. w-w-why is there a maid in this kind of place? Right. There was a maid. The maid carried a gigantic greatsword and used it to block a club swing from an ogre. O-oi! Those ogres are variants! Theres no way a woman could beat them! No wonder the adventurer thought like that. The maid looked like a small and delicate girl. Her approximate age is 17 or 18 years old. She had long chestnut hair. Her stature from behind looked rather innocent. But most important of all, she looked rather glamorous. But, normally she wouldnt able to fight the ogres. Flame Tongue!! The moment the maid murmured the chant, her sword was clad in flames. Guoooooooooo!!! The ogres shrieked in anger. Thunder Strike!! The maids greatsword swung at an unbelievable speed. The adventurers, couldnt even perceive the speed. The large sword slices through the neck of the ogre variant while scattering out electricity. The maid with her greatsword strikes and thrusts like a lightning bolt and managed to deal damage to the variant ogre that the 6-man-party Battlefield Hammer couldnt touch. w whoa While the adventurer murmured, the other ogres snapped and attacked the maid. The maid sliced the ogres with the flame-clad sword like a lightning bolt. Furthermore, she shot a water bullet from the handle of the sword and took a distance Ground Dash!! She swung the sword into the ground. And the ground exploded. The rock flows from the place the sword hit and swallows the group of ogres. The adventurer still looked at her while gaping his mouth. Still not believing his rotten luck. To fall as low as being saved by a very young girl or had his content stolen by novel Aggregators ``fuuh. I somehow did it~ said the maid while humming a light tone. The maid pulled the sword with a cuteuu~n from the ground. Behind her, a huge shadow approaching. Behind you! The adventurer shouted to warn the maid. It was the variant that should have been killed. The mutant, with blood still gushing out from the neck, picked up his fallen club and tried to attack the maid. *whoosh*! *splash*! *drop*!! The adventurer couldnt understand what happened then. Something flew at a blinding speed, hit the ogres arm and blew it up. The club flew past the maids head and crushed the unfortunate rock when it landed. He tried to look back slowly to see the aftermath of the club and missed what happened in front of him. When the variant draws near, a sudden metallic sound was heard, and the variant fell to the ground. Thank you for saving me, Ed-bochama Now Steph, what did I tell you about being wary of your surrounding? (TL: just in case because someone asked me before, bochama is used to address someone with status of very very young master) A human figure came and the adventurer still couldnt believe his eyes. The one appeared before him was a 5-years old child. The child lowered the bow on his arm So does that meant that it was his arrow that blew off the variants arm? But, I didnt think anyone would still be alive after that much of damage Its because ogres are stupidly durable, especially since its a variant. This mutant seemed to possess the ability Toughness Then please tell me beforehand~! But didnt Steph just say to leave it to you? Well other than that, are you okay? The boy approached the adventurer and called him out. A-ah Thank you. Thank you for saving my as` rear The man tried to choose his words carefully since there were a maid and a boy with questionable age right in front of him. Uwaa, this is a terrible wound. Even his bone popped out. Is it from those ogres? No it was from my party members. They crushed my leg to buy them time to escape. Those bas` guys washed their hands of me just like that I see. So it was misfortune. Party is it? So you must be an adventurer. But its really weird. I have confirmation from my father that no adventurer is supposed to be diving today Father? Yeah, he is the Marquis Chrebl. The owner of this dungeon The mans expression paled after hearing the boys words. O-oi, you look pale. Dont worry, Ill heal you now. `Heal The boy drew a shimmering magic character and the mans wound started to close. oooh This is the first time Ive witnessed Healing Magic So what happened? Did you perhaps not submit to the Adventurer Guild and dove into the dungeon anyway? You (Omae wa) no, are you (Anata-sama) really the son of Marquis Chrebl? Using Omae is fine. Im just 2 years old. My name is Edgar tw two? He almost muttered are you kidding me?. My name is Buffet. The truth is our part` no my previous party tried to enter this dungeon without notice Since just making a report is not an obligation, I wont blame you for it. But why did you do such a foolish thing? You cant call for help if you got caught up in something We know it. But that Towards the hesitating man, the boy gave a nasty expression. Ahahaha Do you seriously believe in that rumor? That is how it is But, as Edgar-sama said, is the rumor a hoax? You dont need to add sama, but putting that aside. My father had said since the beginning. This dungeon is a place to train his knights. This dungeon is really useful as training grounds since the monster pack moves in an organized manner, it was like fighting in real combat. Well, the raw material we get are few in number, but after the middle layer, the monster levels were raised as well So that is what happened. Damn They even said that Nobles always try to extract profits from people to the bone We were completely deceived Im sorry for you. Well, when you get back to the guild, you can report that you were dumped as a scapegoat. Im sure the punishment for injuring a party member and turning them into a decoy will result in their expulsion from the guild Even though youre a child, you sure know a lot about the Adventurer Guild. That attack before, You are Marquis Chrebls son of a devil. Ah, I apologize. That was very rude of me (TL: Just a reminder, he has a sailors mouth so calling him a devils child was actually a compliment) I dont mind~ By the way, can you go back on your own? I think so It will be really embarrassing to be escorted by the son of a noble and not the other way around. Even so, as a scout, at least I should be able to scurry home Hearing that response, the boy glances at the adventurer. If you say so But, your Stealth Step is quite sluggish, no? You know you can use it to walk on the surface of the water if youre careful, right? Meeting goblins or orcs should be alright, but you might be ambushed by Kage-Tokage though water surface I see! I understand! If you think about it, its true!! (TL: Kage Tokage basically means Shadow Lizard but I want to preserve the pun. It probably looks like this certain part of an obsolete rank-4 engine from yugioh cardboard) Hearing the boys words, the man hit his hand *pon* since it was such a good idea. Good bye then. Have a safe trip. If I were you, I will also report to the guild about the abandonment. After all, you should be allowed to have your revenge, no? `Now, Steph. Shall we make some profit? Eeeh? Havent we hunted plenty enough already? I see, so Steph is the type who will slack off when left alone. We have to keep on earning relentlessly whenever we are together. That said, if you leave people like Elemia alone, they will persist doing things excessively so you have to stop them somewhere We had been working too hard these past few days, hence why Elemia-sama took a day off. Im so jealous~ I also want a day off While doing such a casual conversation, the boy and the maid disappear into the dungeon. The craggy ground from the maids magic? The boy aimed his palm to the ground and the dungeon regained its original appearance like nothing had happened. so that was the Chrebls demon of a son and the White Frilled Hero The adventurer totally forgot about escaping, he could only just stare blankly as the two left him alone. To~oh!! Along the stupidly placed shout, a huge sword was swung at a terrifying speed, cutting the unfortunate goblins in its path. While watching her fighting, I reminisced about what has happened so far. Since the start of the training, Stephs clumsiness could be seen as clear as broad daylight. To be honest, I think Stephs power would be too much for regular everyday life. She could swing a great sword like any normal ones. I wont be surprised if she couldnt adjust her strength to daily life. Steph herself didnt think that she was that strong, but people around her had expected to be a victim of her clumsiness. Whether it was the effect of her class as Spell swordor the result from rigorous training, Steph doesnt seem to have any trouble controlling her strength. Thanks to that, her clumsiness is reduced to almost non-existent. Her efficiency in jobs like cooking, laundry, and cleaning had improved greatly. Since she can do heavy lifting work, she had grown to be regarded as Ace-class personnel among the maids in the mansion. The head of Corbette village once remarked when he had seen her growth I thought this would happen since the first day, I cant imagine her growth after this point and shed emotional tears. Even though there were many mistakes such as mistaking sugar and starch and made an incredibly thick black tea, she has undeniably come a long way. It was also thanks to the Royal Capitals maid education trainer we employed, she gradually grows into a refined maid. Currently, the result of Stephs Appraisal is as follows. Stephanie Poporus (Attendant of Chrebl Household | Daughter of the Chief of Trenadette Village | Powerful Maid | White Frilled Hero) Level 31 ȣ ͣ Skills: ?Master_Class Sense_PresenceΣţף ?General Simultaneous_InvocationΣţף Martial_ArtsΣţף Class Spell Swordã To encourage her class growth, I told her to focus on her skills, so even if she learned other skills, it will be included in theSkill Magic. Simultaneous Invocation was learned to obtain the counter stop bonus, which is Uninscribed Invocation. Unfortunately, her low affinity really slows the growth. Sense Presence was obtained with much struggle by combining other low-affinity skills like Keen Hearing with other skills. Her aptitude forMartial Artswas low as well, but to make her able to fight a little in case she doesnt have her sword, Im doing my best to have her learn it. Her recently acquired title White Frilled Hero seemed to be counted as Magic-related title, so its possible for her to do max MP expansion technique. Therefore, her magic sword, which has a bad MP cost and can only act as a trump card, could be used quite easily. If her MP kept increasing, she will become quite a broken character indeed. Her level also increased considerably after Alfred-tousan asked her to hunt down some monsters on a whim. Right now, even Gazaine would have some trouble to take her as a hostage. Regarding Spell Sword, she can even use it to give some form of retaliation against my father. When she is pitted against a human opponent, for example against my father when hes going easy, she can win 2 or 3 times out of the total of 10 fights. Fathers frost magic had a lot of progress after his match, but Stephs explosive power output is not something to scoff at. And that is the how the 2 years-old me spend my days. While training Alfred-tousan, Julia-kaasan, Steph, and Elemia, I am still going to raise my skills and continue my research. Even though every day is monotonous like this, Im still enjoying it the best I can. CH 79.1 This is the year 1297 and my 4th son will turn 3 years old in the 2nd month. All of the older sons, Belhart, Chester, and David, are exceptional, so I was prepared to some extent for my 4th one. When Julia told me that Ed had started to use magic when he was 6 months old, I couldnt believe my ears but muttered Ah so he as well at the same time. I knew she must have felt anxious since its concerning her first child, so I hopped on my fastest horse and rushed back to my residence. Contrary to my thoughts, she was uneasy but far from frightened. In fact, she looked relatively normal. Kanan, my previous wife, was overly protective of her children and she was the type to panic when something occurred to any of our children. On the other hand, Julia was very calm and in fact, she was the one who calmed me instead. However, even when being compared to his brothers, Edgar is seriously outside the norm. Using Telekinesis Magic freely at 6-months old and beating a leader of the mercenary group Black Wolf Fang in a man-to-man fight. And that was not all. Being kidnapped by an assassination group Yatagarasu and confined their headquarter, Crows Nest. Rather than feeling helpless, he devoured the organization from the inside and beat the leader, Gazaine Myunzer, also in a man-to-man fight. Both organizations were aiming to usurp the Santamana Kingdoms throne, so to the Kingdom, Ed was referred to as a hero. But since theres no way that the public could stomach the truth, the whole achievements were shoved to me, his father. Resulting in me being raised as a hero and being granted the title of Lord Protector. Obviously, Im having a guilty conscience towards Ed. Im more worried about my guilty conscience rather than the wave of nobles who were disagreeing with the idea of noble half-elf out of jealousy but still maintaining lip-service. When you overlook his outstanding magic and skills, overlook his social standing as my son, he looked just like any other fast-growing boy. A bit hard headed, stubborn perhaps, but theres nothing really wrong with the child. Hes pretty much a good-natured and considerate child. Rather than that, my 3 older sons were even much weirder than him. Belharts personality is quite heroic and he has a strong sense of justice, but he was also known as the neighborhood bully. On the contrary, Chester prefers being alone and seemed to enjoy polishing his archery skills outside. In the end, both of them became the Imperial Guards Young Falcon and the Adventurer Guilds No Second Arrow respectively. Both of them were relatively better. The weirdest one is my third son, David. David is a quick thinker and his memorization ability is second to none. He managed to learn magic by the age of 5, devoured every book in my library by the age of 10, and he has probably memorized half of them anyway. Hes indeed a prodigy. As soon as he hit 12 years old, he was granted a position as an assistant librarian from the royal library. David took interest in reading all of the books in my library, but unlike Ed, he didnt look like a prodigy from a first glance. Eds strength is in his flexible judgment towards different situations, something that came from an adults way of thinking and experience. He mastered magic at a faster rate than David, he even set his foot earlier than David. But unlike David who was genuinely talented in that field, all of Eds achievements came from his experiences in his previous life. Thats right. Edgar has his memories from his previous life. That is the reason he is so knowledgeable despite his age, and that doesnt include his knowledge from another world. That knowledge from another world proves to be useful in this world. Those who try to invent something new tend to be eccentric, even detached from the regular world. But when Ed was talking about things from his previous life, he didnt sound weird or detached from this world. When I heard that he had his memories from his previous life, rather than surprise, it feels like I finally understand something. Ed was the type to prefer individual work than group work, perhaps his way of thinking may possibly be formed from the way he lived back in his previous world. Even though he may have known a lot of people in his previous life, I really doubt that he had knitted a close person-to-person relationship to any of them, at least that was my guess. Father? Looking at me who was lost in my own thoughts, Ed stopped his spear and asked. its nothing Ed had raised his Spear Techniques to level 7. Frankly, Im almost running out of things to teach to him Last year when he asked me to teach him spear, I was so happy that I can finally act like a father. Thanks to the skill that Goddess-sama gave him, the amount of exercise he did couldnt be compared to ordinary people and he caught up with me in no time. Furthermore, his experience with a thing called Fighting Games that he did in previous life, his strategy and sense were comparable to a veteran. Its just youre starting to catching up these days Ah no, based on spear techniques alone, I think father is still stronger or so he said. Even though as he raised his Spear Techniques level, mine has grown as well. At this point, I dont know who is teaching who. Or rather, does Ed really need spear skills? Even so, I feel like we are repeating the same things in our spar these days Then should I use Master level magic in our sparing matches from now on? Ed proposed. By the way, it seems that even when other people see us using Master Class level skills, it wont really cause much of an uproar. Thats fine. I havent used my frost magic since my Spear Techniques leveled up considerably As the prize of Eds previous achievements, I gained an ownership of a dungeon called the Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest. The dungeon was avoided by adventurers since there are many humanoid monsters, but its an ideal place to train the knights. I went there personally with my knights to raise our level and skill level. Thanks to that, I had gained 5 levels. All of my subordinates had also gained the minimum HP to mitigate the instant kill effects of Assassination Skills which is 40 HP. According to Eds Appraisal, my subordinate knights, the Chrebls Knight Order, is now comparable to the best men of the Imperial Guards Knights Order. Since the other nobles will take this information as a sign of rebellion, Ed had emphasized to make sure to never disclose this information. Regarding the Royal Guards which I lead, they are not my private soldiers so I cant order them to participate in this training. However, a knight needs to be high leveled and have high skill levels to join the Royal Guard in the first place, so they must have some sort of self-discipline. Even though no one is forcing them to grow, they are surrounded by strong people left and right which in turn will make them more competitive with each other. Tousan, shall we go? Go ahead As soon as I nodded, Ed clad his spear in Lightning Magic and closed in. Using the metallic spear, anything it touches will receive an electric shock and suffer an abnormal condition. I clad my spear in Wind Magic and diverted the attack while paying attention not to touch the spear directly. At the same time, I made a mist with Water Magic and cooled it down with Wind Spirit Magic. However, Ed noticed it and scattered my mist with his own wind. After hisWind Spirit Magic I used ?-Erase that I just learned from Julia to scatter his mana. eh!? That caught him off-guard. Using that gap I chanted, O spirit of the earth, bind this enemy of mine! I used spirit magic to restrain Eds foot. Of course, he can easily break the bind in no time, but for me, that delay was enough. I clad my spear in frost and wind and secure Eds spear, then I pointed my spear at the defenseless Ed. I give He said while raising both of his hands. fufu Surprised? Obviously. Did you learn that from Julia-kaasan? Of course. I need to throw in a secret move once in a while to keep you from being bored I dont know what else tousan will throw at me, but I will definitely not get bored. Ah, but Spirit Magic is Legendary-class, so you broke the rules I cant believe I just made a foul play. Ed gave off an impish laugh as he was teasing me for my blunder. That was mean, but it wasnt such a bad smile. (TL: I think everyone with high enough level can learn [element] spirit magic but the real spirit magic can only be learned naturally by elf descendants) He seemed to regained his energy. Ever since he came back from Yatagarasu, he looked visibly depressed. I asked him once about it which he answered Just thinking about death. That is not something a 2-years old should worry about. Ed appears normal on the outside, but despite everything, I still worried about him. Its impossible to deny that living nearly 4 months with a group of assassins had left a deep impact on him. No, I think it had started since he killed the leader of Black Wolf Fang back in Ranzrack fortress. To which extent those experiences affected him is the real question. Furthermore, Ed has his memories from his previous life. Even when those memories granted him the experience he needed to overcome the fight in Ranzrack and Yatagarasu, Im not sure if I should thank the goddess Atrazenec for it. However, Eds case was too unique, no one can imagine being in his place. Regarding ups and downs in life, as a noble, I have my own share of troubles as I grew. But Eds case was too unique, no one in this world can really relate to him. In hope to try understanding him, I tried applying my own experience, anything similar to relate to his mind. Thinking about death I remembered the event 5 years ago It was the time before I met Julia. My whole life was a mess. I didnt think my life could get even worse after that point. Unfortunately for me, I faced another wave of troubles 6 months after Julia gave birth, but you know the story. But at that time, roughly speaking. It was when I just lost my beloved wife to a sickness. At that time, Belhart and David were just leaving our residence in Corbette village, just starting their apprenticeship in Knights Order and Royal Library respectively. Chester, who was just started working as an adventurer, came back to see the situation every now and then. One day, I was just reaching our residence but the quietness felt amiss. At times like this, some men will try to find something to do to escape the emptiness. However, I dont have the willpower to do anything. Apart from doing necessary decisions to manage my territory, I always withdrew myself into my room. I couldnt sleep at night and I kept having a terrible headache as I woke up. One day, a letter came from His Majesty the King. We were forming an army near the Ranzrack Fortress to prepare to poke at the Sonorat Kingdom. The army was led by the famous general, Marquis Fergusson, and his Majesty appointed me as his aide. Marquis Fergusson was known as a cheerful conservative in the military, but on the battlefield, hes known to flip off and go berserk. Based on the letter sent by his Majesty, I assumed that my role was to stop Marquis Fergusson when needed. I didnt have the motivation, but I couldnt refuse his Majesty either. Besides, I had the feeling that his Majesty was trying to push me forward. Visgard and I studied at the same year back in the military academy. Back then, we were so close that we used Ore-Omae instead of Boku-Kimi in everyday conversation. We seemed to grow distant after he was crowned as the King, but I am glad that he still cared about my situation even now. I think Even though I should be grateful, I felt more annoyed for the consideration. But I must keep my true feelings silent for now. During a break. How did Alfred-tousan and Julia-kaasan met? Ed seemed interested in how we met. To be honest, its unlikely for a noble like me and an adventurer like Julia to have many points of contact. Even though its quite a mature thought for a 3 years old or is it normal to wonder about how your parents met? I decided to tell him the event that happened 5 years ago. It was 5 years before now. I think about 2 years before you were born. There was a rumor that the feudal lords of southern-part of Sonorat were forming an alliance to attack us from Ranzrack. Since the battle happened in Golhatta, it was known as Golhatta Campaign This is the Sonorat which were currently in a civil war? They were going to attack Santamana? And why is it only the southern feudal lords? In that year, the harvest of starch crops in the southern part of Sonorat was drastically declined. Meanwhile, my territory in the north-western part of the Santamana Kingdom was having a good harvest due to the innovation in the agricultural technology. The Sonorat soldiers were too starved to keep the southern frontlines in check, so the feudal lords set aside their past grudges and attempted to invade Santamana Marquis Chrebls Territory ` at that time, it was a viscounts territory. The crops yield were increased significantly after my rule. I just enrich the farmland as much as possible, thanks to the teaching from my elven mother. However, fortune and misfortune are just like the sides of a coin, the good harvest caused war. Their southern feudal lords alliance intended to dig a narrow pass through the ridge passing the Ranzrack Fortress and send in their massive army. As they built a fort at the base behind the ridge and combining their troops, they used the war prisoners to dig through the ridge. The project was almost finished when the Santamana Kingdom noticed the movements from the other side and gathered the soldiers together. However, they didnt appear to be prepared to move soon. Not their supply squad, not their soldiers, not even their makeshift base were prepared to move. We still dont know the reasons, but this seemed like a good opportunity. If their alliance couldnt move because of their insufficient weapons, we can hit them here and stop their movements altogether. And so, Marquis Fergusson, the general trusted by the Santamana Kingdom for the task, decided to preempt the first strike against Sonorat (TL: Im not used to reading war novels so there may be inconsistencies in terminologies like soldiers/troops/knights and general/commander) The Santamana Kingdom prepared 30 thousand men for this campaign. The knights numbered 10 thousand, which was a quarter of knights in the Kingdom back then. The other 20 thousand were recruited soldiers. I, myself, enlisted about 200 of both knights and soldiers from my own territory to add the manpower. Based on our information, the Sonorats Southern Feudal Lord Union army numbered about 10-12 thousand men. They were staying in a makeshift fortress. However, the fort was made to invade the Santamana Kingdom, but it still couldnt perform sufficient function as a fort yet. The outside walls were made of stone, but the insides were still made of wood. Furthermore, it was said that some part of the walls still remained open from the lack of materials due to transport speed. To the Santamana Kingdom, its like they are offering themselves on a silver platter. Even so No matter how you look at it No matter how incompetent their general is, anyone would know that being open in that position would be bad for their lives. If thats the case, this is probably a trap. General Fergusson ignored me and announced the start of the campaign. This time, the enemy soldiers start leaving the fortress, probably taking their positi`even the soldiers from the other side of the fort are leaving? Its strange no matter how you think of it. Especially since their enemys soldier were taking the initiative and coming over to them. They shoot fire arrows, and insults, and they specifically insult General Fergusson personally. Sir, I think we should wait and see General Fergusson was furious after hearing my remark. What is there to see!? The enemy army has given up their fort to desperately fight a defensive battle on the field. Looking at these situation, what the hell are you thinking!? Of course, we outnumbered them by a great margin. but, our geographical advantage on the other hand I fixed my eyes on his while saying so. fuun Are you scared, half-elf? If you are so worried, you can take the scout units. Scout around all you want and relieve your concern Then Ill gladly take up that offer It was past mid-noon when I said so. I led 40 men from scout units and led them to spy on the main force. Of course, I went into the forest for precaution and taking pathless road, which only known by woodcutters. For that purpose, I hired adventurers and peddlers as guides. The adventurer was Julia Lancelot. She was known for her high MP pool and powerful fire magic, but my first impression of her was that she was an Elusive and Happy-go-lucky woman. And the peddler was Bill Poporus. He was a young and energetic merchant who was seeking big profits in trading, like dancing on the war. Like the adventurer, Julia, Poporus-san was tough-footed as well. We went through the forest without much problem. After a while, we found a group that looked like an enemy ambush reinforcements. As I expected I thought. It was probably their strategy to ambush us from this location Suddenly, I noticed enemy scouts were approaching. We quickly withdrew and took a big detour from the ambush squad. We need to rush back quickly, but at that time, our main Santamana army had reached the valley of the ridge, ready to be ambushed. General Fergusson didnt wait for me from my reconnaissance and carried out an attack to the enemys main units. The enemy soldiers panicked and threw away their formation and quickly ran back into the fort. General Fergusson took this opportun` He was caught in an ambush from his left and right side of the ridge! Looking at that situation, their previously running frontline came back into formation, trapping the Santamana Kingdoms army even further. That day, 30 thousand soldiers of Santamana Kingdoms army vanished in an instant. CH 79.2 And so the strategy was called the Hikisanbou Hikisanbou? First, divide your army into 3, then put 2 of them on standby. After the main army made contact with your enemy, pretend to turn back and invite them to chase you. Whats next? The enemy who was caught in the momentum was suddenly ambushed on their left and right, of course, put them into a mass confusion. Since their formation was extending vertically during the chase, its possible for the smaller army to defeat the enemy even though they are outnumbered by a large margin. Pull back on purpose to bait the enemy, flank the enemy from left and right, then command the main army to turn back again and attack the pursuing enemy from 3 sides. For this reason, the strategy is called Hikisanbou So its similar like Tsurino Fuse?(TL: ឤҰ Tsurino Fuse is the same thing but used by Yoshihisa Shimazu in the warring states period. Theres no English equivalent for this) Surfing no-bus-say? Ah, so theres similar tactic back in your previous world? So there are people who think alike even when separated in different worlds, I see. It was quite a dramatic strategy, often cited in war histories and tales. But to be honest, its not a really good strategy. First of all, you need to hold a special terrain that can hide your soldiers without your enemy noticing. The forests in the valley of mountains is ideal for this purposes. However, you must remember that there are limits to the number of soldiers that you can hide in these locations. Next, is the matter of strength. Its not funny if you were defeated because your main army who was making the first contact with the enemy in the center was annihilated while being chased. Also, the flanking army in your left and right might be caught in a skirmish with their scouts. Depending on the soldier, you might not be able to use bows or magic in the fight since theres a chance for friendly fire. And from the perspective of the leader of the flanking army who hide for ambush, you have to choose a place that not obstructing your vision and timing. And that doesnt include the weather. Theres always a chance for a false signal. After all, its acting. A calm and experienced commander will notice it. Everything will crumble if the enemy commander noticed your strategy. If I were the enemy, I will pretend to chase you from behind then strike any of the 2 ambush you prepared. Then I will destroy the remaining ones. In short, crushing every one of those three groups. Furthermore, if you know this kind of tactics beforehand, you can deal with it easily. Its one of the great advantages if you learn the arts of war. Its dangerous to be too focused to your own strategy. Its often said that the main task of the commander is to find the countermeasures of the opponents strategy Back in my previous world there is a saying The crafty schemer drowned in his own scheme Thats a wise saying, isnt it? Due to Sonorats southern feudal lord alliances strategy, the battlefield was engulfed in turbulence. Although their position was overwhelmingly disadvantageous, General Fergusson still tried to rally his soldiers together. He is really an exceptional commander when he doesnt let his head boil. Originally, the Southern feudal lords alliance had fewer number of soldiers than the Santamana kingdoms army. They even split their already small army into three for the hikisanbou strategy. Even though they were trapped, the Santamana Kingdoms army wont sit still and be killed so easily. Even though they were so brave, they were still in a huge pinch and all they could do was endure it. As the result, the ridge turned into a battlefield where the soldiers intertwined, creating a havoc. Meanwhile, the scout group of 40 men that I led was like a driftwood being swept away by a muddy stream. Besides, the main force itself were in a state of mass confusion. Should we join? Should we escape? Mooou~! This is what I told you before! The adventurer snarled. Indeed, the lady adventurer had insisted that it was a trap all along. I was in the same opinion, but the general commander was not me, it was General Fergusson. Theres nothing we can do about it! What do you want me to do!? We are knights, we have no choice but to do as we ordered! That doesnt mean that you have to die when you were told so, this rock head! You looked really young but your head is elder-elf class! Of course, in a bad way! S-so rude! Even though I look like this, Im still an A ranked adventurer! By the way, I still make more than a certain rural noble who is running left and right doing others bidding! Fu! You adventurers can act all high and mighty only because we kept the public order! You can go back and report to your guild that you just insulted the nobles of Santamana Kingdom! Please, both of you. If you keep quarreling we will be found out by the enemies We ran the pathless road while arguing. The scout party of 40 moved toward the rear guard of the main force, which should still be alright, in order to link up we ran as fast as we could. Fortunately, there are two people here who were familiar with the topography. We managed to get through the valley and reached the small ridge where we could see the battlefield clearly. The ridge was on the opposite direction from the main battle was located. Its a great location to penetrate the enemy ranks. In the small distance between us and the main battle, we couldnt see any enemys soldier. From this point, we could see the hastily made fort and every movement the enemy made. When I ordered a rest, the knights from the scout units sank to the ground in exhaustion. hey, so what do we do? The cheeky adventurer glared at me for answer. To not be exhausted after running in that distance, she was truly an A-rank adventurer. Popurus fainted halfway and was carried by one of my subordinates. I ignored the adventurers question and recount our forces. Out of 40 scouts we had since the beginning, we were down to 20. They were not killed, but they fell behind and got separated. I watched the knights, and ignoring the adventurers question. Hey you Do you often called the frozen ice noble due to your attitude? I care not about those things The truth is, I was often invited into high-class gatherings, but ever since I lost my wife, I refused all of them. No, even if my wife was still here, I would still refuse to go to those gatherings. Especially since it is filled with half-elves hating nobles. That cold attitude is so~ amazing! Of course, the ladies would flock around the cool ikemen like you She said sarcastically. Youre noisy. You would look prettier if you kept your mouth shut. I wonder why you adventurers are so cocky and spoiled Araa Im honored to receive such compliment from you Not! Do you always putting people off like this? The adventurer muttered, then she noticed something. Hey, Ice prince I know, Flaming moron Before I could warn the surrounding knights, several soldiers appeared from the nearby bush. They were wearing Sonorats uniforms. One of my knights yelled in panic. Kuh!? Enemy! Get in position!! The enemy soldiers drew their weapons and attacked us. Our soldiers morale were at rock bottom. The knights were still exhausted after running so far, theres no way they could retaliate. I forced my tired body to stand and faced the enemies. Get behind me, Popurus-san! I ordered the traveling merchant to get behind me and I poked at the leader-looking soldier. But this soldier was quite strong. I had reached the peak of Spear Techniqueswith my spear, this soldier was probably the same with his Sword Tecnhiques. Of course, the spear has the advantage of attack range, but hes still not an opponent that I could beat easily. ``Why is a person this strong placed in this kind of place? Shit! This guy is tough! The enemy soldier cursed and jumped back, taking some distance away from me. Then the enemy soldier seemed to order something to the other soldiers. -Conset?-Flame ` Flame Lance Guaaaa! The female adventurer attacked the soldiers without missing any weak spot. Their leader was knocked down and their soldiers were trembling in fear. Get them! I ordered the knights. That was probably their aim. Even so, our opponents are elite soldiers. Beating them will prove to be difficult. Adventurer! Lend me a hand! Im not adventurer my name is Julia!! The female adventurer turned around while complaining and supporting the knights with her fire attribute magic. I commanded the soldiers to surround the enemies, but as expected, they knew they were outnumbered. fuuu I was surprised The female adventurer let out a sigh a relief. However` -Flame?-Spread `Fireball Suddenly, fireballs sent flying from behind the trees. `ku! Careful! I quickly jumped on the female adventurer, pushed her away from the firing line and rolled together on the ground. The fireballs exploded near us. ugh My back was roasted in blistering flames. Ice Prince!? The female adventurer raised her voice. Even without my order, the knights rushed to the source of the fireballs. Not long after, the enemy mages scream could be heard from the trees. A-are you alright, sir!? One of my knights rushed over. Im fine I only took a little bit of flame Ah-Ouch! I tried to get up but I felt a heavy pain on my back. Apparently, Fireball exploded on a rock and the impact blasted a piece of rock and it hit my back. Ice Prince! Unfortunately, there are no one in our squad who can cast Healing Magic. I guess I have no choice but to endure it for a while. why why did you protect me? Fuun. Its not like what you were thinking. My body just moved on its own Risking your life to protect a temporary mercenary, Ice prince-san is really isnt suited to be a commander. but thank you You are welcome. You also used your magic to help How many of us died? I asked the knight. About 5 people, sir I see 5 people died due to my carelessness. I pushed my soldiers to the limit and dropped our guard when taking a break. I didnt consider the possibility of being found by the enemy soldiers. Its still hard for me to accept peoples death. They always reminded of my late wife`Kanan. nce-san! Ice Prince-san! When I came back to my senses, the female adventurer looked at me anxiously. Her face and Kanans face overlapped for a moment in my eyes. I shook my head to clear the illusion and answered the female adventurer. Aah Sorry. I was lost for a while Are you really alright? I turned my face away from her and ordered the surrounding knights to stay alert. The adventurer, feeling ignored, pouted. Its Alfred Eh? That was my name Julia-san e-eh?? The adventurer`Julia-san was caught speechless. I ignored her again and ordered the knights to interrogate the freshly caught enemy soldiers. CH 80 After the interrogation, we finally understand the enemys goal I gathered Julia-san, Poporus-san, and 4 of my squad leaders and explained the enemys strategy that we got from interrogation. First of all, the Southern Sonorat Feudal Lord alliances true goal was to bait Santamana Kingdom army into their location and destroy us. In other words, the alliance had accomplished their goal. Due to their inferior numbers, they schemed to pull the Kingdoms army to Golhatta and use the geographical advantage. For that reason, they intentionally left the fort half-finished, left only a small number of soldiers in the fort, and positioned the other soldiers in the ridge for an ambush. Of course, in order to destroy the Santamana Kingdoms army with Hikisanbou strategy. However, according to the interrogation, that is not their only strategy The alliance had foreseen the possibility that they still couldnt destroy the Kingdoms forces, even with Hikinsanbou strategy, due to our overwhelming number. In case the Kingdoms army was too tough to destroy, the alliance would temporarily give up on attacking and retreat backward. But, the plan goes even deeper from this point. They are planning to use the power of other reincarnator No! It cant be! wait wait waaait! What is a reincarnator? Poporus-san and I was caught speechless. Julia-san, even I, a random peddler, know about the existence of reincarnators. Well, how should I put it, they are basically people from other world that dies and reincarnated into this world. Some of them Has blessings given from gods Yeah, seems legit. Anyway, whats their plan? She seemed to be so indifferent about the fact that she was going to fight an unknown force.. They are planning to summon a person and duel them one by one Okay. That will happen. so lets fight the dude now! *du dudu dudu~* WAHAHAHAHA!! Hello and welcome to my domain. My name is Mai and this is Mai Domain!! Uwah such a bad pun Julia-san, please concentrate We still dont know about the abilities of our new advebersaly adverseri adver.. We dont know our new opponents abilities! Foolish mortal! I challenge all of you for a duel! Take out your disks! DUEL!!! A flat metal boards with a deck of cards appeared on our left hands. We have to play it safe and see his decks first. Hey, you, Mai! You can go first! Really? how kind of you mortal Then I shall take up your offer!! I activate [Brilliant Fusion] and sacrifice[Garnett] and a light monster from my deck! I fusion summon [Gem-Knight Seraphinite] in defense position!! Then a faceless humanoid monster appeared on her field. It cant be, using her only extra deck zone on her first turn! Ugh I dont have the handtraps to counter that! Popurus-san started to panic. None of us drew any [Ash Blossom] to counter her fusion summon. Extra deck zone? I dont need those things!! I normal summon [Bountiful Artemis] and [Angel Sage Minerva] in attack position!! Right after she declared it, 2 machine looking angels appeared on her side of field. But why!? She cant XYZ summon without Link Monster opening up her field!? I DONT NEED SUCH A WEAK SUMMONING METHOD! I activate 2 [Pot of Greed] from my hand!! NO!! It cant be!? That card is forbidden! Popurus-san screamed even more, while Julia-san barely knows how everything works. Popurus-san! What does [Pot of Greed] do!? That cards lets you I dont KNOW!! Nobody knows what it does!!! No.. it just let you draw 2 cards Then, I set [Guiding Ariadne] into my pendulum zone!! No, even pendulum This woman is too dangerous!! We have to kill her here! Foolish mortals! Challenging me is a mistake! I still have 3 cards in my hands. I set 2 cards face down and activate [Card of Demise] and draw another 3 cards!!! Her hands.. She kept drawing and drawing. How much consistency boosting does her deck have!? Dont worry, my turn is finishing up soon! I activate [The Sanctuary in the Sky] and set the remaining 2 cards on my field. I end my turn. Your move, cowface!! This is bad! She ended her first turn with 3 monsters and 5 cards on backrow! Even with 3 of us, theres no way we can kill her Then Julia says with a serious expression Jaa my turn. DRAW!! .to be continued CH 81.1 Its a love potion. A purple-haired girl was holding a glass flask with a smile. Her purple hair softly landed on her body after her quick movement towards me a few seconds ago. A love potion? Is this real? I asked. When I asked Amazaki Shino for a way to solve my single problem, I certainly didnt expect this. Yesterday, I went to the student council room to tell her of my problem. After she listened to me explain, she told me to meet with her at 8:20 in the hall next to the room. Of course! You didnt think I, the student council prez, would lie, would you? She leaned towards me, grinning and twirling the bottle. The red liquid inside clearly swished around. A few bubbles formed and popped. Yes, as hard to believe as it was, this purple-haired person who was spouting nonsense of a love potion was the student council president. Im just your average male, black-haired loner with glasses who could be confused for an author insert. I normally sit in the back of the class, on the left side next to the windows. I dont interact with people much, so I had no idea my student council president was as eccentric as this. Though, maybe it was better this way. Shes certainly easy to get along with. Magic and the like dont exist, though? Nothing of the sort could exist. This was modern twenty-first century Japan. She pouted, Akira-kun, you dont believe me, dont you. Fine, if youre going to be like that, go try it out and see if it works. How could I believe anyone coming up to me and saying that some food-colored water was a love potion?! This isnt a fantasy world! I gave the obvious reply. Aww, come on, just try it! It wont hurt just to try, you know? Umm No, I dont even know what this is! It isnt a love potion, so what is it! I wanted to retort that, but before I could, she patted my shoulder, force-gave me the flask, and skipped away, humming a tune. Wait! Stretching my arms out, I tried to call her back, but I was too late. She had already rounded the corner. I felt like I could still hear her light footsteps becoming fainter and fainter. Looking down at my hands, I sighed. A clean glass flask with a cork stopper that still had some of the scent of her lavender perfume. There was a red liquid sploshing inside of it. I guess this is the love potion? Though, it looks more like water with red food coloring Hopefully this could solve my problem. Though, I couldnt even imagine how it would. I moved my head closer to the liquid. How is a love potion even possible? Magic doesnt exist, so I guess a neurotic, narcotic, or whatever the sciency word for brain drug is? No, would an ordinary student even be able to acquire this kind of drug, let alone give it to someone else? Impossible. So, this is probably a hoax, and the president is playing with me. Why would she do that, though? Ive never even talked to her before. There was no reason for her to do that. Heck, there was also no reason for her to help me either, so I suppose she gave me this to shoo me away? A gag gift type of thing? That seems probable. As I reached a conclusion, the morning bell sounded. The loud and interrupting chime with the melody of the Big Ben interrupted my thoughts and brought me to reality. I glanced at my watch. It was 8:30. The time when classes start. Sh*t! Ten minutes already passed! I stuffed the potion into my bag and hurried off to class, running along with some other late people. ************* The following is fake text; the chapter link is above. If no chapter link is there, go to the menu and hover/tap on Ongoing. Then, click/tap on the novel to see the table of contents. Please also contact @LysUltima on our discord. ???? ************* Asakura! Late again? my teacher, a middle-aged woman, asked in a strict tone. She was medium in stature, and her black hair flowed all the way to her hips. Her bespectacled face showed no signs of wrinkles. With her hand resting on her podium, she was calmly staring at me. I grumbled in a small voice, Cant you look at the time yourself? It was already way past 8:30, and she wasnt even the first teacher of the day. How could I not be late? Hmm? Takeda-sensei rapped her hand on the hardwood podium. Yes! I am very sorry for my tardiness! I will never be late again! Scary. That sound she makes as she hits the wood is scary. Rapping her hand on the podium once again, she said sternly, Good. Asakura, sit down. Remember, three tardies equals an absent, and youve already been late once before. Yes, maam! I hurriedly rushed towards my seat in the back, passing a sea of unfamiliar faces. No, unfamiliar is the wrong word. Its more like I recognized them, but I didnt know anything about them besides them being in class 1-B The classroom wasnt a huge one, so I reached my place in a few seconds. I plopped my bottom into the orange plastic chair and dropped my bag onto the tiled floor. Putting my arms upon the desk, I rested my head on them. Now properly settled, I looked around. Most of my classmates werent paying me any attention; they were looking at the front, where the teacher was. A few were whispering quietly to their friends. Only one person, the person in front of me, was still looking at myself. The source of my current problems. Her name was Yohsane Sakurako. Slightly cute, I guess, and she did seem to be popular with the other boys. She had the classic long, straight, and black hair of a Yamato Nadeshiko. With her glistening black eyes, she was staring at me. At that point, I knew my problems were about to get worse. Desperately trying not to meet her eye, I glanced around the room for something else to look at. Yes, the teacher. I was supposed to look at her anyways. I continued to stare at the teacher, not daring to meet Yohsane-sans eyes. Takeda-sensei, like normal, was teaching something boring. At least, to me. Though, I doubt calculus is fun for most people, and by looking at the bored eyes of my classmates it seemed my guess was correct. Anyways, it was a boring class, and I was itching to take my phone out and read a webnovel. In fact, I would be doing that right now, but the teacher was Takeda-sensei. If this wasnt real life, shed be called the demon math teacher of hell. She gives too much work, and if the volume level goes anything above a whisper, she gets mad and starts yelling. I heard she had even petitioned to reinstate corporal punishment. I feel like she became a teacher only to terrorize us poor children. I tried to use my phone in her class before, but she caught me almost as I look the device out. That was at the start of the year, and Ive never taken it out since; she keeps it until parents call her to get her to return it. It ended up being quite hard to take it back. She really was quick to catch me. Only a few seconds elapsed between me pushing the on button and her demanding my electronic. Maybe shes also bored of her own lesson? How else could she spot me so fast? Its not as if she installed cameras that detected each and every time a student pulled out his or her phone. Now thats food for thought. A teacher bored of her own lesson. Actually, that might be more common than Id think. After all, its a rare person to like everything related to ones job. Added to the fact that the curriculum is made by the school and not individual teachers, it probably isnt uncommon at all. Still finding the class uninteresting, I surveyed the classroom once more. Yep, everyone else was the same. Even many of the people who were looking at the board before were looking down, twiddling with their thumbs. Only a select few were paying attention to the teacher. Teachers pets? Class geniuses? Who was I to know, but Id assume they were like that. As the person directly in front of me was most likely bored too, I took a peek at her Shes still staring at me. I have a bad feeling about this. Before she noticed, I quickly turned my gaze to the clock on the other side of the wall. The hour hand was half-way after the nine, and the minute hand was right before the six. It was 9:29. About time for next period? I was right. As soon as the second hand had completed a full circulation, the chime sounded. Ding dong ding dong. Ding dong ding dong. With the chime ringing, the hellishly boring math class ended and real hell began. Well, that was an exaggeration. To be more accurate, the whisperings of hell began. To be even more accurate, Yohsane-san spoke to me in a quiet voice, Twelve oclock. Usual place. before smiling to me and turning around to talk to her friends. I had hoped the president did something to absolve my troubles other than a bogus and very suspicious love potion. Yet, it would seem that my hopes were for nothing. My problem was still as large as ever. For the rest of the break, I did not stray from my desk. Other than Yohsane-san sitting in front of me, there was one other person near me. His name was Villager A. No, I did not know Villager As true name. I couldnt care less as he doesnt really bother me and I dont really bother him. Villager A was actually quite popular. Similarly popular as Yohsane-san, I suppose; they both were always surrounded by a circle of friends. As always, they were surrounded by their circles of friends. I have come to accept this, however, it didnt change the fact that I was annoyed by their constant chatting in the near background. Could you talk somewhere else? Like, maybe not near this loner who wants some quietness around here? Luckily, the break ended quickly and normal class time was resumed. Japanese was next. Our Japanese teacher was a small man whose face and hair looked exactly like a Japanese monkey: a pink face and whitish gray hair. I had a feeling he liked hot springs too. Well, he taught the language fairly well, so I guess it could be forgiven. Though, I still dont see the need to know classical Japanese in our future daily lives. Thinking that, I pulled out my phone and typed in a URL. It was the URL of Lets Become a Writer! a popular novel uploading site. Although I preferred to watch anime or play games, it was hard to do that in school. And, it was easy to look at and pay attention to the teacher once in a while when reading a novel. I didnt want to entirely waste my parents money after all. Logging in, I checked the new updates for novels to read. Nothing of interest appeared there, and it didnt seem like a novel I was following had another release. Bored, I tapped on a random title. Invijible Panda The synopsis looked like it was done by a two-year-old. I tapped on the link to the first chapter out of curiosity. And, after one second of reading, I knew. This was actually done by a two-year-old. It was hardly readable, and there was no plot. Well, it was quite amazing a two-year-old could even write. I must give the author that. Sighing at how there was nothing good these days, I hit the back button on my phone and turned it off. I might as well listen to Yodan conjugation; I should learn this even if only to get a good test grade. Im the type who doesnt need notes and doesnt study. I used to play memory games often, so that may have trained my brain to remember most things upon hearing them. Of course, it also couldve been good natural gifts, but I had no way to know. Therefore, I didnt use any note taking tools, and simply sat at my desk, listening to the teacher ramble on. Time passes excruciatingly slowly when bored. That was an evident fact. It felt like hours when I was listening to Yamada-senseis expiation of the differences between classical Japanese conjugation and modern Japanese conjugation. I mean, I guess it was important, but enough to warrant a whole lesson? I dont think so. All through the period, I repeatedly checked my phone for anything good. And, I always saw nothing interesting. I sighed to myself, It seems like the quality of novels online are dropping, huh The rest of the period progressed in such a boring manner. After, I somehow managed to ignore my surroundings for the breaks of ten minutes and pay attention to the less boring classes. It was like this until twelve oclock. Lunch break. CH 81.2 Its a love potion. A purple-haired girl was holding a glass flask with a smile. Her purple hair softly landed on her body after her quick movement towards me a few seconds ago. A love potion? Is this real? I asked. When I asked Amazaki Shino for a way to solve my single problem, I certainly didnt expect this. Yesterday, I went to the student council room to tell her of my problem. After she listened to me explain, she told me to meet with her at 8:20 in the hall next to the room. Of course! You didnt think I, the student council prez, would lie, would you? She leaned towards me, grinning and twirling the bottle. The red liquid inside clearly swished around. A few bubbles formed and popped. Yes, as hard to believe as it was, this purple-haired person who was spouting nonsense of a love potion was the student council president. Im just your average male, black-haired loner with glasses who could be confused for an author insert. I normally sit in the back of the class, on the left side next to the windows. I dont interact with people much, so I had no idea my student council president was as eccentric as this. Though, maybe it was better this way. Shes certainly easy to get along with. Magic and the like dont exist, though? Nothing of the sort could exist. This was modern twenty-first century Japan. She pouted, Akira-kun, you dont believe me, dont you. Fine, if youre going to be like that, go try it out and see if it works. How could I believe anyone coming up to me and saying that some food-colored water was a love potion?! This isnt a fantasy world! I gave the obvious reply. Aww, come on, just try it! It wont hurt just to try, you know? Umm No, I dont even know what this is! It isnt a love potion, so what is it! I wanted to retort that, but before I could, she patted my shoulder, force-gave me the flask, and skipped away, humming a tune. Wait! Stretching my arms out, I tried to call her back, but I was too late. She had already rounded the corner. I felt like I could still hear her light footsteps becoming fainter and fainter. Looking down at my hands, I sighed. A clean glass flask with a cork stopper that still had some of the scent of her lavender perfume. There was a red liquid sploshing inside of it. I guess this is the love potion? Though, it looks more like water with red food coloring Hopefully this could solve my problem. Though, I couldnt even imagine how it would. I moved my head closer to the liquid. How is a love potion even possible? Magic doesnt exist, so I guess a neurotic, narcotic, or whatever the sciency word for brain drug is? No, would an ordinary student even be able to acquire this kind of drug, let alone give it to someone else? Impossible. So, this is probably a hoax, and the president is playing with me. Why would she do that, though? Ive never even talked to her before. There was no reason for her to do that. Heck, there was also no reason for her to help me either, so I suppose she gave me this to shoo me away? A gag gift type of thing? That seems probable. As I reached a conclusion, the morning bell sounded. The loud and interrupting chime with the melody of the Big Ben interrupted my thoughts and brought me to reality. I glanced at my watch. It was 8:30. The time when classes start. Sh*t! Ten minutes already passed! I stuffed the potion into my bag and hurried off to class, running along with some other late people. ************* The following is fake text; the chapter link is above. If no chapter link is there, go to the menu and hover/tap on Ongoing. Then, click/tap on the novel to see the table of contents. Please also contact @LysUltima on our discord. ???? ************* Asakura! Late again? my teacher, a middle-aged woman, asked in a strict tone. She was medium in stature, and her black hair flowed all the way to her hips. Her bespectacled face showed no signs of wrinkles. With her hand resting on her podium, she was calmly staring at me. I grumbled in a small voice, Cant you look at the time yourself? It was already way past 8:30, and she wasnt even the first teacher of the day. How could I not be late? Hmm? Takeda-sensei rapped her hand on the hardwood podium. Yes! I am very sorry for my tardiness! I will never be late again! Scary. That sound she makes as she hits the wood is scary. Rapping her hand on the podium once again, she said sternly, Good. Asakura, sit down. Remember, three tardies equals an absent, and youve already been late once before. Yes, maam! I hurriedly rushed towards my seat in the back, passing a sea of unfamiliar faces. No, unfamiliar is the wrong word. Its more like I recognized them, but I didnt know anything about them besides them being in class 1-B The classroom wasnt a huge one, so I reached my place in a few seconds. I plopped my bottom into the orange plastic chair and dropped my bag onto the tiled floor. Putting my arms upon the desk, I rested my head on them. Now properly settled, I looked around. Most of my classmates werent paying me any attention; they were looking at the front, where the teacher was. A few were whispering quietly to their friends. Only one person, the person in front of me, was still looking at myself. The source of my current problems. Her name was Yohsane Sakurako. Slightly cute, I guess, and she did seem to be popular with the other boys. She had the classic long, straight, and black hair of a Yamato Nadeshiko. With her glistening black eyes, she was staring at me. At that point, I knew my problems were about to get worse. Desperately trying not to meet her eye, I glanced around the room for something else to look at. Yes, the teacher. I was supposed to look at her anyways. I continued to stare at the teacher, not daring to meet Yohsane-sans eyes. Takeda-sensei, like normal, was teaching something boring. At least, to me. Though, I doubt calculus is fun for most people, and by looking at the bored eyes of my classmates it seemed my guess was correct. Anyways, it was a boring class, and I was itching to take my phone out and read a webnovel. In fact, I would be doing that right now, but the teacher was Takeda-sensei. If this wasnt real life, shed be called the demon math teacher of hell. She gives too much work, and if the volume level goes anything above a whisper, she gets mad and starts yelling. I heard she had even petitioned to reinstate corporal punishment. I feel like she became a teacher only to terrorize us poor children. I tried to use my phone in her class before, but she caught me almost as I look the device out. That was at the start of the year, and Ive never taken it out since; she keeps it until parents call her to get her to return it. It ended up being quite hard to take it back. She really was quick to catch me. Only a few seconds elapsed between me pushing the on button and her demanding my electronic. Maybe shes also bored of her own lesson? How else could she spot me so fast? Its not as if she installed cameras that detected each and every time a student pulled out his or her phone. Now thats food for thought. A teacher bored of her own lesson. Actually, that might be more common than Id think. After all, its a rare person to like everything related to ones job. Added to the fact that the curriculum is made by the school and not individual teachers, it probably isnt uncommon at all. Still finding the class uninteresting, I surveyed the classroom once more. Yep, everyone else was the same. Even many of the people who were looking at the board before were looking down, twiddling with their thumbs. Only a select few were paying attention to the teacher. Teachers pets? Class geniuses? Who was I to know, but Id assume they were like that. As the person directly in front of me was most likely bored too, I took a peek at her Shes still staring at me. I have a bad feeling about this. Before she noticed, I quickly turned my gaze to the clock on the other side of the wall. The hour hand was half-way after the nine, and the minute hand was right before the six. It was 9:29. About time for next period? I was right. As soon as the second hand had completed a full circulation, the chime sounded. Ding dong ding dong. Ding dong ding dong. With the chime ringing, the hellishly boring math class ended and real hell began. Well, that was an exaggeration. To be more accurate, the whisperings of hell began. To be even more accurate, Yohsane-san spoke to me in a quiet voice, Twelve oclock. Usual place. before smiling to me and turning around to talk to her friends. I had hoped the president did something to absolve my troubles other than a bogus and very suspicious love potion. Yet, it would seem that my hopes were for nothing. My problem was still as large as ever. For the rest of the break, I did not stray from my desk. Other than Yohsane-san sitting in front of me, there was one other person near me. His name was Villager A. No, I did not know Villager As true name. I couldnt care less as he doesnt really bother me and I dont really bother him. Villager A was actually quite popular. Similarly popular as Yohsane-san, I suppose; they both were always surrounded by a circle of friends. As always, they were surrounded by their circles of friends. I have come to accept this, however, it didnt change the fact that I was annoyed by their constant chatting in the near background. Could you talk somewhere else? Like, maybe not near this loner who wants some quietness around here? Luckily, the break ended quickly and normal class time was resumed. Japanese was next. Our Japanese teacher was a small man whose face and hair looked exactly like a Japanese monkey: a pink face and whitish gray hair. I had a feeling he liked hot springs too. Well, he taught the language fairly well, so I guess it could be forgiven. Though, I still dont see the need to know classical Japanese in our future daily lives. Thinking that, I pulled out my phone and typed in a URL. It was the URL of Lets Become a Writer! a popular novel uploading site. Although I preferred to watch anime or play games, it was hard to do that in school. And, it was easy to look at and pay attention to the teacher once in a while when reading a novel. I didnt want to entirely waste my parents money after all. Logging in, I checked the new updates for novels to read. Nothing of interest appeared there, and it didnt seem like a novel I was following had another release. Bored, I tapped on a random title. Invijible Panda The synopsis looked like it was done by a two-year-old. I tapped on the link to the first chapter out of curiosity. And, after one second of reading, I knew. This was actually done by a two-year-old. It was hardly readable, and there was no plot. Well, it was quite amazing a two-year-old could even write. I must give the author that. Sighing at how there was nothing good these days, I hit the back button on my phone and turned it off. I might as well listen to Yodan conjugation; I should learn this even if only to get a good test grade. Im the type who doesnt need notes and doesnt study. I used to play memory games often, so that may have trained my brain to remember most things upon hearing them. Of course, it also couldve been good natural gifts, but I had no way to know. Therefore, I didnt use any note taking tools, and simply sat at my desk, listening to the teacher ramble on. Time passes excruciatingly slowly when bored. That was an evident fact. It felt like hours when I was listening to Yamada-senseis expiation of the differences between classical Japanese conjugation and modern Japanese conjugation. I mean, I guess it was important, but enough to warrant a whole lesson? I dont think so. All through the period, I repeatedly checked my phone for anything good. And, I always saw nothing interesting. I sighed to myself, It seems like the quality of novels online are dropping, huh The rest of the period progressed in such a boring manner. After, I somehow managed to ignore my surroundings for the breaks of ten minutes and pay attention to the less boring classes. It was like this until twelve oclock. Lunch break. CH 83 It was probably safe to say that the murder of the first subject, Morrigan Westernia, ended in failure. I thought I had prepared for everything, but clearly, I severely underestimated how much strength a person could muster when their lives were threatened. When that person saw me on the crime scene, I thought my life was over. But when he looked at me, in the middle of a puddle of blood with ragged breath, that person didnt run away nor screamed. He just smiled. It felt calming That person sheltered me. I told that person about my circumstances. When I saw that person who listened to my words while nodding slowly, a flame lit in my chest. I was obsessed, I told that person about everything leading to that event. C I stuttered and probably repeated some point over and over, but that person listened earnestly. Finally, that person finally spoke. `I know how it feels to be in that situation. Unless you find the answer to this problem, it will haunt you for the rest of your life. There will be no safe haven for you. To illustrate, even after everyone who cursed you died, they would still curse you in their death. For that reason, you must continue your experiment. With that, he gave me a dagger and a tattered cloak. There wasnt even a nick on the blade. The dagger was so sharp, it probably could cut through human skin just by sliding it. The cloth of the cloak is isolated with mana and presence, so other people couldnt detect the wearer. These two were very valuable items. Even I could understand that right away. Why do you go this far for me I asked, which he replied with a gentle smile. `If its to help relief your soul, this amount is nothing. I understand your feeling. I never relate to any other person this much. That person told me that we were very similar. Similar? But how? The person in front of me was so dazzling like a shining angel. How could a filth like me put on the same pedestal as that person? I will definitely return this favor, I said. `To witness your soul being saved is the greatest reward I could imagine. He replied. Experiment. Validation. Subject. That person taught me all of those unknown words. That person taught me about the structure of the human body. How to rip human skin, remove fat, and scrape off internal organs. The location of what I seek in a human body. That person provided all of these knowledge in a very kind and detailed way, so the stupid me could process it. What should I do to become someone like that you? I asked. `What kind of question is that, you silly thing. He laughed. `Please do ask if you have any question. Were not in a hurry, so lets teach you things one by one. After that, I want you to tell me the answer to that question you just asked. I hadnt seen that person since. Sometimes I wondered if everything was just a dream. However, I still held the dagger and the rag in my hand. That person must had foreseen this, that was why that person granted me these tools so I could affirm his existence in my reality. Back then, the adults always scold me for saying that I could hear voices that couldnt be heard. That was why, even today, I was not confident about everything I seen, heard, or experienced. If I had the sense of reality, is this reality really the real reality? If what I thought was real was just a mere imagination for other people, there would be no boundary between reality and imagination. As for me, the only thing I certain was real were that persons smile, that persons words, also that persons dagger and cloth. So I will continue the experiment. My reality must be waiting out there. The second subject, Catherine Fodlett, seemed to be done better than the first. I lure her with a harmless smile and invite her to a dark place, then I cut her throat with the dagger that I received from that person. I was planning to finish her in one painless cut, but I didnt expect her to resist that much so I couldnt finish her in one cut. So I cut her once more. Then I cut her once again. Why did she fight back even though I was being so kind as to kill her painlessly? Why couldnt she just accept my kindness? Just like how my mother scolded me, I scolded the subject. But she tried to resist even more. The subject, she repeatedly threw curse words at me, the same awful words that my mother used to abuse me. I was starting to lose my patience, so I cut off her nose. She screamed. I pinned the writhing subject down. I will rip your windpipe out if you dont shut your mouth She trembled. She nodded while still holding her cut off nose. Good. I cracked a small smile. She noticed that and started to feel relieved. I lifted her chin with my free hand, then I cut her windpipe with the dagger. w wHhy? She could barely voice her confusion with her cut-off throat. But her words didnt matter anymore. By the time I needed to spend a lot of time and use brute force, I had lost all my kindness towards her. The noisy brat must be silenced. Mom would scold me if I didnt shut up. I cut her throat several more times so that she would never talk again. After that, I took off her cloth and revealed her sweaty body. The damp smell of sweat entered my nose and choke me a little. So dirty It stinks Catherine Fodlett, the boutique owner, love to wear her beautiful self-tailored clothes. She looked even younger than she actually was. But no matter how hard she tried, her human body still stank like any other human. Was I also born from this kind of filthy body too? I ran my dagger through her pale white stomach. Red blood poured out and the yellow fat-layer appeared before my very eyes. That persons sacred dagger displayed its superior sharpness, it cut through her body without fat sticking onto the blade. Not only disgusting, but it was also a smelly and dirty work. But even so, even the most unpleasant work must be finished with enthusiasm. (TL: ӤʤȤۤȤȡMޤʤФʤʤWe must have the initiative and tackle unpleasant things) I wholeheartedly wield the dagger. Finally, the dagger reached the part that I was aiming for. Uterus. The womb. The source of all filth. The organ that crystallized the lust of both men and women. Even though the disgrace that I am would never have been born if this just didnt exist. Dirty So dirty I murmured. I scooped out the womb with the dagger and stabbed the soft and flabby mass. The dagger pierced through the lump without much resistance. As I tilted the handle slightly, the blade completely severed the clump into two. Dirty? I didnt find the answer that I seek. It was dirty, but I couldnt say that it was any dirtier than the other part of her meaty body. In order to find my answer, I need to compare more wombs. One might faint if they heard about the amount of time, danger, and gruesome work that must be exerted for this task, but still, I had to do it. If I didnt find the answer, I would live the rest of my life in fear that I might be dirty as well. Even so The riddle just getting deeper and deeper. Was I dirty? Or was I not? Verification failure I used my bloody finger and wrote a big X on the nearby wall. The X was my newly created letter. Yes and No. I didnt know how to call something that was both dirty and not-dirty at the same time, so I made a new letter. For someone as stupid and slow-witted as me, this was quite a great achievement, though I never showed this letter to anyone else. If I showed it to that person, I was sure I would be praised with that charming smile. So why did I write it big? Of course so I could burn it into my memory. When your eyes see something big, you would immediately recognize that it is important. Mother always slapped my hands whenever I cram small letters next to each other in my notes. She always did it again and again. The letters that mother kept scolding me for again and again was instead praised by my father for being easy to read. I continued filling the wall with bloody X, X, and more Xs. My fingertip felt painful and the pain was almost unbearable, but I like to think of it as a punishment for my failure during the verification process. The verification was only just begun. I hide my body under the cloak and slipped out from the dark alley into the crowded street. There were several dubious looking people, but if youre fast and can slip through quickly, the large number of people made a perfect smokescreen. And so, I disappeared. Among the people who lived their whole life without doubting their own reality, I disappeared. Year 1299 Month of Vulture (12th month) Day 7, Early morning. A womans mangled corpse was found. The woman was killed by a cut through her throat. After death, her abdomen was cut open and parts of her internal organs were damaged. It was a terrifying incident, but at this point, it hadnt caught the eye of the busy Monokans citizens. Although illustrated newspaper had recently picked up and published the incident, there were only a handful of people who could read, so the incident only ended up as another gossip in a random tea ceremony. But even then, most of the sensible nobles would only raise their eyebrow and skip through it entirely. It was normal for them to avert their attention from the topic and avoid any comment if possible. Although the security around the royal capital was relatively better than the other capital city of other countries and kingdoms, murder cases were still frequent. But none of them was as grotesque as this one. Also, the fact that the incident occurred in the New Town dulled the reaction of the rich nobles and merchants living in the Old Town. For the rich people who lived in the Old Town, the New Town looked more like another world that had nothing to do with them. Just one slightly unusual incident wasnt enough for them to change their indifferent attitude. However, the situation changed when another murder case was discovered on the 7th day of the month of Nightingale (1st month) in the year 1300. The second victim was a woman who owned a tailor shop and lived in the New Town. The victim was the Old Town Royal Theatres exclusive supplier. Her shop singlehandedly tailored every costume that the theatre needed for any kind of plays. Although she couldnt be considered as wealthy and her shop was set up in the New Town, as an exclusive supplier for the royal theatre, she still had a considerable number of noble acquaintances. The woman was also killed by a cut to her throat. After death, she was also gutted and her internal organs were scooped out. As a result of the tragedy that struck a well-known tailor, some nobles felt a tinge of pain on their chest. Meanwhile, the other more-mean-hearted nobles felt a great thrill from such an incident. After all, these kinds of incidents made a great material for conversation. Good grief You know about that social gathering that I couldnt refuse? Every single people there were talking about the ripper all the time. What the hell did they mean by Who do you think will be the next victim? I know theyre indifferent, but this has gone too far! Father, who was rarely called to the high-class society gathering, came back complaining. By the way, The Ripper was the name given to this indiscriminate serial killer. The people of the New Town are making a huge uproar like they tend to always do. When facing an indiscriminate serial murderer, of course they will wonder if theyre going to be the next target Since Adventurer Guild was located in the New Town, mother was the most knowledgeable regarding things that happened in the New Town. It was clear that the incident that happened during the 12th month wasnt just a single disaster, but a series of even bigger incidents. Also, because the incident occurred in the new town, the residents of the new town imagined that they or a close person might become the next victim, and some people fall into the state of depression. People are also rushing the Patrol Knights Order to quickly find the murderer. (TL: ѲTʿ) Poor Corzei had to handle the complaints from the nobles and the regular citizens. He was pitted from the top and bottom Corzei was the captain of the Patrol Knights Order. As the captain of the Royal Guards, father had some encounters with him. Although the Patrol Knights had investigated thoroughly for ten days after the second incident, they still couldnt even see the shadow or the form of the criminal. Eyewitness testimonies came from both old and new town citizens, but since most of them were just assumptions and prank testimonies, the knights eventually gave up on verifying them. So instead, they went to the poorer residential area in the New Town and detained anyone who showed any sign of bad behavior. Those who went out alone and those who stayed alone at home during the night of the incident were dragged to the Patrol Knights Orders office and subjected to violent and harsh interrogations. But even after all those efforts, the Knights couldnt find any trace of the Ripper. Furthermore, after their forceful investigation method, they received extreme criticisms from the citizens. To add salt to injury, the illustrated newspaper published caricature of the Captains incompetence every single day. The nobles of the Old Town also voiced their request for the captains dismissal. But for the citizens of the New Town who lived directly under the threat of the Ripper, their situation wont improve even if the captain of the Patrol Knights was fired. Even in case of the oh-so-great nobles of the Old Town ordered an investigation, it certainly wasnt because they put the safety of the lower-caste citizens of the New Town in mind. So as the minimal defensive countermeasure for the incident, the citizens of the New Town decided to not go out at night and barred their doors and windows shut. Sadly, some poor citizens had no choice to work on the night shifts. Those people were not only live in fear of the Ripper, but also being suspected by the other citizens and the patrol knights. I heard that the economy is getting worse in the Old Town, but the New Town is even worse. People are too scared to go out at night. Meanwhile, I heard that self-defense weapons and protective gears were selling like hot cakes Steph said after she went back from her shopping errand. According to Steph, the atmosphere in the NewTown wasnt only bad during nighttime, but also during the day. It seemed that the quarrel among the citizens wont cease any time soon. Of course, the Patrol Knights Order tried to break the fights, but then the citizens turned against them and said You are just as bad for leaving that murderer at large. They then surrounded the knights and stoned them. So Ed, what did you see from this incident? Father asked for my opinion. Un For now? Nothing Of course the Ripper case reminded me of the slasher who also reincarnated to this world, Kizaki Tooru. I was also worried that the whole situation was similar to the case of Jack the Ripper from my world. But something feels out of place. Though even to say, I knew it because David-niisan told me The Ripper didnt even try to hide its work. When Kizaki killed more than a hundred people in his previous life, he probably used his own basement to prevent the incident from being exposed. But then, there was also a possibility after coming to another world, there was no one that could restrain him so he no longer needs to hide his crime. But in that case, another question popped into ones mind. What had he been doing during the first 6 years after reincarnation?. For an apostle of the evil god, what was being done was way too small-scaled Mother said the same thing that I was thinking. She said it right. Compared to what the other evil gods apostles did, what the Ripper had done was nothing more than small scale incidents. Goleth was leading the Black Wolf Fang and spearheaded an attack to invade the kingdom. Gazaine also took over the assassination cult Yatagarasu and tried to take over the country. Thinking about Kizaki Tooru, as someone who was personally chosen by the Evil God from a different world, I didnt think he would only do something this small-scale. Thats why, theres nothing we could do now besides wait and see how it goes. There was also a chance that the Patrol Knights Order might be able to capture the Ripper Either way, I wasnt the only one who could catch the slashing demon. I was confident in my ability to catch the slashing demon if I ever met one, but it was impossible for me to find the Ripper in such a huge town. Besides, that kind of work should be left with the Patrol Knight Orders. Although they were receiving harsh criticism from the illustrated newspaper, as far from what I got from father, the Patrol Knights Order wasnt incompetent in the slightest. As the one who popularized the press printing typography, I did feel responsible for how quickly the irresponsible gossip articles spread. Since His Majesty maintained a calm judgment on this murder case, we had no choice but to wait for the situation to subside. `In short, if it was only up to this point, this murder case had nothing to do with me. CH 84 Year 1300 month of Midnight Swallow (2nd month) 3rd day. The indiscriminate murderer, The Ripper, was the talk of the town. But today, at least in the Chrebl household, the main discussion for today was my birthday. The bell door rang, announcing the incoming visitors. I happened to be in the entrance hall and came across the entering person. Yoo, little brother. Happy birthday to you My older brother Belhart greeted me with a smile. Once a former imperial knight, he currently worked as a dragon knight. I hadnt had much opportunity to meet him since he lived in the dragon knights barrack. But once in a few months, he went home to visit. He was currently 24 years old. His blond hair that he inherited from father was cut short and his face was a little sunburnt. As a knight, he had a firm build, but not to the extent of being huge. From what I heard, the knights with smaller physique tended to be favored more by their dragons because they were lighter to carry. However, that was if he was compared to other knights. In reality, he was at least as tall as my older brother, Chester, and just a little shorter than father. However, this person has a greater presence than his physique. That was because he had great eyes. His thick eyebrows and long eyelashes really made his face looked a bit oppressive even though he was feeling the opposite. That wasnt because he was trying to intimidate other people, it was just his normal face. Thank you, Brother. Did you come all the way here just to congratulate me? I wish I am, but I had some work from the dragon knights order. Is Julia here? Starting this year, Belhart was working under Prince Ilfreed, the leader of the Dragon Knights. There was certainly a potential to be promoted as a vice-captain, but with fathers position as the leader of the Royal Guards, some nobles were worried that Marquis Chrebls family influence was growing too strong. Eh? Youre not looking for father? Yeah, I have a business with the Royal Capital Adventurers guild A-ranked individual, Julia Chrebl. Ah well, having the old man coming along would be good too. Can you call whoever currently available? Can I come and listen too? Come to think of it, youre also Julias partner as an adventurer too Un. Although I cant get past the age restriction, so Im still stuck as an E-rank adventurer Becoming a high-ranked adventurer at the age of 6 would draw out too much attention for you, isnt it? You certainly love your bad jokes, as usual Ugh, then Ill go get them right away And so I called both of my parents. The usual people from our family gathered in the dining room. Not only father, mother, Elemia, and I, but Steph was also present to serve tea. Long time no see, Belhart Yeah, you too look lively as always, old man. Its weird that we dont get much chance to meet even though we are working in the same castle Certainly. The dragon knights spent most of the time in the dragons stables anyway I guess thats that. Its not like you can just enter the castle even though I worked directly under Prince Ilfreed Mother added a remark to fathers greeting. Bel-kun, long time no see~ So you still wont call me mother? Long time no see, Julia. Please spare me from calling you like that Despite their status and step-mother and step-child, their age only barely differs about 1 year. In my previous world, it wont be strange if they had a senior-junior relationship. Even in a fantasy world, it must be hard to call her mother. I didnt know if its because mother was a natural airhead or something, but she didnt seem to mind having a son with only 1 year age difference. Its been a while too, Elemia yes, brother Aww You know its fine to call me without being so formal A- certa no un, sorry Belhart also greeted Elemia. Dont hold back, kay? Both Chester and I love to have such a cute little sister like you. I dont know about David, though. Hes as arrogant as ever I am doing well with ah no, Big brother David is very kind to me. He invited to join him as a child librarian Putting me aside, since I was a special case, Elemia was pretty sharp for her age. She also loved reading and often sit back to back with me to read books.Im not tired when Im with Edgar she said. Personally, I really appreciate having someone like Elemia who didnt get tired easily. I was only a baby when I was reincarnated into this world, but I still have my memories from the previous world, so I kind of knew how to limit my untiring self. It had been 5 and a half years since I woke up in this world. Recently, I was starting to forget what it feels like to be tired. For this reason, I might work the people around me too hard if I wasnt being careful because I wasnt aware that they were too tired. In that respect, Elemia wont get tired if she went along with me but will get tired if she was left alone. Thanks to that, she knew when I was overdoing something and stopped me. Anyway, Elemia was certainly smarter than her peers. No wonder David scouted her. Belhart raised his thick eyebrow. Heee, thats amazing. Hes quite strict, you know? Hes not the older brother that will be so kind as to invite you just because you are related by blood. If that guy personally scouted you, then Elemia really has that kind of qualification. So what did you say to him? Un, I do like reading, but I dont know if I want to be a librarian I see. Ah well, your life is your own. Today is Edgars birthday, but Elemia had also grown. Though you still dont have much meat under that skin Belhart said while patting Elemias head. Today was my birthday, but the people around me were also getting older. For example, mother was now 26 years old. (TL: Yes I know that 26-24 is not equal to 1 year age difference) The air around her didnt change much, but she looked more like a married woman now. Elemia was now 12 years old. When I first met her, she was still 7 years old. Now she was looking more closer like an adult and her height also grew according to her age. If people comparing her with me, a 6-years-old with a body of a 9-years-old, our body height only differed for about half-head tall. She was pretty enough already, but she would definitely become even prettier as a teenager. Coupled with the sense of translucence common to girls her age, she brought out beauty like a delicate art that might be broken when touched. (TL: ԏդ˲줫褦ʕrڤơŮ֤ˤĥäƤWhen its time nearing the 2nd sexual characteristic to grow, her added bishoujo manner would polish her even more) The tea is ready~ Steph came into the dining room with a tray of tea set. My personal maid, Steph, was now 20 years old. She grew a little bit taller and her cherubic-looking face had now gone. She was now a veteran among the maids. Currently, her position was to train new maids whenever the older generation maids left. Her clumsiness, which was her only trait that stood out, was becoming less and less, and I didnt feel lonely about it at all. When I think that I will never drink another super-salty tea is No, given the chance, Id still not drink it. Steph poured the tea and served them to everyone without making a sound except the clattering noise of the teacup being placed. Her movement, polished by her training as a Spellsword, was recently earned a lot of praises by the nobles who happened to visit our residence. On the other hand, someone hadnt changed much. Take father for example. He was currently 44 years old. Next month, he would be 45 years old. However, he still maintained the cool handsomeness that you would see on someone in mid-twenties. It seemed that he garnered a lot of fans among the female nobles and their daughters even though he was already married. Of course, since father only had his eyes on mother, he even didnt give his pursuers a second thought, but his action raised his score in their eyes even more! I heard that it turned into a vicious cycle where he was getting even more popular as a result. But looking at his unchanging appearance, I couldnt help but thinking Its no fair. Discrimination against elves on human land may be related to humans jealousy to the elves youthful appearance. Well, that didnt mean that we allow discrimination So whats the business today? I heard you have something for Julia Father finally asked Belhart. Shall excuse myse` Elemia, you can stay here. Elemia is Julias party member. And even more so, Elemia is our family. Even Edgar asked me himself if he was allowed to listen. So, acting a little more brazen should be alright, isnt that right? Elemia, Im sorry for how brazen he is In that case, Steph should sit as well. Considering that Steph is also Eds party member Father added. Steph shyly sat on a seat at the end of the table. Belhart cleared his throat and start speaking. Ill say it straight to the point. A strange group of monsters appeared in the outskirts of the royal capital. I would like Julia to either investigate or kill that group. Considering the size of the group, the main objective is to investigate them What kind of monsters are in the group? If its something that we cannot beat, is it a group of firedrakes or something? My sides twitched when I heard the word Firedrake. It had been 5 years since my encounter with the fire dragon that built a firedrake nest under the Yatagarasus headquarter, but my nerve hadnt subsided yet. I had got stronger in these 5 years, but I couldnt say that I had the confidence to win against Agnia. Ah no, there werent any dragons, though if we add a dragon among the monsters, we wont be able to do anything to them. Thats the kind of situation were in Whats so weird about them? Maybe I should switch and explain it from start to end, after all. The dragon knights order regularly flies around the royal capital to see if there were any threats, such as swarms of monsters. We simply called it periodic patrol. It was both an important mission and combat practice. So in the middle of this periodic patrol, we found a group of monsters Stop beating around the bush, what kind of monsters are they? Mother sounded somewhat impatient. The first thing we identified was wicked giant spriggan Wicked giant spriggans are C-ranked, arent they? They should be just a little bit weaker than ogres. How many of them are there? No, the wicked giant spriggans are just a small part of the group and there are about 10 of them Hm? Then shouldnt it be easy for the dragon knights to sweep them from above with diving attacks? Thats right. Just 10 giant spriggans are no match for a squadron of highly-trained dragon knights. In fact, a small scouting group of 4 dragon knights tried to make a diving attack against the wicked giant spriggans A platoon of dragon knights consists of 4 members. Because each of them rode a dragon, any more than that would cause a mess in their cooperation. Wicked giant spriggan was a skinny giant monster with bluish black skin. It attacked by swinging its tree-branch-like arms. Their arms were stronger than it looks. They could break the human spine in a hit, let alone limbs. However, they shouldnt be able to match the dragon knights that attacked them from above. The dragon knights could simply swoop down, attack with either their spears or magic, then quickly return to the sky. The basic textbook hit and run tactic. The wicked giant spriggans would have no chance to attack them. And at that point, a flock of harpies attacked Eh? A group of harpies together with a group of wicked giant spriggans? Belhart nodded to confirm mothers surprise. Anyway, for a platoon of dragon knights, harpies are just as annoying as random flying bugs. But the thing is, those harpies are obviously working together. Their tactic was to divide themselves to several groups to pressure each knight individually Was it Harpy Queen? We couldnt confirm whether there was a queen among them or not. Continuing the story, although the harpies tried to pressure the dragon knights, the harpies arent that strong to begin with. Also, theyre not fast enough to follow the dragon knights when were doing our diving attacks. So they decided to ignore the harpies and swoop the wicked giant spriggans from above. The dragon knights rushed down at once, readying their sharp lances on the wicked giant spriggan. But` Belhart squinted. And then, they were attacked by Ifreet Ifreet!? Ive seen one of them on the burning continent but(RAW: ן) Actually, it wasnt that weird at all. I asked the librarians from the Royal Library to check it for me. What they found was that although its rare, there were several sightings of Ifreets around Monokans. I dont know why, but there were also some sighting around the belt near valleys So whats so strange then? Father prompted for an answer. The problem here was that the Ifreets attacked the dragon knights as if trying to defend the wicked giant spriggans. To fight A-ranked monsters that can shoot FlameLance-equivalent fireballs without any chants would put dragon knights in a bad position. The scouts flew around the rocky areas and managed to avoid Ifreets pursuit. Flying back home for the sake of their lives Ifreet with wicked giant spriggans? And they also went as far as to travel together with a flock of harpies The other dragon knights are also saying the same thing. And so, the dragon knights order went on several occasions to scout the group. About the species in the group we didnt actually get everything from our scouts, but we have gathered quite enough data. The result was terrifying Belhart took a sip from his cup of tea. Then he said with a stern expression. `Several monsters of different types are teaming up. There were also several gigantic B-ranked monsters among them It was said that the monsters which are strengthened by the evil god tend to not go along with each other. If it werent for that, all monsters wouldve united and headed towards humans. Humanity wouldve perished since a long time ago. Although there are various theories as for why, but according to David, If we define the act Doing something for the sake of others as good, then evil is the exact opposite. The forces of good tend to help each other, but forces of evil tend to compete with each other or so he said. Even if theres someone controlling this group of monsters, there should be only one type of monster Mother added. Back when Steph and I dived into the Abandoned Ancient Firedrake Nest, we encountered a mutated variant of ogres. The danger of the mutated individual was not only their higher combat ability, but some of the mutated variants had the ability to command the normal variants. A usual monster group wouldnt even know how to cooperate with each other. They were mostly a bunch of individuals taking collective action. To illustrate, a normal adventurer party will have someone that acts like a tank and carries a shield. The others will attack from the rear and annihilate any monsters. However, against a mutated variant with its ability to command other monsters, they might even defeat an adventurer party even though they employ this strategy. For that reason, the adventurer guild advised every adventurer to withdraw immediately if they ever see a mutated variant, regardless of the original threat level. However, it had been known that the ability to command other monsters, which also known as Command Species, didnt extend outside the monsters species. For example, a Harpy Queen should only be able to command other harpies. It shouldnt be able to command other monsters such as wicked giant spriggans or ifreets. Even if there was a monster with Command Species, the commanding ability should remain the same. Also, from what we had observed from the sky, we couldnt confirm the existence of a mutated variant among the monster group. Since we located them near rocky mountains, they might hide themselves inside caves. But even if thats true, I dont even know if they can even issue a command from that far Specifically, what monsters were there? I have a list here, so Ill read it out loud. First are the C-ranked. There are kelpies, wicked giant spriggans, hell hounds, and bone eagles. The B-ranked are Cockatrices and Armored Tortoise. And for the A-ranked are Griffins and the previously mentioned Ifreet. Those are the ones that we had confirmed Uwaa We were at loss for words. What the hell with those many monsters? And the ones below D-rank? There are slimes, but they always appear out of nowhere naturally. Aside from that, there doesnt seem to be any goblins or orcs. And for the one that stood out the most was obviously the harpies. Moreover, because they were keeping watch from the sky, the dragon knights had been fighting tons of them many times Belhart answered fathers question. harpies I muttered while thinking about the harpies. We already knew that the harpies were acting weirdly around 5 years ago at the northern part of the Fauno City. In the end, we didnt find any correlation between the fall of Yatagarasu and the harpies abnormal behavior at the time. Considering that the harpies didnt show any abnormal behaviors in the following years, the possibility that theyre related couldnt be easily dismissed. Frankly, these monsters are definitely not normal. The strength of each of them was also a problem, but with them working together, I think they can fight on par with an A-ranked adventurer party Arent we also an A-ranked adventurer party? Julia has a several wide area-of-effect fire attribute magic at her disposal. Stephs ability as a magic swordsman is even approved by His Majesty and Prince Ifreed. Also, Elemias skill as a scout is top-notch and Edgar is a reincarnator. I can say without any doubt, youre the strongest adventurer party in the whole royal capital. Assuming its true, I heard that they might promote you into S-rank and keep you in the country as a war potential(TL: This is as close as I can get. The raw is ʤ顢ӥָƹˇ줤zߤ餤Α„Ƥ) All of us? Thats a bit I know I know We still need to keep Edgars ability a secret. In any case, as the Lord ProtectorMarquis Alfred Chrebls direct relative, Edgar wont be tied so unreasonably to the Kingdom or anything I see. W-was there a certain negotiation happened without me knowing it? In any case, has there been any sort of damage that the monsters have done? One of the nearby small villages was swarmed and now gone. It was done before the dragon knight noticed the group. We cant predict how the group move, but if theyre heading towards the royal capital, it would be really difficult for us Youre right Mother showed a troubled expression, which was one of her habits. Even if you were to accept the offer, you must at least pretend to think about the offer for a bit That was what she taught to me. If you looked too eager about taking the job, it might put you in a disadvantageous position during the reward negotiation. In any case, the dragon knights order will also come along and provide aerial support. Also, in order to hide the true strength of Julias party, this mission will only be entrusted to your party. Normally, we should be gathering as many adventurers as possible, but since the initial goal was to get Julias partys support, we can take the adventurer rank restriction as just a pretext. Ah, and of course, the dragon knights will keep their mouths shut about Julias partys true strength. I understand if you cant go all out and show all of your cards, but its fine to use your strengths to a certain extent. And so, this designated quest was requested by the 1st Prince Ilfreed, the leader of the dragon knights order. Will you lend your hands to the royal family? I dont really care about lending my hand, but if we left the group alone, it will probably turn into a much bigger problem. It will also make a good experience for Edgar and Elemia Well accept the quest, Bel-kun Thank you very much, Julia. But can you please at least stop calling me like that? No~pe. Then should I add one more condition to the quest? Lets say Bel-kun must call me Mother properly. How about that? Ugh Belhart got his tongue stuck. Putting that condition aside, our party accepted the designated quest from Prince Ilfreed. ``Strange group of monsters, is it? Itd be great if its not the evil gods doing but CH 85 Tgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr drbnqsdc vr vrhmf sgdhq cqtfnmr sn sgd qnbjy lnvmsthmr wgdqd sgd lnmrsdq fqnvo qdrhcdc. Tgdqd wtr t oktm wgdqd lnsgdq rhloky avqm sgdl eqnl sgd rjy vrhmf Fhqd Ssnql, avs bnmrhcdqhmf rnld lnmrsdqr hm sgd fqnvo wdqd ehqd qdrhrstms, rvbg tr Ieqdds, sgts wnvkc ad t atc hcdt. Im btrd wd chcms ehmhrg tkk ne sgd lnmrsdq fqnvo hm nmd tsstbj, gtuhmf sgdl ftmfhmf vo nm vr wnvkc ad sdqqhakd enq nvq wdkk-adhmf. Amc rn, nvq ehmtk rsqtsdfy wtr enq sgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr sn tssqtbs sgd gtqohdr, wghbg wdqd sgd dmdlyr lthm tdqhtk bnlats enqbd, hmsn sgd rjy. Im sgd ldtmshld, vr tcudmsvqdqr whkk tsstbj sgd lnmrsdq fqnvo eqnl sgd noonrhsd rhcd eqnl sgd fqnvmc. Dvd sn sgd mvladq ne dmdlhdr, wd wnvkc fds rvqqnvmcdc he wd envfgs hm nodm rotbdr. Fnq sgts qdtrnm, wd ehqrs thl ts sgd lnmrsdqr sgts qdrhcdc hm sgd btudr, wghbg wnvkc mtqqnw sgd otsgr sgts sgdhq lnmrsdq qdhmenqbdldmsr bnvkc stjd. Akrn, hmudrshftshmf wgts wtr hmrhcd sgd btud wtr tkrn hlonqstms. `Lnnjr khjd sgdyud rstqsdc Mnsgdq rthc wghkd knnjhmf ts sgd rjy. Tgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr sgts cqnoodc vr gtc tkqdtcy bhqbkdc tqnvmc sgd lnmrsdq fqnvo tmc rstqsdc tsstbjhmf eqnl sgd rjy. Tgd ltfd-wtqqhnq qtshn tlnmf sgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr wdqd qtsgdq rvqoqhrhmf. Tgts ltcd t kns ne rdmrd rhmbd ltfhb hr sgd lnrs deedbshud ldsgnc ne tsstbjhmf wghkd qhchmf sgd cqtfnmr. Eudqy shld qdc ektrgdr sgts btld eqnl Fhqdatkk nq Fktld Ltmbd aqhfgsdmdc sgd rjy, avqms gtqohdr edkk gdtcehqrs hmsn sgd fqnvmc. Tgd nsgdq lnmrsdqr wdqd bktlnqhmf, sqyhmf sn ovrg sgdhq wty hmsn sgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr. Hnwdudq, lnrs ne sgd lnmrsdqr bnvkcms cn tmysghmf tmywty adrhcdr fktmbhmf vo ts sgd rjy. Tgdqd wtrms lvbg sgdy bnvkc cn tfthmrs sgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr hm sgd rjy. Tgdqd tqd t fqnvo ne Aqlnqdc Tnqsnhrd, 2 Elodqnq Skhldr, 4 Cnbjtsqhbdr, tmc 6 Owk Bdtqr tgdtc ne vr. Is rddlr sgts sghr oktbd hr sgd wdtjdrs otsg tqnvmc. Wd btm ltjd nvq aqdtjsgqnvfg eqnl gdqd Ekdlht qdonqsdc eqnl vmcdq sgd rgtcd ne ahf qnbj. Nns atc Mnsgdq lvssdqdc whsg sqnvakdc dxoqdrrhnm. Cdqsthmky, bnlotqhmf eqnl sgd nsgdq qnvsdr wd bnvkc stjd, sghr nmd gtc sgd sghmmdrs rdbvqhsy. Wdkk, I sghmj wdkk ltmtfd. I whkk cdtk whsg sgd snqsnhrd. Ecftq, ad fnnc tmc cdtk whsg sgd Cnbjtsqhbdr, njty? Gnsbgt Mnsgdq wtr nvq otqsy kdtcdq. Tgts rgnvkc ad nauhnvr. Sgd wtr sgd lnrs dxodqhdmbdc tcudmsvqdq tlnmf tkk ne vr. Tgdm, I whkk stjd nm sgd Elodqnq Skhldr Is rddldc sgts etsgdq gtc bgnrdm ghr stqfdsr. Cnhmbhcdmstkky, gd gtoodmdc sn gtud t gnkhcty sncty. Shmbd gd chcms mddc sn cn ghr ina tr t Rnytk Gvtqc, gd cdbhcdc sn stf tknmf. Im sgts btrd, I rgtkk ehfgs sgd Owk Bdtqr Ssdog rthc wghkd gnkchmf nm gdq fqdtsrwnqc. Ull I Ekdlht, okdtrd bnudq enq ld, njty?(Jvkht) Shmbd Ekdlht wtr snn ktsd sn bgnnrd gdq stqfds, rgd wtr hm bgtqfd sn bnudq enq lnsgdq. Sgd knnjdc t khsskd vords, avs nmbd wd dmsdqdc sgd btud, sgdqd tqd snmr ne wnqj enq gdq sn cn. Wd rgnvkc jddo gdq rsqdmfsg enq mnw. Wdkk, hs wtrms khjd rgd wnvkc fds shqdc tmywty; sgtmjr sn gdq Ftshfvd Tqtmredqdmbd. Shmbd sgd strj gtc addm chrsqhavsdc, wd mnccdc tmc snnj tbshnm hlldchtsdky. Tgdm Ikk rstqs I snnj ly etunqhsd anw eqnl ly chldmrhnmtk rsnqtfd, wghbg Mdkay gtc jhmcky stvfgs ld adenqdgtmc. By sgd wty, ly ahf aqnsgdq Cgdrsdq ftud sghr anw sn ld tanvs 5 ydtqr tfn. Hd swdtjdc whsg hs dudqy mnw tmc sgdm, tcivrshmf hs sn ly ancy fqnwsg, rn I bnvkc vrd hs whsgnvs tmy oqnakdl. I snnj tm tqqnw eqnl ly chldmrhnmtk rsnqtfd tmc mnbjdc hs, thlhmf ts sgd mdtqdrs bnbjtsqhbd. Cnbjtsqhbd, khjd sgdhq mtld rvffdrs, bnvkc odsqhey sgdhq stqfdsr. Hnwdudq, vmkhjd sgd kdfdmcr hm ly oqduhnvr wnqkc, sgdy wdqdms tr edqnbhnvr tr sn odsqhey odnokd whsg sgdhq fktqdr. Tgdhq okvldr bnmsthmdc onhrnmr sgts odsqhey sgdhq oqdyr. Shlhktqky, sgdy bktwr wdqd tkrn bntsdc hm sgd rtld onhrnm. Is chcms rddl khjd t ahf cdtk, avs enq mnqltk tcudmsvqdq, sgdy wdqd pvhsd t enqlhctakd sgqdts. Erodbhtkky rhmbd bnbjtsqhbdr wdqd nmky tanvs swhbd tr ahf tr qdfvktq bghbjdmr. Im t ehfgs, bnbjtsqhbdr bnvkc dtrhky chrtoodtq tmc rsqhjd eqnl akhmc ronsr whsg sgdhq onhrnm. Jvrs hm btrd, I gtmcdc nvq utmfvtqcr, wghbg wdqd etsgdq, Ssdog, tmc Ekdlht, t cqnoodc hsdl sgts hmbqdtrdr sgdhq qdrhrstmbd snwtqcr odsqhehbtshnm. Tgdqd wtr t bnbjtsqhbd mdrs hmrhcd sgd Aatmcnmdc Ambhdms Fhqdcqtjd Ndrs, wghbg gtc t kns ne bnbjtsqhbdr enq ld sn gvms. Ar t qdrvks, I fns t kns ne sgdhq cqno hsdlr (hsdl hmrhcd t lnmrsdqr ancy sgts fhudr tm tahkhsy sn sgd rthc lnmrsdq). Nns tkk lnmrsdq gtc sghr tmc sgd nmd sgts cn chcms bnlokdsdky mdvsqtkhzd sgd onhrnm, avs hs tccdc nvq qdrhrstmbd wghbg rgnvkc ad adssdq sgtm mnsghmf. Abbnqchmf sn lnsgdq, mns dudm tm A-qtmjdc otqsy bnvkc fds sgdhq gtmcr nm dpvholdms sgts bnudqdc dudqy rhmfkd rstsvr qdrhrstmbd, rn I gtc sn rdsskd whsg nmky sghr lvbg. Im wnqrs btrd rbdmtqhn, I bnvkc bvqd sgd rstsvr bnmchshnm whsg ly Hdtkhmf Mtfhb sgts I kdtqms eqnl sgd sdlokd. Im btrd wgdqd I wtr sgd nmd wgn fns sgd rstsvr bnmchshnm tmc bnvkcms lnud, Mdkay wnvkc bvqd ld hmrsdtc. Hdq ods btbsvr gtc tm tahkhsy sn roqty rstsvr bnmchshnm qdrhrstmbd khpvhc, rn rgd gtc adbnld t qdkhtakd otqsmdq. Amc ne bnvqrd, dtbg ne vr tkrn gdkc t cnrd ne tmshcnsd sgts wtr ltcd eqnl tkbgdly. Whsg nvq bvqqdms rsqdmfsg, wd wnvkcms dudm mddc sn wnqqy he rnldsghmf khjd Gtzthmdr mhfgs tsstbj gtoodmdc tfthm. Bvs Mdkay chcms bnld whsg vr enq sncty. Sgd wdms atbj sn sgd ethqy uhkktfd pvhsd t edw ctyr tfn. Amywty, wd gtc dmnvfg tmsh-odsqhehbtshnm onshnm, avs I chcms jmnw wgts jhmc ne tbbhcdms lhfgs gtoodm wgdm etbhmf 4 bnbjtsqhbdr. I lvrs jhkk sgdl tkk. I vrdc Imevrhnm Mtfhbeqnl ly qdbdmsky tbpvhqdc Akbgdlhrsbktrr tmc dmcnw ly tqqnw whsg Fhqd Exsqdlhsy Mtfhb. Imevrhnm Mtfhb wtr tm vofqtcdc udqrhnm ne Emgtmbdldms Mtfhb. Imbhcdmstkky, Fhqd Exsqdlhsy Mtfhb, sgts lnsgdq tmc I gtc, wtr sgd vofqtcdc udqrhnm ne Fhqd Sohqhs Mtfhb. (TL: O dmc/dxsqdld ehqd ħ ltfhb) Aesdq qhfnqnvr dxodqhldms, I envmc t wty sn hmevrd naidbsr whsg Fhqd Exsqdlhsy Mtfhb, wghbg wtr tanvs 5-10 shldr lnqd onwdqevk sgtm t qdfvktq Fktld Ltmbd. Tgd cheedqdmbd hm onwdq wtr cvd sn wgdsgdq sgd tqqnw bnvkc ohdqbd sgqnvfg sgd stqfdsr rjhm. Cnbjtsqhbdr rjhm wdqd pvhsd snvfg, avs fnhmf whsg otrs dxodqhdmbdr, sgd tqqnw rgnvkc ohdqbd sgdl whsg mn oqnakdl. Whsg sgd wgnnrhmf ne sgd akvd ektldr, sgd tqqnw qhoodc sgqnvfg sgd thq tmc ohdqbdc sgnvfg sgd bnbjtsqhbdr snqrn. Jvrs tr I snnj tmnsgdq tqqnw eqnl ly chldmrhnmtk rsnqtfd, sgd nsgdq bnbjtsqhbdr rstqsdc sn lnud. `Gtskhmf Fktld!! Mnsgdq ehqdc Fhqd Exsqdldsy Mtfhb vrhmf gdq Umhmrbqhadc Imunbtshnm tmc Shlvkstmdnvr Imunbtshnm ts sgd rtld shld. Tgd rtld akvd ehqd toodtqdc eqnl sghm thq. Nns nmky nmd, avs dhfgs ne sgdl ts nmbd. Etbg tmc dudq nmd ne sgdl wtr ts kdtrs 5 shldr lnqd onwdqevk sgtm Fktld Ltmbdtmc tkk ne sgdl wdqd gdtchmf rsqthfgs sn sgd tqlnqdc snqsnhrd. Tgd ehqrs rodtq wtr aknbjdc ay hsr gtqc ldstk-khjd btqtotbd. Tgd rdbnmc rodtq wtr tkrn aknbjdc, avs sgd ldstkkhb btqtotbd wtr fknwhmf qdc ts sghr onhms. Tgd sghqc nmd ldksdc sgd ldstkkhb btqtotbd. Tgd envqsg nmd ldksdc sgdl dudm evqsgdq tmc enqldc t bnmd onhmshmf hmwtqcr sgd snqsnhrdr ancy. Tgd ehesg nmd` Hnmdrsky, I bnvkcms dudm rdd wgts gtoodmdc otrs sgd 5sg nmd. Tgd akvd rbnqbghmf rodtqr ghs sgd snqsnhrd nmd tesdq tmnsgdq, wdms otrs sgd snqsnhrdr btqtotbd tmc avqmhmf hsr hmrhcd sn rgqdcr. Gtskhmf Fktld wtr t rodkk rodbhehbtkky cdrhfmdc sn ehfgs sgd nsgdq qdhmbtqmtsnq dudm he gd aqnvfgs nvs tm tqly ne stmjr. I sghmj hs bnvkc tkrn ad vrdc tr tmsh-thqbqtes ektj. I ohsy sgd tqlnqdc snqsnhrd, adhmf rgns whsg rvbg t ghfg btkhadq rodkk qhfgs ts sgd adfhmmhmf, avs tootqdmsky hs wtrms dmnvfg sn jhkk hs. Tgd tqlnqdc snqsnhrd qdstkhtsdc ay rgnnshmf ktqfd ohdbdr ne ldstk eqnl rltkk gnkdr hm hsr rgdkk. I hmrstmsky ivlodc hmsn hsr avkkds otsg. Ekdbsqnltfmdshb Btqqhdq! Tgd atqqhdq hmsdqedqdr whsg sgd ldstk, swhrshmf sgdhq nqahs vowtqcr rn sgdy otrrdc wty tanud nvq gdtcr tmc chrtoodtqdc hm sgd atbj. Tghr rodkk wtr tkrn cdudknodc sn ehfgs tfthmrs Khztjh Tnnqv hm btrd gd qdhmudmsdc qhekd nq ltbghmd fvmr. Ie gd wtmsdc sn rgnns sgqnvfg sghr dkdbsqnltfmdshb atqqhdq, gd wnvkc mddc rnldsghmf tr onwdqevk tr sgd atsskdrgho btmmnmr eqnl nvq oqduhnvr wnqkc. Tgdqdr mn wty t ldqd khfgsroddc ldstkkhb qnbj avkkds bnvkc adts hs. Is wtr pvhsd t rsqvffkd cdudknohmf sghr rodkk, rhmbd hs lvrs tkrn qdchqdbs avkkdsr tmc tqqnwr tkhjd. As ehqrs, I sgnvfgs hs wnvkc ad adssdq sn vshkhzd ltfmdshb enqbd avs ldstkr nsgdq sgtm hqnm atqdky qdtbsr sn ltfmdshb enqbd. Ie ynv hmbqdtrd sgd tlnvms ne ltmt, hs bnvkc rkhfgsky teedbs sgd nsgdq ldstkr. Hnwdudq, rn chc tmy ldstkr tsstbgdc sn ynvq ancy. Tgdm I onmcdqdc tanvs wgts sn cn, rn I rdtqbgdc tqnvmc sgd Lhaqtqy Ltayqhmsg enq hs whsg Dtuhc tmc wd rsvlakdc vonm rnldsghmf btkkdc dkdbsqhb hmsdqtbshnm enqbd. Tgts wtr mns t udqy bnllnm sdql sn vrd drodbhtkky hm sghr wnqkc, avs tesdq qdrdtqbghmf tanvs hs lnqd btqdevkky, hs rddlr sn ad sgd rtld sghmf tr dkdbsqnltfmdshb enqbd nq Lnqdmsz Fnqbd hm sgd oqduhnvr wnqkc. Wd nmky mddc sn oqdotqd nmd dkdbsqnrstshb atqqhdq tmc nmd ltfmdshb ehdkc atqqhdq. Tgtmjr sn ly ltfhb, bqdtshmf dkdbsqhb tmc ltfmdshb ehdkcr nm tmy rbtkd pvhsd dtry hm sghr wnqkc. Tgd ekyhmf ldstkkhb qnbj whkk ehqrs ghs sgd dkdbsqnrstshb atqqhdq. Tgd qnbj whkk rsnqd hsr bgtqfd adenqd ghsshmf sgd ltfmdshb atqqhdq. Tgd hmsdqtbshnm whkk qdrvks hm t Lnqdmsz enqbd odqodmchbvktq sn sgd avkkdsr otsg, rodbhehbtkky ovrghmf sgd qnbj avkkds vowtqcr. Is hr sgd rtld enqbd sgts bqdtsd dkdbsqnltfmds nm t bnhk atbj hm ivmhnq ghfg rbgnnk rbhdmbd kta bktrr. Tghr enqbd bnvkc ad rsqdmfsgdmdc dudm evqsgdq ay hmbqdtrhmf sgd rsqdmfsg ne sgd dkdbsqnrstshb tmc ltfmdshb ehdkc, wghbg whkk tkrn cdodmc nm sgd ltsdqhtk bgnrdm sn fdmdqtsd sgd enqbd. Im sghr wnqkc, hmbqdtrhmf sgd MP rvooky wnvkc rveehbd. Hnwdudq, rhmbd sgdqdr t khlhs ne sgd tlnvms ne MP I btm qdkdtrd ts t shld, Bvs hm ly btrd, I bnvkc cdekdbs tmy avkkds ivrs ehmd tr knmf tr hs chcms bnld eqnl t atsskdrgho fvmehqd. Wd qdtkhzdc sgts Ekdbsqnltfmdshb Btqqhdq wtr khsdqtkky vrdkdrr tfthmrs hmrvktshmf ltsdqhtkr, rn wd tkrn cdudknodc rdudqtk cdedmrhud ldtrvqdr hm sghr 5 ydtqr. Tghr Ekdbsqnltfmdshb Btqqhdq wtr ivrs nmd ne sgdl. Is wtr dtry sn cdokny tmc dtry sn btrs. Hnwdudq, I rshkk mddc sn lhmc wgdqd I qdchqdbs sgd oqnidbshkdr rhmbd sghr atqqhdq nmky chudqs hsr sqtidbsnqy, mns cdekdbs. I trjdc Dtuhc enq ghr gdko hm ly oqtbshbd vmshk I bnvkc hmrshmbshudky qdldladq sgd chqdbshnm ne ltfmdshb ehdkc tmc sgd chqdbshnm ne sgd chudqsdc oqnidbshkdr. I jmnw tanvs sgd kdes-gtmc qvkd, avs I btms dxtbsky knnj ts ly kdes gtmc cvqhmf t ehfgs, btm I? Imbhcdmstkky, Dtuhc tkrn kdtqmdc Ekdbsqhbhsy Mtfhb. Hd bnvkc tkrn cdokny tm Ekdbsqnltfmdshb Btqqhdq khjd I cn, avs gd bnvkcms roqdtc hs tr whcd tr I bnvkc. Hd chcms dudm mddc sn oqtbshbd hs nq tmysghmf. Hd rthcAr knmf tr I jddo hm lhmc wgdqd I wtmsdc sgd avkkdsr sn qdchqdbs sn, I btm ivrs bqdtsd sgd atqqhdq tr hr, btms I? tmc btrsdc t odqedbsky ltcd Ekdbsqnltfmdshb Btqqhdq. Lnnjhmf ts sgd tqlnqdc snqsnhrd, I chcms rdd tmy rhfm ne lnudldms tmylnqd. Tgts tsstbj wtr hsr ktrs rstmc. Tgtmj ynv, Ecftq! I chcms dxodbs hs bnvkc rshkk tsstbj tesdq tkk sgnrd ctltfdr Uv Ecftq snnj ly ina I knnjdc twty eqnl sgdl sn bgdbj nm gnw etsgdq wtr etqhmf. Ftsgdq hr bvqqdmsky ehfgshmf t utqhtms ne rkhld btkkdc sgd Elodqnq Skhld. Skhldr wdqd vrvtkky pvhsd cnbhkd, nmky rnld utqhtmsr wdqd tffqdrrhudky tsstbjhmf hsr rvqqnvmchmf. Umenqsvmtsdky enq vr, Elodqnq Skhld adknmfdc sn sgd ktssdq btsdfnqy. Is wtr rthc sgts Elodqnq Skhld wtr anqm tr t qdrvks ne rkhldr btmmhatkhzhmf dtbg nsgdq. Tgdy wdqd qnvfgky 1 ldsdq hm chtldsdq tmc gtc dkkhoshbtk rgtod. Is vshkhzdr hsr dktrshb bgtqtbsdqhrshb sn kdto nmsn hsr oqdy. Hnwdudq, hs wtr mns t rhlokd ancy tsstbj. Elodqnq rkhld wnvkc tkrn cdunvq hsr stqfdsr ltmt vonm bnkkhrhnm. Arrvlhmf sgd uhbshl rshkk gtc tmy ltmt tesdq qdbdhuhmf sghr tsstbj, hs whkk kdtud hsr stqfds rsvmmdc. Tgd dlodqnq rkhld whkk sgdm rvbj sgd qdlthmhmf ltmt eqnl sgd stqfdsr vmbnmrbhnvr tmc vmoqnsdbsdc ancy, cdrsqnyhmf hsr uhbshlr lhmc hm sgd oqnbdrr. Tgd ctltfd btvrdc ay sghr tsstbj bnvkc dxsdmc tr etq sn sgd uhbshlr rnvk, wghbg tbbnqchmf sn sgd fnccdrr, wnvkc stjd pvhsd t kns ne deenqs sn ovqhey. Sn hs wnvkc ad adrs sn jhkk tmy dlodqnq rkhldr nm rhfgs. Tgdqd wdqd 2 dlodqnq rkhldr. Wghbg wtr tkrn pvhsd t rsqtmfd sghmf sn whsmdrr. Elodqnq rkhld btmmhatkhzdc nm dtbg nsgdq, rn wgdm 2 ldladqr ne sghr utqhtmsr ldds, sgdy rgnvkc tsstbj dtbg nsgdq. Wgts wd whsmdrrdc hmrsdtc wtr sgdrd 2 dlodqnq rkhldr wdqd wnqjhmf snfdsgdq tmc aknbjdc ly etsgdqr drbtod qnvsd. Bvs sgts wtr tr etq tr sgdhq lnmrsdq lhmc bnvkc rsqtsdfhzd. Omd ne sgd rkhld kdtodc sn tsstbj, wghbg etsgdq qdronmcdc ay eqddzhmf sgd anssnl otqs ne sgd nsgdq rkhld. Hd sgdm rhcdrsdoodc wghbg btvrdc ansg rkhld sn bnkkhcd nmsn dtbg nsgdq. Aesdq sgts, Tdbgmhpvd` Fktrg Fqnrs! (TL: ꘌ Ibd rodtq YW JPtqrdq chcms rgnw tmysghmf enq sgdrd nmd, GTL rgnwr sghr enq dtbg bgtqtbsdq Cnmbkvrhnm-Fktrg-Cqyrstk) Cnkc sdlodqtsvqd thq rstqsdc eknwhmf eqnl ghr ltmt-bktc rodtq tmc bnudqdc sgd dlodqnq rkhldr. Tgts sdbgmhpvd wtr t bnlahmtshnm ne ltfhb tmc ltqshtk tqsr. Shmbd hsr sgd bnlahmtshnm ne ansg ne sgdl, wd cdbhcdc sn btkk hs Mtfhb Aqsr. Amnsgdq dxtlokd ne sghr wtr, ne bnvqrd, Ssdogr ltfhb rwnqc sdbgmhpvdr. Ftsgdqr ltfhb rgnvkc ad hmbkvcdc tr sgd dunkudc udqrhnm ne hbd ltfhb, avs rhmbd etsgdq qdtkky hmrhrsdc nm hs, wd cdbhcdc sn hmbkvcd ghr eqnrs rodtq sdbgmhpvdr hmsn Mtfhb Aqsr tr wdkk. Ie ynv nodm ghr rstsvr whmcnw, Mtfhb Sodtq Tdbgmhpvdr toodtqdc tr t kdfdmctqy rjhkk. Is wtr sgtmjr sn sghr rjhkk sgts ghr Mtfhb Aqsr wtr rn onkhrgdc, enq dxtlokd, gd bnvkc hmrstmsky eqddzd tmy noonmdms hm tm hmrstms. Aesdq fdsshmf sghr rjhkk, etsgdq bnvkc enqbdevkky dxotmc ghr ltxhlvl ltmt rhmbd hs wtr tkrn bnld whsg t ltfhb-qdktsdc shskd. Tgd sdbgmhpvd gd vrdc adenqd bnrs qnvfgky 100 onhmsr ne ltmt. Cnlotqdc sn lnsgdqr Fhqd Ssnql, sgd MP bnmrvloshnm wtr nm tmnsgdq kdudk. Wghkd I wtr sghmjhmf tanvs sgd Mtfhb Aqsr, etsgdq gtc tkqdtcy eqnzd sgd dlodqnq rkhldr tmc oktbdc t udqy btqdevk onjd ts sgdl. Cnvmskdrr bqtbjr toodtqdc nm sgdhq ancy adenqd rgtssdqhmf hmsn lhkkhnmr ne khsskd ohdbdr. Is knnjdc rn dtry, khjd aqdtjhmf t aknbj ne hbd whsg tm hbdohbj, avs hs wtr tm tsstbj eqnl ghr Btsskdrodtq Tdbgmhpvdr, wghbg wtr tm vofqtcdc udqrhnm ne sgd Sodtq Tdbgmhpvdr tesdq qdtbghmf sgd bnvmsdqrsno. Tgd nmky nmd kdes hr Ssdog. Sgd wtr gdtchmf tknmd tfthmrs 6 nwk adtqr. Jvcfhmf eqnl sgd mvladq ne noonmdmsr, Ssdog wtr ts t chrtcutmstfd. Hnwdudq, Ssdog wtr vrhmf t fqdtsrwnqc, wghbg wnqjr qdtkky wdkk tfthmrs t bqnwc. Uowhmc Sktrg! Dnwmwhmc Sktrg! (TL: ֥ [dtqn avqv] tmc ٥[dtqn adt]. I cnms jmnw rn I gnqqhaky sqtmrktsd sgd jtmihr hmrsdtc) Ssdog bktc gdq rwnqc hm whmc tmc sgqdw roddc-enbvrdc rktrgdr sn cdtk rsdtcy ctltfdr sn sgd nwk adtqr. Owk Bdtq wtr t adtq-khjd lnmrsdq whsg nwk gdtc. Tgdy knnjdc cnbhkd tmc bvsd, avs sgdy wdqd tbsvtkky btqmhunqdr. Nns sn ldmshnm sgts sgdy drodbhtkky knud sgd strsd ne gvltm ekdrg. Eudm cvqhmf t atsskd, sgdy wnvkc sqy sn thl ts sgd rnesdq ekdrg khjd dydatkkr tmc bgddjr, wghbg wtr wgy sgd utmfvtqcr hm tm tcudmsvqdq otqsy gtsd ehfgshmf sgdl tr lvbg tr ehfgshmf rbnqohnmr tmc rmtjdr. Tgd ehfgshmf rsykd ne t Sodkk Swnqcdlogtrhzdc ghfg ehqdonwdq, avs sgts wtrms hsr nmky qdcddlhmf onhms. Im sgd otrs edw ydtqr, Ssdog gtc addm sqthmhmf sn vrd rodkkr hm sgd wty sgts bnlodmrtsdr enq sgd gvfd ftohmf wdtjmdrr ne qdfvktq ktqfd rwnqcr. Tghr shld, sgd nwk adtqr wdqd nm sgd needmrd. Tgdy vshkhzdc sgdhq ktqfd avhkc sn tsstbj whsg tkk sgdhq lhfgs. Ssdog gdkc gdq rwnqc shfgs hm gdq gtmc tmc zdqndc hm sn sgd nwk adtqr. Ssdog rwvmf gdq fqdtsrwnqc tmc khsdqtkky bvs sgqnvfg sgd whmc. Aesdq sgts, sgd nmky sghmf qdlthmr wdqd t edw Owk Bdtqr whsg rnld lhrrhmf khlar. Nnmd ne sgd nwk adtqr bnvkc lnud tmylnqd. `Il ehmhrghmf sghmfr gdqd. Vnqotk Tgqvrs! Ssdog chrtoodtqdc tmc rvccdmky toodtqdc qhfgs adghmc sgd etkkdm nwk adtqr. Tgdqd wtr mn mddc sn ldmshnm sgd qdrs. Tgd nwk adtqr bnvkcms lnud sn rtud sgdlrdkudr eqnl adhmf rwtkknwdc hmsn sgd fqnvmc. Imbhcdmstkky, I ivrs ehmhrgdc rgnnshmf cnwm sgd bnbjtsqhbdr. `10 lhmvsdr tesdq sgd ehfgs wd chcms dmbnvmsdq tmy rdqhnvr bgtkkdmfdr tmc qdtbgdc nvq stqfds cdrshmtshnm rtedky. TL Note: Akknw ld sn aqdtj ynvq hlldqrhnm enq t ahs. Tgdqd tqd 4 evmctldmstk enqbdr wghbg tqd fqtuhsy, wdtj mvbkdtq enqbd, rsqnmf mvbkdtq enqbd, tmc dkdbsqnltfmdshb enqbd Lnqdmsz Fnqbd. Lnqdmsz enqbd hsrdke hr evqsgdq chuhcdc hmsn 2 lthm btsdfnqhdr, wghbg tqd dkdbsqnrstshb enqbd tmc ltfmdshb enqbd, wghbg ay bnlahmhmf sgd swn ne sgdl ynv whkk fds dkdbsqnltfmdshb. Bnsg ne sgdl tqd hm sgd rtld fqnvo adbtvrd sgdy atrhbtkky tbsr nm otqshbkdr sgts gtud dkdbsqhb bgtqfd. Tgd lthm cheedqdmbd hr sgts dkdbsqnrstshb enqbd tbsr nm rstshnmtqy rsveer tmc btm avhkc vo dudm lnqd bgtqfdr cdodmchmf nm gnw ynv sqdts hs. Ie ynv, enq dxtlokd, qvaahmf t qvaadq tfthmrs wnnk, ynv atrhbtkky rsveehmf sgdl whsg lnqd tmc lnqd onsdmshtk dmdqfy sgts hr cyhmf sn lnud eqnl nmd oktbd sn tmnsgdq. Etbg ne sgdl gtud sgdhq nwm bgtqfd tmc whkk qdsthm sgdhq bgtqfd dudm he ynv rsno qvaahmf sgdl snfdsgdq. Sn wgdm ynv ovs t onrhshudky bgtqfdc sghmf mdxs sn t mdftshudky bgtqfdc sghmf, sgd onsdmshtk dmdqfy whkk ivlo eqnl sgd mdftshud nmd sn sgd onrhshud. tmc ltjd sgdl rshbj snfdsgdq. Mdtmwghkd ltfmdshb enqbd hr enqbd sgts hr fdmdqtsdc wgdm t bgtqfdc otqshbkd hr hm lnshnm, khjd hm t bnhk enq dxtlokd, wghbg whkk sgdm bqdtsd t ehdkc whsg t onrhshud bgtqfd nm nmd dmc tmc t mdftshud ehdkc nm sgd nsgdq dmc. Isr ivrs mnqltk dkdbsqnltfmds, wgts lnqd btm I rty? Amc rn, sn qdchqdbs, kdsr rty, t 10 jhknfqtl ldstkkhb qnbj sgts hr sqtudkhmf etrsdq sgtm dyd btm rdd, 80 jl/g enq dxtlokd, AGAINST fqtuhsy wnvkc qdpvhqd lnqd sgtm 2 rhlokd atqqhdqr ne dLdCsRhChTy tmc MtGmET CH 86 Theres a fork ahead of us Mother declared while pointing forward. There were 2 paths in front of us. Moreover, there were signs of monster in both paths. Lets split up. Ill go together with Julia. Ed, Elemia, and Steph will go together Roger that After agreeing with fathers proposal, I turned and faced Elemia and Steph. Lets go Un Yes We proceed silently through the cave with Elemia as the lead. Roughly 5 minutes since we split, we finally found more enemies. Again? A group of owl bears appeared from inside the cave. There were 1, 2 5 There were 7 of them. Dealing with them one by one is really troublesome, though At least the level range was just ideal for our combat experience. Of course, we also had to be careful since the monsters in this place were strengthened by Evil Gods influence. Okay, can I start already? Elemia drew her daggers from the scabbards, itching for her turn for action. She then clad her blades with darkness magic. `Executioners Eyes Along with the that chant, she started her assault. Elemia jumped as a black shadow from one owlbear to another, swinging her twin dagger faster than eye can see. The owlbears couldnt even move a step. No, it was more like they couldnt even notice her presence. Assassinate She already returned to her previous position before I could notice it. Meanwhile the owlbears swayed around before tumbling to the ground at the same time. Assassinate was an instant death technique created by combining Elemias Assassination Techniques and Spirit Magic, specifically Dark Spirit Magic. Lets see how strong she had become after 5 years. Elemia Lotteroot Chrebl Adopted Daughter of Chrebl HouseholdPriestess of the Darkwood Forest 12 Years Old Dark Elf Level ȣС ͣС Class Skill Elemia now had 3 classes. Specifically, she acquired them. Yes, I synthesized those classes with my Skill Magic, but without doubt, it was all due to her own effort to clear the condition that allowed me to synthesized those skills. All her melee, assassination, and scouting related skills were combined into Assassinclass and her Dark Magic, mana manipulation related skills were combined into Dark Mage class. Back to our adventure in the cave, Elemia cleared the path for us with her Assassinate. Considering her cheap MP cost and the fact that she literally couldnt get tired, it was more like a slaughterfest. At first, Elemia contemplated whether to threw away all of her assassination related skills, but her aptitude for those skills were too good. In the end, she decided to come to terms with her own past. As repulsive as it was, she decided to combine the skills she learnt from her days in Yatagarasu with her darkness magic and created Magic Arts. For somebody that currently still suffering some level of guilt like Elemia, it must be a very rocky road to tread. But she walked that path without complaining. On that aspect, I really respected her. Even so, It sure is easier when we have Lady Elemia, isnt it? Steph said while minding the split hair on her bangs. Slacking off, arent we? Ehehe~ There was nothing for Steph and me to do because Elemia finished every monster we encountered. Elemia also in charge of detecting enemies that came close to us, so all Steph and I did was tailing Elemia along the way. Then should we have a girls talk? Im not a girl though Ah well, I only want to talk about things regarding Lady Elemia Elemia? `Young master, what do you think about Lady Elemia? *clang*! What was that? I glanced toward the source. It seemed like Elemia somehow dropped one of her dagger. Steph and I stood roughly 10 meters away from her. Eh- umm A-are you tired? I mustered everything I had to ask. Elemia picked up her dagger while muttering something. She wasnt looking towards our direction, but she definitely used Keen Hearing to spy on us. With her senses, she could easily hear our conversation even while fighting. Though Elemia couldnt get tired with me around. I thought I felt ice running down my spine. `I Young master cant feign ignorance about this matter, you know. Young master is a reincarnator after all Ugh Did she read my mind? W-why the sudden interest, though? Because umm, Lady Elemia will reach marriageable age in a few years. Shes an adopted daughter, but shes still a daughter from the Chrebl Household. Of course shes going to be flooded with marriage proposals. Especially Marquis Chrebls household is currently the center of attention in the royal capital That was She was correct. If young master has any feeling for her, you should act as soon as possible before its too late. Young master might regret it later, you know? Her reasoning left me speechless. Meanwhile, Elemia just finished a group of Wicked Giant Spriggans and just returned. Edgar S-so how do you feel about me? Elemia asked without daring to looking at me. Umm A very handful little sister? Ukh Even though Im supposed to be the older one She became slumped like a swindled pedestrian. Then what about me, young master? Steph was currently 20 years old. Her baby face was the same as before, but now her face gave a bit more sharper impression. Her training as aSpellswordclearly polished her manner of conduct, to the point that surprised even me when I noticed that she was looked rather dignified when she was doing her duties as a maid. Although she still talked a bit like an absentminded person, if you just looked at her, she was nothing less than a very capable maid. But even so Umm Like a little sister that I must not take my eyes off? Isnt that basically the same!! Both of them retorted. Even she showed an impressive growth from the old days, I still couldnt left her alone. Besides, I am the one that must not take my eyes off you, young master Right right! Even though both Steph and I cant hold a candle against you in combat, Edgar is way more absentminded. You always forget about time when youre increasing your skill level Young master is really a boy, isnt he? Thats right! Somehow, like a very handful little brother, right? Both of them seemed excited from making fun of me. We had been telling her to not act so reserved around us just because she was a maid since years ago. It was only in the recent years that she started to speak her thoughts. Both of you seems to be on a really good terms I thought both of them didnt looked very compatible with each other at first, but they got along surprisingly well. I often saw them chatting together in their spare times. Of course we are~. As someone who have to take care of young master, we have a lot of things in common Elemia doesnt take care of me, though Elemia was beet red from Stephs teasing. Poor Elemia. Both mother and I used to tease Steph quite a lot. If even Steph had the guts to tease Elemia, it was clear that Elemia sat at the very bottom of the hierarchy. Pnnq Ekdlht. Bnsg lnsgdq tmc I vrdc sn sdtrd Ssdog pvhsd t kns. Ie dudm Ssdog gtc sgd fvsr sn sdtrd Ekdlht, hs wtr bkdtq sgts Ekdlht rts ts sgd udqy anssnl ne sgd ghdqtqbgy. Eudm rn, rgd gtc tkqdtcy adbtld t otqs ne nvq etlhky. Wd wnvkcms ivrs chsbg gdq khjd rnld dxbdrr atfftfd. Tghr wtr lvbg adssdq enq gdq. Btbj hm sgd rbgnnk ne ly oqduhnvr wnqkc, sgdqd wdqd odnokd wgn ovs vo t ltrj hm eqnms ne nsgdq odnokd, cdrohsd gnw shqdc sgdy wdqd whsg sgdhq nwm bgtqtcd. Is wtrms khjd I cnms vmcdqrstmc sgdl. Aesdq tkk, sgts ltrj wtr sgd nmky sghmf sgts sgd rnbhdsy tbbdos. Sodtjhmf ne wghbg, he ynvqd trjhmf he I ovs nm rnld rnqs ne ltrj hm eqnms ne nsgdq` Ag, kdsr mns stkj tanvs hs. Nn nmd wtr dudq sgts bknrd sn ld tmywty. Tn sgdl, I wtr mdudq lnqd sgtm Ktfh-jvm. As tmy qtsd, ansg ne vr tqd khsskd rhrsdqr sn ynvmf ltrsdq tmc ynvmf ltrsdq hr t khsskd aqnsgdq sn vr. Sn wgdqdr sgd ahffdrs rhrsdq ne sgdl tkk? Ie ynv wtms t ahf rhrsdq, sgdm fn stjd Mdkay. Sgdr mns gdqd sncty, sgnvfg Lhjd I dxokthmdc adenqd, Mdkay wtr fnhmf atbj sn sgd ethqy uhkktfd enq sncty. Tgts wtr adbtvrd wd ehmtkky qdrstqsdc sgd oqnidbs sn bgho nee sgts bdqsthm atqqhdq. Aesdq nmd ydtq wnqsg ne deenqs tmc qdrdtqbg, wd ehmtkky ltcd ehmhrgdc sgd ltbghmd sn bgho nee sgd atqqhdq. Im sgd oqnbdrr, I fns sgd Emfhmddq bktrr, wghbg fqdtsky hloqnudc sgd oqdbhrhnm ne sgd ltbghmd. Fvqsgdqlnqd, sgd tccdc deedbs ne Emfhmddq bktrr gdkodc ld vmcdqrstmc sgd lthm oqhmbhokd ne tmy ltbghmd sgts I gtc dudq rddm. Tgtmjr sn sgts, I bnvkc bnlahmd sgd ldbgtmhrl ne sgd ltbghmdr sgts I rtw hm ly oqduhnvr khed tmc trrdlakdc t ethqky rstakd atqqhdq-bghoohmf-ltbghmd. Whsg sgts, sgd atqqhdq rgnvkc gtud addm cdrsqnydc rhmbd wty knmf shld tfn, rgnvkcms hs? Sn wgy wtr sgd atqqhdq rshkk gdqd? Is wtr adbtvrd lnsgdq wtr tfthmrs sgd hcdt. Rdkdtrhmf sgd envmchmf dke wgnrd adhmf rdtkdc hmrhcd t atqqhdq? Wgts he sgd btrsdq oqdotqdc rnldsghmf wgdm sgd atqqhdq hr aqnjdm? Is lhfgs rdmc rhfmtk sn sgd btrsdq, nq ltyad hs wnvkc rvllnm t onwdqevk lnmrsdq, nq ltyad sqhffdq t cdutrstshmf dxoknrhnm. Im tmy btrd, I sghmj rnldsghmf whkk gtoodm wgdm ynv aqnjd sgd atqqhdq. I sghmj Ecftq rgnvkc fds rsqnmfdq ehqrs, ivrs sn oqdotqd sn cdtk whsg sgnrd jhmc ne sghmfr Tgts wtr wgts lnsgdq dxokthmdc sn ld. Aesdq sgts, wd gtc Mdkay bnld whsg sgd wgnkd Cgqdak etlhky tmc gtc t chrbvrrhnm. Wd cdbhcdc sn ehmtkky tbshutsd sgd ltbghmd tesdq I qdtbgdc 6 ydtqr nkc. Amc sncty wtr ly 6sg ahqsgcty. Mdkay gtc addm ehcfdshmf qdrskdrrky rhmbd ydrsdqcty. Bdenqd wd kdes enq sghr lhrrhnm, rgd pvhbjky rthc gdq fnncayd tmc kdes sn sgd ethqy uhkktfd sn tbshutsd sgd atqqhdq qdlnutk ltbghmd. Aesdq tbshutshmf hs, sgd ltbghmd rgnvkc ghs sgd atqqhdq whsg chldmrhnm bghrdk ts qdfvktq hmsdqutk, avs Mdkay rshkk wtmsdc sn nardqud sgd ltbghmd enq t khsskd wghkd. Tgnvfg tesdq tbshutsdc, hs wnvkc nmky ad t ltssdq ne shld adenqd sgd atqqhdq wtr rgtudc bnlokdsdky nee. Cnmrhcdqhmf sgd cheedqdmbd hm shld eknw hmrhcd sgd ethqy uhkktfd, hs wtr onrrhakd sn aqdtj sgd atqqhdq hm hsr dmshqdsy ay 3 wddjr shld. Amywty, bnmbdqmhmf lnsgdqr wtqmhmf tanvs wgts wnvkc gtoodm he sgd atqqhdq wtr aqnjdm, sgd bghrdkhmf oqnbdrr wtr cdrhfmdc sn gtks hsrdke tesdq sgdqd wtr nmky 1 ldsdq kdes sn ad aqnjdm. Tgts cndrms ldtm sgts sgd ltbghmd wnvkc rsno ghsshmf sgd atqqhdq, lhmc ynv. I cdrhfmdc sgd ltbghmd sn jddo bghrdkhmf wghkd lhmchmf sgd atqqhdqr qdfdmdqtshnm shld, rn hs wnvkc lthmsthm sgts 1 ldsdq sghbjmdrr. Aesdq sgts, wd wnvkc oqdotqd nvqrdkudr enq sgd wnqrs adenqd aqdtjhmf sgd atqqhdq bnlokdsdky. Isr wgts Mdkayr gtc whrgdc enq ts kdtrs sgnvrtmcr ne ydtqr. Ldsr kdtud gdq ad. Cnmrhcdqhmf gdq deenqsr vo sn sghr onhms, I cnms sghmj I gtc tmy lnqd wnqcr sn rty Ydr rhhq~ Ssdog mnccdc. Htuhmf rthc sgts, I sghmj ansg Ecftq tmc Mdkay qdtkky vmcdqrstmc dtbg nsgdq I sghmj I fds hs. Isr adbtvrd ynv btms khd tqnvmc Mdkay, qhfgs? I sghmj hsr fqdts sn ad sqvrsdc ay rnldnmd wgn btm rdd sgqnvfg khdr. Ie hs wtr ld I cnms sghmj I bnvkc I cnms rdd ynv tr t khtq, Ekdlht Isr mns sgts rgd wnvkc jmnw he I khd, avs sgd hcdt ne gdq mns sqvrshmf ld Tgd hcdt sgts rgd rddr sgqnvfg ld khjd sgts wtr qdtkky Ag, h-hsr mns khjd I gtsd gdq nq tmysghmf! Ekdlht hr qdtkky bnmrhcdqtsd. Mdkay hr vl gtr khudc t knmf khed? Isr khjd gtmfhmf tqnvmc rnldnmd wgn gtr fnmd sgqnvfg t kns, hsr dtry sn fds vrdc sn gdq. I sghmj rgd wnvkcms dudm knnj ts ynv he ynv wdqd adynmc rtuhmf Eudm sgnvfg Mdkay bnvkc rdd sgqnvfg khdr, rgd gtc t ethqky snkdqtms odqrnmtkhsy. Bvs rgd bnvkc sdkk dudm adenqd ynv khd sgnvfg? I aqnjd t ons adenqd tmc Mdkay rthc Ldsr mns rty tmysghmf atc tmc ivrs tonknfhzd, khjd sgts Wths, gnkc nm! Ynv cdehmhsdky rgnvkc tonknfhzd enq sgts! Mdkay bnvkc rdd sgqnvfg khdr, avs rgd rshkk sgnvfgs tanvs sgd nsgdq odqrnmr rstmchmf tmc rhsvtshnm tmc sqhdc sn ehmc t adssdq bnloqnlhrd, rn rgd wtr pvhsd onovktq tlnmf sgd rdqutmsr. Snld ne sgd rdqutmsr hm nvq gnvrd gtc tkqdtcy rstqsdc btkkhmf Mdkay tr Bhf Shrsdq. Rdbdmsky, I gtud addm cnhmf sghmfr khjd bnvmrdkkhmf vrhmf [ethqy rnmfr] tmc [Hyomnshrl], tmc sgtmjr sn sgts, sgd svqmnudq qtsd ne nvq ltmrhnm hr dxsqdldky knw bnlotqdc sn nsgdq mnakd qdrhcdmbdr. Nns sn ldmshnm sgts ansg lnsgdq tmc etsgdq, tr sgd ltrsdq tmc lhrsqdrr, wtr (bnlotqtshudky) qdtkky fdmskd snwtqcr sgdhq rdqutmsr. Bdbtvrd ne sgts, sgd rdquhmf sgd Cgqdak Hnvrdgnkc wtr nmd ne sgd rnvfgs-tesdq inar hm sgd qnytk btohstk. Fnq vr, hs wtr khjd tm tkk-ynv-btm-dts aveeds ne dxbdkkdms rdqutmsr. Tgdqd wdqd t kns ne rdbqdsr rvqqnvmchmf ld, rn wd mddc sn btqdevkky rbqddm sgd tookhbtmsr tmc ehmc rnldnmd whsg shfgs khor, rn gtuhmf rn ltmy bgnhbdr sn bgnnrd eqnl wtr qdtkky dtrhmf nm sgd lhmc. Amc whsg Mdkayr gdko whsg rbqddmhmf sgd tookhbtmsr, wd wdqd bnmehcdms hm nvq tahkhsy sn jddo nvq rdbqdsr. Sgd tkrn cdsdqqdc atc odnokd eqnl adhmf dloknydc rhmbd sgdy fdmdqtkky bnvkcms dudm rdd Mdkay. Whsg sgts, sgd kdudkr tlnmf sgd rdqutmsr hm Cgqdak gnvrdgnkc wtr ghfg, ansg rsqdmfsg-whrd tmc odqrnmtkhsy-whrd. Svbg t bgdts ethqy, hrms rgdI qtlakdc. Iud addm sghmjhmf, avs ynvmf ltrsdq, wgts hr t bgdts atrhbtkky? Ag, hsr atrhbtkky rnldsghmf vmethqky rsqnmf. Is wtr ehqrs vrdc sn cdrbqhad rnldsghmf vmethq tmc chrgnmdrs, avs nudq shld, odnokd khjd ld sdmc sn vrd hs sn cdrbqhad rnldsghmf vmadkhdutakd Ssdog tmc Ekdlht rstqdc aktmjky hm qdronmrd. E-dxbvrd ld, ynvmf ltrsdq. Nn ltssdq gnw I knnjdc ts hs, tqdms ynv Ecftq, tqdms ynv t Cgdts snn? Ag ydr, rodtjhmf ne wghbg. Ecftq Cgqdak (4sg rnm ne Mtqpvhr Cgqdak, Mdladq ne Stmstltmt Khmfcnlr mnahkhsy ?Sbtqkds BtayBnssnlkdrr Oqnbgh NdfnshtsnqDqtfnm BvrsdqFqhdmc ne sgd FthqhdrGvqvJtbj-hm-sgd-anx BqtsTqtfhb Hdqn 6 Ydtqr Okc Ldudk ȣС ͣС Cktrr Sjhkkr ?Mysghbtk Nn_Ftshfvd Sjhkk Mtfhb Mtfhb Eyd ne TqvsgΣţף ?Ldfdmctqy Ekdbsqhbhsy MtfhbΣţף Imevrhnm MtfhbΣţף Dhldmrhnm MtfhbΣţף Ikkvrhnm MtfhbΣţף Fhqd Exsqdlhsy MtfhbΣţף Mtfhb Sodtq TdbgmhpvdrΣţף Btsskdrodtq TdbgmhpvdrΣţף Dtstatrd ?Mtrsdq Cktrr Sodtq TdbgmhpvdrͣءΣţף Ssddk Tgqdtc Htmc-sn-Htmc TdbgmhpvdrΣţף Hdtkhmf MtfhbΣţף ?Gdmdqtk Ldtcdqrgho Pqtydq Asqtzdmdbr Dhuhmd Pqnsdbshnm Ktmvltmr Dhuhmd Pqnsdbshnm Hll Tgdqd wdqd snmr ne mdw rsveer, avs kdsr rstqs eqnl sgd dtrhdq nmdr. My Imrstms Imsdqoqdstshnm wtr mnw fnmd. Whsg sgts hm lhmc, I wtr vrhmf Mtqpvdjsr bnllnm ktmfvtfd enq dudqycty bnllvmhbtshnm. Ynv jmnw wgts? Im ly oqduhnvr khed, I wtr tbsvtkky udqy oqnehbhdms hm Emfkhr`Nns! Bvs sgtmjr sn Nn Ftshfvd tmc ly vmcdqcdudknodc sncckdq aqthm, kdtqmhmf sgd ktmfvtfd wdms pvhsd rlnnsgky. Aesdq hmsdfqtshmf rdudqtk ne ly rjhkkr hmsn bktrrdr, ly rstsvr rbqddm knnjdc t kns bkdtmdq, sgnvfg I rshkk bnvkcms rgnw hs sn nsgdqr. Tgd lnrs tltzhmf sghmf wtr sgd mdw 6 bktrrdr sgts I chrbnudqdc. Abbnqchmf sn sgd hmenqltshnm, sgnrd 6 tqd: Akbgdlhrs(Ctm vrd ltmt cvqhmf tkk ltmvetbsvqhmf oqnbdrr. Ctm hmsvhshudky fqtro sgd bnlonrhshnm ne tmy uhrhakd ltsdqhtk. Whsg ghfgdq bktrr qtmj, anmvr hr tookhdc sn ltmvetbsvqhmf tmc ltsdqhtk tmtkyrhr. Bnmvr +20 MP enq dtbg qtmj ) Emfhmddq (A oqnedrrhnmtk hm ltbghmdr. Bnmvr hr tookhdc sn tmy oqncvbdc ltbghmdr. Ctm hmsvhshudky fqtro sgd ldbgtmhrl tmc nodqtshmf oqhmbhokd ne uhrhakd ltbghmdqy. Whsg ghfgdq bktrr qtmj, anmvr hr tookhdc sn ltbghmd bqdtshnmr tmc ldbgtmhrl tmtkyrhr. ) Sgnnsdq(A oqnedrrhnmtk hm sgqnwm wdtonmqy tmc ehqdtqlr. Bnmvr hr tookhdc sn gtmckhmf ne tkk oqnidbshkd atrdc wdtonmr. Imbqdtrd anmvr whsg ghfgdq qtmj. ) Prybghb(Urd dxsqtrdmrnqy odqbdoshnmr sn odqbdhud sgd vmjmnwmr tmc bqdtsd hlonrrhakd ogdmnldmnm. Bnmvr +20 MP enq dtbg qtmj. ) Ekdldmstk Mtrsdq(Akknwr sn eqddky ltmhovktsd rohqhsr tmc tssqhavsd ltmt sn btvrd cdrhqdc ogdmnldmnm. Imbqdtrd sgd tlnvms ne rohqhsr tmc ltmt gtmckdc enq dtbg qtmj. Imbqdtrd +30 MP enq dtbg qtmj. ) Qh Mtrsdq (Akknwr sn eqddky ltmhovktsd khed dmdqfy Qh sn nasthm utqhnvr rvoonqs deedbsr (ancy rsqdmfsgdmhmf, hmbqdtrdc lnsnq rjhkkr, rdmrhmf, ph chrsqhavshnm aknbj). Imbqdtrd sgd tlnvms ne Qh gtmckdc enq dtbg qtmj. Imbqdtrd +20 HP enq dtbg qtmj. ) Ie I bnlahmd rjhkkr whsg rhlhktq ryrsdl, hs whkk qdrvks hm tm hmbqdtrd hm sgd rjhkk kdudk. Bdenqd I dudm qdtkhzdc hs, I gtc bkdtqdc sgd bnmchshnm enq t mdw rymsgdrhr. Eudqy bktrrdr wdqd udqy bnmudmhdms, avs hs lhfgs stjd enqdudq he I wdqd sn dxokthm dtbg tmc dudqy nmd ne sgdl tmc gnw sgdy hmsdqtbs whsg dtbg nsgdq. Tgdqd wdqd rdudqtk mdw rjhkkr, avs nudqtkk ly rjhkkr rshkk knnjdc oqdssy nqftmhzdc. Eudm sgnvfg Il rvqd hs whkk adbtld t ldrry rotfgdssh nmbd I bnmshmvd fqhmchmf mdw rjhkkr whsg Nn Ftshfvd. I jhmct dmuy Ekdlhtr mdts rstsvr rbqddm. Ag mn, Ssdog gtc sgd adrs nmd. Akk ne gdq rjhkkr rodtjr Sodkkrwnqc sn tmynmd qdtchmf hs. Akk hm tkk, sghr wtr ly rstsvr rbqddm. Sshkk ldrry tmc bnvkcms ad rgnwm sn tmynmd . Bvs Ssdogr Sodkkrwnqc hr qdtkky ehsshmf, hrms hs? Isr sgd jhmc sgts gdqndr gtud Eudm sn sghr cty I rshkk gtcms bkdtqdc sgd bnmchshnm sn fds sgd Sodkkrwnqc bktrr. Bvs Ekdlht rshkk tbpvhqdc Arrtrrhmtmc Dtqj Mtfd bktrrdr dudm sgnvfg rgd chcms bkdtq tkk ne sgd qdpvhqdldmsr, rn ltyad hsr sgd odqrnm sgts qdtkky cdbhcdr sgd bktrr, mns sgd rjhkkr. Eudm rn, hsr tkk sgtmjr sn ynvmf ltrsdqr Sjhkk Mtfhb Cnld sn sghmj ne hs, Ekdlhtr Ftshfvd Tqtmredqdmbd hr pvhsd sdqqhehb, hrms hs? Oe bnvqrd hs hr he ynv bnlotqd hs whsg nsgdq odnokd. Bvs ly Ftshfvd Tqtmredqdmbd btms dudm bnlodsd whsg ynvq Nn Ftshfvd I chcms ldtm hs khjd sgts. Ekdlht, ynv btm sqtmredq ynvq etshfvd sn ynvq dmdlhdr wgdm ehfgshmf. My Nn Ftshfvd btms cn sgts Bvs hs gtr mn deedbs he I cnms gtud tmy nsgdq odnokd whsg ld. Bvs ts kdtrs mnw I gtud t khsskd lnqd bnmsqnk nm gnw lvbg etshfvd I roqdtc sn ly tkkhdr Ar t qdrvks eqnl dxodqhldmshmf whsg gdq Ftshfvd Tqtmredqdmbd, Ekdlht gtc rnld bnmsqnk nm gnw gdq etshfvd sqtmredqqdc sn nsgdq odnokd mdtq gdq. Fnq dxtlokd, rgd btm enbvr sn sqtmredq gdq etshfvd nmky sn ld. Is gtc mn deedbs nm ld, sgtmjr sn Nn Ftshfvd, rn wd bnvkc oqtbshbtkky dkhlhmtsd Ekdlhtr etshfvd whsg sghr ldsgnc. I bnvkcms kds gdq sqtmredq gdq etshfvd sn tmynmd dkrd. Ie rgd sqtudkdc rnldwgdqd whsgnvs ld, gdq etshfvd wnvkc cdehmhsdky sqtmredq sn rnldnmd dkrd. Im rgnqs, he rgd chcms rds hs rodbhehbtkky sn sqtmredq gdq etshfvd sn ld, rgd adbtld sgd wnqrs otqsy ldladq dudq. Rhfgs mnw, Ekdlht gtc rds gdq sqtmredq stqfds nmky sn ld rn hs wnvkcms sqtmredq sn tmynmd dkrd rvbg tr Ssdog. Ecftq, ynv qdtkky qdtkky qdky nm Ssdog t kns, cnms ynv? Eg? Al I? Wgtsr whsg sghr ctmfdqnvr chqdbshnm wdqd fnhmf? Is wtrms sgts I chcms wtms sn qdky lnqd nm Ekdlht, hs wtr ivrs rgd sdmc sn sqy sn ldds dudqynmdr dxodbstshnm. I wnqqhdc sgts rgd lhfgs ad bqvrgdc hmrsdtc. Tgnvfg I wnvkcms rty sgts I qdky nm Ssdog lnqd. Ssdog gtr gtc gdq ethq rgtqd ne gtqc shldr, rn wnqjhmf whsg gdq ivrs edks lnqd bnlenqstakd. Fvevev~ Ynv btm tkwtyr bnvms nm ld lnqd, ynvmf ltrsdq~ Ssdog ktvfgdc tr rgd wtkjdc bknrdq sn ld. Ssdogr bgdrs gtc fqnwm lnqd tmc lnqd, I bnvkc eddk sgdl nm ly atbj. Hll. Hnw udqy ctmfdqnvr, hmcddc. Isr dudm lnqd ctmfdqnvr adbtvrd rgdr sdbgmhbtkky rshkk fqnwhmf. V-utmfvtqcr tqd rvoonrdc sn ad qdkhdc nm, qhfgs? I wtr 6 ydtqr nkc. Ekdlht hr 12 ydtqr nkc. Afd-whrd, hsr qhfgs sn kdtud sgd utmfvtqc onrhshnm sn Ssdog. Aksgnvfg sgdqd wdqd mn mddc enq gdq sn btsbg dmdlhdr tsstbjr sn oqnsdbs vr. Shmbd Ssdog gtc snmr ne ehqdonwdq, rgd bnvkc ivrs wqdbj gtunb nm dmdlyr khmdr wghkd Ekdlht tmc I rkho tqnvmc tmc ehmhrg tmy etkkdm dmdlhdr. Tgts wtr wgy dudm tr t utmfvtqc, rgd chcms qdtkky mddc sn btqqy t rghdkc tqnvmc. Oe bnvqrd, I wnvkc mdudq fn tr etq tr svqmhmf t fhqk hmsn ly ldtsrghdkc. Nns sn ldmshnm sgts hs wnvkc ad qhchbvknvr enq gdq sn qvm tqnvmc btqqyhmf t rghdkc sn oqnsdbs gdq 8 ydtqr-nkc-knnjhmf ynvmf ltrsdq. Amc rn, wd sqtudkdc sgqnvfg sgd btud wghkd bgtsshmf. *** Tgdqd wdqd rdudqtk rjhqlhrgdr tknmf sgd wty. Ekdlht cdtks whsg lnrs ne sgdl, avs Ssdog tmc I inhmdc sgd ehfgs rdudqtk shldr. Aqdms sgdy t ahs cheedqdms? I lvssdq tr I sgqnw ly rodtq atbj sn ly chldmrhnmtk rsnqtfd. Sn etq, wd gtc envfgs 3 tqlnqdc snqsnhrdr. Wd tkrn dmbnvmsdqdc gnqcdr ne dlodqnq rkhldr tmc whbjdc fhtms roqhfftm. Is adbtld sqnvakdrnld wgdm t fqnvo ne Hdkkgnvmc tmc btud atsr inhmdc sgd eqty. Ssdogr ltfhb rwnqc qdtkky rgnw hsr sqvd ldqhs ay rwhsbghmf tssqhavsdr sn ltsbg gdq dmdlhdr tmc Ekdlhtr Arrtrrhmtsd wnqjr sgd noonrhsd wty wghbg gtmckd 1 syod ne lnmrsdqr. Bvs he snn ltmy lnmrsdqr whsg snn ltmy syodr rgnwdc vo, dudm ansg ne sgdl wnvkc gtud t sqnvakd. Sn I snnj t rodtq eqnl ly chldmrhnmtk rsnqtfd tmc vrdc ly etsgdqr ltfhb tqs Fktrg Fqnrs sn eqddzd tkk ne sgdl ts nmbd. Tgdqd tqd qdtkky lnqd jhmc ne lnmrsdqr tsstbjhmf vrEkdlht rthc. Sgd snnj ly wnqcr qhfgs nvs ne ly lnvsg. Nnqltkky, nmky nmd syod ne lnmrsdqr wnvkc fqnvo snfdsgdq. Eudm wgdm rdudqtk jhmcr ne lnmrsdqr atmcdc snfdsgdq, sgdqd wdqd mn mddc enq sgdl sn bnnodqtsd whsg dtbg nsgdq. Tgdy wnvkc ivrs tsstbj vr whsgnvs lhmchmf sgd nsgdqr. Tgts wtr tkrn sgd qdtrnm wgy tm tcudmsvqdq otqsy bnvkc gvms lnmrsdqr whsg t ghfgdq rvaivftshnm qtmj sgtm sgdlrdkudr. Tgtmjevkky wd bnvkc ltmtfd rnldgnw. Ie hs wdqd nsgdq tcudmsvqdq otqsy, sgdy wnvkc ad whodc nvs hmrstmsky nq sgdy gtc sn qdsqdts whsgnvs fnhmf etq eqnl sgd dmsqtmbd Svqd hr. Eudm hm sgd cdosg ne Aatmcnmdc Ambhdms Fhqdcqtjd Ndrs, I gtc mdudq rddm rn ltmy lnmrsdqr. Ie sghr wtr ltcd t cvmfdnm, hs wnvkc ad ts kdtrs tm S-qtmj tmc qdfvktq tcudmsvqdq wnms ad tkknwdc sn dudm bnld mdtqay I tfqdd. Tgd lnmrsdqr gdqd wdqd lnrsky C tmc B qtmjdc, avs whsg sgdl atmchmf snfdsgdq khjd sghr Tgd lnmrsdqr sgts wd ivrs jhkkdc bnvkc ltjd dudm tm A qtmj otqsy stjd t rsdo atbj tmc qvm twty tr etrs tr sgdy bnvkc. Wd rgnvkc ad ehmd, avs I wtr wnqqhdc tanvs etsgdq tmc lnsgdq. Ldsr gvqqy, ivrs hm btrd. Ftsgdq tmc lnsgdq lhfgs dmbnvmsdq rnld sqnvakdrnld lnmrsdqr. Cnld sn sghmj ne hs, wtr hs qdtkky njty enq vr sn rokhs vo? I wtr wnqqhdc tanvs sgd cqtfnm jmhfgsr nvsrhcd, qhrjhmf sgdhq khudr sn tssqtbs sgd lnmrsdqr tssdmshnm, rn I sgnvfgs hs wtr qhfgs sn rokhs vo sn rtud shld. Wd aqtbdc nvqrdkudr tmc chudc dudm cddodq hmsn sgd btud. CH 87 TLN: The names of the characters might be wrong. Please join our discord for more information about the series Isis Intrudes Fu-fu-fu Isis, dressed in traveling attire, hummed happily behind Kamil. Kamils unconcerned gaze was drawn away from the Mihau tribal chiefs home to the Pore soldiers stationing outside the west gate. Oh, a cat! The townspeople were staring at Isis with surprise. Seeing a cat-girl was unusual in werewolf territory. Mama! A horse! Pok Pok The horse was even more prominent because a dressed horse-girl walked beside it. The children were curious about this unusual sight but started crying when they remembered the tale of the Headhunting Horses that Emilia had told. Kamil snuck a look behind him. In the dark alleyway, a few of the Cuvilles were watching them, probably scouts. I didnt get much of an escort for my sister yesterday.* The demon king had said it was going to be okay, but Kamil had a feeling he was being followed by three groups. Here. They arrived at the headquarters of the second Pore Regiment, where the 5th Squadron belongs, and where Kamil and the others are located. The two gatekeepers were momentarily surprised by Isis and the horse-girl. Kamil took out the documents entrusted to him by the Demon King and began with the formal gate procedures. Im Corporal Kamil Gerinski of the 5th Squadron. I have brought the Demon Kings sister, Isis, with me. The gatekeeper looked between his papers and Isis several times. The Demon Kings sister is a human-cat?! This certainly seemed impossible, but the papers verified it. The sister of the Demon King, and a Chimera. What is a chimera?* Isis looked sideways at the two gatekeepers who were talking to each other and passed through. Where to? Poko Poko and the human-horse girl followed behind her. Isnt that Tomas? Isis spotted Tomas and began to head towards him. Whats a Chimera? One of the gatekeepers, and Kamils senior, asked. The Demon King said its a generic term for people born between different races. Like how the Demon Kings father is a werewolf and his mother is a human-cat. I see Common sense dictates that that children from two races cannot be born, but if the Demon Kings says it can happen it must be true. Now, lets takehey, wheres Isis? As I was saying before No, its not!* Tomas was desperately trying to resolve the misunderstanding, but no one believed him. . Throughout the whole company it was rumored that Tomas was intimate with the Demon King. Hmmm? Isis jumped to see what was going on in the crowd. Hey, you guys, come on! Its no big deal. Im back, Im back. Okay, its no big deal. Raine and Arthur tried to drive the crowd back, but the old guard, including the off-duty sergeant, was also gathered. Gah! Theres a sergeant here. Im sorry Tomas. I cant get rid of them. Both Raine and Arthur were unable to defy the sergeant. I dont care about your love affairs. So, what kind of person was the Demon King? Huh! He had though it would be a continuation of this mornings ruckus, but the sergeant asked an unexpected question. No, the day before yesterday, the Demon King was attacked, what happened? The same guys, who were asking Tomas obscene questions, pretended to have heard the answer to the sergeants question. According to the story I heard, they blew up the 6th floor of the Adventurers Guild *. Im sorry, can I pass through? Isis continued to force her way through her crowd. While everyone around her was anticipating Tomass answer, Isis pushed past people to get closer to Tomas. At that time, Ms. Gerda, the leader of the adventurers guild, and Lange, the leader of the knights, were discussing corps formation. Hey! Tomas! Arthur hurriedly stopped Tomas before he mentioned the corps formation that came up during the meeting. Dont say a word, it hasnt been decided yet. Arthur had stopped him, but it was too late. The soldiers, hearing about the corps formation, began to stir. Excuse me Amidst all this, Isis continues to push her way through the crowd. Hey, did they talk about the scale? What did they tell Lange? Are we really attacking this summer? Hey! Questions popped up all at once, and the excited soldiers continued to crowd and push. (Ugh~~~) Hmmm~~~! Wow! Tomas and Arthur were startled as a human-cat head poked out from between people. Eh!? Wow! Who!? A soldier noticed the cat-girl and let her through. Isis popped out of the crowd and jumped into Tomass chest. Fufu Isis? Huh! Isis! Isis, eh!? Hehehehe. Isis purred and rubbed her head against Tomas, ignoring the surprise from Raine and Arthur, who were surprised by her appearance.