《Graduated from Witchcraft Institute》 1-the first episode . , . , . , . . , , . . '' , '' . , . . '' . '' '' , . , . '' '' '' '' '' , , . , . , , . , . '' '' , . '' , , '' . , . , . , , . , . '' '' '' . '' '' . , '' . '' . , '' '' , . '' '' . , . , '' '' , '' '' '' , , . , . , . , . , . , , . , . , . . , . , , . , . , . , . , , . , , . '' , '' , . , . , . , . '' . '' . , . . '' . '' '' . , , , . , '' , , . '' . '' '' . , , '' , . , . , . '' , '' '' , '' '' . , , , '' , . , . , . . '' . '' . , . '' , . , , , '' I nodded my head in confirmation. The female staff member stamped her seal with the seal she had on hand. ''Yes. You are now registered as an adventurer with the Adventurer''s Guild in the city of Atratia. Detailed instructions on adventuring are written over there, but do you need a verbal explanation?'' ''No, it''s fine, I''ll check it myself. ''Very well, sir. William, who has just become an adventurer, is an ''F'' rank adventurer. Your adventurer rank will gradually increase by completing several successful quests, so please work hard to achieve a high rank. ''Oh, thank you.'' I thanked the staff member with a sales smile and walked away from the adventurer registration desk. 2-the second episode Adventurers are rated according to their "rank". There are seven ranks: F, E, D, C, B, A, and S. I''ve just registered as an adventurer, and I''m currently at the lowest rank, F. F is what''s called a "novice" rank. The F rank is what is called a "novice" level. If you complete three quests of the appropriate rank, you will be promoted to rank E. But even E rank is still in the realm of the inexperienced. It is at the D rank that an adventurer becomes a full-fledged adventurer. It is said that most adventurers stay at this D rank. The next rank, C, is reserved for adventurers with skills worthy of being called professionals. These are adventurers who are not outstanding, but who have been recognized as competent enough. It is said that C-rank adventurers make up about 10 to 20 percent of all adventurers. Above the C-rank, the B-rank and higher ranks are reserved for a limited number of adventurers. It''s called "top-notch. Among the nearly one hundred adventurers based in the city of Atratia, only two adventurers with B rank are able to compete with the best. And there are no adventurers of A rank or higher in the Atlantean adventurer''s guild. However, there''s no point in thinking about such things from above. I''m an F-rank adventurer now, so I should focus on the goal at hand. ''Goblin extermination - an E rank quest. I stand in front of a bulletin board with quest postings on it and peel off one of the postings to see what it says. What was written there was something like this. Goblin Extermination (Quest Rank: E) Reward: 20 gold coins Description: You are the mayor of Mito Village. A group of goblins has taken up residence in a cave near the village. They come in the middle of the night, raiding our fields, stealing our livestock, and finally killing our hunter, Mort! We can''t leave them now, kill every last one of them! I look at the poster, put my hand to my chin and think. It seems that killing goblins is one of the most common quests for apprentice adventurers. As an inexperienced adventurer, I thought it would not be a bad choice to gain experience by taking an orthodox quest. The amount of reward is also reasonable for the request. A single gold coin is the equivalent of what a day laborer would receive for a full day''s work, from morning till nightfall, and this amount is enough to live in a city inn for a couple of days if you are not extravagant. The quest to exterminate the goblins would take about two or three days of work, including the time spent traveling to and from the village where the request was made. The reward of twenty gold coins is not a small price to pay, considering that this is a quest for a novice adventurer and that the villagers are the ones who have to pay for the quest. However, there is one major problem with this quest for me right now. The quest rank for this goblin extermination is ''E''. You need a party of at least four F-rank adventurers to receive this quest. To receive an E quest, a party must have a total of four points of ability. An F-rank adventurer''s ability value is converted to one point, so an F-rank adventurer must have a party of four or more to receive an E-rank quest. Incidentally, an adventurer''s skill level is doubled and doubled with each rank. An E rank adventurer gets two points, a D rank gets four points, a C rank gets eight points, and so on. ...... Thus, adventurers of rank D or higher can receive the goblin-slaying quest on their own. I don''t know whether a D-rank adventurer can actually conquer a goblin''s lair by himself. However, the fact that it is structured that way suggests that it may not be too far off. But in any case, I''m an F-rank adventurer now. If I don''t form a party, I can''t receive these quests. ''A party. ......'' I mumbled as I returned the quest posters I was looking at to the board. ''Are you looking for a party member, by any chance? I heard a voice from somewhere. 3-Episode III ''Brother, are you looking for a party member by any chance? I heard a voice from somewhere. It sounded like a girl''s voice. I looked around, but there was no sign of her... ''Downstairs, downstairs, big brother. ''Mmm......? I looked down and saw that the person was right next to me. I didn''t notice him because he was so short. ''Nice to meet you, brother. My name is Mee. I saw you at the adventurer registration desk a while ago, so I assume you''re an F-rank adventurer who just registered as an adventurer. The person who spoke to me was a girl who looked like a beastman with a small frame. Her height is about the same as my chest,......, or even shorter than that. There are two cat-like ears on her head - triangular ones covered in hair - and they are popping up and down in a cute way. Her hair is a short cut with a slight outward bounce, and is a chestnut color with a slight reddish tinge. Her eyes are red and have vertical pupils like those of a cat. Her mouth was covered with what looked like double teeth, which seemed to add to her loveliness. She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and pants, gloves, and boots that seemed to be designed for ease of movement and cuteness. She also had a dagger in her waist belt. I wondered if she was a thief. I bent down a little and patted the beastman girl on the head. ''Young lady, this is the Adventurer''s Guild. It''s not a place for children to come and play. ''No, it''s not! Mee is not a child! She''s a full-fledged adventurer! Her tail sprouts out of her ass and she turns red in protest. It''s quite adorable. Anyway, I stand up and tell him the truth. ''Don''t worry, that was a joke. I''ve heard that good adventurers often tell good jokes. You may not be good at it yet, but it''s all about practice. ''Wow ......, this brother is very naive .......'' The beastman girl looked terribly taken aback. Hmm, it seems that the skill of jokes is an issue for the future. ''Anyway, now that you mention it. I take it you''re a Thief, is that correct? ''Yes, sir. Your brother is a mage, right? ''...... That''s about it. The same thing happened when he registered as an adventurer, but he did it again. A mage is a title that can be claimed by those who can use magic, even if only slightly. It is not necessary to complete the course of study at the Academy in order to claim this title. For example, if a wizard in a village teaches you only the basics of magic and you become able to use elementary level magic, you can call yourself a mage at that point. On the other hand, those who have completed the course of the Academy of Magic are given the title of wizard. It is possible to enter the academy as long as you can pay the necessary money, but it takes a certain amount of effort to complete the course and obtain the title of wizard. In general, it is said that only about 20 to 30 percent of the students enrolled in an academy can obtain the title of wizard. Therefore, in my case, I can call myself a wizard, but it is not wrong to call myself a mage. I don''t think there''s any need to correct myself and make a self-conscious appeal to my abilities. Anyway, the beastman girl smiled brightly at me when she heard my answer. ''Then that''s just fine. Besides Mee, there are two other members in her party, a fighter and a priest (Holy Order). All of them are F-ranked. We were just looking for another F-ranked adventurer. Would you like to join our party, brother? ''Hm. ......'' This offer from the beast girl named Mee was not a bad one for me... in fact, I would describe it as ideal. She was an F-ranked adventurer, and her role (class) was well balanced. Generally speaking, adventurers do not like to form parties with people of lower rank than themselves. This is not surprising, since few adventurers would want to be burdened with a slowdown or a burden. Even if I had been invited to join a higher-ranked adventurer, I would have refused unless I had no other choice. There would be a hierarchical relationship, the distribution of rewards, and all sorts of other troublesome issues. That''s why this beastman girl''s offer was the perfect one for me right now. There was no reason to refuse, though. ''All right, I''ll consider it. Can I see two more of your people, please? It''s dangerous to think only in terms of titles. I don''t think you''re in a position to make a choice, but it''s not too late to make a decision after meeting and talking with them. ''Yes, sir. Mee''s friends are in the tavern over there, so I want you to follow me. The beastman girl, Mee, spun around like a dancer and trotted away. I followed her lead and followed her. 4-Episode IV Adventurer''s guilds often have a tavern space attached, and this guild is no different. When Mee took me there, I found myself in a place where many adventurers were drinking and making noise. Although the people drinking in the tavern were generally crude, there was a rich variety of talent. There was a muscular warrior-like man who tipped his mug of ale with gusto, an elven woman who sipped her wine with an air of nonchalance, and a bandit-like man who seemed to be drunk but kept his eyes on his surroundings. I saw Mee running ahead of me, and I vaguely guessed that this beastly girl would be the party''s redhead, a sort of mascot. Mixed-gender adventuring parties are not uncommon, but even so, I''ve heard that most adventurers are male. It is also said that many adventuring parties collapse due to relationships involving women. Mee doesn''t seem to be the type, but I''ve also heard that women are not always what they seem. In any case, you might want to be careful not to get too close to her. With this in mind, I followed Mee... ''Hey, Mee, good work. Is that the new guy? There were indeed two people sitting at two of the four seats at the table. And the one who just called out to me was one of them. The two people there defied all my vague expectations. They were both girls. Both seemed to be human, and both were about my age or slightly younger. One of them, the one who approached me, was a rough-looking girl with her legs thrown over the table. She wore her hair in a ponytail and her eyes were black. The clothes she wore were not something you would see often around here. I remember that there was a national costume like that in the East, called Kimono Hakama (Kimono Hakama). The one worn by the girl in front of me was based on a sky-blue color, and was quite beautiful in combination with her own neat appearance. On her waist was a sword with a strong bow, which was sheathed in a scabbard. As I recall, it was also a katana, a weapon from the same Eastern country. On the other hand, the other person there was a girl wearing a white robe that looked like a priest''s robe. Her platinum blonde hair was cut to a semi-short length, and her eyes, with their fantastic purple color, combined with her tightly knotted mouth, gave the girl a serious impression. Another feature of the girl is the size of her breasts, which, at the risk of sounding a bit vulgar, make her white robe look much larger than it is. This lent a maternal beauty to the girl''s silhouette. Anyway, what surprised me was the fact that the two people there were women. On second thought, however, that was not a problem at all. It is not necessarily appropriate to assume that women are incompetent. From a biological point of view, it is true that women are generally inferior to men in terms of muscle mass, etc., but on the other hand, there is a research report that shows that women tend to have a larger amount of aura circulating in their bodies than men. If this is true, it would be premature to assume that women are inferior to men in terms of the qualities of an adventurer. Therefore, this should not be an issue. What we should be aware of now is another oddity. I was talking about ''warriors and priests'', but it seems to be a little different strictly speaking. I think it''s called samurai. I seem to remember that they are the ones who handle the unique swordsmanship of the eastern countries, is that correct? When I asked this, the dark-haired girl who had been throwing her legs up on the table straightened her posture and leaned forward as if to bite. ''Wow, you know about us! To tell you the truth, you couldn''t understand us even if we called ourselves samurai, so we had no choice but to call ourselves fighters. Oh, so you know us. That''s great. The black-haired girl then held out her right hand toward me. ''I''m Satsuki. As you can see, I''m a samurai. Who are you? ''I''m William. I studied magic and other arts at the Academy of Magic. When I say I know samurai, I''m just saying. I shake the offered hand and introduce myself. ''Hey, that''s okay. I''m just glad you know about it. The girl smiled pleasantly and said so. I had always thought of this samurai girl, Satsuki, as a person with no hidden agendas. At least she didn''t seem like a bad person. And the other. The girl in the priest''s robe who was sitting next to Satsuki held out her hand as well. ''I am Cyril. I am a Priestess of the Holy Order of Ahtna, Goddess of Light and Justice. ''I''m William. Nice to meet you.'' I shake his hand back and give a short reply. I hadn''t yet decided whether or not I wanted to party with them, but intuitively they didn''t seem like bad people, and if that was the case, there was no reason to turn them down. I had immediately decided to form a party with them. 5-Episode V I formed a party with three others: Mee the Thief, Satsuki the Samurai, and Cyril the Holy Order. Our party left the city of Atratia the next morning after accepting a quest to exterminate goblins. We left the city of Atratia early in the morning and arrived at the village of Mith, where we had received the goblin extermination request, in the early evening of the same day. We met with the village chief, who told us that the goblins had taken up residence in a cave about half an hour''s walk north of the village through the forest. We took a short rest and headed for the cave we had been told about. We walked through the forest for a while. At last we came to a place where we could see the cave. We peered into the forest, through the trees, to see the cave. ''There are guards. ...... Two of them. ......'' Satsuki hid behind a tree, her face slightly exposed as she watched the cave. I also looked, but there were two goblins standing in front of the cave, and neither of them seemed to notice our presence. Goblins are a kind of demihuman race that is hostile to humans. They are about the size of a human child, and their appearance is hideous. They are characterized by their greenish skin, bony and strangely thin limbs, pointed ears and large noses, large gaping mouths and bulging eyes. They often live in caves near human settlements in groups of about 20. They attack human villages, looting crops and livestock, and sometimes killing people. They are extremely fertile, and no matter how many times they are exterminated, they will reappear as if they were springing from nowhere. These goblins are typical of the harm they do to humanity, and adventurers are often asked to kill them. With the goblins in the distance, Satsuki calls out to Mee. ''Mee, can you do it without making a scene? ''Mmm, I don''t know. If it''s one of them, I''m pretty sure I can do it, but if it''s two of them, I''m not so sure. ''So that''s it. How about the newcomer? Satsuki now turned her gaze to me. Now, what should I say? I''m sure the fireball spell will take out the two goblins, but the sound of the explosion is too loud. This is inappropriate. A magic missile spell would have no sound problem, but I can only fire three arrows at a time. But I can only fire three arrows at a time, and I''m not certain that I can kill two goblins at once. If that''s the case, the best solution would be to use a sleep spell. Alternatively, you could try activating Silence and then hitting them with a fireball. ....... ''I think it''s best to put him to sleep for now. I''ll leave it to Satsuki and the others to take care of it. With that, I raise my sorcerer''s staff and chant a rune spell. When the spell was completed and the sleep spell activated, the two goblins in front of the cave collapsed in a heap. The two goblins in front of the cave fell to the ground. Satsuki, who was watching the scene, said in dismay. ''...... What? What happened to them? ''Like I said, I just put him to sleep. It''s the same as normal sleep, so if you make a loud noise, it might wake him up. We should deal with it quickly and quietly.'''' ''Haha, ...... magic is amazing...'' As for disposing of the sleeping goblins, Mee and Cyril crept up to the front of the cave, slit the throat of one goblin with a dagger, and smashed the head of the other goblin with a mace. Satsuki refused to take care of the goblins, saying, ''It is not the place of a samurai to unilaterally kill an unresisting opponent. This may have been his pride as a warrior. Some negative thoughts about this way of being came to mind, but if it was connected to the core of her being, she thought it was not something that should be denied. Then, after the goblins had been dealt with, Satsuki came to me and said, as if she had been watching the scene and had something on her mind. ''...... I''m sorry, I''m being selfish out of the blue. But if I bend that thing, I won''t be able to wield the sword with pride anymore. I know I''m being selfish, but ......'' Satsuki looked down. Her usual coarse demeanor was gone, and her gaze swept over the scene as if she were terrified. I had thought that a little bitterness might be necessary, but if she herself was thinking this much, there was no need to say anything else. ''No, that''s fine. If that''s the case, I''ll just assume Satsuki''s thoughts and stance and think of a way to deal with it accordingly. ''...... Thanks. I''m sorry. ...... Hehe, you''re awesome. I''m kind of in love with you. After saying that, Satsuki padded away from me. Then she went to Mee and Cyril and talked about something. He must have been talking about something similar to what he told me. But this was a good experience for me too. As a member of a party of adventurers, there are situations that cannot be measured by simple strength calculations when working together with others. 6-Episode VI After disposing of the goblins on guard, we decided to enter the cave. Mee, a thief, was listening to us with her ear to the ground near the entrance. By the way, some people who underestimate the adventuring business say that you don''t need to go into caves to beat the goblin hordes that lurk there. But I''m skeptical of that idea. According to them, we can burn fires at the entrance and send smoke into the air, or we can use the phenomenon of dust explosions, such as those that occur in mines, to wipe them out. However, it is my opinion that these strategies are not feasible and are nothing more than theoretical theories. Moreover, in a situation where the enemy is not aware of our presence, even if we could send smoke accurately, the act itself could be a risk of alerting the enemy to our presence. It is necessary to decide whether it is worth it to abandon the advantage of surprise. Then, it occurred to me to ask Satsuki. ''Is it possible for Satsuki to attack the enemy by taking them by surprise? Does it mean that you can''t attack unless you come forward fairly and squarely?'' I asked, and Satsuki smiled and shook her head. ''I''m sure I''ll come to terms with that. There are samurai who say that''s not fair. I''d rather be a samurai who can help my fellow samurai. ''Hmm ...... I see.'' The difference between that and killing an incapacitated target was not clear to me, but I decided not to mention it. She seemed to be in the midst of a struggle of her own, including that. ''I can''t hear any footsteps in the immediate vicinity. Maybe it''s a pretty deep cave. Mee, who has finished listening, reports the results. Then she took out a fire box and a lantern from her backpack, started a fire with a familiar motion, and transferred the fire to the lantern. Meanwhile, I took out a torch from my pack and asked Mee to transfer the fire to it. Then the beastman girl tilted her head curiously. ''Isn''t it possible to create a light with magic? ''It is possible, but the more magic you use, the more mana you consume in your body. But if you have a low-cost alternative, you should use it. ''I see, I see. Mee seemed to be convinced, and lit my torch as well. In addition, the consumed mana will be slowly recovered by taking a rest. In particular, sleep in a comfortable environment is the most efficient, and it is known that even when you have used up all your mana, you tend to recover fully after six to eight hours of sleep. As a result of my training at the academy, I have built a body that can store a lot more mana than normal people, and the degree of recovery of mana when I rest is much better than normal people. However, even so, if you keep on wasting without thinking, your body will eventually run out of mana. The ability to conserve and manage mana is an important skill for all mages. ''But, William. But, William, why do you need more torches when Mee has already prepared the lights? On the other hand, Cyril, the priestess, asked me such an honest question. ''It''s dark in the cave, so I understand the need for a light. I wonder if there''s any point in preparing torches on top of that. This was not a suggestion of futility, but an expression of a desire to learn. I like the attitude that a wise person should take, inquiring whether something seemingly useless has a purpose. I had seen a glimpse of high intelligence in this priestess named Cyril. ''Ah. This is from a book I''ve read in the past, written by an adventurer, but you never know what kind of accidents you might encounter while adventuring. On the other hand, the loss of light in the dark can be fatal for us human adventurers. To spread the risk, we should have more than one light. Besides, a lit torch can be useful for burning away cobwebs and other minor obstacles. ''...... I see. So you''re relying on the wisdom of past adventurers. I thought mages were all big-headed and thought the empirical wisdom of adventurers was ridiculous, but I guess you''re not so sure. It seems that she saw my character in the same way that I saw hers. I have the impression that she speaks a little too openly, but I personally don''t dislike this kind of person. ''If I imitate Satsuki''s way of speaking, there must be such mages. But I believe that such fools are the first to die. I really don''t want to die early for nothing. The priestess chuckles as I say this. ''William, you''re a funny guy. ''I didn''t mean to make a joke. ''Your sense of joke telling is devastating. Mee teased from the side. ''Is that so?'' ''Yes.'' It was a terrible thing to hear. If possible, I would like to refrain from such comments that would break the spirit of challenge. ''Come on, let''s go. The sun is going to set. Satsuki said, and the sun was actually setting in the sky. We finished our chatting and decided to switch our minds to exploring the cave. 7-Episode VII ''...... Hey, William.'' ''What is it, Satsuki? They entered the cave and proceeded to the first hall. Satsuki, who had a sword in her hand, was looking around the hall with a puzzled look on her face. ''Didn''t you just say that you were going to think about how to do something based on my stance and thoughts? ''Yes, I did. ''So... how did this happen? Satsuki looked into the hall. There, all five goblins were lying on the earthen ground of the cave, breathing heavily. It was the effect of the sleep spell I had used. When we realized that there was a group of goblins in this hall, we launched a raid against them. I thought that the Sleep spell would be effective here as well, so I shot it in the first move. And this was the result. At the moment, Mee and Cyril are working together to finish off the sleeping goblins. ''Hmm, why did it turn out like this? First of all, we got lucky. It doesn''t always work out this way. Secondly, as for the method, even after taking Satsuki''s nature into consideration, I thought this method would be the most reliable and quietest way to finish off the goblins - do you disagree? ''No, because ...... this is, you know, my turn to play ....... My chance to clear my name is .......'' Satsuki said this with a shy smile. But I don''t like it when she says that. ''Our lives are more important than Satsuki''s chance to clear her name. It''s only natural that we take the safer and more reliable means.'' ''So, isn''t it? The kimono-clad girl sighed and slumped her shoulders. I felt a little sorry for her when I saw her so disconsolate, but I didn''t think I had made the wrong decision, so I decided to leave it at that. Well, at any rate, the start of the cave search went well for the time being. After confirming that Mee and Cyril had finished with the goblins, I began to draw a picture with the tip of my staff on the earthen floor of the hall. What I''m drawing is a diagram showing the route of this cave. He had already drawn it for his companions, but he wanted to share the information with them again. The passage from the entrance of the cave to this hall. Then, I''ll add the passages extending from this hall, the halls along the branching passages, and the location of the goblins. Then, when I had marked the room I was in with a large cross, Satsuki, who was leaning on my shoulder and looking into it, murmured to me. ''That doesn''t make any sense either, does it ....... I''m not sure how you know the terrain and where the goblins are in places you haven''t been yet. ''I think I''ve already explained this, but it''s the result of scouting using a spell called the Wizard''s Eye. ''Yeah, they did explain it to me, that''s for sure. But to be honest, I was skeptical. Until I saw that the terrain and the number of goblins here were exactly the same. It''s a foul thing, knowing the shape of the dungeon and where the enemies are from the start. ''The accuracy of information can be a critical factor in the fate of anything you do. But then again, that''s the impression you get from the perspective of someone who can''t use magic. That''s helpful. At my reply, Satsuki''s shoulders slumped again. I don''t know what she is depressed about, but it seems that she has confidence in the information I presented, so that''s good for now. The wizard''s eye is a spell that allows you to fly a transparent ''eye'' created by magic and ''see'' the scenery in your path through pseudo-vision. The ''eye'' exists but is invisible and can be moved at a speed similar to that of a human walking while floating in midair. And I can receive the scenery seen through the eyes as part of my own visual information. The eyes are also equipped with night vision, which allows me to see in the darkness of the cave without any problem. At the beginning of my exploration of the cave, I asked my companions to wait a little while before I cast this spell, and used the ''eye'' to find out information about the cave in advance. By doing so, he was able to obtain the information that I have just illustrated. ''But we can''t be too careful. My eyes can''t detect invisible dangers such as traps. And you never know what else might happen. You can''t be too careful. ''There''s too much difference between our idea of "stay alert" and William''s idea of "stay alert". ......'' Satsuki had a distant look in her eyes as she said this. 8-Episode VIII ''...... Hey, William.'' ''What is it, Satsuki? ''You... you''re not torturing me, are you ......? The second hall after entering the cave. In front of the second room, which was a little larger than the first, Satsuki was once again stunned with her sword in her hand. To add to that, I don''t know what, but Satsuki was about to cry. ''Oh. I don''t know why I felt that way, but I don''t like bullying, and I don''t hate Satsuki. There is no reason or motive for me to abuse Satsuki.'' ''Oh, yes. ...... I see, so you don''t hate me...? This is too much! Satsuki said, pointing to the situation in the hall. There, as in the first hall, goblins were lying on the ground, asleep. There were eight of them, more than in the first hall. The two of them, Mee and Cyril, were going around stabbing at them. ''......? What''s so bad about that? I''ve already explained my thoughts. I''ve already explained my thoughts. ''No, no, no. I''m a little bit like that, but not that much. But, you know, there are things like that, right? The blood-pumping adventures, the bonds with friends that are created in the midst of life-threatening battles...'' ''I think it''s more important to do your best to increase your chances of survival than those things. ''Isn''t that right! He seemed to agree with me. It takes a lot of effort to get others to understand your thoughts. '' But no matter what, this result is abnormal. Cyril, who had finished killing the sleeping goblins, returned with a bloodstained hammering mace in his hand. His white priest''s robe was also stained with blood here and there. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry I left Cyril and Mee in charge of something they didn''t want to do. I wish I could help, but I''m not very good with weapons. I don''t have much confidence in my ability to dispose of a sleeping goblin properly. ''Oh, I''m ...... sorry too.'' ''That''s fine. Don''t worry about it, Satsuki. Besides, I don''t understand this situation. Can you explain it to me? Cyril said and looked me straight in the eye. But I have no idea. ''Hmm ......, what do you want me to explain? ''Fifteen so far, the reason why all the goblins have fallen asleep. This situation doesn''t match up at all with what I''ve heard from the older adventurers. ...... Hmm. I still don''t understand the whole story, so I urge Cyril to go on. Cyril sighed and continued his story. ''It''s true that mages like to use sleep magic. I''ve heard that if you cast one spell on a group of goblins and one or two of them fall asleep, you''ll get a good result. But the magic you''re using isn''t of that level. ''That''s what Mee was wondering, too. I''ve never heard of a mage using this kind of outrageous magic, either. Mee, who had been going around collecting goblin ears as proof of defeat, came back and said something like that. I see. I think I understand the point of their question. I''ll start my explanation based on that. ''Perhaps what Cyril and Mee heard from their seniors is about a sleep spell used by an inexperienced mage. The spell I''m using is the exact same sleep spell, it''s just that the level of skill is different. Even with the same spell, if the skill level of the practitioner is different, the power of the spell will be different. If you compare the spell I use with that used by a beginner who has just mastered the basics of magic, it is only natural that there will be a difference in the results. There is also the aspect of pure luck, and the fact that the spell just happened to work. Even against goblins, the possibility of being resisted by magic is not always zero. Therefore, there was a good chance that at least one of them would stay awake. However, I judged that this was not the kind of question that was being asked now, and decided to keep the subject to myself. ''Hmmm ....... So, William, you''re not an immature mage, you''re an accomplished mage. Cyril asks more pointedly. He has a sharp look in his eyes, as if he''s trying to figure us out. However, it''s quite difficult to reply to that question. ''...... Hmm. It depends on what level you consider to be proficient, but for the time being, you can present the objective fact that you can claim the title of wizard. I''m sure you''ll agree. Wee, wizard? Cyril''s eyes widened in astonishment. Satsuki, who was looking at it from the side, casually asked the priestess a question. ''Hey, hey, wizard? Is that awesome? ''It''s great! If you''re a priest, you''re a priest! If you don''t know what I''m talking about, you can go to ......, but it''s awesome! Cyril''s vocabulary was in a sorry state. In addition, the Priest that Cyril is referring to is a title that is almost equal to the title of ''Temple Chief'' of a temple in a city. Whether the title of priest is given to a person who has the title of priest, or whether the title of priest is given to a person who is given the title of temple head, seems to be applied flexibly from time to time, but at any rate, the title of priest indicates the rank to unite several to dozens of priests in a single temple. In any case, the title "priest" indicates the rank that unites several to dozens of priests in a temple. In the first place, the Holy Order itself is a title given only to those who can handle the sacred arts, and the holder of the title Priest, who is outstanding among them, can certainly be regarded as a Wizard. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. But why would someone with the title of wizard be an F-rank adventurer in a place like this? That''s not right. Cyril exclaimed in a half-confused manner. I responded with a refutation that I had repeated many times before. ''You''re not crazy. I am not a slave and I have the freedom to choose my profession. As a result of that freedom, choosing the profession of adventurer is not a problematic act. ''Umm,......Well, that''s, that''s true. ....... Ummm......Yeah, well, you''re right. You''re not wrong. But that''s not what I''m talking about. ......'' ''And it''s only natural that you have an F rank, since you just registered as an adventurer yesterday. And since you don''t have much experience as an adventurer, I don''t think it''s an inappropriate grade. ''......Uh, yeah, well, you''re right about that too. ''......Yeah, okay, that''s enough. Cyril was very unconvinced, but he seemed to understand. Then, Satsuki expressed her opinion from the side. ''Oh, so you''re saying that William is an amazing mage? ''...... Sorry Satsuki. I''m confused, can you shut up for a moment? ''What? Despite this exchange between Satsuki and Cyril, the cave search was still going well. 9-Episode IX According to my initial scouting with the Wizard''s Eye, there are four halls in this cave. The first is the first hall where there were five goblins. The second and third halls are located at the ends of the branching passages that extend from the first hall, and one of them is the hall where the eight goblins were. The hall you''re heading for now is the one at the other end of the branch. Beyond this hall is the fourth hall, which will be the end of the cave. Now that that''s out of the way. There''s one thing I''m impressed with in today''s cave search. That is, the ability of Mee, the beastman girl, as a thief. Thieves in the world of adventurers do not mainly steal for a living. The main role of a thief in an adventuring party is to reduce the risks of dungeon exploration by using various skills such as listening and trap detection. Mee seems to be able to perform the actions and results required of the role of a thief without any noticeable flaws. There is nothing particularly noteworthy about her, but she seems to be above average in everything she does. He has a good eye and a good ear for detail. I feel that this is the kind of person who can become a C-rank adventurer in the future. That is, if they don''t lose their lives along the way, of course. And then, in the third hall, there was a scene that showed the true face of Mee. ''It looks like there are no goblins here, just like William said. It''s a bit disheartening, isn''t it? When they reached the third hall, Satsuki let out such a carefree impression. Unlike the previous two halls, there were no goblins there. ''I can''t say I don''t understand your feelings, but why don''t you at least have a little more tension while exploring the dungeon? Cyril complained to Satsuki. But Satsuki didn''t seem to take it too well. ''You''re always too tense, Cyril. You''ll break the thread someday. Besides, my job is to destroy the enemy. William says there''s a boss in the back, so that''s when I''ll be on my toes...'' ''I''m waiting for ......, Satsuki.'' ''What? Mee stopped Satsuki with a sharp voice. Satsuki stopped and turned around to look at Mee. ''What is it, Mee, pissing? I''ll keep an eye on William, so get on with it. ''Does Satsuki think you''re a stray cat or something? No, I don''t. I''m watching you closely. The beastman girl walked past Satsuki and stopped just before the center of the hall. She then kicked the ground ahead of her, hard. Then the ground in the area where she kicked off collapsed. A gaping hole appeared in the ground. ''Geez. What''s that? Satsuki rushed up beside Mi and kicked the ground in front of her in the same way. As expected, the ground in that area fell out and a hole appeared. Then Mee, while carefully observing the ground, moves to the edge of a specific space and kicks the ground in the same way. Then, at a certain point, the entire space collapsed at once. As a result, a huge hole was created in the center of the hall. Satsuki looked into the hole. ''Wow, ......, is that a pit? ''Yes, it is. The color of the soil was a little unnatural in this part. I walked up to Satsuki and looked at the steep, mortar-shaped hole, which had been dug to a depth of about three times the height of a man. When I lit the bottom of the hole with a torch, I saw that there were a number of sharp rocks with their tips up. ''...... You know, if this had fallen, it would have been pretty bad, wouldn''t it? Worst case scenario, if I hit my head on that rock, I''d be ......'' ''You would have died. But this is not the worst of pitfalls. There is a pattern that spears are laid on the bottom facing upward. In some ruins, you can be turned into bones in a pool of strong acid in no time. ''Really? ......'' Satsuki looked into the bottom of the hole with a horrified face. Next to her, Cyril, who had also come to the edge of the hole, murmured to no one in particular. ''But now we know that there are intelligent goblins in this cave, don''t we? Just like William said...'''' And with that, Cyril cast a sharp glance at the passage beyond the hall. Then, in a tense voice, he continued. ''''There''s a Goblin Mage and a Goblin Lord in the back here. 10-Episode X Just as there are some humans with superior and inferior abilities, there are also some goblins with superior and inferior abilities. However, in rare cases, an extremely capable goblin will be born that is far beyond the margin of error. For example, there are goblins who can use magic. They have the same physical abilities as normal goblins, but they have the same high intelligence as humans, and they use the same kinds of magic that human mages use, though they may not know where they learned it. Because they pose a threat on a different level than ordinary goblins, they are specially called goblin mages, and are treated with particular caution by adventurers. On the other hand, there are goblins with superior physical abilities. These goblins are called goblin guards, goblin chiefs, and many other names, but their ability to fight with flesh and bullets makes them a special kind of goblin with a different level of threat than ordinary goblins. However, if asked which goblins pose the greatest threat, most adventurers would probably answer. Goblin Lords. Known as goblin lords, only one goblin lord can be found per goblin pack, and they are rare and powerful. Their bodies are not inferior to those of humans, but are rather large in stature, with muscular yet supple muscles. Although he is not particularly skilled in combat, the power and sharpness of the attacks he unleashes from his blessed body, as well as his sense of fighting, are said to far surpass those of ordinary humans. In terms of intelligence, goblin lords also far surpass those of ordinary goblins. Although they rarely use magic, lords are able to intelligently and accurately lead goblins to attack human settlements, and goblin groups with lords are said to be significantly more amazing than normal groups. Goblin mages, and goblin lords. A party of novice adventurers who encounter a goblin horde led by one of these special species will undoubtedly face an uphill battle, possibly resulting in death, and in the worst case scenario, annihilation. It is no exaggeration to say that we drew the worst possible card in this regard. Encountering a pack with both a goblin mage and a goblin lord is as bad a miracle as rolling two dice and getting a one on both. But one thing that doesn''t make sense to me is that William, who is so cautious, has a wizard''s eye? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. Satsuki let out a sudden thought. We are now marching towards the hall where the goblin lords are supposed to be. This cave is unexpectedly deep, and the passage from hall to hall is unexpectedly long. We''re still a long way from our destination. I pondered and replied to Satsuki. ''There''s a difference between trying to reduce the risk you face as much as possible and running away without facing the slightest risk...'' Does that answer your question? ''Ah, I think I understand, but I don''t know...'' I was a little troubled by Satsuki''s reply. As I was thinking about how to explain it, Cyril interrupted me from the side. ''There''s a difference between bravery and recklessness. Cautious is not the same as cowardly. A coward can''t be an adventurer in the first place... isn''t that what you''re saying? ''...... Well, you''re right, but...'' Does Satsuki understand with that explanation?'' ''Hmm, I think I understand that too, but I don''t.'' ''Besides, if you want to cancel the quest once you accept it, you have to pay a penalty. You''ve wasted your time, and now you''ll have to pay back three times as much. Mee, who was walking in the lead while keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings, continued her vigilant behavior and joined in the conversation. ''Oh, I can understand that too! It''s not good to run out of money. When I was traveling, I almost lost myself because I ran out of street money. I kept the kimono and the sword, but that was a bad time. It was really bad. I almost sold myself. Mi and Cyril chuckled at Satsuki''s repetition of ''it was bad, it was bad''. Quests received at the Adventurer''s Guild usually come with an advance payment and a penalty fee. The party receiving a quest usually receives 10% of the reward in advance as a deposit. This money is used to prepare the adventurers for the quest. In the case of this quest to exterminate goblins, the reward is twenty gold coins, so we have already received two gold coins from the guild as an advance payment. Adventurers use this money to buy food and lodging for the round trip. This is necessary because many adventurers are unpredictable and rush to find another quest after they have spent all the rewards from the previous one on drinks and women. On the other hand, there is a penalty for cancelling a quest. This is because the party that requested the quest cannot afford to have the party that accepted the quest simply say "I quit". If the party does not accept the quest, the request will remain on the adventurer''s guild board, and another party of adventurers may accept the quest. However, once a quest has been accepted by one of the parties, it is removed from the Adventurer''s Guild quest requests. Many quests require a quick response, as is the case with the goblin extermination. The longer the goblins are left unattended, the greater the damage to the village will likely be. Therefore, once a party has received a quest, they must take responsibility for completing it as quickly as possible. This responsibility is expressed in monetary terms in the penalty system. The amount of the penalty is usually three times the amount of the advance payment. In the case of the quest to exterminate goblins, you can cancel the quest by paying six gold coins to the Adventurer''s Guild. This means that you will need to return the full amount of the advance payment and pay another four gold coins. This is only true if the actual content of the quest does not deviate too far from the ''expected irregularities''. This does not apply to rare exceptions, such as being attacked by a dragon while trying to kill a goblin. The adventurer''s guild will send assassins to any party of adventurers who take the money in advance and quit. In other words, it is a law that an adventurer should never do such a thing. ''But then there''s the matter of wanting extra rewards for goblin lords and mages, isn''t there? I thought it was just a normal goblin extermination, but if there was actually a lord or a mage, it would be a poor lot. When Satsuki expressed her honest opinion, Cyril responded. ''I guess we have to take that into account when we accept the quest. The villagers who asked us to exterminate the goblins were offered that amount of money as a reward for solving the whole problem, and I don''t think they''ll agree if we ask them to pay extra for something unexpected afterwards. If you threaten to take it away by force, we are no better than bandits. I listened to Cyril''s comment and was secretly impressed. I raised my opinion of this priestess one more notch. Human beings are often creatures that see things subjectively from their own standpoint. Nevertheless, the fact that she can think from the other person''s point of view is evidence that she is an intellectually capable person. If she can think from the other person''s point of view, she will be able to take into account that point of view and seek her own optimal behavior. By doing so, it is possible to avoid unnecessary disputes caused by unnecessary communication errors. In fact, when I receive a quest to exterminate goblins, I consider the possibility of goblin lords and mages before deciding whether or not to accept it. This is the worst case scenario, not the worst case scenario. However, it is certain that there are many adventurers who cannot think in such a way. Satsuki was the same way, and she did not seem to be convinced by Cyril''s story. In her case, however, it was quickly swept under the rug and she seemed to have no problem with it. Compared to Cyril, Satsuki is more frank. To put it more bluntly, she is not very competent in the intellectual aspect. He is not a very competent person intellectually, but his unflappable humanity is quite likeable. ....... ''Hmm, what is it? Then, as I was thinking this, I noticed Cyril beside me staring intently at me. The priestess smiled at me and called out to me. ''Excuse me. I''m a little curious about you. I was wondering what Satsuki looks like to you, a wizard. I saw that Satsuki was now talking to Mee. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''...... Hmm. As a human being, I don''t dislike her. However, I feel that he can be a bit too quick-witted. ''You have a low opinion of her in terms of her abilities. ''...... Well, to put it bluntly, yes.'' Cyril chuckles when I say this. ''I knew it... but it''s good to see. I think even you''d be surprised at what she can do. ''......'' As Cyril and I talked about this, we eventually came near the last hall, our destination. We cut off our idle chatter and proceeded to walk carefully. 11-Episode XI There is a guideline called ''monster rank''. These ranks indicate the strength and wonder of monsters, and are represented by symbols that correspond to adventurer ranks. For example, the monster rank of a common goblin is H-rank. This means that the monster is two ranks lower than the average rank of an F-rank adventurer who has just registered as an adventurer. In general, the strength of a monster doubles for each rank increase. Here, double means that two monsters of a certain rank are equal in threat to one monster of a higher rank. However, for the sake of convenience, we use the term "double" to mean the strength of two monsters. In this sense, an F-rank adventurer is four times as strong as an H-rank goblin. In other words, one F-rank adventurer is evenly matched against four goblins. This is a very rough way of putting it, but it can be considered as a rough indicator. However, no F-rank adventurer would actually try to fight four goblins by himself, even if they were evenly matched. This is because exchanging lives with an evenly matched opponent means a 50-50 chance of dying. To reduce the risk of losing your life, a good adventurer will have a certain buffer of strength, or margin. The system for accepting quests from the Adventurer''s Guild takes this margin into account to some extent. Take, for example, the quest to exterminate goblins. A single goblin pack often consists of about 20 goblins, and four F-rank adventurers and 20 goblins would give the adventurers a disadvantage in terms of strength. However, since the adventurers do not usually fight 20 goblins in a single battle, but rather use the tactic of defeating each goblin individually, it is likely that four F-rank adventurers will be able to handle the situation to some extent, even if it is a case-by-case basis. In general, it is advisable to have double or quadruple the strength of the party. A party of four F-rank adventurers should be able to take on four to eight goblins at once. Of course, there is always room for more, but if you have that kind of ability, you might as well take a quest with a higher rank and better rewards. However, I personally disagree with the doubling of the level. According to the author of a book I like, who survived as an adventurer for about 30 years until he retired at the age of 46, the level of double is the one where people frequently lose their lives due to a small mistake, bad luck, or accident. Incidentally, it is said that the books he wrote about his adventures were not well received. It seems that people are looking for bloody and exciting adventure stories that have been greatly adapted, and not for his careful and steady style of writing about the life of an adventurer. I disagree with this opinion of the world at all, because I am attracted to the reality without any fancy, but that''s beside the point. But I digress. Anyway, the contrast between the strength of adventurers and monsters should usually be considered with a certain margin in mind. Now, let''s get down to business. This is about goblin lords. The goblin lord''s monster rank is E. This means that an ordinary F-rank adventurer would have to take on two Goblin Lords to be on par with them, and four would be the minimum strength level. However, if by "ordinary F-rank adventurers" you mean mages who have flunked out of the academy and are in the beginner class, or adventurers who have the same level of skill as mages, then at least I am not at that level. And one more person... Satsuki. If we are to believe Cyril''s words, she is also a very skilled adventurer. How good is she? ''Satsuki, I have a question. As I was walking to the last hall, I stopped by Satsuki''s side and whispered into her ear. ''What is it, William? It''s close, it''s close. ''The enemy''s base is close by. We can''t talk too loudly.'' I said to Satsuki, whose cheeks were blushing, as if she had misunderstood something. ''...... I see. And what''s that? ''Can you beat the Goblin Lord in a one-on-one fight?'' I''ll ask him straight out first. His perception can be important information, even if we can''t take it on faith. But Satsuki''s response to that was... ''Well, I don''t know. I''ve never tried it, and I don''t even know how a goblin lord is different from a goblin. I see. If you don''t know what a goblin lord is, it''s not a good basis for judgment. Then let''s change the question. Can Satsuki fight eight goblins by herself and win? This is a very crude way of thinking about things. Eight H-rank goblins and an E-rank goblin lord are equivalent. However, even though there are various problems, it can serve as a guideline. ''Huh? Eight goblins? I''m the only one who can do that at once? ''Yeah. ''That''s...'' Satsuki put her hand to her chin and looked diagonally upward, as if she was imagining something. And then.., ''It''ll be easy. It''s no big deal. ''......'' Satsuki assured him. It didn''t seem like she was being tough. It was a completely natural and confident reply. Interesting. Then change of plans. Knowing exactly how powerful she is will be an important and valuable piece of information for our future adventures as a party with her. It would be worth the risk to acquire this information. ''Satsuki, you said you wanted a chance to clear your name. ''Yeah. I think I said something to that effect. ''Then let''s see it in the next battle. Only the Goblin Lord will be left. Let''s see what you can do.'''' When I said that, Satsuki stopped and looked at me with a stunned expression. ''...... You know what, William? ''Hmm, what is it? ''Were you by any chance planning to end your fight with the boss by putting him all to sleep? Satsuki looked dumbfounded. Then you realize that''s where it''s coming from. ''Well, I was planning to take out various other insurance policies. You''re generally right. ''Hahaha ...... ah, yes ......''. Satsuki showed a flinching expression at my reply. 12-Episode XII ''Satsuki, relax.'' ''Mmm...... this, like this?'' ''Yes. Accept what comes into your body, don''t reject it... wait, why are you blushing? ''Huh, ......? No, I mean, ......, the way William said that was kind of erotic. Just before the hall where the goblin lords are. I chanted a spell, and the magical light from the tip of my wand penetrated into Satsuki''s body. The effect of the spell I had used was on the girl, who stood rigidly in a cautionary posture. I''m not sure what to do. Satsuki asks me, holding my hand and opening it. ''It''s a secret. Just fight as if there were no magic.'' ''Haha ......, you''re not doing any erotic magic or anything, are you?'' ''...... So what''s that? I''m not sure why you would need to use such a thing before a battle. You''re right. I don''t even know what I''m saying. I''m not sure what I''m saying.'' Satsuki''s face turned red and she laughed. ...... I wonder if this girl is really okay. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Incidentally, what I just used on Satsuki is a spell called a force field. It is a spell that puts up an invisible barrier that repels physical attacks, and if you are hit by a goblin lord, the barrier should repel you. This barrier will eventually ''break'' as the damage accumulates, but the possibility of being hit so many times is beyond our expectations, so we don''t see a problem with that. However, if I tell Satsuki that I used this spell, she may rely on it somewhere. Since we want to see Satsuki''s true ability, it would be better not to let her know anything unnecessary. This spell is only an insurance, and in this case, it is not something that should be incorporated into the tactics. ''So, Satsuki, let''s see what you can do. ''Oh, yeah. I''m nervous to think that William is watching me. I wonder if I''ll be okay. ''............'' I really don''t know if I can handle this girl. I''m getting more and more nervous, but there are plenty of ways to deal with it on the spot if it comes to it. For now, let''s just trust her. I''ll trust her for now. After completing our preparations, we all stormed into the hall where the goblin lords were. In the hall, there was a Goblin Lord, a Goblin Mage, and three normal Goblins. They were all in a state of panic at the sudden attackers, but each of them had a weapon in their hands and were ready to fight back. As usual, I used the Sleep spell to put all but four of the Goblinlords to sleep. I had feared that the goblin mage would likely resist, but the result was disheartening. The goblin mage fell unsteadily asleep, and was quickly disposed of by Mee, who ran up to him. The remaining goblins, as usual, were killed one by one by the skill of Cyril and Mee, or died before they could utter a cry of despair. All that remained was the battle between Satsuki and the Goblin Lord. ''Hey, big guy. Let''s start this one, too. Satsuki, who had been carrying a sword on her shoulder, approached the Goblin Lord within a few steps and held the sword straight up in the middle of her stance so that the tip of the sword was at the level of her opponent''s eyes. I felt the presence that Satsuki had been wearing change. A girl with black hair in a ponytail and a sky-blue kimono and hakama was holding a sword with a beautiful posture that stole the hearts of those who saw her. The air around her was as still as if it had been frozen. Watching from behind, Satsuki''s aura rose from her entire body, glowing so brightly that it could be seen with the naked eye. Compared to the large goblin lord on the other side of her, Satsuki is noticeably smaller in stature, but she is no match for him in terms of presence. ''Gua......uu......'' The goblin lord was about to attack with the large sword in his right hand, but he seemed to have trouble attacking the samurai girl in front of him. ''...... Well, for a big guy, you don''t seem to be too slow. Satsuki makes an admiring noise. If the goblin lord had taken a step further, it would have been the end of the line. ''Good. Then we''ll do it the right way. Satsuki released her stance. She swung her sword, which had been pointed at the front, carelessly to her side. '' Ggaaaaaaaaah! Perhaps he saw this as an opening, or perhaps he thought that if he didn''t attack here, he wouldn''t be able to attack forever. The Goblin Lord raised his sword and rushed toward Satsuki, swinging it down. He moved with a suppleness that was hard to imagine from his huge body, and the blow was so hard that an ordinary warrior would have been blown away by it. But... The goblin lord swung his sword down, and the girl was gone. The sword raised a cloud of dust and dug deep into the ground. ''You''re too late, sire. The girl was suddenly standing beside the goblin road. Even from behind, it was hard to tell how she had moved. Her movements were so natural and unhurried. ''Guaruaaaaaaaaah! ''Oops.'' The goblin lord waved his arms wildly at the girl standing right beside him, but that was nothing to Satsuki. With her incredible reflexes and speed, she easily evaded the attack by jumping backwards. Then, as soon as she landed, she kicked the ground hard in front of her. With the agility of a wild animal, he lowers himself and enters the Goblin Lord''s bosom, unleashing a sharp thrust with his sword. '' Gyaaaaaaah! The Goblin Lord screamed as he was pierced deeply in the shoulder. Satsuki quickly draws her sword, It''s over. Well, that was fun. He swung the blood-soaked sword down with a burst of spunk. The goblin lord''s head flew off. The severed head flew through the air and fell to the ground with a thud. The body of the goblin lord, which had lost its head, spurted blood violently and eventually collapsed in a heap. Satsuki watched him until the end, then swung her sword to remove the blood and put it in the scabbard at her waist. Then she gave me her usual carefree smile. ''I''m done. What do you think, William, my skill is not so bad, is it? I nodded my head to Satsuki''s words. I''m sure you''re already a D-ranked fighter, or even a C-ranked fighter if you''re just looking at melee combat ability. If you gain experience, you may well be able to reach a higher level. ''Oh... I''m surprised. That''s quite a feat. ''Yay, I got William''s approval... though I''m no match for you, William. Satsuki walked up to me and made a fist and held it out as if demanding something. I made a fist myself and smashed it into her fist. I see, this kind of thing is not so bad. 13-Episode XIII When we finished collecting the parts to prove our defeat, we returned to Mito Village, where the quest had been requested. By that time, it was already dark and we decided to stay in the village for the day. The wise man who had been teaching the villagers to read and write was surprised when we showed him the proof of the dangerous pack of goblin lords and goblin mages, and he spoke to the villagers about the threat. As a result, it was decided that although it would be difficult to offer additional rewards, as a sincere gesture, the villagers would hold a banquet that night and serve food and wine on their behalf. The chief''s house would also provide bathing and sleeping facilities. As a novice adventurer with little income, we were very grateful for this service. ''Well, I feel refreshed! I don''t want to be slick with goblin blood. Thank you for letting me use your bath. ''That''s true. But that said, I don''t think there was any need for the three of us to go in together. ''That''s true. I can only think that Satsuki wanted to use Mi as a toy. After the bath, Satsuki, Cyril and Mee appeared at the banquet. Of course, they were fully clothed. But the villagers at the party cheered loudly. Although they were of different types, all three of them were beautiful girls with well-groomed appearances. Their appearance after taking a bath was particularly glamorous, and I was inwardly shouting in admiration. Among them, there was one in particular that I found difficult to look at, and that was Satsuki. Her kimono was undone, her bosom was wide open, and her white skin, wrapped in a sarashi, was sparingly exposed. I''m not sure whether to call her bold or defenseless. ...... I think it''s probably the latter, though. By the way, it is often misunderstood, but it is not that I am not interested in the opposite s*x. When I see an attractive woman, I am attracted to her, and sometimes my emotions go beyond that. However, there are priorities, and in my case, my interest in the opposite s*x is not a high priority. That''s why I don''t seem to show it very often. ''Hey, William''s looking at us. How do you like it? What? ''He''s not that type. He''s not the type. ......, that''s how it goes. And since I also want to avoid getting into a man-woman relationship with them, I won''t go any further. There is no shortage of cases of adventuring parties collapsing due to male-female relationships, even in the records of actual adventurers. This usually happens in situations where there are several men and one woman, but it would not be surprising if the situation were reversed. In addition, if a man and a woman who are adventurers get to know each other well and have male-female intercourse, the woman may become pregnant as a natural consequence. If this happens, the woman will not be able to work as an adventurer, and the man will have to leave the adventuring business in order to live with his wife and children. I don''t want that kind of future, at least not at the moment. Therefore, no matter how attractive the girls in my party are, I don''t want to be in a relationship with them. I don''t want to have a relationship with them, no matter how attractive they are. In any case, I would like you to avoid dressing in a way that would be too eye-piercing. I don''t think you''ll listen to me, but I''ll give you a warning. I said these words to Satsuki, who was drinking merrily next to me in front of the bonfire under the night sky at the beginning of the party. ''Satsuki, there''s something I want to tell you. ''What''s ...... that? ''You should be a little more aware of the fact that you are a girl of your age, and a good-looking one at that. The way you look now, you''re likely to arouse ill feelings in men in general, including me. If something goes wrong, it''s too late. ''Um... ......'' Satsuki pondered for a moment, perhaps trying to understand what I was saying. Then , ''Does that mean ...... that Will thinks I''m attractive? She wriggled her body like a maiden, her cheeks flushed, and she looked up at me. My head started to hurt. ''I''m not saying you''re wrong. But don''t cut it out. ''Oh, so it''s not a mistake. Oh, right, right. Huh.'' Satsuki said this, smiling and leaning toward me. She hugged me close and whispered in my ear. ''So, ...... if you do this to me, will you fall in love with me? Then, with a bright red face, she smiled at me with a childlike smile. She seemed to be drunk early on. ''Don''t. And stop.'' ''What! Why not! I''ve done so much for you! He was even more of a spoiled child. I looked at Cyril and Mee, who were drinking in front of me, as if asking for help. They were there, looking completely dumbfounded. ''I didn''t expect Satsuki to be this much of a color freak. ......'' ''Mee didn''t expect it either. That''s just a b*tc*, no matter how you look at it.'' ''I think she''s just drunk and overexcited, though. I''m sure she''ll die in agony in the morning.'' ''I vote for that too. I''m looking forward to tomorrow. The two of them were complete spectators. I don''t think they''re going to save me from this. ''Hey, William. Do you mind if I call you Will? ''That''s fine, but stop hugging me. I don''t remember giving you permission.'' ''Heh heh, I don''t like it. I won''t let you go until you tell me you like me...'' I finally put Satsuki to sleep with a sleep spell, wrapped her in a blanket and rope, and threw her into bed. According to Mee and others, Satsuki''s appearance the next morning was quite a sight. 14-Episode XIV I had returned from Mito Village to the city of Atratia that night. I was having dinner with three friends at a restaurant and tavern called the "Sleeping Fawn Pavilion. This sleeping fawn pavilion has an inn on the second floor, and is said to be the base of activities for Satsuki and her three friends. Since it was convenient for me to communicate with my friends, and I did not feel any strong dissatisfaction with the price or service, I decided to make it my base of operations as well as the girls. The rent for a night in the cheapest private room, including breakfast, was two and a half silver coins. The private room was extremely small, with only a bed and a wardrobe as the bare minimum, but even taking this into account, the room was reasonable enough that I had no complaints. A silver coin is worth one tenth of a gold coin. Therefore, if you stay in this inn for four days, you will lose one gold coin. In addition to this, you will need at least enough money to buy lunch and dinner, and you will probably do some shopping and indulge in a few luxuries. Therefore, you should expect to spend a little more than four to five silver coins per day. If you want to be generous, you should assume that one gold coin will be gone in two days. I paid seven copper coins for the dinner set in front of me. One copper coin is worth one tenth of one silver coin, but for this price, you get bread and butter, beef stew, a salad to go with it, and a cut-up orange for dessert. It''s not a particularly extravagant meal, but it''s a healthy and satisfying meal with a good amount of flavor and quantity, and the price seems reasonable enough. Now, the living environment surrounding adventurers and the living expenses associated with it are roughly as described above. Under such circumstances, how much was the reward for completing a quest to exterminate goblins? It was 20 gold coins including the advance payment, so the amount I received was 5 gold coins divided equally among the four of us. I have not done anything to change the weight of the reward according to the degree of success, and I do not think that I should. There is no way that such a rule can be made to everyone''s satisfaction, and if it were, it would only be a source of quarrels among parties. I don''t want people to pursue their own personal interests in a job that requires mutual help, and I think it would be better for both parties if we don''t introduce a performance-based system. Therefore, five gold coins is the amount of remuneration that an individual receives, but in the adventurer''s opinion, this is not a satisfactory amount. While a day laborer earns one gold coin for one day''s work, the adventurer earns five gold coins for two days of round-trip work, which may not seem like much. However, if you take into account the burdens and risks involved, such as having to pay your own expenses, risking your life, and not being rewarded if you don''t complete the quest, it''s certainly not enough. In other words, an F-ranked adventurer is one of the bottom ranks of society in terms of income. Therefore, adventurers want to move up the ranks of adventurers in order to get out of this fledgling position as quickly as possible. Quests at higher ranks are more dangerous, but the rewards are much better. So, how do you raise your adventurer rank? To move up from F to E, you need to complete three quests of the appropriate rank. There are a lot of rules about what constitutes an "appropriate quest", but this goblin-slaying quest falls into that category. So this counts as one. I have two more quests to complete, and then I can move up to E rank. By the way, Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee had already completed the quest once with a party of three before they met me. Therefore, they will be able to move up to E rank with one more quest. As a side note, the daily wages for court magicians and academy professors are quite high. Although it depends on the size and position of the office, a daily wage of five to ten gold coins seems to be common. On top of that, if you are promised stable and regular work with little danger to yourself, then the ''normal'' that my parents and friends at the academy were talking about makes a good deal of sense. However, I chose to be an adventurer even knowing that. The disadvantage in terms of income and the danger of death were both taken into consideration when I decided to pursue this path. I have no regrets about my decision, and I still feel a strong attraction to the freedom and dream of being an adventurer. Eventually, I want to become a B-rank adventurer, or even higher, and establish my own existence in this world. That is my dream, and my realistic goal for the future. ''Anyway, my first goal is to repay my parents for school and childcare expenses. I mutter to myself as I scoop the stew with a wooden spoon and bring it to my mouth. It was a task I had set myself for the immediate future. ''Hmm, repayment? Does Will have any debts? He doesn''t look like he has much. Satsuki, who was eating at the same table as me, asked me while slurping pasta with cream sauce. It was dinner time at the Sleeping Fawn Pavilion, and the place was crowded with customers. I occupied one of the four-seater tables and was eating with three others. ''Well, speaking of debts, debts. A loan from my parents.'' I replied to Satsuki. It''s nothing to hide, I guess. ''So you borrowed money from your parents. How much? ''About seven hundred gold pieces. ''Boom! Satsuki spewed pasta. ''Geez,geez......mi,water......'' ''Yes, Satsuki. ''Thank you. ''Thank you.'' ...... Satsuki took a drink of the water that Mee gave her and calmed down. She''s a busy girl, by the way. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Did you lose it gambling?'' ''No... The tuition, entrance fee and other expenses for four years at the magic academy is about 450 gold coins. And the living expenses for two years of adulthood, about 250 gold pieces. That''s a total of seven hundred gold coins. When I answered, Satsuki''s eyes fluttered. ''What? Didn''t your parents pay for your schooling? ''Well, there''s a lot going on in that area. ''Huh. It''s rare to see you slurring your words. Cyril, who was about to put the salad in his mouth with a fork, pointed this out to me. I notice. I''m sure I''ve slurred my words. ''...... It''s not really something I have to talk about. It''s just a personal story, not an interesting one to hear. He replied as if he were making an excuse. I''m the one who decided to pay back the tuition and living expenses for my adult life. I was not told to do so by my parents. ''...... Maybe you just want to pay back your ''debt''.'' ''Hmm, what? What did you say, Will? ''...... No, I''m talking about this.'' I shake my head and reply to Satsuki, who asks me while slurping pasta. When I told my friends at the academy, I used the word ''debt'', but maybe I just don''t want to leave a debt. I am grateful to my mother, but I can''t honestly say that I respect my father. Those parents raised me, took care of me, and made me what I am today. Perhaps I am trying to make up for that and pay my debt. If that''s the case, then it could be that he''s trying to pay back everything he owes from his childhood, but even if he thinks about that, it''s probably a story for the next stage. In any case, for now, it''s seven hundred gold coins. I''ve set that as my immediate goal. However... I don''t know how long I''ll be able to accumulate this amount if I''m only earning money from my adventuring business. ''Maybe I''ll get a job on the side...'' I mumbled, and took a bite of the orange for dessert. 15-the fifteenth episode ''Satsuki, you''re in the right place. Why don''t you come to my room?'' ''Huh, ......? It was late afternoon the next day after I returned from my quest to kill the goblins. When I went downstairs from my room to the dining room to see if anyone was there, I found Satsuki carefully eating an early afternoon sweet. I was just bringing a piece of pancake with fruit and honey to my mouth with my fork, when the girl looked at me with a squirming mouth. ''Oh, you can wait until after the meal. I''m asking you out on a date, come with me.'' That''s all I said, and I sat down next to Satsuki at the counter eating a pancake. I gave the master a copper coin and ordered a glass of milk. ''Nngu, gunkun. What? What did you say? ''I said, "I''m asking you on a date, please go out with me."'' ''What? ......What? What does that mean, ......? ''By the way, that was a joke. Satsuki''s shoulders slumped. ''Oh, I see. ...... So this is what Mi was talking about. ......'' ''But I wasn''t lying when I asked you to go out with me. Satsuki, I have a favor to ask you.'' ''Yes, ......, okay, whatever, I''ll go out with you.'' Satsuki became depressed at once. So I finished my milk and took Satsuki, who had finished her pancakes, upstairs to my room in the inn. When we came to the door, Satsuki blushed and squirmed. ''Oh, you know, Will. Do you know what it means for a man to invite a woman to his room? ''......? Do you think I''m the kind of person who would bring a woman into my room in the middle of the day to engage in questionable behavior in an inn where I''m not allowed to have an affair? If that''s the case, then you have a very serious misunderstanding of my humanity, and I''d like to request a discussion to clear up that misunderstanding. ''Oh, yes, I''m sorry. I was wrong.'' Satsuki apologized with a straight face. She seems to have understood, so that''s good. With that, I quickly opened the door to the room. Satsuki, led by me, tries to enter the room. ''Excuse me for disturbing you...'' What the hell is this? Satsuki shouted at the entrance of the room. She was stunned to see the chaos inside the room. Inside the room, the cloths I had made with the Cloth Form magic were piled up in a heap. Not only was there nowhere to step, but they were piled high even on the bed, and it was not a place where a person could enter. ''Hmm. Satsuki, here''s what I want you to do. ''What''s with all this cloth, where did it come from? I mean, what are you going to do with it? ''I made it with magic. I want you to carry this to the sewer. I''ll pay for the labor. I can''t do it alone.'' ''Oh, ......, no, that''s fine. ......'' So Satsuki and I carried the pile of cloth on our backs from the Sleeping Deer Pavilion to the sewing shop on the Artisan Street in town. One piece of cloth is large enough to make a jacket or a pair of pants, and there are about a hundred of them in total. Carrying them all at once was more difficult than carrying a full plate armor like that worn by a high class knight, because it weighed more than the armor and was bulkier than the weight. I carried it to the warehouse of the sewing craftsman''s workshop and received four gold coins as compensation. As I had just walked in, I was a bit overcharged, but I guess that''s about right. He also handed three silver coins to Satsuki for her help in carrying the items. ''What, that''s so good? I only carried a few things. ''Yes, I added some color to it because I asked for extra help. Some of you carried more than I did.'' Satsuki seemed to be skilled at manipulating auras, and by enhancing her physical abilities, she was able to carry a much larger amount of cloth than I could as a man. I''ve heard that the ability to manipulate auras is an essential skill for upper class warriors, and Satsuki already possesses that skill. ''Heh, lucky me. ...... But can''t a sorcerer make cloth like that? The fact that the craftsman bought it means that it won''t disappear after a while. Magicians are amazing, aren''t they? ''Yeah, it''s a cloth woven with threads of mana, but once it''s materialized, it''s fixed as an entity and can''t be erased even with a magic dispel spell. Don''t you know about the Garment Revolution that took place one hundred and twenty years ago? ''Twelve hundred and twenty years ago? How could I possibly know that? I''m only 16. Even my great-grandmother wasn''t born that way. I see. Is that how people who don''t have the habit of reading books perceive things? ''About 120 years ago, an adventurer discovered a cloth-forming spellbook in ancient ruins, which revolutionized the culture of human clothing. Until then, all cloth was woven by hand, and a single garment could only be obtained by shelling out dozens of gold coins. It was the discovery of this spell that made it possible to obtain a minimal amount of clothing for a few silver coins, as it is now. In the case of hand-woven cloth, there is the problem of the cost of materials, but above all, the labor cost of making the cloth must be added to the price of the product. For example, in order for a traditional weaver to earn a daily wage of two gold coins, a piece of cloth woven in ten days must be bought by a sewing craftsman for at least twenty gold coins plus the cost of materials. Add to that the labor costs of the craftsmen in the downstream processes and those of the merchants in charge of distribution, and the final selling price of the garment will inevitably be as high as 50 gold coins. However, the magic of cross-formation changed this situation. A sorcerer can produce dozens to a hundred pieces of cloth in a day with this spell. At present, the daily wage of a magician who can use cross-form is usually two to five gold coins, but in order to earn this daily wage, he can sell each piece of cloth he makes for about five copper coins. This made it possible for him to reduce the final selling price of his clothes significantly. ''...... Wow. I don''t know what it is, but it''s amazing, isn''t it? ''Yeah, it''s a spell with a very high social value. It''s also the kimono Satsuki is wearing. ...... Hmm? Wait, is that a natural, hand-woven kimono that Satsuki is wearing? Basically, most of the clothes on the market today are made from cloth made by sorcerers in cross-form. However, I had seen and touched a natural cotton fabric once, and the one Satsuki was wearing had an appearance reminiscent of the natural one I had seen at that time. ''Oh, I don''t know, I don''t know. I was told never to lose it, just like a sword.'' ''Hm, ......, I''m sorry.'' I put my nose close to Satsuki''s clothes and sniffed them. As a result, I was convinced that it was the natural smell I had smelled before. ''Hey, ......, what are you doing ......''. When I looked at her, Satsuki''s face turned red, as if she thought she had smelled my body odor. ''Oh, no, it''s nothing personal. It seems to be a natural product after all. It''s a very expensive item. You''d better take good care of it. ''Shut up! Oh God, which way is it! Will, you idiot!'' Satsuki was very angry about something. But she quickly pondered as if she had come up with something, and then asked me a question. ''...... Huh? But then again, Will, you don''t have to be an adventurer, a dangerous and unprofitable job, to make a good living, right? Why are you being an adventurer? It was a sharp question that got to the heart of the matter. I chose my words carefully and explained my thoughts to Satsuki. ''Hmm ......, I don''t mean to deny such a way of life, but I personally didn''t find the life of making and selling cloth every day very appealing. ''Ah, life... ....... You''re always thinking about difficult things, aren''t you? I didn''t mean to say anything difficult, but that''s what I concluded. I thought that she should think about something more difficult. 16-CHAPTER XVI It is customary for adventurers to take at least a day off between their last quest and the next one to rest. It is also rare to find a suitable quest immediately afterwards, and our party did not receive the next quest until three days after we had finished the goblin-slaying quest. After two days of "inside work" and deducting living expenses from the goblin extermination reward, we had saved up 11 gold coins. I''m only 689 gold coins away from my goal of 700 gold coins. ''...Conquering the undead? Satsuki returns from her morning training session drenched in sweat, wipes off her sweat with a wet, wrung-out cloth, and sits down at the dining room table. As usual, I feel sorry for her as she wipes her hands from her chest to the inside of her kimono, but since she won''t listen to me, I have no choice but to ignore her. Incidentally, me, Mee, and Cyril were already seated at the table. The three of us had just gone to the Adventurer''s Guild to look for a quest of the appropriate rank, that is, an E rank quest. ''Yes, sir. It seems that a village about half a day''s drive from the city has somehow been destroyed, and there''s a massive zombie outbreak there. I''ve been asked to go and exterminate them all, as they''re causing trouble for the traders. ''Scary! That''s scary! You don''t know the cause? Satsuki blurted out her frank opinion at Mie''s explanation. And Cyril added his calm analysis to it. ''The fact that the village was destroyed itself could have been caused by any number of things, such as being attacked by monsters. The problem is that there are undead in the village. Either the village was attacked by undead and perished, or the villagers who lost their lives for some reason turned into undead. Cyril took a sip of his tea and then proceeded to give his analysis to Mi and Satsuki. ''There are two main causes of the undead. One is naturally occurring and the other is caused by magic. In the case of natural occurrences, corpses that have not been properly mourned by priests rarely become undead. I''m not sure if I''m right or not. Having said that, Cyril turned his gaze towards me. As a priest (Holy Order) who is a specialist in the extermination of the undead, he must have studied the undead very carefully. I could say that his knowledge was accurate. ''Yeah. That''s pretty much what I thought. If I may add, there are various theories on the conditions of spontaneous generation, and there are some papers that show that they occur frequently under certain conditions, but I haven''t studied that area thoroughly either. If you go back to the magic city of Rector and search through the library of the academy, you can probably find some papers. ......'' I''m not sure what you''re talking about Will, sometimes it''s too difficult to understand. But that means, in short, we don''t know what''s causing it, right? Satsuki summed it up for me. ''...... Well, you''re not generally wrong. But as a possibility, we should keep in mind the existence of someone who is creating the zombies - an evil priest or sorcerer. If that''s the case, please say so from the beginning. I don''t understand even if you say something difficult. Satsuki complained. Cyril and I saw this and sighed at the same time. Noticing the synchronization, Cyril chuckled and smiled at me with a friendly smile that he usually doesn''t show. ''It''s wonderful to have someone to share your hardships with. ''It is. ''What, what? Wait a minute, why are you two in such a good mood?'' Satsuki was looking at me and Cyril in a confused way. Seeing this, Cyril chuckled again. I was naturally smiling too. But the unexpected attack came from the other person present. ''Hmm...? What''s that, Mee? The beastman girl tugged at the hem of Cyril''s priest''s robe. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site of the company and see what they have to offer. ''Does ...... Cyril also fall in love with color? ''Is ......?'' Cyril''s cheeks flushed red, and he froze. ''What, why would you do that? We were just having a normal conversation, right?'' ''I had a feeling so. My intuition is pretty good. That''s all she said and went upstairs as if the conversation was over. Cyril watched her walk away with his mouth agape, but then he coughed and said, ''She''s mistaken, ''It''s just her misunderstanding, don''t worry about it. I''m sure you know that, but just in case. She said that to me. So I''ll make my own stance clear. ''Yeah. I have no intention of doing so either.'' ''Yes, you are. It''s a little frustrating when you assert that ....... I think I''m going to try to turn him around. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m in trouble, why do you do that? ''Huh? What? Wait a minute, Cyril. ...... are you serious?'' ''Well, I don''t know. The only thing I''ll tell you is that I''m pretty competitive. Cyril replied to the flustered Satsuki and took another sip of his tea. 17-Chapter XVIII The reward for the quest to exterminate the undead was twenty-five gold coins. After confirming our tentative acceptance of the quest and receiving two gold coins and five silver coins, we made the minimum preparations and headed for the village in question. The village was said to be rife with zombies, and we could reach it by leaving the city and walking along the road through the forest for about half a day. Since we left after breakfast, we would probably arrive in the evening or after dark. Now, after walking along the road for a while.., ''I''m getting hungry. Let''s eat somewhere else. ''Those rocks over there look like they''d be good for shade. When the sun was just above us, we found a good rock to sit on, and decided to take a rest and have lunch there. Satsuki, me, Cyril, and Mee sat down on the rocks side by side and took out our lunches. What I took out of my luggage was a sandwich I had bought at the bakery before we left. When I opened the package, I found that the bread was filled with vegetables, meat, and other colorful ingredients, and was placed cut side up, giving it a nice appetizing appearance. The portions were decent, and five copper coins for the sandwich was a good cost performance. I picked up one of the sandwiches and took a bite of it. Sure enough, it''s good. The deliciousness of the meat that sizzled as I bit into it, the freshness of the crunchy vegetables, and the sweetness of the sauce all intertwined to create a satisfying taste that did not betray my expectations. ''So, how strong is this zombie thing? Satsuki suddenly said something like that, and then took a bite of the sandwich, just like me. And then, ''Yummy! and gulped it down with a happy smile. Incidentally, she saw me buying it at the bakery and bought the same one. Since she happily showed it to me, she must have had other intentions. But that''s beside the point. ''The monster rank of a normal zombie is I. Goblins are H-ranked, so they are one rank lower than goblins.'''' ''......? Weaker than goblins? It''s a piece of cake. Satsuki swallowed a piece of bread and said these words. A zombie monster is, to put it simply, a ''moving corpse''. They are highly durable but slow-moving, extremely unintelligent, and attack blindly when they see a living person. In addition, in most cases, they have no weapons. It is said that if you can fight them calmly, even an ordinary citizen with a weapon can defeat them without much danger. However, there is a natural prerequisite for this. The assumption is that they can be fought under favorable conditions, one on one or even more. Mee points out this point in response to Satsuki''s optimism. ''However, numbers are a problem. If all the inhabitants of a single village were zombies, there could be over a hundred of them. ''Ugh ...... that''s annoying .......'' ''And even if they are weak, numbers are still a threat. If you can''t overcome them and are overpowered by the power of numbers, and they put you down, they''ll bite your throat off and you''re done. ''Don''t be scared, Cyril. ......'' After Mee, Cyril pointed out that Satsuki, who had been in a good mood, was becoming more and more depressed. It''s nice to see Satsuki''s tension change from time to time, isn''t it? ''Well, at least we don''t have to jump into a crowd of zombies without a plan. They''re more troublesome than you think. Besides...'' Cyril said, giving me a look. ''The mage''s specialty, sleep magic, won''t work against the undead. They''re not as good as the goblins. ''...... Well, you''re right.'' I nodded honestly. It''s true that monsters classified as undead are a nuisance to mages because they are immune to sleep spells. But that''s the point. If you are a mage at the beginner''s level, or at least at the wizard''s level, you can do something about it. For example, the simplest way is to cast a fireball spell. I avoided using it when I dealt with the goblins because of the need for secrecy and the risk of the cave collapsing, but this time there is no prohibition on destroying houses, so it should be no problem. Besides, you know. ''The Holy Order''s Cyril is more specialized in killing the undead. ''Well, that''s true. Priests are said to be those who have been given special blessings by the gods. These blessings are commonly referred to as ''miracles'' and can cause supernatural phenomena similar to magic. The use of miracles requires mana, which is similar to the magic used by mages. The most common miracle used by priests is the art of healing. Adventurers who are often injured will actively seek to add priests to their party because of their nature. There are many precedents of priests whose blessings have somehow increased in the course of adventuring, and many of them begin adventuring as part of their training. Another typical example of miracles, along with healing, is the miracle of repelling the undead. Miracles for defeating the undead, such as turn undead, can be a reliable tool for defeating the undead, although the results vary greatly depending on the skill of the practitioner who uses them. For this reason, priests are sometimes called specialists in the extermination of the undead. ''But even if I say so, if there are actually a hundred of them, I won''t be able to handle them all by myself. I''ll need some kind of backup. ''All right. I don''t know if it will be in the nature of backup, but I''ll consider it. ''Don''t worry. I''m here, so it''ll be easy, easy, easy. Seeing Satsuki laughing like that, Cyril and I both sighed at the same time. ''I think that Satsuki should drink a little of their nails. Mee spat out her venom and drank water from her water bottle. 18-The Eighteenth Episode It was nighttime, the sun had already set. We had arrived at our destination, a village that was said to have been destroyed, and we were immediately at work. No, ''we'' may not be the right word. Because I''m the only one who''s taking action at this stage. After I finished the first action, Cyril and Satsuki exchanged words behind me. ''Hey, Satsuki. ''Yes. ''I think I understand your feelings a little better now. ''Right?'' ''Yes. ...... That was unreasonable.'' I listened to their conversation from right to left, and watched the burning village ahead of me. There were a lot of zombies lying around, either scattered in pieces or charred to a crisp and already immobile. This was the result of the fireball spell I had fired. When we arrived at the village after dusk, there was, as expected, a tremendous number of zombies. Initially, there must have been over a hundred of them, and they were writhing around the village as the night fell. They had just arrived at the entrance to the village, and when they spotted us, they approached slowly but in unison toward the light of our torches. Zombies can attack us at a speed not much different from that of a normal human being in a short distance, but they move very slowly when they are more than a certain distance away. So I started chanting a spell when I had drawn the zombies to a certain extent, and released a fireball spell. The fireball that was released landed right on the point where the concentration of zombies was the highest, and caused a huge explosion. The zombies there were blown away, or their heads and limbs were torn off, or they burned up, or they turned into black coals. In total, there were about twenty of them. The result was the scene that now spread before us. When I say that the village was ablaze, I only mean that two abandoned houses in the vicinity of the fireball''s blast were ablaze, not the entire village. The area of influence of a single fireball is at most about ten meters in diameter, and naturally it does not have the power to burn down the entire village. However, even that level of power is reasonably effective in rounding up the zombies that swarm around you when they see you alive. It''s such an easy job, especially since you don''t need to lure them out of their hiding places. I waited for a while after the first fireball, and when the zombies had gathered again, I fired a second fireball. The fireball exploded again, and another 20 or so zombies were blown away. ''...... I wonder if we have a role to play. ''No, I don''t think so. ''Mee doesn''t want to fight zombies, so she''s all for it. The three girls let out their own thoughts. I give them some information beforehand, as they are complete spectators. ''Fireballs consume a large amount of mana. You can fire up to five shots if you push it to the limit, but you want to keep some of your mana for emergencies. Therefore, if we consider four shots as usable resources, we have only two shots left. Even if I hit them with maximum efficiency, there will still be 20 to 30 of them left. That''s all the "cover" I can provide. I''ll leave it to Cyril and the others to take it from there. ''Oh, that....... Okay, I''ll leave it to you. Cyril said with an exasperated shrug of his shoulders. The fireball spell is one of the simplest and therefore most useful attack spells used by mage class magicians. However, as it is a high level spell, it consumes a large amount of magical elements. It''s not as easy to use as the sleep spell, and in that respect, it''s a bit tougher. ''Hmm, the mage is not a good match for the undead. ''That''s true. In front of Satsuki''s barely audible agreement, I fired the third fireball and reamed out the next group of zombies. 19-CHAPTER XIX I unleash the fourth fireball. When I see that it has accurately blown away the zombie hordes, my work is done for the moment. The number of zombies left is less than thirty, as I had originally planned. There were three times that number of zombies lying on the ground here and there, folded up. ''Okay, I''ll leave the rest to you. I said and stepped back, passing the baton to Satsuki and Cyril. When I held out my hand, first Satsuki and then Cyril put their hands together. ''Oh, I''ll leave it to you. ''If you and Satsuki can''t handle this many, you''ll be out of luck, won''t you? The girl in the kimono and the girl in the priest''s robe advanced toward the zombies in the dark night illuminated by the flames. On the other side of them, writhing wraiths were closing in on the girls. I stood next to Mee, watching their backs, and joined the crowd of spectators. The beastman girl didn''t seem to have any intention of moving. ''If Mee goes, she''ll be slowed down. I can''t deal with someone who won''t die even if I cut off his head or stab him in the heart. I didn''t hear anything in particular, but Mee mumbled something like that. Cyril is also rather intelligent, but this girl also has a very rational way of thinking. ''What about Cyril''s skills? Satsuki''s skill was shown to me when we killed the goblins. ''His skill as a warrior is not much different from Mee''s, with a minimum of training. I''ve never seen Mee fight an undead before. But if he''s willing to face them like that, he''s probably okay. Unlike Satsuki, Cyril doesn''t do anything reckless. While they were talking about this, the two girls and the zombies were in close combat distance. Satsuki stood in front of them, sword at the ready. Behind her, Cyril was chanting a spell in a praying posture. It was probably the Holy Word. Just as sorcerers use rune words to invoke magic, so priests use sacred words to invoke miracles. ''Turn undead! Cyril raised his hammering mace to the sky and let out a dignified voice. At the same time, a ring of light appeared around her, and it expanded outward at once. Then, about sixty or seventy percent of the dead who had been stroked by the light collapsed and stopped moving. The remaining zombies numbered about ten. Satsuki ran into them with the speed of a gale. Behind her, Cyril finished his miraculous deed and carefully observed Satsuki and the zombies'' movements. If Satsuki is in danger, he plans to come to her aid. ''...... That''s a big deal.'' ''Which one is it?'' ''Cyril. I heard that the miracle of turning undead is not effective unless the difference between the power of the practitioner and the power of the target is quite large. If you can bury that many people at once, you must be a person of considerable ability. ''Oh, is that so? ''Yes, that should be it. Even if we discount the fact that the target is a zombie, which is the lowest level of undead, we can assume that he has the ability of an acolyte, if not a priest. If the priest is the head of the temple, then the acolyte is the deputy head of the temple, and is a very capable person. Cyril''s strengths are not limited to that. ''His judgment is also accurate. He knows that if he can reduce the number to that level, it''s less risky to leave the rest to Satsuki. ''Yes, sir. In fact, while Mi and I were talking, Satsuki was moving unstoppably, cutting down zombies one after another. I guess that''s what it means to be inexhaustible. But in the middle of all this, the beastman girl next to me said something strange. ''But Mee is a little jealous. ''Huh? As I listened with interest to what she was going to say, the words that came out of her mouth were. ''Satsuki and Cyril have been recognized by William. But Mee''s work is so humble that she is never recognized. Even now, she seems to be slacking off for whatever reason. ...... Hmm, I see. I didn''t think that this bland and unassuming looking girl would be concerned about such things. In the first place, I was first impressed with the work of this girl named Mee as a thief,......, well, there are some things that need to be said out loud to be understood. That''s what I thought, and I decided to tell Mee about it. ''That''s a misunderstanding. I think highly of her work. I was impressed by the way you were able to find the cave when you were killing the goblins, and your skill in listening and your observation of the pitfalls you found are of a high standard. When I said exactly what I felt, Mi looked at me closely and rolled her eyes. I thought it would be a good idea to say more about what I was thinking about her. ''Also, Cyril, the fact that you take the initiative to do the dirty work of killing sleeping goblins and never complain about it is a testament to your high humanity. He also takes the initiative in doing chores. I''m always grateful to her for taking the role of lubricating oil to make things go smoothly. ''Ah, ah, ah ......'' As she listened to me, her face took on an expression of great emotion, and her mouth began to pucker. I thought she was exaggerating, but judging from the way she said it earlier, she might not have had much recognition for her work. ''......, I see. This is the reason why Satsuki and Cyril are so jaded. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. In the meantime... I''m not sure what to say. Satsuki and Cyril came back after killing the zombies. At least all the zombies within sight had completely stopped moving. ''I''m impressed. Both of you did a great job. ''Well... more praise, more praise.'' ''It''s strange that when you say it, it sounds so sarcastic and sincere. ''Well, then, I''ll quickly collect the proof of defeat and get rid of this gloomy place. As if to replace the two who had returned, Mee hurriedly headed towards the fallen zombies. She''s always taken the initiative in doing these chores. But this time, there were too many of them. I thought it would be too much work for one person, so I decided to help. 20-Episode 20 I was about to help Mee retrieve the part that proved that the zombie was defeated, when. ''Ugh ......! It was Satsuki who raised her voice. When I looked to see what was going on, I saw Satsuki holding her head in agony and kneeling on the ground. Something was clinging to the kimono-clad girl, illuminated by the flames of the dark night. It seemed to be a pale, translucent figure of a naked girl, different from Satsuki. The figure was, to put it bluntly, a ''girl ghost''. ''Now ......! No way... ghost! Cyril, who was near Satsuki, shouted and backstepped away from Satsuki''s side. He then reached for the mace on his hip - but realized his mistake and withdrew his hand. ''No, ghosts can''t be defeated by physical attacks: ....... But with the miracles I can use, ......'' The priestess said, gritting her teeth in frustration. She seemed to have no way to deal with the threat that had suddenly appeared. As for me, I can''t help but be surprised at what has suddenly happened. But panicking wouldn''t make things any better. I tried to remain calm and searched for information about the ghost monster from the knowledge I had acquired during my time at the academy. Undead monsters, ghosts. A soul that has died with regrets or grudges and remains on earth without being purified. Because they are incorporeal, they cannot be defeated by physical attacks, even with magic arrows (magic missiles), fireballs, and other magic that inflicts physical damage. The same is true for magic arrows, fireballs, and other spells that inflict physical damage. Then, what about the priest''s Turn Undead, which is a miracle that purifies the negative power of the physical undead, but does not seem to be effective against ghosts, which are mental bodies. On the other hand, ghosts don''t have much ability to interfere with us, but there is one ability that is extremely troublesome. Possession. It is the ability to possess a target and take over its body. I was wondering where this ghost had suddenly appeared from, but as a spirit, a ghost has almost no limitations in terms of movement. You can fly through the air and sneak up on them from above, or you can go through the ground and attack them from underneath. I had also cast an alert spell when I left the city, but due to the nature of this spell, it''s not surprising that in this case I was lost among the zombies and didn''t notice. Now that that''s out of the way, what should we do about this situation? I''ve already used the fireball spell four times, and I don''t have much mana left. So for now... After considering various options in my brain, I decide to use a single spell. I begin chanting the spell. ''Ugh ...... ohhhhh! ''Satsuki! Satsuki, pull yourself together! Satsuki is in agony, and Mie is shaking her. Cyril gazes regretfully at the two of them. Eventually, Satsuki stops screaming. The anguished voice that she had just made is now a lie, and she goes quiet. The ghost that had been clinging to Satsuki disappeared as if it had been sucked in. ''Sa...... Satsuki......? Satsuki, who had been suffering on all fours, stood up slowly. And then... The girl in the kimono said, ''...... hahahahahahaha! The kimono-clad girl spreads her arms toward the night sky and begins to laugh like a mad woman. ''Wow! This body is amazing! I can kill those guys with this power! I can kill them all! I can kill them all! Wait for me, you trash, I''ll go kill them right now...'' ''Sleep''... ''Nyan...'' The girl who had been laughing loudly fell down. It''s not for nothing that it worked in one shot. ''Mee, give me the rope. I''ll tie you up.'' ''Ah ...... yes sir.'' The puzzled Mee took out a rope from her luggage and tied Satsuki up in a circle. She also took into account the increased muscle strength from Satsuki''s aura and tied her up tightly with triple ropes so that she could never escape. That''s it. It was a difficult situation to deal with because it appeared so suddenly, but now the threat is over for the time being. We will move on to the next step. 21-Episode 21 Satsuki, who had been put to sleep and bound with ropes - I''m not sure if I should call her Satsuki in her current state, but for the sake of convenience, I will call her that - we decided to carry her in her current state to a place a short distance from the village. As much as we would have liked to take a break in one of the houses in the village, it was a bit chilling to take a break in a place where there were so many zombies, even though they were no longer moving. The undead in the village had probably been exterminated, but I couldn''t be sure. The three of us, Cyril, and Mee, agreed that we didn''t want to go any deeper into the village now that our strength had been greatly reduced. By the way, I''m having no luck, just like when I killed the goblins. Ghosts are not the most appropriate monsters to be ranked, but for the sake of convenience, they are ranked D. It is not supposed to be seen in E rank quests. However, the Adventurers'' Guild tends to rank quests based on the threats they see, so it is inevitable that there will be some unexpectedness. If the ''visible threat'' is about a hundred zombies, it is not strange that the game is ranked E based on hit-and-away tactics. I myself regret that I may have taken a little too low a risk management this time... but what I need to think about now is what to do from now on. Cyril and I will take the caterpillar Satsuki and lay her down in the grass by the side of the road, a short distance from the village. We made a fire there and waited for Satsuki to wake up. ''Mmm......'' After a while, Satsuki slowly opens her eyelids. She woke up in a caterpillar state, wrapped in a rope and rolled in the grass. ''What the ...... hell am I ......? Satsuki slowly looked around and eventually her gaze met mine in front of the bonfire. ''You''re awake. How are you feeling?'' ''......!'' Satsuki didn''t respond to my question and tried to freak out. But since she was being rolled around like a caterpillar, she couldn''t move much. ''Calm down. Let''s talk first. You''re the ghost from the village, aren''t you?'' ''......, yes.'' Satsuki seemed to have given up, and immediately became calm and replied. Her tone of voice was different from Satsuki''s usual one. I asked more questions to the girl. ''You''re trying to possess Satsuki''s body to achieve your own goals. Is that right? ''...... Yes. The owner of this body, Satsuki, is it? That''s a lot of power. With this power, I can kill them all. Please, let me go. I have to kill them. Satsuki appealed to me with hatred in her eyes. I stated my thoughts to the girl in a simple manner. ''I''m sorry, but I can''t do that. ''...Why not! After what we''ve been through! Why is it okay for them to live like this? That''s bullshit! There is no justice or God in this world! Cyril, who was watching with his back against a nearby tree and his arms folded, twitched at the girl''s words. ''...... You''re talking out of your ass. I''m not sure what you''re referring to when you say ''those people'' in the first place. Cyril had said that he served Ahtna, the goddess of light and justice, so he must have something on his mind. Satsuki, who was in a caterpillar state, moved her body and gaze to look at Cyril. ''...... bandits. There is no other way to describe them. Rough, violent, scum of the lowest order. Suddenly they''re living nearby and they''ve taken everything from us. They killed everyone in the village, raped the women, and looted the whole village. I''ve told you over and over... they''re not people! They''re monsters! I''ll kill them, tear them to pieces, gut them, skewer them to death over and over again! Cyril''s eyes narrowed as he heard the girl''s hateful words. Mee, who was listening nearby, shook her head sadly. It is said that ghosts are those who die with strong feelings, resentment and hatred towards this world. The conditions beyond that are still unclear, as are the natural conditions for zombies, but it is likely that she met those conditions and became a ghost. It is said that a ghost''s soul will be purified and disappear when its purpose is fulfilled. If that happens, Satsuki, whose control of his body has now been taken over by her, will be able to return to his original state. With that in mind, I''m going to tell the girl in front of me my opinion. ''I understand the situation you''re in, and your desires. But... I still can''t accept your demands. At my response, the girl rolled her eyes and then screamed in protest. ''Why are you ...... doing this? Are you on their side? Don''t be silly! Why, why are we the only ones who have to go through this! ''No. We''re not on the side of those bandits nor do we support them. What''s important to us is Satsuki, the owner of the body you''re controlling right now. ''......! The girl gasped. She wants to say something, but she can''t. As the sound of fire exploding echoes in the air, I further speak to the girl. ''Bandits attacked your village and wiped out all the people in the village...that''s what I recognized...how many bandits were there? ''...... I don''t know, sir. Maybe twenty or thirty or something like that. ......'' ''Well, something like that, I suppose. You''ll need at least that many people to attack and annihilate a village of a hundred people, even assuming a minimum level of skill and armament. You seem to think that Satsuki''s physical strength is enough to kill all of them, but if you look at it dispassionately, their strength is about 50-50. If there are skilled bandits among them, it is more likely that they will be defeated. ''......! The girl in the form of Satsuki bites her lip in frustration. And still more, she shouts with a voice full of hatred. ''But I still have to send as many of them to hell as possible, even if I have to stab them! ''So that''s something we can''t tolerate. Satsuki is one of us. We can''t let you take her life for your own purposes.'' ''See you at .......'' The girl looked at me with steely eyes. ''Then you guys have to help us. You don''t care what happens to this Satsuki person, do you? It was a threat. He''s probably so mad that he doesn''t want to choose any means. But... ''You may think you''re threatening us, but you''re not, and you''re only hurting our feelings. Because we have the power to make you disappear.'' ''What, ......? ''There''s a spell called Mindblast. Do you want to try it?'' 22-CHAPTER XXII ''There is a spell called Mindblast. Would you like to try it?'' Mind Blast is a spell that deals direct damage to the target''s mind. It''s a medium-level spell among those I can use, and with the amount of mana I have left, I can only use it twice. It is doubtful that two shots will be enough to destroy the ghost. However, this spell is sometimes used for torture, and the victim says that it feels like ''having a hand plunged directly into your brain and chest, and having its contents stirred up at the same time''. Even if you just use it once on her, it will be enough of a check. Also, even if you can only use it twice now, if you recover your magical element after a night''s sleep, it will be enough to make her disappear as a ghost. In any case, we had the advantage in the negotiations. ''Ugh,......, then what should I do? I''m not sure what to do. The girl pleaded with tears in her eyes. You can say that you don''t care, but I have a little sympathy for this ghost girl, and more than anything, Cyril seems like he won''t keep quiet. It would be no fun to get into trouble over it. Instead of getting emotional, we should take advantage. I decided to tell the girl what was best for both of us. ''I didn''t say that. I''m just saying that if you''re going to use threats to get me to do what you want, I''m not going to let you get away with it. ''............'' ''The principle of negotiation is win-win - you win, we win. And we''re adventurers. If you''re going to ask us for something, you''re going to have to ask us for a good, fair price. And it''s up to us to decide whether or not to accept it. Don''t disregard the will of the other party in order to satisfy your own demands. ''...... You mean money? ''If you can offer something else, some alternative benefit, that''s fine too. ''...... No. Then there is a place in the backyard of the village chief''s house where the gold coins are buried. I''m sure they haven''t found it. There must have been no less than a hundred gold coins buried there. The girl was careless. If she said that, there was a possibility that we would ignore her request and make off with the gold coins. I don''t think she''s lying, and I don''t think she''s a good negotiator. However, there is no need to blame him for that. In fact, I have no intention of making off with the money, and I don''t think Cyril, who serves the God of Justice, would allow it. As for us, as long as we get paid for our work, we are fine. If there really are more than a hundred gold coins buried in the ground, it''s more than enough reward considering the expected strength of the opposing forces. The only drawback is that it''s not an adventurer''s guild quest, so it won''t be reflected in your adventurer''s rank, but we''ll just have to overlook that. ''So... what about Cyril and Mee? I asked my companions, and the two girls both agreed. ''As a follower of Ahtna, the goddess of light and justice, I personally don''t want to let such people get away with it. I have no objection to defeating them. ''William has done a good job, and Mee has no problem with it. But as for Mee...'' She glanced at the girl who had taken the form of Satsuki. I understand what you''re saying. There''s a bit of a standoff between us right now. So I''ve decided to make another request of the girl in Satsuki''s form. ''So, I''ll accept your request. But I have one request.'' ''......! Ha, yes! ''You took over Satsuki''s body and tried to use and destroy it for your own purposes. As Satsuki''s friends, we cannot let your actions go unchecked.'' ''............'' ''All I require from you is an apology. If you give us a sincere apology, we''ll give you our full cooperation. I won''t force you, but I don''t think it''s a bad idea. What do you think? I asked, and the girl, still in her caterpillar state, filled her eyes with tears. And then... ''I''m sorry! I''m so sorry! I''m sorry, I''m sorry! She sobbed out her apologies. After that, we rested there for the night. The next morning, we went to the village, dug up the garden soil of the chief''s house, checked the gold coins buried there, and reburied them. After confirming the existence of the reward offered by Filia, he returned to the city of Atratia to report the completion of his quest to exterminate the undead. 23-CHAPTER XXIII By the time we returned to the city of Atratia, the sky was covered in the colors of the setting sun. When we entered the city, we first went to the Adventurer''s Guild to report the completion of our quest, and received 22 gold coins and 5 silver coins as our reward. We decided to take a day off in the city that day and head out to kill bandits the next day. But then there was the problem of Satsuki, the girl still possessed by the ghost. At the tavern of the Sleeping Fawn Pavilion, the party members gathered around the dinner table as usual, and the girl in Satsuki''s form became as quiet as a borrowed cat. ''It''s so quiet without Satsuki, it''s weird. ''I guess so. She seems to be good at swords and cheerful and noisy, but it''s lonely without her, isn''t it? The girl in Satsuki''s form narrowed her shoulders in fear as Mee and Cyril let out their impressions. ''I''m sorry, it''s my fault,....... But that ...... conversation is also being heard by Satsuki. ......'' ''Is that so? What is Satsuki saying?'' ''Well, ...... she''s sulking, "What the hell is that?"'' ...... Oh, and, um, "Don''t worry about me, just drink, eat and have fun for now."... ...This is a message to me, isn''t it? Hahaha ......'' Saying this, the girl in Satsuki''s form has tears in her eyes. Well, it seems that Satsuki is Satsuki and is having a conversation with her. And it seems that they have a good relationship. It''s just like Satsuki, or rather, ...... it''s something to behold. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''ll enjoy it. I''m sorry, but I''m going to enjoy this. Since I''m borrowing Satsuki''s body, I need to take care of it now. Satsuki must have said something again. The girl said this as if she was making an excuse to herself, and brought the meat dish in front of her with a fork to her mouth, enjoying the meal with tears in her eyes. I turn to the girl and ask her a question. ''I haven''t heard about you yet. What''s your name?'' ''Oh, um, Philia. You''re William, aren''t you? ''Yes. Satsuki calls me Will, though.'' ''Haha, I don''t think that''s too much to ask. ...... Oh, it''s okay, I''ll call you Mr. William. It seems Satsuki said something again. The girl looked puzzled and tried to explain herself. Then Mee interrupted with another question. ''I''ve been wondering, Filia? Can''t Filia leave Satsuki or switch personalities with Satsuki on the surface? ''Oh, yes. I can''t seem to change from this state except by disappearing myself. ...... I''m sorry.'' ''That''s okay. I''m not accusing you of anything. If Satsuki is willing to lend her body, it''s not up to you. In fact, I''d feel better if the noisy ones weren''t around for a day or so. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at ....... Filia''s words caused Mee to gush and Cyril to chuckle. I was also in a kind of smiling mood. After that, we laughed, made a lot of noise, drank and ate, and enjoyed our meal together. After a while, Filia fell asleep on the spot, either drunk or tired of laughing. Cyril and Mee took her upstairs to the inn room, and soon only Cyril came back. She sat down on a chair, as if she was tired. ''I''ve put her to bed. Mee said she''s going to bed. ''I see.'' I sipped my wine as I listened to Cyril''s report. I usually try not to be too extravagant, but I do order a good amount of wine. I don''t like to drink cheap wine. ''...... Cyril'' ''What?'' ''I want to hear your take on it. Do you think there is such a thing as objective evil?'' Cyril looked a little surprised when I asked that. She then ordered a glass of wine from the waiter and slumped down to lie down on the table where all the food had been cleared away. ''Are you also surprisingly drunk? That''s unusual.'' ''I don''t know. ...... I believe that justice is fundamentally only relative. Depending on one''s position and perspective, what is justice can easily change. ...... But... The bandits who attacked Philia''s village. I have a nagging feeling inside me that I want to declare them evil. Those bandits may have had their own reasons before they fell into the trap. They may have had their own feelings. But that doesn''t mean... Then Cyril, who had received the wine he had ordered in exchange for a few copper coins, raised himself up, tipped his cup, and said, ''I''m William. ''I''ve been thinking, William, about this. Justice and evil are not something that exists or doesn''t exist. Justice and evil are ''what we decide they are. ''...... Is that the teaching of Ahtna, the Goddess of Justice? ''No, it''s not. I told you, that''s what I think. Goddess Ahtna''s teachings are as follows. "Thou shalt pursue righteousness. Your justice will keep changing. Fools affirm a distorted justice. Light the world with the light of knowledge. ...... Do you know what that means? ''Somewhat.'' ''Yes, I do. But you know, when it comes to justice, we''ve been thinking about it for a long time and we haven''t come up with a single answer. No matter how brilliant you are, you can''t give me an answer that easily. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... It hurts a little. ''...... Cyril, you''re drunk too, aren''t you? ''I don''t know. Let''s go to bed. I don''t even want to talk about being killed by bandits with a hangover. ''...... You''re right.'' I took Cyril''s suggestion, left my seat, and headed upstairs. 24-CHAPTER XXIV It was the evening of the next day after our drinking and merrymaking when we left the city to kill the bandits. The bandits seemed to be holed up in a mansion about half an hour''s walk down a mountain road into the forest near the village of Filia. The mansion had been built in the past by a fond nobleman, who had grown tired of it and abandoned it, but the bandits had taken it over and taken up residence. We camped overnight on the road and reached Filia''s village around dawn, then turned off the road into a side street and started to follow the mountain path leading to the mansion. The mountain road was not wide, but it was moderately well maintained, and we had no great difficulty in proceeding. ''I guess this area is their territory. We should proceed with caution. ''Yes, sir. There is no guarantee that arrows will not suddenly fly at us. As they climbed up the narrow mountain path on a tranquil morning, Cyril and Mee warned them in whispers. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. In order to share information, I''ll tell the three of them about the spell I used. ''Bows and arrows are no problem. I''ve cast a missile deflection spell. All projectiles will be repelled unless they are ballistae. That is, if you stay within five meters of me. When I told them that, Mee and Cyril stopped and looked at me with blinking eyes. ''...... Are you serious? ''For real.'' ''...... I always thought that your magic was almost foul. I wonder how much it means to you that you don''t have to be afraid of a bow and arrow flying at you from who knows where. ......'' The evaluation from Mee and Cyril was positive. It''s not a very high level magic, even if it can''t be used by beginners, but it seems to be a surprising enough effect for those who are not familiar with magic. In fact, missile deflection spells are often considered for use in warfare, but in recent years there have not been many cases of their use on a tactical level. There was a time when it was popular to line up medium-ranking sorcerers in front of the enemy to nullify enemy fire, but this tactic was a gambling method that could lead to the loss of a large number of valuable troops if a mistake was made. In recent wars, this tactic seems to have fallen into disuse, due to the fact that the enemy has begun to prepare ballistae to counter it, and there were loud protests from mages in the field. On the other hand, this spell is very useful in cases such as this one, and is considered to be of high value. It is a spell that can be very useful when dealing with humans or monsters such as goblins who may use a bow and arrow. However... ''That''s just a precaution. Before that, the incapacitating spell makes it difficult for them to notice your presence. As long as the guards aren''t watching us too closely, our presence won''t be revealed to the enemy too early. Insensible is a spell that makes it difficult for people or objects within the area to be recognized by those outside the area. In the same way that few people pay attention to a mere stone on the street, for example, those within the spell''s range are unlikely to receive special attention. This spell is not very effective when you are in the middle of a battle or when you are very aware of your adversary, but before that, it can be an effective tool for covert action. ''...... Oh, you''re still ridiculously cautious, as usual.'' ''As expected, or rather, what ......? I''m not sure why, but I''m sure it''s because I''m not the only one. It''s not an excuse, but I''ll give them one explanation. It''s not that I don''t have a lot of time to think about it, but it''s that I don''t have a lot of time to think about it. ''......? Are you reflecting on this? ''Reflection. I parrot back to Mee, who tilts her head. Meanwhile, beside her, Cyril had an equally curious look on his face. ''It didn''t look like you were making any big mistakes. If anything, it seemed to add to your monstrousness.'' ''That''s the failure. I cut too many resources unnecessarily. If there had been any more trouble, I would have been at a loss. Taking into account Satsuki''s strength and the presence of the Holy Order''s Cyril, we should have stopped at three fireballs in that phase. ''Haha ......, you can''t solve that much S-class trouble with ease and still be okay with the result ......''. Somehow, he seemed to have understood my thoughts. I can hear the two of them talking, ''You''re a monster after all this time'' and ''I am a monster'', but I don''t care. By the way, some people often misunderstand that ''remorse'' does not mean to regret a failure or to feel sorry for oneself. Reflection is the thought that we should use our failures to improve ourselves so that we do not make the same mistakes next time. There is no one who does not make mistakes, but there are people who do not make the most of their mistakes. I believe that the accumulation of such small differences will result in large differences in ability in the long run. That ...... Then, a girl in a kimono raised her hand. ''What is it, Filia? ''Well, since a while ago, Satsuki said, "That''s my Will. Isn''t that amazing, Filia? I don''t know. I got a headache. ''I see. Tell him that I''m not yours.'' ''Oh, yes, I hear you. ''What the hell~, you should at least let me look good in front of Filia~,'' he jittered. Is there such a thing as a jittery soul? It''s an interesting subject for research. Aside from that, this is not a scene where we should be looking for such a pleasant atmosphere. Even though we have double insurance, this is almost a war zone. We should not be too carefree. ''Anyway, I want you all to brace yourselves. We can''t afford to let down our guard if we''ve built up our defenses. ''Yes, sir. ''Yes, sir.'' ''Yes, I understand. In response to my order, Mee and Cyril strengthened their vigilance once again, and the samurai-dressed girl clutched the hilt of her sword nervously. And so the group of us climbed the mountain path towards the bandit''s house. 25-CHAPTER XXV After walking for a while, we could see the building we were looking for through the trees. We approached cautiously, hiding in the shadows of the trees to get a better look. We saw a man who looked like a gatekeeper standing in front of the gate with a spear in his hand. He leaned his back against the gate and looked as if he was dozing half-standing. ''Mee, can you go?'' ''Yes, sir. It''s a sitting duck. It''ll be easy.'' When I asked her, she smiled confidently and headed towards the guards by herself. On her way, she drew her dagger from its sheath at her waist, carefully and quickly closing the distance between her and the guards, picking their blind spots. The girl eventually disappeared among the trees, out of sight even from my eyes. The next time she came into view was a dozen seconds later. She suddenly appeared from the side of the gatekeeper, glided up to the target with a quick and natural movement, and slashed the gatekeeper''s neck with the dagger in her hand without him noticing at all. The gatekeeper''s neck was seen to erupt in red, and he collapsed. Mee beckoned to us in front of the gate. At that signal, we joined her. ''As expected of you, Mee, you''re a master. You can count on me.'' I put my hand on Mee''s head, and the beastman girl twitched her ears, looking embarrassed. She then immediately went around to check the gate. The girl in Satsuki''s form, on the other hand, gasped as she saw the gatekeeper fall to his death. ''What''s the matter, Filia? Do you still want to quit?'' I asked, and Filia shook her head. ''No, of course not. I''ll never forgive them. I have to kill them all. Filia - the girl in Satsuki''s form''s eyes change to something she hasn''t seen in a while. It seems that she is ready. Killing a person is indeed something to think about. There are two levels: the level of values of right and wrong, and the level of physiological resistance, but at least the latter cannot be completely erased. Killing goblins is another level. Killing one''s own kind is also something that sticks in one''s mind. However, living in this violent world, we cannot afford to be overly sensitive about taking or losing lives. Especially for those bandits who kill their own kind with impunity, it would be appropriate to treat them simply as ''enemies'', just like monsters. ''All right. Then we''ll support our client, Filia. Mee, can you open the gate? I looked at Mee, who was examining the door, and she shook her head. ''No. It looks like it''s been bolted from the other side. The gate, which consisted of a stone wall and a large wooden door, was not the type of gate that could be opened with a keyhole, and it seemed that even Mee, a thief, could not pry it open. So I tried to cast a knock spell to open the gate. With this spell, I could unbolster even a bolted gate by myself with the power of magic. With that in mind, he was about to start chanting the spell, but... ''But I need you to wait a moment. And with that, she easily climbed up the gate, using the props on the gate to her advantage. She then jumped down from the top of the fence and opened the door from the other side by unbolting the bolt. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Come in.'' Mee greeted us from behind the door like a butler. ...... They are a very talented group of people. You can conserve your mana thanks to them. As I walked past Mee, I put my hand on her head and patted it absentmindedly. ''You''re really something, aren''t you? I''m impressed.'' ''Mmmm ......'' Mee became just like a cat, her cat ears twitching and her tail wagging as she was being patted shyly. I took my hand away from her head, thinking that this loveliness would make all the boys in the world fall in love with her. ''...... Oh my god, Mee. It''s not the time to be gullible. ''Nya, that''s right.'' Mee regains her seriousness after receiving a cold look from Cyril. Then we passed through the courtyard at the end of the gate and headed for the main building of the mansion. 26-CHAPTER XXVIII We reached the entrance to the main building of the museum. The four of us were standing with our backs against the wall around the entrance door. We guessed that there were about twenty or thirty bandits holed up inside the building. However, if possible, I would like to have more detailed information about the enemy. ''...... snoring, huh? Cyril muttered. Indeed, if you listen carefully, you can hear something that sounds like snoring coming from inside the building. ''Maybe so. I''ll try to listen in. Mee whispered to him and put her ear to the door of the entrance to listen. She did not make a single sound of the door creaking as she did so, which was quite a feat. ''...... There seems to be some people just inside the door. I can hear some snoring. I listened to Mee''s report and began to think. This was all going according to plan. There are two reasons why we took the trouble to spend the night on the road and arrive here early in the morning, around sunrise. The first is that if we were to leave the city in the morning and visit here at night, we would have to light torches to walk in the darkness. Even if you use an insensible spell to make it difficult for people to notice your presence, there is a limit to its effectiveness. If the stones on the roadside are glowing at night, the risk of being noticed is still high. Another reason was that we thought that if we arrived early in the morning, there would be more people still asleep than in the daytime or later. The result was as expected, as can be seen from Mee''s report. ''But I''m not sure if any of them are awake. I don''t hear any talking. ......'' Mee''s words made me think harder. First of all, the premise of this idea is that a head-on collision between four new adventurers and a band of twenty or thirty bandits is a complete fool''s errand. We need to proceed as covertly as possible. As for the difference in strength between us, if I were to describe the bandits as monsters, I would say that most of them are of the G to F rank. Because they are human, they are larger than goblins, and their weapons are rarely just a club made from a thick wooden stick. Most goblins are expected to have spears, axes, and other weapons with sufficient lethal power, making them a high threat. At the same time, however, it is unlikely that any of them have received specialized training, and their skill level is likely to be that of a thug who is used to fighting. The average skill level of these adventurers is somewhat lower than that of F-rank adventurers, most of whom have had some training to begin their careers. However, there must be some who are reasonably skilled. If there are a few of them in a group of twenty or thirty, they may be in a position of leadership among the bandits. They are probably F-ranked. The rest of the bandits should be regarded as a G-rank threat. This is one rank higher than the general goblins, which are H-ranked. On the other hand, since Mee and Cyril said that they had only minimal training in weapon combat, we should estimate their warrior ability to be around F rank. But even so, they are definitely not up to the level of being able to fight a war against a bunch of bandits. And as for me, I''m clearly not up to the task in terms of weapon combat. I am not equipped with a weapon with sufficient killing power, and I have not trained for it. The only one who is out of the ordinary is Satsuki, whose abilities as a warrior are at least D-ranked at this stage, or even C-ranked depending on your point of view. She is capable of taking on eight to sixteen bandits at the same time and still be able to compete with them. To be honest, it remains to be seen how much her fighting ability will be degraded by the fact that she is now in the body of Filia, a mere village girl. However, judging from her confident words and actions when she took over, it seems that she can draw out most of her power, so for the time being, we can assume that she has a combat ability of D rank. There may be some instability in her mental state, which needs to be taken into account. When I said earlier that Satsuki was capable of fighting 20 or 30 bandits single-handedly, I was assuming that she behaved tactically and planned a minimum of individual defeat tactics. If she were to fight more than twenty of them head-on, even Satsuki would end up being slaughtered without a choice. Anyway, that''s it. The first thing we should think about now is how to deal with the bandits behind the door in front of us. It''s hard to imagine that all the bandits are there, but according to the information that Mee brought, there must be at least a few of them. If all of them were asleep, he would not need to use the sleep spell to catch them off guard, but if some of them were awake, he might get into trouble depending on how things unfolded. If they go to call their friends and start an all-out battle, the whole plan will be ruined at that point. ''Mmm, in this case, we might have to bet that everyone is asleep and try to sneak in secretly. ''I don''t know. Rather than that, it might be better for all of us to launch a raid at once, which will result in a smaller risk. ......'' Mee and Cyril consulted with each other in a whisper then their gazes turned to me. ''William, I''d like to know what''s going on inside. Can''t we use the wizard eye that we used on the goblins? Mee asks, but it''s not exactly a good idea. ''No, the wizard eye can''t go through doors or walls. You''ll have to open this door anyway. Besides, the wizard''s eye is a relatively high-level spell. Rather than using that, it would be more effective to use see-through in this case. ''Mmm, I see. So, if you''re going to use the wizard eye, it''s better for you to sneak a peek at ...... what? I''ve been thinking about it for a while, but the second half of my statement made her tilt her head. ''Use see-through. It''s also a high-level spell, so it consumes a fair amount of mana, but in this situation, it''s worth it. I replied, and began to chant the spell. The see-through spell is a spell that allows you to ignore walls and other obstacles within its area of effect and ''see'' beyond them. The spell''s area of effect is just enough to contain the mansion in front of you - in other words, by using this spell, you will be able to ''see'' the entirety of the mansion. Once I completed the spell, I set out to grasp the entire contents of the mansion. I found out how many bandits were in each room, how many of them were sleeping and how many were awake, what the ones who were awake were doing, whether they were carrying weapons, and so on. It''s not perfect information, since we can''t get audio information, but once we''ve got the whole picture, we start passing it around to our friends, starting with the most recent information we need. ''In front of this door is a hall. There are six men, all of them lying on the ground in the hall asleep. There are barrels of wine and scraps of food scattered here and there. It seems that they are just eating and drinking all day every day with the loot from the village. ...... It''s a good thing, but it''s a bad thing. It''s easy to get rid of them. When I reported this with a personal touch, both Mee and Cyril looked at me blankly as if they were looking at something refreshing. 27-CHAPTER XXVIII Mi carefully opened the entrance door of the mansion without making a sound, and she slipped into the mansion. After her, Cyril, Filia with Satsuki''s body, and I followed. The view beyond the door was, of course, just as I had confirmed using my see-through vision. It was a large hall, with six bandits slumbering on the floor. Scattered food, wine barrels, and wooden mugs were also lying in the hall. From the left side of the hall, there is a staircase with a landing leading to the second floor. In front of the hall and to the left and right of the hall, there were doors that led to the next room. While keeping my eyes on them, I came close to Mee and Cyril and whispered to them. ''Mee, Cyril, I''m sorry, but please follow the usual procedure. ''Yes, sir. ''I know.'' Mee pulled out her dagger and Cyril pulled out his mace from his waist and started to dispose of the sleeping bandits. It''s a difficult task for me, and it''s best left to them. It''s not an easy task to keep them from screaming even in their sleep. It''s also a psychologically taxing job, but both Mee and Cyril have their own philosophies, and there''s no hesitation there. Satsuki, on the other hand, has a strong psychological resistance even though she has excellent skills, and she refused the goblins even though it was painful for her to do so. However, this should be seen as a sign that both Mee and Cyril are mature enough for their age. Now, what about the current situation where Filia is taking over the psychological aspect? I look at the girl in the kimono... For the first time, I realized my mistake. The girl in my line of sight had drawn her sword from her waist with a look of hatred in her eyes. She walked towards one of the sleeping bandits. I hurriedly began to chant a spell, but it was obvious that I wouldn''t make it in time. Standing in front of one of the sleeping bandits, the girl raised her sword and swung the tip of the blade down into the bandit''s chest with great force. '' Gaaaaaaaah! ''You ...... die! Die! Die, you scum! The bandit let out a desperate scream. The girl thrusts her sword into his body over and over again with a vindictive voice. ''Became ......! ''d*mn it! I was wrong. ......!'''' Cyril shouted in surprise, and Mee clicked her tongue. But Mee quickly made the next decision and moved, and Cyril moved a little later. ''Oh? What the...'''' And as the remaining three bandits who had been asleep began to wake up... my spell was finally complete. ''What the...? ''What the...? The bandits were surprised that I couldn''t speak. But that wasn''t the only thing that was happening to the bandits. As if everything had suddenly stopped, all the voices and sounds that had been going on in the place disappeared. A complete silence ruled the place. It was the effect of the silence spell I had cast. It has the effect of completely erasing all sounds within its area of effect. The abnormality of it puzzled everyone present. Not only the bandits who were trying to grasp the situation with sleepy eyes, but also Mee who was sneaking up on them, Filia who was shouting in resentment, and even Cyril who was on his way to stop them, were surprised at what had happened. But it was Mee who immediately regained her composure and started to act. The beastman girl glanced at me, and when she saw me nodding, she slipped from the blind spot of one of the sleepy-eyed bandits and slashed his neck with her dagger to reap his life. Blood spurted from his neck, and the bandit collapsed in a heap. Mi''s speed of reaction and sharpness of judgment in such a sudden situation was outstanding. She then leapt over one of the two startled bandits with a brilliant cat-like leap, took the bandit''s blind spot, and slit the throat of the confused prey from behind. By then, the remaining bandit had rushed to his feet, but when he turned away to pick up a nearby weapon, a girl dressed as a samurai was rushing toward him with unusual speed. The girl''s sword sliced diagonally across the bandit''s back. The bandit fell, badly wounded. Then Filia stood in front of the bandit and thrust her sword again. The bandit gave one last jerk and then stopped moving. All the bandits in the room stopped breathing. I looked at Filia and saw that she was breathing hoarsely and with an ecstatic smile on her face. Cyril was pointing at me, mouth agape, alternating between his own mouth and hers. He probably had something he wanted to say to Filia, but was having trouble speaking even if he wanted to. However, once used, the effect of Silence cannot be canceled even by the sorcerer himself until the prescribed effect time expires. It is possible to remove the effect by using a dispel spell, but it is not desirable to waste mana to do so. On the other hand, the area of effect of Silence is not wide enough to encompass the entire hall where we are now. With a gesture, I instructed everyone to move to the far corner of the hall. 28-CHAPTER XXVI ''You ...... know what you''ve done, don''t you?'' In the corner of the hall, Cyril whispered to Filia. Since Mee was taking care of the surroundings, I decided to turn my attention to Filia. ''What do you mean, you just killed a bunch of scum? You guys did it too.'' Filia replied to Cyril''s question in a somewhat oblique manner. That statement was mentally problematic, but it also didn''t reflect an understanding of Cyril''s intentions. ''That''s not what I''m talking about. I''m saying that what you''re doing is putting us all in danger.'' ''Oh, ......, is that you? Don''t you think you''re worrying too much? You''re all very strong, and I''m sure you can handle it. ''...... That means you''re not going to change your attitude.'' I can see Cyril''s anger is approaching the boiling point. What Filia did was an act that ruined everything we had all been working so hard to achieve with our policy of ''working in secret''. You let the bandits scream in desperation without hesitation, and you yourself scream in anger as you kill your enemies with hatred. If he did that, even the bandits outside this hall might notice the change. An incompetent ally is worse than a competent enemy,'' said one adventurer, and this is exactly the situation we find ourselves in. What to do in such a situation is reasonably obvious. I stood in front of Filia, controlling Cyril. ''Is it William this time? Satsuki''s been bothering me since a while ago, could you at least kiss my body to shut her up? Filia''s mental state seemed to be trapped in a state of dark amusement. It may be a characteristic of the undead ghosts that their emotions tend to take a turn for the worse, sustained by strong feelings of resentment. Thinking that the scene in the tavern might have been some kind of miracle, I spun my words to Filia. ''Filia, there''s something I''d like to reconfirm. ''Yes, what is it? ''We''ve had a cooperative relationship so far, and there''s room for it to continue until we''ve finished slaying the bandits. That''s how I see it, what about you?'' ''............'' Filia fell silent. A few moments later, she opens her mouth. ''...... Is that a threat?'' ''It''s a reaffirmation of interest. If you threaten our lives, we''ll have to consider the option of breaking off our partnership with you. ''............'' Filia fell silent again, her eyes downcast. Filia''s nature right now can be summed up in one word: ''spoiled''. She takes the benefits that are given to her for granted and thinks that she is allowed to be a bit selfish. It is generally meaningless to try to reason with such people. It is clear as daylight that they will insist on ''it''s not my fault'' and stay in their own shell. However, even such people are sensitive to the direct danger and disadvantage they are exposed to. No matter how good or bad they are, they do not want to be disadvantaged and will seriously consider countermeasures. In other words, if an incompetent ally is a nuisance to you, eliminate it as an ally. ''...... I''m sorry, it won''t happen again.'' Filia said softly, after spending a lot of time thinking about it. ''Oh, okay. But if it happens a second time, it will no longer be possible to maintain a cooperative relationship. Take care of it.'' ''...... Yes.'' Filia gave a small, weak nod in response to my reminder. The atmosphere has become dark and grim. But this was unavoidable. I said what I had to say, and I couldn''t turn my back on it. If Satsuki were here, she might be able to lighten the mood..." As I was thinking such useless thoughts, Filia suddenly grabbed the hem of my robe. ''That ......''. ''What?'' ''Satsuki-san is being noisy in a different way than before, can''t you do something about it? ''Ooohhh, Will is so cool! It''s really amazing that he could reform Filia in that state! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''............. ......I''m not going to kiss you, just so you know. ''No?'' ''No.'' ''I''m a little disappointed.'' With that, the samurai-dressed girl turned away, leaned against the wall with her hand against it, and placed her other hand on her chest. And then , ''...... Isn''t that nice? I mean, this is probably Satsuki''s fault. Your body is saying ''I like you'' too much. It''s transferred to me, so you need to control yourself a bit.'' Filia was mumbling something to herself, probably talking to Satsuki deep in her chest. 29-CHAPTER XXIX After that, we went around the hall and killed the bandits one by one. Fortunately, the shouting in the hall had not been heard by the bandits in the other rooms, and our covert actions were still effective, and we succeeded in defeating them individually in each room. Filia, after being persuaded, did not act on her own, but cooperated with us, suppressing the impulse of hatred. As a result of our secretive efforts, there was only one room left. It was the audience chamber on the second floor, where the leader of the bandits seemed to be. I remembered that there were seven bandits there, in addition to the leader-like figure who was slumped in an authoritative throne-like chair when I saw him through my see-through vision. We were at the corner of the corridor where we could see the door of the audience chamber, hiding ourselves and having a final strategy meeting. ''Mr. William, ......, I have a request. At that strategy meeting, Filia appealed to me with her straight eyes. ''What is it, Filia? ''I just want you to let me do that last room. Filia''s innocent eyes said that. Behind those eyes, I could see the black cloud of hatred. I let out a sigh. So be it. Her soul may seem like a normal human being, but at its core it''s a ghost born of hatred. She must have had the desire to clear her hatred with her own hands swirling in her heart for a long time. And she has held it in until now. There must be a torrent of blackness inside her now, and it is trying to push down the flimsy wall of patience. It would be inappropriate for her right now to be bombarded with such niceties as "revenge produces nothing". I ask Filia one confirming question. ''What would you do if we said no to that? ''...... I don''t want to do this, but... I''m going to kill William and the others right here and then go kill those scum. The answer came back as I expected. Then I have no choice. I exchanged glances with Cyril and Mee, and after confirming that they nodded, I replied to Filia. ''All right, I accept. But we need to calculate our strength. ''Yes, sir. ''Comparing the fighting ability of Filia with Satsuki''s body and the overall fighting ability of the bandits in that room, we can probably say that they are about evenly matched, or Filia is at a slight disadvantage. If she succeeds in her assault, she might have a slight advantage, but that''s about it. It''s not very solid. ''............'' Filia fell silent. But it was necessary to mention this because we didn''t want to put Satsuki in any more danger than necessary. If we assume that out of the eight bandits in that room, seven of them are G-ranked and F-ranked, and if we convert the remaining one, the leader, who is probably more skilled than the G-ranked bandits, into an E-ranked bandit, then Filia, who is currently considered to be D-ranked, will have to deal with them alone, even if she''s prepared to lose her life. If the assault succeeds, it will be a little heavy. If the assault was successful, she would be able to somehow fight on even terms. And in fact, it would be difficult for them to challenge us with the resolve to destroy us. We need Satsuki to come back alive. So we need to be in a strong position to challenge her. ''...... So you''re saying that you can''t trust me after all? I''m not sure what to say. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not saying that you should relax. If you''re not good enough, we can use magic to strengthen your abilities. ''What ......? ''Relax your body and accept the magic. Are you ready?'' ''Oh ......, yes.'' I followed the instructions and cast a series of auxiliary spells on Filia, who had relaxed her entire body. It''s a good idea to take a look at a few of the more common types of spells. In light of the current amount of magical elements and the efficiency of the effect, this should be the most effective and well-balanced reinforcement structure with risk management. By the way, the other day, when Filia was ready to accept magic, I had an evil thought in my mind. If I use the Sleep spell here, I can silence the selfish Filia. The thought crossed my mind for a moment that this would be a low-risk way to get rid of the bandits without putting Satsuki''s life in any additional danger. But if I took that approach, I could not predict how Filia would react when she woke up. She might be furious that she couldn''t fulfill her desire, and she might try to kill us with Satsuki''s body in her hatred. Then, after putting her to sleep, I thought about using a mind-blasting spell to disintegrate Filia''s mind... and then my sense of ethics turned on red. I can''t do that, and I don''t want to do that. There is also the disadvantage of consuming a large amount of magical elements by using several extra Mind Blasts. He decided that it was out of the question to weigh the small difference in risk, and dismissed the idea. ''I''ll also use the miracle of Blessing. It''s only a comfort, but it''s better than nothing. Meanwhile, Cyril had also folded his hands in front of his chest and was chanting a spell in the Holy Word. The miraculous radiance that was triggered fell not only on Filia, but also on us, but the effect on Filia was the one that was practically important. The body of the girl in samurai form, who had been multiply strengthened by the auxiliary magic, was enveloped in a pale golden light. It eventually disappears as if it were absorbed into the girl''s body. ''Okay, now it''s up to you, Filia. You can go now. ''Yes! The girl replied with a determined look in her eyes, and turned her gaze towards the door of the room she wanted. 30-Episode 30 '' '' , , . , . '' '' , . '' !? '' , . , . , , . '' '' '' , !? , '' , . '' , . . '' , . '' , . . '' '' , '' , . '' , . . A . , . , '' '' , . '' , . , . , , . , '' , , '' , . , . . , . , . '' '' '' , '' , . , , , . . , , . . , . '' '' '' , , , , , '' , . , , . '' !?'' , . , , . '' '' , . , . , . , , . , . , . '' , , , , !?'' . , . , , . '' . , '' '' , , , , , '' . , . , . '' , '' , , . . , . , , . , . '' !?'' '' , , '' , . , . ''Gwahahahaha! Die, little girl! ......!'' The chieftain strained his arm to strangle the girl. He must have thought that with his hairy arms, he could easily break the girl''s delicate body. But... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. The force field created by the physical barrier (force field) prevented the leader''s thick arms from inflicting any damage to Filia. Also, even in terms of simple arm strength, Satsuki''s strength, including her aura, did not seem to be inferior to that of the man. In fact, Filia easily slipped out of the man''s grasp and simultaneously pulled out the sword she had thrust into the chieftain''s chest. ''Haha ......! Blood gushed from his chest, and he staggered forward. And then... ''Haha! Filia, with a burst of spunk, flashed her sword in a sideways cleave. With a flash of lightning, she caught the chieftain''s head and sent it flying. The leader''s head flew in the air and eventually fell to the ground. At the same time, the body of the headless man fell to the ground. And so it was all over. In the audience room, there were many dead bandits and a pool of blood. The only person standing alone in the room is a kimono-clad girl with a blood-soaked sword in her hand. The morning sun is shining in through a window at the back of the room. The peaceful morning hours came equally at this time. 31-Episode 31 Through the window at the back of the audience room, the morning sun was slanting in, creating a band of light. The figure of the samurai girl standing in front of it, her whole body stained with blood, was somehow fantastic. She slowly weakens and removes her sword. The sword fell to the floor with a thud. The girl looks at her hands. She looked down at her bloodstained hands and was stunned. ''Are you done, Filia? I called out, and the girl shuddered. She had her back to me and turned around. ''...... Yes. You''re done with this, aren''t you? A shy, frightened expression. The girl''s body was beginning to glow pale and vague. I couldn''t answer anything. The same was true for Mee and Cyril, they just watched her. As I did so, the girl murmured to me. ''Ah, yes. I''m not sure if there really is such a thing as the ...... afterlife. But I understand, Satsuki. I''ll have fun even after I die. ......Good luck, Satsuki. ......'' Satsuki must have said something. Filia answered and wiped her tears with the sleeve of her kimono. But the girl''s tears seemed to flow incessantly, and even after she wiped them away, they began to trickle down her cheeks again. The girl was still doing her best to wipe them away, but halfway through, she stopped wiping them away, as if she thought there was nothing she could do. She then turned to the three of us, and with a face full of tears and wetness, said, ''Thank you, everyone. ''Thank you all very much for ....... Even though I was so selfish and tried to harm you all, you were still so kind to me. ...... Gosh ......'' The outline of the girl''s pale blue light grows larger. It was as if something was coming out of Satsuki''s body. No, there''s no such thing as ''something''. It must have been Filia''s soul slipping out of Satsuki''s body. ''That night at the bar, we ate, drank, talked and laughed together. ...... It was a lot of fun. Goodbye ......, thank you very much ......! As soon as she said that, Filia''s soul softly floated out of Satsuki''s body, and then disappeared as if it were transparent from above. The rest of Satsuki''s body lost its support and collapsed with a crash. Me and Cyril rushed to her, Cyril picked her up, and Me called out to her. ''Satsuki! Are you okay? ''...... Ah,......, sorry, I''m just a little tired. I''m just a little tired. ...... But Philia ...... must have gone. ......'' In the arms of Cyril, who picked her up, Satsuki regained her body and mumbled helplessly. Then she turned her head towards me and said. ''Hey, Will. I wonder if there''s anything more you could have done. ...... I''ve been ...... talking to Filia, and I''ve been wanting her to be happier, and I''ve been wondering if there was ...... anything else. Wasn''t there anything else ......? Satsuki''s eyes were filled with tears, whether they were remnants of her time as Philia or not. But I shook my head at Satsuki. ''No, at least as far as I know, there is no way to revive a person who has once died and become a ghost as a human. As far as I know, this is the best outcome.'' ''I see. ......'' The tragedy was all but confirmed when the bandits destroyed the village. We are just adventurers, and we can''t eliminate all the unreasonable and sad events in the world. All we can do is live our own lives better. Anything more than that should be considered as a stopgap measure. ...... So, we should split it up. ''Let''s go home when Satsuki''s better. ...... is not a place I want to stay too long. I suggested, looking around at the bodies and blood pools. The three companions nodded, and when Satsuki recovered a little, I left the bloody audience room while lending her my shoulder. On the way back, I stopped by a room that looked like an office that I had found through the effect of my see-through vision, and rifled through a box of documents that was there. The box was locked, and there was even a trap with a poisonous needle, both of which Mee deftly disarmed. I picked up the most interesting materials from the archive and put them in my bag, then left the museum with my friends. After that, we dropped by the village of Filia, dug up the reward of gold coins from the chief''s garden, and put them in our luggage bags... We finally returned to the city of Atratia. 32-Episode 32 No matter what happens, everyday life begins again. We returned to the city of Atratia after defeating the bandits, and ate, drank, made noise, and slept again. I usually try not to drink too much, but yesterday I got a little drunk again, and I remember arguing with Cyril about something unimportant. Washing away the extraordinary with the ordinary. Maybe that''s what rest means to adventurers. When I woke up the next morning, I prepared myself first, and then performed my morning routine of measuring my magical element (mana measure). This is a spell to measure the amount of magical elements in your body, and it is one of the first spells you learn at the academy. I look at the figures obtained by the effect of the spell, and recognize the hypothesis I''ve had for the past few days as definite. Ever since I started as an adventurer, I''ve had the feeling that my own magical capacity has been increasing. I had considered the possibility that it was within the margin of error, but today''s figures seem to indicate that this is not the case. The total amount of magical elements can vary somewhat depending on the physical condition of the day. It can vary up to 10% up or down depending on how you are feeling that day, so even if you see a slight increase compared to the previous day, it would be premature to immediately assume that this is a significant increase in your total amount of magical elements. On the morning of the day I began my activities as an adventurer, my total magical element was 105 points, the next morning it was 109 points, the morning after that 108 points, then 109 points, 112 points, 113 points, 111 points, and today it is 117 points. I think it is time to recognize that this is a significant increase in the total amount of magical elements. To begin with, the total amount of magical elements can be increased by training as well as by inborn differences. It is a common knowledge that the total amount of magical energy can be increased by taking enough rest after using magical energy to the limit, which is written in the textbooks of the academy. However, the increase in the total amount of magical energy by doing so usually has a ''head start''. The amount of magical material that grows rapidly when you first start training eventually decreases, and by the time you''ve been training for about three years, you''ve reached a point where you can''t see any further growth. Naturally, I was in that range, and I should not have been able to see any significant increase in the total amount of magical elements anymore. Nevertheless, it is very interesting that such a phenomenon is occurring. However, I do have an idea about this phenomenon. In the records of past adventurers, there are many cases in which their abilities have grown dramatically through their adventures. If you think that my case is one of them, there is a precedent. On the other hand, there are also many cases that disprove the fact that there was no significant growth in ability even though I continued to be an adventurer. I don''t know the specific cause of this, but I should think that in my case, I happened to fit the conditions of the "growing" one. In any case, there is too little information to understand the cause. I''ll look into it later, when I find something. Now, next. Once the measurement of the magical elements is complete, the next step is to count the money. How close are we to our goal of 700 gold coins? Before I received the quest to exterminate the undead, I had saved about eleven gold coins since I started as an adventurer... ''...... So after deducting living expenses, I''m left with 35 gold coins. I said to myself in my private room as I counted the number of gold coins I had taken out of my gold coin bag. My personal income was six gold coins and a quarter from the undead extermination and thirty gold coins and three quarters from the bandit extermination, for a total of thirty-seven gold coins. The cost of living for those four days is about two gold coins, for a total of thirty-five gold coins. The total amount you have saved since you began your adventuring life is 46 gold coins. With this, I have 654 gold coins left to reach my goal. Although we are still a long way from our goal, considering that we have only been adventurers for about a week, we are saving about six to seven gold coins per day, which is an impressive pace for a F-rank adventurer. As you advance in rank, you''ll be able to accept quests with higher rewards, so there''s no need to panic. I counted the number of gold coins buried in the garden of the chief''s house in the village of Filia, and found a total of 123. This amount was more than five times the market price for a party of F-rank adventurers, and it warmed our pockets greatly. Normally, you should not be able to earn this much. Then, I put the gold coins I took out for counting into a small bag and put it away in my pocket. Then I wrote down the total amount of magical elements and the receipts and disbursements of money on separate sheets of paper, rolled them up, tied them together, and put them in my luggage bag. Incidentally, the paper used for these entries was also created by magic. The spell of Create Paper, along with the spell of Cloth Form, has become an indispensable part of today''s urban society. In some cases, parchment is still traditionally used, but in general, magically created ''paper'' is used as recording paper. The parchment used for adventurer registration at the adventurer''s guild, for example, is a waste of money, and there is a growing consensus that paper should be used. However, this is only a matter of time, and paper will eventually replace parchment. Every time an adventurer dives into ancient ruins and discovers a new spellbook, society undergoes a major change. When you think about it, the role of adventurers in society should not be taken lightly, but it seems that the hard-headed members of the powerful class are unable to recognize this. This is why adventurers are always at the bottom of the social ladder. High rank adventurers are treated differently, but D rank adventurers and below are treated as if they were thugs and snobs, and even C rank adventurers are treated slightly differently. Only a handful of adventurers, B-rank and above, tend to be respected by the townspeople. I wonder if my father would approve of my choice if I went that far. ''...... Good grief. I don''t know how long I''m going to be a child. I let out a self-mocking chuckle alone in my room. When I think of my father, I realize that my mental age drops. I started out as an adventurer thinking that it didn''t matter who approved of me or what I did, but it seems I still can''t get rid of my childish desire to have everything. Disgusted with myself, I left my room and headed downstairs to the dining room to have breakfast. 33-Episode 33 ''Good morning, Will. Hey, look what I found. When I walked down to the cafeteria, the other three were already gathered at their usual table. One of them, Satsuki, called me over and showed me something on her chest. I took my usual seat and looked at what Satsuki was showing off. ''Is that an E rank adventurer''s card? Shining on Satsuki''s chest was a small plate made of bronze. If you look closely, you can see Satsuki''s name engraved on it. Satsuki wore it on a string around her neck like a necklace. ''Hmmm, so that''s it. Will, who still has an F grade, can call me ''big sister''. Satsuki is very proud of herself. The contents of her statement are quite meaningless. ''Satsuki''s stupidity has been accelerated by her E rank. ''I doubt that. I think she''s always been like this. The two girls, Mee and Cyril, were having breakfast as usual. Their bronze adventurer''s cards shone on their chests, as did Satsuki''s. Satsuki and the three others had been promoted from F to E adventurer rank after completing the previous quest to exterminate the undead. The rank itself was raised when they completed the quest, but they must have received their new adventurer''s cards this morning. By the way, I also have that small plate adventurer''s card. It''s made of ordinary copper because I''m still an F-rank adventurer. I received it from the Adventurer''s Guild the day after I registered as an adventurer. The adventurer''s card is made of different materials depending on the adventurer''s rank, and is colored according to the material. You can tell your adventurer rank at a glance by looking at it. It''s a little unsettling that I''m the only one in the party with a low adventurer rank. It might be interesting to express this feeling as a joke. I thought so, and decided to take Satsuki''s comment. ''So, Satsuki. Could you pass me that butter? I asked the waiter to bring me my breakfast, and demanded to Satsuki. But Satsuki''s reaction to this was strange. ''Hyah! Satsuki made a strange sound and shuddered. Then, while sitting on the chair, she started to flail about and fell back with the chair. ''No, this is not good! This is not good! Satsuki got up and quickly put the chair back and sat down on it. For some reason, her face was red and she was breathing heavily. ''No, it''s not that I''m in trouble. ......'' ''It''s more like it''s horrible ......''. Cyril and Mee, on the other hand, were turning pale in the face. I''m not sure how they reacted, but I''d say the response was the best I''ve ever seen in a joke. While I was thinking about this, Cyril, who had regained his composure, asked me something else with a serious face. ''Well, Will, have you decided what you''re going to do about that thing? ''Oh, that. ...... I think we should avoid handing it over to the authorities without thinking. ''......You''re right. ''...... I have to admit that I don''t trust the higher-ups in our temple either.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ''Oh, you mean that thing? Isn''t that the paper that was in the reference box in the bandits'' mansion? I wonder why that box was locked so tightly, and why it was even trapped. I''m sure the name of the lord of that area was written on it. Mi quickly blocked Satsuki''s light mouth with her hand. She quickly looked around to make sure she wasn''t attracting any attention, and let out a sigh of relief. She then released Satsuki''s mouth and closed in on her. ''Are you stupid? Is Satsuki really that stupid? ''......, what? Did I say something wrong? ''Yes, I did! I''ll think about whether or not it''s appropriate to talk out loud in a public place like this! ''Oh, ...... I was so limp at the time that I didn''t really read what was written on the paper.'' ''...... I understand. I''m going to explain it to you, so don''t shout and listen quietly.'' ''Oh, okay. Satsuki was pressured by Mi''s attitude, but she showed her willingness to listen. I''ll leave it to you to explain to Satsuki, and I''ll consider how to handle the documents again. There was a box of documents in the office of the bandit house. In the box, mixed in with a few bland documents, there was a more important document - several copies of the ''mission notice''. And what was written on them was astonishing. ''Now ......! So, Count Goldart gave the order to the bandits to destroy that village? Satsuki, who had heard Mie''s explanation, whispered in surprise. Mi raised her index finger to her mouth and urged her not to speak any more. Satsuki nodded her head in silence. Yes, that''s exactly what was written in the document. On what day, on what month, we will attack the village and kill all the villagers. When you''re done, I''ll give you a substantial amount of gold or land and serfs. You will be contacted shortly. Along with that, the name of ''Count Goldart'' was written, indicating that he would keep his word in the name of the Goldart family. I had retrieved the documents from the box and brought them back. The name Count Goldart was that of a lord who ruled a certain area in this neighborhood. The city of Gordia, which is about a day and a half''s walk from the city of Atratia, and dozens of villages in its vicinity are his domain, and the destroyed village of Filia was also in the territory of the Count Goldart. However, there is a part of the story that does not fit with the fact that the lord destroys the village he rules. The count''s territory was entrusted to him by the king, but he had the right to collect taxes on the territory and could keep a certain percentage of the collected taxes in his own pocket. It is unlikely that a lord, no matter how vicious, would willingly throw away his own financial resources. There are many other aspects of this document that raise endless questions. It is a document that should not be taken at face value, and various possibilities should be considered. But... ''...... If that''s true, it''s unforgivable. Filia is because of him. ......'' Satsuki''s eyes were filled with anger. I nodded to Satsuki to show my agreement. ''Yeah, I agree with Satsuki. I agree with Satsuki. ...... But at present, there is too little information. And besides, we''re just adventurers. We''re not on the side of justice. ''......! What the hell, Will! You want me to pretend I don''t know what''s going on? Hearing my words, a furious Satsuki put her hands on the table and stood up. The dishes on the table shook. The attention of the people in the cafeteria was drawn to Satsuki and our table. ''...... Satsuki, be quiet. You''re not the only one whose guts are churning. You know what the god I believe in is in charge of. Cyril sipped his tea and glared at Satsuki. With that, Satsuki grudgingly took her seat again. The eyes around her weakened to the point of glancing at her. I confirmed this and explained to Satsuki. ''As I said before, I agree with Satsuki, and I can sympathize with her feelings. But things are not so simple. First of all, we have to check the facts, and even if the statements are true, we will be destroyed if we don''t move carefully. It is necessary to consider social means in view. ''...... I understand, I''m sorry. Satsuki seemed a little unconvinced, but somehow managed to apologize for her earlier comment. I nodded at her and added another word. ''Also, as I said before, we are adventurers. It would be a bit unhealthy for us to work for free for the sake of justice and faith. If we''re going to do something, we should turn it into a reward. What about ......? Turn it into a reward, huh, how? ''I have an idea about that. I don''t know if it will work.'' ''Huh. ....... You can make your own rewards. ......'' With Satsuki looking on in disgust, I set about my breakfast. 34-Episode 34 Now, the most important thing in a social war is information. We should start by gathering information on Count Goldart. I finished my breakfast and went back to my room. I took out a large hand mirror from my luggage bag, fixed it in place, picked up my mage staff, and began chanting spells. The spell to be cast was a communication spell called "contact". This spell connects two special mirrors by magic, and can transmit images and sounds between them. Each mirror has its own access number. I completed the spell, thinking of the number of the target mirror. The scene is then reflected in the mirror fixed on the table. It was one of the laboratories of the Academy of Magic. On the desk, which is not a small one, there are many books piled haphazardly and high, as if they are about to fall down. Only one corner of the desk had been cleared somehow, and an old man was sitting in front of it, working on something. He writes on a piece of paper on the desk, scratches his head, and throws the newly written paper into a crumpled ball. On the floor of the laboratory, scraps of paper that had been thrown about were falling here and there. I breathed a sigh and called out to the mirror. ''Professor, it''s been a while. I''m still not very good at organizing and cleaning up. ''......? Oh, it''s William! The old man, who had been absorbed in his writing, looked up and looked at me from behind the mirror. The mirror in the lab now should show me and the room I''m in. ''Huh, I''ve told you before. It''s not that I don''t clean up. It''s just that this is the best arrangement. This is the best arrangement for a researcher to have the materials within easy reach. With that, the old man taps his hand on a pile of books on his desk. Then... ''Whoa! Thud, thud, thud. The pile of books on the desk collapses, and they all fall down at once. A thick cloud of dust is flying around. I smiled at the sight of the professor as usual. So what do you want, William? You''re tired of being an adventurer and need someone to talk you into a job? My assistant''s seat is always available. No, sir. I''m not tired of being an adventurer. I''ve only just begun my career. I have one more question for you, professor. ''What is it, tell me. ''Yes, sir. I would like to know if there is anyone from the academy who has been assigned to Count Goldart''s court as a magician. I ask the professor for a favor. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at our own web site. ''......Hou? Wait a minute.'' The professor went to a bookshelf at the side of the room, took out a thick book from it, and came back with it. He flipped through the pages and stopped at one page. ''There it is. There was a graduate just three years ago who was assigned to Count Goldart. Her name is Alice Flamelia... no, wait, I think she''s .......'' The professor put the book he had brought on his desk and went to the bookshelf again. Then he brings out another book and starts flipping through it again. ''There it is! I knew it. Alice Flamelia, the heretic who submitted her thesis in the field of necromancy. The title of her thesis is ''A Study of the Conditions for the Natural Occurrence of the Lower Undead''. However, since it was related to necromancy, which is implicitly forbidden in the academy, I heard that his thesis did not receive a proper evaluation. ...... So, William, why are you asking me this? Then the professor came to himself and asked me. I, on the other hand, was a little surprised. I was thinking of contacting Count Goldert''s court magician to get information about him, but an unexpected piece of information came to me. The whole story began to emerge at once. This is an unexpected find. ''No, I was facing a problem that was a little hard to overlook, so I thought I''d get some information about it, but thanks to Professor ......, I think I''m starting to see the whole picture at once. I don''t know. I don''t know what it is, but I''m glad you found it useful. Next time you want to talk about it as a snack, please let me know when you''re ready to talk about it.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll thank you in due course. Now if you''ll excuse me, Professor. ''Hmm. Good luck.'' I broke my mental focus and ended the contact spell. The mirror changes back to showing me and my room. ''...... Well...'' What''s going on here? The information window I was expecting turned out to be black with a high probability. I decided to reconfigure my logic and rethink my next move. 35-Episode 35 After I finished communicating with the professor, I presented the information I had obtained to my friends. After explaining my plan for the future, I left the city with the girls. Now, I am walking along the road with the three girls towards the royal capital. It was a journey under a clear blue sky, with a moderate amount of sunshine in the morning. ''So, Will. I know it''s a little late, but can I ask you something? Satsuki, who was walking in front of me, turned to me and asked. ''Yeah. What is it, Satsuki? ''You know... why are we trying to go to the capital? ''It''s really too late now. ......'' Next to Satsuki, Mee sighed. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Hmm. I thought I explained it to you before we left. ''Well, it''s just that ...... the story was so difficult that I didn''t listen to it ...... from the beginning.'' Satsuki slowed down her pace and walked up to my side, giving me an unhappy smile. As for me, I didn''t mean to be so difficult, but ...... well, if you didn''t understand it, it''s no use, I''ll explain it again from scratch. ''So, first, let''s talk about the person called Alice Flamelia. She graduated from the Wizards Academy three years ago and became a court magician to Count Goldart. Are you okay so far?'' ''Oh, yeah, I remember that part. As I recall, his ''Sotsuron'' or something like that was about the undead. You graduated three years ago, so if you''re three years older than Will, are you about twenty now? ''Probably. Some people enter the Academy of Magic when they''re old, so I can''t say for sure. ''''Hmm. But how can you be a part of a nobleman''s entourage at that age? Sorcerers are really amazing. Satsuki let out such an impression. When I heard that, I thought it was an interesting way of looking at things. Indeed, it is quite rare for a young man of less than 20 years old to be in a position close to the center of power and politics. A sorcerer who has studied at a magic academy is well suited to serve as an advisor or assistant in the management of a territory. In addition, since they can use magic, they are useful in various situations. Therefore, it is common for a nobleman with a certain amount of financial resources to have at least one court magician at his disposal. And since a competent and experienced sorcerer is usually already in the service of some noble family, the main target for such a person is a young wizard who has just graduated from an academy. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on with this Aris guy. Is he the mastermind? Is it enough to kill him? Satsuki''s thought process was simple again today. A dualism of good and evil. She has a pleasant personality, but she also worries me a little. Perhaps the type of person who can''t be left alone is someone like Satsuki. If someone doesn''t stay with her at all times, it makes me feel as if she is in danger. I can''t help but smile when I imagine the hardships of someone unknown who will be by her side for the rest of her life. ''I don''t know about that yet. But there''s a good chance that Alice is the source.'' ''Hmm, ......, but if that''s the case, aren''t you going to defeat that Alice and Count Goldert? I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of that, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Satsuki, it''s you. I don''t think you were planning on physically ramming the nobleman''s mansion, were you? ''If you did, Mee and the others would be transformed from low-level adventurers into wanted men. It''s a crime to raid them. Mee followed Cyril''s lead. But Satsuki is still unconvinced. ''...... But, you know... If you''re talking about crimes, Count Goldart and Alice had their bandits kill the villagers of Filia, right? They''re super criminals. ''So I don''t have any proof that they did it. ''Can''t the evidence be the paper in the bandit''s house? ''I''m not saying it''s not good, but we need to think about who we give it to and what the consequences will be. Satsuki scratched her head as I explained after Mee. ''Oh, God! It''s still too difficult to understand! ''...... I guess Satsuki can''t do any better than this. It''s okay, isn''t it? Even if Satsuki doesn''t have to think about it, we have a reliable guide. When Cyril said this, Satsuki, who had been scratching her head, stopped moving. ''I guess. Okay, stop thinking about it! I''ll leave that to Will and the others! Satsuki then laughed. As for me, I couldn''t help but laugh, but as Cyril said, I felt that there was no point in explaining any further to Satsuki. As I was thinking this, Cyril came to me with a question. ''But that being said, are you okay, William? ''What do you mean by okay? ''I''m just wondering if they''ll believe us adventurers when we go to King''s Landing. William''s status as a wizard and my status as an acolyte might be enough to get them to listen to us. ......'' I see. You haven''t even told Cyril and the others about that yet. ''Yeah, we can probably work something out there. I have an acquaintance in the capital. ''Acquaintances in King''s Landing? ...... From the way you''re talking, you''re saying that you''re someone who can be followed by powerful people, right? ''Well, if you put it that way, yes. Cyril sighs heavily as I answer. ''...... Haha. You''re still amazing as always William. He''s got the looks, he''s got the abilities, and he''s got the connections. What kind of prince are you? ''It''s not like I''ve built up any connections. I just happen to know someone who is in the position of that ''prince''.'' ''Hmm, you know a prince. ....... What do you mean? To tell you the truth, I have another source of connections, but that one is the one I prefer not to rely on as much as possible. I''ll cross over to another source first. 36-CHAPTER XVI We left the city of Atratia and walked the streets for two and a half days. In the evening of the third day, we arrived at the royal city of Greysburg. We passed through the city gates and walked through the busy streets to the royal castle. On the way, Satsuki and the others were looking around the street curiously. ''It''s the royal capital, isn''t it, that it''s so lively even though the stalls will soon be closed? ''Yes, ........ This makes me feel a bit like a countryman. ''This is the first time for me to come to the capital. I''m a little nervous. The girls were expressing their thoughts. I look at them and come to an understanding. ''So it''s your first time in the capital? When I confirm this, Satsuki answers with pride. ''Well, I''ve been to other countries'' royal capitals before. Isn''t this your first time in the capital? ''Yes. I lived here in Greysburg as a child.'''' ''''Really? So Will is a city boy born in this big city.'''' ''No, technically speaking, he was born in the magic city of Rector. He moved here when he was a child because of his father''s work. After that, I spent all my time in this city until I turned thirteen and started living in a dormitory at the magic academy in Lector.'''' ''Hmm. By the way, what does your father do for a living? Satsuki casually asks me that question. It was a question I was a little hesitant to answer, but it wasn''t something I needed to hide, so I decided to answer it honestly. ''I''m a court magician in the royal city of Greysburg. I believe he''s currently working as a division commander. ''Huh? I''m the head of the court magician of the royal capital! Then, Cyril came from the side, showing an amazing reaction as he took a bite. His mouth was agape, and he seemed to be unable to formulate a second sentence. At the sight of Cyril, Satsuki tilted her head. ''Hmm, what''s that, amazing? ''It''s amazing! Because, first of all, the court magicians of the royal capital are a group of extremely talented people who are especially skilled among the mage class magicians. In addition, the top among them is ......, which means that they are the top of all magicians in this country! When Cyril said this, he looked pale and trembled. Still, Cyril seems to have a tendency to give too much importance to human abilities. Perhaps it is because he is capable in his own right and has a strong sense of competition and self-esteem. ....... I''m going to give my own take on this for Cyril. ''Well, I admit that my father is an extremely talented sorcerer. That doesn''t immediately indicate that he is a good human being. He''s not as good as he says he is, you know. As I said this... Satsuki, Cyril and Mee''s gazes fell on me at once. The girls'' eyes were all round, as if they had seen something strange. ''...... What is it? Did I say something funny?'' ''Well, ...... I don''t think I''ve ever heard Will say anything bad about anyone before.'' ''Yes, sir. ''That''s right. I was surprised, too.'' ''............'' ...... Am I right? ''...... No, it''s probably just my imagination, or I just didn''t happen to mention it. For example, I felt that the bandits who killed all the villagers in Filia''s village were unforgivable, and I even remember talking behind Satsuki''s back when we were killing the goblins.'''' ''Hmm, that''s true, but ...... I don''t know what to call it, I guess I''d call it a personal grudge. It doesn''t feel like William. I know it''s just our own image of what''s typical. ''............'' ......A personal grudge, a personal grudge. I don''t know. I can''t say that I don''t have any, but I don''t think I have any grudges or hatreds either. If I had to say, I don''t like my father or that person. I guess that''s all. ''Hey, Will ......'' ''Hey, what''s up Satsuki? I suddenly realized that Satsuki was standing beside me, tugging at the hem of my robe. When I looked at her, the black-haired ponytailed girl had tears in her eyes and looked like she was about to burst into tears. ''What ...... are you talking about behind my back? ''............'' I was at a loss for words and could only scratch my head in annoyance. After that, Cyril interceded and we got rid of the problem, but Satsuki remained pouting for a while. In the meantime, we arrived in front of the royal castle. The city itself is covered with high city walls, but the royal castle within the city is surrounded by even higher walls. In addition, the walls are surrounded by a deep moat, and the main gate must be reached by crossing a drawbridge over the moat. We crossed the drawbridge, which was wide enough for a large carriage to cross, and informed the gatekeeper at the end of the drawbridge of our requirements. I showed him the medallion with my coat of arms showing that I was a graduate of the Academy of Magic, and gave him the name of the person I wanted to see, and the gatekeeper said something to a young soldier in the back who looked like a messenger. Then, as the soldier ran toward the back, the gatekeeper told us to wait here for a while. We waited in front of the gate for a few minutes. The soldier who had run to send the message came back, and another person I recognized came running toward us. ''Wow, it''s really Will! Long time no see, how are you? How are you, ......? A short cut of shining silver hair, with a boyish dignity and a gorgeous smile. I''m not sure what to make of that. This is the person who was my childhood friend and the first princess of this country, Irene Grace Lord. 37-Episode 37 ''Since we can''t just stand here and talk, let''s go to my room first. Follow me.'' Irene said, inviting us inside the castle gate. Then she started to lead the way through the courtyard to the castle hall. I followed her, and Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee followed cautiously. Eventually, Cyril ran a little faster and got right next to me. ''...... Hey, Will. Is that guy really a prince......? It''s certainly cool, but I think his face, voice, and physique are too cute for a man. ......'' Cyril whispers in my ear as if he is talking to me. I guess he was trying to keep Irene from hearing. But I didn''t feel the need to speak in private, so I replied in a normal voice volume. ''No, she, Eileen Graylord, is the princess of this country. That outfit and the first person name ''I'' are her taste, so to speak. ''Oh, ......, is that so? But William, the people you know in King''s Landing say you''re a prince. ''Was that so? I don''t remember saying anything other than ''someone in the position of a prince''. As far as this consultation is concerned, both of them are in a similar position. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at ....... Cyril seemed to be unconvinced. Well, that''s understandable. Not many people would be convinced at first glance if you called her a princess. ''She''s been a naughty girl since she was a child. I wanted to stay home and read a book, but she forced me to run around the city with her, and made me imitate a swordsman with a wooden stick in this courtyard. ''Hmm. Will was a boy, but he wasn''t much of a swordsman. I won every battle.'' Perhaps because I was talking in a quiet voice, Irene, who was walking in front of me, turned her face back and joined in the conversation. I turn to Irene and say something to her, not hiding my frustration. ''Maybe you were too strong. Now that I think about it, your unchildlike movements, didn''t you know how to use your aura from that time on? That was almost like torment. ''Haha, you''re right. It was only after I started training with the knights that I learned that there was such a thing as auras. I''ve heard that auras, which strengthen physical abilities, are usually acquired by high-ranking warriors after specialized training, but there are some who are able to use them half-heartedly without receiving such training. However, there are some people who are able to use them without any such training, just by their own qualities. They can be called ''geniuses'', so to speak, and Irene was one of them. It is because of her talent that Irene is allowed to be unrestrained even though she is a princess of a country. She is one year younger than me, so she must be only sixteen years old now, but rumor has it that she is as skilled with a sword as the knights who guard the royal family at such a young age. In the first place, a knight itself is an elite among warriors who have received highly specialized training. This training includes the handling of auras, and if a knight is skilled enough to have gained enough practical experience, his combat prowess is said to be comparable to that of a C-rank adventurer on average. In addition, the knights of the royal guard are the best of the best, and are considered to be B-rank adventurers. In the event that you''re in the market for a brand-new pair of shoes or boots, then you''re in the right place. But on the other hand, there was one girl who smiled fearlessly when she heard that. ''...... Oh, so you''re a princess knight, then. I think it''s been a long time since I''ve seen someone my age who can use auras. It was just as Irene reached the front of the castle hall. She was about to put her hand on the door - but stopped herself and turned back. ''Hmm. ....... I know what you''re wearing. I''ve seen you in a training book. You''re a swordsman from the east, a samurai or something, right?'' ''Oh, so you know me. That''s great. I''m glad to hear that.'' So, with that kind of talk, I''m guessing you''re pretty good at it. Would you like to try your hand at it with me? I think the courtyard there would be a good place to start.'' Irene, with a glimpse of fierceness in her expression, pointed to the courtyard, which seemed to be a training ground for knights. Satsuki, on the other hand, was no less bloodthirsty. ''Oh. I was just thinking I''d like to try it with you. Give me your arm, princess. And so, in the blink of an eye, Irene and Satsuki found themselves in a hand-to-hand fight. Seeing the girls, both Mee and Cyril had a look of disgust on their faces. ''Princess, you''re a brainiac: ......'' ''You''re as brainy as Satsuki: ......'' I nodded my head in agreement. It seems that girls with a lot of blood in their veins tend to gather around me. 38-Episode 38 A corner of the courtyard of the royal castle. In the square that the knights use for training, there are now two girls standing facing each other. On one side was a girl with short-cut silver hair and princely looks. The other is a girl in a kimono with black ponytail hair. By the way, I don''t really care about this, but I think Satsuki''s taste in calling Irene a ''princess knight'' is a bit questionable. Even putting aside the point that ''princess'' and ''knight'' are both terms that describe status, calling her a princess-knight seems to me to be somewhat wrong. ...... Well, I guess it doesn''t really matter. I''m not sure what to say. It''s only a straight wooden sword, but it''s a weapon you''re not used to using, so you can use it as an excuse for losing. Irene walked to the side of the square, picked up two of the wooden swords from the bundle, and tossed one of them to Satsuki. Satsuki took it with one hand and glared at Irene with hatred. ''Ha, I''ll make you cry, princess. You''ll have to think of an excuse if you lose. With that, Satsuki stands, holding the wooden sword she received. With her back straight and her eyes fixed on the sword, her figure was as beautiful as ever. Irene, on the other hand, returned to the front of Satsuki and stood with her sword at the ready. While Satsuki stood straight with a wooden sword in both hands, Irene held the sword in one hand and held it in a half stance with the left half of her body in front of her. Since Irene also usually uses a shield, the disadvantage of armament is actually mutual. The three of us, Mee, and Cyril, were watching them from a little distance away. Mee and Cyril were standing on either side of me. Then, Mee tugged at the hem of my robe and asked me this question. ''It''s a rather unimportant battle, but... who do you think will win this battle? Mi seemed to be interested in this fight as well. I thought about it for a while and answered. ''I''m sorry Satsuki, but I don''t think it will be a contest. ''...... princess, are you that strong? Cyril, who is on the opposite side of the room from Mee, looks at me and asks. I responded without taking my eyes off the two swordsmen facing me. ''Yeah. That''s the greatest monster in the kingdom. And in fact, that''s exactly what happened. The moment I was given the signal and shouted ''let''s begin'', the next thing I knew. ''......! Irene quickly closed the distance of ten paces, lowered herself and dived into Satsuki''s bosom, and unleashed a scooping blow. Satsuki reacted to the blow, and while losing her balance, did her best to catch it. A beat later, the wooden sword in Satsuki''s hand was flying through the air. ''I admire you for reacting! But come on! ''''Oh, no.'''' Irene then grabbed Satsuki''s right sleeve with her left hand, which was not holding the sword, and hooked her legs at the same time, knocking Satsuki over onto her back. She then covered herself and fell down, pushing Satsuki down and placing the wooden sword on her neck. ''......! ''Hmm, I guess I won. A step later, Satsuki''s wooden sword, which had been flying through the air, fell to the ground with a clatter. It was a quick game. Irene stands up and brushes the dust from her clothes. ''Okay, now I''m going to show you to my room. Follow me. He also picked up Satsuki''s wooden sword, put it back in its place, and walked toward the castle hall, leaving the defeated Satsuki behind. ''...... d*mn it! Satsuki sat down and punched the ground with the fist she had made in frustration. But when a strong man knows that there is someone better than him, he will often aim higher. Right now, Irene has the upper hand, but Satsuki is also an outstanding person. I don''t know how she''ll be in a year. ''Satsuki, let''s go. ''......'' I reached out my hand, and Satsuki took it, her voice trembling. Looking at her, I was sure that Satsuki would become stronger in the future. 39-CHAPTER IIIIX Irene led her into the castle and up the stairs to the third floor. A short walk away, she stopped in front of a room. ''Here we are, this is my room. Go inside and wait for me, I''ll ask Grandpa to make some tea. With that, she opened the door and pushed us inside, and Irene ran quickly down the corridor, leaving us there. We had no choice but to do as she said and wait inside. The room we were ushered into was a calm and relaxing space without too many glittering furnishings. The bed, sofa, table, closet and other furniture were all of good quality and solid. However, the calm atmosphere did not immediately make us feel at home when we were ushered into the room. I, along with the three girls, spent some time there, feeling uncomfortable. Then, a little while later, Satsuki, who had kept her head down and not said a word since the handfasting with Irene, finally let out a word. ''...... ah. I''ve lost. The princess is strong. Hahahahaha. Satsuki smiled, but it wasn''t her usual bright smile. Her smile had a delicate quality to it, as if it were made of glass and could be shattered at any moment. I sighed and told Satsuki. ''Satsuki, don''t strain yourself. If you need to cry, cry. I''ll at least lend you my heart. As I said this, I put my hand on Satsuki''s head as if I were caring for a child, and her fake smile collapsed in an instant. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at me, and she looked like she was about to cry. But Satsuki just barely held on, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her kimono and bouncing my hand away with her other hand. ''...... No. He''ll be back soon, right? I don''t want to show my weakness in front of him.'' ''Right, okay.'' It seemed that Satsuki had decided that Irene was her rival. I admire your determination to stand up to her even after she showed you such a big difference. After a while, Irene came back. ''Hey there! What do you mean, you''ve been standing there waiting? There''s a sofa there. Why didn''t you just sit down and wait for me?'' She brought a tray with tea and tea cakes for the number of people, put it on the table in front of the sofa for several people, and started serving quickly. ''Don''t be absurd. What do you think your guests are? You haven''t changed at all. ''Haha, don''t say that, Will. Now, sit down, everyone. The fast-paced Irene doesn''t care about what we say. I sighed and sat down on the sofa she suggested. My friends followed suit and sat down in a horizontal line on the same sofa I sat on. ''So, what''s your business today? You have something you want to discuss with me.'' After making sure that everyone is seated, Irene quickly gets to the point. Her own seat was facing us. After her words, I took out the document from my luggage bag and handed it to Irene, which was rolled up and tied with string. ''...... What''s this? ''We found this at the bandits'' hideout. The bandits were killing the inhabitants of a nearby village. It happened in this country.'' Irene''s eyes narrowed as I explained this. ''Do you mind if I read it? ''Yes.'' After confirming my reply, Irene untied the clasp and opened the rolled-up paper. She then reads through what is written on it. As she read, Irene''s expression grew grim. When she has finished reading, she rolls up the paper and ties it with a string. ''Will, thank you for delivering this. I want my father... the king to see this. Would you mind? ''Yes, please. ''Yes, thank you. ...... But I can''t let you do that. I can''t believe something like this was happening in this country, out of our sight. What the hell is the purpose of ......''? Irene clenched her fists tightly. I looked at her and was relieved to see that she hadn''t changed at all. In general, the king does not directly govern the entire country. The king delegates the authority to govern a part of the territory to the nobles, and the nobles who receive the authority manage the territory given to each of them in the form of indirect rule. The total number of nobles in the country, including small lords, was in the four digits. As a result, the king''s control over the entire country is not so great. He may be able to control the general framework, but he will never be able to grasp all the events within each territory. The total number of villages in the whole country is nearly five orders of magnitude. Even if one village in the country was destroyed, if the lord of that place tried to hide it, there was a good chance that such ''trivial information'' would not reach the king. And even if such information did reach the king, a single village would usually be regarded by the ruler of the country as a ''number'' in the tens of thousands. There are many people who bemoan the pain in their pockets, but there are not many royalty and nobility who can be indignant like Irene, thinking of each and every person. Irene''s nature is unique among royalty and nobility. And that''s why I thought that I could entrust this information to Irene. Despite her personality and other problems, she is one of the people I can trust. While I was thinking about this, Cyril asked Irene a question from beside me. ''Well, if you don''t mind me asking, don''t you think about the possibility that ...... we''re lying? Cyril''s point was a valid one. It is not reasonable for a lord to destroy his own territory, and there is no doubt that it is a story that is difficult for others to believe. And that''s why I brought it to Irene, who I''ve known for a long time, so that it wouldn''t be swept up in the organization''s underbelly... I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you have. ''Oh, ......, you''re right. If I had received this information from a complete stranger, I would have suspected it first. But since Will brought it to me, I don''t think so. I''ve known Will a long time. This guy''s not like that. He may seem cold, but he''s really quite hot, and above all, he doesn''t tell stupid lies like that. ...... I see. Apparently, I wasn''t the only one who trusted him. My memories of Eileen are not all pleasant, but she is still a good friend of mine. 40-Episode 40 It was a very abrupt suggestion. ''Oh, that''s right! Will, why don''t you have dinner with us? And all your friends with you. Yeah, that''s a good idea. When we were talking about showing the documents to the king, Irene suddenly said something like that. Then, before we could say anything, she said, ''I''ll ask Grandpa to prepare dinner for everyone,'' and hurried out of the room. And so, while we were in a daze, the story went on and on, and we were forced into a situation where we could not avoid the dinner at the royal castle. Irene''s ability to take action in such a situation is something to be feared. The four of us were moved from Irene''s room and made to wait in the guest room for a while. When it was almost time for dinner, we heard Irene''s voice coming from outside the door of the room. ''Jeez, Grandpa, I can''t do it! Hey, can we stop? I''ll go change my clothes. ''No, Princess. You can''t be afraid to lose the one you want.'' ''Even if you say it like that, it''s impossible! ''Oh. The princess runs away from battles she can''t be sure of winning, doesn''t she? Hey, I''m .......'' ''Mmm......, that''s not true. All right, all right. Just go, just go.'' The man talking to Eileen is probably her old butler. I don''t know what he''s talking about, but he seems to have Irene at his mercy as usual. ''Here you are! Supper''s ready! Let''s go, Will! Opening the door of the guest room, Irene appeared, and came toward me with a gusto. She took my hand and tried to pull me out of the room with the same momentum. But... ''Irene, your outfit...'' ''Hmmm, what is it? I''m a princess, so it''s not surprising that I''m dressed like this! Irene was wearing a sparkling, pure white dress that she was trying to push with great force. It''s a princess dress, just like a princess. And it''s rather revealing. Looking at the nape of her white neck and her exposed shoulders and back, I was involuntarily a little nervous. In this way, I realized that Irene is also a girl. ''...... looks rather good on you.'' ''Hiiiiiiiiiiii! As soon as I let out my thoughts, Irene let go of my hand with a scream and ran to the corner of the room. Then, she becomes small, shaking in the corner. ''...... I''m sorry, I''m sorry I''m dressed like this, I know, I know, I know I''m flattering you, so don''t say any more! ''...... No, it''s not really a compliment...'' ''Aaaaah! I don''t want to hear it, I don''t want to hear it, Will is going to kill me! Eileen finally began to flail about on the floor in her dress. I think it''s a bit of a trifle, but ...... what the hell does she want to do? ''Satsuki, we seem to be rivals in that direction as well. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s not that it''s too obvious, but it''s definitely natural, isn''t it? ''Natural, Satsuki would say that? So, people don''t know what they are. ...... Behind me, Mee, Satsuki, and Cyril were talking about something I couldn''t quite understand either. It seems that they have something in common. Irene, on the other hand, seemed to have finally calmed down a bit and was standing up easily. ''Su-Ha ...... Oh, calm down, calm down, me. That''s right, take a deep breath. The insensitive won''t notice anyway, so don''t worry about it. There''s a chance. That''s the right amount of push. It''s okay, I can do it, I can do it. I''m not sure what she''s mumbling about. ....... Then she came stumbling towards me again, and said to me. ''Will. Let''s make an arrangement. ''Oh, yeah. What''s that? ''From now until dinner is over and you leave me, there will be no mention of my appearance. You can''t say that I''m pretty or beautiful, and definitely not the other way around. I''ll die if you do. Do you understand?'' ''...... I''m not sure what you''re trying to do here.'' Irene''s face turns bright red and she freaks out when I get into it. But then she shook her head from side to side and came close to me, pointing her index finger at the tip of my nose from a slightly lower perspective than mine, and said something like this. ''No, it''s okay! All you have to do is say ''yes'' to what I say! ''...... Oh, okay, okay. But there may be times when it comes out unintentionally, so please forgive me for that. ''Yes, well, ...... if that''s all. But, but, still, don''t say anything bad, okay? I''ll die, okay?'' ''Okay. I''ll take it on that condition.'' He was as forceful as he had been in his childhood, but it wasn''t something that would be a big disadvantage to us, and since we were in a position to be treated to dinner, we decided to listen to some selfishness. So we were taken to the dining room by Irene, who was acting strangely. 41-Episode 41 The dining room of the castle is large. In a space so vast that it could fit a whole house of common people, there is a long table that can seat about 20 people. On that table, there are many platters with colorful dishes, and in addition to that, butlers and maids are still serving the food. I''m familiar with this scene because I''ve been invited by Irene to visit her several times since I was a child, but... ''Wow, ...... what the heck''. ''It''s amazing ......''. Satsuki and Miy, who followed Irene and me into the dining room, let out a squeal of admiration. Next to them, I could see that Cyril was also very nervous and tense, although he didn''t say it out loud. ''Oh, by the way, it''s a little late to ask, but why are we talking about having dinner at this amazing place? ''Oh, don''t ask me! It''s all William''s fault! ''I''m starting to feel like I''m in a party with someone crazy. ......'' For some reason, the girls seemed to have switched their assessment of the situation to that of me. This situation arises simply from the fact that I''m a friend of Irene''s, and if anything, I think it''s due to her whims. ....... ''Well, Will is next to me, so he''s here. Can your friends sit over there?'' Irene, dressed in a dress, briskly directs us to our seats. Even she can''t just ''sit there'', can she? The three girls and I take our seats as instructed. Irene nodded her head in satisfaction and took a seat next to me. Then Irene looks at the three girls seated face to face and asks me softly. ''By the way, they''re all so cute. How did you hook up with all those beautiful girls? Do you have any interest in ...... girls at all? ''No, that has nothing to do with it. It''s just that I happened to meet them as potential party members who fit the bill. ''That''s right, you''re Will, aren''t you? ...... By the way, do you have a girlfriend you''re in love with? ''So I''m not involved in any such relationships. ...... No, I''m not ashamed to say that I''m self-conscious, in fact I think I''ve been courted by about one person, but I just don''t intend to. It will be difficult for me to continue my activities as an adventurer if it becomes a male-female relationship.'''' ''Wow, ...... that''s Will, the monster of reason. I mean, well, that''s a lot of surprises,...... but it''s also a bit of a relief. You can still get me a ......''. I''m not sure what to say. Why?'' ''Uh, no, it''s nothing. I''m talking about this. Irene''s cheeks flushed red, she waved her hands in the air and hung up. As usual, I don''t understand her like this. On the other hand, seeing us, Satsuki, Mie, and Cyril also seemed to be having a secret conversation. I guess they have something they can''t tell me or Irene. And then... ''Oh, William! You''ve grown a lot in a while.'' From the entrance of the cafeteria, I heard a voice that sounded fearless. I recognized the owner of the voice and stood up to greet him. ''It''s been a long time, King Andrew. Thank you for inviting me to dinner. ''Hahaha, as usual, it''s just my daughter''s selfishness, don''t be afraid. The three beautiful women over there are the adventurers who claim to be William''s companions, aren''t they? The one who appeared from the entrance of the dining room in a cheerful manner was Andrew, the king of this country as well as Irene''s father. He was well-built, muscular, and strong, giving the impression that he was walking around in the king''s clothes. His silver hair, the same color as Eileen''s, was cut short, and his eyes, while appearing cheerful, had a sharpness behind them that seemed to pierce us. I remember that she was in her late thirties, but there was no sign of decline compared to the last time I saw her, about five years ago. Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril hurriedly stood up and thanked him when he arrived. As for Satsuki, she seemed to have been forced to do so after being spanked by Cyril. ''There''s no need to be so formal. This is just a home party for my daughter''s friends, not for other nobles. It''s fine to be rude to me.'' And with that, King Andrew sits down in the upper seat. Then he said, ''Sit down,'' and we sat down too. 42-Episode 42 ''Dad, I want you to look at this before we eat. William and his men found it in one of the bandits'' hideouts here in the country.'' Irene stood up and went to King Andrew to hand him the bundle of papers. King Andrew took it from his seat and inspected it. As he read through it, the King''s eyes became sharper and sharper. When he had finished reading, he sniffed uncomfortably and thrust the bundle of papers back at Irene. ''It''s the knight Irene. ''...... Ah, yes.'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your business. The fact that he took the trouble to call her ''Knight Irene'' suggests that they were not talking as father and son, but as king and vassal. ''The person who brought you this letter is not making any false allegations, is he? ''Um, ...... is, yes. William is a trusted friend of mine, and it is hard to imagine that he would lie, at least to incriminate us. I''m sure your father ...... knows that, too.'' ''Yeah, you''re right. Then, Knight Irene, I leave this matter to you. I don''t care if you hire an outsider or something. I won''t tolerate any pigs fooling around in my country. ''Yes, sir! After confirming Irene''s reply, Andrew turned to me and raised the corner of his mouth in a grin. ''Thank you William and your friends for your hard work. Nice work bringing this to Irene. If you had given it to a low-level official, he might have thought it was a nonsense story and dismissed it. I''ll give you a gold envelope later. You may accept it as a fair reward for your work. ''Yes, thank you, sir. ''Good. That''s enough formal talk for now. Now it''s time for dinner. I''ve prepared plenty of good wine and food. Enjoy it to the fullest. King Andrew announced as the Queen, who had been delayed, arrived at the dining room. A sumptuous feast began. The dinner began. ''Well, I was surprised by all that. I never thought it would be my mission. Oh, what should I do? ......'' Irene, who was eating next to me, mumbled something like that to me. She''s a healthy daredevil, and she''s eating a hearty meal despite her misgivings. I, on the other hand, enjoy the mellow aroma of the wine and say something back to her. ''Is that so? You could have guessed the possibility of this happening. ''Oh, really? ''Yes. I think it''s well within the realm of possibility, considering your character. Andrew is the type of man who would push his own child down a very narrow path. It''s not hard to imagine that he would actively throw Irene into the valley if he judged it to be a moderately difficult obstacle for her to gain experience. ''B-but... You can''t help it. I''m not as smart as Will. ''Well, it''s unavoidable that you have your weaknesses. ''But what should I do~? I can''t think of a plan! I wish I was as smart as Will~'' Saying this, Irene clutches her head. Hearing this, I sigh heavily. ''Irene. You need to learn how to use people a little. What did His Majesty say to you earlier when he appointed you? I added a few words.'' ''......, what did I say? ''It''s okay to hire outsiders. ''Oh, I remember you saying something like that. What about it... ah! Irene stood up and shouted loudly. The eyes of everyone in the dining room, including the servants, focused on Irene. ''Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It''s nothing, haha. ......'' Eileen waved her hand as if to make up for it, and sat down with a shrug. ''...... Does that mean I should hire Will as my chief of staff?'' ''To my ears, it sounded like His Majesty was presenting it as an option. ''Yeah, I know. ....... What''s the matter with you, Dad? You could have just said so. ''It''s one thing to let Irene think about it, and another thing to say that she doesn''t think that deeply about His Majesty. If you''re going to work for someone in an organization, you have to take into account the nature of the people above you.'' ''Will is still amazing, ......''. Irene seemed to have abandoned her thoughts. I shrugged my shoulders, thinking, ''Good grief. And then... ''Oh, William. I see you''ve been training my daughter well. King Andrew left his seat with a cup in his hand and walked briskly over to our table. He sat down next to me, on the opposite side of the table from Irene. Where did table manners go? He said he wanted to be rude, but it seems he''s the one who wants to be rude the most. Then Andrew puts his arm around my shoulder and whispers to me so that Irene can''t hear. ''If you want, William, why don''t you take my daughter as your wife while you''re teaching her? Suddenly, he says something out of the blue. ''...... are you kidding me? ''I''m not joking. She''s a jerk, but she''s my lovely daughter, and I''m not going to give her to some random guy. But that''s not going to get me a wife. You''re perfect and she loves you. Think about it. ''Huh. ......'' Apparently Andrew is serious. When he says that Eileen likes me, he probably means that she doesn''t hate me. ....... I''ve never thought about having a relationship with Eileen, but... I looked to the side and saw Irene in a pure white dress looking at me with her head tilted curiously. So cute. Such feelings suddenly welled up inside me. '' , , '' , . , , . '' , , '' , . , . '' , '' . , , , . , . , . '' , . , , . '' '' , . , '' '' '' '' , . '' , . '' . , '' , . , . 43-Episode 43 Afterwards, the dinner party was suitably lively. After much merrymaking, good food and good wine, the dinner ended when we were all full in body and soul. We left the dining hall and walked down the corridor to leave the castle. ''Well, we ate! It was delicious! ''Yes, it was. It may be the first time that Mee has eaten such delicious food to her stomach. ''The ingredients themselves are not so different from what we usually eat. It''s probably just the way they''re cooked. The two of us, Irene and I, followed behind Satsuki, Mee and Cyril, who were walking in a tipsy and satisfied mood. Irene, who was walking next to me, peeked at me and said happily. ''Well, I''m glad to hear that everyone was satisfied. It was worth the effort to invite them. ''Yeah, it was a satisfying time for me too. But it''s been a while since I''ve been invited, so I was wondering, do you always have such a grand meal at the castle? ''No way! They only do that when they welcome people, but usually it''s more simple. But the cooks are very good, so the food is good. Irene replied, still wearing a dress because she hadn''t changed her clothes. She was wearing a revealing dress, and her skin, which was slightly red from the alcohol, looked strangely glamorous, and I was almost mesmerized, so I pulled my gaze away from her. ''Hmmm...? What''s the matter, Will, your face is getting red. Is it because of the alcohol? So, you''ve fallen in love with my good looks, haven''t you? Irene then strikes a s*xy pose. I wonder if she has been drinking too much. And she''s not the only one who''s tipsy. My mouth is getting light, too. ''If you''re going to blow yourself up like that, I''ll break my promise and say that you''re certainly attractive to the opposite s*x right now. Be a little more aware. You''re a beautiful woman, Irene. Aileen''s cheeks, which were already blushing, turned even redder. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... Satsuki, that''s a pinch. Satsuki is also making a strong appeal. ''Gosh, ...... but if I go into that thing, I''ll just be a distraction. ......'' ''You''re surprisingly concerned about such things, aren''t you? The three adventurers seemed to be whispering something to each other as they watched us. I took the opportunity to say a few words to them as well. ''You guys too. Satsuki, Mee and Cyril are all very attractive. Not many men are surrounded by as many wonderful women as I am now. In that sense, I guess I''m a very lucky man. When I said this, the three girls who were my adventurer friends also froze. All three of them have dyed cheeks and round eyes. ''...... This is bad, this is bad. Will is pretty bad right now. ''Yes, sir. It''s bad. He''s a natural seducer.'' ''The fact that he seems to be saying it honestly is what makes him dangerous. ......'' The evaluation from the girls was quite harsh. We are aware that it is important to praise others, but it is also important to do so without saying a word. It was when we were having such an exchange in the hallway of the castle hall. ''Hey, I''m sorry. Satsuki, who was walking while looking around, bumped into a man who appeared from the corner of the corridor. At the sight of the man, Satsuki stopped with a puzzled look on her face. The man was someone I knew well - and didn''t like to see. ''...... Dad.'' ''What, William? Why are you here?'' It was a man with clever eyes. Brown hair, same color as mine, same eyes. He''s tall, medium height, like me, and wears fine robes. He should be forty this year. That is to say... if I were to age as I was, I would look like that. Finally, Satsuki came to her senses. ''Heck, ...... what? I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ve seen the resemblance. ...... I thought you said you were a court magician here. ''Satsuki, don''t you think you should say hello? ''Oh, yes, you should. Hey! My name is Satsuki. I''m Will''s adventurer friend. You''re Will''s father, right? You''re just like Will. You''re just like him. ''............'' My father, James Glenford, took one look at Satsuki and Mi as if looking down on them from his tall stature, then ignored them both and turned his gaze towards me. ''William, I no longer have any expectations of you, but I''ll give you some advice. The man spins his words in a voice similar to mine, but without inflection. ''Choose who you associate with. If you associate with vulgar people, your quality will also fall. If you associate with people of high rank on a regular basis, you will naturally raise your own consciousness. The opposite is also true - if you associate with such people, you will be dragged down. Without waiting for me to reply, he turned to walk past us. On the way, he bowed only to Irene and walked down the corridor with his shoes clacking. But I couldn''t ignore it. ''...... wait''. ''What, do you still want something? Gosh. I was hitting my father in the face with my own fist. The girls around me looked on in stunned amazement. James stumbled for a moment, but did not fall, and still looked at me with cold eyes. ''...... What are you imitating, William? ''That''s what I''m talking about. Take back what you just said. Do you even know what you just said? ''...... Hmm, I see. If I don''t like something, I''m gonna get violent. I guess it''s too late for that. '' '' '' , . , , . , '' , . . . , . '' , . , . , . , '' '' . . '' , . , . , . '' , . . , '' '' , '' , . . , . 44-Episode 44 Irene saw us off at the castle gate and went back to the castle pavilion. The remaining four of us, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, left the castle gate and started walking through the darkened streets of the capital. The time was night. As the night falls, the spell of lights emitted by the street lamps placed at even intervals along the sides of the street illuminate the wide road. ''Well, it''s a good thing we came to the capital, isn''t it? I got a gold seal, so I''m all set. Now all that''s left is for Count Nantoka to be defeated once and for all. Satsuki said this as she strolled along in the lead. It was always Mie''s job to intervene. ''I''m Count Goldart. And Alice, the court magician. ''Yes, that''s it. ...... Well, to tell you the truth, I wanted to blow her up with my own hands. ''It can''t be helped. We''re just adventurers, we can''t take on a nobleman.'''' ''...... Well...'' Satsuki''s tone of voice dropped a little as Cyril gave her a good talking to. Perhaps Satsuki''s feelings about this matter are stronger because she shared her body with Filia. I''m going to propose a policy to Satsuki. ''Let me tell you something. I''m going to go to the adventurer''s guild here in the capital. ''Huh, why? Oh, I see. There might be some quests I can accept while traveling from the capital to Atratia. That''s what Satsuki is saying, and it''s a common tactic used by adventurers. If you are lucky enough to find a simple quest that you can accept as a ''side trip'' when moving from town to town, such as escorting a trading party or carrying a load, you can use it to move around without wasting money. In that sense, Satsuki''s idea is reasonable in general. But that''s not what I''m trying to do here. ''No, the reason I''m going to the Adventurer''s Guild is to register for the "Nomination Quest". ''Heck, ...... "Nomination Quest"? That''s a thing. It''s when a party of high-ranked adventurers is asked by a client to do a quest by name. I nodded at Satsuki''s words. Quests in the Adventurer''s Guild are quests in which the client offers a job to an unspecified number of adventurers through the Adventurer''s Guild. One of the adventurers who sees the request post receives it. However, there is an exceptional form of quest in which the client designates a specific adventurer or party. As Satsuki says, these are usually offered to high-ranking parties of adventurers with a certain level of trust and experience... ''There is no rule that the Nomination Quest is limited to high-ranked adventuring parties. It is only possible if the client nominates the party by name. ...... I''ve always wanted to see this thing that Filia was involved in through to the end with my own eyes. It was not clear whether this would be possible or not, but just now all the conditions were met. ''Eh, ...... means ......''. At my words, Satsuki turned around. In her eyes, there seemed to be a hope that she could not give up, a hope that she had once given up. ''So, can we finish ...... with our own hands? ''Yes, that''s what I meant. I''ve taken the liberty of going on about it on my own, but I''ll take that nomination quest, okay, guys? I stop at the side of the road and look over at the three girls. Then the girls under the night sky all nodded with happy smiles on their faces. ''Oh, of course! ''I agree with you, too! ''This is a great idea. Confirming the girls'' reactions, I also nodded. ''Then, let''s go get one last job (quest) for this. I say to my friends, and start walking down the road to the Adventurer''s Guild in King''s Landing. Looking up at the night sky, the moon seemed to be watching over us, casting a gentle light. 45-intermission King Andrew crossed his arms with a difficult look on his face in front of his desk in his office. There were many piles of papers on the desk in front of him. Andrew was not very good at paperwork. He waited for the reinforcements to arrive with a difficult look on his face. He didn''t really feel like trying his hand at it. Just then, there was a knock at the door of the office. Andrew stood up from his chair as if he had been waiting for him. ''James! Thank you for coming, come in.'' As Andrew called out, an earnest voice said, ''Excuse me,'' and then the door opened. A man walked into the office and bowed to Andrew. He was a tall man of about forty with a sorcerer''s face. He was a close aide to King Andrew, and was also the chief magician of the kingdom''s court. Andrew stood up from his seat and went over to him, welcoming the reinforcements... and then narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. ''James, what''s wrong with that bruise on your cheek? ''...... No, there''s nothing wrong. I ran into my son in the hallway there.'' ''Oh, you met William! ...... and why do you have a bruise on your cheek. Did you get into a fight with him?'' Andrew asks, inviting James into the room. He sat him down in front of his desk, which was separate from his own, and projected most of the papers from his own desk onto it. James wrinkled his brow, but got on with his work. ''Well, it''s not so much a fight as it is a one-sided beating. In any case, don''t worry about it.'' ''No, it would bother me. William hit you? That sounds like an interesting story. Let''s hear it.'' Andrew was standing in front of James''s desk, making little more than small talk. James lets out a sigh. ''...... Well, it''s nothing to hide, so I don''t mind. With that, the Chief Magician of the Court told his master of the events he had encountered earlier in the corridor, moving his hands simultaneously. It was the discipline of this man, James, that he did not plan to manipulate the impression for himself at all, but truly told the story without concealment. And when King Andrew heard the story, he laughed out loud as if he could not stand it. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha! You ......! And you call your own son an infant! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! No, you two are funny! ''...... Your Majesty, could you please refrain from further insults? If it''s too much, I won''t be able to stand it either.'' ''No, sorry, sorry, no offense. It was just too funny, that''s all. ''............'' James looked resentful, but Andrew didn''t seem to take offense. Andrew is not a tyrant, but he is not an honorable man either. This is Andrew as he really is. And the fact that he shows this shows that he trusts the people in front of him. Andrew also came close to James and smiled at him. ''But James... I''m sure William would be upset if you called him ''vulgar'' after all the time he''s spent with you. I''d hit him, too. In fact, he wouldn''t be if he kept quiet about it. No, he''s got a pretty hot temper, I must say. You are indeed a candidate for my beloved daughter''s son-in-law. ''...... Your Majesty overestimates him. It''s still a child.'' ''Maybe so. But that''s just a hunch of mine. That kid William has a long way to go. He may be immature now, but I have a feeling he''ll become something extraordinary. Hearing Andrew''s words, James'' hand, which had been moving fluidly through the paperwork, stopped. However, his hand immediately began to move again. ...... I don''t think so, sir.'' ''Oh. So you want to bet?'' ''No, I''m not a gambler. ''...... You''re really hard, you and your son.'' ''More importantly, Your Majesty. Why don''t you do a little work on yourself? ''Oh, yeah. Sorry. With such conversations, the men of their fathers'' generation set about their accumulated chores. 46-Episode 45 In a world completely shrouded in darkness, we walked through the night streets lit by magical streetlights and eventually arrived at the Adventurer''s Guild. The adventurer''s guild in King''s Landing was different in scale from the one in the city of Atratia. I passed through the guild''s entrance door and walked through the bustling guild even though it was night. I was followed by Cyril, Satsuki, and Mee. When I got to the guild office, there was a nervous-looking man in his mid-20s. I tell him what I need. ''I''m an adventurer registered in the city of Atratia, and I''d like you to respond to a quest that comes in. My name is William Glenford.'' I said and presented the bronze plaque that was my adventurer''s card. The man at the counter took one look at it and snickered, ''Hmm. ''You ...... are an F-rank adventurer, aren''t you? Nomination quests are for beginners like you, you know? He said, pointing with his chin to my adventurer''s card and gesturing for me to take it and leave. A surprising response. I hadn''t expected to run into such an incomprehensible obstacle in such a place. But we couldn''t just back down when he said that. ''No, there should be no problem according to the rules. ''Huh. ...... Well, according to the rules, yes. But ...... you know, I know you''re at an age where you tend to think you''re the hero of an adventure story, but you should have a little more common sense. There you go. There you go. The man at the counter waved his hand as if to shoo away anyone in his way. Then Cyril, who was behind me, stepped forward and confronted the man at the counter. ''You know, it''s your job, so do it right. William is not the misguided new adventurer you think he is. With that, Cyril produced his bronze adventurer''s card, slamming it against the counter. But the man behind the counter took one look at it too and smiled wryly. ''Rank E. ....... You''re a pretty girl, so why don''t you join a higher-ranked party instead of working with an F-ranked guy like this? I don''t know how much you love this guy, but you have to be smarter than that. I''m sure you''ll be able to sneak into some of the top parties if you use your body. The man at the counter then sighed derisively. It was indeed too much to say. I was about to warn him, but... But then... blech. Before I could act, I heard the sound of Cyril''s patience being cut off. ''It''s you! Get out of there for a minute and sit on the floor here! I''ll give you an hour-long lecture! If you''re not going to come out, I''m going to drag you out! ''Hey, hey, calm down, Cyril! I know how you feel! I know what you''re thinking! Satsuki hurriedly stopped Cyril from grabbing the man at the counter by choking him. Cyril is sniffling and staring at the receptionist, but he seems to have managed to restrain himself from grabbing him. However, the nature of this receptionist is just awful. I wonder if the Adventurer''s Guild is short on staff, or if there are other reasons for having such a man at the desk. But that wasn''t the end of the man at the counter''s snark. ''Hmm, that''s exactly what ....... I''ve been teaching him how to get ahead, and he won''t even listen to me. This is why commoners are ....... If you''re going to send me a job with your connections, you might as well introduce me to a better one. ......'' He mumbled to himself. Well, it seems he''s a drunkard''s son from a good family. The adventurer''s guild may not be so forgiving when it comes to people who have been recruited by influential people. But in any case, we need you to do your job well at least. I demanded again from the man at the counter. ''I say again. If you receive a request to appoint William Glenford and his party, please respond. ''...... d*mn, you''re persistent. All right, I''ll deal with it if it comes to that. Then get the hell out of here, you bottom-feeder.'''' The man at the counter waved his hand again. I left the Adventurer''s Guild with the three girls, feeling sorry for myself. I was impressed by the fact that Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee all stuck their tongues out at the man as they left. That night, we stayed at an inn in the royal capital. That night, we took a lodging in the royal capital, and the next morning. When we went to the adventurer''s guild, we found the man from yesterday at the counter. I asked the man at the counter, ''William, the one I told you about yesterday, have you gotten the quest? I ask the man at the counter. I assumed that the request for the nomination quest would have come in last night, so I came to ask him first thing in the morning... The man at the counter lifts the corner of his mouth and replies. The man at the counter lifted his head and said, ''No, you haven''t. What, did you think you''d get an order yesterday? Well, it''s quite frightening, isn''t it, a dreamy boy who can''t see reality? Satsuki was about to interrupt the grinning man at the counter when the door to the guild opened. The door of the guild''s entrance opened, and a girl came running in. The girl recognized me and called out to me. ''Oh, Will! I''m sorry I''m late, I''ve taken a lot of time to prepare. I''ll send out the request now. The girl was Irene, in her usual male attire. She walked past us and stood in front of the counter. ''I''d like to submit a request. Is this a good place to do it? ''...... Ah, yes. I was wondering if ...... you might be Princess Irene? The man at the counter has a different attitude than before. He straightens his back and looks nervous. ''Yes, I am. But I think you should treat it as a request from Knight Irene rather than a request from the royal family. When the man at the counter heard this, his eyes rolled up in his head and he began to fidget. ''Wow, I understand. ...... So, what can the Princess want from us, the Adventurer''s Guild? ''Well, as I said before, I''d like to send out a nomination quest. I''m nominating William Glenford and his party. The man at the counter was sweating profusely from his forehead. He glanced at me and advised Irene. In the event that you have a good relationship with the person who is going to receive the request, you can ask them directly without going through our adventurer''s guild. ......''. The man at the counter made a surprisingly straightforward point. In general, he is correct in this regard. The nomination quest system is used when the client and the requester know each other, but do not yet have a relationship of mutual trust. By having the adventurer''s guild intervene between the two parties, the guild can act as a mediator in the event of a problem, and prevent problems from occurring in the first place. The Adventurer''s Guild is also able to earn a fee for the role it is expected to play. But even so, there are always exceptions to the rule. Eileen does not retreat, but answers the man at the counter with a smile. ''Yes. But I want the guild to act as an intermediary. Of course, you can charge me a fee, and there''s no problem with the rules, right? ''Um, ......, yes, there is no problem.'' The man at the counter replied to Irene with an air of nonchalance. The reason why I asked Irene to do a nomination quest this time is because I wanted to put a public agency in between us so that the royal family would not be seen as privatizing the state''s finances. Also, for us adventurers, the quest format has the advantage that we can count the number of times we complete quests to improve our adventurer rank. The problem with this system is that it makes it easy for rich people to raise their adventurer ranks. However, the adventurer rank system itself was designed to prevent inexperienced adventurers from taking on high-level quests, and the adventurers'' guild probably feels that it cannot take care of those who go to their deaths to cheat. In addition, the guild sometimes makes exceptions for those who do so blatantly. However, this is not one of those cases. I''m going to talk to the guy at the counter. ''So. I''d like to accept that nomination quest. Please handle it.'' ''At ......, then, we will process it as such. Please wait over there for a moment. ......'' The man at the counter grunted in pain as he processed the nomination quest. 47-Episode 46 It was halfway between morning and afternoon. Four adventurers and a princess were walking along a road cut through the forest, and the sun was shining warmly above them. ''Well, it''s a beautiful day. It''s a perfect day for a picnic. Irene, walking beside me in her boyish traveling clothes, let out such a comment. I''m a little worried, so I ask her to confirm. ''...... Just to confirm, do you understand that this trip is a mission under the order of the king? ''Ah, what the hell is that? I know that! I''m already 17, I don''t need you to keep treating me like a child! Irene showed a hint of anger at my pointing out. The gesture was so childish that I couldn''t help but laugh. After receiving the nomination quest that Irene had given us, we immediately left the royal capital with her and headed for the Count of Goldart''s territory. The content of the nomination quest we received was to ''assist the knight Irene and help her accomplish her mission''. This is a very rough description, but since it is based on mutual trust, there is no problem with this. The reward for this nomination quest is one hundred and fifty gold coins for the party. In addition to this, the party will receive travel expenses for the journey. This reward is four times the market price for a party of three E rank adventurers and one F rank adventurer, which is an unbelievable amount of money. I really wanted to pay more, but I was able to talk to the financiers and just barely convince them to pay this amount,'' said Irene. Now that we have received the nomination quest, Irene and I are now in a relationship of employer and employee. Therefore, I am now in a position to support Irene. Irene, my employer, suddenly asked me in the course of our conversation. ''So, Will, what do you think I should do? ''...... What do you mean, what should I do? ''How to attack~. Even though Count Goldert is doing evil, it''s not clear if it''s true or not, right? It''s possible that he doesn''t have any troops because he applied for an increase in the budget because he doesn''t need troops as Will told him to, but even if that''s not the case, he can''t just suddenly invade the mansion and say he''s on a mission. I was wondering what I should do. Then, Irene crossed her arms and made a pondering gesture. It is not clear whether she is actually thinking meaningfully or not. Irene, though not so much like Satsuki, is more of a warrior type. Although she has acquired a certain amount of education due to her position, she has always been a girl who is not good at brainwork, to the extent that she sneaks out of the castle during study hours under the watchful eyes of her tutor and wants to catch me and play knight. When I was a child and we were working together, whenever something happened, she would say, "It''s Will''s job to think! When I was a child and we were working together, I remember that whenever something happened, I was thrown to the side and told, "Will''s job is to think! It was nostalgic to say the least, but at the same time, it brought back memories of being pushed around arrogantly, and made me feel indescribable. But that''s beside the point. ''How to attack: ......'' I put my hand on my chin and started to think. I''ve already thought about this a few times, but I need to go over it again. How do we attack Count Goldert''s stronghold? As Irene said, it would be very difficult from a social point of view to attack the Count''s mansion by force, defeat the villains and settle the matter. Irene is working under the king''s orders, and she is, so to speak, entrusted with a part of the king''s authority. If Irene makes a bad move, it will damage the authority of King Andrew and the trust of the people. Under such a premise, ''the Earl used bandits to destroy a village in his territory, so we defeated him'' is too unreasonable as an external story to explain to the surrounding nobles and people. At the very least, we need to get to the bottom of this matter before we can move on. In that light, we should take the following steps... ''After all, we should take the straight and narrow approach here. ''What do you mean by "the right way"? ''We should peacefully enter the Count''s residence and question him. It''s hard to predict what will happen if we do that, but it''s the kind of case where you can''t get the dragon egg without entering the dragon pit.'''' ''I see. Then let''s go with that. Irene says this innocently and gives me a smile. The tension is strangely high. ''...... Why do you look so happy, you? ''Heh. It''s been a long time since Will and I have worked together like this, and I miss it. ''I can''t say I understand how you feel. We''re not children. Since you''re royalty in the first place, don''t you think you should learn a little more dignity and respect? ''Boo, there it is, Will''s sermon! I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. You can forget about your position as a princess when you''re traveling with Will, so cut me some slack for now! Irene finally began to say such a thing, and to complain. I don''t want to be told not to treat her like a child while showing her this. On the other hand, walking a little bit away from us were Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. The three of them were gathered together, talking about something. ''Geez, ...... Annyaro, just because we''re childhood friends, you''re just trying to show off your friendship with Will, ......! ''Satsuki, you''ve lost your position. ''But Satsuki is surprisingly a good girl for not trying to interfere there. ''Come on, there doesn''t seem to be any room for you. ......'' ''I don''t know what Satsuki''s standards are for reading the air. ......, and so on, and there were conversations going on there that seemed to be enjoyable in their own way. In this way, the five of us proceeded on our journey towards the Count of Goldart. 48-Episode 47 It was while they were camping on the second night of their journey to Count Goldart''s territory. ''Mmm......'' ''Hmm? What''s wrong, Will? A bonfire was lit in the forest in the dark of night, with five people surrounding it. Irene, who was serving soup from a simmering pot next to me, noticed my voice and raised a question. ''No, there was a response to the alert. Three creatures slightly larger than human size.'' ''What''s ...... alert, is that magic? Does that mean there are monsters nearby? I nodded at Irene''s words. I''m not sure if it''s a monster or not, but it''s a possibility we should keep in mind. Alert is a spell that causes a membrane of probes to stretch around the circumference of a fifty-meter radius centered on the sorcerer. When someone passes through the membrane of invisible and untouchable magic, the information is transmitted to the sorcerer. Alert is a spell that half utilizes the instinct of the magician, and only identifies those whom the magician instinctively perceives as ''requiring a certain amount of caution''. So, for example, even if ''mere ants'' that are everywhere pass by, the alert will not detect them. However, the detection film of the alert does not inform the magician of the identity of the person who passed through it. The effect of the spell only informs the direction of the target and its vague volume. This alert spell consumes little mana and lasts for half a day, so I always keep this spell in use on my journey. The area of effect of fifty meters is not so meaningful in a place where the view is open, but in a situation like the one we are in now, where we are in the forest, I can say that it has a high enough spying ability. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ''...... They''re definitely there. They''re slowly approaching us. Mee put her hands on her cat ears and made a gesture of listening carefully. I can''t hear the sound yet, but I''m sure it''s the result of her good hearing as a beast and her training as a thief. On the other hand, Satsuki hears it and stands up with her sword in her hand. I don''t know what you''re talking about, but you shouldn''t be here at dinner time. But Will''s magic is still amazing, isn''t it? I can''t believe he noticed me before I heard him. ''No, the alert information only comes when it passes through the alert membrane. We can''t detect any movement once it''s inside the membrane, so we''ll have to rely on Mee''s ears in the end.'' I said and patted her head. I can''t help but do this because Mi''s head is at the right height for me, but she seems to be somewhat happy despite her reluctance, so I guess I don''t have to stop consciously. ''I wonder what''s a little bigger than human size, anyway. Irene said with a bit of excitement as she put down her bowl and ladle and stood up, ready to draw her sword at any moment. Whether or not I''m as elated as she is, I''m certainly curious to see what it is. ''Then let''s have a look. I decided to cast a see-through spell. Even though the consumption of magical elements is rather heavy, obtaining as accurate information as possible is the most important thing to avoid risks. I completed the spell and turned my gaze in the direction indicated by the alert. As I pass through the trees that are blocking my view from one end to the other, I see a creature in my field of vision. It was an obese demihuman, nearly two meters tall. Their skin was green and their heads resembled those of pigs. There were three of them. Three of them, with wooden sticks in their hands as clubs, weave their way through the trees. ''...... Orcs. There are still three of them. They''re coming towards us, but they''re a little off in their direction. They''re not aware of our presence, so it''s probably just a coincidence. Orcs are F-rank monsters. They have strong arms and vitality, but their movements are slow, and a skilled swordsman like Irene or Satsuki could easily see through their movements and take them out. When I gave her the information about the target, Irene looked at me in surprise. ''Will''s magic can tell that much? All I can see are trees. Irene knows very little about the magic I use. I hadn''t had much of a chance to see her since I started attending the Academy of Magic. ''Oh. See-through is a spell that allows you to see through any object in the area of effect and see beyond it.'' ''Heh, ......, eh? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... What the hell is this guy thinking? ''...... You know what? If you''re asking me if it''s possible for a spell to do that, it is possible, but there''s no way I''m doing that. ''That''s right. Hahaha, what am I saying? Hahahahaha ......''. Irene laughed as if to cover up her mistake. At all ....... 49-Episode 48 '' , . , '' , . '' . , . , '' , . , . , . , , . , , . , . , , . , . '' , . '' '' . '' '' '' '' , . , , . . , '' '' , . , . , '' , . , , . , '' '' , . , , . , . , . '' '' '' , '' '' , , '' , . , , . , , , . '' , '' , . , , . , . '' , '' '' , '' , . , . , . , , . , , , . , , , . . , . '' , '' '' . . '' '' . '' '' '' , . , . , . '' . , , '' '' , . '' , . , . , , . 50-CHAPTER 49 It''s been four and a half days since we set out from the royal city of Gracesburg, traveling through the city of Atratia. Our party arrived at Goldia, the city where Count Goldart''s mansion is located. It was evening when we passed through the city gate at the entrance to Goldia. Under a sky that was beginning to darken as the sun reached the mountains, Irene and I walked down the central avenue of the city. The city of Gordia is a medium-sized city. The city''s population is around three thousand. The size of the city is such that you can cross from the west gate to the east gate by walking along the central avenue for about a minute. Add to this the hundred or so farming villages in the vicinity of the city, and you have a total of 20,000 people, which is the entirety of Count Goldarte''s territory. ''Is this the residence of Count Goldia? If that''s the case, there''s a place up ahead where there are a lot of residences of the upper class, so you''d better look for the biggest one among them. ''So that''s Count Goldia''s mansion. Thank you, Auntie! Irene caught a middle-aged woman on the side of the road and asked her the location of her destination, then thanked her and waved as she walked away. Then she came running up to me and stood beside me, waiting at the side of the street. ''Hey, there. That way.'' ''Yes, sir. But you''re still moving with a footwork that''s not typical of royalty. The princess''s face is not well known throughout the land, so she won''t be noticed if she''s traveling like this. You''ll look like a traveling girl or boy with just a bit of good looks. ''Is that a compliment? Is it a compliment or a compliment? ''If anything, it''s a compliment. ''Hee hee, yay! Will complimented me...'' Irene said, squeezing my hand and making a small gut pose. My childhood friend then glanced at Satsuki, who was nearby, and grinned at her thoughtfully. Satsuki, on the other hand, looked frustrated and trembled. ''Nuh-uh-uh ......'' ''Satsuki, calm down. You can''t fight in the city, and you can''t win in a fight.'' ''I know, I know! I know, but that princess is annoying! ''It''s good that she''s aware of you. It means you''re recognized as a proper rival.'''' ''Yes, but! I know, but! Aaaaaaaaaaah! Satsuki scratched her head with both hands while shouting strangely, despite being calmed by Mee and Cyril. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... I hope you will consider the public eye a little bit, because this is a traffic area. ....... While I was thinking about this, Irene came to me from the side and asked me for advice. ''By the way, Will, how many people do you think should go to Count Goldart''s mansion? Will and I should go with the minimum, or should Satsuki and the others wait somewhere? The contents of Irene''s consultation were the core of this mission. The question of who to take with us was also a question of how we should expect the exchange of information to develop. What we are going to do is to somehow punish the person with whom we are interacting if he or she is guilty of wrongdoing. This may seem simple, but it is surprisingly difficult. As I mentioned earlier, even though Irene is acting under the king''s orders, if the reason for the punishment is not objectively justified, people who are not familiar with the situation will see it as an arrogant act of royal authority. Such an act that would damage the king''s authority should be avoided from Irene''s standpoint. That''s why we''re going to request a direct interview with Count Goldart in order to obtain the information necessary to secure the objective legitimacy of the matter. In other words, the purpose of this mission is to extract enough information from the dialogue with Count Goldart to criticize him. And I have a few ideas on how to do that. I don''t think it''s that difficult to get the information out of him. On the other hand, there are some tricky hurdles. For example - and I think this will be the most important spell in my arsenal - there is a spell called Detect Try. This is a spell that literally detects the lies of the opponent, and if Count Goldart is ''black'', it is expected to be revealed by using this spell and conducting a proper interrogation. On the other hand, what Count Goldart will do when his falsehood is pointed out is a question that needs to be considered. He may, in fact, turn a blind eye. If I''m the only one who can detect whether or not it''s a falsehood, there''s no room for evasion. Or, if they can''t get away with it, they may think that it''s over and try to make us who went to question them dead on the spot. There''s no telling what a person driven to the limit will do. And in the Count''s mansion, there would be no small number of guards hired by him. We don''t know how they will act in such a case, but considering the possibility of a battle, the more forces we have, the better, so we should take Satsuki and the others with us. Or, depending on the assumption of the enemy''s strength, we may need to hire more forces as well. On the other hand, however, a large number of armed people coming to a discussion may give the other side an excuse not to accept the dialogue. Therefore, it is necessary to think carefully about this matter. But more than that, the biggest problem is... ''Alice, the court magician. ''What? Isn''t Alice the court magician to Count Goldart? ''Yeah. And the biggest obstacle in this quest.'''' That''s what I''m going to tell Irene. The biggest obstacle in this quest is that the other side has a wizard-level sorcerer. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. Most of the spells that I can use, Alice can also use. As part of my countermeasures, I contacted a professor at the academy when I left the royal capital of Greysburg to get some information on Alice''s appearance. ....... ''Irene, it''s a possibility, but be prepared for it to be a long shot. ''Heck, why not? Aren''t you going to go yet today?'' ''That''s something we''ll have to ''see''. Let''s go to the Count''s mansion first. ''What, wait a minute ......! Hey, Will, what are you up to? Tell me, too. And so I began to walk along the road that led to the upscale residential area, and Irene was following me. 51-Episode 50 We walked through the city until we came to an area lined with the residences of the upper class. Irene pointed to a mansion a little further on. ''Hey Will, isn''t that the mansion of Count Goldart? The mansion was indeed larger than the surrounding houses, and had a magnificent gate. It was in a small city, so it wasn''t huge, but it was clearly several times larger than the average person''s residence. ''Oh, it''s probably that one. I''m going to go now, so Irene and the others can wait here. ''What, wait for me at ......? Don''t you want me to go? ''Of course, Irene''s presence is necessary when we go in, but we need to scout first. I told Eileen as well as the other three accompanying her to stand by, and cast an insensible spell myself. Then, under the effect of the spell, I walked to the vicinity of the house I wanted to visit. As he had told Irene, the first thing he would do was to scout. Count Goldert and Alice must not be aware of our presence yet. Once we make a direct approach to them, they will be aware of our presence and take precautions and countermeasures, but for now, we are outside of their awareness, so we are on our own now. Now, as we neared the residence of what appeared to be Count Goldart, we could see two strong-looking gatekeepers standing in front of the gate, wearing chain mail and holding spears in their hands. The gatekeepers did not seem to pay any particular attention to my presence as I approached the house. I''m under the effect of an insensible spell, so I''d be in trouble if I wasn''t. The entire property was surrounded by a stone wall nearly three meters high, indicating a rigorous defensive posture. I don''t know if Mee can somehow climb that stone wall, but it''s impossible for me to climb it, and even if I jumped and reached for it with all my might, I wouldn''t be able to reach the top of the wall. Now, I''m going to cast a spell here. It''s a spell called "Sense Magic". Then, under the effect of the spell, I look over the stone wall of the mansion, into the space within the grounds. ''...... Are you still on alert? Even though it''s peacetime, you''re being cautious. The red hemispherical membrane of magical power was seen to cover a large area, though not the entire grounds of the house. The spell I used, Sense Magic, is a spell that allows you to ''see'' the magical power at work within your field of vision. The magic power will appear as a translucent red glow in the magician''s vision. The hemispherical magical power that I see now is probably the magical power of the alert spell cast by Alice, the court magician in the mansion. It may be that Alice is constantly using the spell of alert while she is in the mansion, and detects intruders in the mansion. However, the Alert spell is supposed to react to anyone who enters or leaves the mansion, including servants. It would make daily life too noisy, but still, it is a very cautious thing to do. However, there is one thing that has been confirmed by this. Alice is currently in the house. The sensing membrane of the Alert spell forms a sphere around the user. It is possible to use the spell with a narrower radius of effect, and it is believed that Alice is currently using it in that state, but the point that it forms a sphere around the sorcerer cannot be moved. You can''t move the point of the spherical formation at the center of the sorcerer, so the fact that there is a light of alert magic there means that the sorcerer is currently in the house. That''s exactly the information I wanted to know. That''s what I wanted to know, whether Alice is currently in the house or not. Now, we have the minimum information we need to acquire. I could leave now, but since it''s such a good opportunity, I''ll go see the court magician in question. It''s also possible that Count Goldart has hired another sorcerer besides Alice, and that person is using the alert. It''s better to be visible. I cast a see-through spell and proceeded to check the internal structure of Count Goldart''s mansion. And then... ''So... that''s Alice Flamelia. She found the person she was looking for. She was in a room on the third floor of the mansion, writing something. She matches the description I got from the professor at the academy, so I''m pretty sure she''s Alice. She is a beautiful woman of about 20 years old, with long, wavy red hair. She has a good figure even from a distance, and the sorcerer''s robe she is wearing has been designed with a lot of modifications, such as making her body lines more visible and a bold slit from the waist. Of course, she did not seem to notice my presence. I then used the power of see-through vision to check the internal structure of the Count''s mansion and the other members of the team, and after completing my reconnaissance, I returned to Irene and the others. ''Welcome back, Will! How was it, did you find out anything?'' ''Yeah. We got most of the information we needed. As Irene and the others greeted me at the side of the road, I led them in a direction that would take them out of the upscale neighborhood. Irene follows beside me and asks me a question. ''Hey, are you leaving after all ......? Hey, Will, why aren''t you going today? ''I''ll tell you later. Let''s just get a place to stay for now. I walked down the darkened street with my client and his friends to find a place to stay for the day. 52-Episode 51 That night, after everyone had finished dinner and bathing at the inn, we all gathered in a relatively large private room that Irene had reserved for herself. The room was lit only by the light of a single lamp. Even though it was a large private room, it was cramped with five people in it, and on top of that, all of the women had just finished bathing and were feeling s*xy, so I felt a bit disturbed, but I tried my best to keep my composure and started talking. ''Well, the question you wanted to ask was, "Why aren''t you going to the hearing today? I look around at the four girls, and Irene in particular shakes her head. After confirming this, I explain the reason. ''First of all, to put it simply, the reason is because Alice was there. ''...... What do you mean? You''re going to blow Alice up with you, aren''t you? When Satsuki said that, Cyril beside her squeezed her head. It''s the same old Satsuki. ''First of all, Satsuki, please put aside your idea of blowing it up. It may happen in the end, but that''s not the way to think about it. Everyone but Satsuki nodded their heads at my words. One of them, Satsuki, looked unhappy. Then, Mee interjected. ''But I don''t understand why it''s bad if Alice is there, either. Since Alice is also an important witness, wouldn''t it be better to talk to her together? Irene shook her head in agreement with Mee''s question. Cyril seemed to be alone in his thoughts. I explain mainly to Mee and Irene. ''It''s true that Mee is right, we should talk to Alice as well. But she''s no idle child either. If they have something to hide, they are likely to think of some way to interfere and use it. I think we should take that into account when we move. ''Well, what do you mean by sabotage, ......, like using some kind of magic? I nodded at Irene''s words. ''Yeah, of course we should consider that possibility. And Alice is a mage class magician with the ability to graduate from the Academy of Magic. Alice''s ability as a sorceress is probably not that different from mine. At the very least, I should assume that Alice can use at least 80% of the spells that I can use. When I said that, all the girls in the room looked surprised. Satsuki said something with that expression on her face. ''What ...... does that mean, it''s like the enemy has Will ......?'' ''Yes. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ''Well, ......, what does that mean? Eileen tilted her head. I turn to her and explain a little more carefully. ''For example, there''s a spell I can use called Detect Try. With this spell, I can clearly see if the other person is lying or not. ''Yee! So, Will knows that I''ve been lying to him. ......? Irene begins to sweat profusely from her forehead. I sigh and poke Irene''s forehead with my fingertips. ''How is that possible? I wouldn''t use a spell like that on my neighbor unless I had to. The morals of using such spells are drilled into us mages in our first year at the academy. Don''t confuse what''s technically possible with what you actually do. ''Oh, yes, that''s right, hahahaha ...... phew.'' Irene wiped the sweat from her forehead. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. It''s nothing to be concerned about. But that''s where the problem lies. This spell can be used by any mage level magician. Of course Alice will use it. What will happen if she does...'' ''Well, ......, can''t we lie to each other?'' I nodded at Irene''s answer. Satsuki interrupts me from the side. But that''s not a problem, is it? We have nothing to be ashamed of. If we get into an honest argument, we''ll be on our own. ''Yeah, Satsuki''s right about that. And on that point, Alice would think so too. ''...... hmm? Satsuki tilted her head. ''In other words, from Alice''s point of view, she knows that if she goes head-to-head, she will lose. In that case, what would you do in Alice''s position? ''Oh, what ......? You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this topic at ....... I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. Cyril, who was standing beside her, answered for her. ''Um, ...... do you want to run away or refuse the interview itself? ''Yes, that would be the sensible course of action. And as for insane measures...'' ''...... lure them in and then launch a preemptive attack to bury the messenger in the dark? It was Mee who answered. I nodded to her and added. ''Well, if she''s in a situation where she''s cornered by any means, she might take such a step, though it''s only a speculation. You can''t predict what Alice will actually do. They all nodded their heads at my explanation. However, Satsuki was the only one who was pouting with smoke coming out of her head. I continued on, not caring about Satsuki. ''But on the other hand, there is one thing I can say for sure. But on the other hand, there is one thing I can say with certainty, and that is that as long as Alice isn''t around, we''ll be fine. After I explained that much, Irene seemed to be convinced and threw her body onto the bed. ''I see. So you''re saying that we should visit the mansion when the court magician named Alice isn''t there, and deal with Count Goldart for the time being. ''Yes. It''s too risky to deal with Alice head-on. We should avoid avoidable risks as much as possible. ''So we''ll deal with Alice separately after we''ve dealt with Count Goldart. It''s true that it might be easier to deal with them if we destroy them individually. I nodded at Cyril''s words. ''I see. ....... I''m glad you''re here, Will. If I had been the only one in command, I would have jumped right into the enemy''s belly~. Thank you, Will. Irene sits up on the bed and smiles at me. ''Yeah, but that''s just the beginning. There''s a lot of uncertainty, and we don''t know what will happen until we try it. If it comes down to it, we may have to rely on Irene and the others. I''ll be counting on you then. ''Yeah, I''ll take care of this one. I''ll knock out any enemy that comes along. With that, Irene patted the sword on the side of the bed. It''s great that she''s so reliable, but I''m a little worried about her becoming a commander in the future. 53-Episode 52 The next morning. I went to Count Goldart''s mansion with Mee to keep an eye on Alice''s movements. We had Eileen, Satsuki, and Cyril wait for us in the neighborhood. In addition, I have Irene buy a hand mirror for contact at a magic store in town and carry it with her. I can only communicate with her in a one-way fashion, but it should be useful for emergency communication. Now, when Mee and I headed for the Count''s mansion, I first used the Insensible spell when we entered the upper-class district. This spell has a radius of about five meters around the sorcerer, and has an effect on Mee as long as she is attached to me. The two of us then set up in front of the Count''s mansion, a short distance from the main gate, and began to monitor. Today, there were two gatekeepers in front of the main gate, but neither of them seemed to be aware of our presence. ''This spell, Insensible, is amazing. It''s a spell that Mee and the other thieves would love to have. Mee murmurs to herself. As an afterthought, I explain to her the story of how I learned the spell. ''Insensible is a low level spell. If you enroll in a magic academy or study hard for half a year with an appropriate teacher, you will be able to use it if you are good at it. Even if you are a little weak, if you devote yourself to studying for a year or two, you should be able to master it. ''Ugh, that''s really a bit ....... Mee is not very good at studying. Even if you try to read a book, you will soon fall asleep. ...... And it costs money to study, doesn''t it? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s not something I can afford. ''''If you want, I can teach you? If you can use the time that''s convenient for me, I''m willing to accept the tuition at a discount. When I asked, Mee looked at me with blinking eyes. ''What ...... does that mean, hand-holding? ''No, I don''t think it''s very common to take hands or feet. ''Just the two of you in a locked room? ''Well, I suppose there will be many cases like that. ''Will you praise me when I do well? ''I think it''s a part of being a good teacher to praise them when they do well. ''I see. ....... I''ll think about it for a while. Mee''s cheeks flushed and she squirmed. It''s all very well to be cute, but what are you thinking about? But since there''s no point in being overly self-conscious, I''ll just ignore it for now. Now that that''s out of the way, Mee and I staked out the house for a while. The incapacitating effect of the insensible wears off in an hour, but each time it does, you can extend the effect by consuming mana to deal with the long stakeout. In addition to the Insensible spell, there is also the Seal Magic spell. This is a spell that hides magic power, and by using it against magic in effect, you can avoid detection by sense magic. After repeating the extension of the effect of Insensible several times, he and Mee picked up some snacks that he had brought with him, and it was past lunchtime. '' It''s working. ''What, are you sure? ''Yeah. She''s coming out.'' Alice finally made a move to leave the house. This is the moment we''ve been waiting for. Last night, Mee gathered some information from the townspeople, and found that Alice tends to go out from morning to early afternoon, and once she goes out, she tends not to come back to the mansion for a few hours. In anticipation of this tendency, we had been on the lookout since this morning, and we had finally hit our mark. After leaving the residence of the mansion, Alice passed through the courtyard and came to the main gate. She has the servants open the gate and exits the main gate of the mansion. ''I''ll be out for a couple of hours, as usual. ''Huh. Alice, please be careful. A beautiful woman with long, wavy, red hair walks out of the mansion with her head bowed by the gatekeepers who are older than she is. Then she came towards us. ''Mee, let''s get close to each other. ''Huh? Why are you doing this, ......? ''I''m narrowing the range of the Insensible. If Alice comes within the area of effect, she will notice us.'' ''Oh, I see, I see. Normally, the area of effect of Insensible is about a five-meter radius around the sorcerer, but people within this area will be recognized by each other. In order to prevent Alice from entering the area, it was necessary to narrow the area of effect. As a result, Alice walked right past me and Mee without seeming to notice our presence. After confirming this, I cast a telepathy spell on Mee. This is a spell that allows the practitioner to have a thought conversation with the target of the spell. After confirming that the spell has been activated, I talk to Mee in my head to test the effect. ...... All right, Mee, I want you to follow me. If you feel you are in danger, put your safety first, and then call me if you can afford it. ''Yes, sir. You''re in good hands. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. It''s unlikely that anyone will notice that she''s a professional, even if she''s just starting out. I then went into the alleyway, took out a hand mirror from my luggage, and used a contact spell to communicate with the hand mirror that Irene was carrying. My hand mirror reflected the image of another alleyway. ''Wow. I was surprised. It came out of nowhere.'' From the other side of the mirror, Irene is looking at me with trepidation. Behind her, Satsuki and Cyril were also peering at her with great interest. ''Irene, Alice has moved. Come to the front of the house.'' ''Uh, yeah, okay. I''ll be right there.'' ''Satsuki and Cyril, take the mirror from Irene and wait there. Be ready to move if anything happens.'' ''Oh, okay. If it gets out of control, call me.'' ''I''d prefer it didn''t come to that. I inform the three of them, and break contact. Well, now everything is ready. Let''s go to the enemy''s headquarters. 54-Episode 53 ''Sorry to keep you waiting, Will! Sorry, did you wait for me?'' About a minute after I called her, Irene joined me. She was dressed in her formal attire as a knight, not the traveling attire of yesterday. ''No problem. It''s as expected, or even earlier. ''Oh, no. ''It''s not like it''s a standard phrase for couples meeting up at ....... What are you talking about? ''Boo. I''m nervous too. You can help me relax a little.'' ''Okay, okay. Just sit tight.'' I walked behind Irene and rubbed her shoulders. ''Hyah! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''There, now you''ve loosened up. We don''t have much time, let''s go. ''Uh, yeah, I got it. I''ll go to .......'' She slapped herself on the cheek and said, ''Okay,'' and regained her dignified appearance for the outside world. Then Irene and I headed for the main gate of the mansion. During this time, I also cast a telepathic spell on Irene. This is for two purposes: to support negotiations and to talk in private in front of the enemy. Now, with Irene in front of me and me behind her, we proceed to the gate guard. Irene stepped forward in front of the two gatekeepers, who gazed at her blankly, and said the following words. ''I am Irene, a knight of the royal house of Greysburg. I have come by royal order to ask the Earl of Goldart some questions. I would like you to take care of it. Even she, as expected, must have established an outward attitude through her training as a knight over the past few years. The gatekeepers looked flustered, and one of them opened the gate and walked in. The other, with sweat on his forehead, told Irene to wait here for a while. Incidentally, the gatekeeper''s attention is not on me during this time. This is because he is using the effects of the Insensible spell, which still lasts, on me alone. Even so, at this distance, it would be normal for me to be recognized, but perhaps because the good-looking Irene was so conspicuous, my presence seemed to be seen as nothing more than a roadside stone. After waiting for a while, a butler came with the gatekeeper who had gone inside, and the butler led Irene and her attendant - that is, me - inside. We followed the butler as he walked through the courtyard to the residence of the mansion. I''m getting nervous, after all. ....... Will I be okay, Will?" Irene speaks to me with her thoughts. My body is still facing forward, only my consciousness is coming to me. ''Stay strong. I''ll give you advice if you need it, just keep your back straight so you don''t get underestimated. "Uh, yeah, okay. ...... Please, Will?" You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in your company. But this time, Irene has to play the main role in the interview. If I, as a valet, interfere more than necessary, I will be dismissed as someone who doesn''t care. And that is what telepathy is for. If you can communicate privately with your thoughts, you can communicate without your interlocutor hearing your words. It is highly likely that this method would have been effectively blocked if Alice had been present at the dialogue. Having a skilled sorcerer as an adversary is very troublesome. That''s why we have to finish this interview before Alice comes back. She''s going to be out for a couple of hours, so even if she doesn''t come back right away, we can''t afford to take too long. I used another telepathic effect to send a thought to Mee, who was following Alice. "Mee, are you still all right?" "Yes, sir. Alice is heading toward the downtown area. There''s no sign of our tail. All right. Take it easy, okay? I''ll be fine. My life is more important than her accomplishments. And I know Will doesn''t approve of reckless behavior. I''m relieved when I get answers like this. Everything is based on life. I can trust Mee in that she is not the reckless type like Satsuki. With this in mind, Irene and I, accompanied by the butler, entered the residence of the mansion. Now, it''s time to meet Count Goldart. 55-Episode 54 Irene and I will be led by the butler down the hallway. I''ll use the Detect Try spell during this time. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask your butler. ...... Incidentally, for some reason Irene does notice, but she turns around and gestures for you to go ahead. But why is she so conscious of me at this time? Isn''t he relying on me a little too much? Anyway, after all the preparations, we were ushered into the reception room. In front of the reception room, there stood a rough-looking man with a sword at his waist. The butler handed the role to the man, bowed, and left. When the man saw Irene, he was surprised by her beauty, but opened the door of the reception room and asked us to enter. ''Eileen, how are you doing? ''What do you mean, what? The man in front of you. Can''t you see that? If it comes down to it, he could come at you. Oh, he''s nothing. He''s nothing compared to a knight. They''re nothing compared to knights. I''m relieved to hear Irene''s answer. I''m sure that Irene can deal with that kind of level. I then stepped into the reception room with Irene. In the reception room, a low table was placed horizontally in the center, with a leather chair on the other side and a three-seater sofa on the front side. There are several paintings on the wall, a plant in the corner of the room, and other expensive looking furnishings here and there. I felt that this was the kind of arrangement that aristocrats who are particular about their authority would like. And in the room, three people were waiting for me. Two of them were armed men, standing diagonally behind a leather chair on either side. The other was a fat, middle-aged man dressed in a glittering aristocratic costume. He walked toward us with his arms outstretched in an ostensibly welcoming gesture. ''Oh! I heard you were a knight named Irene, so I didn''t expect you to be Princess Irene! Well, you''re looking so splendid and beautiful... excuse me, I don''t want to stand around talking. Now, please sit down. The fat aristocrat, Count Goldart, suggested that Irene sit on the sofa. Irene obeyed and sat in the middle of the three-seater sofa, and I stood in the front of the sofa, diagonally behind Irene. I asked Irene by telepathy. "Are you acquainted with Count Goldart? I''m sorry, I honestly don''t remember. I think I''ve greeted him at a party when I was a kid or something. ......" I see. I''ll let you decide how to start. Just attack as you see fit. "Okay. I''ll try. Eileen replies. She then leans forward a bit while sitting on the sofa and begins to address Count Goldart. ''I apologize for the suddenness of this visit. I''m here to ask the Count a few questions. Irene''s voice is like a dignified bell, and she speaks more firmly than usual. It''s as if she''s able to speak in an outward manner. Well, no matter what, she wouldn''t be able to speak as she normally does in such a situation. ''Oh, the princess wants to ask me something. Well, I have no idea what it is, sir. Count Goldert replies, playing with the beard on his cheek. And at the mention of ''I have no idea'', a clear alarm went off in my brain. There was some reaction to the previous statement, but not as clear as this. "Irene, the Count''s statement that he has no idea is clearly a lie. He has a definite idea. "Well, does that mean it''s all black? "There''s another possibility, though. We should start with the outer moat. Ask about Alice. Yes, sir. Irene, who had gone through the meeting with me, then said. ''I see. By the way, I''ve heard that there''s a court magician here named Alice Flamelia. I would like to ask you a few questions about her. At Irene''s words, the hand that had been playing with Count Goldart''s chibi beard came to a halt. ''...... Ah, that''s our court magician, isn''t it? What about her? I''m out right now, so we can talk about it when I get back. ''No, it will be fine if you let the Count speak. Irene''s words came out a little fast. It''s probably because she''s in a hurry, but... As far as I can tell, the Count and the others don''t seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. With relief, I send a reminder to Irene. "Calm down, Irene." Huh... It''s not good! I''m going to die of nervousness! It''s okay. If you want, imagine you''re fighting with a sword. "......!" It seems my advice was spot on. I''m sure my advice was right on the money. Irene''s back was slightly frightened, but it disappeared and was quickly replaced by a semblance of cleverness. 56-Episode 55 ''So, Princess Irene, what''s wrong with our Alice? I hope you don''t want to take her out as the court magician of the royal capital because you heard of her ability. The Count then laughed jokingly. But Irene is not caught up in the laughter, and maintains a quiet coldness in her presence. ''Irene, let''s drop Alice first. Make the Count think that he can cut Alice down as a lizard''s tail if he has to. We''ll drop the Count after that. "Yes, Will." A lucid reply comes from Irene. It''s my understanding that even though she''s not good at brainwork, it''s a personality problem and she''s not that bad at it. As long as she is able to demonstrate her true abilities, I have no problem entrusting her with the details. Irene replied to the Count in a quiet, slow tone. ''No, I''m afraid I''ve heard more about the rumors that are not so good about her. Count, do you have a firm grasp of Alice''s recent movements? At Irene''s words, the Count put his hand on his double chin and made a little thoughtful gesture. I was impressed by the way Irene proceeded with her story, and I thought it was a good way to attack. I was impressed with the way Irene was going about it. Now, the Count''s mind must be going round and round about whether this is a pursuit he can get away with without any sacrifice, or whether he needs to cut down Alice. And after a good ten seconds of thought, the words that came out of the Count''s mouth were these. ''Hmmm ......, if you ask me, I don''t have a good grasp of her recent behavior. What are the rumors that Princess Irene has heard? The Count''s words did not elicit much of a reaction from the detective. He was not necessarily telling a lie. He might not actually have a detailed grasp of Alice''s movements. ''I heard that she is experimenting with the creation of undead in this village in the Count''s territory. She''s also slaughtering a large number of villagers. ''What? Alice has done such a thing without my knowledge! I can''t believe it. ...... No, wait, if you say so. ...... Princess Irene, who told you about this rumor? The Count''s statement was almost completely laced with lies, and the Detect Tri reacted strongly. It seemed that the Count had shifted his thoughts to cutting off Alice in the current moment. ''Count, that is a top-secret information route of the royal court that we have, so we can''t divulge it. But I have it on good authority.'' ''Mmm, is that how it is? ...... Don''t tell me that our Alice, or even that vixen, has done such a thing. ...... If that''s true, it''s definitely not something we can allow. It is an unpardonable act to do such a thing to the precious property of the royal family and the people I love,......! Count Goldert looked indignant, and slammed the table with his fist. But the Detectry tells us that his angry statement is clearly a lie. It''s cheap theatrics. But it is this theatricality that tells the true story of Count Goldart. He is a scoundrel who lies to save his own skin, and tries to pin all the blame on others. If he had any remorse at all, he would not be acting the way he is now, even though we made him do it. "Irene, it''s confirmed. "Irene, it''s been confirmed. The Count''s angry outbursts are all clearly false. "I knew it. ....... I can''t stand guys like that. Will, can I snap now? Irene''s anger was palpable even in the thought-only conversation. But I think it''s still too early to turn the stage upside down. From what the Count has said so far, it is clear that he was complicit in the destruction of Filia''s village, or at least that he knew about it. However, we still don''t know why he did it, or what his motives were. If he was a man of selfishness, that could not be his motive for destroying the villages in his domain. Not yet. I''d like to get the Count''s motive, if possible. "Motive, motive. ......" But the problem is, I can''t think of any way to get him to give it up. Maybe I should give up on trying to get him to talk about it and go to Alice. However, as I was thinking about this, Count Goldart made this suggestion to me. ''But, Princess Irene. That vixen, Alice, is a woman with the skills of a court magician. If you try to capture her alive, you''ll have to sacrifice a lot. He said he''d be back in a few hours. We should kill it by surprise when it comes back. Please help us, Princess, for your ability as a knight. ''............'' Irene fell silent. I''m finally starting to feel disgusted with the man in front of me. ...... to keep her mouth shut. I''m sure you don''t want Alice to talk about anything else. "...... Hey Will. I can''t take it anymore. "Yeah. I also feel that it is unreasonable to let her talk about her motives peacefully in this situation, even if it is emotional. Irene, can you take on the two guards in front of you and the one in front of the door at the same time, while still protecting me? Foolish question. It''s a piece of cake. Well then, go ahead and do it. Copy that. Aileen''s bouncy thoughts returned. 57-Episode 56 ''Princess Irene, or rather Sir Knight Irene, please help us. Let''s defeat the evil female sorceress together! Count Goldart continued to say this and tried to take Irene''s hand with both of his hands. But Irene, who had her hands folded on the table, pulled her hands away and then said to the Count in a cold voice. ''''That''s enough of your nonsense, you raccoon. ''''Is ......?'''' Count Goldart looked dumbfounded. On the other hand, Irene, who was sitting on the sofa, stood up from her seat and drew her sword from its sheath at her waist. ''Hi, Princess! What are you doing ......? The Count fell down from his chair in a panic, falling on his buttocks and backing away desperately. On the other hand, the two guards behind the Count also drew their swords, as did the man standing in front of the doorway of the room. Tension ran through the reception room. ''Count Goldart, I know all your lies. There''s a talented sorcerer here. I''d like you to meet William Glenford, a childhood friend of mine and a graduate of Wizards Academy. Irene then pointed to me behind her. Count Goldert rolls his eyes and stares at me. I''m not sure if you''re a sorcerer or not,......? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I didn''t notice ......, I thought you were just a member of my entourage ......... ......! The effect of insensibility is not to make a person invisible. The effect is to make its existence seem insignificant and unimportant. However, Count Goldart still refused to admit that he was on the verge of death even at this point. ''No, Princess Irene, you must not be deceived! He is the one who is lying! You vicious sorcerer, how dare you seduce the Princess! Your deception of the royal family is punishable by death! Hey you guys, kill that sorcerer right now! Count Goldart pointed at me and instructed the guards behind him. The guards obeyed his orders, climbed over or around the obstacles in between, and tried to attack me with their swords in their hands, but... But then Irene stepped in between the guards and me. The guards were puzzled by this and looked towards Count Goldart for instructions. The Count made a bitter face, and then appealed desperately to Irene. ''Princess, get out of the way! The princess is being deceived by that sorcerer! But the Count''s words did not shake Irene. Standing in front of me, she spun her words of quiet anger towards the Count. ''Shut up, you scoundrel. Is Will lying to me? What''s more, why should I believe a word you say? ...... You''ve got to be kidding me. You can''t mess with my bond with Will any more than you already have. I''ll have your head on a spike before I drag you to court. ''Hee, hee. ......! Oh, oh, you guys! It''s too late for the princess, kill her with me! I''ll take full responsibility! I''ll triple the reward for the one who gets the princess'' head! Count Goldart instructed his three bodyguards to do so. The guards looked at each other, then glanced at Irene and smiled at each other. Then one of the guards made a further request to Count Goldart. ''Sir, it would be a shame to kill such a fine man right here and now. How about if we twist him by force, we can do whatever we want with him? We''ll kill him after all is said and done. ''Oh, yeah, that''s fine. You can do whatever you want. Just make sure you kill him. Irene overheard this and spat in displeasure. ''If your employer is your employer, then your dog is an irredeemable scum. The men guarding her, however, did not let Irene''s attitude stop them from smiling. ''Heh heh ......, you''re going to have to deal with that dog a lot from now on, princess. ''It''s just my bad luck to have ridden all the way down here to play knight. ''We''ll show you that outside the castle is a scary place. Hee hee. Apparently, they didn''t know Irene very well. It would not be surprising if they knew at least Count Goldert, but judging from their current reaction, they probably think that even if they did, they would only be spiteful. ''...... hey Will''. ''What? ''Can you call Cyril while you''re at it? I might go a little overboard. ''......Huh, okay. But you have to keep it in moderation. ''Yeah. I''ll do my best. I don''t think she''s trying too hard, but since she says so, I guess it''s okay. I took out a contact mirror from my luggage bag, keeping my eyes on the surroundings just in case. 58-Episode 57 ''Aghhhh, my arm, my arm! ''Aghhhh, my legs, my legs, ......! ''Haha ...... ah,......''. There was no need to wait thirty seconds for the battle to end. The men who were guarding Irene were quickly crushed by the unreasonable strength of the target girl, and all three were lying on the floor screaming and moaning. All three were lying on the floor screaming and moaning. One had his dominant arm broken, another had one of his legs broken as well, and the last one had been struck in his vitals and was unable to speak properly. Irene was furious, but she only used the blade of her sword in defense against the guards. The attack was either a blow with the hilt or a palm strike with aura, and the guards'' lives were not in danger. However, from the looks of it, none of them would have any fighting ability left. The injured parts of their bodies might be useless in the future, but there is no reason to worry about that. Incidentally, major injuries such as amputated limbs and loss of use cannot be healed by the miracle of healing used by novice priests. Extremely high-ranking priests can perform miracles to heal such serious injuries, but they would have to go to temples in large cities and make large donations in order to receive such miracles. And it is unlikely that such a large amount of money would be available for a thug-like escort like them. They may have to pay a heavy penalty before they are brought to justice. And as for Irene, who had taken care of the guards... ''Heeeey! It''s not my fault! It was Alice, that woman, who seduced me! I only did what she told me to do. I only did what she told me. - So forgive me. I, I had nothing to do with it. ''...... Is that all you have to say? Irene stood in front of Count Goldart, who was on his buttocks on the floor, and put the tip of her sword to the throat of the obese man below. Incidentally, Count Goldart''s statement now did not cause much of a reaction from the Detectry. It might be that the main culprit was actually Alice, and the Count was just following her. ''Eileen, just to let you know, it seems that the man''s current words are not a big lie. ''Oh, oh, yes. I''m not lying. It''s all that fox''s fault. ...... Hee! ''Hey, really, shut up. I''m really tempted to just stick it in.'''' Irene brings the tip of her sword up to the Count''s throat, almost touching his skin. The Count shuddered and finally became incontinent. ''...... No, don''t do it. ...... Please don''t kill me. ......'' ''Then answer my questions honestly.'' ''Okay, okay...... I''ll answer anything......'' ''Don''t lie to me. I''ll know everything you say.'' ''Oh, yeah, I won''t ...... lie, I promise.'' ''Yeah. Then I''ll ask you... why did you kill the villagers in your territory? At Irene''s questioning, the Count gulped and spat. Then, fearfully, he asked Irene a question in return. ''So, if I answer truthfully, will you spare my life ......? ''In that case, I''ll send you to court without killing you. If you lie, I''ll kill you right here and now.'' The Count gasped. Then he looked up into Irene''s face and said resignedly after a short pause. ''As I said before, Alice has asked me to seduce you .......'' ''Hmm. But just because a court magician asks you to do something doesn''t mean that you''re going to allow your lord to destroy a village in your territory. I''ll ask you again. Why? The Count''s eyes swam as Irene pursued. But he still gave up, and squeezed the words out of his mouth. ''Well, it''s because when ...... I courted her, or rather asked her for her body, she offered it to me as a condition. In addition, he said that if his undead research progresses, he can use the army of undead that he has created to take over the country. ...... So ......'' ''............'' Even over her back, she could see that Irene was mortified. Then she asks me without turning around. ''...... Hey Will, is that true?'' ''Yeah. It''s all true, except for your subtle reaction to the ''courtship'' part.'' ''Oh, for ...... such a thing, you''re ......! Irene pulled the sword she was holding to the Count''s throat and shook her hand as if she were about to thrust it out again. ''No, wait! You promised not to kill me if I told you the truth! ''d*mn it, ......! I walk over to Irene and put my hand on her shoulder. Then I shake my head at Irene, who turns to me with a face full of emotion. ''Irene. No.'' ''I know, Will, I know, but ......! Irene gritted her teeth in frustration and turned her head away. Afterwards, Satsuki and Cyril arrived at the mansion, and after Cyril''s healing magic treated the injured to the minimum, they captured Count Goldart and his guards. Irene explained the situation to the servants of the mansion and took care of the aftermath. The house was now cleaned up. Now all that remains is for the Count to be arraigned in King''s Landing at a later date, and the truth will be revealed in public. And there''s only the court magician Alice left. 59-Episode 58 While I was cleaning up the house, I accessed the telepathic link I had established with Mee. "Mee, we''re clear. How''s Alice? What, is it over already? ...... over here, Alice got out of the city a long time ago. Alice''s movements, as reported to Mee, were in line with the information she had received in advance. I''ll check with Mee. "Mee, you haven''t chased Alice since she left town, have you?" ''No, I''m fine. She''s not stupid enough to know that there''s a spell called ''alert''. Good. That''s Mee. I''m going to meet up with you now. Wait for me there. "Heh heh. Okay. I interrupted the telepathic conversation after confirming that Mee''s happy thought had come back. After we finished cleaning up the house, we headed for the main gate of the city where Mee was waiting for us. Only Irene stayed behind as a guard for Count Goldart. Although she had already contacted King''s Landing by means of contact, there was no guarantee that she would be able to escape by any improper means if the Count was left free to his own devices. The loss of Irene is a blow to our strength, but if you consider the proper allocation of personnel, this is a reasonable allocation. When I parted with Irene, I shook her hand firmly in front of Count Goldart''s mansion. ''...... Will, just to let you know. I''m sure you''ll be fine, but... don''t be reckless. ''Yeah, you can trust me on that. Irene then peeked behind me and called out to the two people there as well. ''Satsuki, Cyril. Please support Will.'' ''Yeah. I don''t need to be told by the princess. ''I''ll do what I can. After shaking hands with me, Irene shook hands with Satsuki and Cyril. Then we parted ways with Irene and headed for the main gate where Mi was waiting for us. (*) ''Oh, William. This way, this way. When we got close to the main gate, we met Mie waving at us. He then left the main gate, walked along the street, and followed Mie''s lead into the forest beside the street. ''Alice went into the bushes around here. I''m going to follow her footsteps. Mee looked carefully at the ground and continued along the trackless path. I''ll cast a sense magic spell in the meantime. Then I saw a red hemispherical light extending above the trees in the direction she was going. That light of magic with a radius of about fifty meters must be the result of an Alert spell. The distance was about ten minutes up the mountain from where we were. The Alert spell is a spell that you should be careful to use if your adversary is a sorcerer. If the adversary is using sense magic, she will let the adversary know her location before she can detect her presence. Alice is probably aware of this, but she must not be aware of our existence in the first place. It is understandable that the criminal mind is wary of the presence of a pursuer, but does not take into account the possibility that there is a sorceress there. And so the four of us, Mee, Satsuki, and Cyril, relying on the location of the magical light and Mee''s footprints, proceeded down the mountain path. In the end, we arrived in front of an alert spell sensing wall that Alice had put up. ''...... We''ve come this far, but what do we do now, William? If we get any closer, Alice will notice us, right? Mee asks me. Satsuki, who was walking beside me, answered. ''Then why don''t you just run into it? Fifty meters is a short distance to run up. If it''s just one sorcerer, we can handle it. Satsuki expressed her optimism. It''s true that this is a situation that requires a certain amount of boldness, so it''s not necessarily a wrong opinion. ....... On the other hand, Cyril has a cautious view. ''But the other guy is just as good as William, isn''t he? You never know what they''ll do to you, so you shouldn''t be too optimistic. ''Ugh, ...... that''s true, but...'' What are you going to do then? Satsuki seemed to shy away a bit when she heard that I was ''not much better than William''. Then all eyes were on me. ''...... is not a perfect hand,'' I said. I will use it as usual, to the extent that Satsuki and the others are involved. As mentioned earlier, Alert is a spell that half utilizes the instincts of the sorcerer, and therefore, if Insensible can be placed outside the range of instinctive vigilance, it will be possible to slip through the net of detection. However, the effect of insensibility is not universal. When you are noticed, you will be noticed, and this depends greatly on the level of attention and the current state of consciousness of your opponent. '' I''m going through the alert. Consider this hostile territory from here on out.'' I told my companions that, and after confirming that they nodded, I went through the glowing red sensing wall indicated by Sense Magic while wearing the effect of Insensible. 60-Episode 59 Just outside the city of Gordia, about fifteen minutes up the road from the side of the road into the forest, there is a wooden hut. The hut that William and the others are heading towards is currently occupied by a female sorceress. Alice Flamelia. She graduated from the Academy of Magic three years ago, and is a wizard by trade. With her long, wavy red hair and beautiful appearance, it was clear that she would have had no shortage of flirtatious stories to tell if she had wanted to. In fact, during her school years, she had relationships with several men, had s*x with them, and then... lost track of them. Her parents were very powerful merchants and patrons who supported her dreams and used the power of money to cover up her crimes. Ever since she learned about the undead at the academy, she had been fascinated by them. In addition to her general studies at the academy, she immersed herself in the study of the undead as a researcher. However, there was one thing that was both necessary and lacking in her research. It was a corpse. There were almost no corpses under conditions that would allow her to test her hypothesis. Therefore, she needed to create a corpse with her own hands. At first, Alice is satisfied with animal corpses, but soon she enters a forbidden realm. Experiments with human corpses. Her parents, who had initially been complicit in the cover-up, were finally spurned by her escalating behavior. Having lost her patron, Alice next turned her attention to the Count of Goldart, to whom she had been assigned as a court magician. The Count was an unparalleled lover of women, and though he was a small man, he was also ambitious. Alice sold her body to the snobbish nobleman who pressed her for her body, and by encouraging his ambition, she gained a new patron for her research. For her, the study of the undead was more important than anything else in her life. The hut where Alice now resides was also built by her for the Count. She was writing on a piece of paper in the small, oddly bleak hut, which was furnished with nothing more than a desk, chair, and writing utensils. But then her hand stops. ''Responding to ...... alerts? There are one, two, three ...... four of them.'' Alice put down her pen, stood up, and picked up a sorcerer''s wand that was propped against a nearby wall. ''If it''s just one person, it could be that a rat just wandered in, but if it''s four people, it can''t be a coincidence that they were ...... followed? But it can''t be. ...... No, it''s more about what to do. ......'' Alice, alone in the hut, bites her fingernails in frustration. Then, as if on a moment''s notice, she walked up to the door of the hut, opened it slightly, and cast the Wizard Eye spell. The transparent eye she had created appeared through the crack in the door, and she closed it again. Alice concentrates her mind and moves the invisible ''eye''. From the hut in the middle of the hillside, she moves her ''eyes'' down through the trees in the direction of the alert. After moving forward for a while, the Eye soon discovers a group of what appear to be adventurers. They were dressed in a variety of outfits, one male and three female. All of them appear to be young adventurers, younger than Alice. It was the male adventurer who caught Alice''s attention the most. ''There''s a mage. ...... But an adventurer mage is just a flunk at the academy. With that in mind, Alice tried to keep an eye on the adventurers. But... ''Now ......? Alice shouted in surprise inside the hut. No longer could she see the scenery that her ''eyes'' had been transferring to her vision, her field of vision only showed the landscape inside the narrow hut. A sorcerer among the adventurers had shot down the ''eye'' Alice had created with a magic missile spell. ''He was using magic sensing (sense magic) ......! What a clever trick ......!'' Alice bit her thumbnail again. Both Sense Magic and Magic Missile are spells that can be used even by novice magicians. So she was more than a little annoyed that Alice''s high-level spell, the Wizard''s Eye, had been intercepted. ''Now, how am I going to cook this ......''. Alice pondered her next move. If it''s just a group of beginner adventurers, I should be able to handle it on my own... ''Well, this is a good opportunity to try that. Suddenly, Alice smiles as she realizes something good. It was time to test the culmination of her research, she thought to herself. 61-Episode 60 ''H......? What just happened? Satsuki shouted in surprise as I used the magic missile spell to destroy the enemy''s magic. Cyril and Mee were also blinking their eyes. To them, it must have looked as if I suddenly started chanting a spell, then shot an arrow of light at nothing, and the arrow of light exploded in the middle of nowhere. But I felt a definite response to it. I was able to break through the alert membrane that Alice had set up. As I climbed up the path between the trees, I saw a small glowing red light of magic in my vision. The light was smaller than my fist, and I guessed it was the ''eye'' from the wizard eye Alice had used. I then used the magic missile spell to destroy the magical light. At this time, I limited the number of arrows I could fire with the magic missile to one. The Magic Missile is the most basic attack spell that shoots arrows formed by magic power and hits the enemy, but the higher the basic ability of the magician, the more arrows the spell can shoot. With my ability, I can usually create and release three arrows of light at the same time, but here I have chosen to use only one. This was done in the hope that Alice would underestimate my ability. The sense magic and magic missile that we needed to intercept her were both first-level spells, and if we only fired one arrow, Alice might mistakenly believe that we were a beginner mage. Furthermore, it would be best if she assumes that our entire party of adventurers is a beginner. But in any case, it is certain that Alice is already aware of our presence. It means that the insensibility we used earlier did not work. This was done with the possibility of that happening in mind, so there is no problem. I switched directions and headed towards the side, quickly explaining the situation to my friends. ''It''s better to move from this place for now. That was probably Alice''s wizard eye. We''ve crushed it, but it''s already aware of our presence and location. I have another plan, but I don''t know if it will be effective. In any case, a sudden magic attack is possible. When I switched the direction of my movement, Mee immediately reacted and caught up with me, and Satsuki and Cyril followed a beat later. Mee, who was the first to reach my side, called out to me. ''Mee is doing her best to understand what''s going on. ''Magic warfare is generally a battle of wits, you know. It would be difficult for the rest of us who don''t know the cards in each other''s hands to understand the details of the game. However, I have never been defeated by an opponent of the same rank in a mock battle in my academy days. You can trust me as much as I can trust you. ''That''s no problem. Mee trusts William a lot to begin with.'' Mee smiles at me. She is small and lovely, and I think her smile has a magical power that makes people want to nod their heads. I ruffle her hair, lightly because of the situation. As usual, Mi squinted her eyes like a cat and looked comfortable. Then the four of us moved to a place some distance away from where we were, where we hid and waited for a while. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t have to worry about your own safety. ''...... That''s strange. They don''t do anything, they don''t come to scout? ''Maybe he''s waiting for us at his home base over there?'' Cyril mentions one possibility, but it doesn''t quite ring true to my senses. ''No, it depends on what kind of preparations they have at their base, but in a normal magic battle, having your location identified by the opponent is a fatal blow. A normal sense would tell you that if you have captured the opponent''s position, they will try to take you by surprise. ......'' I can''t help thinking about the reason. I have a few options in my mind for my next move. Using the wizard''s eye or see-through vision to find out the enemy''s location is a good idea. There are also several other spells that can be used to find Alice''s location. The only problem is that I don''t have much magical energy left, and these spells for obtaining information are all high-level and require a lot of magical energy. I''ve already cast quite a few spells today, consuming sixty percent of my total magical energy. Considering that we can compete with the remaining 40% of magic elements, these spells that require about a third of the remaining amount are a little too costly. ''William, why don''t you let Mee scout around? Mee, who was lurking right next to me, suggested that. I think about it and come to the conclusion that it''s a good idea. It might be more effective not to use magical means here. Besides, I can still communicate telepathically with Mee now. In that sense, the risk is also low. ''Okay, please, Mee. Make full use of telepathy. ''Yes, sir. I''m off. Then, using her stealthy skills as a thief, she headed in the direction of our original destination. A little while after we lost sight of her, we received a telepathic message from her. I found a building that looks like a mountain hut. I''ll get closer. Please. But take it easy. I understand. Then for a few tens of seconds. I get another call from Mee. There doesn''t seem to be anyone around. I''ve been listening in and out of the cabin, and it doesn''t look like anyone''s home. All right. We''ll join you. Wait for us there. "Understood." And so, Satsuki, Cyril, and I joined up with Mee. Just before we met up, the trees in the forest suddenly opened up. There was a part of the forest that had been carved out like a square. In the center of the square, about ten meters across, stood a small wooden hut. We moved to the entrance of the hut, in front of the door, ''Let''s open the door...ready! With Satsuki in the lead, we opened the door of the hut. 62-Episode 61 ''Then let''s open the door...all right! We opened the door of the cabin with Satsuki in the lead. But inside... ''...... It''s all gone, isn''t it? As Mee murmured, there was no one there. On the contrary, there was not even a sense of life, only a desk and a chair as furniture inside the hut. However, there was one major anomaly inside the small hut. ''...... Is that the entrance to the basement? ''Looks like it. So it''s an invitation. As Cyril and Satsuki looked at this, they saw a lift-up door in the corner of the hut on the floor, and it was open. There is a ladder to go down into the gaping pit. I look at it, and my thoughts wander. Perhaps my plan had worked and they were underestimating me. If there is a cul-de-sac ahead, it would be risky for them to ambush us there. For example, depending on the internal structure, if I were to fire a fireball spell from there downward, they might be exposed to the flames without a single place to escape. There is also the possibility that the end of the fireball is connected to an escape route, and they escaped. ....... It''s also possible that Alice is still in the vicinity of this hut, and that she''s faking her way down there. ''Mee, I''ll check, but you didn''t see any signs of people around this hut, did you? ''Yes, sir. Unless you''re using some strange magic, Mee would have noticed if an amateur was hiding there. Mee replied clearly. She must be confident about that. It is possible that he is using magic to hide, but in that case, there is a high possibility that he will be caught by sense magic when he enters my field of vision. Or if he''s using seal magic, that''s not the case, but... No, we should narrow our focus here. This is not a situation where you should consider all possibilities. This is a situation where you should not consider all possibilities. Dismiss the lesser possibilities. Seal magic is unlikely. That''s a high-level spell that only a few mage level magicians can use. If she is at that level, it is likely that she is not in the service of Count Goldart, but in the service of King''s Landing or a nobleman of greater power as a court magician. If that''s the case, then he probably doesn''t have a spell of the same level, See Through, in his hand. It is unlikely that our current situation is being ''seen''. ...... Is that all the information you can get now? Think, think more. No, wait. What is the purpose of this hut in the first place? This place we think Alice frequents on a daily basis. What''s she going here for? What is she doing in such a secluded place every day? It''s obvious. She must be working on the undead research she''s so passionate about here. But why in a place like this? If she''s doing research on books, she could just as easily be doing it at Count Goldart''s estate. The answer to that question is also obvious. It''s because this is the testing ground for her. Which means what''s down that pit... I cast a see-through spell to confirm my hypothesis. The consumption of magical elements is heavy, but if I''m right, this move will be worth it. And when the spell was complete, I ''saw through the floor at my feet'' and looked beyond. Meanwhile, Satsuki and the three others were pondering in front of the pit. ''Anyway, how do we get down this hole? If they attack us while we''re down the ladder, we''ll be in trouble. ''It''s too dark to see the bottom. I''m not even sure if it''s safe to jump down. ''Oh dear, ....... Why don''t you try lighting a torch and dropping it? ''That''s like telling Alice that you''re coming down if she''s waiting for you down there. ''''''Hmmm ......'''''' The three of them were stuck in front of the hole. I call out to them. ''''Mee, I''m sorry, but you need to get the torches ready. We''re about to run out of magical elements. ''Oh, yes, sir. ...... William, did you find out anything?'' ''Yeah. You can go down that hole as normal for now. About ten meters down is a narrow space like the bottom of a dry well, and there is a door beside it. There is no danger until you go through the door. ''...... As usual, Will''s almost foul, isn''t it ......''. In the event you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to find out more on the web. 63-Episode 62 We use a ladder to climb down the pit in the hut. We carefully descended in the order of Mee, Satsuki, me, and Cyril, based on our ability to fight traps and white soldiers... ''William. I''m sure you''ll be fine, but don''t look up, okay? These words fall from Cyril as I descend the ladder, before I''ve even started on it. ''...... Up? What''s that?'' Before I can think, I reflexively look up, and what jumps into my view is... ''Wait, ......? Cyril''s surprised voice. Oh shit, so that''s what happened. I hurriedly averted my gaze downward. The inside of Cyril''s robe, where he had just put his hands and feet on the ladder, was beautifully visible from below. Moreover, the light from the torch that Mee had thrown into the bottom of the pit was shining upwards, so it was rather obvious, even though it was dim. ''Sorry, sorry. I didn''t mean any harm.'' ''Ugh, ...... I know, I know. That was my mistake. Don''t worry about it.'' There''s a great deal of tension in a situation like this, but it was an accident. It''s unavoidable. I like to think so. And so, despite the accident, the four of us made it to the bottom of the pit. The pit itself is not very wide, so when we all stood at the bottom, it was like we were half crammed together. The pit itself is not very wide, so when we all stood at the bottom, it looked like we were half crammed in. ''It''s too narrow ...... or too hot! I''m not sure what to do. I''ll take it. It''s too dangerous for little Mee to be holding it! Don''t call me short! Don''t think that being tall makes you great! ''Hey, hey William, can''t you go a little further? Our bodies are so close together. ......'' ''That said... This one is in contact with Satsuki here: ......'' ''Oh, I don''t mind, you can come closer to me. I don''t mind. They were whispering to each other in a whisper, but it was not tense at all. If I were to be attacked in such a situation, I would be in for a world of hurt, but as far as I can tell, that is not going to happen, so there should be no problem. Before I went down this pit, I used a see-through spell in the cabin. I looked through the floor and saw what was underneath. What lay beneath the penetrated floor was a vast underground space. The size of the hut on the ground was very small compared to the vast underground space. There is a door on the wall next to the bottom of the pit where we are now, and the underground space exists beyond the door. The underground space is a large space with a height of about three meters from the ceiling to the floor, a width of about fifteen meters from the left and right walls to the wall, and a depth of more than twenty-five meters from the door to the front, according to a rough estimate when viewed from above. The reason why the width is more than 25 meters is because the see-through vision from inside the hut could only show that much due to the range of its effect. Strictly speaking, see-through is not a spell that allows you to see through obstacles, but a spell that allows you to ignore obstacles and see the space within the spell''s area of effect. The area of effect of this spell is 30 meters around the center of the magician. The effect is that you can''t see any further than that. On the other hand, there were dead bodies everywhere in the underground space. Most of them are dead animals, but there are also many dead bodies that appear to be human. Some were placed haphazardly, some were placed on straw, and some were piled up on the magic circle drawn on the ground. There are various types of corpses that seem to belong to humans, including men, women, children, adults, and the elderly. I also looked around the hut, but could not see Alice within the see-through effect. She is probably in the underground space, just beyond where I could not see her. I stayed close to Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril and told them about the situation that lay ahead. ''...... So there''s a good chance that Alice is just beyond this door. I shook my head at Satsuki''s reply. It''s possible that there''s an escape route beyond that and she''s already escaped, but considering the fact that this place is supposed to be a laboratory and the flip-up door of the hut''s pit was left open, I think that''s unlikely. ''Incidentally, the place right after you get out is probably out of range of any attack magic. It''s the same for us. If the enemy has a bow, that is a different story. ......'' The range of spells that can harm the enemy is about 30 meters at most. I can''t see through my current position, so I''m probably farther away than the range of offensive spells. In the event that she''s just 30 meters away, it''s going to be a contest between me and Alice in terms of the speed of our spell chanting, but I think I''m in control if that happens. I''ve been training in magic since I was at the academy, always with an eye on using spells in actual combat, so I''m sure I won''t lose to any of those masters in spell casting speed. And the only way to attack from a distance longer than 30 meters would be with a ranged weapon such as a bow and arrow, but it was hard to imagine Alice using a bow. And even if she had prepared an army of undead, undead are usually not dexterous enough to handle such complicated tools as bows and arrows. Anyway, I guess what we should do here is just go in as usual and deal with the situation as we see fit. ''Okay, let''s go, guys. I don''t have much magical energy left. I''m counting on you all to do your part. But...'' ''But... take it easy and save your lives, okay? Mee replies. I nod strongly at her. ''''That''s right. If it comes down to it, I''ll consider retreating. In that case, come back to this place as fast as you can. If you do, I''ll take care of the exit.'' ''Okay, sir. ''Okay! ''Yes, sir. After confirming the replies from all three of them, I gave the go-ahead to Mee to open the door. 64-Episode 63 Mee opened the door and we all rushed into the underground space. All of them immediately and reflexively held their mouths. ''Ugh, ......! It smells awful. ......'' ''Ugh, my nose is going to turn ......''. Not only Satsuki and Miy, but also Cyril, who covered his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, was coughing with tears in his eyes. The first thing that struck us as we jumped into the underground space was the strong smell of decay that filled the room. It was only natural, since there were dead bodies all over the place. Of course, I was no exception to the fact that I was affected by the smell. But I can''t stay in fear. Like Cyril, I covered my mouth with the sleeve of my robe and looked out into the distance. In the underground space, of course, there was a scene just as I had confirmed earlier through my see-through vision. There were many corpses, both human and animal, scattered about in the vast space. But there was something I hadn''t expected. The depth of the space was even farther than I had imagined. It was three times as deep as the thirty-meter point that I had confirmed through my see-through vision. It was a tremendously vast space. Dead bodies are scattered all the way to the back of the room, and the lights of the lamps placed at equal intervals on the left and right walls are illuminating them. And then, at the far end of the vast space. A woman wearing a robe stood there with a staff in her hand. The woman with long, wavy red hair must be Count Goldart''s court magician, Alice Flamelia. However, there was one strange thing. She was about ten meters in front of Alice, who looked much smaller in the distance. There is a wall that divides the space into the front and the back. Alice''s figure can be seen because there is a doorway in the middle of the wall. The entire wall that divides the two sides appears to glow red due to my sense magic. This means that there is some kind of magical power working on that wall. However, I don''t know what kind of magic is working there. I could find out by using the Analyze Magic spell, but I''d have to get closer to use this spell. However, getting close to that wall in this situation is a dangerous act in itself. It''s dangerous to be in the presence of something you don''t know what it is. But if we should do anything about it right away, it would be appropriate to hold off for the time being, considering how much magic element we have left. As I was thinking about this, the woman in my line of vision, Alice, raised her voice. ''Welcome, young adventurers. I hope you like my laboratory. In a slow, audible voice, she spoke up like a stage performer. It was as if he thought of this place as a stage of some kind. By the way, the distance between us is about a hundred meters by rough estimation, and we are not far enough away from each other for a spell to harm the other. And from this side, Satsuki and Cyril raised their voices and replied in the same way. ''Haha, that''s in bad taste. It''s disgusting. ''What kind of laboratory is this, desecrating the dead like this? You should be ashamed of yourself! Even though Alice could hear the anger in their voices, she replied in an amused tone. ''Hmmm, that hostility ...... doesn''t seem to have just wandered in by accident after all, does it? I think you''ve come to exterminate an evil sorcerer, future heroes. What''s wrong with you? Don''t be shy. I''ll add your corpses to the many corpses here. Alice said provocatively as she stood there calmly. It was a bad play. You can clearly feel that she wants you to jump towards her. I think we should assume that there is some kind of trick that activates when we approach. But on the other hand, there was a girl who was about to fall for that inept provocation. ''Fine. I''ll cut you open right now, so wash your head and wait for me. Satsuki drew her sword from her waist and was holding the spring as if she was about to jump out. ''Wait, Satsuki. ''Hyah! ...... What are you doing, Will? ''Calm down. It''s a trap. He grabbed Satsuki by the neck from behind and stopped her, telling her that her face was red and she was protesting. Mee and Cyril are shaking their heads in agreement. ''What, is that right ......? ''Of course it is. ''It''s crazy to fall for such a blatant provocation. Satsuki''s shoulders slumped as she came under heavy fire from Mee and Cyril, as usual. However, beside her, Cyril was looking ahead with a difficult expression. But even though we know it''s a trap, we can''t just stand here forever. But our attacks can''t reach them from this distance. I''m sure it''s the same for them. ......'' That''s the problem. Even if you know it''s a trap, if you don''t know what kind of trap it is, there''s nothing you can do. As a result, although it is not Satsuki, we are forced to consider the means of assaulting with all of us, preparing to be crushed. However, the most important thing is to avoid the situation where we are prepared to be destroyed and actually are. In that case, it would be better to retreat now. However, retreating here would mean that Alice would be set free after being made aware of our presence. That''s a situation we want to avoid as much as possible. ''...... is unavoidable. I''ll make a decision. I decide to use the spell, pushing my remaining magic element. The only thing I suspect now is the wall. And since that wall is blocking my view, I can''t see it, and I''m wondering what''s waiting for me beyond it. But if you use this spell now, there won''t be enough magic left to fire a single fireball. Whether this spell is worth it or not... No, you have to believe. I chanted the wizard eye spell and activated it. 65-Episode 64 ''Oh, did you cast a countermagic spell or something? That''s very noble of you. Alice says happily as she watches me recite the spell. Apparently, she is unaware of the existence of the ''eye'' I created with my wizard eye. It is obvious that Alice is not using the spell of sense magic, because she herself does not have any magical light in her body, so it makes sense that she would not be able to see the ''eye''. I move the transparent ''eye'' that appears at the same level as my own gaze towards Alice. The speed of the eye, which moves while floating in the air, is about the same as the speed of a person walking. In the oppressive air, the eye moves slowly. It would take more than a minute to reach that wall. I raise my voice to Alice, hoping to buy some time. ''You called us "young adventurers" earlier, but you must be about the same age. Doesn''t that hurt your conscience? Stop this kind of mischief. What you''re doing is an unforgivable crime, murder. I think I may have overacted a bit. But I chose the words that would hit Alice, the undead researcher, where it counts. And sure enough, Alice started laughing like a crazy person after hearing my words. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha! Conscience? Misdeed? Crime? That''s ridiculous! If you were a mage, you''d understand the beauty of research that pushes the world forward! No, I don''t. You''re a dropout who had to drop out of school to become an adventurer. While Alice was giving her lecture, the ''eye'' moved closer to her. ''May I? My research is groundbreaking! I''m doing something that no one at the Institute has been able to do because of bioethics and other nonsense! The life of a trashy bottom-feeder is nothing compared to the value of what we elites can achieve! I''m going to show those idiots who don''t understand that! I''ll show those idiots who don''t understand that, that achievement is much more valuable than the lives of those trash! While Alice was developing her unpleasant theory, the ''eye'' finally arrived in front of the wall. It passed through the entrance and went through to the other side of the wall. The scene on the other side of the wall made me doubt my eyes for a moment. To Alice''s left and right, hidden behind the ''wall'', stood a total of twenty zombies side by side. Ten on the right, ten on the left. And what was surprising was that they all had longbows in their hands. In addition, on their backs, they were carrying quivers containing many arrows. Normally, zombies and skeletons that a sorcerer can create by casting the spell "create undead" on a corpse cannot handle tools that require complicated operations, such as bows and arrows. In the first place, the create undead spell itself is a forbidden spell and should not be taught at the academy. ....... Even if you manage to get past that, it is impossible for you to use a bow and arrow. The same should be true for naturally occurring undead, and as far as I know, there are no examples of undead handling tools with such complex mechanisms in the past. In other words... what if this army of zombies can actually use the longbow in their hands? As far as I know, that would be a new ''achievement'' that Alice has created in this world that is not mentioned in any of the academy''s books. This is indeed astonishing. But ....... But in any case, this is what the trap she''s setting is all about. Her choice of this place as a place to experiment with her ''achievements'', and her intention to use us as the first and glorious victims, seems to be in line with what we have seen and heard of her so far. And if that''s the case... I''ll move the eye and charge the wall. And the eye passes through the wall and out the other side. That''s what I thought. The wizard''s eye does not have the ability to pass through walls. So this wall is an illusion without substance. There is a medium-level spell called Illusion, which can be used to create such an illusion of a wall. This is probably due to that spell. If so, then the enemy''s aim is obvious. By using this vast underground space, which is about a hundred meters in length, the enemy''s tactic would be to attack us at a distance where the spell can''t reach us but the bow and arrow can, in order to turn us into a one-sided hive. And indeed, it was a close call. If we had charged in carelessly, at least the first volley would have hit us cleanly as our defensive magic would not have been able to protect us in time, and there was no way that all of us would have been able to avoid all of the arrows. Depending on the accuracy of the shooting of the zombies she had prepared, some of them would have been seriously injured by the arrows that pierced their bodies or limbs, and if they were unlucky, some of them would have been killed instantly by the arrows that pierced their heads. It might have been me, or Satsuki, or Mee, or Cyril. A longbow is a large bow with a total length as long as a man''s body, and the arrows shot from its powerful string have a range of up to 300 meters when shot diagonally upward at a proper angle. Even in a place like this underground space where a large angle of fire is not possible, a range of about one hundred meters can be expected, and in that case, the range will be equal to the effective range, which is ''the distance at which it is possible to aim and hit''. It may be possible to shoot at our current position, but the problem is the accuracy of the shot, and above all, the intention is to avoid showing off while we are in a place where we can easily retreat. It is understandable as a tactic to lure the opponent to an irretrievable place and then try to beehive the opponent who has no way to escape. Now that we know what''s going on, we should take action. I''ll call Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, share the information, and tell them the plan to take. And I myself cast two more spells. One was a countermagic spell. This is a spell that increases resistance to magic, and if you use it in a crowded area like now, it will have an effect on all your allies. The effect is only temporary, but it consumes very little magic element, and if you have time to prepare, there is no reason not to use it when dealing with high-ranking sorcerers. And the other is, of course, ''that spell''. Judging from Alice''s behavior, she doesn''t think I can use it. It seems that my initial trickery has paid off. On the other hand, Cyril also used the miracle of Blessing, and tried to strengthen it while taking it easy. Well, now we have prepared as much as we can hope for. Now it''s time for the final battle. 66-Episode 65 ''Have you finished your strategy meeting, you cowardly adventurers? I''m tired of waiting for you to come and attack us. I want to finish this stupid fight as soon as possible and get back to my research.'''' Alice continued to provoke me. I ignore her and check with my friends. ''Do you all understand the plan? It''s no exaggeration to say that everything depends on Satsuki in this operation. I''m counting on you. ''Yeah, I''ll leave it to you. I''ll make sure I get you in one blow.'' Satsuki exhaled and seemed to be concentrating. She looked at Alice with quiet eyes, neither underestimating nor devouring her. If she looks like this, she''ll be fine. On the other hand, when I looked at Mee and Cyril, they also nodded at me with straight eyes. Their role is to act as insurance in case Satsuki fails, but neither of them seems to be taking that role lightly. They seem to be in perfect health. Satisfied with their condition, I looked at Alice in front of me and gave the order. ''Then let''s go. Three, two, one. ...... Go! With that call, I kicked the ground and started running toward Alice. Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee were chasing behind me. Satsuki and Mee, who were faster than me, slowed down their running speed to match mine. In other words, all of us were charging as one, as a team. It was a bit silly, but it wasn''t the time to worry about appearances. ''Oh, you''re finally ready to come. Now I''m going to make you fall prey to my magic. Alice says this in a theatrical but happy tone, and starts chanting a spell. How dare she? She has no intention of falling prey to magic. Normally, it is a fool''s errand to attack a sorcerer in a mass. The theory is to keep as much distance as possible from each other and attack in a scattered manner. There is of course a certain significance in ignoring this theory and attacking in this way. Because of the effects of the spell I used earlier, this form is preferable. And... When we had closed the distance to Alice to almost half, Alice finally finished chanting the spell and waved her staff. The spell she used, when we were still too far away for the attack spell to reach her, was... ''Dispel! With Alice''s voice, the ''wall'' that had been dividing the space disappeared as if it were shattering with a momentary glow. And then, on the other side of the wall that disappeared, a flock of zombies with longbows appeared side by side, a total of twenty of them. Well, that''s what''s coming. With the wall in place, the zombies won''t be able to see us. In order for them to shoot at us, we need to get rid of that ''wall''. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha! You''re stuck, you stupid adventurers! Let''s shoot them all at once! Shoot those fools dead with a rain of arrows! The zombies, who were already waiting in their arrow-slinging forms, quickly drew their bows and aimed them at us. ''''That''s ridiculous ......! How can the undead use a bow and arrow? ......! d*mn it, we''ll just have to go through it ......! That''s my line. I''ve prepared this line in advance, but it''s a little too obvious for my taste. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha! There''s no way I can make it in time, you idiot! Let go of me! Alice waved her wand in delight. At the same time, the arrows were released from the bows of the zombies. With a bang, bang sound of strings bouncing, the arrows flew at high speed. They flew towards us like a stampede... All of them deflected off to the side in the space in front of us. The arrows that had unnaturally changed their trajectory flew backwards, unnaturally dodging our group. ''''Is ......?'''' Alice looked dumbfounded, still wielding her wand. At that moment, a shadow came from behind me, overtaking me at breakneck speed. It was Satsuki. ''I''m counting on you, Satsuki! ''Alright, I''m on it! Satsuki increased her speed and started to run at her natural speed, but she quickly overtook me. ''Hey, hey, what''s going on ......? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on, but I''m not sure you''ll be able to. Alice is flustered. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. And after her, the fast-footed Mee chased after her, and then me and Cyril chased after her. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Alice looks completely flustered and unsure of her next move. You''re right. No one is more prone to collapse when things don''t go according to plan than a researcher-like mage. And it''s that hesitation that kills. In actual warfare, quick and flexible judgment of the situation and decision-making are the decisive factors when the time comes. A person who is usually engaged in static research cannot make quick and accurate decisions like an adventurer who is always engaged in dynamic activities. It was the effect of my missile deflection spell that deflected the arrows fired by the zombies. The other spell I used immediately after the wizard eye reconnaissance was this one. The reason we all attacked as one is because the effect of this spell is on the area around the wizard, which is me. And that''s all I have to do. Now it was up to Satsuki, who had been entrusted with the role of attacker. I saw that Satsuki had quickly rushed close to Alice. This was the speed of Satsuki, who had much higher leg strength than normal people due to her aura. Alice finally realized what she should do, and seemed to have started chanting in a hurry, but... ''Fire...'' ''Too late! Satsuki plunged like an arrow into Alice''s chest. The two of them stopped moving. Both of them stopped moving. Next, Alice''s wand was removed from her hand, and she fell to the ground with a thud. Satsuki stepped back and pulled out her sword, and Alice''s body collapsed. It was a dull moment at the end, but it seemed that the game had been decided. ''...... Cutting down a person is not a good feeling at all. I''m not going to let them create any more people like Philia. ......'' Satsuki''s murmur echoed quietly in the silent room. 67-Chapter 66 (Part I Epilogue) The zombie archers did not make any aggressive moves without Alice''s orders. And when Cyril performed the miracle of the Turn Undead, all of them collapsed at once into motionless corpses. All that remained was Alice, lying on the ground, bleeding to the point where there was no hope of survival. As I stood in front of her, the beautiful wizard looked up at me from the ground with hatred. ''You tricked me. ...... A mage with missile deflections can''t possibly have a single magic missile. ...... And how did you see through my trap? ......?'' ''You''ve been using them. It''s a wizard eye spell.'' ''No ...... way, you''re a wizard ......! How can you be such an adventurer ......? ''I''m tired of hearing that question. Freedom of choice.'' ''......I see, so you''re a weirdo. ......I thought I was most of the time, but there are all kinds of people in the world. ......But ......'' Alice, with the last ounce of strength she could muster, took a sheaf of papers from her pocket and held them out to me. The edges of the paper were wet with blood, but the inside of the paper, where the words were supposed to be written, was still legible. ''If you are also a wizard, you will understand the value of my research. ......? Now, take this to the academy and publish it. Spread the word about my work. This research is filled with the lives of those who sacrificed their lives. ''......! You''re just talking out of your ass, ......! Satsuki, who was listening nearby, approached the dying Alice and grabbed her by the chest, but I put my hand on Satsuki''s shoulder and shook my head. I put my hand on Satsuki''s shoulder and shook my head. Then I accepted the bundle of papers Alice held out to me. ''Oh, hey, Will. ......! What are you ......''? ''Yes, that''s it! Now take that to the academy! And the name of this genius, Alice Flamelia, will be etched forever in the history of necromantic research! While Satsuki was confused and Alice was frantic, I... I walked to the wall with the bundle of papers and lit it with the flame from the lamp that was there. ''What''s ......? Alice was stunned. While she was doing this, the fire on the bundle of papers gained momentum and began to burn. ''You idiot! What kind of idiot are you? Aaah, aaah, ......! Alice crawled frantically towards me with such force that I wondered where she had the strength left. But her persistence didn''t bear fruit, and before she could reach me, the bundle of papers burned to ashes. ''Oh, oh, oh, ...... my, my life is ......''. Alice looked up at the fluttering ashes and wept. I say a few words of encouragement to her, as if the light of her life had already run out. ''Your research may indeed have brought about a breakthrough. But I don''t see the good in it, and I''m not going to help you with your dream. It''s my will, it''s my justice. ''You, you bastard, ......! I''m going to hate you, I''m going to curse you, I''m going to kill you. ...... ohhhhh ......! With that scream, Alice and Kotori lost their power and fell apart. Afterwards, Cyril prayed a simple prayer over the corpse and consecrated it. This way, Alice''s grudge would not come back as a ghost. I looked over at the three girls and said. ''Let''s go home. I need to talk to Irene about what to do after this. With that, I left without waiting for the girls to follow me. Then Cyril came running up beside me and poked me with his elbow. ''You look like you''re really upset. Why don''t you have a drink with me and tell me what''s on your mind later. I can at least listen to you.'' Those were words of concern to me. I heard it and took a deep breath. ''...... No, it''s my internal problem, and it''s something I haven''t fully digested. I''m not at a point where I can talk about it. But Cyril sighs loudly, as if in disgust. ''That''s why. I''m getting to know you better and better. ...... Maybe you''re even more stupid than I thought. You should rely on others a little more. Don''t try to take it all on yourself. ''............'' He lectured me. Reminds me of my mother when I was a child. ''...... Okay, I''ll think about it.'' ''Hmm, good.'' ...... Why do you do that? ''...... I''m not sure that''s a good idea.'' ''Oh, you''re always doing that to Mee, aren''t you? How do you feel?'' ''It''s complicated. ''Of course it is. It''s complicated.'' I felt so embarrassed that I had to remove her hand, but Cyril still smiled and followed beside me. I''m sorry. ''Welcome back! I knew Will and the others would be fine, but I''m glad you''re okay. How did it go? When I returned to the city, Irene greeted me with these words. I explained the whole story to Irene, for what it''s worth. Eileen listened to me, and at last her face became ashen. Then she turned to me and said. ''Good work, Will. I''m sorry you had to go through that. I''ll take care of everything afterwards, so just get some rest. ''Yeah, ......? You sure you don''t want me to help you? After all, Irene doesn''t like brain work. I thought it would be best to at least give her some support, but... ''You know, Will. You''re looking pretty terrible right now, you know that? Don''t worry about me, worry about yourself. Go back to your lodgings and get some rest. That''s an order from your employer. Irene put her hands on her hips and said in an authoritative tone. Oh my god, Eileen''s worried about me too. ''...... Okay, I''ll do that. You''re right, I''m a little tired. It seems I''m not doing so well right now. I took Irene''s advice and decided to rest at the inn that day. We went to a tavern and started drinking, even though it was not yet evening. I revealed my innermost thoughts to Cyril there and then. I wondered what my father would have done with Alice''s research if he had been there. Or if I hadn''t known Filia and had been friends with Alice, what would I have done? Was what I did right? Was it right or wrong? I told Cyril these useless stories, pouring them out from within. There was no answer. Cyril didn''t have an answer either. But Cyril did not deny my thoughts, but listened quietly and accepted them. When I commented that I felt like a follower of the Goddess of Mercy, she replied, ''Only for now. There was one more thing that she said that left a deep impression on me. She listened to all of my inner thoughts and said. ''It seems irreverent to me to judge whether your decision was right or wrong. I think it''s very difficult to talk about the pros and cons of it. But if there''s one thing I can say, it''s that I support your decision. So now you and I are accomplices. Cyril smiled wickedly and held out the little finger of his right hand. In my drunken momentum, I also held out my right pinky finger and performed a mysterious finger cutting with her. As I looked at my cut finger, I muttered to myself. ''...... Can I have one too? ''Hmm, what is it? ''For the first time in my life, I think I understand what it''s like to be drowned by a woman. When I said this, Cyril paused once and then began to chuckle. ''I''m flattered. Would you like to try drowning in it? ''...... No, thank you. I''m not sure I can come back.'' ''Oh, you''re so reasonable. One more word and I would have drowned for sure.'' ''...... You look like a very scary witch to me now. I don''t think you''re a Holy Order.'' My comment seemed to hit the spot, and Cyril began to chuckle in earnest. Meanwhile, across the table, Satsuki and Mee were happily joking with each other. Seeing this, I felt a little relieved. I was a little worried about Satsuki''s mental health, but thanks to Mi, she seems to be okay. I suddenly think. I wonder if Cyril and Mee are the true leaders of this party. They work in the shadows, so they don''t stand out, but it''s because of them that everything seems to be coming together so well. No, that''s not it. It''s not just them. Everyone is supporting everyone else. Even Satsuki seems to be uninhibited, but her cheerfulness and openness seems to be giving us all a sense of well-being. It''s hard to imagine the party without Satsuki, and what I can somehow imagine is a less relaxed and more formal look than the current party. With these thoughts in mind, I ate and drank. When it became late, Irene, who had finished her post-processing, joined the party, and things got rowdy. And that''s when my consciousness was caught up in a whirlpool of confusion. That''s how my last adventure as an F-ranked adventurer came to an end. In the midst of all this, what I felt was... Being an adventurer is hard work, but it''s fun. 68-Episode 67 The city of Atratia. This is the city where our party - William, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril - is based for the time being. It''s a medium-sized city, with a population of around six thousand. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk from the west gate to the east gate, and in the middle of the city is the central plaza, which functions as a marketplace, and near the plaza are the trading houses of large merchants and the political center. This is a very common structure of a city. Near the east gate of the city of Atratia, there is an inn called the ''Sleeping Fawn Pavilion'' in the corner of the common district. This inn also runs a restaurant and tavern in the same building, with a dining room on the first floor and a series of inn rooms on the second floor. It was breakfast time. The four of us were now seated at a table for four in the dining room on the first floor of the Sleeping Fawn Pavilion. ''So... I heard you found a quest, what''s it about this time? The one who asked this was Satsuki, who had just finished her morning training and was sweating in her seat. She has black hair in a ponytail and wears a kimono hakama, a garment unique to the Eastern lands. Her sky-blue costume and the gently curved sword at her waist are her trademark as a samurai. As usual, Satsuki puts her hands inside her kimono and wipes off her sweat with the cloth in public, which is very annoying to see in combination with her attractive appearance. I don''t think it''s a good thing that she wears a white cloth called "Sarashi" around her chest. ....... I''m not sure if I should say that her crassness is part of her charm or not, but I''ve decided to leave her alone since it''s obvious that she won''t fix it even if I warn her. However, there was someone who dared to warn her about this point. ''...... Hey Satsuki, I''ve been wondering for a while, is that your way of appealing to William for s*x? I think it''s a bit too much of a joke. The one who gave Satsuki such a hard time was the Holy Order''s Cyril. He has platinum blonde semi-short hair and amethyst eyes that are filled with wisdom. The imbalance between her slightly mature expression and her still-girlish looks gives her a dangerous charm. Another of her physical characteristics is the size of her breasts, which are pushed up far above her white priestly robe. The appearance of her breasts is so powerful that even those who are not particularly fond of large breasts are attracted to them. As you can see from her remarks, she is a much more sensible person than Satsuki. But because she is a sensible person, she is also a friend of mine in that she is troubled by Satsuki''s unrestrained behavior. As expected, Satsuki looked puzzled and asked Cyril back. ''Heck, ...... what? What''s that? What''s that? It sounds s*xy. ''...... Okay, I get it, you''re a natural. And you''re almost right. I asked you if you thought you were making yourself s*xually attractive to William with your erotic appearance. ''What? What do you mean by erotic appearance, ......? Satsuki said and turned her gaze downward, toward her breasts. There, she had her kimono breasts undone and was holding a sweat-wiping cloth in her hand. ''What ...... is that? ...... Is it possible that I''m in trouble as a woman ......? I''m not sure what to do. ''Ah ...... ah ......''. Satsuki''s face turned bright red when she saw my eyes in front of her. Then she sank down under the table to hide, as if steam was blowing from her head. ''...... Haha. As usual, Satsuki''s natural ability is astounding. But I think William is also quite unfazed by it. The one who said that and glanced at me was the beastman girl Mee. She is the smallest of the three girls, with an appearance reminiscent of a child who has just started elementary school. She has short-cut reddish-brown hair with a slight outward bounce, and red eyes of a subdued shade. On her head, two adorable cat ears are sticking out from between her hair, and they are popping up and down. This, combined with the double teeth protruding from her mouth and the short sleeves and hem of her bandit-like clothing, gave the petite girl a mascot-like cuteness all over her body. However, she was also an adult and an adventurer. Her words and actions are sensible, and she often rebukes Satsuki. Nevertheless, her current words did not hit the nail on the head. I poked the salad on my breakfast plate next to the fried egg with my fork, chewed it thoroughly and swallowed it before I spoke back to Mee. ''No, it''s not that I''m not upset. I''ve always wanted you to stop doing that because it''s poisonous to my eyes. ''What, poison? My s*xy outfit is poisonous? Satsuki came out from under the table where she was hiding and appealed to me with a tearful face. She seems to have misunderstood the meaning of my words, but I think it''s better if she does, so I let her go. ''Oh, I''m sorry to see that. I don''t think it''s a good idea to expose yourself like that in public. ''Hgh! ......! Oh my god! Will called me poison! That''s awful! Satsuki was crying in a bar in the early morning. Then, a man who looked like an adventurer, who was eating at a table nearby, called out to her. ''Hey, would you like to come to my party, little girl? If you''re a pretty girl like you, you''re welcome, even if you''re a beginner. But when Satsuki heard the man''s words, she stopped crying and said, ''Shut up, you idiot! It makes me sick to be treated like a woman by you guys. and stuck out her tongue at the man. The adventurer-like man, who failed in his attempt to recruit and pick up the girl, clucked his tongue and went back to his meal. Satsuki, on the other hand, sat back down as if nothing had happened from the beginning. ''Well, what were we talking about then? As usual, she recovered unusually quickly. I responded to her comment, thinking about it with hatred. ''What kind of quest did you find this time, Satsuki asked? ''Oh, yes, that''s it! ''The quest I''ve found is to exterminate orcs. It''s the most common D-rank quest. It''s like the E rank version of goblin extermination. It was Mee who answered. Incidentally, it was usually early in the morning when we went to the Adventurer''s Guild to look for quests, and since Satsuki had morning training and no particular desire to join us in choosing quests, it was basically me, Mee, and Cyril who chose the quests. Since Satsuki doesn''t complain about it later, and it is desirable for the whole party that Satsuki''s strength improves, this has become the basic stance of our party. Recently, Satsuki seems to be training harder than when I first met her. Although she seems to be unconcerned when we''re together, her expression in the training scene I caught a glimpse of was very serious, and she seemed to be pushing herself very hard. And apparently she was embarrassed to be seen as working hard, because once I saw her training and said to her, ''You''re working hard, ''...... I don''t think I can catch up with you unless I do at least this much. That''s all. Wiping the sweat from his forehead like a waterfall, he replied with a slightly stained cheek. After all, her defeat in the battle against Irene seemed to have ignited her fighting spirit. After the battle with Count Goldart and the court magician Alice, I accompanied her to the royal capital and then parted ways with Irene, the princess of this country and my childhood friend. She returned to her role as a princess or a knight, and we received our rewards and returned to our daily lives as adventurers. And today, about a week later, is the day. After a good rest, today was the day we would make a fresh start as a party of E rank adventurers. Meanwhile, Satsuki heard from Mee that they were going to kill orcs, ''Oh, Orc slaying. That kind of quest is easy to understand, you just have to kill all the enemies. I was suddenly very motivated and pounded my fist against my palm. But we had no idea what we were getting into. But at that time, we didn''t expect to see such a scene at the Orc''s roost where we were headed. ....... 69-Episode 68 We went to the adventurer''s guild in the city of Atratia and confirmed the order for the quest. We then headed for the village that had asked us to kill the orcs. At the village, we were told of a cave where Orcs lurk, and we headed there immediately. We walked for a while through a dense forest, but the sun was still shining through the trees, and eventually the trees became sparse and we saw a cave gaping in the bottom of a steep cliff. It was around mid-afternoon. In front of the entrance to the cave, under the brilliant rays of the gentle sun... ''What is that? Is that orc sleeping? ''...... Probably not. I''m sure it''s ...... dead.'' In front of the cave, an orc - a hulking subhuman monster with a pig-like head - was lying on its side. From a distance, Mee described it as dead. As they approached the entrance to the cave, they saw that the orc on the ground was indeed a corpse. The neck, heart and eyes had been pierced with some kind of blade, and the body was bleeding from there. ''He was pierced in all the vital points with a slender sword or something. It could be the work of a very skilled person, or...'''' That''s what Cyril said, and he looked at me. I felt that she was probably thinking the same thing as me, so I nodded. ''Ah. There''s a good chance that you''ll have these wounds if you''ve been incapacitated by a sleep spell or something. ''And judging from the way the blood dried, I don''t think it''s been that long since he died. There might be someone else in this cave.'''' Mee added after taking a closer look at the orc''s corpse. In other words, there is someone who killed the orc guards and entered the cave before we came. And judging from the timing, there is a good chance that someone is still in the cave. For a moment, I wondered if I had received the same quest as another adventurer by some mistake, but the villagers I spoke to didn''t seem to think so, and I doubt that''s the case. If there was a request from another village, it might be possible. ''Mee, please be on the lookout and prepare the lights just in case. Yes, sir. William has wizard''s eyes, right? ''Yes, that''s correct. It''s about time he knew what we were up to. ''We''ve been on a lot of adventures together, haven''t we? I nodded my head as she gave me a bright smile. I''m sure this is the result of the magical power of fascination that this girl Mi possesses. As I look at her, I cast the Wizard Eye spell. Then, I created an invisible ''eye'' in the air in front of me, and slowly advanced it into the cave. Since the Orcs at the entrance had been killed, it was highly likely that the ''visitor'' was an enemy of the Orcs. However, an enemy of an enemy is not necessarily a friend, and even if it is not the case, if you enter a place where the situation is confused, you may get caught up in an unexpected situation. Therefore, it is advisable to acquire as much information as possible before entering the cave, risking your own safety. We move our ''eyes'' into the cave. The cave is covered with earthen walls, and the tunnel is quite spacious in both width and height, as if it was chosen by giant Orcs as a roost. And so, after the ''eye'' had walked through the cave for a while... ''Three dead orcs in the hall. ...... Now there are traces of a battle. ...... And ......'' He mumbles about what he saw with his ''eyes'', including the purpose of passing the information on to his companions. ''This orc corpse doesn''t look like it was pierced only in the vital points. There are arrows lodged here and there, as well as numerous other puncture wounds. He probably had to fight a muddy battle, unlike when he killed the Orc guards in front of the cave. And as proof... ''...... There is another non-orc corpse. It''s hard to tell because the head is crushed, but it''s probably the corpse of an elf. ''An elf? Cyril, who picked up on my mumbling, asks me in return. I switch my vision from ''eyes'' to my own and nod towards Cyril. ''Ah. I can''t be sure because the head was not intact, but it must be because I saw a skinny humanoid with long pointed ears. It was probably a clubbing blow to the head. ''Doesn''t sound like a sight you want to witness. Is that the only body that looks like an elf?'' ''Yes. But the cave still goes on. I''ll continue on.'' I turn my sight back to my eyes and follow them to the passage at the end of the hall. I enter the passage at the end of the hall, and after a while... Soon my vision caught sight of the scene. ''...... This is not good. I brought my vision back to my own and refocused my wizard eye. Then, as I was about to step into the cave, I realized that I was about to go ahead without the approval of my companions. ''Not good, what? Are there any Orcs that look really strong? At Satsuki''s words, I shook my head. ''No, it''s true that I saw a figure that looked like a higher species of orc, but what''s more problematic is the situation of the elves there. ''The elves? There is a group of elves in the back here? Mee shook her head at that question. ''Yes. But two of them were seriously injured in a trap, and the rest are in a desperate situation, attacked by many Orcs. I don''t know if I can get there in time, but I don''t want to leave those elves behind if I can help it. I suppressed my urgency and told my three friends what I had seen and my thoughts. Then Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril... ''Heh, that''s nice. That''s my Will! Of course I''ll ride with you. ''Since you''re William, you''re not planning to push yourself, are you? Then I''m with you. ''I like that about you. If it''s a time-sensitive situation, let''s hurry. All three of them agreed with my idea, and we immediately entered the cave. When I told Satsuki, ''I''ve told you many times, I''m not yours,'' she showed her disappointed face. I wonder if it''s a good idea to try to create an established fact in the heat of the moment. 70-CHAPTER VIIX I was careless, that''s all I can say. I felt that it was my responsibility as the commander of the troops, but at the same time, I was disgusted with myself for not being able to accept the reality of the situation, which only made me more frustrated. ''LeFania! What are you going to do, we''ll be annihilated if this continues! ''I know, I know! That''s why I''m thinking now! ''There''s no time to think! You''ll know it when you see it! ''Shut up! I can''t think straight, so shut up! Radd, the second-in-command of the squad, is urging me to make a decision quickly. I know, I know. I know that. But the more I rush to make a decision, the more I can''t think straight. I''m the leader of the Elven Warriors and I''ve come to this cave with five Elven warriors to kill the orcs. I, LeFania, was appointed leader of the warriors because I was the most outstanding warrior among the elves of our village. There are less than a hundred elves living in our village. We had been living peacefully in our village in the middle of a rich forest, but recently something strange began to happen. Orcs. The elves of the village began to see more and more Orcs in the neighborhood, and finally they began to cause substantial damage. Elves who went out of the village were attacked by a group of Orcs and escaped with their lives, and another Elf was found dead, presumably at the hands of Orcs. There was also an elf who went missing outside the village at the same time, and it is believed that this was also the work of Orcs. It was a female elf, and when I imagined the ecology of Orcs, who are said to reproduce by attacking and impregnating other races, I felt myself trembling with horror and anger as a woman. Orcs are a threat with terrifying physical strength, but they are also slow and stupid. With the agility and magical power of our elven warriors, it would not be difficult for us to surpass them in overall strength, even though our arm strength and vitality were far different. However, not all elves in our village have the skill to fight. Even though they are not as much of a threat to us warriors as they should be, they are nothing more than a threat to the amateur fighters. Therefore, the elders of the village decided to gather those of us who were skilled warriors and strike at the Orc''s roost. I was designated as the leader of this group and we arrived at this cave. Up to the point of defeating the orcs guarding the entrance, it was an easy job. After successfully putting him to sleep with a sleep spell that several of us, including myself, set up at the same time, we sneaked up on him and killed him by piercing his vital points at once with the rapier in our hands. I was surprised that he still tried to rage even though he was pierced in several vital points at once, but even so, nothing serious happened and the orc on guard was soon dead. Now that I think about it, it might have been a bad thing that this went too well. We had gotten carried away and mistakenly thought that defeating the orcs would be an easy job. We were so careless that we had no excuse if we were accused of being lulled into a state of peace by the long period of tranquility in our lives. As we walked through the cave, we came to a room where three Orcs were waiting for us. We leapt into the room and, like the guards before us, planned to use the Sleep spell to wipe them out. However, only one of the three slept. The remaining two attacked us, and we became flustered. Even though the Orcs were slow, their strength and vitality were tremendous, and they did not falter even after we repeatedly pierced them with our rapiers and bows and arrows. On the other hand, even a direct hit from an Orc''s attack would be fatal. In terms of attack power and durability, we were at a disadvantage. It was also significant that the elves could not make the most of their agility in the narrow cave. The cave, a space with few escape routes, was a field for the Orcs. Finally, one of his companions, unable to respond to the unexpected movements of the rampaging Orcs, took a direct hit to the head with a club and died instantly. That was the only casualty of the battle. By the time we had managed to kill the Orcs after many attacks, we were all out of breath. Still, it would have been better if we had retreated at this stage. However, my blood was boiling and I decided to wipe out the Orcs in this cave, thinking that the deaths of my companions would be in vain if I left. My fellow warriors generally agreed with my decision, and although there were some who disagreed, in the end they reluctantly agreed with me. The result is the mess we''re in now. I''ve heard that there is a higher species of Orcs with more wisdom. But I may have subconsciously dismissed the possibility of encountering them here. I can only say that we were foolish because of the blood in our heads. As a result, we fell into a trap in the room we were lured into. We were driven into a cul-de-sac and surrounded by many Orcs. Two of my companions fell into the pit that had been set in the room we were trapped in. Now they are at the bottom of the pit, one moaning in pain, the other unconscious and in a critical condition. At the bottom of the pit were a number of sharp rocks, one of which struck him on the back and the other struck him hard on the head. On the other hand, there were three of us, including myself, who could move. All of them were trapped in an impasse in the room, and orcs were closing in on us from the only passage. There were five of them in all. There was nothing we could do but retreat and fight. But even one on one is no easy task with this many of them. And besides... ''Aaahhh! ''Radd! If you use a magic missile, you can''t even avoid it. A single of the Orcs, an individual with a tin staff who seems to be the leader of the group and a higher species, unleashed a magic missile spell along with a chant of incantation. A single arrow of light pierced Rudd''s abdomen at high speed, and the flesh in that area was gouged out as if it were going to burst. A serious wound. He won''t be able to fight anymore. ''Aaaaah! Don''t come! When he heard the scream and looked towards his other companion, he saw two Orcs rushing towards him. ''Calphos! d*mn it ......!'' But I can''t afford to go help him either. Another two Orcs were coming at me as I stood by the fallen Lad. And behind them, a spellcasting Orc who seemed to be the leader was starting to chant his next spell. ''You ......! I stood up and held my rapier in my hand. Two of the Orcs'' gargantuan bodies came at me with an intimidating rush. But if it''s just those two, my agility and swordsmanship should be able to keep up with them. The problem is the spellcasting orc behind them. If I don''t do something to kill them, I''ll end up getting shot out one by one with magic missiles. Then there''s only one tactic to take. ''I''m going to go through there! I started running towards the ''middle'' of the two Orcs that were closing in on me. I put my aura into my legs and kick the ground hard. Now is not the time to be dealing with small fry. Even if it''s a little risky, I have to get past them and get to the spellcaster in the back... ''Haha, ......! But then... I felt a powerful shock in my abdomen, as if I''d been hit with a hammer. ''Gah! Gah! ......! Ah,......''. I dropped to my knees in front of the two Orcs and dropped my rapier. I saw one of the two Orcs, the one on the left, slowly draw back its fist as I tried to pass between them. It was apparently a fist that had been driven into my abdomen. The orc then grabbed me by the chest and lifted me up, suspending me in midair. ''G,ugh,......, that''s too fast,......, no way,......, you''re one of the top,......, species! I''m sorry. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The orc carelessly threw away the club he was holding in his other hand. Then with his free hand, he ran his hand over my clothes. ''What are you ...... doing? Bili, bili! The orc tore off the clothes I was wearing without hesitation. ''No ......, stop it, ......! You''re going to humiliate me. ......! I thought I was aware of orc biology. But I didn''t expect to see them in this situation. ....... But it seemed that my prediction was correct. The orc brought his large hands to my torn body... And that''s when I tried to close my eyes in horror and resignation. ''Lightning Bolt! With the voice of an unfamiliar, fearless man, a flash of lightning flashed across his vision. At the same time, a roaring sound deafened me. ''Ehh ......''. It was a lightning bolt. A blinding flash of lightning pierced the head of the Orc that was grabbing me, burning and melting it. The orc, its head melted to mush, let go of me and fell with a loud thud beside me as I was dropped to the ground. I fell on my butt and saw an even more amazing sight. The spellcasting Orc had also been burned by the lightning, and was lying on the ground. And standing in the passage ahead, a man with a staff raised. It seemed to be a man. He was rather tall and wore a dark green robe of the kind often worn by human sorcerers. He seemed to be about halfway between a boy and a young man, and although he looked a little stern, his face was well formed. His brown hair and eyes were not distinctive, but for some reason, they seemed to sparkle and shine to me now. And from beside the human man, three girls were running out. They looked like a human, a human, and a beastman. The girls began to attack the Orcs who were in a hurry. They coordinated precisely and took away the life force of the Orcs one after another. In particular, the girl in the strange sky-blue costume had tremendous fighting power, and although she received support from the sorcerer man, she almost single-handedly took out the two Orcs in no time at all. The other two girls also helped her to finish off the orcs, and even then, all of the orcs that had been such a threat had been killed off. One of the girls, who looked like a priest in white robes, ran up to Radd and performed a miracle of healing. Another, a small girl who looked like a beastman, took a rope from her pack and lowered it into the pit. Meanwhile, a man who looked like a sorcerer walked up to me, took out a blanket from his pack and draped it over me. ''Are you all right? The man''s face was not very expressive, to say the least. Yet, for some reason, I felt that it was something that made me feel safe. 71-Episode 70 We made it just in time, I guess you could say. As we hurried through the cave, we had succeeded in eradicating a group of Orcs that were ahead of us. The Lightning Bolt spell I had cast had pierced two Orcs that seemed to be of a higher species with a straight line of lightning, and the remaining Orcs of the normal species had been destroyed, led by Satsuki. Since there were no diverging paths in this cave, it was safe to say that the defeat of the orcs was complete. As for the rescue of the elves, I think it can be evaluated that we managed to save them before they were wiped out. I drape a blanket over the half-naked elf girl crouched in front of me, then call out to her. ''Are you alright? ''Yeah, yeah, thanks ....... But my friends are more ...... than me.'' The elven girl blushed and said that she was worried about her friends. She seems to be the leader of the elven band. She is slender and beautiful as an elf. She looks to be about the same age as Satsuki and Cyril, or even younger, but since she is an elf, we cannot be sure of her actual age. Her fluffy, sky-blue hair is swept back, and her eyes of the same color are looking at me as if they were in a fever. ''The wounded are being treated by my companions. She''s a good Priestess (Holy Order). Leave her to me and she''ll be fine.'' As I say this to the girl in front of me, Cyril, who was nearby performing a healing miracle on another elf, interrupts me. ''It''s nice that you trust me, but there''s a limit to what I can do. Please don''t expect too much from me. Also, although he''s not seriously injured, he''s still injured, so don''t push him too hard. I''ll treat the more dangerous patients and then come back to you.'' Yes, sir. That''s right. Take it easy and stay put for a while.'' I point the second half at the elf girl and she shakes her head. Then she squeezed the blanket around her, looked up at me, and asked me a question. ''Who are you people? Why are you here ......?'' ''We''re adventurers. We''ve been asked by a nearby village to exterminate the orcs that live in this cave. Who are you?'' ''We are warriors from an elven settlement near here. ...... Though we''re warriors, we''re still like this. Because of my incompetence as a commander, ....... Maybe I should have just become the orc''s plaything. That would have been a good punishment. The girl turned her head and smiled thinly, as if mocking herself. Her eyes were shaking as if she was about to start crying. Her eyes were shaking as if she was about to start crying. I thought about giving her a lecture because of the mess she was making, but I didn''t think she would accept that. I thought about it for a while and then kneeled down in front of her. ''I''ll be a little respectful. It may be uncomfortable for you to do this to a stranger you''ve never met before, but...'' I say no and put my arm behind the elf girl''s back, cradling her head. The girl''s forehead hit my chest. ''What ......? ''You''re desperate now. You need to calm down a little. When I was a child, my mother used to do this to me and it calmed me down, so I tried to copy her. If it makes you uncomfortable, let me know. When I said this, the girl shook her head. Apparently, she was not uncomfortable. But... ''......? What''s wrong? Satsuki, who was standing nearby, Cyril, who was healing her, and even Mee, who was helping her, were all looking at me in a stunned way. Satsuki opened her mouth. ''...... Hey, Will. ''What is it, Satsuki? ''I want you to do that for me too ...... later.'' ''Why? Satsuki is calm enough.'' ''I''m not calm. My heart is pounding.'' ''...... I see. Let''s talk about it another time. Since Satsuki''s request did not seem urgent, he decided to avoid it for now. 72-Episode 71 ''...... I''m sorry for making you look uncomfortable. I''m a little calmer now.'' A few moments later, the elf girl left me. The girl''s cheeks were dyed, and her long, pointed elf ears were bright red. ''No, it''s fine. We all have our moments of weakness. I was just comforted by her the other day. When I pointed to Cyril, who had finished healing the elf girl, the priestess also blushed in embarrassment, ''Hey. Even if it''s true, the way you say it. Even if it''s true, the way you say it... you''ll be misunderstood. I''m sorry,'' she scolded me softly. ''M......, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do that. I''m sure you did. You really can''t help it. ''...... I don''t think it''s something that needs to be said that much.'' ''You''re just like Satsuki, you have a natural side. You should be a little more aware.'''' Cyril then stood in front of me and poked my forehead with his fingertip. I was a little confused, but I didn''t have any objections, so I accepted her point of view. On a side note, I have the feeling that Cyril''s attitude towards me has slightly changed since that day when I fought Alice, the court magician attached to Count Goldart. It''s not quite the same as looking up to me, but there are times when he speaks to me from a slightly protective standpoint. I''m not sure if he thinks I''m like a child. ...... Well, I can''t deny that there is a part of me that can''t be denied, and I don''t mind that Cyril is not unpleasant because I feel a certain maternal quality about him. However, she immediately shook her head, stood up with her blanket over her head, and bowed to me. ''Again, thank you very much. You saved my life. If it weren''t for you, we would have all been killed and beaten by the Orcs. How can I ever thank you? ''No, it was just something we did on the way. You will be paid separately for killing the orcs. Don''t worry about it. ''I don''t think so. I don''t want the elves to think I''m ungrateful. I''d like to return the favor if I can. If you don''t mind, would you like to come to our village? As the elven girl took my hand, I looked at my companions, wondering what to do. Then Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril said, I don''t know. I''ve never seen an elf village before and I''d like to go there. ''Mee agrees with you. We''ll take what we can get. ''I agree. I think we need to report the end of the Orc extermination first, but after that, if it''s okay with you, we''d like to pay a visit. All three of them seemed to be in favor of it. If that''s the case, I can''t say no either. ''All right. Then I''ll take you up on your offer. ''Good. The whole community will welcome you. The Elven girl replied to my answer with a fragile smile. I looked at her and decided that if she had recovered her mental state to this extent, she would be fine, so I decided to do what I had planned to do first. ''By the way, there''s something I want to tell you. ''Uh, yeah, ...... what?'' The elf girl looks puzzled, and I state my thoughts to her. ''You said earlier that you should have been the orc''s consoler, but I don''t admire that. It is good that you feel a strong sense of responsibility, but you should not use it as an excuse for self-mutilation. If you feel responsible, you should reflect on the future, not on your regrets. Specifically, we should analyze why the failure occurred this time and what we should do to avoid the same failure next time. ''Oh, um...... yes, yes, yes......''. Hearing my sermon, the elf girl shrugged her shoulders in resignation. 73-Episode 72 The girl who was the leader of the elven warrior band called herself LeFania. She said that she had to go back to the village and report back, so she sent one of the elven warriors to accompany us as a guide, and she herself returned to her own village with the remaining elves. We reported the accomplishment of the quest to the village where we requested the Orc extermination and the city where we received the quest, Atratia, and received our reward. Once there, we returned to the cave where the Orcs lived, and then proceeded along the pathless path in the forest for a while. Eventually, we arrived at the village. ''We''ve been waiting for you, William. And Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. We welcome you.'' It was LeFania who greeted us at the entrance. She led me into the village. ''Wow, the elven villages build their houses on top of trees? That''s amazing. Satsuki looks up at him curiously and says something like that. Mi and Cyril were also surprised, and I was also a little excited because it was the first time for me to see the real thing, although I had seen it in a painting in a book. As Satsuki said, the village was made up of wooden houses built on top of large trees here and there, without clearing the forest. There were ladders leading up to the houses on top of the trees, and the entrance to the houses could be reached by climbing them. ''Yes. People seem to build their houses on the ground, but isn''t it hard to protect themselves from the outside world? We can''t help but wonder about that. LeFania was leading us, but she turned around and walked backwards, expressing her thoughts. I see, that''s what different cultures are all about. It seems that this Elven settlement is not that large. As far as I can see, there are less than fifty houses. However, the elves themselves are not a very numerous race, so this may still be a settlement of some size. The population of elves is said to be about a tenth of that of humans, so a settlement of this size may be about the size of a small to medium-sized human city. ''...... But something, aren''t we being watched? ''Yes, sir. There are a lot of elves sneaking around and watching us from the entrance of the house. Cyril and Mee pointed this out as they looked around. Indeed, we couldn''t find many elves down in the trees, and most of them were sneaking around from their houses in the trees, but they were watching us curiously. Seeing this, Refania, who was leading the way, laughed. ''I''m so sorry. I''m sorry ....... They''re scared because it''s unusual for them to see someone other than an elf. I told you that they are good people and they will be fine. ''Then it''s not like they don''t like us, right? When Satsuki asked that, LeFania said, ''No way! I''ll strangle anyone who does that. And then I''ll slap him back and forth. Then I''ll slap him back and forth.'' She showed a mysterious enthusiasm. Well, I guess we can take it for granted that we are not unwelcome. As we walked through the village, LeFania stopped under a large house built on top of a particularly large tree in the village. ''Well, we''re here. This is the home of the eldest of the village. Follow me up.'' And with that, LeFania climbed up the ladder on the big tree. I tried to follow her up the ladder, but... ''William, stop. Then someone tugged at the back of my robe. Then, as if I were being held from behind, someone''s hand blocked my view. ''What''s ......! Cyril? Judging by the voice I heard and the magnificent feel of her breasts against my back, it must be Cyril standing behind me. Her hands must have been covering my eyes, blocking my view. I was indeed confused. What was happening all of a sudden? ''...... What is it with elves and their chastity? You can see them from down there.'' I can hear Cyril''s voice in my ear. That''s when I figured it out. The garment that LeFania was wearing was a skirt-like design that widened at the bottom. Therefore, if you were to see her climbing up the ladder from below, you would be able to see the inside of the ladder. So Cyril made this arrangement so that I would not see it. However, when you think about it, Cyril''s question is reasonable. If you live in a house with such a structure and wear such a costume, you will inevitably expose yourself to others more often. You can find a lot more information on the web at ......, but that''s about it. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. It is a very difficult task for me, as a healthy male, to remain calm while in this state where I can feel the softness of Cyril''s body through the robe. ''Ugh ....... It''s not a big deal, though, is it? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''I''d say this much,......, or did you just say ''temptation''? ''Yes, yes. Well, you know, it''s just for fun. You''re playing with Satsuki too, so why don''t you let your sister have her way at least? ''............'' I wonder if this is Cyril''s way of being naughty. The demonic nature of her whispering in my ear took over, and I couldn''t find any words to reply. And there was a part of her words that made me think. Even though she didn''t mean to, it might have been the result, or at least it seemed so to Cyril. But the fact that it doesn''t sound very condemning makes me wonder what you''re thinking: ....... As I was thinking about this, a tweet from the voice of LeFania fell from above my head. ''...... Wow, what is that? What is going on with human chastity ......?'' I could imagine that Lefania''s impression was based on the state of Cyril and I, even though her vision was blocked. 74-Episode 73 When LeFania had reached the top of the ladder, Cyril released my sight and body. Then I, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril climbed up the ladder and reached the mansion in front of the tree. Incidentally, when we reached the top and I told her that her underwear would be in full view, LeFania said, ''Yes, I know, but ......? It''s not like you''re being watched naked. Do people really care about that? She was rather puzzled. Then, Satsuki said, Then, Satsuki asked, ''Aren''t you ashamed to lift up your skirt? I don''t know why you do it, ''I don''t know what you mean by that, but ...... is this what you mean? Satsuki and Mee rushed to stop her, and Cyril blocked my view again. Anyway, it was time to visit the dwelling of an elven village. I followed Lefania into a dwelling built on the thick branches of a particularly large tree in the village - a house that was said to house the eldest Elf in the village. After entering the wooden dwelling, they proceeded for a while and were led to a large hall. ''Oh, so you are the human warriors who saved Lefania and the others. As I''ve heard, it seems that some of you are from the Myar. Well, thank you for coming. As I entered the hall, an old Elven man at the far end sent me words of welcome. He was an Elf with a long white beard, and looked, to put it bluntly, like a wizened old man. I wondered if he was the oldest elf in this village. In addition to the old man, there were about a dozen other elves gathered in the hall, sitting in a large circle. Some of them were the elven warriors I had met in the Orc cave. There were no tables or chairs, and they were all sitting on rugs made of woven grass. The five seats in front of the entrance to the hall were empty. I guessed that these seats were reserved for us. ''Everyone, let me introduce you. From here, William, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. All excellent warriors, no less. I''ll introduce you to William and the others. The one in the back is the oldest of the village. The others are all elves, the leaders of this village. LeFania will act as an intermediary and introduce each other. Then we were invited to sit down and we sat down in the empty seats. I''ve never had the habit of sitting on the ground without a chair before, so even with the rug, it was a bit of a struggle. I''m a stiff person and I''m not very good at sitting on the ground. On the other hand, I was surprised to see Satsuki, whose trademark is her crassness, sitting in the most beautiful way I have ever seen. She was sitting with her legs folded straight and parallel to each other, her back straight and straight. ''...... I''m surprised. Is that the traditional way of sitting in Satsuki''s hometown?'' ''Hmm? ...... Ah. It''s called ''seiza''. In my hometown, all samurai are trained to sit like this.'' ''I see. Satsuki looks even more beautiful when she''s doing that. Satsuki''s cheeks flushed as I said this, ''Oh, ......? ...... It''s kind of embarrassing. ....... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. He asked with a squirm. ''Is that what I like? ...... I don''t know. I''ve never thought about it as a criterion, or rather, I''ve never really thought about what kind of opposite s*x I prefer. I''ve never really thought about what kind of opposite s*x I prefer, but when it comes to Satsuki, I think she''s more beautiful that way. ''Oh, ......, I see. ......Seriously, am I not good enough in normal life? ''No, I''m not saying that the normal Satsuki is not good. I think that Satsuki''s cheerful, energetic and pleasant personality is attractive enough. However, her current gestures are more beautiful and attractive. ...... Or is this also my subjective opinion? I''m sure you''re right. ''Oh, ...... well, Will is coming to kill me again. ....... I know, I know, I know. You''re not conscious of it and you don''t mean it, do you? ''......? No, I thought I was making an assessment of Satsuki''s charms. ''That''s right! But I''m still happy to hear that. ...... Oh my god, Will''s an idiot! You''re a natural skeleton! Satsuki said, and turned away abruptly. ''............'' I think about it for a moment. From what Satsuki just said, it must have sounded to her like I was making a romantic approach to her. Up until now, I''ve been trying to ignore the fact that something similar has happened... But here I was, remembering what Cyril had said to me earlier. "You''re playing with Satsuki too." That''s what she said, even though it was just a conversation. I didn''t mean it like that, but if it was true that it looked like that, I had to think of something. ''Satsuki. ''What the hell?'' Satsuki was still pouting. She sat next to me with a beautiful posture and turned away with tears in her eyes. ''There''s something I want to talk to you about later. I need to be alone with you. Can you take some time?'' ''......! I could see the tension in Satsuki''s body. And after a long moment of silence, ''...... Okay. See you later. Satsuki turned her head away and replied. I breathed a sigh of relief. I''ll have to explain my thoughts to her once and for all. It was fortuitous that I had the opportunity to do so. After that, we were treated to an elven banquet. In the center of the room, there were many platters of colorful dishes and fruit wine, and we tasted them. The Elves'' dishes were more vegetarian, with less meat, and many of them had a peculiar taste, but many of them were quite tasty and unlike anything I had ever tasted before, and the wine went down well. The elves, on the other hand, seemed to be quite surprised at the amount of food we ate. I knew from my own knowledge that elves were small eaters, but to see them actually filling up on half the amount of food we were eating was quite moving. By the way, Satsuki''s heartbroken look was gone, and when the party was in full swing, she sat down next to LeFania and put her arm around her shoulders, Eat more meat, meat. He then put a portion of meat on the plate of the bewildered LeFania and pushed it to her. According to Satsuki''s statement, eating meat would increase the amount of aura, but as far as I know, there is no such research or observation results, so she was probably just speaking out of her mouth. As LeFania was about to believe it, I chopped Satsuki on the head and told her that there was no basis for her words. On the other hand, Mee and Cyril were also talking to the elves, and they seemed to be having a good time in the welcoming mood. In the meantime, when I went to greet the elders of the elves, ''William, is it? I''ve heard from LeFania that you are quite skilled in magic. If you don''t mind, I''d like to know what level of spells you use. When I answered one of the highest spells I could use, he was quite surprised. ''What ......! Is it true? Is it true that Sephiroth, the great hero of the elves, has finally reached the realm of ......? It''s hard to believe that someone as young as you ...... can do that.'' ''No, I can''t handle a sword or a bow and arrow as well as the hero Sephiroth, and I don''t have the superhuman physical ability of using aura like him. It''s still not comparable.'''' ''Hoho ......, the way you talk, it seems like you''re still aiming for the top, right?'' ''Yes, of course. I don''t think I''m at the stage where I can set my own limits yet, and I''ve seen new signs of growth since I started being an adventurer. I think I have plenty of potential. ''Ho ho ho, this is the one from LeFania, you''ve met an extraordinary talent. The eldest of the elves laughed with genuine amusement. And so we had a good time, and the party came to an end. The four of us were invited to stay at the eldest''s house that day. At the end of the party, I called out to Satsuki. ''What I said earlier. Do you want to go outside? ''......! ...... Oh, yeah, okay.'' I took Satsuki, who looked tense all over, and left the elder''s house. 75-CHAPTER XIV I was walking with Satsuki on the outskirts of the village, in a quiet forest where the hooting of owls could be heard. Satsuki and I were walking on the outskirts of the village. In the darkness, the tip of my sorcerer''s staff was illuminated by a pale light from the effect of a light spell. Satsuki stopped and leaned her back against one of the tree trunks, which was illuminated by the light. ''What''s the story at ......?'' Satsuki''s voice sounded daringly casual. Her eyes did not look straight at me, her gaze was averted to the side. Her face was illuminated by the light, and her cheeks seemed to be slightly reddish. ''Satsuki, are you drunk? ''...... Well, yeah. But I''m not unconscious or anything. How''s Will?'' ''I''m in moderation. At least I''m not in a state where I can''t take responsibility for what I say.'' ''I see.'' Once there, the conversation stops. But since I''m the one who called them here to talk, I have to lead the conversation. I stand in a position where Satsuki and I can''t reach each other even if we reach out to each other, and I make my main point to her. ''I''ve been letting it go because I thought it was possible that I was conceited or mistaken, but after one incident, I thought it was insincere and decided to talk about it seriously. Satsuki, I''ll get straight to the point. Do you like me in a romantic sense? I thought I spoke in my normal tone. But inwardly, I could not remain calm. I''m asking the definitive question. Part of me was embarrassed if I was wrong, but more than that, I was afraid that the relationship between us might not go on as before. Satsuki replied in the affirmative to my question. ''Yeah. ...... What''s with that question? I don''t know. I don''t know why you wouldn''t, after approaching him so much. I''m sorry. But I''ve also heard that girls always make a moderate number of approaches as insurance even if it''s not the one they want. I didn''t want to proceed with the misunderstanding, so I wanted to confirm it beforehand. ''Oh ...... well, it seems there are guys like that. But do I look like I''m that handy? ...... No, that''s okay, that''s okay. It''s not a very s*xy conversation, even if you''re talking about ....... Satsuki chuckles. It was an expression that I had never seen on Satsuki''s face before. ''So... So what? I like you, Will. I love you. I love you so much that even just talking to you now makes me feel like my heart is going to burst. So... so what? Then Satsuki finally looked straight up at me with dull eyes. Satsuki''s cheeks had turned so red that I could recognize them even by the light. When I saw Satsuki''s eyes, I felt something in my heart. I had thought of Satsuki as an attractive woman many times, but I had never seen her like this before. I took a breath to calm myself down. I take a breath to calm my mind, then calmly speak to Satsuki. ''I want to tell you my thoughts, Satsuki. ''......Not "feelings", but "thoughts". ....... All right, I''ll listen...'' And just as I was about to say that, Satsuki held out her palm toward me. ''No... wait. Before that, can I tell you something about me? ''............'' The reply came unexpectedly. In my head, I think about how to change the course of the conversation. However, I couldn''t predict how the conversation would turn out, and I couldn''t predict how it would develop in the future. However, I don''t think it''s good for me to talk only to myself. If there is something that Satsuki wants to tell me, I should ask her about it. ''...... Oh, okay.'' ''Good. ......Well, where shall we start? ......'' Satsuki looked down with a gloomy expression. Then, after a short pause, Satsuki began to speak. ''To be honest, it''s almost like love at first sight. I don''t know what it was even for me. But it all started back then, when we killed the goblins. When I said I couldn''t kill an unarmed enemy, you still accepted me, right? I was so happy about that. And I thought Will was really cool. From then on, it was like falling down a hill, I was falling down so fast. ''............'' ''And the more time I spent with Will, the more I fell in love with him. ...... See, I''m an idiot, right? You know, I say a lot of stupid things. But Will accepted me like that, accepted me as me, and the more we talked, the happier I became. ...... Oh man, I don''t know what I''m talking about anymore. I don''t know what I''m talking about. Then Satsuki looked me in the eye again as if she had made up her mind. And then... ''I love you, Will! So... please go out with me! Then Satsuki made the most respectful posture and held out her right hand toward me. 76-Seventy-five '' . , , , . , , , '' . , . . . , . . , . , . , . , . , , . , . , , . . . , . , . . , , . '' '' , . , . , . , , '' , '' '' '' , . , . , . '' , . , '' '' , '' '' , . , , '' '' , '' . . , . , . '' . , , , . '' , . '' . , '' , . . '' , , '' '' , . . '' , . '' '' , . , , . , , , , . '' '' , . , . '' , , '' '' , '' . , . , . '' , . '' , . , , . '' . , , '' '' . . , , '' '' , '' , , . , '' , , '' '' '' . , , . '' , , . '' '' , '' . , . , . , . , . '' . '' , . '' , . , , . . , '' ''''''Huh?'''''' The gazes of me, Satsuki and Cyril all gathered on Mee at once. Mee''s cheeks were dyed red as she sniffed wildly with a look of having said it for the first time in her life. And then... ''''Eh, wait a minute, then I''ll go to ...... too! ''''''Huh?'''''' This time, all eyes were on Cyril. Cyril, who had been so relaxed just now, raised his hand timidly and dyed his cheeks in embarrassment. ''...... Wait a minute, I''m getting confused. What is this? Is this a dream of mine or something ......? But I don''t have this kind of desire,......, or can''t you say that you don''t have this kind of desire,......? I''m not sure what to do about it, but I''m not sure what to do about it. Isn''t that a good idea? We could break up and all go get some fresh air. ''Yes, I agree! ''I agree! And so, the four of us disbanded and scattered to our own devices. My brain is still in a splendid state of confusion. ...... What the hell is this? 77-CHAPTER 76 I left the Elder''s house and walked through the Elven village. It was early morning. The air of the forest was calm and cool, and the sunlight falling through the trees was pleasant, but I didn''t have much time to enjoy it. Let''s look at the situation. Satsuki likes me. Mee likes me. Cyril likes me. ...... I''m getting embarrassed thinking about it myself. It''s like an adventure story that embodies the kind of drinking and drinking that men want. No, it''s true that such adventure stories are not unpopular. However, what I like are not those kinds of stories, but rather stories that are more stoic and that find a sense of mystery in harsh reality. No, wait, wait, that''s before we get to that. This is not a story in the first place. It''s the reality I''m facing. I''m confused. I''m having a hard time accepting the disconnect between my idea of what normal reality is and the actual reality I''m facing. The common sense in me that says this can''t be, refuses to accept the reality. ''......, but is there no other way but to accept it......''? After thinking about it, I had no choice but to conclude that. If you don''t start by accepting the reality of anything, the thoughts that follow will not function properly. If you deny the reality in front of you by saying, ''This world is wrong,'' you will not be able to move forward from there. The secret to living in reality better is to first accept the reality as it is and then think about what you are going to do about it. ...... No, this way of thinking is usually necessary when you are faced with harsh reality. But now that we are facing an unusually sweet reality, perhaps this way of thinking is still appropriate. But what are you going to do now that you''ve accepted it? What am I supposed to do? ''...... I don''t know. All I could do was hold my head. My hope and my future. Honesty and dishonesty. How should I deal with their feelings? It''s hard to tell with a little thought. Maybe it''s something we need to think about little by little, over time. That was when I was thinking about it. Just as I thought I heard the rustling of grass and leaves, a woman came staggering out of the bushes ahead of me. It seemed to be an elven woman. I don''t think I''ve seen her before. I''m not sure, because I haven''t checked all the elves in the village, and it''s hard for me as a human to tell the faces of elves apart, but I think she was probably an outsider. But on the other hand, they look familiar to me. He may look like one of the elves we have encountered so far. However, there was something more important than that. The Elf woman seemed to have a large wound on her abdomen. She seemed to be holding the affected area painfully on top of her blood-stained clothes. ''Hey, are you alright! ''Huh,huh...... people,while......? ...... Why are there humans here ...... Ugh!'' The wounded elf woman staggered and almost fell. I rushed over to her and held her in my arms. ''Pull yourself together. There''s a Holy Order in our company. I''ll call them.'' ''Are you sure ...... that''s helpful ...... I''ll thank you ...... please ......'' ''We can talk about that later. Do you have any enemies nearby?'' ''No. ...... I don''t think so. ......'' ''All right. Rest easy.'' I lay the elf lady on the ground, raise my sorcerer''s staff and cast a spell. The spell I use is a loud voice spell. This is one of the elementary spells that magnifies the voice of the target so that it can be heard farther. I used this spell on myself and shouted loudly to the people around me. "Cyril, this is William. We found a badly wounded elf. I need you to heal him. He''s a little ways to the left of the elder''s house. Can you come? My voice, magnified several times its normal volume, echoed through the forest trees and throughout the village. Now, if Cyril is in the village, he should be able to hear us. And so, I waited for a while. ''There he is, William! That''s him.'' Soon, Cyril came running. She got down on one knee next to the prone patient, put her hands on the affected area and performed the miracle of healing. ''Cure Lightwounds! A warm light comes from Cyril''s hands. And after a moment, the light subsided. ''Are you okay? Are you feeling better? ''Yeah, it''s a lot better...'' ''The wound is deep and you''ve lost much of your vitality. Once wasn''t enough. I''ll use it again. Just stay still.'' Cyril repeated and used the miracle of healing. The badly wounded elf''s complexion improved considerably. ''How about now? Can you get up?'' When Cyril asked that, the prone elf slowly raised his upper body and then smiled at Cyril and me. ''Oh, thank you, I''m grateful. You, too. ...... So, what are you guys doing here? This is supposed to be an elven settlement. ......'' ''It''s...'' As I was about to explain, Satsuki, Mee, and LeFania arrived at the scene. They must have heard my loud voice and came to see what was going on. And when she saw the scene, LeFania shouted in surprise. ''Mother ......! Why are you here ......? ''Lefania ......! Something terrible has happened, you must tell everyone immediately. A pack of orcs attacked our village. The elven woman and LeFania rushed to each other and exchanged hugs. It was Satsuki who interjected from the side, not wanting to read the atmosphere. Orcs in another elf settlement? They''ve been selling Orcs at a big discount lately, haven''t they? But if we''re dealing with orcs, we have four reliable bouncers here. See? Satsuki looked over at Cyril, Mee, and me... and when her eyes met mine, she blushed and squirmed. But the elf lady who seemed to be the mother of LeFania shook her head without paying any attention to Satsuki. ''It''s not about that kind of scale! It''s the Orc Emperors, the highest level of Orcs, that are leading the charge! These troublesome orcs attacked us with an army of over a hundred! ''''Is ......? What, a hundred ......? Hearing those words, even Satsuki''s face turned pale. 78-CHAPTER 77 We gathered at the elder''s house and sat in the hall where the party was held yesterday. There were four of us, LeFania, her mother Finola, and about ten other representatives of the elves of the village, including the elder. All of us were having a meeting about the story Finola had brought about the attack by the Orc Legion. Incidentally, the settlement where Finola, the mother of LeFania, was staying was one of the largest Elven settlements in the vicinity, with a population four times the size of the Elven settlement we were currently in - in other words, over three hundred people. Finola is one of the best Elven warriors in the village, and her skill with the sword and magic far surpasses that of Lefania. In addition, we are not in a position to be a party to this matter, but rather a step back. The reason we are mixed up in the conversation is that we are willing to join the battle as mercenaries if the other side requests it and offers sufficient compensation. But whether he knew it or not, Satsuki was actively participating in the discussion with the elves. ''But, don''t you think Will can handle a hundred orcs? I''m not sure if it''s a fireball or a lightning bolt? I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. Satsuki''s comment drew the attention of the elves to me. What should I say? In order to sell ourselves as mercenaries at a high price, we should not be more humble than necessary, but we should also not give them too much hope. ...... Well, I guess it''s best to be honest about my own views. So I decided to explain my own perspective on the matter to the elves. ''As for whether or not my magic can wipe out more than a hundred Orcs, that depends on how my opponent reacts, but considering that my opponent is a well-organized army led by an Orc Emperor, I think it''s safe to say that it won''t be that easy. I think we should assume that the enemy is not stupid and act accordingly. I replied, and the place erupted. LeFania asks me a question with a look of surprise. ''...... So, in other words, depending on how the other party reacts, you could take them all out by yourself, right? ''That''s right. It may not be impossible if the opponent does not try to counter your tactics of dividing and destroying them individually over a period of several days. But it''s not very realistic, and in that case, the quality of the enemy is likely to be more of a problem than the number. I replied to LeFania and took out a piece of paper, a pen, and some ink from my luggage. I placed the paper on the wooden floor and drew a large equilateral triangle in the shape of a pyramid on it, presenting it so that everyone in the carriage could see it. ''First, let me explain the general composition of the army led by the Oak Emperor. It is said that an army of demihuman monsters led by an emperor class usually consists of a pyramidal army, as described in a reliable monster research paper. In the case of the Orc army this time, the Orc Emperor is at the top. This is one. I said that and made a small space at the top of the equilateral triangle and wrote "Orc Emperor, one". Then, in the space below that, I add the words ''three Orc Lords''. ''Under the Emperor class, there are usually about three Lord classes following. It is said that the general composition of the army is that there are about nine general class below them, about twenty-seven leader class and mage class below them, and about eighty orcs of the general species at the bottom. In short, as you go down the pyramid, the number of orcs triples, and triples, and triples. I fill in the rest of the pyramid structure, separating it with horizontal lines. Then, at the bottom, next to the general orcs, I fill in the rank of ''F''. In terms of monster ranks, the orcs of the general species are ranked ''F''. You can think of it as the monster rank goes up one level for each level up from here. In other words, Orc Mages and Orc Leaders are E rank, Orc Generals are D rank, Orc Lords are C rank, and Orc Emperors are B rank. I wrote down the monster ranks in order, and finally the Orc Emperor''s rank as ''B''. Then I moved my pen down one level, circled ''C'' next to the Orc Lord, and turned my attention to Satsuki and LeFania. ''I''m sure LeFania has had a chance to see Satsuki''s strength, but Satsuki''s current strength is probably about even with this Oaklord. In other words, there are about three Satsuki-class enemies...'''' I then moved my pen up one level and pointed at the Oak Emperor again. And then I''ll describe the strength of the Oak Emperor in a way that only Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril can understand. ''This Oak Emperor will probably be as strong as Irene. And of course, it has a high resistance to magic and high life force, so it''s impossible for my magic to kill it in one blow.'''' ''Jeez, ......, right ......? Orcs are really that strong? ....... So, then, what about Will''s Lightning Bolt? Which one did he defeat with that spell? I''m sure you''ve heard that it was a higher species. Satsuki asked me that, and I pointed with my pen to the second level from the bottom of the pyramid. ''I think those are Orc Mages and Orc Leaders. Incidentally, I should say that I was lucky to have defeated both of them with a single strike of Lightning Bolt. With my current magic power, I will probably miss at least one in three times. And if you miss at a distance where an attack spell like that can reach you, there''s a good chance I''ll be turned into a lump of flesh before the next spell arrives. ''Seriously? ......'' Satsuki let out a pained sigh. However, I can''t be optimistic about that either, since I know that even Satsuki is an equal or greater opponent than me. The air was filled with a heavy atmosphere. The silence was broken by Cyril''s comment. 79-CHAPTER XVI The silence in the room was broken by Cyril''s comment. ''But if that''s the case, it''s probably too much for us to handle on our own. We''re talking about the size of an army, right? Do the elves not have such an army? The person Cyril was talking to was LeFania''s mother, Finola. A youthful looking elf, who looked no more than a sister to LeFania, shook her head with a bitter expression. ''Of all the Elven settlements in the vicinity, the one with the largest number of warriors was the one I was staying in. The size of that settlement was twenty-three elven warriors. ...... No, it''s even smaller now. A number of warriors were killed or captured by them. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m sure there are hundreds of elven warriors in the faraway Great Fairy Forest, but from there you have to cross many human borders, and it takes more than a month to go one way. Finola broke off once there. Then she fixed her eyes and spoke the following words. ''And that amount of time would be enough for many of our captive brethren to fully nurture the Orc child in their bellies and then die when their bellies are ripped open to give birth to it. ...... Orcs that bear children for other races have an unusually short time to give birth.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. Mee and Cyril seemed to be feeling angry as well. When I saw that, I thought, "This is not good. All three of you are feeling too forward. I understand your feelings, but if you don''t keep your cool, you''ll make a bad decision. First of all, we have to judge whether this is a case we should go into or not. But at present, I seem to be the calmest person in the situation. While calculating the appropriate amount of compensation for this case in my head, I turned to Finola and said. ''Finola, I have one question. If we were to assist you in this matter as mercenaries, how much would you be willing to pay? ''Will! I''m talking about ......! Satsuki came at me from the side, but I looked at her and shook my head. ''No, Satsuki. If you''re going to get involved in this, you should do it as a job. If you think that you will risk your life to destroy the enemy and rescue the trapped elves, you will really die. In the event that you''ve got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''......! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. Satsuki scratched her head. She seemed irritated because she had no place to put her emotions. But after a while, she stopped moving, ''...... All right. I''ll leave it to Will. It''s probably for the best.'' She then left the decision-making to me. I looked over at Cyril and Mee, who also shook their heads. ''I know I''m not calm right now. William, I''ll leave it to you. ''Me too. William, please.'' I nodded at their words and resumed my negotiations with Finola. ''The amount of reward we demand is 20 gold coins per day as daily wages for the four of us, plus another 200 gold coins as a reward for achieving our goal. This is the amount that we think is appropriate, considering our strength and the size of the opposing forces. If we judge that the danger to ourselves is too great, we will withdraw from this discussion. In this case, we will still ask for the daily allowance for the days we have already worked. I''ll cooperate with you if you agree to these conditions. Finola listened to me and was silent for a few moments. Then she asks her daughter a question. ''LeFania, these people are worthy of your trust in their abilities and character, aren''t they? ''Yes, mother. I can vouch for his character. And the competence, I don''t think he''s lying.'' ''Yes, ......, okay. William, is it? Then I''d like you to help me with that. Please do.'' Finola then stood up and came over to me and shook my hand. I also stood up and shook her hand. ''I will do my utmost to bring about a good result. I look forward to working with you. And so we entered the battle between the Elves and the Orcs. Meanwhile... At the same time. At the training ground in the courtyard surrounded by the walls of the royal castle in the royal capital of Greysburg, Princess Irene received a report from a soldier. ''Oh no, another orc? Irene shouts in disgust as she receives the report. This was already the third request for Orc extermination in recent days alone. The princess, who looked like a beautiful girl dressed as a man with short-cut silver hair, told the four apprentice knights facing her to take a break and listened to the soldier''s report while wiping sweat off her face with a hand towel. At the same time, the apprentice knight boys, who had finally been allowed to take a break, collapsed in a heap on the ground. They were boys of the same age as Irene, but even with four of them, they had been lightly beaten by a girl. But this did not mean that the boys were weak. They have been training day and night to become knights, and even at this stage they are as good as or better than ordinary soldiers. The princess, Irene, is just too strong. She''s a genius swordswoman, but she''s still in her infancy, and her abilities have yet to reach their ceiling. The soldier continued to report to the genius and beautiful princess dressed as a man with a nervous look on his face. ''Haha, another orc! So this time, the princess wants you to go to defeat them. ......'' ''I see, I understand. You know how your father is, he says everything is an experience, right? I''ll take care of it. Besides... an orc like that would be perfect for training an apprentice knight.'''' Irene said, looking at the four knight apprentices stretched out on the ground. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Haha. I''m sorry to tell you this, but the king has given me another message. ''Hmm, from your father? What? ''That''s ....... "I sense a disturbing presence. Don''t let your guard down. I don''t care if you die if you''re not careful.'''' ''Haha, that''s just like your father. In any case, that ''disturbing presence'' is probably just a hunch. But I understand. I''m not sure what to do. ''Yes, sir! The soldier who had finished contacting Irene saluted and left the scene. While confirming this, Irene clapped her hands to the four limp knight apprentices. ''Okay, then the break is over. We''re going to go on an orc-slaying picnic now. Get ready. '''''' Yes! The apprentice knight boys jumped to their feet at once and replied cheerfully. For them, Princess Irene was not only the object of their admiration, but also a demon instructor that they could not disobey. 80-CHAPTER 79 We were taken by Finola, the mother of Lefania, out of the Elven village and walked through the forest for half a day. In the evening, as the trees around us began to take on a vermilion hue, we came upon a cave drilled into the bottom of a cliff. An Elven man was standing in front of the entrance of the cave with a bow, and when he saw us, he ran up and called out to Finola. ''Finola! Thank you for coming back. That''s your daughter and the other warriors from the village, isn''t it? Are they with the ...... humans or the Myar? What do you mean? The elf peered at our group and asked Finola. In addition to me, Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee, there were about ten elven warriors with us. ''I''ll gather everyone together later and explain about that. The orcs haven''t found this place yet, have they? ''Yeah, that''s fine.'' Finola seemed satisfied with the guard elf''s reply and led us towards the cave. I followed her and eventually we entered the cave. Satsuki, Cyril and Mee followed behind me, followed by LeFania and the other elven warriors. The cave was like a tunnel hollowed out of a red clay wall. The ceiling was barely high enough for me to reach, and the path was about the same width. It seemed a bit more cramped than the cave where we had met LeFania and the others. Finola led me through the tunnel, which curved to the right once, then went straight ahead for about 20 meters, then turned to the left and continued on. The tunnel was lit at regular intervals from a certain depth onward by what appeared to be a light spell, so there was no need to prepare a separate light. I''ve heard that many elven warriors are skilled not only with swords and bows, but also with magic, so this kind of trick is possible. I was impressed, and checked with Finola, who was walking in front of me. ''So the survivors of the elves that used to live in Finola''s village have gathered in this cave? ''Yes. ......, but only the ones I''ve led. When the orcs attacked, many of us scattered and fled. Those gathered here are only a few of our brethren who survived. ''There is no plan to join up with the rest of the survivors. No. Some may have set up base elsewhere, and many may be lost. I hope they have asked the neighboring elven settlements for protection. ......'' As she spoke, Finola stepped into the hall at the end of the tunnel. There were about twenty elves in the room, and they were happy to see Finola return, their faces showing a hint of hope in the darkness. Finola said a few words to the person who seemed to be the leader of the room, and then proceeded further in. From the hall, there was a passage - a tunnel - that led us to the end. I continue to ask Finola questions. ''Why did Finola and the others choose this cave as a base? Finola gives me a dubious look at my question. ''...... What does that mean? ''It means exactly what it says. I want to know why you chose this place. It''s not like you''ve already secured it as a base for evacuation, is it? When I asked this, Finola, who was walking ahead, pondered for a moment and then replied. ''Yeah. I found this place by accident while I was leading everyone away. I wanted to avoid a place that would be exposed to the rain as a base, and it''s reasonably far from our village that was attacked. It is also reasonably large. We decided that it would be a good base for the time being. I assessed Finola''s decision as somewhat reasonable. But then, I would like to mention something that has been bothering me. ''I support Finola''s decision. But is there any other route into or out of this cave besides the ...... entrance?'' ''...... No, not that I know of, at least.'' ''If that''s the case, this place is somewhat dangerous as a defense base.'' ''...... What do you mean?'' Finola stopped and turned around. I urged her with a gesture to keep going, made sure she followed it and started walking again, and continued. ''The worst thing is that this is a cul-de-sac. If the Orcs find this cave and attack us with a large army, all the Elves here will be crushed with no way to escape, and every last one of them will be killed, or taken prisoner and used as their plaything. ''............'' ''Other than that, it''s a long and short list. For example, the narrowness of this passage is a disadvantage for the elves in that they can''t make use of their agility, but if it were this narrow, the orcs would be cramped due to their size. Moreover, the terrain seems to be in our favor. In that sense, it''s suitable for intercepting them... but it''s still bad that there''s no way out. If the enemy is clever, you never know what they will do to you. ''...... Mmm.'' When I pointed this out, Finola made a pouting face. I''m not sure what to make of that. However, the race of elves lives much longer than humans, and there is a high possibility that she is many times older than me, a great senior in life. It''s also possible that even LeFania is much older than me. Since our first encounter was in such a way, I have been talking in such a casual manner as I am now, but it may be rude to do so. However, when discussing strategy and tactics, it''s easier to do so when there''s no hierarchy, so I think I''ll let it go on like this... In the event that you''re in a position to do this, you''ll be able to do so with the help of your own personal consultant. ''...... I''m ashamed to say that you''re right. I''ll tell everyone what you''ve said and we''ll consider moving the base. She seemed to have come to terms with her inner conflict, and her words were constructive. I was impressed by her capacity to accept the opinions of a young man like me without distinction. Afterwards, Finola showed us around the cave. The cave was made up of several halls connected by passageways, and there were nearly a hundred elves in total staying in the cave. It is said that there were originally more than three hundred elves in the elven settlement of Finola, so even this number was only about a quarter of that number, and the remaining three quarters of the elves were either missing, had fled to other strongholds, or had been killed or captured by orcs. The elves in the cave seemed to be exhausted with no cheerful expression. It was understandable. For them, it is highly probable that their friends and family have been killed or captured and are suffering miserably. There were many wounded elven warriors in the cave, and Cyril was performing miracles of healing on them. It is said that Elves have no belief in gods, and that there are no priests (Holy Order) in Elven villages. Therefore, there was no one who could perform the miracle of healing in the elven village, and Cyril was appreciated by the elven warriors without exception. Some of the Elven warriors who had been healed by her seemed to have become her ardent fans, and Cyril himself seemed to be greatly perplexed when he was approached with great emotion. I don''t know what was the meaning behind her probing look towards me at that time. Finola, after showing us the cave, gathered a group of elves who seemed to be leaders or warriors, explained what I had said earlier, and suggested that we should move our base. Some of the gathered elves expressed their doubts as to whether or not they could find a more suitable location for a base than this one, as well as their concerns about the comfort level and health hazards of using a place exposed to the wind and rain as a base, but when they weighed the benefits and risks, the discussion gradually turned towards the inevitable. As the discussion progressed, we eventually reached an agreement on a specific relocation plan. An elf who had been standing guard at the entrance of the cave rushed into the hall where the discussion was taking place. Gasping for breath, he hurriedly reported to Finola. ''Finola! We''ve detected what appears to be Orcs! There are thirteen of them! They''re coming towards us! ''What? Finola stood up, and tension flashed across the faces of everyone present. 81-Episode 80 The news of the orc attack was quickly relayed. The elves, who were not capable of fighting, were evacuated to the rear of the cave, and the warriors were gathered in the front hall. The elves standing guard at the entrance of the cave detected the presence of the orcs with an alert spell. After that, visual confirmation with the naked eye. As soon as he saw a figure that looked like an orc between the trees in the distance, he immediately jumped into the cave and came to report. An alert membrane is set up at a distance of 50 meters from the surgeon. Since that line had been breached, there was little time to spare before the Orcs entered the cave, and there was no time for a strategy meeting. ''Thirteen Orcs...... squad class strength? Even though our forces are slightly larger in number, they are not a number to be underestimated. It''s hard to be forced to fight an all-out war at this stage, but ......'' Finola said with a pained expression. She seemed to be thinking of intercepting the Orcs in the first hall. There are thirteen Orcs attacking us. Our strength against them is about twenty, including the four of us mercenaries. The difference in strength is not something that can be easily overwhelmed by numbers alone. Also, in terms of the quality of the troops, since thirteen of them are probably a single unit, there are probably some high-ranking Orcs mixed in as commanders. This is naturally a situation where good or bad tactics will greatly affect the outcome. Finola''s thoughts were probably this. Against the orcs attacking through the narrow passageway, the moment they appear in the hall, they should be hurled into a hive with bows and magic. It was a policy that they would make do with what they missed by fighting with white soldiers, and it certainly didn''t seem like a bad tactic if it worked. But even if it wasn''t a bad tactic, I had no choice but to take advantage of that terrain. I have a suggestion for my employer, Finola. ''Finola, I want you to let me and Satsuki go ahead of you. ''...... So you have an idea. All right, I''ll leave it to you.'' Finola said yes with two words. It probably helped that her daughter, LeFania, considered us to be a trustworthy partner. I nodded toward Finola and took Satsuki''s hand, who was nearby. ''Satsuki, I need your help. ''What? ...... Oh, oh.'' Satsuki''s cheeks flushed, and she followed me as I pulled her along. Ummm ...... what can I say, it''s a little hard to do. Anyway, I took Satsuki to the passage beyond the hall. This leads to the entrance of the cave, which is the direction the Orcs are planning to attack from. I explain to Satsuki the outline of the plan I have in mind. ''I''d like to ask Satsuki to act as a vanguard to hold off the Orcs. There is no need to force them to destroy us. All you have to do is hold back the enemy''s advance. And I want you to squat down as soon as I give the signal. Can you do that?'' ''Yeah, I can do that. I don''t think wall-building is a job I''m suited for, but it''s nothing against orcs. Besides, in this narrow passageway, two orcs of their size would be crammed together if they tried to attack us at the same time. One on one will be easy. ''Alright, please. I''ll get right behind Satsuki. ''All right. When Satsuki agreed, I asked her to stand at the end of the aisle, and I held my staff just behind her. Then Satsuki, who was behind me, turned her face toward me and said something strange. ''But the thought of Will standing behind me gives me the creeps. ''...... Why? I''m not going to do anything.'' ''I''m sure you''re right, but I do get paranoid, don''t I? I''ll tell you what, I''m not sure I''d be able to stay sane if someone did something to me right now. ''I don''t know what it is, but you do. ...... I don''t know, but I wonder if Satsuki will be okay. What is this ''something'' she speaks of? Is it something that can only be established on the premise that I am an insane person who does not consider the time and place? I trust Satsuki''s skill, but her words and actions sometimes make me uneasy. Anyway, I got my bearings and moved on to my next action. I chant a spell and activate the see-through spell. I wanted to visually confirm the enemy''s appearance and actions, just in case. When you activate the spell, the wall in the direction of the entrance of the cave is excluded from your sight. Beyond that, he could see his target. As the elf on guard had said, there were thirteen Orcs trying to invade the cave. That group of pig-faced behemoths was now near the entrance of the cave. From the looks of them, it seems that they consist of nine of the general species, two of the leader class, one of the mage class, and one of the general class. Naturally, the highest level, the general class, seemed to be in command, and was giving some instructions to the orcs under his command at the entrance of the cave. Eventually, the general class finished his instructions. The Orcs then slowly entered the cave, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. It seemed that the Orcs of the general species were leading the way, with the leader class and mage class behind them, and the general class at the tail end as they began to explore the cave. ''''Here it comes, Satsuki...'''' ''I''ll leave it to you. In response to my warning, Satsuki drew her sword from her waist and readied it. I also start chanting, and wait for the Orcs to come through the cave... Soon the first Orc appeared from the side about 20 meters ahead of us, just beyond our normal line of sight. 82-Episode 81 An Orc appeared lumbering from the side ahead of us. When its green obese body spotted us, its pig face twisted into a grimace. Then he called out to the rest of us, and came running towards us with an exuberant look on his face. ''Hey ......, you''re looking at me like I''m prey. You''ve got to be kidding me. Satsuki readied her stance to intercept the rushing orcs. Her tall, beautiful kimono still looks like a piece of living art. On the other hand, behind the first Orc, another and another Orc appeared one after another. It''s like a straight, narrow tunnel with huge Orcs pouring out one after another from the far side. Well, I guess we should say hello to one of them. I chanted the last verse of the spell I had delayed activating and completed the spell. ''Magic Missile! I cast the first level of the attack spell. The idea was to make the attackers aware that we had a remote means of attack, and to make them nervous. I looked over Satsuki''s shoulder and imagined throwing an arrow formed by magical power. The target is the first Orc, who is shaking his huge body and rushing towards us. With my magic power, I can create three arrows and shoot them out at the same time. If I aimed all of them at one orc, it would be possible to destroy it with a single shot... ''...What? At that moment, something I didn''t expect happened. But it wasn''t a bad accident, it was something to be happy about. The number of arrows I created was not three, but four. It means my magic power has crossed a threshold. I''ve been observing the increase in mana capacity on a daily basis, so I knew this was possible. But when it actually happens, how can I not be happy? I feel that my own growth is on a new track. It makes me smile. But that''s the thing. The most important thing right now is to keep the mission on schedule. ''Go! I shot four magic arrows that had been created in the space in front of me towards the target orcs at once. These ''arrows'' pierced the target orc with the speed of arrows from a crossbow, and the flesh of the parts hit by each of the four arrows exploded. With the impact, the huge body of the charging Orc was flung backward, and it sank to the ground and stopped moving. Seeing their comrade turned into a corpse in that instant, the Orcs following behind showed a gesture of agitation. ''Hyu. As expected of Will, his magic is as powerful as ever. ''It''s just a greeting. This is where it all begins. ''I know. I haven''t done anything yet. I start chanting the next spell. The Orcs following me seemed to be in a hurry to retreat, but even if they did, the back was jammed and they couldn''t escape in a hurry. I shot the next magic missile and defeated the second Orc. I then began to chant my next spell. And then... ''Goooooooooooooooooo! A shout of anger rang out from behind the Orcs. The muffled, trembling voice echoed through the entire cave passage. ''What the...? What the hell is that? Satsuki shouted in response, but it was so loud that it was drowned out. It was probably the angry voice of the Orc General. It might have been directed at the Orcs under his command who were trying to escape. And indeed, it was the wake-up call for the Orcs to fight back. The Orcs, who had been frightened and were about to retreat, turned on their heels and attacked us all at once in a desperate manner. ''Ha, they''re finally here. The first Orc reached the front of Satsuki and raised the club in his hand. Satsuki quietly prepared to intercept it. But the club raised by the Orc hit the low ceiling of the cave tunnel hard. The impact caused the Orc to drop the club. ''Idiot! Satsuki thrust the sword she was holding in her right eye with a shout of spiritedness. The sword pierced the Orc''s neck and slipped through to the back. As Satsuki pulled out the sword, blood spurted out of the Orc''s neck. But... ''But...? The Orc attacked Satsuki without collapsing even though blood was spurting from both sides of its neck. The Orc dropped his club and tried to grab Satsuki with his empty hand, but Satsuki narrowly avoided him. Satsuki dodged it. ''You... get it over with! Satsuki threw an aura-laden front kick at the Orc''s chest, which was on its front. The huge body of the Orc was blown back lightly by the kick, and it hit the next Orc that was approaching behind it. The Orc whose neck had been pierced finally collapsed with its eyes white, as if it had run out of blood by then. However, the Orc behind it pushed its body to the side and came forward. Then, perhaps having learned from the Orc''s blunder, he threw away his club and grabbed Satsuki with his bare hands. '' Oh, d*mn it ......! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. While dodging the approaching Orcs, Satsuki saw an opening and swung her sword. The sword cut off the Orc''s right arm from the second arm and sent it flying. The Orc, however, screamed in anguish and still tried to grab Satsuki with his left hand. No, rather than using his hand, he used his entire body to crush Satsuki, and even Satsuki seemed to be having a hard time dealing with him. ''d*mn, you die-hard bastards are so bad! Meanwhile, on the other side of Satsuki''s struggle, the Orcs that followed were forming a queue as if waiting for an opportunity to advance. At the end of the line was the Orc General, who had finally appeared in a place where he could be seen. I saw it and decided that the time was ripe. I put my spell chanting on hold until the last line and sent a command to Satsuki. ''Satsuki, get down! ''Okay, I''ve been waiting for you! At my signal, Satsuki sank to the ground. Confirming this, I completed the last verse of the spell I had been chanting. '' Lightning Bolt! From the space at the end of the staff I raised, a bolt of lightning shot out with a roaring sound. 83-Episode 82 A bolt of lightning shot out from the space at the end of my staff with a roar. A flash of lightning quickly illuminated the surrounding walls, and the blinding light dyed my vision a golden color. Lightning bolt. The lightning bolt produced by this spell penetrates in a straight line and burns and melts anyone in its line of fire. It is an intermediate level spell, but if the situation is right, its power can surpass that of the fireball spell. And now, in this ''straight tunnel'', six normal Orcs, three higher-ranking Orcs, and even the commander, the Orc General, all of the remaining Orc forces were lined up in a line. The lightning bolt I fired pierced all of those Orcs and burned and melted the flesh of each target, focusing on the part that had been pierced. The Orcs that were fatally wounded by it fell one by one. ''Wow, ....... Will''s magic is amazing ......'' Satsuki, who had been in a prone position, commented as she slowly stood up. But... ''''Guaruaaaaaaaaaaaaah! The orc general at the end of the line shouted. In response, several Orcs who seemed to have barely survived also let out a yell. I suppose that''s true. No matter what, a group of Orcs that boasted of their vitality - a group of Orcs mixed with a higher level species - could not be wiped out by a single spell. Depending on where the lightning struck, even normal Orcs could survive. I silently counted the number of Orcs that remained without falling. There was one Orc of the normal species, one leader class, one mage class, and a general, for a total of four. In other words, the Lightning Bolt spell that I fired sank up to six of the ten Orcs with a single blow, and caused serious injuries to the rest of the Orc force. As a result of a single spell, it could be said that the result was satisfactory enough. ''There are four of them left... let''s attack, Satsuki. ''Okay, I''ll leave it to you then! The small Satsuki ran over the corpses of the Orcs that had fallen to the ground in the tunnel, and made contact with the first Orc of the common species. I provided magical support from behind her. Soon after, Satsuki cut down the general, leader, and mage Orcs with a single sword. Originally, Satsuki''s individual strength was far superior to the enemy''s, and since all of the enemies had already been seriously injured, it was almost as if she had kicked them away. And then... ''Gruaaaaaaaaaah! The Orc General, enraged by the annihilation of his men, threw down his weapon and attacked Satsuki. The general tried to grab the girl''s body with his large hands. The general''s hands were large enough to grab the girl''s body. The general''s movements are agile enough, even for an orc. He swung his stiff arm in an attempt to restrain Satsuki''s movement. ''But I can''t deal with it, it''s ...... not moving! But Satsuki''s movements are sharper than that, and the Orc Generals'' attacks cut through the air one after another. It seems that the Orc General''s movements are somewhat lackluster due to the fact that he has already been seriously injured by the Lightning Bolt. And then... ''Haha! Satsuki''s sword thrust took advantage of the enemy''s gap. It finally caught the orc general''s left eyeball. The sword went straight through the brain and into the back of the head. No matter how you look at it, it''s instant death. When Satsuki pulled out the sword, the Ork General collapsed in a heap. Good. All the Orcs have now been defeated. I head over to Satsuki to write her a few words of thanks. But.., Huh, huh. ...... Are the higher species of Orcs this fast? ....... d*mn it, I''ll never be able to catch up with the princess if I''m struggling with this ......! Satsuki was not satisfied with the current results, and her words showed a hint of impatience. I didn''t think that was a very good sign. So I walked up behind Satsuki, who was breathing heavily on my shoulder, and placed my hand on her beautiful black hair, stroking it. ''Wafu! What the hell, Will......!'' Satsuki looked up at me with the eyes of a frightened puppy. ''Satsuki.'' ''So, what? ''I''m glad you''re here. Thank you.'' ''......!'' Satsuki''s eyes filled with tears. I patted her head again. Satsuki seemed to accept it and did as she was told. I told Satsuki what I was thinking. ''Satsuki, I think it''s good for you to aim higher. But please don''t be hasty. I don''t want Satsuki to lose her life on the battlefield because she''s in a hurry. I don''t want to lose you. ''......! ......You know what, Will?'' But when Satsuki heard my words, her expression changed from time to time, and then she looked up at me with tears in her eyes, this time with a pouting expression. And when I asked her what she meant, ''You idiot! Thanks for the .......'' She then removed my hand from her head, crossed her arms and turned away. I was so embarrassed that I just scratched my own head with the hand that Satsuki had removed. 84-Episode 83 , . , . , . '' '' '' , . '' , . , . '' , . '' '' . , '' '' . . . . , '' '' '' '' . , '' '' '' . , . , '' '' . , . , . , . , . . , . '' , , '' '' , . '' '' , !? , '' '' , , , . '' '' '' , , . , . , . , . '' . '' '' . '' , . , . '' , . '' '' , '' '' . '' '' . '' '' , '' '' . '' '' , . '' '' , '' '' . '' '''' , '''' '' '' , , . , , . , . . '' . . , '' . , . , . '' . , . , . . . '' '' , . '' , . , . '' , . , , . '' '' '' '' , , '' Satsuki interrupted him from the side. ''Why don''t they attack us all at once when there should be more than a hundred Orcs? It would be more advantageous for them to attack us all at once. Are they stupid because they''re Orcs? It was an honest question, typical of Satsuki. But there is no logic to it. I explain to Satsuki. ''Satsuki, let''s say that your shepherd brother has lost his sheep. There were ten sheep that escaped. There are three shepherd brothers. Will the three of them work together to find the sheep that escaped?'' ''Oh, ...... that''s right, we''ll split up to look for them. Does that mean they think we''re sheep? ''Yeah. In the first place, they only include the elves in their accounts and do not consider our existence. But if a squad-sized force doesn''t return, they''ll suspect that what they''re chasing is a pack of ferocious wolves. If I were the enemy''s commander, I''d make sure that the next time they formed a platoon-sized force at the very least, or else I''d make sure that they retreated and contacted headquarters as soon as they spotted the enemy.'''' ''Huh. ....... What is the size of that platoon? What is the size of that platoon? ''A rule of thumb is that a platoon of three or so squads will come together to form a single platoon. In this case, we should expect a platoon to be about thirty to fifty units. ''Gee, seriously? ......'' ''Furthermore, it should be considered that the one who will command a platoon-sized army will be an orc of even higher rank than the general class - the lord class. In some cases, the emperor itself may command a single unit, treating it as a mobile base. ''............'' Someone gulped and spat. It was an explanation to Satsuki, but the surrounding elf warriors seemed to be listening too. Finola also seemed to be thinking about what I was saying. She might have at least thought about the logic and development of what I had just said, but it''s not uncommon for one''s perspective to be reaffirmed by hearing the words of others. Incidentally, I myself can manage a squad of orcs on an individual level, but I feel that it would be too much for me to face a platoon. In the event of a head-on collision, even if all of the elven warriors present here cooperate and challenge for an all-out battle, they will have to be prepared to be annihilated. ''...... I see, the situation has been sorted out. It would certainly be better for us to leave this place. Let''s proceed with the plan to move the base as planned. A while after I said that. In the meantime, Finola declared, and the elves once again began to prepare to move their base. 85-CHAPTER 84 As soon as the elves were ready, we began to move the base. However, since almost all of them were still wearing their clothes, the preparations were limited to informing them of the necessity and timing of the move. However, it is quite troublesome to move nearly a hundred people. Under the cover of darkness, Finola and the elves who were in charge were somehow leading the way, but if the orcs discovered this place and attacked, we would be in trouble. With that in mind, I decided to take one action. ''Finola, I''ll leave for a bit. ''Hmm ......? Yeah, that''s fine, but where are you going? ''I''m going to take a little walk in the sky. ''What''s ......? I told Finola what I was going to do, hid behind a nearby tree, took off my clothes, and cast two spells. The first is Night Vision. The first is Night Vision, a spell that allows you to see things in the dark as if it were daylight. The other is Metamorphosis. The other is Metamorphosis, a spell that allows the wielder to transform into any animal, and after the transformation, the wielder can operate with the abilities of that animal. There is a limit to the type of animal that can be transformed, but unless it is a huge animal or a magical beast, it is usually safe. After gaining night vision with the Night Vision spell, I transformed into the form of a giant eagle with the Metamorphosis spell. Then, with a flutter of my wings, I flew up and eventually soared into the sky. (It''s been a while since I''ve flown like this. ......) (It''s been a long time since I flew like this, hasn''t it?) After soaring to a height where I could get a bird''s-eye view of the trees in the forest from above, I rode on the wind and flew leisurely in the darkness of the night. Looking up at the twinkling stars in the night sky, the events of the world below seem like a small thing. But now, I did not fly in the sky to indulge in such sentimentality. I wanted to see if there were any orcs around.) As a giant eagle, I use my night vision to fly through the sky and scout the neighborhood. I swam, circled, glided, and flew all over the place in the air. As a result, we could not find anything that looked like a pack of Orcs near the moving group of Elves. I guess that''s a relief. (And then there''s .........) After I finished scouting the area, I slowly glided across the night sky and looked in one direction. The surrounding landscape is filled with forests for quite some distance, but there is one place in the forest area where there is a concentration of lights. It was the area where Finola had told me that their village was supposed to be. The distance to that place was probably about an hour on foot, and if I flew at full speed in my current form, I could reach it in less than two minutes. And the fact that there is a light there means that there is someone there right now. Orcs, elves... I''d better go check it out.) I decided to extend my scouting trip. I flap my wings lightly twice, tilt my wings, and head in the direction of my destination. I fly under the night sky, slicing through the rushing wind. As your destination rapidly approaches, you notice a dark cloud looming in the night sky ahead of you. (Are those rain clouds heading this way? ...... It''s going to rain in a while.) It wouldn''t rain during the reconnaissance, but after that, it would be a bit of a problem. However, that''s not something we should be thinking about right now. You should not be a fool who is thinking about unnecessary things and get caught in enemy territory. As I continued to fly straight towards my destination for a hundred or so hours, I finally reached the sky above the settlement. It was a large settlement of treehouses that looked like the Elven settlement where the Lefannians had lived, expanded several times in size. Bonfires were now burning in many places on the ground. And there, a nauseating and disgusting scene spread out like this. Here and there on the ground of the village lay the corpses of cruelly murdered elves. Their necks and limbs were broken, their heads were crushed, and their internal organs were pulled out. Many of the corpses seemed to be men, even among the elves. On the other hand, around the bonfires that had been lit here and there, there was a disgusting feast being held. A large number of Orcs were laying waste to a large number of Elven women while emitting unbecoming pig noises. The voices coming from the elven women were not the simple kind of charming voices. All of them are obvious screams, sobs and screams of despair. This is what I mean. This elven settlement was attacked by an army of orcs and fell, many of them killed or captured. And it was mostly the male elves who were killed and the female elves who were captured. The captured women are used by the Orcs as an outlet for their desires or as an object for procreation. (......) No! Calm down. What can I do if I go down there alone now?) Seeing the ongoing tragedy, my heart is almost seized with righteous indignation. I''m tempted to go down to the ground right now, undo the Metamorphosis, and burn the orcs to a crisp with the Fireball spell. But no. That''s not enough. Depending on how the Lords and Emperors move, there''s a good chance they''ll turn me into a piece of meat before I can retreat. It was I myself who told Satsuki and the others that they shouldn''t go too far into this matter. But now that I see the situation, my will wavers. My sense of reason fades away, and my sense of justice and my instincts take over. I, who plead that such things are not what a rational human being should be, am reduced to a corner. Violent emotions dominate me. But to my relief, my inner intuition is functioning normally. I can''t do this. I can''t do this alone. I can''t kill all these people by myself, and I''m the one who''s going to get killed in the end. That intuitive realization stopped me from acting on my instincts. But at least I would get a glimpse of the enemy''s commander-in-chief.) I made a wide circle in the sky and looked down at the world below, searching for my target. There are only a few places where I can see through the trees from above, so I can''t see the whole village. But... Is that...) Among the bonfires burning in the village, we found a particularly large one. There were a large number of Orcs and a proportional number of Elven women there, but there was no feast going on among them as in other places. At the center of the circle was a particularly arrogant being. The Orcs around him, who were two times larger than ordinary Orcs, were offering the Elven woman in their hands to him as if they were serving him. I thought about descending to take a closer look, but then the being looked up. It was as if it was looking at me in the sky, and also as if it was pointing at me to tell the surrounding orcs something. That''s more than just a keen intuition. It may have been that I felt strange that an eagle was circling in the sky without migrating at this time, or it may have been that I was just wary of the eagle as a normal animal as a slight threat, but the caution in me warned me that I should not get too close. (......) Just for now, just for now, soak up your position. You will be crushed.) I was aware that I was getting emotionally involved, and I smiled in my mind and jumped away from the scene. 86-CHAPTER 85 It wasn''t long after that I started flying to get back to my friends. (Hmm ......? That''s ......) I caught a glimpse of a figure in the forest below. It wasn''t an orc. The figure was hiding behind a tree, peeking at the village, just a short distance away from the elf settlement I had just seen. At first I thought it might be an Elf who had escaped, but even from a distance the figure seemed to be a familiar silhouette. Yes, it was like... Irene? But how could she be in a place like this?) Eileen, the princess and knight of the Grace Road Kingdom, is a childhood friend of mine, so it''s not hard to recognize her. But she is supposed to be working as a princess or a knight in the royal capital of Gravesburg. There is no reason for her to be in a place like this. ....... (......In any case, do I need to approach and work with him?) That''s what I thought, and I decided to go down to the figure. Whether it was a survivor of the elves or not, it shouldn''t be there. It should be retrieved and reunited with Finola and the others. But as I approached, I saw... It''s Irene. Why are you here ......?) Her short-cut silver hair, and her silhouette with a slight girlish charm despite her male attire, were definitely those of my childhood friend. I finally descended close to her. '' ? I''m not sure what to do. Irene noticed me and put her hand on the sword at her waist. I don''t want her to accidentally cut me, so I take some distance from her and land on the ground. Then I released my Metamorphosis and revealed myself to her. ''Irene, why are you here? ''Huh, ......?'' Irene looked at me, her hand on the sword at her waist, and looked dumbfounded. Then she pointed at me and snapped her mouth open. ''Nah ...... ah ...... u,will......? Why ......?'' Irene''s gaze moved from my face to the bottom of the screen. And then she turned bright red with a puff of steam. ...... Hmm? There''s something wrong with you. But this is not the time to be worrying about such trifles. I approached Irene, took her hand and led her away from the scene. ''What the heck ......? Will, why are you grabbing my hand? Where are you taking me in this dark place?'' ''Irene, I have a lot of questions about why you''re here, but let''s get out of here for now. It''s not safe for you to be anywhere near that village.'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Will! I don''t know what''s going on. ...... Why? Why? ''We''ll talk about it later. Follow me. ''Agh. I get it, but ...... yeah ......''. Irene followed me quietly, but there was still something wrong with her. She seems to be struggling with something, occasionally throwing a glance at my lower body and then turning her face away again with a blush. It''s a mysterious behavior. I was curious about her gaze, so I turned my attention to my own lower body. And that''s when I finally realized the reason for Irene''s strange behavior. So that''s what it is. I was completely naked when I released my metamorphosis. Since I had been exposing my whole body to the open air in the form of an eagle without any clothes, I hadn''t noticed the strange feeling. ''...... Sorry, Irene. I forgot about my outfit. I used the Metamorphosis spell to make myself look like this, but you''re still a girl, no matter how casual you are. I''m sorry to have shown you something so unsightly. But I don''t have any clothes on hand right now, so please excuse me. ......Uh, okay, okay. I''ll give you a break. ......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. But the next thing I know, she''s shaking her head as if she''s remembering something, and then she turns serious and asks me. ''Anyway, why is Will here? ''That''s my question. Why is Irene in a place like this? ''I came to a nearby village on a mission to exterminate orcs, and the cave I was asked to kill had no orcs in it. I also heard that a large army of orcs was seen heading towards a nearby elf settlement, so I came here to scout it out. ......'' ''I see. We were on a quest to kill orcs, and we met some elves from another village. We were hired by the elves, and that''s how we ended up here. ''Well, when you say ''we'', do you mean Satsuki and the others are here too? ''Yes. They''re not here, but they''re nearby with a group of elves. ''I see. I also have a group of apprentice knights waiting in a nearby village. I''m not sure I''d want to take my apprentices anywhere near a pack of Orcs of that size,......, even if I had heard about it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. When she said this, Irene fell silent. I looked at her as she followed me, and saw that she had a regretful and thoughtful expression on her face. Then she turned her head and mumbled. ''...... Those Orcs are unforgivable. ...... But I can''t take on that many on my own. But the apprentices are only a liability if they don''t lose their lives, and even if they don''t, they''re not enough of a force to overcome the difference in strength between the two sides. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. She then looked up at me with eyes that held a strong will. ''Hey Will, I need a favor. I want to defeat the Orcs and rescue the Elves. But I can''t do it alone. So, Will, I need your help.'' After she said that, she looked down awkwardly again. ''But this is my own idea, not a request from the government. I can only offer you what I can personally give you as a reward. But please! I want to save them from that hell, even now! That was Eileen''s sincere wish. , . , . '' , . . , . , '' '' '' , . , , . , , . '' , , , . , , . , . . . '' , . , . . '' '' '' , , , , . '' , . , . '' , . '' '' , '' , . '' , , , '' '' . . , , . . , '' , , . , . '' , . '' '' . , '' '' '' , . 87-CHAPTER 86 Eileen and I talked about how to meet up with them and parted ways. I cast the Metamorphosis spell again, transforming myself into an eagle, and flew back to Finola and the rest of the elves. On the way, I flapped my wings and thought as I rode the wind. The topic was ''how to destroy those Orcs''. The first thing to realize is the difference in strength between us. And in this respect, we are at a huge disadvantage. Assuming that the strength value of an Orc of general species with monster rank F is 1, the total strength value of a squad of Orcs is 19, including nine of general species with strength value 1, three of leader class with strength value 2, and one of general class with strength value 4. This strength value of 19 for a squad is considered the basic unit. The total force of the legion led by the Orc Emperor is considered to be on the scale of a company. A platoon is formed by about three squads, and a company is formed by about three platoons. It should be considered that the enemy''s total strength is roughly about nine squads. If there are nine squads with a strength value of 19, the total strength value is 171. If we assume that there are three Orc Lords with a strength value of 8 as platoon commanders and an Orc Emperor with a strength value of 16 as the overall commander, the total strength value will be a little over 200. However, this is only a model case, and the situation may not be exactly as it is in reality. However, based on our reconnaissance of the number of the enemy, I have the impression that we have not deviated too far from this figure. Now, on the other hand, what is our strength against them? First, the Elven warriors. So far, the total force consists of five from Lefania''s village and seven survivors from Finola''s village. The strength of an ordinary elf warrior is considered to be equal to that of an ordinary orc, and is calculated as a strength value of 1. Even if we assume that Lephaniah and some of the leader elven warriors have a strength value of 2, and that Finola, the commander in chief, has a strength value of 4, at the current stage, their strength is only about that of a squad of orcs. Currently, Finola''s fellow warriors are going to the surrounding elf settlements to ask for support, and if their activities work well, they may be able to gather up to fifty or sixty elf warriors. If we could gather that many, we would have an additional force of about four squads. If our party and Irene are added to that, the total strength would be about 130. But 130. If we were to go head to head with an army of Orcs with a total strength of over 200, we would be the ones who would be overrun. However, this calculation does not include my existence. This is because sorcerers are difficult to calculate simply as a fighting force, and depending on how they are used, they can turn out to be both good and bad. Most of the elven warriors also have the ability of a beginner sorcerer. Since they can only use elementary spells and their magic power is low, they are unlikely to be able to exert much influence, but if they use their power well, they can be useful for distraction. However, if you use them well, they can be useful for distraction. Elves are generally superior in terms of mobility. Orcs are generally sluggish, although there are exceptions among the higher species, and there is a clear difference in mobility between elves and orcs. Furthermore, elves are good at ranged attacks with bows. Orcs'' remote attacks are usually limited to throwing rocks or clubs, so elves have the upper hand when they are at a distance. For these reasons, the elves, who are inferior in terms of simple strength, have a good chance to win if they can fight a well-organized battle without becoming a melee. It is not an entirely one-sided and reckless battle. (Then the focus will be on how to destroy the commander class. ......) That''s where I''m going to set my sights. If we crush the wise commander class and turn them into a bunch of fools, then the Orc hordes will be nothing to be afraid of. The main Orc army should be left to the main army of elves led by Finola. We will move as a separate force and destroy the brains of the enemy army. Me, Satsuki, Mee, Cyril, and Irene. With this much strength, we will infiltrate the enemy''s core, destroy it, and then quickly leave the enemy lines. This is exactly the kind of mission we deserve. This is a mission that requires a flexible response once we are on the battlefield, which is difficult to plan in advance, but it is something that all adventurers must face. Besides, I have a strong group of friends with me. This is not a pretty story, but a real one. Satsuki, Mee, Cyril, and Irene. Despite the differences in their abilities, skills, and personalities, they are all reliable companions for me. With their support, I feel that I can do this mission, which would be impossible if I were to do it alone. It''s not an easy mission, and I should always have a way out, but I don''t think it''s an unrealistic mission at all. (It would be inappropriate to consider this as ''getting interesting''. ......) I felt myself unable to stop my mouth from dropping open. If I hadn''t been in the form of an eagle, I''m sure the edges of my mouth would have been hanging up. Ultimately, a battle between orcs and elves is nothing more than a competition for survival. If that is the case, then this feeling I have is nothing more than the instinctive pleasure of a human being. (On the stage of the fight for life, the cause, the reason, the ethics, and the morality may all be mere decoration. ......) I glided through the night sky, spinning such useless philosophies around in my head. In my vision, I saw a forest landscape under the starry sky and the lights of the elves in the forest. 88-CHAPTER 87 ''Then let''s start the meeting. There were three people there, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. Satsuki was the one who spoke up. It was after the Elves had finished their large migration and had taken a break. The elves had settled down in a corner of the forest, and were now gathering around several bonfires. Satsuki and the others were a little further away from the circle of elves. The girls face each other in a circle, keeping each other in check. William was nowhere to be seen. He had flown off on a reconnaissance mission and had not returned, hence the gathering of the girls. Satsuki continued with the second part of her statement. ''So, um, how did this happen? What Satsuki is asking is why there was a need to have such a meeting. In turn, why did the three of them end up in conflict? In other words, this "meeting" was a way to moderate the girls'' battle for William. And Me and Cyril were aware of this. ''I don''t think there''s anything wrong with that. It''s just that Mee and Cyril were somehow gripped by that naive man. That naturalness is pretty bad. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get rid of it. ...... But I didn''t expect Cyril to be hit as well. The small beastman girl then looked at the priestess with a fierce look in her eyes. At that, Cyril averted his gaze, looking embarrassed. ''Well, to be honest, I didn''t expect to feel this way myself. But somehow, someway ......, or maybe not somehow. I have an idea. But if you ask me, I was blown away by Mee''s confession. I thought you were cooler and more clever than that. ''We both are. I thought that Cyril and William had grown closer over time, but I didn''t think that Cyril would say that he liked me. ''''Because you can''t help it. If Satsuki and Mee declare it, I''ll be the only one left out if I don''t say anything. I don''t want that. ''So that thing with Cyril, was it because of Mee? ''Yes. If Mee hadn''t brought it up, I wouldn''t have said anything. ''So you just didn''t tell me, but you liked him inside? ''............ Well, that is.'' ''Then I''m with you.'' Mee and Cyril, their discussion was settled. It was a victory for Mee. But that doesn''t mean that they have won or lost in their s*xual affairs, so what does it matter? ''But, isn''t Mee''s thing too much? It was Satsuki who interrupted the conversation. ''You listened quietly when I asked you about it in my room, but you said it right there. Were you trying to take me by surprise?'' For Satsuki, it was a complaint with a tone that had really taken root. She was shocked because she trusted Mee. However, Mee did not seem to have endured it. ''What does it matter if I tell you in advance? Besides, love is war. It''s ridiculous to think it''s fair. Mee is a thief, after all. Surprise is her motto. She''s an idiot for not being stealthy about it. ...... But the enemy is too strong. I''m not sure I can break the stronghold of Mee alone. You''ll need to fight together. ''The enemy ...... is that. William says he''s in love with adventure. Satsuki asked, and Mee nodded her head seriously. And Cyril agreed with her. ''That''s true. And it makes a lot more sense than you think, doesn''t it? You can''t have adventures and be lovers at the same time. That''s why we''re having a falling out like this. Although it''s not that one that''s particularly fatal. ''Oh, you mean we don''t get along? ''Mee and Satsuki just had a falling out. ''No, I was able to forgive you when I heard what you said earlier. ''...... Why is that? Satsuki is really stupid and good-natured.'' ''Is that a compliment? Are you putting me down? ''It''s a compliment. And I''m putting you down a little bit.'' ''It''s the same as always. ''As usual. Satsuki and Mee stared at each other. Whichever of them came first, they burst out laughing together. Seeing them, Cyril smiles kindly, but soon returns to the subject as if he had remembered. But I agree with what Mee is saying about fighting together. If you ask William, "Which is more important, me or the adventure? I''m sure he''d say ''adventure. You can''t fight him alone. It would be the same if Satsuki or Mee asked you instead of me. I mean, Satsuki actually heard it, right? At Cyril''s words, Satsuki nodded with a mysterious expression. ''Oh. I thought I was going to cry right then and there. Seriously. ''How could you not cry? ''I felt like an idiot. Besides, I thought it wouldn''t be fair if I cried there. ''As usual, I don''t know where Satsuki''s pride lies. ...... Now that that''s out of the way, let''s talk about fighting together. Do you think we can break that stronghold if the three of us seduce her? Cyril said, looking over at Satsuki and Mi, who both had difficult looks on their faces. The enemy is powerful. Even if the three of us work together, there''s no way we can defeat it. That was the expression on their faces. Cyril was impressed by their sensibility. Cyril admired their sensibility, for she herself had almost the same perception. At the same time, however, Cyril could see that the odds were somewhat in his favor. ''But I don''t think that means I''m not interested in the opposite s*x at all. I can see a few flaws. If we exploit them, we might be able to break through that ironclad defense. ......'' ''Is that so? It doesn''t look like that to me.'' ''I agree with Mee. It doesn''t matter how much you attack it, it won''t falter. ''You think so, don''t you? But something like this happened to me. ......'' Cyril then told them what had happened in the tavern on the day he had fought Count Goldart''s court magician Alice. The way William looked at him when he said that he understood what it felt like to be a man addicted to women. It was a sharing of information. I could see Cyril''s determination to use any means necessary to deal with his powerful enemy. And when Mee heard about it, she showed a shocked expression. ''...... I didn''t expect Cyril to be one step ahead of me. ''I''m sorry I didn''t expect that. I''ve been feeling a bit uncomfortable lately, but is Mee''s mocking attitude towards William really just an act? ''......? What do you mean by acting? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. What Cyril thought when he saw this was that he didn''t know if it was an act or not, but even if it was an act, there was no point in asking since he wasn''t going to reveal it. If Mee was so fierce that she didn''t show her true nature even in girl talk, it would be impossible for me, who was not familiar with her experience and subtleties, to find out. While Cyril was thinking about this, Satsuki expressed a new opinion. ''But let''s talk about the first thing. If Will doesn''t want to have a love affair, what about us forcing him into it? I said I wouldn''t give up, but... I said I wouldn''t give up, but I''m thinking that it''s okay to stay as we are for now, not in the future. What do you think about that? ''For Satsuki, you''ve hit on the essential point. ......'' ''That''s true. I''m afraid if the current relationship falls apart. I think Mi might be the same as William in that regard. The three of them pondered. As Cyril had said, it was an essential problem. Then, Cyril suddenly thought of something and asked Satsuki. ''What about you, Satsuki? What do you want to do if you become lovers with William? It doesn''t seem like you want to connect physically. ''Hey ......, Cyril, can you be a little more subtle about it? Hmmm, what do you want, what do you want...... Well, I didn''t think that deeply about it. If I had to guess, I''d say holding hands? Kissing? I don''t know. ''Is it still physical contact? ''Ugh, ......, don''t talk like that. I''m imagining something else. ''What other things? ''...... Hey Cyril, are you playing with me? ''Oh, that''s too bad. Satsuki''s expression changes all the time, isn''t she cute? ''What about you, Cyril? ''Well, as I said before, I only moved because I didn''t want to be the only one who was left out. What about you, Mee?'''' When Cyril shook his head, the beastman girl stood up with her small body, sniffed and said. ''I''d like to be hugged by William, and then hugged by myself, and then be stroked for about an hour. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''...... Ah, yes. I''m surprised to get such a refreshingly lustful reply. ''Cyril is not like that at all, is he? Cyril pondered a bit as Mee asked him with dull eyes. Then, his fantasies progressed at a rapid pace, and he even imagined himself in bed with her, naked and skin to skin, and shook his head. The beastman girl saw this and looked up at Cyril with a smirk on her face. ''Oh? What did you imagine just now, Cyril? Mee wants to hear it very much. ''...... You''re surprisingly mean. It''s just a normal imagination. It''s just a normal imagination of where a man and a woman end up. ''Is it adult? ''It''s adult.'' ''Hey, what''s up? Why are we talking like this now? The three of us were all blushing slightly. It was a fierce battle of self-destruction. Cyril clears his throat and returns to the topic at hand. ''Well, I think I''ve figured out where everyone''s going. In short, they want physical contact and his love. ''You''re talking out of your ass again, .......'' It''s okay. If you break it down to that level, you can see some things. For example... no one wants to be monopolized. ''Ah, ......'' ''I see. ''Then all we have to do is make him love us all. That''s where we''ll end up.'''' Saying this, Cyril held out his hand to Satsuki and Mi. The remaining two girls also put their hands in front of theirs. ''Yes, I''ll do it! I''m on fire! The elves nearby were looking at the three girls with a disturbed look. 89-CHAPTER 88 After parting ways with Irene, I took to the skies and flew towards the fires lit by the elves. When I got close enough to find the place, I returned to the place where I had taken off my clothes, released my Metamorphosis, and headed on foot to the place where the elves were gathered. ''Oh, Will, you''re back! Satsuki, recognizing my appearance, came running up to me. Standing in front of me, she folded her hands behind her back in a shy manner and said to me with an upward glance. ''Hey, you must be tired. Do you want to eat? Would you like a bath? Or do you want to take a ...... bath? ''...... What are you talking about? Satsuki has always been a bit strange, but this behavior seemed particularly unintelligible. It''s not as if there''s a bath in the house at this stage, and it''s a standard phrase for newlyweds. ...... No, I see. This is Satsuki''s joke to soothe me after a tiring reconnaissance. If that''s the case, then it would be chic to joke back at her as well. I thought for a moment and replied to her as follows. ''No, Satsuki, I changed my mind. I think I''ll take you. Do you mind? ''Pya? When I put my hands on Satsuki''s shoulders, imitating the kind of rude male protagonist you see in some adventure stories, the kimono-clad girl stiffened as if she had been petrified by the basilisk''s glare. ''What? No, no, wait, ......! That was a joke, and I''m not ready for ...... that.'' While saying this, Satsuki closed her eyes tightly. The joke seems to have worked. I make a small gut-punch in my heart and tell her the truth. ''Oh, it was a joke, too. It was quite fun. A joke can soften a man''s heart. I''m learning. ''Is ......? I''m sorry. He took his hand off Satsuki''s shoulder and patted the girl on the head. Somehow, lately, not only Mi, but Satsuki as well, has a cuteness that makes me want to pet her head. I guess you could call it a small animal-like charm. While we were doing this, Mee and Cyril, who were watching us from behind, began to murmur in whispers. ''Why does Satsuki believe that kind of ....... I''m sure you''ve noticed that William is a natural. ''Yeah? You might be too upset to notice if you''re the one involved.'' ''Oh, ...... that may be the case. In that case, William''s natural ability to say it''s a joke is also surprisingly troublesome. ''Well... I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Well, I think only Satsuki got the benefit of the doubt. What was leaking out was a story that I couldn''t quite understand. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t care that my name was mentioned, but if it was a topic of conversation among the women, it would be foolish to go out of my way to intervene. Besides, if it was really necessary for me to ask, they would tell me. I thought about it and decided to turn the conversation back to work. ''Anyway, here are the results of the scouting. There were no Orcs to be seen in this neighborhood. The Orc hordes are currently staying in the Elven settlement where Finola and the others were. I''ve scouted that elf settlement as well. ...... To be frank, I don''t want you to see that place. It was such a mess. The ugliness of the orcish nature of the race is very different from what you know and what you see in person. When I told them this, the three girls'' expressions turned serious. And it was Cyril who opened his mouth next. ''Hey William... do you think you can win this battle? The eyes of the three gathered towards me. I chose my words carefully and answered her question. ''...... It''s hard to say. But the odds are good, and there is good news. On the way back from a reconnaissance, I met Irene and arranged for her help. It will be her personal help, not the national order, but it''s still great to have the help of that monster.'' ''''Is ......? The princess, why? The Satsuki below me looked surprised. Naturally, Cyril and Mee also rolled their eyes. Well, I suppose that''s true. ''I was surprised too. We''re supposed to meet up with them as soon as they''re ready, so they''ll probably show up in a while. Meanwhile, as we were talking, two elves walked up to us from a nearby campfire. They were Finola and LeFania''s mother and daughter. ''William, you''re home. ''Welcome home. How did it go?'' ''I''m sorry for the delay. I''ll tell you the results of my reconnaissance.'' Then I explained the same thing I had told Satsuki and the others to Finola and the others. That there were no Orcs around, and that there were many Orcs in Finola''s village. Finola shook her head sadly when she heard this, and Lefania clenched her fists, muttering ''I can''t forgive you ......''. But if anger alone could win a battle, it would be no hardship. Finola seemed to understand this, and hugged and soothed her angry daughter. Finola herself has lost a true neighbor or been mistreated, and yet she refuses to let her emotions get the better of her. Or perhaps she is controlling herself by hugging and soothing LeFania. And Finola, as the commander of this place, brings up another concern. ''I understand the situation with the orcs. But there are a few other problems. One of them is that.'' Finola pointed straight at a dark cloud that was slowly drifting towards us in the night sky. I saw it when I was scouting as an eagle, but now it''s much closer than then. ''With that cloud cover, it''ll probably rain heavily here soon. But even though we''ve moved our base from the cave, we''re still not prepared to weather the storm. If it rains all night, everyone will lose their strength, and not a few will catch a cold. If we stay close to the big trees, we can survive for a while, but still. ......'' Finola''s concern was justified. It is easy to forget when living under a roof, but the function of a house to protect against wind and rain plays an extremely important role in human life. When we are engaged in a life-threatening battle, we tend to neglect everyday sicknesses such as catching a cold, but of course, this is not a problem to be neglected. Health is the capital of everything, even in battle. Even excellent warriors like Satsuki and Irene may fall behind the Orcs if they go into battle with a cold and a fever. Even if you are not a fighter, you cannot ignore it, and if you catch a cold and do not regain your strength, in the worst case, it may kill you. A person''s life force cannot be taken away only by fighting with weapons. Therefore, Finola''s decision to choose that cave as a base was a reasonable one. However, I was not completely unprepared for the suggestion to move the base. I told Finola what I thought. ''You can leave that to me. I''ll use the cottage spell. 90-CHAPTER 89 ''Oh my god, it''s getting late! Irene was running through the forest at night. Her legs were powered by her aura, and she was kicking the ground with such force that she was running at a speed that no normal person could imagine. Even though she was running through the trees at that speed, she was able to avoid colliding with the trees by stepping left and right, so it could be said that she had tremendous kinetic vision and reflexes. ''Will, I wonder if he''s waiting for me. ......'' The girl mumbled to herself as she sprinted. The girl''s face turned red and she shook her head. ''Ouch! ... zap! As expected, she hit a tree. The tree shook as if it had been hit by a large wild boar, and the girl stopped. Aura was used to protect her, so she was not injured, but Irene rubbed her nose and tears came to her eyes. The tree that had been hit had suffered more damage than the one that had leaned over, its roots halfway out. ''Ouch. ...... d*mn it! It''s because Will is dressed like that! A girl dressed as a man shouted into the night sky. It was a clear transfer of responsibility. She had bathed with him when she was a child, but at her current age, Irene was too stimulating. ''Also, they''re always so eager,'' she said. If not, we could have moved faster. ......'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I can''t take the apprentices to the dangerous battlefield we''re going to. When Irene ordered the apprentice knights to go home, the apprentices all said no. The pride of the boys did not allow them to send a girl of their own age to a dangerous battlefield alone, even though they were their superiors and very skilled. However, from Irene''s point of view, they were still a drag on her. So she said, "If you all come at me and beat me, I''ll admit that you''re not slowing me down and allow you to go with me. As expected, the apprentice knights could only nod their heads in agreement. But what Irene miscalculated was the fact that the apprentice knights were willing to ''come to win''. The boys, who usually only used well-behaved knightly swordsmanship, tried to put Irene down in any way they could, using physical assaults, grabbing her, and other desperate fighting techniques. Even so, the difference in ability was obvious, and in the end, Irene completely beat the four apprentice knights, but by that time, Irene was out of breath, and she and the apprentices fell to the ground in a heap. It was only after she had recovered to some extent that she left. It had been a long time since he had left William. At that moment, a drop of water fell on Irene''s cheek. ''Oh, it''s even starting to rain! The rain began to fall in droplets, but soon gained momentum, and a large number of raindrops began to hit Irene''s body. ''Oh my god~, what the hell~! Irene hid herself in the shade of a nearby tree, and took out a hooded cloak from the luggage bag on her back and threw it on. The cloak is long enough to cover the girl''s entire body, and the outside is treated to repel water. This is the rain gear that knights always carry with them when they go on expeditions. ''Ugh, it''s cold. I don''t like the rain, really~'' Irene shivered once and started running again. However, running through the forest and being drenched by the heavy rain, the inside of her cloak was gradually getting wet. It was raining so hard that we felt it would have made no difference whether we wore the cloak or not if it had been raining like this, and after a few minutes of running, as expected, the rainwater had penetrated the inside of our clothes. ''But Will, you said that the place where the elves were gathering was deserted, but I wonder if it''s going to rain like this. If it rains all night, everyone will probably catch a cold, will they be okay? While worrying about this, they ran for a few more minutes. Eventually, Eileen''s vision caught sight of the lights of a campfire through the trees. It matched the meeting place of the elves that William had told her about. ''......, a bonfire? In this rain?'' Irene tilted her head. As she ran further, ''the sight'' spread across the girl''s vision. 91-Episode 90 ''What the heck is this ......? What Irene saw from the top of her cloak as she was hit by the heavy rain was a scene that made her feel as if she were in a different world from the one beyond. Irene is indeed in the middle of the heavy rain. By now, even the inside of her cloak was soaking wet, and her short-cut silver hair was naturally hanging lankly down her forehead. But from where she was looking, there were many elves warming themselves by the fire. It seemed to be a place where rain had nothing to do with it. There was something like a transparent wall separating Irene''s place from the elves'' place. The heavy rain that was pouring down on them was all being blown away by that wall. No, "wall" may not be the right word to describe it. If you look closely, you can see that it is gently curved and looks like a huge bowl lying on its side. The size of the bowl was so huge that it could completely enclose the royal castle of Greysburg, the royal capital where Irene lived. ''Wow ......, it''s like an invisible castle''. Eileen walked right up to the transparent wall and tried to touch it. Then... ''Oh my ...... God! Eileen''s outstretched hand was easily sucked into the wall. No, it wasn''t so much that she was sucked in as that she felt nothing. It was as if there was nothing there, and Irene almost fell forward onto her knees. ''What''s ......? What do you mean?'' Irene tried to put her hand in and out of the ''wall''. There is no touch at all. Fearfully, Eileen steps over to the other side of the wall. The girl''s body slips through the transparent wall without any resistance. Once inside the wall, she found that, as seen from the outside, there was no rain in the space. On the contrary, there was no wind at all, not even a breeze. ''? Irene tilted her head. And then... ''Oh, the princess is here. Uh-huh. ''Oh, Satsuki? Hi! A face familiar to Irene appeared from the other side. A girl with black hair and ponytail, wearing a sky blue kimono and a sword at her waist. Her figure seemed to be unaffected by the heavy rain outside, and her clothes and body did not seem to have gotten wet at all. ''Hey, Will, the princess is here! What''s with the ......, Princess, you''re all wet.'' ''That''s right, I''ve been running in this rain. I mean, what''s going on here? ''Oh, I don''t know what it is, but it''s a hinge. Or something. It''s like Will''s magic. Isn''t it amazing? ''Oh, so it''s magic. Yeah, it''s awesome. ...... is amazing.'' The two girls are having trouble with their vocabulary. Then, the person who used the magic, a man in a dark green robe, appeared from the back. ''Thank you for coming, Irene. It looks like it''s raining quite a bit. ''Yes, it did. And I even hit a tree when Will showed me how to dress like that. ''...... What''s that? William looked at her suspiciously, and Irene laughed without giving any details. But then Satsuki snapped. ''What do you mean, dressed like that? ''Well, Will showed me his naked body a while ago. And he took my hand and escorted me.'' ''What? It was a comment made by Irene''s mischievous mind, but it had a great effect on Satsuki. ''Wait, ...... Will, is that true? ''...... Oh, I''m afraid I''m not lying. I can sense Irene''s malice, though.'' ''Haha, sorry, sorry. I just wanted to make fun of you, Satsuki.'''' ''What, ......? What? What the hell is ...... that? Seeing Satsuki looking at Irene and William alternately and almost crying, William put his hand on Satsuki''s head below and patted it. When Irene saw this, her mouth twitched a little in jealousy, but no one noticed it. ''Well, Irene, you''ll catch a cold if you stay wet. You''d better take off your clothes and dry off. I don''t think we''re going to be able to get a change of clothes even if we have .......'' The luggage bag Irene was carrying was also soaked, so even if she had a change of clothes in it, it would probably be soaked as well. ''Oh, yeah, it''s okay,......, haha! Irene tried to tell him that she was fine, but it was not possible. She sniffed all the time and shivered. ''Oh, ...... I thought I was fine, but maybe I''m not. What should I do? It''s not like I''m going to be naked. ......'' ''Of course. It''s fine if I''m the only one here, but I''m in public. I''ll lend you my change if you like. Either way, I need to change.'' ''It''s okay, ......, I''m wearing Will''s clothes? I''m going to wear Will''s clothes that have his scent on them. Irene''s reaction was as if she could hear the onomatopoeia of a gibbering sound. ''...... That''s a strange way of putting it. I''ve already washed it, so it shouldn''t be a problem. If you''re still worried about it, I''ll ask Cyril if he has a replacement. ''Eh, what should I do, what should I do, what should I do ...... Hey Satsuki, what do you think I should do?'' Irene was troubled and turned to the only third party who was present. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. ''...... Why did you ask me? There''s nothing to say other than I''m jealous. ''No, I''m also jealous of Satsuki''s position right now. ....... Well, I''ll be in a position to be envied. I think I''ll take your word for it and borrow Will''s clothes. ''...... I don''t know what that is, but okay, okay. I''ll get you a change of clothes. I''ll arrange for you to take a bath first, so go warm up first.'' ''Yeah, a bath, okay. Is ............ a bath?'' Irene tilted her head again at the words that came out of William''s mouth. 92-Episode 91 ''Fluffy, that feels good ......'' Irene soaked herself shoulder-deep in the bathtub, leaned the back of her head against the edge of the tub, and let out a carefree cry. Of course, she took off her rain-soaked clothes and was completely naked. Her body was not quite like a man''s, but it was uneven and smooth. When the girl looked up, she could see the crisscrossing branches and leaves of the trees, and through the gaps in the branches and leaves, she could see the starry night sky. The reason why her vision is not completely dark in the middle of the night is because it is illuminated by the flames of a nearby campfire. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Then, another girl appeared. ''No, really, princesses forget that they''re princesses when they talk. ''Hey, Satsuki? As I heard the voice, I moved my gaze from looking up above me to look outside the bathtub, and saw a girl with her black hair untied, usually in a ponytail, walking towards the bathtub. The girl, Satsuki, stepped straight into the bathtub. ''Whoa, that''s nice hot water. I wonder how they adjust the temperature. Satsuki slowly sinks into the water. The silver-haired girl points with her hand at her comrade-in-arms, who has just entered the room beside her. ''I heard earlier that when you want to raise the temperature, you throw in the burnt stone over there. Eileen pointed to a fire that was lighting up the area. A number of small stones were being burned in the fire. William used the cottage spell to create a sheltered place from the rain and wind, and then enlisted the help of the elven sorcerers to create a bath using a combination of spells. The bathtub, made with the spells Shape Earth and Waterproof, was large enough to hold more than ten people, and was filled with hot water using the spells Create Water and Heat. The baking stone was only used to control the temperature. ''Wow. That''s a lot of thinking.'' ''According to Will, it''s a famous bathing method among mages of a certain level and above. ''Oh, is that so? But even though we''ve been traveling together, Will has never made me a bath. ''Hmm. Well, don''t you think Satsuki and the others are unloved? Irene grinned at him while giving him a warning. For a moment, Satsuki looked blank, but then she looked down, saw what was there, and smiled. Seeing this, Irene hugged her body with her arms and pulled her breasts away from Satsuki''s gaze. ''What, what? ''Nothing, really? I just thought that you have a weakness too. ''Then what''s your weakness? It''s okay, it''s rare and it''s status! Even as she said this, Irene''s gaze was drawn to Satsuki''s breasts and the rest of her body in the hot water. The dark-haired girl''s naked body was still in its girlish stage of development, but her proportions were generally ideal, with her breasts appearing where they should and retracting where they should. ''Gghhh ......, you''re a Satsuki! ''I''ve received your condescending remarks~. But I''ll overtake you with my sword skills sooner or later, and then the only thing you''ll have left to look at is your status as a princess, right? ''What? If you can outrun me, go ahead and outrun me! You''re growing all these tits! ''Huh? What are you doing, you idiot princess? ......! ''Oh my god, it''s so soft and heavy, what is this ......? The two girls are jostling in the hot water. The elven women who were in the tub with them were laughing at the scene. In addition to Irene and Satsuki, there were less than ten elves in the bathtub, which was large enough to hold more than ten people. And among them were the mother and daughter of LeFania and Finola. '' Hey mom, I heard that silver-haired person is human royalty, but he''s so carefree, isn''t he? ''No, it''s just that the princess is special. ''And humans, people of the same s*x can touch each other''s skin like that, can''t they? Humans are amazing. ......'' ''Those two are special too, LeFania. Finola was doing her best to intervene as LeFania tried to gain a false perception of human culture. And the two human representatives who didn''t know that... ''Hey, hey, Satsuki, if you want to apologize, now''s the time. ''Hey, idiot, don''t rub my sides, don''t tickle me... hahahahaha! ''I''ll stop if you give me half of your tits. ''But you can''t, you idiot! You can''t do that, you idiot! Nyaaahhh, the stupid princess is killing me! There was no bathing etiquette or anything, they were just playing with each other... No, Irene, jealous of Satsuki''s proportions, was playing with Satsuki one-sidedly. But then, a new assassin appears. ''...... What are you doing, Irene? And Satsuki, too. ''I''m not sure if Satsuki and Irene get along or not. Cyril and Mee came to take a bath as well. But... ''What ...... is ......? Irene''s eyes were glued to Cyril''s chest as he walked towards the bathtub. Her own hands were currently occupied with Satsuki''s rather magnificent breasts. But there was one of such vicious size that even that seemed like child''s play. She realized that even the size of her breasts, which usually appeared to be pushed up by her pure white robe, was suppressed by her clothing. The fact that she was still developing as a girl was no excuse in front of that priestess. The real thing brings all excuses to naught. ''...... What is it, Miss Irene? I''m embarrassed that you''re staring at me like that. Cyril submerges himself in the hot water to hide himself. ''Oh, I''m sorry. ...... No, I mean, I wonder what they eat to grow that much. ''Are they breasts? I think you''re born with them. ''...... So that means you should despair of me.'' Eileen thought in disbelief as she looked next to Cyril. There was a small beastman girl who looked perfectly normal. Irene is relieved. Thank God, I''ve got company. That''s how she felt. But the beastman girl, who seemed to be one of them, said something that seemed to be enlightening. ''Are you worried about the size of your breasts, Irene? I''m sorry, but I think that''s stupid.'' ''What, ......? ''What are you going to do if you don''t make use of your own charm? It''s not just big breasts that make a girl attractive. ''My own ...... charm ......''. At that moment, Irene saw Mi''s figure shining like a god. It was a moment when she murmured in her heart, ''Master. After that, Irene let Satsuki go and soaked in the bathtub quietly. The four girls stood side by side and surrendered themselves to the hot water under the forest trees. At that moment, Satsuki suddenly let out a word. ''But you know, I think ......... I wonder if it''s okay that we''re having such a good time. Isn''t it inappropriate? Because even while we''re doing this, ......''. From that point on, everyone knew without saying anything. Irene, who had been so excited until now, showed a hint of sorrow in her face. In this situation, it was Cyril who spoke next. ''William said that we should rest our bodies and minds when we can. In any case, we can''t move until the elves'' strength is ready, and we''ll be tense even if we don''t want to be when we have to put down roots. I think that''s a good argument...'''' Cyril ended his speech there. Mee took over from him. ''And Mee and the others are more of a bonus. William wanted to comfort the traumatized elves by building this bath. He''s a very good mercenary and a good value for money. Finola and her friends got a good deal. ...... Mee and the others have to work hard and not just be in love. ''Yes, you''re right.'' Satsuki nodded to Mi''s words and then looked at the elves. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. 93-Episode 92 The next morning. I woke up to the glare of the morning sun falling through the trees. I crawled out of the blanket I was wrapped in and looked around. Nearby, My was wrapped up in a blanket, breathing soundly in her sleep. There was another. A blonde girl in priest''s robes was kneeling on the ground, her hands folded in front of her chest in prayer. It was Cyril. There is no sign of Satsuki or Irene. They are probably out training in the early morning. Irene''s clothes, which had been drying in the tree, were nowhere to be found, and the robe I had lent her last night was folded neatly on my pack bag. ''Well, ......''. I folded up the blanket I was wrapped in and put it away in my bag. It''s quiet around here. The rain that seemed to have been raging during the night has now completely stopped, and the fresh morning sun is shining through the trees, creating a pleasant band of light. ''...... Good morning, William. Did you sleep well?'' Cyril, who had been praying, stood up and called out to me, as if he had noticed my activity. I responded and pointed to the still sleeping beastman girl. ''Good morning, Cyril. Thanks to her ( ), I got a good night''s sleep. Are Satsuki and Irene training early in the morning? ''Looks like it. When I woke up, they were both gone. Like Satsuki, Irene seems to be a very hard worker. Cyril said and gave me a wry smile. I''m not sure why she''s smiling, but maybe she has a lot on her mind. ''Well, I don''t know if I should call it an effort or if I''m just doing it because I like ...... it. In any case, it is unlikely that even Aileen would have been able to achieve that level of ability with only her inborn qualities. There''s no doubt that her steady daily training is bearing fruit. ''If that''s the case, Satsuki has a troublesome person as a rival. There''s nothing more unruly than a genius who works hard. If the other party is also growing day by day, there''s no way they can catch up. ''Maybe. But it''s Satsuki''s greatness that she doesn''t lose heart. Whether she can overtake Irene or not, if she pulls you along, you''ll be able to get to a very high level. And people don''t always turn into something they''re not. We can''t be sure that the power relationship between the two of them will remain as it is forever. When I replied that, Cyril now laughed at himself and shrugged his shoulders at the same time. ''...... Haha. It''s a bit disgusting when you''re surrounded by monsters like this. I used to be so talented in the temple, but now I''m reminded that I''m just an ordinary person. Talent, the talent to work hard. ''Is that so? I think Cyril and Mee are good enough and admirable. And above all, a person''s value is not only determined by his or her ability. We should not be too concerned about whether we are inferior or inferior to others. In the first place, a person is irreplaceable simply by being there. When I stated my theory, Cyril made a gesture as if he was thinking for a moment. And then... ''Hey William, can I ask you something in-depth? He prefaced his question in that way. ''Yeah, I don''t mind. What is it? ''Is that ...... your way of thinking the reason why you and your father have a falling out? I was taken by surprise and a little surprised. He had said he would ask me something in-depth, but I hadn''t expected it to come up here. But I had given her permission to ask, and there was no particular reason to refuse. So I responded in the affirmative to her question. ''...... Well, yes. The value of a person is not only determined by his or her ability. A person is irreplaceable simply by being there. This is one of my beliefs, and probably the one where my father and I have a major disagreement. Therefore, the answer to Cyril''s question is ''affirmative''. ''Yes ....... But I also understand your father''s point of view. I''m sorry, but what William is saying sounds like empty nonsense to me. Cyril''s beautiful, yet thoughtful voice echoed through the quiet forest. ''............'' It was just the two of us, me and Cyril facing each other, with Mee sleeping peacefully under a blanket beside us. This reminds me of something. Didn''t Cyril say anything personal when he met my father at the castle in King''s Landing and when we clashed with that man? Cyril continued with his own thoughts. ''After all, the world is run by a few elites, isn''t it? People who don''t see the logic of things just eat up resources or, worse, drag down those who are doing good in the world. I wonder if there''s any justice in affirming incompetence. ''............'' Cyril''s thoughts were very close to my father''s. The kind of thinking I detest or even despise. But what Cyril said after that was something I hadn''t expected at all. ''...... That''s why I''m always worried that I''m, we''re dragging William down. I''m always worried that we''re dragging William down. ...... We''re not supposed to be around him. I think you deserve a better partner than us. What Cyril said was a self-deprecating remark. They were the words of a struggling girl, different from my father who was capable to any extent. No, it wasn''t just self-deprecation, I guess. A mixture of responsibility, pride, desire, and many other things seemed to be causing a conflict within Cyril. His voice sounded gloomy, sad, and so on. I didn''t know what to say to that. I could laugh at the idea that the world and a suitable partner were ridiculous. But I don''t think Cyril''s heart would be touched if I said so. But if I don''t say anything here, I''ll be half affirming her idea. I don''t want to do that. Absolutely not. Because... (okay, ......) Why not? When I thought about it seriously, the answer came out of me surprisingly easily. (I don''t want to break up with Cyril, Satsuki or Mee anymore. ......) (I don''t want to leave Cyril, Satsuki, or Mee anymore.) That was my true and honest feeling right now. I want to go on more adventures with them. I can''t deny that I don''t want to let go of my current environment, even though I say that I''m not the adventurer I thought I was. I don''t want to lose them because of what they deserve or don''t deserve. Cyril, Satsuki, and Mee are my original friends that I can''t replace. And that''s already the answer. It may not be a general answer, but as an individual answer for the relationship between me and Cyril and the others, it was definitely the right answer. But could I convey it with words alone? Even if I just said it out loud, wouldn''t it sound hollow to Cyril? If you don''t show it with your attitude, it won''t be conveyed. By attitude, I mean, for example... No, but that''s not fair. It contradicts what I myself told Satsuki the other day. But still... But still... it''s better than letting Cyril worry about it.) Maybe it was just my excuse, made by me, for me. But at this time, I was taking that action. '' Cyril. ''Eh, ......? As I approached Cyril, I hugged her. I put my arms around the back of the priestly robed girl and held her tightly, trying to embrace all of her. ''What are you ......! ''This is my answer. I don''t want to let you guys go.'' ''Yeah, .......'' ''I know it''s not fair. I know it''s contradictory. I know it sucks. But apparently, this is what I''m really feeling right now. ...... still think they''re not worthy of me? Cowardly. Low. Lowlife. Conceited. Arrogant. Human waste. Words of contempt for yourself well up in your mind, but the mind and logic of trying to justify yourself cancel them out. At the same time, fear arises. Fear of being rejected by Cyril. But there''s no turning back now. And then, close to my ear, I hear Cyril''s voice. ''...... Are you going to do all this just to reassure me? Or do you really mean it?'' The fear is gone. I answer immediately. ''I mean it. I''m a little confused myself.'' ''...... I''m so relieved to hear that. ...... Can I spoil you a bit more?'' ''I''m not sure which one of us is spoiling you.'' Cyril also put his arm around my back. I hugged Cyril for a while in the morning sunshine. 94-CHAPTER 93 Was the time spent in Cyril''s embrace long or short? The reasoning behind what he was doing in such a near-emergency situation. His own ugly desire to have several women in his hands at the same time. The guilt and comfort of holding one of them in his arms right now. The contradiction that he rejected Satsuki for some reason, but is now making a positive approach to Cyril for some reason. The many guilty feelings and the overwhelming happiness that overwhelmed them all. As I felt the warmth, softness and sensual smell of the girl, the excuses I had initially prepared for myself disappeared. I want to do this forever. I want to fall with Cyril, without reason. I was unable to resist such temptation, but what brought me back to reality was the interference from the outside world. ''Hmm...... William and ...... Cyril......? I could hear Mee''s voice. That''s what I call a heart jump. It did. Right beside me, Mee had been sleeping the whole time. This is insane. To be immersed in a clandestine affair with Mee at your side when you never know when she''ll wake up. No, is it really a secret? I wasn''t planning on it at first, but... Anyway, I don''t know what to do. Cyril and I looked at each other and then pulled away without a second thought. Then we both turned to face Mee. It''s like we''re accomplices in something. The beastman girl, who had slipped out of the blanket and stood up, seemed to have woken up from her sleepy state early and was staring at us - or rather, at Cyril. ''Cyril, what do you mean? Mee''s expression was that of an interrogation directed at Cyril. Cyril, on the other hand, replied with a pout. ''...... I''m sorry. ''Sorry doesn''t mean you don''t understand. Are you running off without consulting with Mee and the others? ''...... I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do that. ......'' Cyril replied with a pained look on his face the whole time. I don''t know why it''s structured that way. Maybe there was some kind of secret agreement between the girls. But in any case, Cyril is not to be blamed. I was the one who took active action, and Cyril certainly accepted it, but her actions were only passive. ''Mee, wait. I don''t know what''s going on, but if anyone''s to blame, it''s me, not Cyril. I thought to myself that was a stupid line. I don''t even know why Cyril is being blamed in the first place. ''...... I see. But Mee wants to hear from Cyril. I''d like to go over there and talk to him alone, if that''s okay. When Mee asked, she looked at Cyril and he shook his head. Then Cyril disappeared beyond the forest as if being taken by Mee. I was the only one left. ''...... How did this happen? I mutter to myself. I didn''t even know if what I was doing was wrong, and if so, what was wrong with it. Neither the adventure stories I''d read as instructional material nor the textbooks at the Academy of Magic had any information on how to deal with this kind of situation. I''m a complete amateur when it comes to matters of love. ''Oh, Will, good morning~'' While I was thinking about this, Irene and Satsuki came back with me. Incidentally, Irene greeted me smilingly, but Satsuki was sullen. Perhaps they had a fight and Satsuki was beaten to a pulp. ''Oh, good morning Irene, and you too Satsuki. ''...... Oh, good morning.'' Satsuki was still discouraged and returned a token greeting. It''s so cute that Satsuki doesn''t even try to hide her unhappiness. As I was thinking that, Irene came up to me quickly, ''You know, Satsuki, you''re in a bad mood because you lost a lot of games against me. She told me something that should have been obvious. But I... But for some reason, Irene''s gesture made me nervous. (Stupid ...... to think that I could feel the opposite s*x even in Irene. ......) I felt a strange lustfulness in the breath that was blown into my ear. This is not good. It''s as if some kind of switch was flipped, and some kind of circuit inside me went haywire. ''......? What''s wrong, Will? What''s wrong with your face? Irene is moving around me, looking for me. ''...... Hahaha, so you''ve finally found my charm and you''re falling in love with me, huh? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. She''s dressed as a man, so she doesn''t look as feminine as when she was wearing a dress, but still... ''...... Don''t be silly. Go away.'' ''Hahaha.'' I grabbed Irene by the scruff of the neck and pushed her back towards Satsuki. Irene stopped right in front of Satsuki, stepping on her heels. ''Hmm ......? There''s something wrong. Hey Satsuki, there''s something wrong with Will, isn''t there? ''I don''t know. I mean, don''t talk to me. ''What, are you still pissed off? You''d better change your mood.'' ''Shut up. Give me time to sort out my feelings, you stupid princess! ''Ah! You called me an idiot princess again! You''re an idiot too, Satsuki! Irene and Satsuki began to struggle with each other. I was relieved to hear that. I was relieved to hear that, because I thought that this would prevent them from realizing my inner turmoil. What the hell is wrong with me? I feel as if something inside me has changed because I''ve gone beyond the honeymoon with Cyril. I began to feel the opposite s*x towards the girls I''ve been treating without any problems. At this rate, Satsuki''s approach to him will be a bit of a shock. (...... is not good) I don''t know what''s wrong with me, but I feel like it''s wrong anyway. Will I be able to hide this inner turmoil? Or is it really necessary to hide it in the first place? (......) No, right now, we should focus on the mission. Yes. No, now is not the time to be thinking about that. According to Finola, the elves who went to call for help would probably return between last night and this afternoon. Therefore, the attack would probably take place around noon today at the latest. Incidentally, the planned meeting place of the elves was the cave where Finola and the others had come from. For this reason, a liaison has been watching near the cave since last night, and if the Elves come, he will lead them to this place, and if the Orcs come, he will hide and let them pass or run away. Last night, I was going to use an insensible spell to act as a liaison, but Mee stopped me. She said, ''William is working too hard on his own. It''s hard for him to eat for free, so he needs you to do something for him. Also, William should go to sleep as soon as possible. So, I thought that Mee, with her excellent ability to hide herself, would be the best choice for the job, and I decided to leave it to her and go to bed early. As a replacement for Mee, one of the elves with excellent covert action skills should have been selected and appointed. (So if one of the replacements came home tired and woke up to find us doing something like that, it would be even more upsetting. ......) I don''t have to tell you this now, but Mee is not just a cute little girl as she looks, she is a full-fledged adult woman (lady). She is not just a cute little girl as she looks, she is a full-fledged adult woman (lady), and we should not underestimate her because of her loveliness and child-like appearance. Just as I was thinking about this, Mee and Cyril came back. ''Oh, you''re awake too, Mee and Cyril. Good morning. ''Good morning Irene. ...... Is Satsuki being pushed around by Irene? I''m not sure how long they''ve been together. You stupid princess, your aura is too strong and you''re too stupidly powerful! ''There''s no way Mi and the others can do anything Satsuki can''t do with her power. We have to give up. ''What do you mean, "give up"? What do you mean, give up? No, stop it, what are you doing, you stupid princess! ''You''re so cute and red, Satsuki. I think I''m going to get serious. ...... That''s almost like abuse, isn''t it? It reminds me of the old Irene, who used to toy with me half the time, but I''m sure she''s taking it easy on me, so I''ll just leave it at that. I''m more concerned about the fact that Mee seems to be in a better mood. I looked at Cyril, who was standing next to Mee, and she noticed my gaze and made a ''circle'' with her fingers. I wondered if this meant that the matter had been settled peacefully. If so, I''m relieved. ...... But what is this sense of impending doom that has come over me so quickly? I feel as if I and the environment around me have undergone another major change. But as if to interrupt my pondering... ''Oh, the Orcs are on the move! The voice of an elf on a reconnaissance mission echoed throughout the area of this temporary settlement. 95-CHAPTER 94 I was flying in the sky as a giant eagle. Hearing the report of the scouting elf, I also used the Metamorphosis spell and went out to scout myself. A tranquil morning sky. The rain clouds have already passed away, and the weather has turned clear. However, this does not mean that all difficulties have passed and the future is bright. Contrary to the weather, there is still a big obstacle in front of us. That obstacle is now marching through the forest area below me in flight. It was a horde of orcs, a sub-race with a huge green body. At a glance, the number of these subhumans pushing forward in a gruff manner exceeded thirty, and might have reached forty. (Have you thrown in a platoon''s worth of force? .......) It''s a surprisingly solid move.) I look down at the Orc horde below me and assess the enemy''s tactics as such. They are a large force, estimated to be about a third of the Orcs'' total strength. As a result of the failure of a squad-sized force to return, sending a force equivalent to three times that size is a legitimate, if uninteresting, tactic. The pack of Orcs had left the Elven settlement where Finola and the others had been living, and were heading in the direction of our current temporary base. I don''t know why they directed such a large force in that direction, but perhaps it was because the troops they sent in that direction didn''t come back. In any case, it was a pretty accurate move as a result. (Now, what to do: ......) If they had neglected the defense of the base and sortied all the troops, we could have rescued the prisoners by raiding the base, but it seems that they would not let us do so easily. Enemies who take the proper approach are troublesome because they are proper. It is only in exceptional cases that an unconventional strategy defeats the high road, and the high road of tactics is still a mass operation with a large force. However, if that is the case, there is a way to confront them with the high road as well. (If we''re up against a platoon, a head-on collision might be the least risky.) With that in mind, I tilt my wings to turn and change direction. We''re heading for the temporary base where Finola and the others are currently. There are currently about thirty elven warriors gathered there. Although they are not yet fully assembled, their request for support from the surrounding villages has been successful, and they have secured a much larger force than they had yesterday. (That said, there was no reason to engage in an honest head-on collision. The challenge... is to win the battle with as little loss of strength as possible. Besides...) If I were in the enemy''s position, I would definitely give those Orc hordes ''certain instructions''. I need to plan my strategy with that in mind. That ''certain instruction'' is ''if the hostile force is beyond our control, we must retreat immediately and report it''. The Orcs probably do not have accurate information on our strength and location. That will be a big advantage for us. Even if the enemy is as intelligent as a human, it is impossible to take precise actions without accurate and sufficient information. It is like playing a game of "chelt" without being able to see the opponent''s pieces. If you do not concede the information advantage, you will gain the advantage in the war. Therefore, for the Orcs, if the opposing force is stronger than expected, it is essential to minimize the depletion of their forces and at the same time bring back information about the enemy. And for us, one of the most important missions is to stop them. You''ll be able to find a lot more than 30 orcs to guide and surround you, eradicate them so that not even one of them escapes, and the damage to us should be zero.) As I rode the wind, I pondered specific ways to achieve this. As I logically constructed my thoughts based on my own abilities, the differences in strength and characteristics of my adversaries, and other factors, I quickly settled on a plan. It was very different from a love affair. (After all, there are certain things that people are not suited for. ......) I laughed in my mind and flew up into the sky. 96-CHAPTER 95 The cave where Finola and the others were initially based. A short distance from the entrance to the cave, I was waiting, hidden in the trees of the forest. Beside me stood a lovely girl with cat ears and a tail, snuggling up to me. Mi looks up at me with her dull eyes and opens her mouth. ''Maybe it''s time? ''Yeah. Hopefully, LeFania will be successful.'' With that, I turn my gaze towards the cave. In front of the entrance of the cave, there is an open meadow without any trees for about ten meters. This is the place that will be the key to this mission. At that moment, Mee tugged at the hem of my robe. ''It''s here, William. There, in Lephaniah.'' I looked in the direction she was pointing. But beyond that, all I could see were the trees of the forest. No... If you look closely, you can see something moving in the direction that Mee is pointing, far ahead. If you look closely, you can see an elf running through the trees. The sky-blue-haired elf girl ran, occasionally looking behind her, and gradually approached us. ''How can you notice it ......''. ''Hmm, I''m confident in my eyesight. If you want, you can pat me on the head and give me more praise, William? ''Ah, yes. That''s Mee.'''' ''Yah. Nyaaaaah.'' When I stroked her hair as Mee requested, the beastman girl narrowed her eyes and seemed to feel good. She was as cute as ever. But that''s beside the point. When LeFania approached me to some extent, I waved my hand and gave her a signal. Refania seemed to notice this, turned around once more, and came running towards us. I cast the Insensible spell just as LeFania joined us. The effect of this spell, which affects the area around the sorcerer, enveloped Mie and LeFania in the area of effect at the same time. ''Haha, haha, haha ......! ''Good work, you did well. How did it go?'' ''A lot. ...... I think it''s catching on. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. It seems to have worked out pretty well. As I waited for a while, I began to see a huge green sub-race in the distance, in the direction where I first saw LeFania. It was a pack of Orcs. They were moving slowly through the forest, looking around as if they were spying on their surroundings. Okay, that''s good. And then... I cast the Illusion spell at the right moment. The target area is the square in front of the cave. When the spell is complete, an elven girl with sky-blue hair will appear in front of the cave. She looked exactly like LeFania. ''It really is just like me......'' ''Now, will the orcs bite ......? Both LeFania and Mee let out their own impressions. Of course, the real LeFania was right beside me. As I waited for a while, a group of Orcs came into view of the square in front of the cave. There I gave instructions for the effects of the spell. The phantom in the form of LeFania looked at the Orcs, gave a frightened look, and then rushed into the cave in a panic. Then, as if caught by it, a group of Orcs gathered in the square in front of the cave. Soon, more than thirty Orcs in total filled the entire square. Among them, there were nearly a dozen individuals who seemed to be of a higher species mixed in. ''It took me a while. Interesting. ......'' ''Alright Mee, contact me.'' ''Yes, sir. You got it.'' Mee quickly got out of the insensible range and ran to the rear. Mee, who was good at covert action, was best suited to escape from this place quietly and undetected by the Orcs. In fact, she disappeared into the trees of the forest without being noticed by the Orcs gathered in the square. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this on the web. It''s amazing, it''s really just like William said ......''. I''m not sure what to make of it. The strategy I''ve devised this time is a very simple one. Lefania would be ''found'' by the Orcs on purpose and run away. The Orcs chasing her would be tricked by an illusion spell to draw their attention to the cave. The idea was to surround the Orcs gathered in one place in front of the cave with the entire allied army and attack them all. ''If there were some intelligent Orcs among the higher species, I might suspect the possibility of some kind of trap. But if you see how the elves ran into the cave, you would think that the trap was set inside the cave. They''re probably thinking hard about how to get into that cave right now. In fact, the fact that we were gathered in the square in front of that entrance is itself a trap. If they''re so tightly packed together, it''s easy for my magic to wipe them out, and they''ll be good targets for the elves'' concentrated fire of bows and arrows and magic. ''But this is not a victory. The conditions for victory are ''not to let even a single enemy escape'', and above all, ''to destroy the enemy without causing any damage to your allies''. From here on, it will be a contest of pure power and skill. Don''t let your guard down, LeFania. ''Uh, yeah, of course. It''s funny, though, that ...... this was supposed to be a rather desperate battle, wasn''t it?'' Lefania said, tilting her head curiously. 97-CHAPTER 96 There is a negative view of magic for destruction in the Academy of Magic. There are those who believe that spells such as fireball, lightning bolt, and blizzard should be restricted from use and learning, as they are abominable spells that unnecessarily destroy precious life and time-honored culture. There are not a few people in the Academy who agree with this, or who agree with it conditionally. Many of those who conditionally support this idea are of the opinion that the use of weapons should be limited to self-defense, and there are many who support this idea. However, the reality is that these spells are a symbol of the sorcerer''s power and one of the important elements that support the sorcerer''s social status, and modern sorcerers have yet to give up these spells. In fact, many mage class mages are using these spells for purposes other than self-defense. I am reserving my own opinion on this point. As my goal was to become an adventurer in the first place, I would simply be troubled if I took the stance of denying the magic of destruction. Narrowing down the choices of spells that can be used while fighting monsters day in and day out is an act that lowers your chances of survival, and I can''t allow it. However... When I saw the results of the spells I had cast, I felt that the opinions of the naysayers were not all that foolish. Before my eyes, a battlefield was unfolding. Orcs gathered in the square in front of the cave. They numbered more than thirty, almost forty in all. Until a moment ago, they had ruled the place as if they owned it. Even though it was a plaza, when more than thirty giant Orcs gathered, the feeling of oppression was quite strong. But now... half of them were lying on the ground, folded up and becoming mute corpses. They were all covered with white frost on their bodies, and at the same time their heads were crushed, their faces were crushed, and their arms and legs were broken. The square still smoked white from the cold air that was flying around. The ground on which the Orcs lay was also slightly frozen. The grass on the ground was covered with frost, reminiscent of the scenery of an area of ice and snow that is about to melt. ''Shoot! And so, the Orc horde that was on the verge of dissolving was showered with further pursuit. Under Finola''s command, the elves'' bows and arrows (magic missiles) were unleashed in unison. One after another, they pierced the survivors of the Orcs. It was difficult for the short bows used by the elves to inflict fatal wounds on the Orcs, who were huge and boasted great vitality, even if one or two of them were pierced. The spell of the magic missile is also more powerful than the arrow of the short bow, but it is still not powerful enough to kill with a single blow. However, it would be a different story if you could turn them into a beehive with five, ten, or even three or four shots. One by one, the orcs fell under the simultaneous fire of the elves. The danger of the spell of destruction. It''s not the kind of thing you feel when you see the cruel deaths of hostile creatures and feel the pain in your heart. Rather, I feel that it lies in the opposite - in the ''pleasure of crushing the hated enemy''. It was the ice storm spell I cast that crushed most of the Orcs gathered in the plaza. With the completion of my spell, a storm of ice blocks and frigid cold air rolled up from the center of the square, engulfing 70% of the Orcs gathered there, defeating 70% of those engulfed, and inflicting small and large wounds on the remaining victims. The blizzard spell, which only a limited number of masters can use, is comparable to the fireball and lightning bolt spells in terms of destructive power alone, but has the advantage of being able to attack a wider area than the fireball. With the Fireball spell, it would have been good if it could have engulfed a third of the gathered Orcs, but by using the Ice Storm spell, it had succeeded in engulfing twice that many - in other words, most of the Orcs present - and destroying them all at once. Seeing the scene, I felt not pain, but a surge of joy. The pleasure of destroying, crushing, and annihilating a hated enemy. The more powerful the enemy, the greater the catharsis. The guilt of killing a creature that resembles a human being dissipates when one believes that the enemy is an evil that must be destroyed. If such pleasures were more widely used in the name of ''justice'', human reason would be easily dissolved. The joy of destruction at war. It felt scary and dangerous to me. But it was only for a moment. The battle was still going on, and this was not the time to be thinking about the state of human culture, but rather the time to be really careful. ''Keep your guard up! There are still more than ten enemies left! Keep firing as hard as you can until you kill the last one! Finola sent out a message to the troops. I cheered in my mind as I prepared the next spell. Crushing the majority of the enemy in one fell swoop will inevitably make them relax. However, his success was due to the fact that he had launched the first attack under the maximum conditions, and not to the fact that the difference in strength between them was immense. If even a few Orcs reach the Elves'' firing squad and start a melee, there is no telling how many Elves will fall prey to their clubs and monstrous strength, so we should not let our guard down just because things are going well. And it''s the same for me. As a sorcerer, if I get caught up in melee combat, I''m a goner. But that''s just for our own reasons, there''s no way the enemy would let me off the hook for being the main culprit in creating this situation. ''''Glooooooooooooooooo! One of the surviving Orcs shouted angrily and came towards me. It was the commander of the Orc pack, Orclord. He was a huge Orc, about a head taller than the average Orc, but with a remarkably toned form. The Orclord was caught in the ice storm that I had unleashed, and one of his arms seemed to have been broken by the direct hit of the ice block, and his body was also covered in white frost, but he did not seem to have run out of vitality. The distance between us was less than twenty meters. The speed of the orc lord was astonishing, and it was closing in on me at a rapid pace. Even if I tried to escape with my legs, he would catch up with me and easily break my body with a single blow. Besides, there is no way that I will be able to cast the next spell in time. Looking at these factors alone, all is not well. But I''m not so foolish as to not take action if I knew that would happen. You''re here. But I''m your opponent.'' The one who stepped out from my side and stood in front of the path of the Oaklord was my childhood friend, a genius swordsman with short-cut silver hair. 98-CHAPTER 97 The orc lord wants me. He stands in front of Irene and tries to club her out of the way. He''s fast. I can barely even see him. Gaggin! Aileen was catching it with the shield she wore on her left arm. The wooden shield, reinforced with a steel frame, crumpled nearly to its halfway point. ''Wow, you''re really good. However, Irene herself was unscathed, and her arm was not broken by the blow. The girl, with a visible aura rising from her entire body, quickly thrusts with the sword in her right hand without pause. Papapapapap, a flashing three-step thrust. Blood splattered from three places on the orc lord''s torso, but in the next instant, the orc lord''s club swung down from above. But there''s no sign of Irene. She was already at the Orclord''s side when the club was thrown down, and the sharp flash of her sword sliced up the Orclord''s neck diagonally. But it was not a deep blow. The Oaklord swung another sideways attack, and Irene dodged it with a backstep. ''d*mn, what kind of aura defense is that. If it was a normal orc, all of that would have been fatal. Irene comes back at me with a light thumping step. Her tone of voice seems a little rough. It reminded me a little of her when we were kids. ''Will, don''t mess with me. I''ll take care of this.'' Eileen says and heads back towards the orc lord. And she and the Oaklord resumed their fast-paced one-on-one combat (dance). The Oaklord no longer seemed to be interested in me, and was absorbed in Irene. No, I guess his instincts told him that if he didn''t, his life would be taken in a flash. But there''s no fighting if you can''t do anything about it. After all, that''s what she does when she gets excited. Her nature is not so different from Satsuki''s. But I had no intention of helping her either. I don''t expect Irene to fall behind a wounded orc lord. And the fact is that the Orclord''s wounds are increasing with every blink of an eye. On the other hand, Irene, although she did not seem to have an easy time, was able to accurately deal with all of Oaklord''s storm-like attacks. Of course, it wasn''t that Oaklord was weak. He is said to be able to use aura, though in a very small amount, and in addition to his arm strength, vitality, and agility, as you can see, he also has considerable defensive capabilities by using his aura for defense. Its threat level is such that, for example, if it were to collide with a group of elven warriors, one swing of its club would knock down the elven warriors one by one, and even if it took a bunch of them, there would be half a dozen casualties before one orc lord was defeated. An overwhelming irregularity among Orcs, that was the Orclord, a superior species. But even the Orclord had a bad opponent this time. He was a genius swordsman of the kingdom. Since he was wounded by my spell attack, it was unlikely that Irene would be taken unawares. If that''s the case, I should direct my attack resources elsewhere. Because the situation is much more dangerous there. ''Magic Missile! I point the sorcerer''s staff in my hand forward and release a spell. Four arrows of light appeared in front of me and shot out at once. Each of the four arrows of light headed in a different direction, and each of them hit a different Orc. ''Gugyaaah! ''Goooooooooo! The four orcs that were directly hit by the arrows of light all fell down screaming as part of the body of the part that was hit by each arrow flew off. All of them were Orcs that had been hit by the first blizzard and were still facing the Elves. Now there should be only a few orcs left. Several Orcs were swinging their clubs next to the Elf warriors. But one of them, the general class, was being dealt with by Satsuki and the three of them, and the other one was being dealt with by skilled elf warriors, including Finola and LeFania, so it didn''t seem to be a problem. ''...... Good''. I let out a breath after seeing the ideal situation completed. All that was left to do was to check the situation and follow up if there were any signs of a bad situation. With that in mind, he looked at Irene... ''It was fun. Almost as much fun as the battle with Satsuki. Ding. As Irene sheathed her sword, the Orc Lord, who had been torn to pieces by her sword dance, collapsed, blood spurting out from his body. As expected, Irene won the battle. I went over to Irene and raised my right hand in front of her. ''You''re as skilled as ever. But can''t you do something about your battle junkie attitude? ''Thank you. But I''m not sure what to think of it, even if it''s said by Will, who took care of so many orcs at once. Also, it''s a warrior''s fate to be bloodthirsty when fighting a powerful enemy, so forgive me. Irene walked by and slapped her hand against mine. 99-CHAPTER 98 After a while, it seemed that the whole battle had been settled. That meant that they had defeated all the Orcs, which consisted of more than thirty of them and one platoon. There were apparently no casualties on their side, and in fact, not a single person was injured. This does not necessarily mean that the mission was a cakewalk, though, since a single injury could be fatal. But in any case, the mission was completely accomplished. An easy victory, I''d say. I''m going to go to Satsuki and the others with Eileen to say thank you. ''Yo, Will. Have you finished up there too? Satsuki, noticing us, raises her hand to greet us. In front of her was the figure of an Orc General who had received many sharp sword wounds and had died. At Satsuki''s side are Mee and Cyril. All three of them seemed to be unharmed. ''Ah. It looks like it''s all over for you too. ''Yes. Well, that would have been easy too if the princess was here. Satsuki said so carelessly, but Irene, who was standing beside me, shook her head. ''No, it wasn''t that bad. He was strong. If I hadn''t ...... been wounded, I probably would have had a harder time. If you get even a single blow, it could turn the tide, so I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. ''Oh, ......, seriously? Was he that strong? ''Yes, seriously. ...... Hey Will, the enemy general is stronger than that, right? Irene looked up at me and asked me that. What I saw in her eyes was not a feeling of excitement at the prospect of fighting a powerful enemy. It was a sense of duty, a sense of mission, or determination. What I saw in Irene''s eyes were those feelings. If I''m going to fight a higher enemy, I''m really risking my life. And it''s my job. That''s what Irene thinks. But... ''Squishy...'' I put my hand on Irene''s head and ruffled her hair. She''s a little too self-conscious right now. ''What are you doing, Will? If you do that now, my emotions will be messed up, so don''t do that! ''......? Is that right? I don''t know, I''m sorry.'' When I removed my hand, he glared at me with a resentful look, ''d*mn. I really don''t know what''s going on, but I''m going to pull myself together and tell her what she needs to know. ''Irene, your directness is a virtue, but you should consider your position a little. Is this a situation where a princess of a country should risk her life?'' When I asked her that, Irene replied with a look of annoyance. ''Now ...... that''s what I''m talking about! It doesn''t matter if you''re a princess or not! I''m not going to do that. I don''t want to do that! Irene''s shout drew the attention of the surrounding elves to her. Oh no. It was inappropriate to ask this question, knowing Irene''s straightforward sense of justice and honesty. Whether or not it''s the right thing to do from a social point of view and whether or not the other person will agree with it are two different things. Also, I may have been a bit duplicitous. If she had the intelligence to discard the small and take the large, she wouldn''t be here now. If we affirm her goodness, we must also affirm her stupidity, which is inextricably linked to it. ''...... Sorry, Irene, I misspoke. I''m not saying to abandon her either. But I''m not prepared to risk my life for it. I''ve got an idea. What idea? Next time, we''re going to capture a base, and the number of enemies there will be greater than this time, right? And I don''t know if they''ll play my game as well as they did this time. If I don''t take down the top of the enemy by myself, there''s nothing I can do... right? Her perception of the war situation wasn''t that far off from mine. While I was calculating the war situation with theory, she might be sniffing out the situation with her intuition and sense of smell. ''Ah. If you''re assuming a head-on collision, you''re probably right. But that''s not what I''m thinking of. I''m thinking of using the dimension gate spell. A dimension gate. It''s an extremely high-level spell, one I couldn''t cast until a few days ago. The fact that I can now produce four magic missiles at the same time instead of three means that my level as a magician has increased by one level. So it occurred to me, and I experimented with it last night before bedtime, and I succeeded in casting the spell. The dimension gate is a spell that swallows up all living things within a certain range, centered on the magician, and isolates them in another dimension. In doing so, of course, it also targets myself and my allies around me. The duration of the effect is about three minutes, and once the time is up, all swallowed creatures will be returned to their original world. That''s all there is to this spell, but... ''...... I''ll tell you more later. But that way, we don''t have to leave them behind, do we? ''Yes, that''s the plan. In the end, it''s up to Irene and the others, but...'' ''Okay, I''ll leave that to you. And if that''s the case, I''ll trust Will. Saying that, Irene made a fist and tapped me lightly on the chest. 100-CHAPTER 99 ''That''s right, Will. Take a look at Mee, will you?'' Satsuki said this to me when I had finished talking with Irene. ''......? What''s wrong with Mee?'' ''That''s for you to see, I guess. What, Mee?'' ''Yeah, yeah, yeah? I''m not sure if I can do it again. ......'' As for the actual Mee, she seemed to be squirming and embarrassed. ''Don''t worry. You''ve done it once, you can do it again. You remember the feeling, don''t you? ''Well, ...... well, maybe. But it''s very embarrassing to show people something that you haven''t completed in your mind. But it''s very embarrassing to show people something you haven''t finished yet.'' Even as she said this, Mi walked over and stood right in front of me. The beastman girl, who is no taller than my chest, stands about three paces away from me and takes a deep breath. Then she looked up at me with a serious gaze. ''Well, I''ll go to ......, William.'' ''Oh, yeah, .......'' I don''t know what''s going to happen, but I can''t prepare myself for it. What in the world is Mee trying to show me...? As I was thinking that... The moment I blinked, her image disappeared from my sight. ''What ......? The figure that had been there a moment ago was nowhere to be found. Mee is a thief. That''s why I have the impression that she''s good at hiding herself, but a thief is a normal technical profession, and should not have the ability to cause supernatural phenomena such as magic. It is not possible for them to suddenly disappear from sight. ''Wow, ......! You''re fast, maybe even faster than Satsuki...'''' I can hear Irene''s voice. ...... fast? In other words, she didn''t just disappear... ''Whoa ......! You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. I almost fell forward, but somehow managed to hold on. Then, from behind, something went around my neck and stomach. The neck is soft, maybe it''s an arm or something... When I thought that, the position was completed. A piggyback. Something was on my back, clinging to me with its arms and legs. ...... No, there was no one or nothing. The killer whispered in my ear. ''...... What do you think, William? Did you see Mee? It sounded more seductive than her usual voice. I tried to keep my composure and replied. ''No, I didn''t see you. What was that ......?'' ''It''s an aura. Mee has learned to use it.'' It was Satsuki who answered my question. ...... Aura? So you''re saying that I couldn''t see that Mee used her leg power to move at super speed with her aura? It is true that it might be difficult to recognize her if she moved left and right instantaneously at the same speed as Satsuki and Irene at such a close distance. But Mee had never been able to use her aura before. Satsuki had taught her how to do it with me and Cyril, but it wasn''t something that could be done immediately after being taught. Strengthening one''s physical abilities with auras is a technique that requires absolute sense. It is possible to acquire that sense through training, but... ''It''s an exaggeration to say that I''ve mastered it. I''m just finally getting the feeling of putting aura on my legs. ''It won''t be long before you get there. Hey, Princess. ''Hmm, I don''t know. I seem to have done everything by the time I can remember, so I''m not sure about that. ''Ugh, there it is, the genius of ....... The three of us, Satsuki, Mee, and Irene, were chatting about auras. ...... Well, I suppose that''s true. But that''s beside the point. ''...... By the way, Mee, can you please let me go now? She was still clinging to my back. Her soft arms and thighs hugged me tightly, and on the other side of my back, her slightly flat, but girlish body and body heat were close to me through my clothes. If you think of it as being hugged by a child, you may not mind, but I was inexplicably conscious of the opposite s*x. I don''t think I have a taste for little girls. ....... But Mee, not caring about my inner feelings, said something strange to me. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... It would be unfair if you didn''t allow Mee to do this, since you allowed Cyril to do it. The second half of the song is Mi whispering softly in my ear so that only I can hear. The girl''s devilish whispering left me speechless. It''s not a problem for me. ''............'' I can''t see Mee''s face. I can''t see her face. I don''t know what she looks like when she''s saying this. ''......'' I''m just kidding, though. Did you take it seriously?'' Mee suddenly and abruptly left my back. I''m finally free from the weight of the girl. Then she walked back to Satsuki''s side. ''Hey, Mee. Why are you hugging me in the middle of nowhere? You''re slipping. ''It is the quality of a Thief to never miss a chance to kill with one blow. You''d be crazy not to go head-to-head with them. ''What, is it possible to do that? I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that. ...... I''m in trouble. It''s not easy, but even if you try to control something, the enemy is one or two steps ahead of you and you can''t seem to win. ''Will, you seem to be getting along with Mee-chan quite well in a short while, don''t you? ''...... I''ve got a lot going on too. To be honest, I don''t know what to do anymore.'' ''Oh, so there are things you don''t know too? ''Of course there are. What are you talking about? I responded to Eileen''s teasing with a sigh, still puzzling over the unanswerable question. 101-Episode 100 While I was talking with my friends, two elves, Finola and LeFania, came up to us. Finola stood in front of me and held out her slender, elf-like hand towards me. ''William, it is truly fortuitous that you have come to our aid. I can''t thank you enough. If we elves had fought alone, this warband would have been destroyed. But we were able to destroy this many orcs without any casualties... we had a priceless ally. Not only Finola and LeFania, but all of the Elven warriors present were watching our group with respect. I took Finola''s proffered hand and shook it. ''Ah. I think I''m doing at least as good a job as I was paid to do. With her help, of course.'' Finola then turns to Irene and shakes her hand. ''I heard you''re a princess of a human country. I can''t thank you enough for helping us, even though you weren''t hired by us. ''I''m only acting in accordance with my own justice. I''m not acting on behalf of my country. But humans and elves are important neighbors. I hope we can give each other a hand when we''re in trouble. ''Oh. We''ll never forget this favor. If there''s anything you need our help with, please don''t hesitate to ask. We''ll help you as much as we can.'' ''Yes, thank you. I hope we can build a good relationship with each other. But I think it''s too early to say that. Things are not over yet. We''re just about to start ......, aren''t we? ''Oh. ...... Oh, yes. You''re absolutely right. When Finola and Irene finished shaking hands, they both turned to me with serious faces. I nodded at them and began to speak. ''Irene is right, the current battle is only a prelude. The real battle will be the one after this. If we were not here, would the elves have been able to win with their strength alone? ''......No, I''m ashamed to say that we didn''t have anything that could be called a plan. ....... I''ve just been reminded that we were planning to fight the orcs based on wishful thinking and the mentality that we had no choice but to do it, without an accurate understanding of their strength. ''Okay, I get it. I didn''t want to blame Finola for her lack of thoughtfulness. Anyone can get emotional and lose sight of their surroundings. Of course, it''s not good for a commander to be like that, but if I were in her position, I''m not sure I could stay calm if my neighbors, such as Satsuki, Mee, Cyril, or Irene, were going through something like that. I am only able to remain calm to some extent because I am far away from the victim. That''s why I couldn''t bring myself to strongly blame her. And now I should think about the next best thing. There''s value in remorse, but there''s nothing constructive about regret. We should be talking about the future. And to talk about the future, I decided to first share a problem. ''There''s one problem. It''s about how much mana I have left and when the next mission starts. I say this mainly to Finola. I make sure she nods and urges me to go on, then I continue. ''Without wasting any modesty, my magic will be an indispensable and tactically crucial factor in the next battle. But even though I''ve tried to avoid wasting as much as possible in the course of the current battle, I''ve still lost more than 30 percent of my total amount of mana. It is not advisable to go into the next battle with this amount of mana remaining. But...'''' ''In order to recover the magical element (mana), you need to spend a large amount of time resting. But if you leave that much time, there''s a good chance you''ll alert the enemy ......, right? It was Cyril who took over my words from beside me. I nodded towards her. ''Yeah. I''ll need at least two hours of rest to recover my mana, but if the troops I sent out don''t return for that long, the Orc general might get suspicious. If we attack without giving the enemy any information, we will need to go on the offensive immediately. ''And...'' This time it was Mee who interrupted him. ''It''s very bad for the enemy to be wary of our strength. There are plenty of elves out there who can be taken hostage. If they take hostages, we''re screwed. You can''t do anything about it, or you''ll have to abandon the hostages. ''Hostages. ...... Indeed, if they do that, we''ll be helpless.'' Satsuki made a bitter face as she said this. The other members of the group all had a gloomy expression on their faces. A hostage is always a troublesome thing. Once a hostage is taken by a hostile force, it is almost impossible to defeat the hostile force without abandoning the hostages, unless there is an overwhelming difference in strength. In such a case, there will be no choice but to abandon the small and take the large. For example, it may be possible to respond to a certain extent with a sleep spell, but only to a certain extent. The hostages may be killed when they witness the chanting of the spell, and even if the spell is successfully used, if there are multiple hostages, it is impossible to save all of them unless all of the captured enemies are completely put to sleep. It''s a battle, and sacrifices are inevitable, but... But this is not so easy to say when you consider that the victim is your neighbor. If Satsuki, My, Cyril, or Irene were to be killed as hostages, I would not let any of them be killed by words like ''sacrifice is inevitable''. And for Finola and the other elves in the village, the elves in captivity are their neighbors, so it is not a problem that should be solved with bloodless words like ''sacrifice is inevitable''. Still, we want to save them, every last one of them. It is human to think so. But if that''s the case, what we need is... The only way to do that is to attack the enemy while they''re still on alert, rescue the hostages before they use the ''hostage-taking tactic'', or destroy the enemy... right? Irene looks at me. I nod to her. ''Yes. Or we can rescue all the hostages secretly by some means, and then launch an attack. Either way, we need to move before the enemy is alerted.'' ''But then, Will''s mana won''t be able to recover. ''Oh. That''s how it works. I nodded towards Irene again. You can''t stand on your own. That''s what I mean when I say we''re in a bind. But to be honest, I think it''s not impossible to fight reasonably well with the current amount of magical elements. However, you will inevitably be required to conserve, and there is a possibility that you will not be able to make moves that you should have made. Against an opponent who is believed to have about two platoons left under the Orc Emperor, not being able to challenge them in a perfect state is still a concern. And in the unlikely event that I were to lose a valuable comrade because of it, I might regret that for the rest of my life. But on the other hand, I don''t want to abandon the elves here, if at all possible. I''m stuck on all sides. I don''t know if I''m at a point where I need to cut something loose... But then... The group of elven warriors listening to the conversation exchanged glances and nodded at each other, and one of them stepped forward as a representative. ''Then use this. What the elf warrior handed me was a liquid in a glass bottle. The liquid was a highly transparent young leaf color, and seemed to be glowing faintly. ''Is this ...... an elven potion?'' It was a kind of magic item that I had seen during my time at the Academy of Magic. It is a secret potion said to be refined from the nectar of the world tree, and the process is a secret handed down only to a few elves. Its effect is that by drinking it, you can quickly recover a certain amount of magical elements in your body. Although it is a consumable item, it is extremely valuable, and if you buy it at a magic shop in a human town, you can spend no less than fifty gold coins per bottle. ''Ah. I brought it back from the treasury in our village for emergencies, but it was a good decision. It''s best if you use it. It''s for the good of my people. ''...... I see. Then I''ll feel free to use it if the need arises. I take the potion from the elf and put it in my pocket. I now have a powerful item. I feel a quiet confidence that I can do this. I look in the direction of the elven settlement. We''re ready. All that remains is to strike at the enemy''s stronghold with all our might. 102-Episode 101 I was walking through the forest with Satsuki, Mee, Cyril, and Irene, the sun shining through the trees. Due to the rain that had fallen yesterday, drops of water were still falling from the leaves of the surrounding trees. ''But they really look like orcs, don''t they? Satsuki, who is walking behind me, leaks out her thoughts as she watches me. By the way, her body is wrapped around with ropes, and so are the three behind her. I''m holding the end of the rope that holds the girls together, and I''m pulling them along with me. ''I suppose that''s true. You''ve taken on the form of an orc with the Disguise spell, so you must be.'' ''If I didn''t know any better, I might accidentally cut him down. ''I see. I''ll be careful not to do that. I used the Disguise spell to change my appearance into that of an orc. I, in my orc form, was walking around with a group of girls tied up with ropes. In other words, the picture from the outside shows us as ''four girls captured by orcs''. Disguise is a lower-level spell than Metamorphosis, and does not give you the abilities of the transformed creature. It''s a spell that changes your appearance, so to speak, and even though I''m currently in the form of an orc, I don''t have the monstrous strength of an orc. You can use the spell while changing your appearance, and you can even change your clothes and equipment if you only want to change your appearance, so this may be more useful in some situations. But Will, I think it''s about time, right? I think I''ve seen this area before. Irene, who is walking at the end of the line, says as she looks around. It''s true that this area is close to the place where I met Irene on my way back from reconnaissance. That''s right. I think it''s time to fly the eye. In response to Irene''s words, I paused and cast the Wizard Eye spell. When the spell is completed, a transparent invisible ''eye'' appears right in front of me. The ''eye'' floats at the same height as my eyes, and can be moved at the speed of a man walking at my will. ''I''ll do some reconnaissance. Wait here for a moment.'' I told my companions, and let my ''eyes'' travel to where I was going. I closed my eyelids and tuned the channel of my vision to the eye. Then, the view reflected in the ''eye'' is reflected in my field of vision. I continue to move the ''eye'' forward. After a while, the village of my destination came into view. It was the village where Finola and the others had originally lived, but now it seemed to be controlled by Orcs. As if to prove this, there was an Orc standing guard at the entrance of the village. Deep inside the village, orcs could be seen strolling here and there. The village consisted of many treehouses with dwellings on top of large trees. The dwellings are accessed by ladders hung from the trunks of the trees, similar to the elven settlements in which the Lefanians live. However, the number of dwellings was several times that of the settlement in which LeFania lived, making it by far the largest settlement. However, that large settlement was now dominated by Orcs, and was in a miserable state. I let my ''eyes'' pass by the Orc guards and proceeded into the village. As usual, the corpses of the elves were lying here and there in the open. No, some of the worst were ''devoured'' near the remains of fires. I feel physiological disgust and anger at the sight of them. I feel it is necessary to inform Satsuki and the others of this situation in advance. If they see this without prior preparation, there is a high possibility that they will act emotionally on the spot, which will lead to the collapse of the mission. Advance information for preparation is important. And the same is true for ''other sights''. As I looked around the village, I could see many Orcs crowding around a single Elven woman. The scene that unfolded in the fresh morning sun falling through the trees was so unsuitable and cruel that I thought it was a joke. I wonder if it is fortunate that the ''eyes'' that see it do not convey the sound. The scene was unreal, but it was undoubtedly real. But I didn''t use the Wizard''s Eye spell to reaffirm this reality and amplify my own anger. It was to gain important information needed to complete the mission. I look away from the scene and continue to look. And I scouted all over the village. Soon, I found the thing. Among the treehouses in the village, there was a dwelling built on top of the most magnificent large tree. It was probably the dwelling of the chief of this elven settlement. At the bottom of the tree where the dwelling was built, he was sitting on an improvised ''chair'' made from a tree trunk as a backrest. No, I don''t want to call it a chair. It was made by piling up many dead elves and covering them with cloth to look like a chair. The Lord sitting there was indeed an Orc. He had the green skin characteristic of orcs and a pig face. And a huge body. But his huge body was much bigger than that of other Orcs. I''d say he''s about two and a half meters tall. I''m a bit on the tall side as a human adult male, but it''s so big that I''m treated like a child. I could almost call him a giant. And it''s not just height. It looks as if the obese body of an ordinary orc has grown into a giant, and its weight and intimidation are simply amazing. In addition to its huge body, it has an aura. A thin glow of aura can be seen all over its body. On its head, it wears a helmet or crown that looks like it is made from the head bone of some large beast. That being was sitting there with a pile of dead elves crushing it, looking like it owned the place. The Orc Emperor. He''s the general of the enemy and the source of all this commotion. Right now, he was carrying something in his mouth as if it were a comfort. And when he saw that it was nothing but bones, he threw it away carelessly and demanded ''next''. Beside the Emperor, there were two Orc Lords standing like his entourage, and three Orcs of the common race hunched in the vicinity as if frightened. One of the orc lords gave instructions to the common orcs at the Emperor''s request. One of the three common Orcs hurriedly ripped off an arm from an Elven corpse that was stacked separately from the Orc Emperor''s ''chair''. They offer it to the Emperor. The emperor takes it carelessly and carries it to his mouth... Then I shifted my eyes in another direction. There is no point in observing something that is only unpleasant. All that mattered was that there was an Emperor, two more Lords, and three normal species. That''s our destination. I also use my ''eyes'' to take a quick look around the entire settlement. What I saw there was not much different from what I had seen before. Then I broke my concentration and let out a breath. ''...... How was it? When I opened my eyelids, Mi asked me that. Satsuki, Cyril and Irene are also there. There was no hell in my vision, just the peaceful scenery of the forest and my kind friends. ''............'' I was at a loss for words. Am I going to take these girls to that hell? Why? Why can''t I just terminate the mission with the elves here and pretend I never saw them... Are there any targets to save in the first place? Isn''t it too late for everything? What are we fighting for? What are you risking my life and the lives of my friends for? ''...... I want to make sure you''re all on the same page here. I looked around at my friends and opened my mouth. 103-Episode 102 ''I just want to make sure you''re all on the same page here. I look around at my companions and open my mouth. They''re all wrapped up in ropes, and I''m sure the orcs can see me. It''s a bit uncomfortable, but it can''t be helped. After making sure that all the girls nodded, I spoke the following words. ''The scene that unfolds ahead is an unmistakable hell. It''s the hell of this world right there in plain sight. The elves are being ruthlessly violated and humiliated, their lives, dignity and bodies. I can''t say for sure that we won''t be one of them if we go on. We can still turn back now. Do you still want to go on, do you? I asked my friends. As an adventurer, there''s always the risk of death. But on the other hand, there are risks that adventurers should not face. I looked over at Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, and checked the status of the reward. ''The reward for success is two hundred gold coins. A reward of fifty gold coins per person is equivalent to completing a typical E rank quest five times, which is equivalent to three months'' wages for a day laborer, but you could say that''s about it. But even in a ''typical E'' quest, there is of course the danger of death. That''s not to say there aren''t dangers in every adventure. As for Irene, even the reward is irrelevant. She is acting out of compassion and for her own justice. I also speak to her. ''Eileen, I want you to think about this again. Is it a belief worth risking your life to defend? ''...... Does that mean I should abandon the elves? I just promised to be a good neighbor and help each other. Irene glared at me, looking a little pissed off. She''s as stubborn as they come. It was typical of Irene, but... ''Yeah, I''m saying you should consider that option. After all, it''s only the life of an Elf you don''t know very well. ''...... Hey Will, are you serious about that? Irene''s anger increases. It''s almost as if she''s trying to kill you. But I can''t retreat here, either. ''Yeah, I''m serious. Before I go any further, if one of you decides to go on, I''ll go with them. In other words, Irene, if you decide to go ahead, I''m not going to let you go out there alone, so I''m going with you to support you.'' ''What about ......? Eileen hears my words and raises her voice in an absurd manner. ''No, because Will said that he couldn''t bet his life on my feelings back then. The ''that time'' that Irene refers to is when I met Irene on my way back from scouting in eagle form. And I do remember that I said something like that to her. But... ''No, I''ve changed my mind about that. If I think about it, abandoning Irene is not an option for me. You''re the most important thing in my life, the one thing I''ll never lose, my best friend. ''Isn''t that right? For some reason, Irene lost her temper. Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril are laughing at her and shrugging their shoulders. I don''t know, but anyway... ''The important thing is where to go from here, Irene. If you keep going and I keep following you, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril might say they''ll follow you.'' ''...... Yeah.'' ''In other words, your decision might threaten the lives of Satsuki and the others. That''s what I mean when I say the lives of the elves are ''just''. The lives of Satsuki, Mee, Cyril and Irene are tens of thousands of times more important to me than the lives of the elves who are not so close to me. ''............ What''s that? That''s not fair. Hearing my words, Irene turned her head away with a thoughtful look on her face. But this is necessary. For once, I can''t have her acting rashly. And to keep her from acting rashly, it''s better to appeal to her emotions than to her common sense. But if she''s not short-tempered and has come to a conclusion after careful consideration, I won''t deny her that. I don''t want to abandon the elves either. To put it bluntly, I''m still in doubt too. If you ask me if it''s really too late, I think it''s not really too late. We can''t save the dead, but we can save the living. For example, if Satsuki and the others were in such a situation, would you consider it too late and abandon them? ''Hey, William. Can I tell you my opinion?'' That''s when Cyril asked me. The way he looked at me was serious and powerful. I motioned for Cyril to continue, and she nodded and said the following words. ''I don''t want you to misunderstand me, but Irene is not the only one who is moved by feelings. Regardless of the reward, I too have justice. I can''t forgive the orcs and if there is an elf life I can save, I want to save it... I don''t want to live with my beliefs. I don''t want to live with this belief, even if it''s a belief that''s akin to hypocrisy, seeing only what''s in front of me. Cyril put his hands on his magnificent chest wrapped in pure white robes and appealed to me. And there was one more. The beastman girl, her cat ears twitching, opened her mouth. ''Mee can''t tolerate Orcs either. I have to slit their throats one by one. And since William has come this far, he has a good chance of winning, doesn''t he? ''Yes. Not a hundred.'' ''Then, as usual, Mee will go for it. Mee and the others are adventurers. If we think too much about risking our lives, we can''t do anything. Following her, the kimono-clad girl opened her mouth. ''You know, sometimes I wonder if Will thinks he''s our protector or something. ''No, that''s not ......''. You can''t say that ...... isn''t. I think Satsuki might be right about this. ''We may be unreliable, but we''re Will''s "friends". So, how should I put it... well, just think of it as a big boat and leave it to me! No matter if it''s the Orcs or not, I''ll take them all out! Satsuki said and smiled. Hearing this, my mouth dropped open. That''s absurd. When it comes to Satsuki, there''s no such thing as calculation. Then, Irene teased Satsuki from the side. ''Well, I don''t think you can do it, Satsuki. Why don''t you just leave it to me? ''Ugh, shut up! This is a matter of mood! It''s just a matter of mood! ''Haha, I can''t leave this to Satsuki. Right, Will? ''Yeah, I guess so. ''What? Even Will! That''s terrible!'' When Satsuki started to cry, everyone in the room started to laugh. Strangely enough, before I knew it, the place had warmed up. And above all, everyone''s will was firm. In summary, I looked around at the girls and said. I looked around at the girls and said, "So, let''s unanimously agree to move forward, shall we? As I said before, it''s going to be a hell of a scene ahead, isn''t it? When I asked this, Irene looked at me like I didn''t understand her. ''So, we''re going to hit that hell and destroy it, aren''t we? Seeing the confident look on Irene''s face, I felt like I''d been robbed. ''Yeah, you''re right. Then let''s go and destroy hell. ''''Oh!'''' The girls responded to my shout with their own approval. 104-Episode 103 After confirming the determination of my companions, I began to carry out the mission once again. Pulling the ropes that bound the girls, I walked towards the Elven settlement controlled by the Orcs. After a while, I could see the Orc guards standing at the entrance of the village. I walked with the girls to the figure, which was still far away. The Orc guards noticed us on their way. When we got close enough, he walked up to us. He called out to us in Orcish. ''Hey, bro, you got a big harvest. Heh, give me one too. The Orc guard then walked around to the side of Satsuki and the others and started to look around at the girls. By the way, Satsuki and the other four girls were all looking down with dark faces. Of course, this was an act. On the other hand, there were many Orcs strolling around in the Elven village beyond the entrance in front of them. And some of them were looking at us with interest. Naturally, it is not desirable to cause a commotion here. But... ''Geez, ...... I like this big-breasted priest. With that, the Orc on guard tried to put his brawny hand on Cyril''s chin. I immediately say to him in Orcish. ''Don''t do it. It''s a tribute to the chief. If you touch it, you will be killed. At my words, the Orc who was about to reach for Cyril''s chin retracts his hand with a start. ''...... Eh, a tribute to Emperor-sama? It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. I knew you''d have a nice selection of prey. Oh, shit, I still want some! Let''s go if you have nothing else to do. ''Yeah, get a move on. I can''t be bothered with those delicious-looking women wandering around in front of me. I don''t care if it''s a broken Elf woman. I want to destroy it. I can''t wait to finish my shift. With the Orcs on guard swearing at me, I led Satsuki and the others into the village. Just then, I hear this Orc''s voice from behind me. ''...... I wonder if I have a brother like that? ...... That''s alright. For a moment, I thought he was going to use the spell in secret, but it seems he was fine. We''re going to continue on through the village. ''...... Hmm. It''s quite manageable. I hear Satsuki whispering from behind me. I whisper back without turning my head. ''Well, orcs are basically stupid. ''I see. ...... but Will, can you speak Orcish or something? It looked like you were talking to that orc on guard. ''No, I did not study and learn the Orc language, as expected. This is only because I used the spell of Borow Language beforehand, so I can speak it temporarily. Don''t move your mouth too much, or you''ll look suspicious. ''Oh, yeah. Our presence was clearly attracting the attention of the orcs around us. We didn''t speak in such a way that they would notice us, but we had to be careful. A little further on, the unpleasant scene in the village began to spread out like this. Even though Satsuki and the others were pretending to be depressed, it''s not as if they couldn''t see us. More than anything else, I could hear the painful screams of the elves and the vile laughter of the orcs everywhere. I''m sure they''re not at peace, as am I. But we pretend to ignore it and move on. If we make a scene here, it''ll ruin everything. If any of us lose our patience and run off, we''re finished. I''ve told the girls this in advance, so all I can do is hope for their patience... In reality, the walk, which lasted less than five minutes, felt like a long and arduous task, many times longer. The screams I heard sounded like accusations of why I was abandoning them. It was as if my brain was slowly being consumed by madness. And then, eventually... When I had dismissed with appropriate words a total of five Orcs who had come close to me because they thought I was a good-looking woman, my goal finally came into view. An elven dwelling built into one of the most magnificent giant trees in this elven village. Underneath the tree, it sat as if it were the ruler of the world. The figure was so huge that I thought I had lost my sense of distance, even though it was still a long way away. The Orc Emperor. It was a giant-like Orc, standing two and a half meters tall. And beside him are two Orc Lords and three Orcs of the normal species. The distance between us is about a hundred paces. I move toward it without quickening or slowing my pace. In my hand is a rope to pull Satsuki and the others. The ropes holding Satsuki and the others have a spell of entanglement on them. With a single command from me, the rope can be released in an instant, as if it had a will of its own. Proceed towards the target. Eighty paces to go. I tell Finola, to whom I''ve connected a telepathic spell, to begin the mission. This is William. We''ll be taking on the Orc-Emperor shortly. "Understood. Then we''ll begin our attack as well. ...... Don''t die. I''m not happy about making a killing with no one to pay. Of course. I''ll take the full amount for the win. I don''t mind if you add some color to it. I see. I''ll consider it, though it''ll be much higher if I evaluate your work. I wish you good luck. With that, he ended the communication. It was a short exchange, but it was enough. I''ve already told you what you need to know. Proceed further. Thirty paces to go. I drank the elven potion before entering the village. The elixir, which has the concentrated sweetness of a combination of fruit and honey, has spread throughout my body and restored my magical element to peak condition. I''m in perfect condition. I''ll keep going. I have about twenty steps left. I stopped there... ''''Don''t smell that...'''' The one who said that in Orcish at that time was the Orc Emperor who was still sitting on the throne in bad taste. He swung his leg, which he had been eating with, over his head. The Orcs in his entourage looked surprised. The emperor, The emperor said, ''It''s not just human females, it''s males... what the hell is that? As soon as he said that, he threw his swinging ''leg'' at me with great force. ''Release! I quickly commanded the Entanglement spell. Meanwhile, a ''leg'' came flying towards me. It was probably that of a dead elf, but I didn''t have time to think of it as tragic. It was about to hit me... Just before that, a figure intervened with blinding speed and used his shield to block the leg. The leg rolls to the ground nearby. ''Thank God, Irene. ''How dare you, when you untied the rope to make me do it? The figure that intervenes is Irene. And not only Irene, but also Satsuki and Mee stand in front of me, and Cyril comes to my side. ''...... d*mn, I thought I was going to lose my mind when I got here. ''That''s true. I want to kill those orcs right now.'' ''I agree with Mee. I don''t think I''m a good priest (Holy Order), but still...'''' This may be the first time I''ve heard them sound this violent. But I suppose it''s inevitable. Deep in the pit of my stomach, too, a violent desire for release is simmering. I no longer have any reason to look like the object of my anger. I remove my disguise and reveal my true form. He immediately began chanting the following spell. ''Aaan ......? What is it with you people. Humans and cat people... did you come all this way to get eaten by me, you rat? The Orc Emperor stood up from his throne piled with dead elves. He grabs a huge club that''s propped up beside him, looks down at us... He looks down at us... and says, ''Huh,'' with a slight look of admiration on his face. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, there are three "useful" women here? That''s interesting! The best of the best jumped in on their own. And with that, the Orc-Emperor took a deep breath. And then... barked. ''Hey you bastards, come on, all of you, now! If you don''t show up within 30 seconds, I''ll kill you! It was a loud, angry voice. The voice vibrated so loudly that the air trembled. It was like a loud voice spell, and the voice seemed to spread throughout the village. They seemed to be trying to summon all the Orcs in the village and crush them with their numbers. They may have accurately grasped the strength of Aileen and Satsuki, and decided that a head-on battle with a few would be dangerous. It is a surprisingly clever tactic, though it seems to be a bold one. And in fact, no matter how elite we are, if we are surrounded by nearly a hundred Orcs from the entire village, there is no way we can survive. It is obvious that when we have managed to defeat about 20 or 30 of them, one by one, we will be overrun. And if the Lords and Emperors step in at that time, even Satsuki and Irene will be easily defeated. But of course I won''t let that happen. I''m going to complete the spell that I''ve been chanting for a while now. ''-Dimension Gate! In an instant, my magic power ran through the ground, creating an ''it'' in the earth around me, about 50 meters square. It was a gigantic and bizarre looking ''door'' that appeared using the ground as a wall. As if it were an illusion, the door slipped past the creatures on top of it - us and the orcs - and opened. And so the door opened, and the ground that opened its large mouth turned into pitch black darkness. The darkness swallowed us and all the orcs that were within range... And the door closed again. 105-Episode 104 . , . . , . , . . , , , , . , , , . '' , '' . , . , , . , , , . , . , . , , . . , , . , . , . , . , . , , , . , , . , , . , , . , . , , . , . , , . , . B . C . . , , . , . , . ,'' '' '' '' . , . '' '' . , , . , . . '' '' , . '' '' , . , , , . , '' '' , , . , '' '' . , , , . '' '' , . , . , . '' , , '' , . '' '' '' '' , . '' '' , . , '' '' , . , . , . , '' . '' , , . , . , . , . , . . , . . , . , , . '' , '' '' , '' , . , . . , . Besides, there was still one more Orc of the normal species in front of Satsuki. Just as Satsuki was about to finish him off, the Orc Lord intervened, and Satsuki had no choice but to retreat. Besides... ''You cocky little shit, you think you can fight me with just your arm? All right, I''ll break your whole body into pieces next to your arm! ''d*mn it, ......! You can''t use your shield. ...... It''s still too hard. ......! I''m not sure I''m going to be able to afford to take on an Orc Emperor. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. I''m not sure how long that will last. Irene is also trying to counterattack when she sees an opening, but due to her evasive stance and the thickness of the emperor''s skin and aura, it looks like she''s only sustaining minor damage. You three, this is not good. But there''s only one person I can cover with the spell I''m preparing now. ''Blessing! At that moment, Cyril wields a classic auxiliary miracle. A glimmer of its power resided in Satsuki, Mie, Irene, me and Cyril himself. The blessing is a miracle that gives a small blessing to the target, and although it doesn''t have a big effect, it can help you if something happens that is too close to call. But even at that level, it is ten times better than nothing. Especially for Satsuki, whose strength is almost equal to that of the enemy, even this level will be a great help. As for Satsuki, she can''t be left alone, but it''s not urgent. So, which of you should we support, Mee or Irene? As for me... 106-Episode 105 . . . ,'' '' . '' , '' . , . ,'' '' . , , '' '' . ,'' '' . , . . , , , , , . '' '' , . , . , . , , . , . , , , . , . , . . . , . , , . . , . , . , , . , . , . , . , . '' '' . , . , '' '' . , . '' , , '' , . . . , . '' '' '' , '' , . . , . , . , , . '' , , '' . , . . , . '' , . '' '' , , '' , . , . , . , '' '' , . , , . , '' , , '' , . , . , . , , . '' '' , '' '' . , . , . , . , . , . '' , , '' , . . , But it''s too late. The moment you can''t drive Irene out of combat with your current blow, the game is already over. ''Physical Burst! I cast the same spell on Irene that I used on Mee. Irene was enveloped in a magical light... ''Hey! Go f*ck yourself, you little shit! And then the huge club of the charging Orc Emperor swung down on her. But... ''No, no...'' Irene said, as if she understood the language of the orcs. No, perhaps it''s a warrior''s intuition. And then... snaps. Irene''s aura-covered sword caught the Orc Emperor''s club at a perfect angle and timing. The huge club stabbed into the ground in the other space beside Irene. ''Nah ......! ''You''re the one who''s going to die. ...... In the thick chest plate of the Orc Emperor, the sword thrust out with one hand was buried by the fully wounded Irene, who instantly jumped into the pocket. Even though she was fully wounded, the girl''s aura had not a trace of shade. The girl''s dazzling figure, with the light of the magical power of the physical burst on it, was even half divine. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''It''s over, Orc. Irene pulled out her sword with a speed that showed an afterimage and swung it twice more in the blink of an eye, the sword covered in aura. ''Ggaaaaahhhh ......!!!'' The huge body of the Oak Emperor, which had been deeply cut off in a figure of a divide, collapsed with blood gushing out from the wound like a fountain. That was the end of the Oak Emperor. And the rest of the battle had come to an end almost simultaneously. Mee, who had quickly defeated the Orc Lord that had been her charge, joined Satsuki''s battle and together with Satsuki, they defeated the remaining Orcs and Orc Lords. After confirming that the battle was over, I headed for the injured Irene. Cyril was rushing to the severely injured Irene, and was about to use the Miracle of Healing on her. ''As expected of you, Irene. There aren''t many knights who can fight that well in a handicap match against an Orc Emperor. ''Haha, thanks for the ....... But you''re the one with the ridiculous magic power. It makes me feel a little silly to be training every day. ''What are you talking about? Physical Burst is a spell that only works if you have the physical strength to use it. It''s only when Irene and Mee are at their full potential that they are able to display such power. And the duration of the effect is also short. ''I see,...... then I''m glad I could meet your expectations,...... but I''m a little tired,...... can I indulge you for a moment? ......'' ''......? What do you mean by ''spoil''? ''This is what I mean. ......'' And easily. Irene fell to my chest. I hurriedly held her as she put her weight on me. ''Oh, hey, Irene. ''Just for now ...... please ...... me, I''m tired ......''. Irene then buried her face in my chest. I was troubled and looked at Cyril who was using his healing magic on her... ''Isn''t that fine? Eileen-sama worked the hardest, and she said it''s only for now, so why don''t you let her spoil you? ''Ah,......'' Cyril also affirmed me. I knew I would need aftercare, but I hadn''t planned for something like this. Irene, who had her face buried in my chest, looked up at me next. ''Ehehe ...... Will smells good.'' ''...... That''s a weird thing to say. You''re a pervert.'' ''Hmph, I''m fine with perverts. He seemed strangely happy, so I thought I''d just let Irene do whatever she wanted, since there was no harm in it. 107-Chapter 106 (Part II Epilogue) We defeated the orc overlord. When the effect of the dimension gate wore off, we were returned to the original elf settlement. Under the biggest tree in the village. Many Orcs gathered around us as we reappeared there. It was probably because the Orc Emperors had gathered all the Orcs in the village before they were swallowed by the other space. However, the Orcs were clearly dismayed at the sudden appearance of us, the defeated Orc Emperor, and the two Orc Lords. To them, their leaders, who were by far the strongest among them, had been defeated. And the people who may have defeated them are all alive and well. Now they must see us as monsters with tremendous power. Now, what we need to do is to break their morale. The Orc army, which is more than half-unorganized, must be broken into pieces as a large number of completely unorganized individuals, while making them lose their will to fight. To do that, you just need to add one more push of fear and confusion. And in such a case, it is better to use a flashy spell with a bluff purpose rather than a substantial effect. That''s what I thought, and I started chanting the spell. Then, seeing my action, one of the Orcs surrounding me, who seemed to be an Orc General, ordered the surrounding Orcs in Orcish language to kill them quickly, what are you doing? However, the Orcs were reluctant to obey that order. Most creatures do not want to die, regardless of the degree. The same was true for the Orcs. It was difficult to find Orcs who were willing to risk their lives against those who had defeated the dominant Orc Emperors and Orc Lords. Even the foolish Orcs who would head towards their opponents without considering minor risks if they saw that they could overrun them would not bother to attack them while feeling an overwhelming disadvantage. But in reality, that power structure would easily collapse if all the Orcs on the other side came to attack, but the Orcs of today would not be able to have that image, and it was me who arranged for that to happen. And in the meantime, my fireball spell was complete. The ball of crimson energy that shot out from the tip of my staff struck the Orc General who was pushing his subordinate Orcs to go, and created a violent explosion of flames around it. In addition to the Orc General at the center, the explosion engulfed nearly a dozen Orcs in the surrounding area and disabled most of them. Furthermore, the Orcs in the rear of the cronies screamed without any relation to that. There, from the outside of the cronies, a rain of normal and magic arrows rained down. It must have been an attack by the elven army commanded by Finola. The timing of the attack was perfect, although it had not been done with such precision. It was the final decisive factor in the demoralization of the Orcs. Feeling that they would be killed if they stayed here, the Orcs became panic-stricken and fled in droves. Once this happened, it would be meaningless no matter what the surviving Orc Generals and other superior species ordered. Actions based on troop leadership, such as using hostages to control them, would not function properly, and the higher species would quickly flee if they had time to make such small resistance. Once the Orcs lose their leadership as a pack and are scattered, it''s time to hunt the remnants. In reality, our strength and the total number of Orcs are still almost the same, but if we lose control of them, they are still ''remnants'' and a bunch of crows. Elven warriors working in groups of three or more (three-man cells) killed the sluggish Orcs that tried to escape one by one. Naturally, we cooperated with them, and all five of us hunted more than twenty orcs in total. Irene shot down 10, Satsuki 8, and Mee 5, while Cyril and I, who had stuck to supporting them, shot down none. But, ''No, it''s like Will killed half of them. Eileen and Mi nodded their heads in agreement when Satsuki said, ''This isn''t even close to being a backup,'' and ''Besides, it was Cyril who healed my wounds. I wouldn''t have been able to move if it wasn''t for you,'' said Irene. So we and the elven warriors continued our hunt for the remnants for several hours, and there were no more orcs left around the village. I flew over and scouted the area, but I couldn''t find any, so I guessed that there were only a few orcs left to hunt. And then, just as the sunset was spreading across the sky. When Finola heard my report of my return from scouting the skies, she called me and my companions to a place where many elves had gathered. I''m sorry. I, Irene, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril were called to the plaza. There were many elves surrounding us as if to welcome us. Finola, representing the elves, said to me. ''Thank you, William, and your friends, the warriors of the human and feline races. Without you, we would have been defeated by those orcs and all the elves of this land would have perished. I can''t thank you enough. This is the promised reward. I don''t think I can repay you with something like this, but I''ve doubled the offer. Please accept it. Finola says, handing me a leather bag full of money. The bag is heavy, and when I untie it and open it, I see that it is indeed full of gold coins with a golden glow. I ask Finola back. ''...... Are you sure? This much money is not cheap, even for you.'' ''Yeah, no problem. The vaults in our village are almost empty now. But for us elves, money is just for trading with humans. We''re self-sufficient by nature, so it''s no big deal. And more importantly, all of this would have been lost without your work. It''s a good deal for us, too.'' ''I see. I''ll take that as a yes.'' ''Yeah, I''d like that. And by the way, you''re heroes to us. The deeds of William the Great and his companions will be the stuff of legend among us elves. Finola said this as a ''side note'', perhaps as an entertainment. But I couldn''t let that go. ''...... You''re kidding, right? We''re just new adventurers. We''re not quite at the stage where we can be called heroes. ''It doesn''t look that way to us, guys...'' Finola looked around, and the many elves in the room nodded in agreement. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ...... Mmm. For me, the existence of a ''hero'' is something I''ve longed for since I was a little girl reading adventure stories. I wish you wouldn''t sell them so cheaply. ....... ''......? I''m not sure what to say. Is he embarrassed by any chance? Then Irene, who was on the other side of me, interrupted. ''Oh, Will has always longed to be a hero of a story. ''What''s that, princess? Tell me more about it. ''Well, you know, Will has always loved to read adventure stories... ......'' I have to stop Irene from talking immediately. I had a strong urge to do so. ''Ugh, shut up. Neither Satsuki nor Irene, that''s not something we should be talking about here! ''Whaaaaat!'' ''Hyang! I held Satsuki and Irene''s heads with both hands to silence them. Then Satsuki and Irene, with their heads held by me, made eye contact with each other and seemed to say something to each other. I don''t know if ...... these two are close or not. Then there was... ''Hey, Mom. I have something to tell William too, if that''s okay. LeFania, who was standing behind Finola, interrupted the conversation. Finola nodded and let her daughter take her place. LeFania stood in front of me and said. ''William. You may not be aware of it, but you are our heroes, and most importantly, you are my heroes. And then LeFania took one, two, three steps towards me... ''Thank you.'' She stood tall and kissed me on the cheek. Then, blushing with embarrassment, LeFania took a step or two back. Then the elf girl made a small gut pose, saying ''good'', though she didn''t know what it was. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. '''''''' Aaaaah! '''''''' They all shouted at the same time. And the four of them came out in front of me in a flurry, forming a barricade between me and LeFania. ''Hey, you! That''s what I call returning the favor! ''I''ve never kissed anyone before either! ''Hush! LeFania, don''t think it''s only moonlit nights! ''Get over there for a minute! You need a sermon!'' A battle began that I didn''t understand. I had no choice but to scratch my head alone. But at the same time, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders and I was back to my daily life. For the elves, killing the orcs did not mean that everything was solved. Those who lost their lives, those who suffered miserably, and their families and friends. There will be physical problems, mental problems, and many other problems. But that''s the story of the elves, and that''s as far as we can go. We will weave another life in another place. But for now, for now. It''s okay to bask in this pleasant sense of accomplishment. As I smilingly watched my fellow girls making a racket, I was alone with my thoughts. 108-Episode 107 '' , '' , . , , . , . , , . '' , '' . , . '' . '' '' . . , '' '' . '' '' , , . , , '' , . , , . , . '' . '' , . , . , , , . '' . , . '' , , . . , . , . , , . '' . , . '' '' '' . , . '' '' '' . , '' , . , , , , , . '' ''. , . , , . , , . '' '' , . , , . , , . , , . , . , . '' , , '' '' . , . '' '' . , . '' '' , . . '' '' , . '' '' , . '' , . , . , , . , , . '' , '' '' . '' '' , , '' '' '' , . , , . , . , . E , . , . ,C . ,C , , . , , . '' '' , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , , . , . '' , '' , . , . , . , . '' , . . , '' , . . , , . . , . '' '' , . , . '' , . , . , '' '' '' , . , . , , . , . . . , . 109-Episode 108 The mining city of Novan is also known as the Dwarven capital. It is a small city with a population of about 1,000, but about 60% of its population are Dwarves. Dwarves are a stocky race with a general image of being craftsmen with dexterous hands that do not match their appearance. On the other hand, they are also known to be excellent miners due to their robustness and willingness to do simple tasks. Most of the dwarves living in Novan are also miners, and we often saw them pushing carts in the streets, covered with dirt. The urban structure of Norvan is also quite unique. About 300 buildings are clustered or scattered from the hillside to the foot of the Norvania Mine, and many roads full of slopes and stairs connect them irregularly. For this reason, moving around the city requires repeated ascents and descents, and my personal impression is that it is very hard. However, the dwarves who are the main inhabitants of this city do not seem to be particularly bothered by this structure due to their robustness. Besides... ''Huh ......, you guys seem to be ...... quite relaxed .......'' This is a great way to make sure that you don''t have to worry about your own safety. I had already climbed a number of stairs and slopes, my breath was coming in blatant gasps, and my knees were starting to laugh from a long time ago. But on the other hand, I saw Satsuki and Miy walking up the stairs with ease, and Cyril, who seemed to be somewhat more relaxed than me, if not as relaxed as them. I''m proud to say that I''m still physically stronger than most of the wizards at the magic academy who are more like researchers, but it''s also true that I''m not a specialist in physical exercise. I''m not sure if I''m as good as her, but I can use my aura and I''m light-weight, and I''ve had some training as a warrior. ''Oh, so Will has a weakness too. I''m a little surprised. Satsuki, who turned around a dozen steps ahead of me, looked down at me and said so. ''Oh, of course. ....... What do you think I am? ......'' ''Uh, ...... a perfect superhuman?'' ''No, of course not. Apart from being able to use magic, I''m an ordinary guy. ......'' ''And you''re smart too. Can''t you use that magic to do something about it?'' ...... ''I can. ....... And I regret that I should have done so. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following: ...... but you can already see the destination in front of you, so why not use it now? ......'' I looked up and saw my destination, Mayor Novan''s mansion, a dozen steps up from Satsuki''s position. I had come this far, thinking that I was almost there and would be fine, but it seemed that my remaining strength and my estimate of the distance to my destination were slightly off. ''Hmm. You don''t use magic because it''s a waste of mana? ''Oh, ....... I''ll catch up with you in a while, so Satsuki and the others can go ahead.'' ''I see. And then...'' Satsuki walked down the stairs with a light step. And when she came next to me.., ''Yo,'' she said. ''......! Satsuki lifted me up in a princess hug, as if I were in a state of exhaustion. I know that this is easy for her, as she is able to use her aura to strengthen her physical abilities, but... ''Hey, hey, what are you doing, you ......! ''Because it''s faster if I carry you like this, right? With me in her arms, Satsuki ran up the stone steps with a comfortable gait. But I, for one, was not in the mood for this. ''Are you stupid? Are you stupid, Satsuki? We''re in the city! No, it doesn''t have to be in the city, but ......! I feel good. I feel good. I''ve always been on Will''s back, so why don''t I help him out once in a while? ''You''re not helping! Just put me down! ''Oh, no. But we''re already here. Satsuki climbed to the top of the stairs in a flash. She slowly lowered my body to the ground. And then I heard a voice that made me despair. ''...... What? ...... What the hell is that?'' It was a familiar man''s voice. I fearfully looked in the direction of the voice. Sure enough, in front of the gate of the mayor''s mansion, there were four senior adventurers who were looking at us with stunned expressions. The voice that sounded familiar was that of a fighter who seemed to be their leader. He turned to me and said. ''Hey, kid. Didn''t you just get a princess hug from that kid? ''...... Can''t deny it.'' ''Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?'' ''...... No, I''m very embarrassed.'' ''I see. ...... You''re in a lot of trouble too, kid.'''' After that, the senior adventurers were led into the mansion by the servants of the mansion, who gave me a pitying look and went into the mansion. And then two of them, Mee and Cyril, arrived late from the bottom of the stairs. ''Satsuki...... that wasn''t very nice......'' ''What ......? Too much of what?'' ''William, I feel for you. I''m sorry for your loss.'' Cyril patted me on the shoulder and I nodded my head. 110-CHAPTER XIX In front of the mayor''s mansion in the mining city of Norvan. Me, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril were led by a servant into the mansion. The servant took us into a large room that looked like a conference room. There were tables and chairs arranged in a U-shape, and we were instructed to take a seat in one wing of the room. We took our seats as instructed. Across from us, the senior adventurers were already seated and waiting. We were served tea and waited for a while. Just as we began to think that we should have a conversation with our companions, the door to the room opened. ''I''m sorry, I kept you waiting. With these short words, a small, chubby dwarf woman entered the room. She was about the same height as Mee, or slightly taller. Dressed in fine clothes that showed her good tailoring, she walked briskly through the room to the master''s seat at the U-shaped table. Dwarves are generally stocky, but unlike male dwarves, who are bearded and stocky, female dwarves often have the lovely appearance of human children. Their faces also tend to look younger than their actual age, and although the calmness of their facial expressions can indicate their age to some extent, without it, they could be mistaken for children. The girl who appeared here also had the appearance of a young girl in her early teens, but in reality she was probably at least older than us. Even so, she was probably in her late twenties or thirties at the most, but to be honest, you can''t really tell the age of a Dwarf woman by looking at her. In addition, behind the dwarf woman was a mature human man wearing a sorcerer''s robe and holding a staff in his hand - in other words, he was dressed just like me. He was probably a mage in the mayor''s entourage. The dwarf woman sat down on a high chair that seemed to have been specially set up for her, and looked over at us and the other group of adventurers. ''This is Ivelia, the mayor of Novan. Thank you for coming, adventurers. I assume you''ve come on a quest to exterminate the Rockworm, is that correct? The confirmation came in a lovely, yet calm voice that matched his appearance. The leader of the senior adventurers answered in a thick voice. ''Oh. You are E rank adventurers, but we are D rank adventurers with experience. We''re not a bunch of picnic kids. You can rest easy. If you want, you can pretend they didn''t see us and pay us twice as much. What the hell? Satsuki is about to stand up in anger at my quick ridicule in front of my client, but I restrain her with my hand and direct my words to my client, the dwarf Ivrea. ''It''s true that he''s right, we''re still inexperienced adventurers, but we''ll get the job done. You can trust us on that. We also have sufficient knowledge of the Rock Worm, and we are confident that we have the necessary skills to deal with it. At my words, Evelyn murmured a ''huh'' and moved her eyebrows in interest. She then turns to the party of D-rank adventurers and asks them a question. ''Yes, that''s right. Do you have any knowledge of Rockworm?'' When asked this, the leader of the party, a fighter-looking man, became flustered and said, ''...... Hey, please,'' urging his fellow mage-looking man to explain. The mage-like man, who was urged, replied in a sluggish manner. ''Oh, and ...... it''s like a giant worm, it lives in caves and stuff, it''s pretty strong,...... and I think it''s ...... something. ......'' ''I see, I understand. So, what about you? Ivrea now looks at me and asks for an explanation. I nodded, chewed up the knowledge in my brain, and put it on my tongue. ''Rockworms are monsters that mainly live in rocky mountains, such as mines, and their adult body length can reach five meters or more. Earthworms move through the soil while eating dirt, but rockworms can do so even on rocky ground although they are slow. This is because they have a strong acid in their bodies that can melt rocks, which they sometimes spit out of their mouths to attack. Their body surface is also as hard as a rock, making it difficult to even properly wound them with a simple blade. Taking into account these overall abilities, the monster rank is D, or even higher if it is a particularly huge individual...'''' ''Okay. That''s enough.'''' When Ivrea said that, she turned her gaze to the mage who was waiting in her entourage. The mage in her entourage nodded firmly at that. I guess he''s checking to see if I''m right. Then Ivrea said, a smile on her face. ''I can guess just by listening to this exchange which one of you is the one who is trying to control your abilities, but in any case, I hope both of you will do your jobs well. According to the miners, rockworms have been found in several tunnels. This means that there is a high possibility that there are several of them living inside the Norvania Mine. You will be rewarded according to the number of them you kill, as I indicated in the request for the quest. I expect you to live up to your name as an adventurer. That''s all. That was all Ivrea said, and then she dismissed the group and left the room with the mage in her entourage. Next, the senior adventurers, their faces reddened, ''You''re so unreliable! You''ve embarrassed yourself in front of your client! ''Huh? Is it my fault? I can''t answer a question like that out of the blue! It''s your fault because you said something unnecessary! They cursed each other and left the room as if they were running away. Then there were four of us left. When I stood up and started to work, Satsuki, Mee and Cyril came up to me. ''As expected of Will! ''Yes, sir. William can be counted on.'' ''Yes, he is. That look on their faces, it honestly made my heart swell. I don''t feel bad when people praise me like that, but it doesn''t mean that my explanation will contribute to the completion of the quest. If I may say so, it would be nice if the senior adventurers could make use of the knowledge I presented to them to help them survive. It''s not as if I''m babysitting them, and as adventurers, they''ll have to take responsibility for their own survival. ''That''s not the point, we should keep our guard up. Rockworms can be very dangerous monsters depending on the circumstances of the encounter. If we''re not careful, we''ll become their food.'''' ''Aye. But they''re not as tough as the orcs we helped the elves with. We''ll be fine.'''' It was usual for Satsuki to chuckle at such optimistic views. But is it just me who feels uneasy when I see that? ....... This is why I looked at Cyril and Mee, both of whom were sighing. I looked at them and chuckled. ''Eh, what''s with the ......? What are you three laughing about? Satsuki, seeing this, had a question mark above her head. 111-Episode 110 The mining city of Novan was developed from the mining center of Norvania. As a result, there are many entrances to the mines in the city. And the one we''re at now is one of those entrances. ''Wow, ...... do we have to go down this ......? Satsuki looked into the entrance of the tunnel and shuddered at the sight. I followed Satsuki and looked into the tunnel. The diameter of the hole was a little larger than a man''s outstretched arms, and as we got closer to the bottom, the light from the outside did not reach us, and it was pitch black and we could not see anything. Above the hole, there was a triangular roof shaped like the ceiling of a hut, with a pulley and a rope for ascending and descending, and the rope was hanging down toward the bottom of the hole. The end of the rope was probably connected to a hanging basket at the bottom of the pit, and the pulley system was used to lift the mined ore. On the other hand, the only mechanism for people to go up and down this pit seems to be a ladder set up on one wall. If you descend carefully, it is unlikely that you will fall down, but the fact that you have to descend through this hole is indeed somewhat frightening. ''...... The miners who work here go up and down this every day, don''t they? Isn''t anyone going to slip and fall?'' Cyril asks, clutching the chest of his priest''s robe, as if he feels the same way I do. The person he asks is the Dwarf miner who led us here. The dwarf miner replies, rubbing his magnificent beard. ''Every few years or so, a dolt falls off. If you''re careful, they don''t fall off that often. ''So there are people who fall once every few years. The dwarf miner replied to Mee''s question as if it were nothing. And then, ''But it was a rockworm, wasn''t it? That creature has eaten and killed many of our people in the last week or two. I heard that one of the dwarven vigilantes who went to kill it was killed by surprise. They must be driven out of this mine at all costs. His eyes blazed with hatred. ''But we''re not strong enough to fight and defeat that monster. Please, avenge your people. The dwarf miner bowed to us. I looked at Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, and we nodded at each other. ''Yeah, I promise we''ll do the best job we can. By the way, I heard that Rockworm was found in some tunnels. ''Yes. I''m sure they''re guiding the other adventurers who came with you to the other tunnels now. I asked for confirmation, and the answer came back as I expected. In other words, two parties of adventurers are trying to conquer the two tunnels at the same time. ''If the monsters in the tunnels aren''t eliminated, we miners won''t be able to work. The mayor has banned all miners from entering the tunnels. I guess that''s fair. If rock worms have been found in several tunnels in this mine, it is inappropriate to assume that the tunnels where they have not yet been found are safe. ''Yeah, that''s what the mayor said. But if it goes on forever, we''ll dry up. The mayor is giving us some time off now, but he says that won''t last forever. Our lives depend on it, as well as the lives of our people. I''m counting on you, adventurers. ''Yes, sir. I''ll do my best.'' I replied, and the dwarven miner bowed to us again before leaving. He must have gone to report to the mayor that the tour was over. ''Well... let''s go, then. I said, and Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril nodded. Then, Mee suggested the following. ''Is it okay if we go down in the order of Mee, Satsuki, William and Cyril? ''Yeah, that''s good, right? That''s the order if you think about danger detection and combat power. Since I agreed with Satsuki, I nodded my head in agreement. But... ''Wait, can you wait a minute? The ...... can I go down before William? It was Cyril who had the temerity to say such a thing. She fidgeted in her priestly robes, her cheeks tinted in some way, and she glanced at me, then looked away shyly when our eyes met. ''......? Why, Cyril? I don''t think there''s anything wrong with swapping the permutations, but I don''t understand why. ''No, it''s not that I don''t trust that ...... William. It''s just that ...... I''m more concerned about ...... it would be bad if it caused me to lose my footing on the ladder. ......'' ''What are you talking about ......? Oh, you mean that thing.'' That''s when I finally remembered. That was, I believe, the third quest after I started adventuring with this party. The Count of Goldert''s court sorceress, Alice, was conducting research on the undead... and we invaded her experimental site. And that was when we tried to descend to the underground testing ground through a hole in a lodge halfway up the mountain. At that time, we tried to go down the shaft in the same order as I just described. But at that time, I made the mistake of looking down at the inside of Cyril''s robe, which was coming down after us. ''...... I''m sorry, I forgot about that blunder. I guess it''s true that the victim remembers, but the perpetrator forgets. I''m sorry. I bow my head to Cyril. But as I did so, Cyril denied it, looking flustered and flustered. ''No, no. It was my fault, but the order in which I go down is a matter of my feelings. ...... As I said before, I''m just uncomfortable, but William is not bad and I trust him. For some reason, Cyril was desperately trying to find an excuse. And then Satsuki interrupted him from the side. ''Oh, I wondered what you were talking about. You mean the one where William saw Cyril''s pants before? ''...Hey! Don''t call me pants! I was trying to wrap it up in an offhand way! ''...... Oh, really? But it''s okay, right? I''m sure Cyril likes William too. So it''s okay for him to see my pants. ''Of course not! If that''s the case, Satsuki, why don''t you pull them up right now and show them to him? Can you do it? ''Oh, ......, that''s certainly not good. Well, that''s not good. But you don''t have to be so angry. ''...... I mean, what are you two talking about out loud? We''re in the city, after all. She looked around and was relieved to see that there was no one nearby. Then she coughed, her cheeks reddening, and said. ''...... Well, since that''s the case, can I go down first? But then Satsuki, with a grin on her face, interrupted. ''But then, Cyril, you''ll get to see William''s pants... Ouch! Cyril hit him! ''Of course he didn''t! Are you stupid? Hey Satsuki, are you stupid? ''What, it''s just a joke. You don''t have to be so angry. ...... But when I saw you get so angry, I thought you meant it... Ouch! You hit me again! ''Don''t you ever open your mouth again! ''Oh, my God. ......'' ...... Cyril was somehow broken. She even violated Satsuki, albeit mildly. She is usually a quiet girl, so I found her appearance to be a bit refreshing. 112-Episode 111 We went down a vertical hole that looked like a well without water. The ladder was sturdy, and the three of us, including myself, were able to climb down without any difficulty, not to mention Mee who was light. Incidentally, I had prepared to use the Feather Fall spell in case someone stepped off the ladder. This is a spell that causes the target to fall slowly, and is one of the few spells that can be activated instantly. Fortunately, none of us were affected by this spell, and we succeeded in descending to the bottom of the 20-meter-deep pit. When I was the last one to descend, Mee, Satsuki, and Cyril were waiting for me at the bottom of the hole. Before I could get down the ladder, Satsuki called out to me from a few meters below. ''Will, you can jump down from there. I''ll catch you.'' ''...... What''s the point in that? ''I''m happy to hold Will.'' ''No thanks.'' I descended the ladder as normal. What Satsuki says sometimes makes no sense at all. Well, that''s beside the point. At the bottom of the hole, in addition to Satsuki and the three of us, there was a hanging basket as expected. It was tied to the end of a rope hanging from above. There were also several hand-pushed carts, probably used to carry the mined ore. On the other hand, from the bottom of the vertical hole, there was a cavernous side hole leading to the side of the hole. The ceiling of this cavern, which Mee had illuminated with a lantern, was so low that I could have reached the ceiling if I had reached out to touch it, probably because it was designed for dwarven miners. If I jumped lightly, I might hit my head on the ceiling. ''With this height of the ceiling, William seems to be cramped. ''I''m afraid I''ll get caught if I raise my sword too. Mee is good for this kind of situation. She''s too small.'' ''Why do you fight so naturally, Satsuki? Can I slit your throat with my dagger?'' ''Stop it. It''s sad that I''m going to be killed by my friends before I can become the world''s strongest swordsman. Cyril, Satsuki, and Mee walked through the side hole, talking lightly about such things. I followed them, smiling as I listened to their conversation. Now, the quest is to ''exterminate the Rockworm''. The task required is to literally exterminate the Rockworm. The key to this quest, then, is how to deal with the characteristics of the rockworm monster. The Rockworm is a huge monster, over five meters long in its adult form, and its rocky black-gray skin is as hard as rock itself, making it an extremely powerful monster in both attack and defense. However, while this point should not be underestimated, the real problem lies in the monster''s habitat and its uncanny ability to appear and disappear. Rockworm is a D-ranked monster, and if we only look at this point, for example, Satsuki, who is equivalent to a C-ranked monster, would be able to fight it alone. However, this is a rank value based on the strength of the monster alone, and does not take into account the conditions under which the monster is fought. For example, if a rockworm appears in the middle of a prairie and rushes towards you from tens of meters away, you can deal with it in any way you like, and it is not a problem. You can calmly hit it with attack spells such as Fireball or Lightning Bolt as it approaches, and ask Satsuki to deal with it if it gets close enough to you. However, in reality, we are not in the middle of a prairie, and not all of them will just appear a few dozen meters away, asking you to shoot their magic slowly. They move through the earth. There''s no guarantee that they won''t appear at this very moment, right under my feet, with their mouths wide open. But even so, they usually make some kind of noise, and I don''t expect them to actually appear at my feet at this very moment. What''s more, I had already cast an alert spell before approaching the tunnel. This spell, which casts a magical film around a 50-meter circumference around the sorcerer, works regardless of whether the monster is moving underground or not. There has been no response to the alert spell. Therefore, it''s hard to imagine that there are rock worms closer than fifty meters around me at this stage. In any case, if I''m under the effect of the Alert spell, I should be able to eliminate most of the threat that the Rock Worm poses. With that in mind, I followed the three girls down the rather cramped tunnel. Meanwhile... Meanwhile, around that time. The other group of adventurers who had visited the mining city of Novan with William and the others had descended into a different tunnel from the one the boys and girls were in and began their search. ''d*mn, the low ceiling is annoying. It''s so cramped. The leader of the group, a fighter, was walking at the front of the tunnel. He seemed to be particularly concerned about the smallness of the tunnel because he was the largest of the group. Then, a hunchbacked man in the style of a thief, who was following behind him, called out to him as if to say. ''Don''t complain. It was originally designed for dwarves, so it can''t be helped. ''Since we''re going to let humans kill monsters, we should have properly maintained them for humans. What a bunch of useless dwarves. ''Don''t be absurd. ....... And don''t say that in front of your clients or anyone else. ''d*mn. I know what I''m talking about. With that, the leader warrior strode forward, looking unhappy. The remaining three men - the Thief, the Mage, and the Holy Order - follow behind him, sighing. But the warrior''s frustration did not abate. He vents his frustration on his comrades who are following behind him, under the guise of issuing a warning. ''But you guys know what you''re doing, don''t you? We''re considered by the client to be lower than that picnic-looking gentleman. If we lose to that lazy bastard with three girls... Our pride will be rattled. ''Well, you know, ......, but he didn''t look that smug. And he seemed like a smart guy. He was full of quiet confidence. ...... I guess we''re not the same race. ......'' I''m sorry. That''s why they make fun of you! Look, they''re ranked E and we''re ranked D. We''ll never lose to them. All right! Yeah. But not dying is more important, okay? Pride can''t buy you a life, and it can''t eat you.'' ''Ah, I already know that! While exchanging such words, the men continued to walk down the tunnel. And then... And around that time. Two other adventurers had arrived in the mining city of Norban. One was a well-built, red-haired young man in jet-black armor and black robes, with a large sword on his back. The other was a young woman in black robes who followed him. Each of them had a silver adventurer''s card on their chest. The silver adventurer''s card was proof that they were B-rank adventurers. At the entrance to Novan, the young man in black asks the woman beside him. ''Are you sure that the request that the party of three good women received - that their destination is here, Cecilia? The woman in the black robe replies with a pensive look. ''Yes, I am. As I said, there was one man, though. And all three of them seemed to be under the control of that man. ''That''s not the point. It doesn''t matter if they were hand-me-downs or not, just take them and eat them again. ...... But Cecilia, are you mad at me by any chance? When the young man looked into the woman''s face, she turned away further. ''I''m not mad at you, but I hope you''ll forgive me if I''m jealous and cranky because the person I love is trying to find another woman. I like it when you say that. I''m coming by the inn. I want to eat you for an appetizer.'' ''You call me an appetizer? Well, it''s my fault for liking you including that part of you, so I''ll give it all to you. Please eat it. ''You''re really the best woman I''ve ever met. ''Thank you for that. I''m very happy. They hugged and kissed each other on the spot, even though they were in public. Then, as the young man had said, they went to the inn. 113-Episode 112 A group of adventurers, torches in hand, walk down a low-ceilinged tunnel. Eventually, they came to a dead end. ''What the hell, it''s a dead end! The leader of the warriors kicked the wall of the dead end in frustration. As a large man, he had to stoop down to explore due to the low ceiling, and the more he explored, the more stressed he became. And so did his companions, who were taken aback by his behavior. The bandit man clicks his tongue at the leader of the warriors. ''Shut up and stop ranting. That''s why I said right earlier. You''re the one who decided to go left.'' ''Huh? You''re saying it''s my fault? ''That''s what I said, but it sounded different? ''Don''t split up in here. ......'' The sorcerer man intervened, but he was also a snake. The warrior''s frustration was directed at the sorcerer. ''Whose fault is it that I''m so irritated! It''s because you''re embarrassing me in front of my clients! ''Huh? Don''t be so accusatory. Then why didn''t you answer? ''What are you talking about? There''s no way I''d know about a monster I''ve never seen. That kind of knowledge is the responsibility of the sorcerer, of course. In fact, that sorcerer-like gentleman was able to answer. ''You know, if you had ......, you would''ve just known by chance. How many monsters do you think there are in the world? It''s doubtful that even a diligent student graduating from a magic academy would be able to memorize all of their characteristics. Normally, you have to go to the library and do some research before you go. ''Then why didn''t you look it up? ''Huh? I''ve been telling you for a long time that you need money to use the library, haven''t I? Who was the one who dismissed it as a waste of money? ''Ngggg ......! Oh my god, you''re so annoying! The warrior, at a loss for a response, kicked the wall again in frustration. Then... Gogo gogo gogo. ....... A sound like the rumbling of the earth could be heard from somewhere. Hearing the sound, the men who had been arguing with each other gather together in fear. ''Oh, hey, ...... you kicked him too hard, didn''t you ......? ''Hey, idiot, no matter how much I kick the ground, it won''t look like this. ''That means ......''. The men looked around the tunnel. The gray rock cave was a dead end in front of them, and behind them was the path they had taken, with no other path of any kind. There is a fork in the road a few dozen meters back, but... ''Shh, shh, shh, isn''t it close ......? Where are you coming from, ......? ''You idiot, I don''t give a shit! ''Aaaaah! At that moment, the sorcerer man shouted loudly. The warrior, the bandit, and the priest all jumped up. ''What''s with the sudden shouting? ''Alert ......! I should have used the alert ......! ''What the hell is that? Is that magic? ''The one that notices when a monster enters within 50 meters! ''What the hell? You idiot! If there''s such a thing, why didn''t you use it? ''It can''t be helped that I didn''t think of it! You guys always treat me like I''m useless if I don''t leave any mana for attack magic! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not going to use it now. ''There''s no point in using it now! The alert only reacts when you come within range, and even if you use it when you''re already within range, it''s still ......! I don''t know about you, but you''re really useless! ''What the hell is wrong with you? ''This is not the time for you idiots to be fighting...'' This time, the bandit intervenes, but then... Gong! The rock wall that was supposed to be a dead end suddenly collapsed, and a huge hole opened up. ''What the heck is ......? As the adventurers looked at it with trepidation... Then... From the other side of the big hole, something like a huge moving rock with a diameter as tall as a man emerged. It has no eyes or anything. But in the center of it, slightly downward, there was a streak running horizontally, like a gap between rocks... It opened up and down in front of the men''s eyes. Sharp teeth lined up in a row. When the mucus that dripped like saliva splashed out, the rock surface of the cave made a sizzling sound and emitted white smoke, and a hole appeared there. It was the head of a monster called a rock worm that came out of the hole and opened its big mouth. The screams of the men echoed through the mine. 114-Episode 113 William and the others. Mee and Satsuki are in the vanguard, and Cyril and I are in the rear. We walked down a tunnel that was wide enough for two people to fight side by side. The tunnel is a rather flat cave structure, and the height to the ceiling is much lower than the width of the path. I''m more concerned about that than the width of the tunnel, but... Cyril, who is walking beside me, suddenly looks above my head. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ...... Are you okay?'' ''Yeah, I''ll be fine. But the man who seemed to be the leader of the senior adventurers, he was a big man, so if the ceiling was this low, it would be quite cramped. ''Oh, ...... there was someone like that. But people like that, they deserve to feel a little cramped. You should be ashamed of yourself. They think women are nothing more than an outlet for their s*xual desires. ...... Why are all adventurer men like that? I wish I could drink some of William''s nectar. When I mentioned the D-ranked adventurers, Cyril raised an eyebrow and began to swear. That''s not very nice for her. She must have been very frustrated with them. ''Hmm, ......, but I''ve heard that women prefer a man who is bold and masculine to a man who is all care. Isn''t that the way it is? ''Hmm ......? Are you asking me what I like? ''No, I''m more interested in what you''re saying in general. ''Oh, yes. But what do you mean by general? I only know about me. ...... But yes, William, I can see how you could come on to me more boldly.'' Cyril looked up at me from the side and smiled at me. I''m a little nervous at the sight of him. I was at a loss as to what to do, so I asked Cyril the following question. ''......Ahh ...... can I ask you something, Cyril? ''Hmm, what is it, William? ''Is that your approach to your love life with me?'' I asked straight out. It''s not a question I can afford to ask, and I''m not in a position to think about it. But Cyril answered my question straightforwardly. ''Yes, that''s right. You''re aware of that, aren''t you? He said this with a smile on his face. I was pressured by this situation. ...... But then another question arose. ''...... I''ve already explained my stance to you guys. I have no idea how you expect me to react to your ...... approach.'' Yeah. I''ve made it clear to Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril that I have no intention of becoming a man or woman, and I''ve explained why. Aside from Satsuki, who doesn''t seem to have any deep thoughts, it''s hard to understand why even Cyril is acting this way. ''Hmmm, you''re serious William. I like that about you. ...... Then I''ll tell you the answer. Then Cyril said... Her ample breasts under her priestly robe were pressed tightly against my arm through the fabric. ''Oh, hey, Cyril ......! ''Hmm, how are you doing, William? ''How do you say, ......?'' There was no way he could honestly say that it was bigger than Satsuki''s. The only thing I could do was to be puzzled. But as I did so, Cyril stepped aside. If you look closely, you can see that even her ears are turning red. ....... She looks up at me and opens her mouth again. ''That''s fine. As long as you show me your typical reaction, I''ll be happy. I mean, I want to tease you, play with your mind. I mean, I want to tease you and play with your mind, and since you''re playing with our minds too, it''s mutual, right? ''What ...... is that ......?'' It was an absurd theory. I''ve never heard of that kind of love affair. ''Hmmm, it''s a pretty good deal for me, you know? I get to enjoy the thrill of love like this forever. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t want you to turn your back on me, but this is what I enjoy. So that''s fine with you. ''............'' To be honest, I still had a hard time understanding her. But if she''s okay with it, what''s the big deal if I''m okay with it? ''Haha ...... even Cyril is becoming a b*tc*? I thought that Mee had formed a party with more sensible people. Mee, who was walking in front of me, looked back at me and said, ''I''m sorry. The look in her eyes could not have been more different. ''That''s right. You''re calling me a prostitute, but Cyril is the one who''s been getting it on. I mean, is Cyril that kind of a character? Holy Order... or is that even possible in the eyes of God? Satsuki also complained to me, as if she didn''t understand what was going on. But Cyril, on the other hand, doesn''t seem to care about such criticism. ''Ahtna, the goddess of light and justice, is generous. It is not evil to be in love or to approach someone you like. ...... But yes, it does sometimes make me feel like my intelligence is about to blow up somewhere, which is, if I may say so, contrary to doctrine. Hmmm... ''Geez, it''s so random being a Priestess (Holy Order). ''Yes, sir. It was rare for Mee and Satsuki to speak together, and the blame was directed at Cyril. As for me, I was just scratching my head, not knowing where to place my blame. But then... I had a reaction in my mind. ''Mmm... you''re here. At my words, the girls who had been chatting and laughing a while ago suddenly showed signs of nervousness. These girls are well-balanced as adventurers. As for what had come, of course... ''It''s here, Rockworm? ''Yeah. Probably so. A rather large creature has escaped the alert''s sensing membrane. While Cyril and I were exchanging these words, Mee was lying face down, her cat ears against the ground. ''...... There''s a faint sound. It''s getting closer and closer. ''Which way is it coming from?'' Satsuki, who had her hand on the hilt of her sword, asked Mi, but Mi shook her head. ''I don''t know that much about it. William, the alert spell, do you know the direction? ''No, I do. It''s forward, to the right and downward, but after that, the alert won''t tell us where we''re going. I''ll use see-through.'' I announced and chanted a spell. I''ll cast the see-through spell as I told you. Then I removed all surrounding walls from view. The area of effect of see-through is about thirty meters from the sorcerer. The area around me is spherically penetrated, and I get the strange sensation that I am standing in a place where there is no ground or anything. And in front of me on the lower right. A giant worm-like creature with gray skin like a rock has been invading my see-through sphere for a long time. However, it is a little too small to be called an earthworm - or rather, its diameter is too large when viewed from the front. The general shape of the worm might be closer to that of a caterpillar. The creature, a rockworm, seemed to be spitting out acid-like substances from its mouth, tearing up the rock in front of it, and then crunching and swallowing it with its large mouth as it moved through the ground. The speed of the creature was not fast, but about the same or slower than the speed of a human walking. Now that I had its location, I could easily escape by running through the tunnels, but of course, I couldn''t kill the Rock Worm if I ran away. I tell my friends what I''ve learned. ''It''s in the lower right. It''s coming straight at us. ''Are you aware of this? What''s going on with Rockworm''s sensory system?'' ''It''s not understood. If it''s comparable to an earthworm, I don''t think it relies on sight, but I can''t rule out the possibility that it has ...... magical perception abilities.'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. I nodded at Satsuki''s words. ''I agree. I''ll cast a support spell. Then we''ll take a position where it''s easier to intercept. ''''''Understood!'''''' And so we began preparations to intercept the Rockworm. 115-CHAPTER XIV A sudden attack by a rockworm sent the adventurer men scurrying away from the dead-end wall. The large mouth of the rockworm snapped at the spot where the men had been just before. Fortunately, there was no one there anymore, but the giant rockworm, which had missed its target, crawled out of a large hole in the wall. Meanwhile, the men watching from a short distance away were in a panic. ''Ow, ow! You''ll die instantly if you''re eaten by that thing! What kind of D-rank is that? ''Oh, calm down. It''s not that fast. Just keep a cool head and you''ll be fine.'' ''Then why don''t you come forward and do the wall! I can''t dodge everything in such a small space! ''You''ve got to be kidding! If I slip for a second, it''s over! That''s right, you''re wearing chainmail, you should be able to withstand at least one blow. You should stand in front. If you take damage, you can recover. ''Are you kidding me? Didn''t you see that saliva? It melted the rock! It''s chainmail...'''' The adventurers had assumed that the attack would not reach them because they were a little far away, but the rock worm opened its large mouth and attacked, spitting out acid from it. The warrior barely jumped out of the way to avoid it, and the acid splashed onto the ground where he was, gouging out the ground with smoke and sound. At that time, the acid was also slightly caught in the chainmail worn by the warrior. The iron chains used to weave the armor still emitted a cloud of white smoke, but they did not melt as much as the rocks, and the surface of the chains only lightly melted. The quilted armor worn under the chainmail immediately melted and made holes in the armor. ....... The bandit saw this and pushed the warrior back. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. It''s not that easy. You''ve always been so arrogant, why don''t you show us your good side at times like this? And if you run away here, you''ll lose to that picnic guy, right? ''Gosh, ......! d*mn it, I get it! But you''ve got to cover me! ''''''Okay!'''''' The bandit, the sorcerer, and the priest give each other the thumbs up behind their backs. Only at times like this were they in perfect harmony. So the warrior stood in front of the adventurers, while the bandit, the sorcerer, and the priest covered them from behind. Toward them, a huge rock worm approached, dragging its feet. They were so large that two of them side by side would have filled the entire tunnel. And then... ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, Magic Missile! Bash, bash! Two arrows of light released by the sorcerer exploded in front of the Rockworm. The rock worm screamed. The rockworm screamed. ''Did you do it? ''Of course not, look! Despite the fact that the rock-like skin on the surface of the rockworm was somewhat peeled off and the flesh underneath was damaged, the rockworm came towards the adventurers, bobbing and weaving wildly. ''No way, it won''t stop! ''d*mn it, you just pissed me off! The bandit swears as he pulls out the dagger at his waist and throws it at Rockworm. But that dagger... ''Now ......? Crack! The dagger was bounced off the rocky surface of the rockworm, and was unable to do any damage. ''d*mn it, ......! It''s too hard! Hey, what are you slacking off on, sling? ''You can''t use a sling on this low ceiling! At the exchange between the bandit and the priest, the vanguard warrior clicks his tongue. ''d*mn, they''re useless! Aaaaaaah! The warrior slams his battle axe into the rampaging rockworm, just in time. The warrior''s battle axe. The blade of the battle axe shatters the rock face of the rock worm and digs into the flesh beneath. However, it was only the tip of the blade that bit into the rock worm''s flesh, and it was hardly a fatal wound. Due to the height of the ceiling, he could not swing down from directly above, so he had to use an unfamiliar side-knife blow, which inevitably lacked some power. ''d*mn it...ohhh! The warrior, who was unable to stop the charge with a blow from his battle axe, was blown away by Rockworm''s charge. He rolled around on the ground, but somehow managed to stand up in front of his comrades. The priest rushes to the side of the warrior, whose head is bleeding, and casts a healing spell. ''Gah ......! That hurts, dammit. ......! ''What are we going to do about that monster? Let''s get out of here! ''I''ve already done some damage! Just a few more hits and we can do it! Let''s do it! ''Oh, yeah! They were D-rank adventurers, even if they were rotten. They couldn''t just give up on a quest that was nominally of a lower rank. 116-CHAPTER XV Side: William''s party The four of us, me, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, were waiting in a slightly wider area of the mine. The rock worm emerged from the ground about five meters away from where we were. ........................ The rockworm appeared in the tunnel with its large mouth open and shouting, and immediately crawled with its huge body and rushed forward. But its appearance was already known due to the see-through effect. ''...Lightning Bolt! With the last verse of the spell I was chanting, I pointed the tip of my staff forward and released a magical lightning bolt from it. With a roar, the lightning bolt shot straight through the rockworm that had just appeared on the tunnel. Because of the rockworm''s long body shape, the spell of lightning bolts that penetrated in a straight line had an extraordinary effect. The giant rockworm, which was about five meters long, emitted a smell of burnt flesh and skin from front to back, and it was also electrified and trembling. But even I don''t believe that the mighty life force of a rockworm can be defeated by that one blow. In fact, the huge monster, which had temporarily stopped moving, began to show signs of advancing by shaking its body all the time again. Seeing this, I called out to Satsuki. ''Satsuki, can you do the rest? ''Oh, yeah. ...... But that thing is almost dead, isn''t it? ''You could say that, but it''s also true that it''s troublesome if it gets out of control. I want to get rid of it quickly while it''s still weak. ''I see, I see. She kicked the ground lightly and made contact with the rockworm in an instant, then swung her sword and slashed the head of the giant rockworm. Satsuki''s sword had the spell effect of an Enchanted Weapon applied to it beforehand. Combined with her own high attack power, she was able to slice through the rock-hard skin of the rockworm without much difficulty. The rockworm easily lost all of its vitality before it had a chance to fight back. The rear torso, which had been writhing in agony, became docile and lay on the ground of the mine. Satsuki returned with her sword in her hand. ''Well, ......, is this the end of the quest, by any chance? Satsuki tilted her head. She seemed to be unconvinced. I explained to her. ''It''s true that defeating even one of them will be the minimum achievement required to complete this D-rank quest to kill the Rock Worm. Now it''s up to you to decide if you want more than that. ''I heard that there''s more than one Rockworm. I nodded in response to Cyril''s sideways comment. And if we kill more than one Rockworm, we''ll get an additional reward for each one. ''Yeah, we still have plenty of energy left, so we can try for the extra reward. ''I guess. This doesn''t make me feel like I''ve done the quest. The hot springs won''t feel good unless we finish the job properly. Satsuki said, stretching as if she hadn''t moved enough. Incidentally, Satsuki had already confirmed that there was a hot spring facility for tourists in Novan, at her request. On the other hand, Mee came up to me and asked me something like this. ''But, William, are there so many rock worms? Isn''t it possible that they''ve been popping up in tunnels all over the place? Mee''s opinion is correct. Considering the fact that rockworms have the ability to move through the ground, it is possible that this one we just defeated could have been in several tunnels. ''Yeah, I can''t deny the possibility that Mee is right. But there''s also the possibility that it''s not, and considering the safety of the people here in Novan, I think we should explore a bit more to be sure, don''t you? I patted Mee''s head as I asked this, and all three girls agreed. Incidentally, as usual, Mi was expressing her intentions while being patted by me, looking as comfortable as a cat. In fact, it was only at that stage that I became aware that my own hand was stroking her. ....... It was still a terrific attraction. I unconsciously nodded my head. ''Mee, is that some kind of secret art of the cat-eared people (Myar)? ''......? What are you talking about, William? ''No, ...... nothing.'' I thought I''d asked the stupidest thing I''d ever heard. It must have been my imagination, but I blamed it on Mee. ....... I was ashamed of this, and began to explore the tunnels again. 117-CHAPTER XVI ZUN! The Rockworm dies from Satsuki''s onslaught and lays its body on the ground. Satsuki returns to us with her sword in her waist, breathing heavily. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I think that Satsuki''s frank words accurately expressed the feelings of all of us. Mee and Cyril, too, seemed to be getting more and more nervous. As we continued to explore the mines, we soon encountered another Rock Worm, which we defeated. But not long after that, we encountered another one. Satsuki had just sunk it. ''I agree with you, Satsuki. To encounter so many in such a short time is too much of a bargain for the Rockworm. ''Hey William, how long do rockworms usually live in groups? Cyril asks me with a slightly worried look on his face. I search the knowledge I have in my brain and pick up the answer from there. ''As far as I know, there are no papers that deal with research on the formation of rockworm swarms - but in general terms, rockworms should live alone, or in groups of two or three at most, in the same place. I''m not sure that''s the end of the story. ...... ''I think so too. Do you want to retreat once, William? Mee asks looking up at me. I unconsciously try to put my hand on the head of the cat-eared girl, but just in time I realize what I''m doing and pull my hand back. ''...... Ah, yeah. I was just thinking about that too. I need to report to my client, and my mana is getting low. I think I''d better go back. ''Okay. I''ll be satisfied if I can move this much. I''d like to get out of this small place soon. Satsuki said and made a small stretch. When she looked at Cyril, he nodded in agreement. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Hmm, what''s up Mee? I turned on my heel and started to head back the way I came, when I saw Mee standing next to me with a complicated look on her face. But she shook her head and said, It''s nothing. It''s not like ...... William doesn''t like Mee, right?'' ''Hmm ......? Oh, yeah, well, it''s not that I don''t like him.'' ''I see. That''s fine then. I hope you don''t mind. And with that, Mi walked briskly past me and began to walk ahead of me on the way home. I didn''t really understand what she meant, but she told me not to worry about it, so I decided to let it go for now. And so we finished our exploration that day. When we climbed up the ladder at the entrance to the tunnel, the sun was setting in the mountains and the clear sky was slightly tinged with purple and vermilion. ''Outside! Hot springs, hot springs...'' Satsuki jumped out of the well-like vertical hole and stepped toward the busy streets of the city as if she were doing a little dance. Mee and Cyril looked aghast at Satsuki''s appearance, but followed her. I watched them with a smile on my face and enjoyed the fresh air for the first time in a while. 118-CHAPTER XVIII In the mining city of Novan, there is a public hot spring bathhouse. However, the bathhouses are very crowded with Novan citizens, or to put it more simply, they are in a state of washing potatoes, and it does not seem to be an atmosphere to enjoy a relaxing bath. However, in addition to public bathhouses, there is another facility in Novang that has a hot spring. It was in a high-class inn for travelers. At Satsuki''s request, we decided to stay at a high-class inn called the Swan''s Wing Pavilion, thinking that a little luxury would be nice once in a while. After checking in at the inn, we headed for the bathhouse to take a quick bath. Satsuki, who was excited like a child, dragged me to the changing room together with Mee and Cyril. Even though it was a mixed bath, the changing rooms were indeed separate for men and women. I left the three of them and undressed in the men''s changing room. ''Hey, Willow! Are you done changing? I hear Satsuki''s voice from behind the threshold separating the men''s and women''s changing rooms. There was no one else in the men''s changing room. Judging from Satsuki''s behavior, the women''s changing room is probably the same. Incidentally, it is somewhat inappropriate to call it "changing clothes" since it is undressing, but it is not completely wrong since you wrap a towel (bath towel) for mixed bathing around your undressed naked body. I finished wrapping the cloth around my waist, which must have been made with an arranged cross-form spell, and headed for the bathhouse. ''Yeah, I''m ready. I''m going to the bathhouse first.'' ''Oh, wait! I''m coming with you! I heard the sound of running across the threshold. Laughing at myself for being such a child, I went through the door from the changing room to the bathroom. ''Wow, wow, ......! It''s huge! Outside! The atmosphere is great! At about the same time I stepped out into the bathhouse, Satsuki came out from the door of the women''s changing room a little further away. She looked around the open-air bath and seemed to be very impressed. The bath was indeed an open-air bath with a relaxing atmosphere. A large round bathtub was built on the rocky ground, surrounded by a wooden roof and a fence. It was almost dark in the evening, and the lanterns set up to light the way had a certain charm. There were also places for ten people to wash their bodies, each with a chair to sit on, a hand tub, and soap. This sense of completeness was as one would expect from a high-class inn. But more than that... I was more fascinated by the sight of Satsuki herself, looking around the bathhouse with such emotion. She came out looking innocent, but her body was not childish. Even with a bath towel wrapped around her, you can see her excellent proportions. Her fresh limbs, which are in the transitional stage between a girl and an adult woman, are so attractive that I think any man would be captivated by them. What also made me a little nervous was the fact that she was not wearing her usual ponytail, but her beautiful long black hair untied. I always thought she was beautiful, but when she showed me something different from her usual appearance, I felt fresh as if I were meeting her for the first time. Then she noticed me and looked at me. ''Ooh, Will''s naked! Oh, man! I''ve never seen him before! Then Satsuki comes running toward me, pacing. I thought of warning her that running in the bathhouse is dangerous, as if she were a child, but then I thought better of it as something to say to Satsuki, who has outstanding athletic ability. While I was thinking such useless thoughts, Satsuki was right in front of me. And Satsuki said... ''Hmm, you''re a sorcerer, you don''t have much muscle. I don''t feel like I''m skinny, but ...... normal? ''......Oh, hey, Satsuki, what are you doing......? ''Hmm ......? Oh, I''m sorry, did you not like it?'' ''No, I don''t mind. ......'' ...... I''m strangely embarrassed. I don''t know if this girl has any shame at all. It''s not like that, Will, let''s go to the hot springs! Together! She takes my hand and pulls me toward the bathtub. No, he should take a bath first, I thought... ''...... Hey Mee? Is that Satsuki''s natural body? ''It looks like it. ...... I sometimes feel threatened by Satsuki, who can do that naturally. When I looked at the entrance to the women''s locker room, I saw Cyril and Mee emerging from there. But when I saw them, I was stunned. What stunned me was the looks of Cyril, the beautiful blonde girl who had taken off her priestly robe. Of course, she was wearing a bath towel, but Cyril''s body was so lush that I felt as if the towel would tear off at any moment. I described Satsuki as having excellent proportions, but now that I have described Satsuki in that way, how can I describe Cyril? I don''t know if it''s enough to describe her as voluptuous or matronly. Even in her usual priestly robes, she is striking, but even so, I am reminded that she looks more mature than she really is. On the other hand, the cat-eared girl standing next to her looked very cute. I guess you could say that she has a charm that expresses her childlike innocence rather than femininity. It was exactly the kind of loveliness that made me want to go over to her right now and pat her on the head. ...... And as I was taking a closer look, a blushing Cyril came to me with words of reproach. ''...... Oh, um, William? It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal information before you make a decision. I''m so embarrassed. ......'' ...... She was absolutely right. I don''t know what I''m so rudely inspecting. ''Sorry, sorry, ......! It''s just that it''s so beautiful, I was mesmerized. ''Ugh,......, yeah. Well, no need to apologize. I should have been prepared for this. ''I''m afraid William is a bit of a natural at times. She walked over to the bathtub and poured hot water over herself. Satsuki, who had been pulling me along, realized, ''Oh, I see'' and followed Mi. I''ve never been in a mixed bath before, so I don''t know what to do. I know I should just act normal, but I can''t help but feel uncomfortable with all these beautiful girls in the room, and since I''m almost naked, I can''t help but be conscious of them. I''m not sure if it''s the same for them... Satsuki looks completely natural, and Mi seems unconcerned or unconcerned. Cyril was the only one who seemed to have a strong awareness of me, and he seemed to be glancing at me from time to time. We agreed to take a bath together in a mixed bath at Satsuki''s insistence, but I don''t think this will be a good way to unwind. I''m very tense, and I have to be very careful in other ways as well. It is said that the culture of mixed bathing has been a hotbed of disorder in s*xual manners and customs in some regions and times, but experiencing it like this, I can''t help but agree. It is obvious nonsense to say that wearing a bath towel is not a problem. I would like to tell those who say such things to come here and experience it for themselves. There is no way there is no problem. I was thinking of ....... ''Hmm. ''Huh, that feels good.'' ''It is. I think I''m going to melt.'' ''That''s true. Once we were all in the bathtub, I found myself surprisingly comfortable with the situation. Familiarity is a terrible thing. From the looks of it, Cyril''s tension seemed to have eased and he was enjoying the hot water. In the midst of this, Satsuki spoke to me in a loosely melted voice. ''Hey~, Will~'' ''What is it, Satsuki? ''I love you~'' ''Bu......! Geez, ......! I slumped in the bathtub and drank the water. I was out of it, and this came as a surprise to me. ''What are you doing ......? ''Ehehe~, I said it again~'' When I looked at her beside me, the girl''s relaxed profile looked completely innocent. ...... It is very difficult to deal with. It''s still fine if you''re making fun of me, like Cyril, but ....... ''William is a sinful man. ''That''s true! Mee and Cyril agree in a relaxed manner. I''ve heard that nudity can shorten the distance between people''s hearts, but I think it''s shortening in a strange way. ''...... Okay. You can hit me any way you want. It''s all my fault.'' ''Hahaha. You''re right, it''s all William''s fault.'' ''It''s all William''s fault. ''It''s all Will''s fault.'' I''m starting to enjoy this. Isn''t that all there is to it? I even started to dissolve my thoughts like that... and then... ''Oh, what is it? There''s a pretty special guest here. A man emerged from the men''s locker room. 119-Episode 118 The young man who appeared at the bathhouse had the body of an obvious martial artist. He was well-built, muscular, and a little taller than me - probably over 180 centimeters. However, he did not have the slightest hint of heaviness, and his toned body reminded me of a large predator like a tiger. He was probably about the same age as Satsuki and me. He was a young man with red hair and eyes of the same color, and had a pretty good face. However, there was one major problem with the young man. At the risk of sounding vulgar... He was clothed in such a way that it became apparent that, to use a rather vulgar term, a person with red hair also has red hair underneath ....... The young man in this state pulled a bath towel over his shoulders and walked towards the bathtub with a dignified attitude. When Cyril saw him, he stood up, expressing his displeasure. He held the bath towel wrapped around his chest tightly with his hand and directed his protest to the young man. ''You ...... are insane to come into a coed bath without a towel wrapped around you. You should follow the etiquette of bathing. Mee also agrees with Cyril, looking uninterested as she soaks in the bathtub. ''That''s exactly right. I don''t know if you''re confident or not, but it''s simply uncomfortable. The two girls complained. The atmosphere in the open-air baths at night, which had been relaxed, suddenly became tense when a young man intruded. However, the young man, who had been criticized by the two girls, did not seem to mind at all, and walked towards the bathtub. ''Oh, you''re insane. But woman, life won''t be fun if you''re stuck with common sense. And your cat, I don''t care if you''re uncomfortable or not. I''ll do what I want. The young man then took a quick dip in the bathtub without soaking himself. The hot water splashed down on the four of us. It''s a ...... bad idea. I feel that way as I wipe the hot water from my face. It''s best to stay out of the way of people like this, even though it''s unpleasant. It is human nature that when we see such people, we want to beat them up with violent means, and I feel the same way emotionally, but if we actually do it, we are the outlaws. But there is one person in our party who does not make such rational decisions. She stood up and stepped forward, restraining Cyril who was getting upset, and walked briskly through the hot water towards the young man who was soaking in the hot water facing her. ''Huh, is that so? ....... If that''s the case, then so am I...'' Satsuki stood in front of the young man, who was waist-deep in hot water, and clenched her fists. ''I''ll do whatever you want me to do! Satsuki swung her aura-covered fist down at the young man''s face. ''Guren-sama! At that moment, another woman''s voice came from the entrance of the women''s locker room, but it was obvious that it was too late to stop her... The young man''s red hair shook. Satsuki''s fist, however, stopped just in front of the young man''s face. It wasn''t that the young man had caught her. Satsuki had originally intended to stop him just short. A moment of silence. The next person to speak was the young man who had been hit by Satsuki. I''m not sure if I like it or not, but I like it. I like it a lot. The young man quickly grabbed Satsuki''s wrist as he said this. That Satsuki couldn''t dodge it. ''d*mn you ......! I could see everything and you didn''t even try to dodge. ......? ''Of course not. How do you need to dodge a fist that was intended to stop you from the start? Did you come here to be eaten by me, woman? ''......! The young man stood up and twisted Satsuki''s arm. Satsuki screamed in agony and was suspended in midair by the tall young man''s hands. The young man''s other hand reached out to Satsuki... ''Stop, that''s enough...'' I stood up and shouted a warning to the young man. I thought that the lawlessness was mutual and watched the situation, but if it became too much, I couldn''t overlook it. I want to avoid violent means, but I am willing to take socially evil measures sometimes to protect what is more important. A sorcerer can use magic even without a wand. A sorcerer''s wand is merely a tool to assist him in casting more powerful spells. ''What? ...... what are you, one of these guys?'' The young man''s attention turned to me, and he let go of Satsuki, who was twisted up. Satsuki''s body falls into the hot water with a thud. The girl then surfaced and choked up. I watched her out of the corner of my eye and said something back to the young man. ''What if I said yes? At my words, Cyril, Mee, and Satsuki looked at me intently. I was aware of my own ugly self-consciousness that I wanted to keep them under my ownership. The young man, on the other hand, brushed back his red hair and replied to my question. ''Then you''d better take care of your own woman''s discipline. ''...... You''re not being polite to anyone, are you? ''Courtesy is not something I need to live by. ''I see. It seems there''s nothing to talk about with you.'' ''I agree. I''ve lost interest. You guys get the hell out of here.'' ''Yeah. I''m sorry, but I don''t want to be in the water with you either. Let''s go, Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee.'' I took the three girls who were nodding their heads and quickly left the bathhouse. On the way, a woman went toward the young man in turn, but I did not care about that, I felt that I should leave this unpleasant place as soon as possible. 120-CHAPTER XIX I wiped myself off in the locker room, changed my clothes and went outside. After waiting for a while in front of the locker room, Satsuki, Cyril, and Mee came out from the women''s locker room. The other two weren''t so bad, but Satsuki kept her head down and wouldn''t let me see her expression. When I looked closely at her, I saw that she was squeezing her hand tightly. I don''t know what she''s thinking. I''m sure she''s frustrated that she was effectively defeated and outmaneuvered by that red-haired young man. ....... What should I do in this situation? Should I approach him in some way or leave him alone? While I was thinking about this... When I was thinking about this, Satsuki muttered something like this. ''...... Hey, Will. I ...... don''t know why I''m so weak. ......'' Her voice was trembling. A girl''s voice that was about to shatter. It reminded me of the time when she was defeated by Irene at the royal castle in the royal capital of Greysburg. But this time, her troubles seemed to be more serious than that time. ''If I''m just going to lose to that bastard in a battle of strength,...... then I''m going to ...... cry out to Will and ask him to comfort me. I''ve been thinking about it ......?'' Then Satsuki raised her head and showed me her expression. Her neat face was distorted, and her eyes were filled with tears. ''I really hate myself...... me, me...... why am I so weak...... I''m so tired of this me ......Higghh! I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I almost reach out to her, but then I hesitate. Is it really the right thing to do, or is it for her own good? I look at Cyril and Mee. The two girls looked me in the eye and nodded. ''No one can be strong all the time. If you want, you can do it. ''Yes, sir. It''s not my job. The man I love is right in front of me. It''s better for you.'' It was a shameful thing to be encouraged by their words, but I made up my mind. I also remembered that I had told Satsuki before that she should cry when she wanted to, and that I would at least lend her my heart. And... if you don''t know what''s right, make a decision and accept the consequences. Even if she became weaker as a result of my actions, I would accept it as a result of my decision... that''s all I can do. Well, of course Satsuki has her faults. But I don''t feel it''s the right time to say that. I gently hugged the crying girl in the kimono. Then I put my arms around her back and hugged her tightly. Then Satsuki hugged me back and cried like a child. ''Aaahhhh! Will, I''m sorry ......! I''m sorry I''m so weak! I hate that I''m so weak! But, but ...... ohhhhh! I pat Satsuki on the back and look for something to say to her. I''ve never consciously dealt with sensitive human emotions before, so I''m not sure what to say to her... ''...... No, Satsuki is doing her best. You shouldn''t deny yourself. First of all, love yourself as you are now. And ...... I love you, Satsuki.'' ''......! Oh, no! I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Will! I love you, Will! I''m glad I love you, Will. ......! I''m glad I love you Will!'''' Satsuki cried out loudly and hugged me even tighter and stronger. But there was one problem with that. Satsuki''s all-out hug, with no control over her aura, was a killer move to say the least. My spine began to scream as Satsuki hugged me. ''Wait, Satsuki...... give, give up...... gulp.'' ''Gosh,...... heh,......? Oh, Will, I''m sorry! I''m sorry, but you''re foaming at the mouth! I''m not sure what to do, Cyril,......? In the midst of Satsuki''s screams, my consciousness was abruptly cut off. 121-Episode 120 I felt as if someone had just brushed my bangs. ''Mmm......'' When I woke up, I could see the ceiling of my room and a blonde girl peering at me. It seemed that I was lying on the bed. '' ? Oh ......, good morning. How are you feeling? I called out to the girl in the priest''s robe who hurriedly retreated. ''Cyril, ...... is this ......? ''Oh, it''s your room. You were knocked out by Satsuki''s stupidity, and we brought you here.'' ''I see. ......'' I shake my head to awaken my consciousness and raise my upper body to look around. I was indeed in the room of the inn I had taken for my stay. The room was spacious enough for one person, with a table and chairs in addition to the bed I was sleeping on. The large window at the back of the room was fitted with transparent glass, through which I could see the night view of the mining city of Novan. It was a luxurious design. It was a far cry from the cramped rooms of the cheap lodgings that I usually stay in, where I feel as if I could reach out and touch the wall with my hands. This time, I stayed in a high-class hotel, so I had a room like this, but I would like to be able to live in a room like this on a daily basis. In this room, Cyril had moved a chair to the side of the bed where I was, and was sitting there watching over me. Because priests (Holy Order) are able to use healing magic, they often take care of the injured and sick, and for that reason they learn general nursing knowledge and skills in the temple. ''Cyril took care of me when I was unconscious, didn''t he? Thank you. ...... Where are Satsuki and Mee?'' ''Oh, yeah...... well, in a manner of speaking, yes. ...... Satsuki and Mee are in our room. Satsuki said she wanted to take care of William, but I told her not to because you''re too heavy right now. So please don''t be angry with her. By the way, Mee is Satsuki''s chaperone. ''I see. I''m sorry that Cyril and the others had to worry about so many things. ''It''s nothing for you to worry about. It''s nothing for you to worry about. ...... In return, I got some perks.'' ''Perks ......? ''Uh, no. It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it.'' The girl in the priest''s robe, her cheeks dyed vermilion for some reason, looks flustered as she scrambles around. I feel like I''ve been making a lot of strange gestures since just now. ...... Well, I guess it''s nothing to be concerned about. If you''re in good health, then let''s have dinner. I''m starving.'' ''Oh. ...... But aren''t meals brought to your room? I don''t think you had to wait for me. According to what I heard from the front desk earlier, dinner was not taken all at once in the dining room, but rather food was brought to each guest''s room. Naturally, the rooms were separated for boys and girls. Since Cyril and the three of us would be staying in the women''s room and I would be eating alone in this room, I don''t think there was any particular need to wait. But when Cyril heard my comment, he raised his eyebrows in annoyance. Then she put her hands on her hips and said to me as if she was scolding a child. ''You didn''t mean to have a lonely dinner alone, did you? I''ve told the innkeeper to bring your dinner to our room. Come with us to our room. ''Oh, yeah, ......, right, okay.'' ''Hmm, good.'' Satisfied with my reply, Cyril smiled at me this time. She''s a beautiful woman, so when she smiles straight at me like this, my heart starts to flutter a little. Recently, however, Cyril has been acting strangely protective of me at times. If I had an older sister, I wonder if she would have been like this: ....... With this in mind, Cyril took me out of my room and headed for theirs. I''m sure you''ll agree. When we arrived at the three girls'' room, we found that it was a magnificent room, much larger than my room. There were four beds in the room, as if the room was originally designed for four people. The table and chairs also seemed to be designed for four people, and the inn staff was just now serving food there. The dishes included steaks, saut ed colorful vegetables, potage soup, and fresh bread. Cyril said that he was starving, and I too felt hungry at the sight of these dishes. Eventually, the inn staff finished serving the food, bowed, and left the room. Then, it was time to eat. But before that... ''Satsuki...'' When I called out to her, the girl who was sitting on one of the beds on the other side of the room with her back to me shivered. But that''s all she did, and she didn''t move again. The kimono-clad girl''s back looked like a white-faced, defeated fist fighter. ''Satsuki~, William wants to see you~'' Mee called out to her, but she didn''t respond. The beast girl strode around in front of Satsuki and spoke to her, but Satsuki only shook her head in response. ''...... No. Your eyes are as dead as ever. Mi, who had thrown the spoon, came back and sat down on her seat. Apparently Satsuki was seriously ill. I switched places with her and went to the bed where Satsuki was. As I stood in front of her, I heard a girl murmuring something in a very quiet voice. I listened carefully... ''...... I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry I''m alive, I''m sorry I can''t do this anymore, I''m sorry I''m dying, I''m sorry ......''. It sounded more like a curse than a word of apology. When I looked into her face, the girl''s trembling eyes had lost their light, as if they were reflecting nothing. Indeed, her eyes were dead. ''Satsuki, are you okay? Don''t worry about it. I''m fine like this. I tried to call out to him, but he still didn''t respond. I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, but to no avail. ...... Oh dear. The food is going to get cold if I don''t do something. In the meantime, Cyril sees the situation and sighs loudly. ''Oh, Satsuki, you are such a helpless child. William, why don''t you give her a kiss to wake her up? ''...... You''re kidding, right? ''Hmm, yeah. I don''t think it''s funny that Satsuki gets the best of me when I''m in trouble, so ......'' Cyril''s face became thoughtful. Then, a little later, he clapped his hands as if he had thought of something. ''Have you come up with something clever? ''Yes, it''s a little rough around the edges. Can you give me a hand with this, William?'' ''Yes. I''d be happy to. Satisfied with my reply, Cyril moves toward me, to the side of Satsuki''s bed. ...... I wonder what he''s going to do. ''William, open your palms. ''Hmm ......? Like this?'' I do as she asks and show her my hands open. ''Yes. Keep them open.'' And then Cyril had an idea... What did Cyril think he was doing? He took my back, snuggled up to me, and grabbed my wrists with his white-fish hands. When she put her weight on me, her ample breasts pressed against my back through her robe. ''Si, Cyril......? What are you doing ......?'' ''It''s okay. Keep your hands where they are.'' ''Oh, yeah.'' You can''t help but be puzzled by the way they are trying to make you feel, but as a boy myself, I can''t help but be excited when they do this to me. And Cyril, on the other hand, moved my hand... ''Eeee! ...poof. She unexpectedly placed both of my hands on Satsuki''s chest. ''What ......? ''...... Huh? Satsuki, who had been unresponsive, reacted slightly to that. That was fine, but ....... ''Oh, hey, Cyril......! ''Hmm, one more push. So long, .......'' Cyril didn''t even bother to listen to my protests. On the contrary, he put his own palm on top of mine and began to move his hand in a squirming motion. In other words, my hand was squeezing Satsuki''s breast. ''What the hell ......? The light returned to Satsuki''s eyes. Then she jumped back and stared at me with a face as if she was about to cry. ''What are you doing, Will? This isn''t Cyril''s work! What the hell are you doing? Good morning, Satsuki. Are you awake? ''I''m awake! Of course you''re awake! ''Good. Let''s have dinner then.'' Cyril said as if nothing had happened, and moved away from me to the dining table and sat down. Satsuki and I could do nothing but stare in amazement. ''...... What are you doing, Cyril? Me, who had already arrived at the table, looked at Cyril, but Cyril replied with a sober face. ''It''s guilt control. Guilt and punishment. If a child has too much guilt, it''s easier to punish him or her. ''That''s punishment? ...... That''s really cool.'' ''Hmmm...'' Cyril was laughing happily. He''s a funny guy, that one. ....... 122-Episode 121 After all this, we, including Satsuki, sat down to eat. The four of us bowed before the meal and began to eat. ''...... Thank you for the food. But Satsuki''s voice still sounded listless. She usually talks more than she should, but today, even though it was a feast, she seemed to be in low spirits and carried the food in her mouth in a gloomy mood. And in fact, it''s a party where no conversation can start until Satsuki starts talking. It may sound like I''m making fun of Satsuki when I say this, but I think that people who talk carelessly without thinking too much are necessary in the field of communication. However, since Satsuki is not functioning in this respect, an actor is needed to replace her. I am not good at such things, but I have no choice. With that in mind, I was about to open my mouth when... ''......, Will''. Satsuki was the first to speak. In a low voice, not like her. ''What is it, Satsuki? ''I''m sorry about that .......'' He said this to me with a pout. After all, it seems that Cyril''s ''rough treatment'' didn''t work so dramatically. Cyril and Mee also sigh a little when they see this. Both of them tried to say something, but seemed to have swallowed it. I, on the other hand, did not feel like doing anything more for Satsuki. Perhaps Satsuki herself was saying sorry without knowing what she was apologizing for. People suffer emotional damage when they fail or when something goes wrong. If this happens in a short period of time, the damage can be enormous. For example... I have a memory like this. When I was a child, I carelessly broke an expensive vase at home. My parents had told me in advance to be careful because it was an expensive item, and I thought I had done something irreversible. As I was a child, I did not have the cleverness to shift the blame to my parents, saying that it was wrong to leave such an expensive item within the reach of a child, and I was honestly shocked. But my mother, who had seen the whole thing, did not scold me. She squatted down in front of me, looked me in the eye, and said, ''When your father comes home, you must be sorry.'' When I nodded, she said, ''Yes,'' smiled, and patted my head. That was all I needed to hear. Shortly after that, after I had cleaned up the broken vase, but before my father came home. I was so stunned with guilt that I even broke the ceramic cup that I had tried to fill with water. My mind finally went blank, and my feelings became jumbled. As a result, I cried and cried, and my mother seemed to be unable to do anything about it. After that, my father scolded me severely when he came home, but I don''t remember the content of the sermon. All I remember is that it felt like it went on for tens of minutes or even hours, as if he was denying himself and verbally beating me to a pulp. And even after the sermon time was over, all that day until I went to bed, I felt so sad, so painful, so bitter that all I could think about was how much I wanted to disappear from this world. All I could think about was how I could escape from that sadness and pain, and I cowered in bed, crying, crying. But... But... after a night''s sleep, those feelings had largely disappeared by the next morning. And by then, I was finally able to organize my thoughts. I said to my father the words of apology that I had been too busy making excuses for the day before. My father, James Glenford, who was still somewhat younger than I am now, patted me on the head and said, ''Good. I suppose the man wasn''t necessarily a bad father. Anyway... In any case... there is an aspect that a heart that has been inexplicably damaged can only be repaired by time. And the current Satsuki is probably in that state. She has made many mistakes and doesn''t know what to do, she is just sad and in pain. It must be a kind of ego of mine to want to do something about it instantly. So I... ''Satsuki...'' When I called out, Satsuki, who had been eating with her head down, trembled. Her eyes refused to look at me. She looked like a small animal frightened by something. I said to her a few simple words. ''Don''t worry. I''ll see you tomorrow, and I want to see you smile again. I''m pretty sure she likes to see you smile. Also, this soup is pretty good. ''What ...... is ......? ...... Uh, yeah. ...... Oh, really, it''s good.'' After that, Satsuki''s cheeks turned red and she sipped the soup at my suggestion and gave some positive feedback. 123-Chapter 122 ''Good morning, Willoo! It''s morning! Wake up! Wake up or I''ll attack you! ''Mmm......'' The next morning. The morning sun was pouring in through the large glass window. I was shaken awake from my futon. I''m a reasonably good morning person. Soon I was in a state of full wakefulness, and I immediately rushed into her arms. ''Satsuki, why are you here? As I lay face down on the bed, I could see the figure of a girl in a kimono covering me and shaking me. She smiled and indicated the other girl who was there. ''I got Mee to pick the lock for me. I looked up and saw a small beastman girl sitting on a chair by the table. ''Just this once. Now that you''re feeling better, you want to see William right now. I''ll play the supporting role for now. Thank you, Satsuki.'' Mee said, striking an indifferent pose so as not to make her presence felt. I looked at her and Satsuki and smiled. ''No, it''s a crime to break into a locked room. ......'' ''Well, well, don''t worry about the details. William, you said you wanted to see me smile. Here, smile.'' Satsuki smiled at me and gave me a loose smile. It was too obvious, but it still made me smile a little. ''Are you okay now, Satsuki? ''Yeah. I''m sorry about yesterday, Will. If you remove the bright side from me, there won''t be anything left. Satsuki chuckles at that. Apparently his mental state has recovered to the point where he can act cheerful. The problem seems to be still there, but I may have said it wrong yesterday. ''No, that''s not true. Satsuki is Satsuki no matter how she behaves, and she shouldn''t be denied. What happened yesterday was selfishness on my part.'' But Satsuki shook her head at my words. ''No, no. I want Will to like me. This is my wish. Then she smiled again. Well, it seems she''s given it a lot of thought. ''I see. Where''s ...... Cyril? ''He''s still sleeping in his room. Let''s pay him back for yesterday, Will. Satsuki laughed and wrinkled her hands like a many-legged insect. I suppose he means the ''rough treatment'' he gave me in return for yesterday. I got a little headache. ''...... Like Cyril, if you can, please don''t involve me in such things. My reason isn''t infinite either.'' ''Ew! I''m not in the mood, Will. Let''s tickle Cyril when he''s sleeping with us! ''............'' ...... Oh, yeah, that''s right. I don''t know what the hell I was thinking. But on the other hand, Mee, who was watching the scene, shook her head and gave me a sympathetic look. ''...... William, it''s okay. That was Satsuki''s fault.'' ''What ......? What do you mean it was my fault? ''Either Satsuki is a b*tc* or she''s a child. ''What? What''s that? Mi also smiled when she saw Satsuki shouting in frustration. 124-Chapter 123 . , , . , , . , . , '' '' , . . , . , . , . , . , . , . , , . . , . '' , '' , , . , , . , , . , . , . '' '' . . , . '' , . , , '' '' , '' '' . '' , . , . '' , !?'' . , . , . , . , , . . , . '' , . . , . , '' '' '' , . , . , . '' , '' '' , , '' . , . , , . '' , . . , . , . '' '' '' , . '' . , . . , . '' '' , . , '' . , . , '' . . '' , . , , . '' , '' . , . , . , , . , , . , . '' , '' , , . '' . . , '' '' '' . , . , , . , , . , . , , , . , . ''If such a creature is living in the mines of Novan, ...... the very existence of the city of Novan could be at stake. It''s not the kind of thing that should be asked of fledgling adventurers like you, but ...... can you do something about it? Of course, you will be paid accordingly. What we''re currently being asked to do by Ivrea is actually almost the same as yesterday''s quest. She wants us to investigate the tunnels, find the rockworm, and kill it. If we get any information, we''ll pass it on to them, but there''s no real difference in what we''re asked to do. However, what is different from yesterday''s request is that the level of danger we can expect is very different. A single rockworm can torment a party of adventurers, but in some cases, we may encounter a tremendous number of them. On top of that, there''s the possibility that the swarm of rock worms may have a master, whose combat power is unknown... It''s not a D-rank quest by any stretch of the imagination, but a B-rank quest at the very least. It''s not the kind of quest an E rank adventurer like us should be taking. On the other hand, the threat of the Rock Worm could strike at any time in Novan. There is a possibility that this could happen at a moment''s notice. Even if we were to order a new B-rank or higher quest from an adventurer''s guild in a nearby city, we don''t know when a party of adventurers will arrive to take it on... Because of this situation, I could understand Ivrea''s desire to at least get more information by requesting us to search and investigate. With that in mind, I asked Ivrea again. ''I encountered two B-rank adventurers in front of the front gate, did you ask them? ''Of course I asked them. But considering the number of tunnels in Novan, I don''t feel comfortable leaving it to them alone. This seemed like a good idea to her. It is true that we need to gather information quickly, so the more explorers we have, the better. If that''s the case, the only thing left to decide is whether or not we''ll accept... ''Satsuki, Mee, Cyril... what do you think? Do you want to accept this extra quest?'' ''What do you think William? I asked my friends, and Mee asked me a question in return. I think for a moment, then answer. ''From my point of view, I don''t see a problem. The point is the same as yesterday, search and repel repeatedly. If we''re careful and don''t go in too deep, there''s little danger of us losing our lives. That was my honest opinion. Then, when my friends heard that, they said, ''Then take it, ''Then why don''t you take the job? It sounds like we''ll be well paid.'' ''Yes. If William says so, then I agree. ''So do I, Mee. I trust William''s judgment. Both of them agreed with me. I accept and reply to Ivrea. ''Then I would like to accept the quest. ''Well, that would be great. I''ll be counting on you. I nodded firmly to Ivrea, who bowed her head. 125-CHAPTER 124 ''Yo. Are you done talking? I''m tired of waiting. As I walked out the gate of the mayor''s mansion, a red-haired young man and his female partner were still waiting for me. After seeing them for so long, I''m sure I''ll remember their names by now - Glenn and Cecilia, I think. However, from the way Cecilia has been behaving, I think it would be more accurate to call her Glenn''s valet rather than his partner. Considering the fact that she herself is a B-ranked competitor, and considering the personality of the young man named Guren, there are many puzzling aspects to this combination. But in any case, if I had to pick a leader out of the two, it would definitely be Glenn. I turn to him and say. ''I didn''t ask you to wait for me,'' I said. ''I have business to attend to here. ''I don''t understand why you B-rankers are so interested in us E-rankers. ''Pull it out, what''s E rank? I can smell it on you. You smell like me... a strong man.'' ''............. ...... So, what''s your errand? It didn''t feel good to be treated like this young man, but on the other hand, it was true that I too could smell what he called ''scent''. In other words... this guy has a lot of class. As a warrior, he''s as good as Irene, who is known as a genius swordswoman, or even better... But that rank does not promise integrity of character. And then he utters what can be described as the ultimate word. ''Yes, yes, an errand. What I mean by errand is this. Give me those fine women you''ve got around you. I was speechless when Glenn said that. This is what I mean when I say I''m speechless. What was most appalling was that there was no respect for others in his statement, not just in this one. In particular, he treats women as objects, as if they were the property of men. There are many other things that are beyond the scope of this article: ....... But still, I think I should make my stance clear. I thought about it and was about to reply, but before I could, Glenn turned his hand to me and made a gesture of stillness. ''Wait a minute, just hear me out. ''I don''t think it''s worth listening to ....... And your ramblings are unpleasant to listen to.'' ''I see. I''ll make it short. Let''s make a bet.'' That''s what he said. I''m not a betting man... I was going to say that, but it would be a hassle to hear it all again. I silently nudged Glenn to go on. He chuckles and continues on. ''The game is to see how many of those Rockworms and other insects we can kill. The bet is on each other''s women. I''m betting on Cecilia here. With that, Glenn grabbed the silver-haired, black-robed beauty standing beside him and held her tightly in one arm. The woman named Cecilia, who had been made to do so, was nestled in his arms, a thin smile on her lips, and she was looking at him as if to provoke him. Glenn''s way of thinking was out of the ordinary, but the woman, Cecilia, was also quite puzzling. She probably adores Glenn as a member of the opposite s*x, but even if that''s the case - or perhaps that''s why I can''t help but feel a sense of discomfort at the way she''s being treated as if she''s an exchange for gambling and doesn''t seem to have a single complaint. Is he being brainwashed by some kind of magical means or something? And it seems that I wasn''t the only one who had that strange feeling. ''Hey, you... Cecilia, was it? Why are you happily following that scumbag? It was Satsuki who asked that. Looking at them, Mi and Cyril seemed to agree with Satsuki, though they didn''t say so. On the other hand, when Cecilia heard this, she giggled in Guren''s arms. ''Hey, Guren-sama, he''s a scumbag. He''s such a child that he can''t even understand Guren-sama''s charm, and you still want him? ''Hey, hey, have you put the past behind you yet, Cecilia? You didn''t like me at first either.'''' ''Mmm......, well, that''s true. But now I''m crazy about you, you know? ''I know, you idiot. ''Yank! Glenn stroked Cecilia''s hair with his free hand. Cecilia was happy to be left to her own devices. ''...... It doesn''t look like you''ve been brainwashed or anything like that. ''It looks like. I don''t know how you can fall in love with something like that at all. ''I agree with you. That''s what Cyril and Mee were saying when they saw the man and woman engaged in skinship. But then Cecilia, who had been released from the head stroking, struck back. What''s so interesting about being with a man whose morals are just like walking around in clothes. It doesn''t thrill you, does it? Doesn''t it excite you? You won''t even teach me the pleasures of womanhood, will you?'''' ''''''Haaaaahhh! My girls all shouted at the same time. ...... Oh, oh, I''m so surprised ....... ''''Baaaaaaack! What are you talking about, it''s so tantalizing and exciting! It''s a good idea. Oh, I get it, I get it. That''s not Satsuki or Cyril, that''s a real b*tc*. She can''t understand the most important feeling of all, that of being happy just to be with the person she loves.'' ''That''s true. And I feel sorry for her because she thinks that immorality is a man''s charm and that she is an adult. ''...... What? You kids are barking up the wrong tree. ............. ...... For some reason, I found myself in a battle with other girls. They were arguing with each other, one against three. By the way, when I say children, Cecilia is at most twenty years old, or even older, in her early twenties. It''s true that she is older than us, but I don''t think there is much difference. ...... But then again, she''s older than Glenn? The two are even more mysterious than ever. And meanwhile, in the middle of the argument between the girls... ''You know, a truly sincere person wouldn''t have three women in his life. That''s a fake. You''ll get it eventually...'' ''...... Hey, Cecilia.'' ''What is it, Master Glenn, don''t stop. Those stupid girls who are disgracing Master Glenn...'' ''All right, you shut up for a second. ''But, but... Mmm! Guren suddenly kissed Cecilia on the mouth. In addition, he hugged her tightly and started kissing her deeply. ''''''Oh, ......! Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril also seemed to be struck by this. The girls stared at the two hugging each other with dyed cheeks. Then all three of them glanced at me. ...... Wait, why are you looking at me there? In the meantime, the two men and women kissing each other deeply eventually end their kisses. I''m not sure what to say. ......'' ''That''s enough. You shut your mouth. You understand? ''......Yes.'' Cecilia meekly surrendered to Glenn. The world was out of the ordinary to the very last degree. There are all kinds of people in this world, so it may not be surprising that there are men and women like that. ...... Umm... So, what about you, sorcerer? Do you want to do it or not? I''m not sure what to do. To put it bluntly, it was a question that I had no room to consider... But on the other hand, if it''s only a part of it, I''m willing to give it a shot, I thought to myself. I''m tired of being followed by this man. I''m not on the side of justice to protect world peace, so I have no intention to say anything about his way of life, but if he tries to touch my territory, I have no reason to overlook it. But on the other hand, no matter how problematic he may be, I don''t think it''s appropriate at this point to erase his existence through violence. There is a problem of humanity that goes beyond the question of whether or not a person is capable of doing so. Even if the opponent is a lawless person, if we are more lawless than the opponent, we are not human. Was it the words of a wise man in the past who said, ''Those who fight monsters must be careful not to become monsters themselves in the process? In any case, we will need to think of other ways to deal with him. And as a means to that end, his suggestion was ''useful'' in its own way. With that in mind, I responded as a first step. ''No. I refuse. I''m not going to take that ''bet''. ''Huh. You can''t beat me, so you''re running away with your tail between your legs. You may be powerful, but you''re a stupid man.'' ''That''s a cheap provocation. That''s not the point. I''m saying that it''s a matter of human nature, before winning or losing, to mistake those who adore you for your own property and use them as gambling chips. ''Ha, humanity! That''s a cheap word. That''s a cheap word. I stilled Glenn with my hand as he tried to continue speaking. Glenn saw this and frowned, looking uncomfortable. I lifted my mouth and turned to him and continued. ''Wait a minute, hear me out. I''m not going to take the bet, but I''ll take the chance. ''...... ah? Glenn looked at me suspiciously, and I continued. ''Apparently, you have a real pride in yourself, and that''s the only thing I can trust. You''re the kind of person who snickers and tears off whatever shackles others try to put on you, but never breaks the shackles you''ve put on yourself. So if you''re defeated, you won''t try to touch my girl anymore. Don''t you? Inexplicably, I had some idea of the man in front of me, Glenn. Perhaps this man has a line of thought that runs through his mind. He wouldn''t just bend that line. And according to his sense of value, once he has been ''defeated'' as a man, or rather as a male, he would not be so ''disgraceful'' as to keep stalking and snatching the prey of the male who had defeated him. Therefore, there is no need to make a bet to subdue him. All you have to do is to play and win the game. The "my girl" part is just a stunt to make it easier for him to understand. You can explain it to Satsuki and the others later. And when Glenn heard my answer... ''Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha! That''s funny, that''s funny, you! You knew me and you used me! I''ve never met anyone like that before! After laughing for a while, he showed a fierce expression like a slobbering predator. ''I love you, you''re the best! But be prepared. If I win, there will be no more brakes on ......! ''Right. But I''m not going to lose either. ''Koo-ha-ha! That''s right, that''s the way it''s got to be! After laughing for a while, Glenn left the scene with Cecilia. And so the four of us were left. I turned to my companions. ''So... It''s a shame that the dog bit you, but we''ll proceed with the quest quietly. If he does his best, we''ll be able to cut our workload in half. As I said this, the three girls stared at me blankly. Eventually, one of them came to her senses and called out to me. ''...... Oh, you''re amazing again, William. ...... But can you really beat that guy? ''Yeah, probably not a problem. And if something should happen, we''ll take the brakes off and fight lawlessness with lawlessness. You can rest assured about that.'' ''Wow ......, Mee is starting to feel like William is the most evil person ......''. I was thinking about the plan to attack the swarm of rockworms again. 126-Chapter 125 It was four years ago that Cecilia, a graduate of the Academy of Magic, was assigned to work as a court magician for a certain noble family. Cecilia was only eighteen years old at the time, having stayed away from the academy for one year. She was assigned to the residence of a nobleman. There, Cecilia meets a boy. Five years younger than herself, the young boy of thirteen is the second legitimate son of the noble family Cecilia is assigned to serve. However, Cecilia, who was proud of her talent as a wizard who had graduated from a magic academy, was struck by surprise when she met the boy, Glenn McDarren. ''So you''re the new court wizard. That''s a pretty good girl. All right, I''ve decided. You''re to be my woman. Cecilia was taken aback by the words of a thirteen-year-old boy who had not even changed his voice at the time. What are you talking about, you little shit? How spoiled did he grow up to be? That was Cecilia''s first impression of Glenn. It was true that he was a beautiful boy with a well-developed face, but that didn''t mean that he should be allowed to be so arrogant. ''...... With all due respect, Master Guren. I''ve come to this house as a court magician. I have not been assigned here as a person in the position that you are talking about. Cecilia was also a person with a strong temper, and had pride as a mage. Even though he was still a child, Cecilia had no small amount of discomfort with a boy who sat on his laurels and made such demands. However, Glenn was not intimidated by Cecilia''s unpleasant comments. ''I know what you mean. That''s what I''m saying. You''re going to be my woman. He said this to the older imam''s girl, slumped in a luxurious chair. Cecilia was flabbergasted. This time, she said it with a clear intention of rejection. ''No, I refuse. ''I see. But if I say I will, then you will. ''............'' It''s not a dialogue. Cecilia felt at that time that she had been assigned to a troublesome place. However, Cecilia was wrong in one respect. But Cecilia was wrong in some respects. The boy''s arrogance was not a result of being spoiled or sitting on his laurels, it was also a result of his personal talent. At the young age of thirteen, Guren''s abilities as a warrior surpassed even those of knights who were professionals in combat. With his innate ability to manipulate auras and his blessed body, there was no one else who could match his abilities... in other words, as a warrior, he was more capable than anyone else Cecilia met at the mansion. And it wasn''t just his skills as a warrior. As a tutor, Cecilia taught Guren a variety of knowledge, and surprisingly, he was not averse to learning, but rather greedily sought to acquire the ''power of knowledge'', surprising Cecilia with how quickly he could learn ten things by teaching one. Guren''s older brother, the Firstborn, was also an excellent person with the ability to teach one and learn one, but he was blurred in front of the child prodigy that was Guren - that was the impression that Cecilia got. For some time after her arrival, Cecilia was forced to be in the company of this boy Guren, and was constantly exposed to his talent. The overwhelming difference in talent between him and the people around him. Seeing this as a matter of course, Cecilia began to think that all other men were so trivial. Whenever he said ''be my woman'', Cecilia, who had initially said ''yes, yes'', eventually began to think that it might not be such a bad idea even though she said the same line. Cecilia herself was puzzled by the change in her own feelings toward the person she had disliked so much, but then she remembered the biological view that animal females prefer strong males in order to leave strong offspring, and she was convinced that she could not help it since she was also an animal. However, this did not mean that the bad behavior of the boy Glen had improved. The only thing that has changed is Cecilia''s view of him. One of the most glaring aspects of Glenn''s behavior was his womanizing. He made a move on every woman he liked, regardless of whether she was a young maid at the mansion or a town girl living in the Earl of MacDarren''s estate. Of course, when he makes advances, he also engages in s*xual acts. Glenn''s ability to make the opposite s*x fall in love with him, combined with his good looks, talent, and position, is quite remarkable, and for a time, the acts are consensual. At times, Cecilia was forced to stand guard in front of the room where the act was taking place and listen to the moans coming from inside. For Cecilia, who had devoted herself to her studies and had no experience with the opposite s*x, this was an overwhelming stimulus. But that was all right. The problem was after that. As soon as Glenn got bored with the women with whom he had s*xual relations, he stopped looking at them. If a woman persisted, he would eventually deal with her with violence, power and money. His attitude was not something Cecilia could ignore, even if it was the act of someone she hated. One day, Cecilia decided to ask Glenn why he was doing such a thing. Guren replied. ''I''ll do everything in my power to get what I want. When you don''t need it anymore, you throw it away. That''s it, isn''t it? Morality, responsibility, and duty are chains made by the weak to bind the strong for the weak. What''s the use of a strong person like me if I have to conform to the convenience of such people? Cecilia thought that this was an extremely selfish thing to say. But even so, Cecilia could not dislike Guren. Oh, that''s just the way he is, she thought. Cecilia was aware that Guren''s presence was very much present in her life. And Cecilia''s feelings for Glenn were growing. Cecilia was proud of the fact that she had always been closer to him than any other woman, and that she had continued to watch him. And she wanted to continue to do so. That''s why Cecilia also thought, "I don''t want him to hate me. I don''t want him to hate me. I don''t want him to throw me away. I want to be his and remain valuable to him. It''s not going to happen forever. He''ll get rid of you eventually, that''s for sure. But I want to be his for as long as possible. To stay out of his way, to stay close to him, quietly, modestly... The next time Glenn asked her to be his woman, Cecilia said, ''Sure. And that night, they made love. In bed, after they had finished their act, Glenn fell asleep immediately. Cecilia stroked the boy''s hair, thinking that his sleeping face was cute enough for his age, and that it was not fair. And then, two years later. Glenn said that he was bored with the peaceful life in the mansion and wanted some stimulation, so he ran away from the mansion and started working as an adventurer. Cecilia, as a matter of course, abandoned her position as court magician and followed him. If they spent another two years as adventurers, they would be given the title of B-rank. B rank is a very high rank for an adventurer, and in the adventurer''s guild of the medium-sized city of Atratia, it indicates a person of unparalleled ability. But, Cecilia thought. But, Cecilia thought, that was just a decoration in front of Glenn''s true talent. Cecilia sees the back of a young man walking haphazardly through the streets of Novan, and runs a little to stand beside him. She then embraces the young man with her whole body in his arms. ''Master Glenn. ''What? ''Cecilia is very fond of you, Master Guren. ''I know.'' ''Hmm...'' I wonder how long I can stay next to him. I''ll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn''t get tired of me, and I''ll keep working hard. Sometimes, Cecilia wondered why she had taken the wrong step in her life, but she was happy now, so it was okay. 127-CHAPTER 126 There is a monster called Troll. This monster is classified as a demihuman, but it is much more powerful than goblins and orcs. Its monster rank is C, which is comparable to that of the Orc Lord. Trolls are about three meters tall when they stand upright, but since they tend to live in caves, they usually bend forward and walk with their unusually long arms almost dragging on the ground. In addition to the monstrous strength, sharp claws and fangs, and unusual vitality generated by their huge bodies, these monsters have an amazing regenerative ability that allows them to quickly regenerate minor wounds, making them so strong that even a bunch of ordinary adventurers would be unable to compete with them. Now, two of these trolls were walking together through the cave. The cave was relatively wide and had a high ceiling, so even the giant trolls could pass through without any problem as long as they were bent over in their normal forms. The two troll brothers walked back and forth through the cave, side by side. Their purpose is to find prey for them to eat. They were not very intelligent to begin with and had not had any prey for some time, so their eyes were those of starving beasts. ''Ugh...? At that moment, the brother troll walking in front of them stopped. Suddenly, the younger troll behind him bumped his nose against the older troll''s back and screamed in complaint. However, the older troll calms the younger troll and encourages him to look further down the path. The younger troll sticks his head out from beside his older brother and looks beyond, squealing with delight at what he sees. At the end of the cave where the two trolls had walked, there was an extremely large underground space in the shape of a mortar. It was so vast that it could have been the home of a dragon. But the trolls were not happy because they had found a comfortable place to live. It was because they had found a school of prey that would satisfy their hunger. It was a school of rockworms. They looked like giant worms or caterpillars, and they were wriggling all over the place. There were probably no less than thirty of them by rough count. Strictly speaking, they seem to be juveniles, not adults, of rockworms. They are about two to three meters in length, about half the size of adults. The adult rockworm is not a mere prey for the troll. In a one-on-one fight, a rockworm would be an opponent that the troll would somehow win after a mortal struggle. However, a juvenile of that size would be insignificant. Their meat is not too small, and they are just the right prey. Even if there were that many of them, they would be able to kick their way through... at least that''s what the troll brothers thought. The trolls'' current location was a hole at the relatively top of the mortar-shaped space. They would have to leave the cave and walk down the slope to find their prey. But there was no room for hesitation. The troll brothers jumped out of the cave in high spirits and ran down the slope as fast as they could. But after a while. The younger Troll, who was racing his brother down the slope, saw something strange out of the corner of his eye. In a hole at the bottom of the mortar - a cave similar to the one the Trolls had passed through, but even larger - hid a horrifying figure. It looked like a bundle of rock worms with their roots tied together with string. Each of the rockworms in the bundle was as large as an adult, but the central one in the circular bundle was even larger, with a diameter twice that of the others. In addition to this, there were countless long tentacle-like things growing and wriggling from around the roots of the bundle. Seeing this, the younger troll felt a chill run through him. That''s not good. I have to get out of here. But the older Troll was unaware of this and ran down the slope, intent on his prey... Tentacles shot out of the cave at once. They were swift and quickly entangled the limbs and torso of the elder brother troll. The older troll cried out in confusion and fought back against the tentacles. Trolls are powerful. He could not be restrained by a simple bondage device. However, the tentacles are flexible and elastic, and it is useless for the troll to move his limbs to pull them. Even if the troll manages to tear one off with both hands, it will be entangled by many more tentacles in the meantime, and eventually its entire body will be tangled up in the tentacles. In no time at all, the brother troll was in bondage. Even though the strength of each tentacle was no match for the strength of the troll''s arms, when twenty or thirty of them tightened around him at once, there was no way for him to escape, no matter how powerful he was. The troll''s massive body, which weighed as much as a horse, was lifted freely by the many tentacles that were entwined with it. The troll''s body is pulled by the tentacles to the body... Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch! The Troll was thrown into the large mouth of the giant rock worm in the center, and without being given any room to regenerate his body, he was crushed to death. The body of the dead troll was thrown out of the giant rockworm''s mouth and rolled on the ground. The flesh of the corpse was swarming with rockworm larvae, and the Troll''s figure quickly disappeared from sight. His brother Troll, on the other hand. He didn''t just sit by and watch the whole thing. As soon as the older brother was caught by the tentacles, he crawled up the mortar-shaped slope and tried to escape. However, the slope was unexpectedly steep, and the ground was covered with a slimy substance that might have been the bodily fluids of the rockworm, making it difficult to crawl up. In the midst of his panic, he looked behind him and saw his brother being swarmed by the young rockworms. The little brother troll became impatient and tried to crawl up the mortar, but... Just then, the horrifying form of the Rockworm''s master crawled out of the cave. It came up the slope, slowly but surely... Shrrrrr... Tentacles extended. The tentacles caught the legs of the younger troll and dragged him down with them... And so, the younger troll suffered the exact same fate as his older brother. 128-CHAPTER 127 ''By the way, William. Do you have any reason to believe that thing you were talking about? That''s what Cyril asked me when we went down into the tunnel and started exploring, just like yesterday. We were going down the tunnel in two rows, Satsuki and Mee in the front row, and me and Cyril in the back. As I was walking along, paying attention to the low ceiling, Cyril, who was walking beside me, asked me. ''Which one is that thing you were talking about earlier? I looked sideways at Cyril and saw her breasts pushing up her white priestly robe, swaying in time with her gait. ...... What am I looking at? I quickly look back ahead and try to clear my mind. ''......? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. William said, "Probably not a problem. I was wondering if there was any basis for that. ''...... Oh, is that it?'' She looked at me curiously. I try not to be conscious of it, but squeeze out a few words. ''First of all, although the odds are not very certain, in terms of simple factors of advantage and disadvantage, we have a significant advantage. For example... one of them is this. I tap on the low ceiling of the mine with the staff in my hand. A few fine scraps of sand fell. Hearing this, Cyril''s face showed his understanding. ''It''s true that Glenn was a big man. With this low ceiling, it''s possible that he won''t be able to show his full potential. ''Yeah. Besides, that man''s weapon is a greatsword as long as he is tall. He''s not going to be able to wield it well here. Then Satsuki, who was walking in front of you, interrupted you. ''I guess so. It''s too tight for me to swing a sword. That thing is useless in here. You can use it for thrusting, but that''s not the strength of a big sword. I nodded at Satsuki''s words. When it comes to fighting with weapons, I can rely on her sensory input. But then Satsuki adds another word in a low voice. ''But... he''s still probably stronger than me, though. ''............'' Satsuki, who had fought with him once in the bathhouse, must have felt that man''s strength firsthand. Perhaps her assessment of Guren''s strength was accurate. And Satsuki is capable of fighting off the Rockworm almost single-handedly with simple magical support. Cecilia would be able to provide that simple support. In other words, Guren and the others certainly have the ability to kill the Rockworm. ''So, this side and that side are almost evenly matched in strength? Isn''t that a game of luck? Mee, who was walking in front of me, asked me with some concern. Cecilia is also a magician with the ability of a B-ranked adventurer, so it''s not hard to understand why she would think that after hearing the story so far. But... I put my hand on her head, and it wasn''t until later that I realized that I had been defeated by her magic power, and I ruffled her hair. ''No, but still. What do we have that the other side doesn''t? ****** Glenn and Cecilia were going through a different tunnel than William and the others. Glenn, the man in front of them, was walking with his head bent down, looking cramped, but with the swagger of a large predator. ''d*mn, the ...... bastard was so confident because he knew about these dwarven tunnels.'' Guren''s mouth curved into a frown. It was true that the terrain was bad for him. He knew that better than anyone. Still, it was his humanity and pride that kept him from venting his frustrations and grievances on his partner. Incidentally, the black greatsword, which is as tall as Guren, is carried diagonally by Cecilia, who is walking behind him, because it would interfere with his walking if he were to carry it himself. And it was Cecilia who was rather dissatisfied. ''This is so clever. It''s not manly at all. Can''t a man compete head-on with his own strength? That''s why mages are ......''. Cecilia complained. Then Glenn interrupted her. ''That''s not true. Wisdom, tactics, and trickery are all power. Besides, Cecilia, you''re a mage, aren''t you? ''That''s why. Men like someone who''s strong and straight and who can hug them so tightly that their bodies feel like they''re going to break. Like Glen. ''...... You''ve really changed, haven''t you? I thought the old you was good, but the new you is really good. I''m honored... The two of them are kissing each other even though they are exploring. But when Guren tried to hug Cecilia, Cecilia''s hand slapped Guren''s armor with a bang. Glenn releases Cecilia. ''What''s wrong?'' ''Huh, ...... response, there it is, on alert.'' ''Are they insects? ''Yes, probably.'' There was a reaction to the alert spell that Cecilia had cast beforehand. Hearing this, Glenn glanced at his surroundings and asked. ''Where are they coming from? What''s the timing? ''...... Sorry, I don''t know. The response came from down ahead, though. Cecilia points to the ground ahead of them. Glenn frowned again. Cecilia says to Glenn apologetically. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Glenn. If only I had the ability to use the see-through spell ......''. ''Oh, what, if you don''t know, you don''t know. Don''t worry about it.'' ''Yes ......''. For the next few tens of seconds, the two of them kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, waiting for the Rockworm to strike. Fearing an attack that could come from anywhere and at any time, Cecilia leaned towards Glenn. With one arm, Glenn embraces Cecilia, and with the other hand, he takes the greatsword that she is holding. He sharpened his beast-like senses... ''Cecilia, get out of my way! ''What the ......! Glenn grabbed Cecilia and threw her backwards. Cecilia fell to the ground on her buttocks. A moment later, the ceiling above Glenn''s head collapsed, and a large mouthful of Rockworm fell from it. The large mouth of the Rockworm swallowed Guren''s upper body headfirst... ''Guren-samaaaaaa! Cecilia''s scream echoed through the mine. ****** '' What do we have that they don''t have ......? I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not. I nodded to Cyril who asked me that. ''Yeah. The ability to respond to a surprise attack is very different if you don''t have Mi''s ability to listen in and spy on the enemy. If Cecilia is able to use the see-through spell, that''s not an issue, but even if she could, it would be difficult to cover it with just that since it consumes a large amount of mana and has a short duration. It''s a big advantage for us to have a competent thief like Mee. When I patted her head, she shivered and wagged her tail. ''...... William''s nudging is a Myar killer. I can''t get enough of the other nudges. ......'' ''Hmm ......? What is it, Mee? I thought I heard her say something in a whisper, but she shook her head and said, ''It''s nothing! She shook her head. I wondered a little, but I decided to go on with my story. ''Still, they''re capable people, and they won''t go down easily. However, it will be difficult for them to continue fighting off the Rockworm without suffering a single wound. And when that happens, there''s a big difference between having a good healer like Cyril and not having one. ''Well, ...... that may be true. I''m sure you''ve thought that through. That''s what I''m talking about. ......'' Cyril put his hand to his chin and nodded approvingly. I''ll add to that. ''And one more thing...'' ''What, there''s more at ......? To Cyril''s surprise, I gave him a big nod. 129-Episode 128 '' Hmph, you wormy little bastard, you''re giving me a hard time. A huge corpse of a rockworm lay before Glenn, who had a large sword in his hand. It had been dismembered from the head to the middle of the body, spreading a stain of bodily fluids on the ground of the tunnel. It had been torn apart from the inside by Guren with the blade of his greatsword. After disposing of the rockworm and escaping from its predatory state, Cecilia called out to Guren in concern. ''Master Guren, are you injured? ''Yeah, it''s nothing. I''m just a little beat up. Guren replied, tossing the large sword in its scabbard to Cecilia in a careless manner. Cecilia hurriedly received it as if she was holding it. The vicious fangs of the rockworm and the acid spewed from its body were protected by Glenn''s aura and the protective power of his jet-black plate armor, and did not cause much damage to his body. Aside from a few fangs digging into the muscles of his abdomen and some minor burns from the acid, Guren was in perfect health. ''I''m sorry, ......, I was a little worried. ''Well, actually, they''re a lot nastier than I thought they''d be. Another round or two and you''ll get the hang of it, but... Hey Cecilia, don''t just stand there, let''s get going. ''Ah, yes. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Oh, yes. I''m going to continue explaining to my friends as we go down the tunnel. What I''m going to explain is the difference in strength between Glenn and the others and Rockworm. If we assume that Guren and Cecilia are both equivalent to B-rank and Rockworm is equivalent to D-rank, then there is an eightfold difference in strength by simple calculation. ''Oh, Mee, I know that. It''s called doubling the strength of the difference in ranks, right? ''Yeah, that''s it.'' I nodded in agreement with Mee. It''s a general rule, but it''s said that for every rank increase in adventurer rank or monster rank, the difference in strength is doubled. Therefore, Glenn and Cecilia, who are two ranks higher than the D-ranked Rockworm, are as strong as four Rockworms by themselves, and together they are eight times as strong as a single Rockworm. ''And with such a difference in strength, it is unlikely that they will be defeated by the Rockworms, even taking into account the disadvantages of the terrain. How little damage they can inflict will depend on their fundamental strength, but it is possible that they will be able to continue to kill the Rockworm without significant loss. ''Hmm. ...... So, if that''s the case, what happens now?'' Satsuki, walking in front of me, tilted her head. Cyril, who''s walking next to me, answers that. ''In that case, in the end, both they and we will be able to kill as many Rockworms as we encounter. ...... In other words, the game will be decided by who encounters more Rockworms. ''Nah, it''s a game of chance then. It''s like rolling dice and the higher the number, the winner. Mee nodded in response to Cyril''s comment. I nodded in agreement and continued. ''Yeah, if you don''t have the ability to actively search for rockworms, it''s going to be a game of chance as Mee said. ''What? Can''t you do something about that? There''s a spell that Will always uses. You know, what''s that... oh, yeah, the wizard eye. Isn''t that good enough? Satsuki''s thoughts are always sketchy. She sometimes gets to the point with her intuition, but she doesn''t think things through logically. ''No, the movement speed of the wizard eye is almost the same as that of walking, and it doesn''t mean that it can go through walls. In other words, using the wizard''s eye is no more efficient than exploring on foot. It is useful if you want to split your search into two at a fork in the road, but at the very least, I would have to stop there to concentrate. I''m not sure if it''s cost-effective for the amount of mana it consumes. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use it, you can contact us at the web site. In the first place, if the spell is of a level that Cecilia can use, it cannot be a one-sided advantage for us. And from the adventurer rank of B, we should assume that Cecilia is a wizard. That is to say, spells of the level that ordinary wizards can use will not give her an advantage. ''So you''re saying that Mee and the others will have to win the game of luck by throwing the dice? Mee asked with some concern. Well, since it''s a game we can''t afford to lose, it''s natural that we don''t want to leave it to chance, and I agree with that. And that''s why I said ''probably not a problem'', because I have the means to do so. ''No, there are odds on that point as well. For that reason, I hope you don''t kill the next rockworm you come across. ''...... Not killing the rockworm? Does that mean you''re going to take them alive?'' I shake my head as Cyril hugs me and asks in fear. ''No, I''m not going to take you alive. It''s more like... ''free range''. ''''''Free range? The three girls nodded their heads in agreement. 130-CHAPTER 129 Let''s get this straight. The winner is the team that kills the most rock worms. If both teams are strong enough, the one who encounters more rock worms wins the game. This means that if we had just explored the tunnels normally, both Glenn and us would have the same conditions. The winner is the one who ''accidentally'' encounters more rock worms as a result of both of us strolling around at random. What can we do to reverse this situation? To do this, we need a way to actively search for rockworms, rather than relying on chance. However, if there is such a useful spell, I would have used it as of yesterday. I don''t use inefficient means such as searching the tunnels aimlessly in the first place. Wizard''s Eye, Alert, See-Through, Sense Magic... There are several other spells that are useful for searching for enemies, but none of them have a decisive effect in this situation. However, there is one spell that is an exception. This is the spell of the "tame monster". This is one of the highest-ranking spells that I am currently able to cast, and I have only recently been able to cast it while helping the elves kill orcs. This spell has the effect of allowing you to control any living creature, including those classified as monsters. It is difficult to successfully control unless the opponent is of a very low rank, but given my current level of magical power, I thought that I could probably handle a rock worm, and in fact, it worked ( ). Incidentally, this spell can also control humans in the extreme. However, if that is the case, there is a spell called Charm, which is of the same rank and consumes less mana, and that will suffice for controlling humans and similar creatures. In other words, the charm spell is a limited version of the tame monster spell. However, the charm is not a spell that can control the target at will. Charm is just a spell to make the target think that you are a close friend or lover, and if your best friend or lover would not be willing to do it, it will not work. This is also the case with monsters, which are basically the same thing. It is a spell that makes the target think that you are a companion or a superior of the pack, and makes the target follow your suggestion or instruction. The real beauty of this spell lies in its ability to communicate a certain intention even to less intelligent creatures such as rockworms. ...... But that''s a bit of an academic topic, so let''s leave that aside. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I''m talking about. I tapped the head of the rockworm that was slithering towards me with its huge body with my hand, and checked with Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. The three of them were a bit distant from me. As usual, we''re in a mine shaft. As I continued my search, I came across a suitable rockworm, so I used the spell of a tame monster to tame it. I''m not sure. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... No, that''s what I''ll do. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ''I''m sorry,......, I can''t do it either,........ I understand, but I can''t do it physiologically. ......'' Cyril was much further away than the other two, shaking his head reluctantly the whole time. He looked a little teary-eyed. Now that I think about it, Cyril seemed a bit reluctant when she was fighting the rockworm yesterday. Maybe she''s not good with this kind of creature. ''It''s not that I can''t handle Mee, but it''s not something I want to get too close to. Mee was unconcerned, but she still kept a certain distance. As for how to treat her, her attitude is fine. ''Oh, you don''t have to be friendly with this, nor do I recommend it. The effects of the monsters will wear off in about half a day. Eventually, you''ll have to kill it too. If you get too attached to it, you''ll suffer. When I explained this... ''Huh? Is that okay with William?'' Mee poked her head in. She''s as perceptive as they come. So she was worried about me. I wondered if it wouldn''t be painful for me to have to defeat the thing that loved me. ''It''s true that it''s not a spell I''d like to use much, because it''s a little hard on my feelings. But it''s not a situation where I can afford to be extravagant. I thought that if I prioritized what was important to me, this would be the best choice. When I answered, Satsuki tilted her head. ''...... Hmm? What''s important to Will? It''s not ''adventure'' in this case, is it?" ...... This girl is always so perceptive in these situations. It''s no use. It''s not something you should lie about unnecessarily. I cleared my throat and said to Satsuki and the three of them. ''''In this case, what''s important to me is... you guys. ''''''......What?'''''' Hearing what I said, the three most beautiful girls in my party blushed at once. And to add insult to injury, the person who said it to me must have been in a similar state of shock. I cleared my throat one more time and continued with my statement. ''So, when I was honest with myself, I realized that I really don''t want to lose you guys. I don''t mean to sound selfish, but it seems that the ...... presence of you guys has become quite a big part of me. ''''''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! This time, the three of them shouted in surprise at the same time. I thought it would be in their usual attitudes anyway,......, but is it really that surprising,.......? ''Hey, hey, you''re not hallucinating me now, are you ......? ''No, it''s not. I heard it too. It''s astounding.'' ''Oh no, what should I do? My heart is starting to pound here.'' The three of them began to scream and shout in yellow. Then, Satsuki brought up the following story. ''Hey, Will, didn''t you say in front of Glenn and the others that you were worried about ''my girl''? Does this mean that you''re okay with us now? We''re Will''s girlfriends, right? ''......! No, no, that''s .......'' Oh no, I forgot to explain that. I was flustered, and Cyril walked up to me and gave me a hard time. ''You''re so vexing! Now answer this question with a simple yes or no. Either William likes us or he doesn''t like us! Cyril comes close to me and asks me a question. It''s not a yes or no question, and there''s a lot of things I could say to him about his dislike of rockworms, but I''m not in a mood to say anything about it. I was under pressure, but I had no choice but to answer. ''Well, that''s .......'' ''That''s! ''...... Well, if you have to choose between the two, ''like'' is the answer. ''Nyaa! You''re really stubborn, aren''t you! This time, Mee started screaming. Oh no, there''s no one to keep her still. I thought it was ....... ''Okay, okay. Satsuki, Cyril, I''m coming over. Mee called the other two over and began to have a secret conversation with them a short distance away. ...... I have a bad feeling about this. ''At any rate, I''m in the middle of a game and I don''t have much time, so I won''t pursue the matter. But after this adventure is over, Mee and the others will also play a game, so please keep that in mind. ''Ah,......, I understand. That''s the only way to answer. But what is a ''match''? ....... On the other hand, Satsuki, unconcerned with my confusion, starts to wrap up the conversation. ''Okay, then we''re done here. Then let''s get this adventure over with. We can''t afford to lose! ''Of course not! ''Yes, sir! ''............'' The three girls, their mysterious unity was growing stronger. It is not a bad thing that they are motivated, but the direction of their motivation seems to be strange. ....... It''s not a bad thing that they are motivated, but the direction of their motivation seems to be wrong,....... 131-Episode 130 After controlling the rockworm with the spell of a tame monster, I immediately gave the rockworm instructions. ''Lead me to your lair, or any other place where there are many of your brethren. The rockworm, having received our instructions, turned its massive body around and began to drag us down the tunnel. Incidentally, this is a form of communication in which the rockworm doesn''t understand the words I say, but rather my thoughts are directly transmitted to the rockworm. ''Well, now all that''s left to do is to find a place where many rockworms are holed up, and this thing should be able to guide me there. The most efficient way to defeat them would be to round them up there. I told my companions, and followed the giant rockworm''s path. My companions followed my lead. ''I see, that''s how it works. But if you had such a spell, why didn''t you use it yesterday? Cyril asked me that question. But his voice was distant. I turn around and see that she is far behind me. She was looking at me with a slightly tightened smile. In other words... if you keep your cool, you don''t want to get too close to Rockworm. Well, at this distance, it would not interfere with the party''s activities such as searching and fighting, so there was no problem. Cyril may have taken this into consideration, and may be psychologically on the edge of being there. I chuckled and started walking after Rockworm again. Then, to Cyril, I raised my voice a little and replied only with words. ''That''s because yesterday we were only supposed to take out a few stray rockworms. Without a den where a large number of rockworms can gather in one place, this method is meaningless. ''Ah, ......, I see. That''s what you said. As of yesterday, I had no idea that there was such a master as Mother Rockworm. ''Yeah. I still haven''t given up on the possibility that such a lair or master doesn''t actually exist, though. However, the fact that Rockworm started guiding us like that in response to those instructions...'''' ''''So... there might actually be a Rockworm lair nearby. And that''s where we''re headed. Satsuki, who unlike Cyril was walking right next to me, interrupted me. I give her a small nod. ''Yeah, there''s a good chance of that. But even if we do successfully encounter the den, that''s where the real work begins. ''Well, that''s true. A single rockworm isn''t a cheap opponent, but if it goes to the den, it''ll be a wagon sale bargain, right?'' ''Yes. In addition, there''s a good chance there''s a master whose strength is unknown. We need to be on our toes.'' ''''Nyaa, and on top of that, we''re going to face those Guren guys? This time, the work is even heavier than usual. Mee, who was also standing beside me, made such a light remark. She''s right, it''s definitely a heavy job. ''It''s not a D-rank quest by any stretch of the imagination. How much is it really? I''m not talking about breasts, you know. I''m not talking about breasts. ''...... Satsuki. Why are you looking at Mee''s breasts there? She''s not Irene, so she doesn''t have a complex about it. How can you say anything about the size of her breasts in the presence of all those people? When Satsuki looked at her, Mie looked back at Satsuki and pointed to the rear. The next thing you know, you''ll see Cyril walking slowly, shaking his priestly robe. ''No, that''s because it''s out of the norm. Mine are the ideal proportions. Cyril''s is ...... erotic?'' ''Wow, ...... Satsuki, do you know what you just said was outrageous in many ways?'' ''Well, it''s true. Hey Will, Will thinks so too... ouch! I was poking Satsuki in the head with the tip of my cane. ''I''m telling you ...... to pull yourself together. Don''t swing at me there in the first place. How am I supposed to answer that?'' ''Well, let''s see, for example... ''Satsuki is very beautiful and pretty. She''s my best wife. But Cyril is s*xy. Very erotic.'' ......? Satsuki said this in a strange tone of voice, perhaps imitating me. I poke Satsuki again. ''Who are you imitating? ''Ouch! Will''s tsukkomi~'' Satsuki seemed happy for some reason. I got a headache. ''...... I''ve never heard of you being a masochist. Anyway, I''ll say it again. Pull yourself together, Satsuki. We''re gonna need your help.'' When I said that... Satsuki said ''okay'' this time, and showed a different expression. Then she took her eyes off me, looked forward, and said. ''Yeah, I got it, Will. I don''t want to be a loser forever either. Besides, I feel like I can do it. I lost to the princess, and I lost to that a**h*le Glenn... but I think I can come out of my shell here. ''......'' It seems that what Satsuki is looking at is not the Rockworm. What she was seeing seemed to be the backs of two genius warriors. That''s dangerous, because it means you can''t see your feet. ....... However, Satsuki is not the type of person like me who sets a firm foothold and moves forward, but the type of person who leaps forward based on intuition and image. Then... Of the several tactical plans I had in mind, I''ll pick up one. ''Satsuki. Do you want to try it then? ''Hmm, try what? ''The Warriors. ''Huh, Musou ......? Satsuki tilted her head. I thought it would be easier for her to understand if I expressed it sensitively, but perhaps I didn''t explain it well enough. ''Oh. The correct term would be a single-point breakthrough tactic that concentrates support on Satsuki. I''m going to have you lay down support spells and go into the Rockworm swarm by yourself.'''' When I tell her that, Satsuki looks puzzled for a moment. But then she grinned at me. ''Great, that''s super flammable. And I think we''re onto something.'' ''Well, let''s hope so. By the way, that quest rank you were talking about earlier, from what I can tell, the actual difficulty of this quest is at least a B rank. And in some cases, it could be as high as A. An A-rank quest. These are quests that can only be accepted by a party of four or more B-rank adventurers of the level of Irene or Glenn. Of course, this meant that a party of adventurers of that rank could complete the quest without any problems, but it did not mean that it was absolutely impossible for a party of that rank to complete it. On the other hand, when Satsuki heard this, she said, ''Oh, I see. That''s thrilling, isn''t it? He looked like a hungry beast that was about to bite her. If you think you''ve seen this kind of face before, you''ll know that Glenn often made this kind of face, and sometimes Irene also showed this side of her face. Perhaps warriors are generally like this kind of creatures. And what drives them is emotion and intuition. It would not be useful to tell them not to be careless if they are not driven by reason, and in a sense, I think that they are usually not careless at all. If that''s the case, then I''ll have to protect her feet. It''s my job to keep a watchful eye on her without fail, and turn the certainty of eighty into ninety-five, ninety-nine, or even a hundred. ''Oh, go ahead, be wild. If you stumble, I''ll be there to protect you.'' When I said this, Satsuki blushed for a moment and then giggled again. ''Is that your first time working together? ''...... I don''t think it''s the first time.'' ''Oh, so we''re married now? ''No. Why would you say that? ''Hahahaha! When I saw Satsuki laughing like that, I thought, well, maybe she''s okay with this. 132-Chapter 131 Rockworm leads the way. Eventually, you will leave the tunnel and go through one of the tunnels that the rockworm seems to have dug. The tunnels are as big as a man, so there is no reason that a man could not walk through them. However, the height of the tunnel was as cramped as that of a dwarf tunnel. On the other hand, the width of the tunnel was clearly narrower than that of the mine. In the tunnels, we had been moving in double file, but now, as we entered the Rockworm tunnel, we were moving in single file. Because I was the controller of the Rockworm, I was in the front row, followed by Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. ''Wow, ...... there''s something slimy and sticky around my feet and on the walls. ...... Whoa, something''s dripping from above! ''Nah, it doesn''t look like it''s going to do any harm, but it''s not a place I want to stay in for long. ''I want to die. ...... I want to go home and take a bath as soon as possible. ......'' Surprisingly, Cyril was the one who whined the most. No, before he whined, he actually sounded like he was whimpering from behind. Apparently, he''s really not good at it. Even so, he didn''t insist on following us, which is a good example of self-control. After a while, the rockworm in front of us stopped moving. Due to the narrowness of the tunnel, the rockworm could not look back, but it seemed to be trying to tell me something by moving its tail. I turn around and tell my friends. ''We''ve probably reached our destination. ...... Are you okay, Cyril?'' ''Gosh, ...... I''m not okay, but I''ll do my best.'' Cyril at the end of the line had tears in his eyes, but he seemed to be clenching his teeth and holding it together. ......Well, since he says he''s going to do his best, I''ll trust him for now. Well, anyway. It''s probably a good thing that you''ve reached your destination, but the Rockworm that''s controlling you is in the way and you can''t see what''s going on. What should I do? ''Rockworm, can you clear a path? I don''t want your people to notice.'' That''s what I''m going to tell them. Rockworm then proceeded to bite through the wall at his side and evacuate himself in that direction. ...... I see. When the rockworm that had been blocking our path was gone, I could see what lay ahead. I took a few more steps and looked at what I saw. ''This is a ...... surprise. In a way, it''s quite a spectacular view. ''What, what, what, I want to see it too. What the hell is that? Satsuki came up behind me, looked over my shoulder, and immediately shouted in disgust. I could understand why she would want to do that. The Rockworm tunnel we had come through led to an open underground space. It was a mortar-shaped space, but it was so vast that it seemed as if the walls of the royal castle of Greysburg could be completely contained within it. We are now in a position overlooking the mortar-shaped underground space. If we exit the tunnel we are in and go down the steep slope, we can reach the base. From your current position, the ceiling is rather close, and if you use the levitation spell to surface, you will be able to reach the ceiling where stalactites hang down. In addition to the tunnel we''re in, there are a number of other ''holes'' in the outer wall of the underground space. Rather than being connected to this space from a number of tunnels, it''s probably more appropriate to think that this space is the result of Rockworm digging tunnels here and there. In that vast underground space, there was a large number of things moving around. Like Satsuki, Mee poked her head out from beside me, and raised her voice. I''m not sure if it''s the larvae of the rockworm ......? I''m sure there are more than ...... thirty of them. Maybe there are forty ...... or even fifty? It''s not as big as a larva though. But it''s true that they''re about half the size of the ordinary rockworms we''ve been seeing since yesterday. But even so, it should be able to swallow us whole and put us all in its stomach. As Mee and Satsuki said, at the bottom of the underground space, a large number of small rock worms were wriggling around. But even though they were small, their total length was about fifty percent of a man''s height, and if they opened their mouths they could probably swallow a man whole, headfirst. Incidentally, one of them didn''t respond, so I looked behind him and saw Cyril there, frozen like an ornament, shaking with tears in his eyes. I don''t think we can see much of the underground space from that position, but the content of what Satsuki and the others are saying may be enough to ruin us. Well, let''s not worry about Cyril for now. She won''t play a decisive role in this mission. Me and Satsuki, on the other hand.., ''But the adult insects... are there any that you can see? ''Looks like it. Are the adults migrating to find food? ''It''s possible. But I''m sure there are a few of them left to guard the larvae. ''Hmm, but even the larvae seem to be stronger than most monsters. It doesn''t need an escort, does it? ''Maybe so, but ......'' Mee looked a little confused as she thought about it. I was rather concerned about the same thing as Mee. In other words, there might be a ''guard'' hiding somewhere. At the very least, we should keep that possibility in mind as we move forward. ''I''ll use the wizard''s eye to scout. Please wait a moment. I used the spell of the wizard''s eye, which has become a standard spell, and brought the transparent ''eye'' that appeared in front of me out of the tunnel and into the underground space. Incidentally, while I was concentrating my mind to advance the eye, I could hear the conversation between Mee and Satsuki. ''Satsuki, do you know how amazing this wizard eye is? You don''t have to actually go down there to find out what''s going on, that''s how amazing it is. You don''t have to put yourself in danger. That''s a foul thing to do, isn''t it? ''I know. I know how great Will is. I know that better than anyone! ''Are you sure? I think Mee understands William''s greatness better than I do. ''No, I don''t! I know what I''m talking about! The two of them were arguing over something strange. But I''ve heard that it''s surprisingly difficult to find a friend who appreciates the value of your work. I think I am blessed with good friends in this respect. Regardless, I''m going forward with my ''eyes''. I keep it floating at a height of about a meter and a half above the downward sloping ground - the height of my eyes - and slowly move it forward and down along the mortar-shaped ground. Then, as I move my ''eyes'' forward, I look at the tunnels here and there, carefully checking for any hidden rockworms. There doesn''t seem to be any, but... But there they are. When we were very close to the bottom of the mortar, where the rockworm larvae were wriggling in large numbers, we found the horrible monster lurking in a large tunnel near the base. It looked like several rockworms bound together and glued at the tail. To put it another way, it looked like a hydra. From the body of the Hydra, countless long tentacle-like appendages sprouted and wriggled. That must be the Mother Rock Worm. It was a good thing I had done my reconnaissance. I shudder to think that I would have attacked without being aware of its existence. I then looked around the other tunnels with my ''eyes'' to make sure nothing else was lurking, and then I released my mental focus on the wizard eye and brought my consciousness back to myself. My vision returns to peering into the underground space from inside the tunnel. Satsuki and Mi are beside me. I stroke her head half-unconsciously. ''Mee, bingo. We have guards. And a hell of a lot of them.'' ''No, no, no, no, no, no. ......? Oh, by the way... ''Ah, what appears to be a Mother Rockworm was hiding. It also matches the shape of the one described in the adventure story. I said, and told my friends what I had seen with my ''eyes''. Incidentally, behind me, Cyril, who heard my explanation, shed tears beyond tears and said, ''Hiccup, hiccup......I want to go home soon......Dad... I can''t wait to go home.... The ...... thing might be really useless. On the other hand, Mee, who heard my story, asked me with a thoughtful gesture. ''I''m afraid I don''t know how strong the Mother Rock Worm is,....... You don''t know the monster rank, do you? ''Ah. It''s such a rare species that it''s not even listed in the Monster Encyclopedia. It''s not even listed in the Monster Encyclopedia. In general, monster ranks are determined based on discussions between researchers of monsterology and adventurer guild raters. In other words, the ranks are determined by human beings, so they may be wrong, or they may not be determined at all if the monster is rare, as in this case. A common pattern among monsters is that the rank of the leader of a group, the so-called "boss", is two or three ranks higher than that of the general species of the monster. For example, an F-ranked goblin mage or an E-ranked goblin lord is the boss of a pack against an H-ranked goblin. With this in mind, it is reasonable to expect that a D-rank Rockworm boss would have a strength equivalent to a B or A rank. However, this is only a generalization and a tendency, and there is no guarantee that this is the case. In some cases, it is possible that an Orc Emperor who is four ranks higher than an F-rank Orc is leading an army of F-rank Orcs. In any case, it is dangerous to attack a monster of unknown strength carelessly. I want to measure the enemy''s strength by some means before I send Satsuki in. One idea I had was to lure the Rockworm, which is controlled by a Tame Monster. But that was quickly dismissed by my brain. Even if you tell it to kill its parents, it''s unlikely that Rockworm will follow your instructions. So... ''Then I''ll use this. I muttered to myself as I placed my hand on the rock wall of the tunnel. 133-Chapter 132 '' Create Rock Servant''. When I cast the spell, a portion of the rock I was holding onto took on magical power. Then that part of the rock became a lump of rock about a meter in diameter and rolled down. The lump of rock changed shape. An arm is formed, a leg is formed, a head is formed, and the rest becomes a body. A few seconds later, the rock had transformed into a stocky human shape. ''Huh, ......? Will, what is this? A ...... human made of rock? Satsuki was surprised. Mee''s eyes were round, too. I''ll explain it to them. ''A rock servant - think of it as a kind of golem. I''m going to send it to measure Mother Rockworm''s strength. Satsuki, I want you to observe carefully and see how strong this monster is. ''Oh, okay. Satsuki nodded. I give an additional explanation. ''And for that, Satsuki will need to experience firsthand how strong this rock servant is. ''Hmm, well, that might be easier to understand. But how do we do that? Satsuki tilted her head. In response, I point at Satsuki and give the order in rune language to the squire I created. ''Rock Servant, attack her. The rock servant then made the part of its eyes glow with magical light. Then he took a step or two toward Satsuki. ''Heh, ......? Whoa...'' Satsuki jumped to avoid the fist that the rock follower swung down. Then the rock follower turned to Satsuki, who had just dodged it, and glanced at her again. ''Hey, ......! Will, what are you doing ......? The rock followers continue to attack, but Satsuki evades them with quick movements. I turned to Satsuki and gave her an explanation. ''As you can see, the Rock Servant''s movements are not very fast. If it''s Satsuki, she won''t take a direct hit even in a small place like this. But...'' ''Goo......! Satsuki''s hands caught both the rock followers'' hands as they tried to grab her. The rock-servant''s burly hands and Satsuki''s slender-looking hands came together, and the rock-servant tried to push Satsuki into him. ''Ngggg ......! No way. ......? He''s so stupid ......! Satsuki is pushed into the ground and falls to one knee. However, Satsuki seemed to have a sense of pride as well... ''Geez,......, don''t be a jerk,......! Nyaroooooooooooo! Satsuki has a strong aura around her body and pushes back the rock followers. The two of them came to a standstill in the same position where they had first met. As you can see, the Rock Servant is a man of considerable strength. The Rock Servant also has a high level of defense due to its rock body, and although its movements are slow, its overall combat power is rated equivalent to Monster Rank E. Even so, it may be insufficient to accurately measure the enemy''s strength, but...'''' ''''All right! I understand, so hurry up and stop this thing! As I continued to explain, Satsuki whined to me. Well, I guess we''ve had enough. All right. Rock Servant, release the order. The Rock Servant stops moving when I give the order in magical language. Satsuki, who was released, was breathing heavily with her hands on her knees. When Mee saw her, she asked with a slightly reluctant look. ''William, did you really need to do that? ''Yes. Satsuki is a sensory person. It''s faster and more accurate to have her experience it than to explain it in words. ''...... It''s hard being a sensory person. I want to be a theoretical person. Mee looked at Satsuki with some pity in her eyes. Now, after the demonstration of the rock followers and the explanation of their strength, and after Satsuki took a break, they decided to move on to the practical action. I will again give instructions to the stationary rock follower in magical language. ''''Rock Servant, attack those rockworm larvae. However, if you are attacked by someone, switch your attack target to that person. At my command, the rock servant''s eyes light up again. Then the rock follower left the tunnel we were in and ran down the mortar-shaped underground space at a speed not too fast. ''Now, Satsuki, Mee, watch me carefully. ''All right! ''Yes, sir.'' Me, Satsuki, and Mee looked at each other from the exit of the tunnel with only our faces slightly exposed. I turned around to check on Cyril''s movements, but when her eyes met mine, she shook her head with tears in her eyes. Cyril''s expression and gestures had become like a child''s, and the gap between his appearance and hers was somewhat cute, but... I decided to not worry about her anymore today. Well, anyway. The rock squire lumbered down the grated slope and approached the rockworm larvae. Eventually, the larvae seemed to notice the rock follower''s presence. A large number of large larvae turned toward the rock followers one after another. It would be impossible for a single rock follower to defeat that group of larvae. One on one, or even against such a large number of them, they would be devoured in no time. If that were to happen, this experiment would be nothing more than a mere waste of mana. To prevent that from happening, I waited for the attack as if I were half praying. And after a few seconds of waiting... Just as I had hoped, the moment arrived. It was when the rock-servant approached the larvae to within twenty paces of them. From a large tunnel near the larvae, several tentacles extended toward the rock followers. The tentacles wrapped around the rock followers'' arms, legs, bodies, and necks one after another without giving them any room to evade. The fact that there was no room for evasion meant that the rock followers'' sluggish movements made it impossible for them to avoid the tentacles, and it was not clear to me how Satsuki, for example, would fare. But Satsuki herself told me about this point. ''It''s not recklessly fast, but that many tentacles is troublesome. I don''t know if I can handle them... I''m not too sure. How about you, Mee? ''I can''t do that either. And if I get caught, I''ll be made to look like an enpon. I don''t want to jeopardize my chastity. ''...... No, no, no. No, no, no. It''s a rockworm, right? If they catch you, they''ll eat you and that''s it, right?'' ''Maybe so. But I don''t want either of them. ''There''s a difference. As the two of them were talking about this... things got even more complicated. The rock follower was bound by the tentacles, but at first his strength was equal to or greater than that of the tentacles, and he was trying to get out of the tentacle restraints by pulling hard on the tentacles that were entangled in him. But then, from the same tunnel, several more tentacles extended, and even they were attached to the rock follower. The rock follower, wrapped around by two or three more tentacles than the first, was finally overpowered and dragged helplessly along. Eventually, the rock follower was dragged into the tunnel where the tentacles extended. No word from him since. At this point, we should assume that the rock follower had been killed. Seeing this, we started a strategy meeting, starting with Satsuki. ''Well, ......, isn''t it the end of the world once you''re attached to a tentacle? Isn''t that bad? I''m not sure what to make of that, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. If that''s the territory, it''s going to be difficult to attack even with William''s magic? ''Yeah. The range of that tentacle''s attack is probably about the same as the range of my attack spell. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. By the way, Satsuki, what kind of strength do you consider that monster to be? When I asked again, Satsuki pondered a bit. Then, with some caution, she expressed her opinion. I''m not sure what to make of it. But... if I can use that technique that my master taught me, I might be able to ....... I have a feeling that I might be able to catch it,....... Satsuki said, and slowly began to make movements like a demonstration. She swung her sword without hands, flipped her body, cut back... It was as if he was trying to project some image in his mind onto his body. But that''s beside the point. From what Satsuki said, it seemed that she expected her opponent to be a rank higher than her current self, i.e. a B-rank monster. On the other hand, I, too, felt that even if I wasn''t as perceptive as Satsuki, it was probably not an A-rank or higher monster. Of course, there is a possibility that it will be rated higher than that due to factors that are yet to be seen. ....... ''By the way, Satsuki, what do you think now, do you take into account my magical support (buff)?'' ''Oh, I didn''t take that into account. I mean, I don''t even know what kind of support (buff) I can get. ''That''s true too. I nodded in agreement. If that''s the case, then we should fill in the gap in strength between Satsuki and Mother Rockworm, and make it possible for them to surpass us. Then, let''s get to it. Satsuki, relax your whole body, surrender to my magic, and accept it. ''Oh, oh. ...... is not erotic, it''s not erotic! I point my wand at Satsuki and start chanting a spell. I decided to leave Satsuki, who was still saying unintelligible things, alone. 134-Chapter 133 After considering the enemy''s abilities, reexamine the spells to be used and decide on the best reinforcement configuration. We consulted with the remaining amount of magic (mana) and the amount of consumption, and came up with the best solution. As a result, four spells were decided to be used. The first spell to be used on Satsuki... It is, first and foremost, a physical burst. I cast the spell and let it take effect on Satsuki. And then... What the hell? What''s this, power is coming out of my body. ......! Seriously, that''s amazing ......! Satsuki''s tension went through the roof. A mixture of magical power and aura overflowed from her body with a radiance that was visible to the naked eye. ''Oh, I know that spell, too! It''s the spell you used on Mee and Irene in the fight against the Orc Emperor, isn''t it? ''Yeah. It''s an advanced spell that greatly strengthens your overall physical abilities, including muscle strength and agility. This spell alone has the power to overturn the difference in strength by one rank. So, next. The next spell to be used is the Heat Weapon. This is an intermediate level magic that corresponds to the upper compatibility of enchanted weapons. When I finished chanting, a red-orange glow of magic power like a blazing fire appeared on Satsuki''s sword. ''Hmmm? Magic on the sword ......?'' ''Yeah. Satsuki, use your sword to lightly slash this rock wall. I said and pointed to Satsuki with my hand on the rock wall beside me. ''......? No, if it''s only the skin that''s rocky like a rockworm, but a real rock is indeed hard to cut. ......'' ''No, you don''t have to be so nervous. Just take it lightly.'' ''Hmm? Lightly, like this ......? What the hell is this? When Satsuki lightly slashed the rock wall of the tunnel with her sword, the rock melted from the point where the tip of the blade touched it, and the blade slid through like a knife into soft butter. ''That is the effect of a heat weapon. The amount of heat contained in its magical power is comparable to that of volcanic magma. The weapon itself is protected by the magic of heat protection, so don''t worry. ''Huh, ...... what is this? It can easily cut a rockworm''s skin in half. Satsuki was so impressed that she slashed through the rock wall with her sword. In fact, it was only due to Satsuki''s skill that she could slash with such speed, but there was no doubt that the spell would greatly increase her attack power. Next, I cast a third spell. It is an advanced defensive spell, a physical barrier (force field). The spell is completed and the magic power is sucked into Satsuki''s body. ''Let''s see, ......, what''s this? ''A force field - you can think of it as a spell that puts an invisible barrier around the target''s body. Even if that monster attacks, it should completely nullify damage up to two shots. This is just an insurance. Basically, you should try not to take a single hit. ''Okay, got it. ...... Ah, but if it means damage, won''t it prevent me from getting entangled in tentacles? ''Yeah, that''s how it works. If you do a clamping attack, I''ll just absorb the damage, but I''ll use this last spell to deal with the tentacles.'' I said, and cast the fourth spell. Then, after explaining the effects of the spell... ''...... Heh, really? That means you can''t lose anymore, right? ''Oh, that''s terrible. ...... I feel rather sorry for the tentacles. ......'' Satsuki and Mee let out such thoughts. Hearing this, I smiled. ''Well, I think I''ve crushed all the threats within sight. Since that''s the case... go ahead and rampage to your heart''s content, Satsuki. My magic will protect you.'' At my words, Satsuki made a face of great emotion. She looks like she''s about to cry. ''Will... I want to hug you right now! ''...... Please stop. You''re killing me. Didn''t you hear the explanation of the effects of the fourth spell? ''Hee-hee. Then I''ll do it when I get back! ''...... I see.'' I''m kind of afraid of what''s going to happen after the battle is over, but I''ll figure out the best thing to do at that time. ''Ooooh, I''m excited! I''m off then! Satsuki said and jumped out of the tunnel lightly. Then she ran down the slope at a tremendous speed. Her speed was much faster than that of the Rock Servant, several times faster. I emerged from the tunnel and called out to Satsuki''s back. ''Satsuki... I''d tell you to be careful, but I''m afraid my words might have the opposite effect on you! So I''ll put it this way: do what you do best! You know how to do that better than I do! Satsuki raises her hand lightly as the voice reaches her. Satsuki then ran down the path with the speed of a gale, and quickly plunged into the swarm of rockworm larvae. 135-Chapter 134 Satsuki. We run down the underground space. The ground is a little soggy with mucus, but it''s no big deal when you''re running down. It doesn''t matter, it''s a great speed. I feel like I''m kicking the ground with 50% more leg power than usual. The scenery is drifting behind me as fast as if it were flying, and the swarm of rockworm larvae I''m heading for is quickly approaching. It must be the effect of Will''s magic of physical burst. It''s like power is bubbling up from the depths of my body. Oh, man. I feel like no one can beat me now. I can probably beat the princess and that bastard Glenn. But that''s because I have Will''s power. It''s not my own power. So I''ll grab it here. I don''t want to keep losing. I can''t stay with Will and rely on him. I want to be able to support Will. To do that, I have to work hard. But I couldn''t see the vision. How can I be stronger than I am now? I could keep training every day, but that wouldn''t be enough. I''ve been thinking that I need something else to break out of my shell. So I''ve been thinking, thinking, thinking in my own not-so-smart way, and then I remembered. A technique that my master taught me a long time ago, but I never learned to do. I suddenly thought that maybe I could do it now. I''m almost there. If I could just get another image... As I was thinking this, I heard Will''s voice from behind me. ''Satsuki... I''d tell you to be careful, but I''m afraid my words might have the opposite effect on you! So I''ll put it this way: do what you do best! You know how to do that better than I do! When I heard Will''s words, I thought, "I see. And I was glad. He''s always telling me to be careful, that I''m not paying enough attention. So do Mee and Cyril. But I didn''t understand that. I don''t know what being careful is. I always move in the direction my body and feelings take me and swing my sword. There is a flow to movement. If you go against the flow, it won''t work. I move in the direction my body and mind naturally go. That''s my way. I don''t know any other way. But I thought that since Will said it, it must be right, so I tried to be careful, to be cautious. I thought it would help me grow, so I tried it. But it still didn''t work. Watching out and being careful just seemed to stop the flow. And as I thought and thought and thought, I realized. I thought that Will and I are different. Will has his own way of doing things, and I have mine, and maybe his advice isn''t for me. I felt lighter after I thought that... and that''s what Will just said. He came to the same place I did. He''s not always right. He''s like me, he''s moving forward, little by little, step by step. And what someone says is what someone says. What I do is my decision. I know what''s best for me because I''m the one who knows best. I''ll do it! I regain my strength. The swarm of rockworm larvae is almost upon us. And by larvae, I mean giant larvae, bigger than me. I run down the path with a powerful bounce, thump, thump. Then, when I was only a few steps away, a tentacle flew out of the corner of my eye. It''s here. But that''s not fast enough for my current speed. ''Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! With all my momentum, I kick the ground hard and jump. With that, I head straight for the middle of a swarm of dozens of giant larvae. Many tentacles rushed to the ground where I had been just a moment before. Too late, you idiot. You''re slow. But just as I was about to land on the spot where the swarm of giant larvae was, one of them opened its mouth upward to swallow me. It opened its big mouth, covered in saliva. It''s disgusting, but not scary. ''You''re in my way! I swing my legs in the air and kick him in the jaw. The power of the kick, enhanced by aura and magic, struck the halfway large body of the giant larva and flipped it over. Another larva nearby became trapped underneath it and let out a not-so-cute scream. No, I don''t want it to be cute. As soon as I landed on the ground, I took an instantaneous step forward, swung my sword, and cut down the two bodies first. ''Goooooooooooooooo! He screamed. The sword he swung melted and cut off the rocky skin of the rockworm in an instant, slicing down its body in a single vertical line. Due to the length of the blade, I can''t cut it into a complete circle, but it''s enough to take away its life force. ''First two. Next...'' Then, the huge larvae around me opened their mouths wide, and their huge bodies shook as they headed toward me. I don''t feel like I''m going to get hit because they''re moving so slowly, but it looks like a horror story. I look around vaguely at the swarm of giant larvae approaching in slow motion, and figure out the ''path'' I should take. I intuitively figure out which route I should take to get rid of the giant larvae without getting stuck. In the middle of this, I see the tentacle swarm from earlier heading towards me again. In slow motion, too. I followed the tentacles to a large tunnel hole. Just like Will said. I take that into consideration as I search for a path to that tunnel. The path to follow came to me in an instant. I could see the path because of the physical abilities that Will had strengthened for me, and because of that assumption. I kicked the ground hard to start. Then he accelerates, turns around, and zigzags like a lightning bolt through the ''path'' at lightning speed. It weaves its way through the small gap between the swarms of giant larvae. The tentacles that rush in again, and the biting attacks of the giant larvae that pour in one after another, only attack the place where I was a moment ago. I don''t even need to consciously avoid them. Along the way, he slashes at the giant larvae so as not to kill the flow. Inevitably, the movements become like dancing, like a dance. Three, four, five, six, seven, eight... One by one, the giant larvae scream and fall to the ground. Oh, this is it. That''s it. All right, all right, all right. I got it all. It wasn''t hard at all. I don''t know what I was doing. And so, the profound art of "Ryusui Butoh" is complete! But this might be hard if you don''t have any physical strength. It might be difficult for me to do it against normal people. You still need earthly power. Anyway... But even if we kill all of them, there''ll still be many more. It''s a pain in the ass to kill them all. I guess we''ll have to do this later. Anyway... here they come... the second wave of tentacles. The first group of tentacles and the second group of tentacles are both coming at me from different directions. I immediately look for a way out. But I can''t see a path that satisfies everything I want to do. Oh, I''ll have to collide with one of the tentacles. It''s not so bad if we retreat once, but if we do that, we''ll be out of luck, Incidentally, I think it''s a bit difficult to get through a head-on collision with a group of tentacles. It would be very difficult to dodge them one by one, and it would be impossible to cut off all of them at once. You''d probably get caught if you ran into one. But... whatever. I''ll set a course to collide head-on with the second group of tentacles. That''s the shortest route to the hole where the tentacles came from. I kick the ground in front of me. A group of tentacles came pouring down on me from slightly above my front... ... William. ''...... What is that Satsuki''s move? It''s amazing ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I, on the other hand, could not hide my surprise. Satsuki''s tiny figure moved in all directions, dodging the rockworm larvae. After she passed, the larvae around her fell to the ground one by one. The tentacles'' and larvae''s attacks did not reach her, but rather their dimensions could not keep up with her. It was an unimaginably terrifying battle, even when you take into account Satsuki''s natural athletic ability and the effects of the physical burst. However, it did not seem to have been achieved by speed alone. If I had to describe it in words, I would say that it was a ''terrifyingly lean and perfect maneuver. I don''t know how to calculate the movements to make them like that. It seems to me that no matter how fast you think, there is no way you can achieve that kind of movement. It''s as if we are following a route that has been predetermined from the beginning, as if it were reality. As if the water in the river is supposed to flow that way, the events happen as they are, and Satsuki''s warriors are recognized. ''Ah, but...'' ''Mmm......'' But that''s why both Mee and I notice it from above. The second group of tentacles is approaching from the front of Satsuki. It''s like a weir that kills Satsuki''s current flow, and it''s closing in on the warrior girl. And then Satsuki herself plunges toward it... 136-Chapter 135 By: Satsuki I run along the road I chose. From the front, a number of tentacles attack me. Both arms and legs, thighs and arms, torso, chest, neck... I guess that''s what they''re trying to wrap around me. It''s pointless to try to dodge one or two of them, and if you try to dodge them all at once by jumping sideways, you''ll be out of the way. That''s no good. Then, yes. Just head straight for it, and if you want to get wrapped up in it, go ahead, that''s fine. That''s what I thought, and I pushed forward on my path. Because I know that Will''s magic will protect me. As I do so, tentacles naturally begin to entwine around me. On my arms and legs, on my body, on my neck. And then... Swoosh! The sound of something burning and the smell of burning. The tentacles rush away from my body. The tentacles melted from the part that was wrapped around me, and furthermore, they were carbonizing and collapsing. ''Haha, you idiot! It''s all in Will''s hands! I took the opportunity and rushed down the ''path''. I ran towards the tunnel where the main body with the tentacles would be. The fourth spell that Will cast on me is called Flame Body. In short, it''s a spell that applies a heat weapon to my entire body. The amount of heat is not as great as that of a heat weapon, but the body and clothes of the target of the spell are protected by the magic of heat protection. And what happens if you do that is that the tentacles that try to attach themselves to me will get burned badly. So, do you understand me, tentacle? The only one who can hug me is Will. If you touch me, you''ll get burned. ....... Actually, even Will gets burned, so he refused to hug me. But that''s beside the point. The tentacles can''t do anything to me if I''m like this. Well, actually, they should be able to hit me. The tentacles seemed to be unsure of how to move in the moment, and were making hesitant movements. In the meantime, I quickly proceeded down the ''path''. I sliced through the giant larvae on the path, and finally leapt into the tunnel in question. The big tunnel - with a ceiling three times as high and wide as I am tall - and the monster lurking at the end of it was just as Will had said. If I had to say it was close to the Yamata-no-orochi I had seen in picture books when I was a small child, it would be close. But the fact that it was a rockworm, not a serpent''s head, growing out of its body was very grotesque. There are seven rockworms growing out of the body. Each of them is about the same size as an adult rockworm, and the one in the middle is even bigger. Such a monster was lurking face down in the tunnel. It was like a bunch of rock worms, so it was huge. The tunnel itself is wide, but it looks like it''s lying tightly packed in that wide tunnel. Incidentally, the tentacles seemed to be growing out from the sides of the body in groups. There were more than ten tentacles on each side, and about thirty on both sides. ''Well... how do I cook this thing? I paused at the entrance to the tunnel. I''m only a few steps away from the tip of that monster, the Mother Rockworm. The tentacle swarm seems to be wandering around me. I guess they''re having a hard time attacking me. Well, they know they''ll get burned if they touch it, so they can''t attack too easily. But at the same time, I realize. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. ...... You can do anything you want. I''m not sure if that''s enough, but I think it''s a good idea. It might regenerate not only the tentacles, but the body as well. But even if that''s the case, we''ll be fine. We can probably kill it if we keep draining its life force faster than that. I''ll look over the whole enemy and find a way. The Water Dance isn''t just for use against a pack. There''s a flow even when you''re dealing with a single enemy. You look blankly for a second. And then... I saw it. I kicked the ground lightly and went with the flow. It was only a moment later that a tentacle swung out and slapped me. I strike out and hit the ground. I''m not there anymore. I move forward. A little to the left at first, then a hard stop on the third step, then a right turn while reversing. Two of the monster''s necks extend and bite into the spot where I was just before. I cut them off. The skin was so thick that it was almost as if I was cutting the rock itself, but thanks to the heat weapon Will had given me, it was no problem. It was easy to cut. One, two, three. After a total of three slashes, I jumped back lightly. After a moment''s delay, another head comes down and bites you where no one else is. He slashes it with a split bamboo and moves forward toward the main body again. When I sink down a little, a head passes over my head. I stab it from below and push it away. I move a little to the side and move forward again. Well, the rest is pretty much the same. Slash, move, slash, slash, move, slash. I moved around the monster rather a lot. I think I slashed it a total of 20 times or more. It regenerated its body too. But it couldn''t keep up. My slashing was much faster and the damage was much heavier. Even so, it was tough because it was so big, but... ''......! ZUN! Eventually, the monster let out a desperate scream and finally ran out of energy and fell down. And then, after twitching and twitching, it stops moving. I thrust my sword into the head of the biggest rockworm, and even as the stabbed part melted away, it didn''t wince. Apparently, I''ve won. ''Hmm...'' Breathing in and out, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was so focused. ....... I''m really tired mentally, if not physically. The Rockworm''s master sank without showing any good performance at all, but that doesn''t mean it was a small fish. If it hadn''t been for Will''s magic, I might not have been able to win even if I had mastered the Flowing Water Dance, and I might have been the one who got beaten. Or perhaps I would have. It would have been difficult to get close to it because of the tentacles, and even if I had been able to get close enough to fight the main body, the high defense and regenerative abilities would have prevented me from cutting it down, and I would have run out of breath first. But we''d have won anyway. With Will supporting us, there was no way we could lose to this guy. Because this is my first time working with Will... well, not my first time. Hee hee, hee hee, hee hee. ...... This is it. ''Well, now all that''s left to do is...'' It''s a great way to make sure you don''t get caught in the middle of the action. Just beyond my line of sight I saw a swarm of giant Rockworm larvae crawling towards me. They seemed to be angry because their master (my mom) had been killed. ''I''m sorry... but I''ve been asked to do this by a dwarf who had his friends killed. If we run into each other, the stronger pack will survive. Now, I''ve got some more work to do. I swing my sword and head towards the swarm of giant larvae... 137-CHAPTER 136 side: William I was watching Satsuki''s fight with my wizard eye on standby, and I have to say, it was nothing short of amazing. The Mother Rock Worm seemed to have a high self-regeneration ability, which I had obviously not calculated. However, Satsuki didn''t care about such irregularities, and screwed Mother Rockworm over with her overwhelming moves. She played the game as if she were playing a game of "chelt", counting backwards from the end of the game and making the current move, and repeated it dozens of times to win overwhelmingly. The fact that he was able to do this with only his intuition and feeling suggests that there is a realm in the world of warriors that is beyond the reach of us magicians. In addition, I predicted earlier that Mother Rockworm''s overall strength would not be higher than A rank, but looking at the actual battle scenes and the viciousness of her regeneration ability, I feel that it would be problematic to include her in the B rank category. I don''t think that a B-rank warrior such as Irene or a knight of the Royal Court would be able to compete with her on her own. It would take two of those classes to finally win a victory, so a B+ would be an appropriate ranking. In any case, what I can say is that Satsuki''s ability is undoubtedly real, as she easily won a crushing victory against that thing without being hit by a single blow. Even if you take into account the effects of the spell I cast, it doesn''t add up to Satsuki''s past ability. When I think of this, the edge of my mouth lifts involuntarily. I knew that Satsuki would get stronger, but I didn''t expect her to get the results so quickly. I''m impressed with her. She had been training early in the morning every day without fail, and the results of her training may have blossomed at this time. By nature, human growth is a slow process. Even if you devote yourself day by day, the ''result'' will not come so easily. This is especially true if you already have a certain level of sufficient ability. If it were that easy for everyone to get results, everyone would be a master with S rank ability in a year. Therefore, growth through effort is difficult. It is not possible for everyone to continue to make daily efforts without giving up and without getting rotten even if there are no immediate visible results. However, it is precisely because Satsuki has been working tirelessly day in and day out that she has been able to achieve this goal. It may be my own sentimentality to think so, but... I was thinking about this as I looked at Satsuki''s appearance with the wizard eyes... ''Oh, William! It''s ......! Just then, I felt Mee pull on my robe. I return my vision from the wizard''s eye to my own. ''Mee, what''s wrong? ''I see it, William, it''s there! ''Is that ......? I look in the direction that Mee is pointing. It''s just across the tunnel from where we are, across the underground space. The exit of a different tunnel from ours. I saw two adventurers there. I gulped when I saw them. ''You''re here already? ......'' Glenn, and Cecilia. A young man with red hair and black armor and a woman with silver hair and black robes were there. Much faster than I expected. We took the shortest route to get here by using monsters. And yet, those two arrived here, albeit a little late, with only a time lag. Could it be that Cecilia is also capable of using monsters? It is not at all unlikely. ....... The two of them looked down into the underground space from the tunnel exit and seemed to be talking about something. I couldn''t hear what they were talking about. After a while, they became aware of our presence. Glenn comes shouting at us. ''Hey, sorcerer! Are we in a worm''s nest? You seem to have a lot of luck, arriving here at the same time as me. ''...... luck? Luck? ......? ...... No way. They''re not ......, they''re... They''ve arrived here at this time with nothing but their own luck? That''s impossible. No, it''s not impossible. It''s not impossible that''s why he''s here. It''s possible if you''re lucky enough to roll three dice and get all sixes. I want to cluck my tongue. How can there be a being who defies reason, calculation, and luck alone? But at the same time, I feel relieved. I''m glad I''m not playing a game of pure luck against that thing. I feel my mouth lift up. I raise my voice to Glenn and say something back. ''No, this is not luck, this is inevitability. And it''s not exactly the same timing. Satsuki! ''Oh... You called me, Will? The mortar-shaped bottom of the underground space. The twenty or so remaining rockworm larvae were gathering at the entrance to one of the large tunnels, when the one at the head of the group flipped over onto its back. Then, a girl in a kimono and hakama, carrying a sword, walks out of the tunnel. The giant larva must have been turned over by her kicking it away. In addition to the power of her aura, she was also under the influence of a physical burst, which was quite possible for her now. Satsuki looked up at me once, and when she saw Glenn, she called out to him. ''Oh, I thought I heard a familiar voice, but it''s you. You''re one step too late. I''ve already defeated the master of the Rockworm. As Satsuki said this, he moved gently and swung his sword in a casual gesture. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... It''s almost as if she doesn''t see the enemy anymore. It''s a very human action, as if the action was inputted beforehand. On the other hand, when Glenn saw the Satsuki, he suddenly had an excited beastly expression on his face. ''What is it? While I didn''t look at her for a while, she''s become quite interesting, isn''t she? T m, Cecilia, it''s a buff. I just need a hasten. ''...... I understand.'' Cecilia furrows her brow in displeasure as she casts a spell. When I saw that, I felt threatened. Thinking of a spell to interfere, I raise my voice. ''Hey, what are you doing? ''Don''t panic. I''m not going to slash with a woman. I just wanted to dance with her! As soon as Cecilia''s Haste spell took effect, Glenn ran out of the tunnel and raced down the underground space. Fast. His agility was enhanced by the Haste spell, and he ran at a speed that made it hard to believe that he was wearing armor. His appearance is like that of a large black panther. Glenn quickly jumped into the swarm of rockworm larvae and began to wield his greatsword like a fish out of water. Then he and Satsuki began to compete with each other, slashing down the giant larvae. I was relieved when I saw that. Since that man said so, he wouldn''t be directly connected to Satsuki. It seems to me that he wouldn''t tell such a silly lie. On the other hand, when I looked at Cecilia, she was sighing heavily. Then she glanced at me and said something like this. ''...... Can you please stop taking away people''s loved ones? I''m going to go crazy with jealousy if I have to see you get more excited than when you''re with me. ''That''s what you''re telling me. I''d rather you didn''t let the beast run free. Can you put a collar on it and keep it on a leash?'' ''Don''t be absurd. It''s all I can do to keep it.'' ''...... I see. That''s the way it is. I was reminded once again that there are many kinds of human beings in the world. 138-CHAPTER 137 The two of them, Satsuki and Glenn, flattened the remaining twenty or so rockworm larvae one after another as if they were competing with each other. ''What the hell. You just showed up and snatched our prey? What a shame. ''Don''t be petty, woman. If you''re that good, you should be proud of yourself. By the way... you never told me your name. Tell me. It''s Satsuki. Don''t talk to me like that, you bastard. Both Satsuki and Glenn, while exchanging a few words, slaughtered one giant larva after another. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, it''s possible you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on the web. Guren''s fighting style seems to be simple, wielding a greatsword as tall as he is. Although he is not lacking in skill, his fighting style is largely dependent on his physical strength, with strength being his main weapon and skill being his secondary weapon. On the other hand, it seems to be the right answer. In the case of that man, it seems to make much more sense for him to use his overwhelming violence to subdue his enemies than to rely on poor technique. As proof of this, Guren uses his greatsword to slash through the rocky skin of the rockworms, slaughtering the giant larvae one after another. Of course, his huge frame didn''t make him slow, and combined with Cecilia''s Haste effect, he was knocking down his enemies with the force of a storm or a gale. And then there was Satsuki. Her maneuvers were even better than Guren''s. She ducked through the insects with a graceful, dancing gesture, and swung her sword as if it were a natural reaction. If Guren''s symbol was power, Satsuki''s symbol was skill. With her skill, while Glenn knocked down two of them, Satsuki cut down three of them. The difference is probably the result of magical enhancement. It was only natural that there would be a difference in attack power between Glenn, who had been strengthened only by Haste, and Satsuki, who had received the higher-ranked spell Physical Burst and had also received the effects of the Heat Weapon. In the end, both of them defeated the last one at the same time and finished the game. All of the Rockworm larvae fell to the ground and stopped moving, leaving only Satsuki and Glenn standing there. If we look at this as a confrontation between the rockworm and humanity, humanity has won overwhelmingly. Normally, this would be the end of the quest. Return to the city, report back, receive your reward, and call it a day... But this time, there''s one more big problem. In order to take care of the remaining problem, I called out to Glenn, who was at the bottom of the underground space with Satsuki. ''Well, what do you think, Glenn? Who do you think will win this game?'' At the bottom and top of the mortar-shaped space. Glenn looked up at me, took a quick look around, and then.., ''Wait a moment. Then he went into the tunnel where the Mother Rockworm that Satsuki had killed was. Mee, who was watching the scene beside me, tilted her head curiously. ''William, who do you think won? What does that mean? It''s a game based on the number of rock worms you''ve killed, so there''s no room for subjectivity, is there? ''No, not really. Do the larvae count as ''one'', or does the mother rockworm only count as ''one''? There are a lot of ambiguities in the rules of the game. If Glenn has killed several rockworms by the time he gets here, the judges may not be so clear. ''Oh, ......! But, if that''s the case, wouldn''t the game be untenable? No game after all this hard work?'' ''No, I don''t think so. You''ll have to wait and see. Even as she listened to my words, she had a number of question marks above her head. Well, basically, she''s right. Glenn and I have agreed to compete in a ''contest'' to kill the Rockworm, and we''re taking on this quest. The rules of the game are that the winner is the one who kills the most Rockworms. But I didn''t think that rule really meant much. That''s not the point of this game. The essence of this game depends on whether or not Glenn is convinced, that''s what I thought. And after a while, Glenn came back from the big tunnel and showed himself. He looked up at me and raised his voice. ''What''s the matter with you? Don''t you dare underestimate me. You''re bound to win this one, you bastard! Guren said irritably, and walked up the mortar-shaped ground towards the tunnel where Cecilia was. My eyes fluttered as I watched him. ''Well, ...... now, does that mean you''ve admitted defeat? Did Glenn count the number of Rockworms he killed? ''No, he probably decided on a hunch. That''s the kind of creature it is.'''' ''......? ''Intuition''? ''Yeah. He intuitively judged which was better, his own results or ours, and recognized that his results were lower. He''s a man who can''t lie to himself in that respect. I don''t approve of his way of thinking or his principles, but I believe in him. While I was talking about this with Mee, Glenn walked over to Cecilia and seemed to demand something from her. Cecilia took a scroll out of her luggage and handed it to Glenn, and he walked over to me lazily. ''Take it, sorcerer. He tosses the scroll to me. I catch it, untie the string, and inspect it briefly. It seemed to be a document written in an ancient script - perhaps a spellbook. I retied the scroll and turned my attention back to Glenn. ''Is this an excavation from the ...... ancient ruins?'' ''Yeah. I found it in a ruin I dove into on a whim once. I was going to take something important from you. It''s not good to lose and come away with nothing. If you don''t want my precious Cecilia, you''ll have to replace her with something of lesser social value. ''It''s true that it''s not something worthy of a person, but ......''. This is a tremendous treasure. I can''t say for sure without reading the contents, but it''s highly likely that you could make a fortune selling it off. This is not the kind of thing you can just hand over in the mood. ....... But while I was surprised, Glenn added this. ''And you, sorcerer, what''s your name? ''...... William.'' ''I see. William, you''re coming with me to the tavern later. I''m interested in you. I''d like to have a drink with you.'' Without waiting for my reply, Glenn walked over to Cecilia and disappeared into the tunnel with her. Eventually, Satsuki came back, smiled at me, and said. ''Will is really irresistible, isn''t he? ''...... I''m not happy to be popular with that guy. I replied, and Satsuki giggled. On the other hand, Mee tugged at my robe. ''So William, are you happy to be popular with Mee and the others? ''............ Well, I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t happy about that. ''Yay! ''Yay! Satsuki and Mee clapped their hands together and seemed to be enjoying themselves. ...... I don''t know how to react to this situation. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''Oh, yeah. You didn''t really do anything this time, did you ......? ''Hiccup,......! I''m sorry. ...... I''m sorry. ...... I''ll do anything to make up for this. ...... You can punish me, don''t abandon me. Don''t abandon me. ...... I''d rather be punished. ......'' ''Oh, I see. You seem to be very emotionally unstable right now, so we can talk about this another time if you need to.'' Cyril, who had become completely childlike, combined with his appearance, seemed to be in some way very dangerous. 139-CHAPTER 138 After we finished killing the rockworms, we returned to the tunnel and headed back to the city. We climbed up the well-like vertical ladder and went outside, where we were bathed in the soft sunlight of the late afternoon. I felt as if I had been diving for a long time, but in reality it was probably only a few hours. When I think of the current time, I remember that I haven''t eaten lunch yet, and I suddenly start to feel hungry, which is strange. ''Mmmm ......! It''s finally outside! It''s always best under the sun, isn''t it? Satsuki is stretching and enjoying the fresh air. She seems to be in a good mood. After all, when Satsuki is cheerful, the mood of the party becomes brighter. For better or worse, she is a mood maker. ''Yes, sir. I don''t want to go down the narrow tunnel again for a while. ...... Now that that''s out of the way, what are you going to do about it? She points to the entrance of the tunnel. Satsuki and I also looked in that direction. It''s not like there''s anyone there. It''s down there. Satsuki walks carelessly to the entrance of the tunnel and peers into the bottom from there. ''Hey, Sirilu! How long are you going to sit there? Let''s go home. Mi and I also went over and peeked in, and saw a girl in priest''s robes sitting at the bottom of the pit, holding her knees. From the bottom of the hole, she utters a few words in a dark, undead-like voice. ''...... It''s okay. I don''t deserve to be with you anymore. Leave this scum alone and find a better Priestess (Holy Order). I''m going to end up here and dry up. ......'' The beautiful girl at the bottom of the pit radiated a tremendous negative aura. If she was riding on a wagon, she would be sold in a slave market in some city. Incidentally, she had said earlier that she would do anything for me, but now she wanted me to leave her alone, so perhaps I shouldn''t assume that she meant anything by what she said. It would be better to conclude that she is just genuinely depressed. In the first place, the fact that she has followed you this far and is just before the exit, clearly shows that she wants to be left alone. My sadistic curiosity wonders how she will react if I leave her like this and go home, but I don''t want to give her any more psychological damage because it might really break her. ''I mean, why is Cyril like that? ''Well, he seems to be depressed because he thinks he''s a scum for not helping the party to complete the quest. To be honest, Mee didn''t do much this time either, but she said something about it being a matter of will, not results.'''' ''Hmm. That''s a lot to take care of. You shouldn''t have to worry about that. ''That''s something Satsuki shouldn''t have said after she was so beaten up yesterday. Satsuki and Mee are talking like that. Cyril''s behavior is probably a reflection of his strong sense of responsibility, but he seems to have regressed into infantile regression because he can''t stand the gap between that and the way he is in reality. I let out a sigh. ''I have no choice. I''ll go. ''I''ll go, Will, what are you going to do? It doesn''t look like it''s going to move even with leverage. ''Well. I''m just going to try like I''m nursing a child. I climbed down the ladder I had just climbed. When I reached the bottom of the pit, I stood in front of Cyril who was hugging his knees and patted his head. ''Cyril. It''s okay, don''t worry about it. Do you think your friends are so narrow-minded?'' ''Ugh ......, but I ...... am the worst .......'' Cyril looked up at me with his eyes full of tears. The trouble is, he looks so cute. However, the fact remains that it is troubling, so I will try to weave in a joke here. ''Hmm ......, if you want, Cyril, I can rub your breasts for you.'' ''Gosh,......, you can''t do that to me,............, yes?'' Cyril tilted his head. More voices came down from above his head. ''Huh? ......Hey, I think I just heard Will''s voice in my head. ......'' ''I don''t think I heard it. I heard it from Mee too. ......What did you just say, William? ......'' There was a very subtle feeling in the air. I cleared my throat. ''I said I''d give you a breast massage...'' No, it was just a joke, I didn''t mean it. You see, when Satsuki was depressed, Cyril was talking about crime and punishment. I used that as a hint. ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' The atmosphere froze. There was no response. Or perhaps it is more appropriate to say that the place froze. I felt as if the temperature had dropped several degrees. ''...... William'' I heard Mee''s voice from above. I looked up and saw Mee shaking her head with a sad expression. ''William''s sense of jokes is devastating. And today, it''s been updated even further.'' ''Will, you can''t do that. Come on, come on, come on, come on. ''Oh, yes, yes. ...... William, don''t look up, okay? ''Oh, yeah. ......'' For some reason, Cyril regained his composure and climbed up the ladder, and soon the three girls were quickly leaving the place, chatting amongst themselves. I was left alone at the bottom of the pit. ''...... I don''t understand. I muttered. Since Cyril has recovered, should I consider this a good result? I scratched my head and climbed up the ladder of the pit again. After we finished killing the rockworms, we returned to the tunnel and headed back to the city. We climbed up the well-like vertical ladder and went outside, where we were bathed in the soft sunlight of the late afternoon. I felt as if I had been diving for a long time, but in reality it was probably only a few hours. When I think of the current time, I remember that I haven''t eaten lunch yet, and I suddenly start to feel hungry, which is strange. ''Mmmm ......! It''s finally outside! It''s always best under the sun, isn''t it? Satsuki is stretching and enjoying the fresh air. She seems to be in a good mood. After all, when Satsuki is cheerful, the mood of the party becomes brighter. For better or worse, she is a mood maker. ''Yes, sir. I don''t want to go down the narrow tunnel again for a while. ...... Now that that''s out of the way, what are you going to do about it? She points to the entrance of the tunnel. Satsuki and I also looked in that direction. It''s not like there''s anyone there. It''s down there. Satsuki walks carelessly to the entrance of the tunnel and peers into the bottom from there. ''Hey, Sirilu! How long are you going to sit there? Let''s go home. Mi and I also went over and peeked in, and saw a girl in priest''s robes sitting on her knees at the bottom of the pit. From the bottom of the hole, she utters a few words in a dark, undead-like voice. ''...... It''s okay. I don''t deserve to be with you anymore. Leave this scum alone and find a better Priestess (Holy Order). I''m going to end up here and dry up. ......'' The beautiful girl at the bottom of the pit radiated a tremendous negative aura. If she was riding on a wagon, she would be sold in a slave market in some city. Incidentally, she had said earlier that she would do anything for me, but now she wanted me to leave her alone, so perhaps I shouldn''t assume that she meant anything by what she said. It would be better to conclude that she is just genuinely depressed. In the first place, the fact that she has followed you this far and is just before the exit, clearly shows that she wants to be left alone. My sadistic curiosity wonders how she will react if I leave her like this and go home, but I don''t want to give her any more psychological damage because it might really break her. ''I mean, why is Cyril like that? ''Well, he seems to be depressed because he thinks he''s a scum for not helping the party to complete the quest. To be honest, Mee didn''t do much this time either, but she said something about it being a matter of will, not results.'''' ''Hmm. That''s a lot to take care of. You shouldn''t have to worry about that. ''That''s something Satsuki shouldn''t have said after she was so beaten up yesterday. Satsuki and Mee are talking like that. Cyril''s behavior is probably a reflection of his strong sense of responsibility, but he seems to have regressed into infantile regression because he can''t stand the gap between that and the way he is in reality. I let out a sigh. ''I have no choice. I''ll go. ''I''ll go, Will, what are you going to do? It doesn''t look like it''s going to move even with leverage. ''Well. I''m just going to try like I''m nursing a child. I climbed down the ladder I had just climbed. When I reached the bottom of the pit, I stood in front of Cyril, who was huddled in his knees, and patted his head. ''Cyril. It''s okay, don''t worry about it. Do you think your friends are so narrow-minded?'' ''Ugh ......, but I ...... am the worst .......'' Cyril looked up at me with his eyes full of tears. The trouble is, he looks so cute. However, the fact remains that it is troubling, so I will try to weave in a joke here. ''Hmm ......, if you want, Cyril, I can rub your breasts for you.'' ''Gosh,......, you can''t do that to me,............, yes?'' Cyril tilted his head. More voices came down from above his head. ''Huh? ......Hey, I think I just heard Will''s voice in my head. ......'' ''I don''t think I heard it. I heard it from Mee too. ......What did you just say, William? ......'' There was a very subtle feeling in the air. I cleared my throat. ''I said I''d give you a breast massage...'' No, it was just a joke, I didn''t mean it. You see, when Satsuki was depressed, Cyril was talking about crime and punishment. I used that as a hint. ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' The atmosphere froze. There was no response. Or perhaps it is more appropriate to say that the place froze. I felt as if the temperature had dropped several degrees. ''...... William'' I heard Mee''s voice from above. I looked up and saw Mee shaking her head with a sad expression. ''William''s sense of jokes is devastating. And today, it''s been updated even further.'' ''Will, you can''t do that. Come on, come on, come on, come on. ''Oh, yes, yes. ...... William, don''t look up, okay? ''Oh, yeah. ......'' For some reason, Cyril regained his composure and climbed up the ladder, and soon the three girls were quickly leaving the place, chatting amongst themselves. I was left alone at the bottom of the pit. ''...... I don''t understand. I muttered. Since Cyril has recovered, should I consider this a good result? I scratched my head and climbed up the ladder of the pit again. 140-Chapter 139 After we finished killing the Rockworm, we returned to the city and went to the mayor''s mansion to report the incident, and after confirming the facts, we received our reward. Glenn and Cecilia were also present at the report. After receiving the reward, I was invited to a bar by Glenn. I wondered what was so sad that I had to drink with this man, but I thought it would not be a bad idea to listen to someone with different values for the sake of learning later, so I accepted the invitation. Then I went to the tavern and had a chat with him. At Glenn''s request, we parted ways with the women, including Cecilia, and talked about drinking with just the two men. The bar that Glenn invited us to was one of the most expensive bars in the mining city of Novan, and Glenn ordered an astonishing amount of the most expensive food and drinks on the menu. Even though there were only two of us, we ordered so much food that it filled a table for four. I, on the other hand, just ordered a few drinks and some light snacks. Seeing this, Glenn muttered, ''I don''t like it when a man of your stature shows such smallness,'' while he went on munching away at his food and drinks. In the midst of this, Glenn and I had a conversation. We talked about many things. One of them, for example, went something like this. ''William, have you eaten any of those three women yet? Glenn asks me as he devours a steak. I think he means Satsuki, Mee and Cyril by those three. I reply, feeling a little uncomfortable. ''I understand what you''re saying, but first of all, stop using the word ''eat''. It''s disrespectful to women.'' ''You''re being so nit-picky about something that doesn''t matter. So, what do you think? You''re not holding anyone? ''Yes, that''s right. And I don''t intend to do so in the future. ''So, you''re a homos*xual? Just so you know, I have no intention of doing so.'' ''No, I''m not. I have desires and aspirations for the opposite s*x, but they just don''t match my goals. I still want to continue being an adventurer. ''Why don''t you embrace it and continue? What''s the problem? By the way, this man seems to be having an affair with Cecilia. ...... If you go into that area too deeply, you''ll hear even more unpleasant things. I''ll avoid leading the conversation in that direction, and move it in another direction. ''You seem to think that it''s natural to seek physical contact with the opposite s*x if you find them attractive, but I don''t think so. We''re all human beings, and the most important thing is to respect each other. ''It is the natural order of things for a man to want to hold a good woman. A powerful man will embrace a beautiful woman. Women also want to be embraced by strong men. What''s the problem?'' ''The problem is you''re expanding the subject. I don''t blame you for feeling the way you do, and if there are women out there who like you, you can''t deny that. But no matter how powerful you are, there are still many people who find you offensive. Don''t trample on the dignity of others. ''Respect, dignity, all those fancy words. But, I don''t know if you''re mistaken, but I''ve never forced myself on a woman who didn''t want to be with me. I don''t know how many women I''ve slept with, hino, funo, mino ......, but all of them have done it because they wanted to. Does that mean I''ve violated their dignity? ''No, that''s fine. If that''s true, then I may have misjudged you a bit. But what about all those women you said you''ve interacted with in the past? ''Oh, I didn''t like ...... them anymore, so I gave them enough money and broke up with them. The persistent ones would have backed off if you''d threatened to punch a wall around them. ''...... I take back what I said. I don''t think I''m going to be able to tolerate you.'' ''Wait, wait, don''t look at me like that. You don''t have a choice. It''s not that I didn''t love you from the start. It''s just that feelings change.'' ''...... I see. I''m not in a position to blame you for that either.'' ''Oh, that sounds like an interesting story. Let''s hear it.'' Glenn leans forward. I look around to make sure that Satsuki and the others are not there. ''...... No, it''s nothing interesting. It''s just that Satsuki, Cyril, or even Mee, their charms sometimes move me. It may be difficult for a man to love one person of the opposite s*x all the time. ''Hahaha, "for a man". You''re making the subject bigger than it should be. ''Mmm......, well... You''re right. That was a miscommunication. ''Yuck ......, but I feel a little better. Even if you''re the kind of person who walks around with a beautiful dress on, you''re still a human being. ''You know, Cecilia said something similar about beautiful people wearing clothes. But I''m not like that. I''m more selfish. ...... Still, I think I''m about a hundred times better than you. ''Selfish, you say. What''s the fun in life if you don''t do what you want? I don''t understand people like you who live their lives with ethics and morals strapped to them. ''You have a point. But when it goes too far, like yours, it''s a problem. And that kind of person is excluded from society. I''ll tell you right now, if a few gears had shifted, I''d have tried to wipe you off the face of the earth.'' ''Oh, that''s scary. I thought you were a flower garden in your head, but you''re more of a realist than I thought. Now I see.'' ''Yeah. I''m not foolish enough to think that idealism alone can solve all problems. But I''m also relieved that it won''t come to that. I really don''t want to get my hands dirty if I can help it. ''I see. You''re funny. You''ve earned my trust.'' ''I see. And so the conversation proceeded in this fashion. There were some fresh discoveries in the dialogue with someone whose values were very different from mine. However, it also reaffirmed our understanding that we do not understand each other. After talking for about two hours, the meeting came to an end and Glen and I parted ways. We didn''t feel any particular emotion towards each other, and I just said ''Yeah'' to Glenn as he said ''See you'' and left outside the bar. Then I headed for the meeting place with Satsuki and the three others. Then, at the meeting place, in front of the fountain, there were three people with worried faces. ''Will, are you okay? Satsuki came running up to me and said so. But as for me, I can only tilt my head. ''...... What do you mean, you''re okay? ''No, it''s just that ...... the thought of William drinking alone with that animal made me worry about a lot of things. ......'' ''It would have been better if Mee and the others had stopped him first. I''m glad to hear you''re okay. I didn''t get the point of Cyril and Mee''s story. Well, I guess it''s nothing to worry about. Anyway... ''Well, Will. Now it''s our turn. Satsuki took my hand and pulled me along. Cyril and Mee are walking ahead of me, leading me in a certain direction. ''Wait, what do you mean it''s your turn...'' Even though I said that, I just kind of wandered along with them as they led me. I had been drinking with Glenn, so I was a bit drunk myself. Then, Mee, who was walking in front of me, turned around and smiled at me. ''Have you forgotten already, William? Mee said. ''When this adventure is over, Mee and her friends are going to play too. ''Oh, ......''. I seem to remember there being a story about that. But what is the game? ....... However, as Satsuki pulled me along, I had no particular motive or intention to resist, so I followed their lead and walked under the sunset sky of the city of Novan. 141-Episode 140 Satsuki and the others took us to a high-class inn called "Shirotori no Tsubasa-tei", where we stayed yesterday. It seemed a little too luxurious to stay there two days in a row, but the three of them walked in without a care and checked in the four of us including me. Moreover... ''...... Hey, wait Satsuki. Didn''t you just get a room for the four of us? ''Hmm, that''s right. It''s always lonely when Will is in a separate room. You don''t have to worry about paying for the room today. It''s on the three of us. He''s always been so good to us. We just thought we should return the favor once in a while. ''No, wait, wait. There''s something wrong. ''Hee hee hee. It''s okay, it''s okay. Satsuki ignored my protests and forcefully dragged me to my room. Mee and Cyril don''t say anything in particular, but that also means that they approve of Satsuki''s behavior. Perhaps they have already agreed in advance. They arrived at the room with Satsuki taking them by the hand. It was a spacious room for four people, with four beds in the back. ''Oh, I''m so tired! Satsuki let go of my hand, went to the back of the room, unloaded her sword and all her belongings, and dove straight into the bed. She lounged comfortably on the mattress. Mee and Cyril also set up their own beds and took their positions. All three of them are relaxing. I was the one standing alone among them. Cyril sees this and calls out to me. ''Why don''t you come over here and relax, William? Her voice was a little hoarse. Her cheeks also seemed to be reddening. ''Will~, you can sit next to me if you want. Here, here.'' Satsuki said, and patted her own bed, the one she was lying on. She seems to be completely natural, unlike Cyril, which makes me want to say wait a minute. ...... Is this what Mee was talking about when she said she was going to play the game? That''s all I can think of. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Cyril, you''re being too conscious. Did you forget that I told you that it was fine to act as you normally do? ''Yes, you said that, but it''s not that easy ...... when it comes to this.'' ''It''s not that I''m going to do anything shady. Also, Satsuki, you should be a little more careful.'' ''What, because you said it was fine as usual. ''Satsuki has too many problems with her normal life. It seems that Mee is the one in charge here. I ask her. ''Mee, what''s the meaning of this? I need an explanation of your intentions and such. I''m a little confused. ''Hmm, an explanation? I don''t really have anything to explain. It''s just that we''re going to spend today in the same room. ''No, you say we''re just going to spend the day together, but there are many problems with a man and a woman sharing a room at an inn. ''Is that so? For example, if it''s a family, it''s not strange for a father and mother to share a room, right? ''...... Well, that''s true. ''It''s also normal for lovers and couples.'' ''Mmm...... no, but in that case, the possibility of an affair is a prerequisite.'' ''What? ...... Huh? It''s true. I''m going back to my family. I''m going back to my family. ''Okay, okay.'' Apparently, ...... is a project full of holes. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, it''s possible you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on the web. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s all about what Satsuki said earlier. ''What do you mean by that? ''It''s that William gets lonely when he''s alone. I don''t want to be the only one at the party.'' ''Oh.'' I see, I understand the direction of your thinking. It is true that the idea of a man and a woman sharing a room, i.e. having an affair, may have been a little too conventional. ''Family: ......'' On the other hand, the words reminded me of my own family. His father, James Glenford. A man of great intellect and ability. I don''t know when I stopped feeling the warmth of family in that man. His mother, Felicia Glenford. My mother, who had seemingly contradictory elements of generosity, extravagance, and rationality contained within her own person without contradiction. I think that she gave me approximately everything that we generally imagine when we call a family. I''m not sure if I should think of it as being like when I''m with my ...... mother. It seems to be quite difficult to imagine... ''Okay, let''s think about it that way. That''s what I tell Mee. Well, it''s impossible to think of her as a mother, so you imagine that she would treat you like this if you had a family member who was closer to her in age, such as a brother. That made a lot of sense to me. I decided to take the remaining bed as my home base, unpacked my things and took a breath. ''Phew ......''. Well, it''s not unsettling. Especially if you don''t think of them as the opposite s*x. As I do so, Satsuki comes towards me and takes my hand again. ''Will, let''s go to the hot spring! Yesterday was ruined by Glenn''s bastard. Let''s have a relaxing time this time. ''I see. That''s true. It''s true that we didn''t feel very relaxed yesterday, despite the fact that we were staying at a high-class inn. I can understand that you want to start over again. ''But considering that we''re a family, I wonder if it''s appropriate for men and women to take a bath together at this age. ''Hmm, I guess so. If they were close siblings, it would be possible, right? ''...... What''s with the sibling rituals? ''No, no, no, no! I''m going to take a bath with Will~! I''m going to take a bath with Will and make out with him! Satsuki began to act in a way I couldn''t understand. When I looked at Mee, she was shaking her head as if she had a headache. It seems that Satsuki''s behavior is not under Mie''s control. I let out a sigh. ''...... Well, since I accompanied you yesterday, I don''t think it''s too late for us to bathe together again. I also enjoyed bathing with Satsuki and the others yesterday. ''Yay! Hot springs with Will... hot springs again...'' Satsuki started to jump up and down. It''s a bit bewildering to be adored so much. What is it that drives her so much? ''Well, it''s settled then. Let''s start with the bath. Mee took charge, and we all headed for the bath. We all went to the bathhouse. Then, just like yesterday, the four of us soaked in the hot spring and relaxed. As usual, it was practically a private bath. What was different from yesterday was that there were no unnecessary intruders. Incidentally, there was a scene at the bathhouse. When I rejected Satsuki''s wish to make out with me... ''Oh well... I''ll just put up with Cyril then. I''ve always wanted to rub your big tits. ''What, ......? Wait, Satsuki, what are you doing ......? ''Hee hee, your sister has nice tits. Come on, get ready! ''Hey, stop, stop, stop, stop, ......! ''...... What are you doing in front of William? There was a time when I solemnly ran away to wash my body because such a scene that should not be seen began to unfold. Since I am a healthy boy, I hope you will not tempt me too carelessly. Despite all this, we finished bathing safely. I think Satsuki was carrying the limp Cyril, saying ''I must have overdone it'', but I decided to pretend that I hadn''t witnessed it. 142-Chapter 141 (Part III Epilogue) , . . , . , . '' , . , , '' . , . . , . , . '' , . , . '' , . . , , . , . '' , . . , , . '' '' '' , , . , , . , . , . '' . '' , . , . , , . , , . , . '' , , '' , , . . , , . , , . , . '' , '' , , . '' . . , '' . , . , . , . , . '' , '' , . . , . . , , . , . , . , , . , , . , , , . , . , . '' . , . , , . , '' . , . , . , . , . '' , . , . , '' . , . , . , , . , . , . , , . , , , . , . . . , . , , . '' , , , , , . '' , . . . . They were all frozen in place. The first one to move was Mie. She quickly moved away from me and began to rummage through my luggage bag. She took out a medium-sized hand mirror used for contact spells, and bared her fangs at the mirror''s surface. ''Oh no! Eileen, what bad luck you have! ''What, Mee-chan? What''s wrong, are you mad? I''m not sure what''s going on. I''d like you to take over for me if you are. ''Tsk, okay. Just remember, it''s a moonless night. ''Yeah, ...... what''s ......''. It was apparently Irene, who had contacted him from a remote location using a contact spell. The spell of contact, which connects a special hand mirror with magical power, can naturally make you the receiver. He probably had one of the court magicians in the royal castle use the contact spell. I''ve given Irene the number of my hand mirror, so it''s not strange for her to contact me. ....... ''Yes, William. ''Oh, yeah. I take the hand mirror from Mee. She then trotted over to her bed, dived into it, and buried herself in it. She buried her face in the pillow, and her figure looked like a white burnt-out ash. I looked aside and turned toward the mirror. There, I saw the reflection of a boyish-looking girl with short-cut silver hair, my childhood friend and the princess of this country, Irene Greylord. ''Oh, Will! I''m sorry, it''s so late at night. ''Oh, that''s fine. Is it urgent?'' ''Yeah, yeah. I''m in trouble. Irene paused for a breath and then said. ''It seems that the king of the demon race, the Demon King, has appeared in this land. All of King''s Landing is in an uproar. That''s why I need your help, Will... to defeat the Demon Lord. What she told me was exactly what I hadn''t heard before. 143-Chapter 142 I was flying. Not by my magic. I was astride the back of a giant creature. The creature was flying powerfully, tearing through the sky, above the majestic landscape, with the wind whistling through it. The creature flaps its scorching wings with a single flap. A shimmering glow of magical power danced from its wings, lifting the creature''s massive body into the air. With its bright red scales, the creature''s reptilian appearance could not be mistaken for anything else. A dragon. I was flying on the back of a dragon. ''Hey, Will~'' Then a familiar voice. I turned around and saw the girl behind me. A dark-haired girl dressed in a kimono hakama. When I asked her what she was doing, she shook me and said something like this. ''Will, it''s time for you to get up. Get up or I''ll kiss you. ...... Wake up? What the hell are you talking about? I try to say it, but I can''t get it out. Then you realize. Oh, okay, this is... I''m out of the dream world, and I''m awake. ''Are you sure, Will~, I''m really going to kiss you~. Mmmm. ......'' ''How can it be okay? I pushed Satsuki, who was trying to cover me, away with my hand. ''Kyan! Satsuki rolled over and fell off the bed. I lifted myself up from the bed where I had been sleeping. It was a room in an inn. It was an ordinary room with nothing but a bed, a desk, a chair, a wardrobe, a wall lamp and a window. Seeing this scene, you are pulled back from the fantasy of your dream to reality at once. Anyway... ''...... What are you doing, Satsuki? ''Oh, good morning, Will. The girl who tumbled out of bed gave me a lopsided smile. She was wearing a sky-blue kimono and hakama, and had a sword on her hip, a weapon unique to samurai. Her ponytailed black hair and eyes of the same color indicated that she was from a faraway land in the east. This is Satsuki, my fellow adventurer. She is an excellent swordswoman, and has recently improved her skills even further. As a companion, he is very reliable. But that doesn''t mean that this situation is normal. This is not a ''good morning''. This is supposed to be my room.'' ''Because it''s already noon. And the room was unlocked when I came to call for you. But it''s unusual for Will to sleep in. ''Mmm ......, you slept until that time? By the way, did you stay up all night last night? The scrolls I received in my last adventure were so interesting that I got carried away when I started reading them. I finally succumbed to sleepiness late at night and went to bed in a daze, which is probably why I forgot to lock my door. I am sorry for my lack of self-control, but ....... I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''No, no. I''m kidding. I''m just kidding. You wouldn''t really do that. ''............'' ''......Oh, no, I was watching ......Will''s sleeping face, and I got carried away. ......I gave in to my weak heart, I guess. ......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. It''s all ....... ''Well, it''s my fault for forgetting to lock the door to my room. Let''s consider ourselves lucky that it was Satsuki who came into the room and not the thief. ''Yes, yes. I''m the goddess of luck! Ouch. I lightly hit Satsuki''s head with the tip of my cane and kicked her out of the room, then I prepared for the morning. But even though I was preparing for the morning, I opened the window and looked outside to see that the sun was indeed shining directly above me, and there was no doubt that it was just before noon. ''...... I''m sorry I made you wait so long to leave. I have to apologize to Mee and Cyril. I left the room talking to myself and headed downstairs where my friends were waiting for me. * * * * * ''It''s unusual for William to be a sleepyhead. ''Yes, sir. Mee thought that regularity was William''s hobby. They walked down to the dining room on the first floor, where Satsuki and two others were waiting at a round table for four. They were Cyril, a Holy Order girl, and Mee, a thief and a beast girl. ''Oh, I''m sorry for keeping you waiting. The scrolls I started reading were so interesting that I stayed up too late, and that''s why I lost. ''Hmm. I guess it''s typical of William to stay up late reading. I''m pretty sure that scroll was given to you by that guy during your last adventure, right? Cyril says and offers me a seat. I followed her advice and took a seat at the same table as the girls. Cyril, a Priestess (Holy Order), is a beautiful girl with a maternal silhouette wrapped in a white priestly robe. Her platinum blonde hair is kept semi-short, and her purple eyes have a glint of intelligence in them. She must have been seventeen years old, the same age as me, but her soft smile and gestures gave me the impression of an older sister. In my last adventure, I also caught a glimpse of her infant-like side. ....... ''Oh, that''s it. To my surprise, the contents of the book overlapped with the topics I was researching when I was a student at the Academy of Magic. I was absorbed in reading it. ''Ah, I see. I can see William devouring it like a boy. It was the beast girl, Mee, who added her voice. She has the small frame of a human child, and wears clothes that emphasize the ease of movement typical of a thief, with a dagger in her waist belt on each side. The hairy cat ears on her head, the tail sprouting from her buttocks, and the double-teeth glimpsed in her mouth, expressed the girl''s loveliness to the fullest extent. I replied frankly to her. ''I''m embarrassed to say that you''re right. I couldn''t stop the excitement of reading it. Maybe that excitement is what led to my dream this morning. ''...... hmm? Is it a dream? What kind of dream?'' ''What dream ...... do you remember is the sight of flying on the back of a dragon. I feel like a child. ''Oh, on a dragon. That could be a prophetic dream. Satsuki, who interrupted our conversation, laughed at me. I can''t help but imagine it. A premonition: ...... No, seriously, that''s impossible. A dragon is said to be the king of all magical beasts and the top of all living things. It''s also a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. Well, there are countries in the world that have dragon knights. It is said that they tame infant dragons of five or six meters in length by secret means and ride them in battle. But that''s the exception to the rule. In addition, I have never heard of flying on the back of a large dragon like I have seen in my dreams, only in the world of fairy tales. If anything, it would be more appropriate to say that dragons are hostile to us adventurers. Even so, they''re not the kind of enemy a young party of E rank adventurers like us should be dealing with. ....... What''s more. It seems that we now have a fearsome enemy that we need to deal with before the dragon. ...... The reason why I say ''apparently'' is because we are on our way to the royal capital to hear more about it. ''Well, that''s fine. If you''re awake, we''ll head for King''s Landing as soon as possible. The ''demon king'' that Irene was talking about, that''s a big deal, isn''t it? Mee said and jumped out of her seat. You''re leaving early. I woke up and felt a little hungry, but it was my fault for oversleeping. I can''t cause any more trouble for everyone. ''Oh. It''s so important that it''s a wonder we''re even in the loop. At least they''re not lying about the fact that they''re going to give us a well-paying job.'' With that, I was about to stand up, but then... Ugh. ....... I heard a slight growl of hunger in my stomach. Cyril, who overheard it with a keen ear, smiled at me with genuine amusement. ''Oh, you''re a sleepyhead and now you''re a hungryhead? That''s really unusual for William.'' ''...... Sorry. Maybe it''s because I was so engrossed in reading the scrolls last night that I didn''t eat or drink.'' ''Well, it''s usually lunchtime. It still takes about half a day to get from this city to King''s Landing, right? Let''s get something to eat before we go. Everyone agreed with Satsuki''s suggestion. After having lunch at a reasonable restaurant, we started our journey to the capital, and arrived at the capital, Graceburg, at dinner time that day. 144-CHAPTER 143 Upon entering the capital, we first took lodgings for the day, finished dinner, and then headed for the royal castle. We walked along the central street as night fell, relying on the lights of the houses and the street lamps lit by the Light spell. ''Hey, Will. I know it''s a little late, but can I ask you something? In the middle of this, Satsuki, who was walking in front of me, suddenly turned her face toward me and said something like that. I had a bad feeling, but I asked her back. ''Oh, what is it? ''No, you know... why did we come to the capital? Gakun. I, Mee, and Cyril were tripped up. My bad premonition had come true. My elbow lightly poked Satsuki, who was walking next to me, as she quickly regained her composure. ''How did you manage to follow me here, Satsuki? ....... I was called here by Irene. ''Yes, yes, I remember that. It''s a magic that allows you to talk to the person you see in the mirror. ...... What was it? ''You mean contact? ''Oh yeah, that. That''s why the princess asked me to come to the capital, right? Even Satsuki seemed to remember that. A few days ago, we were in the mining city of Novan, where we received a call from Princess Irene. Using a contact spell to connect long distances using a magic mirror, she told us that she had a job to do and wanted us to come to the capital. So we spent a few days on the road to the capital. ''So, what don''t you understand, Satsuki? ''Well, there was a reason why you were called. I was wondering what it was.'' ''Are you talking about the Demon King? ''Oh, that''s it! That''s what I want to ask you, what is this ''Demon Lord''? ''...... I see. All right, I''ll explain. After Mee had sorted out the issues, I pulled out from my brain one of the things I had learned during my time at the magic academy in order to answer Satsuki''s question. Then I decided to explain it in order to make it as easy to understand as possible. ''Do you know anything about the demon race, Satsuki? ''Well, I don''t know much about them, but vaguely? They''re purple-skinned and pale, with fangs, horns and claws. ...... They''re pretty strong, aren''t they? The answer came back with a simple image. Well, in a way, you could say it was right on target. ''I guess that''s about it. In fact, the details of the demon race are still not well understood even from the standpoint of biology. So, I think it''s not a bad approach to talk about them based on their appearance image, their amazingness as monsters, and their habitat. ''Hmm ......, does that mean I''ve been praised? ''...... Well, yes, to put it very simply. ''Yes! I got a compliment from Will. ''............'' Satsuki begins to dance. Sometimes I worry about this girl who is beautiful and skilled with a sword, but who is very disappointing in other areas. ''...... Oh well. As Satsuki said, the demon tribe is a race that is said to live in a different world called the demon world. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. The skin color is purple to turquoise. That''s me. ''............. And as for its amazingness as a monster, the general assessment is that even the weakest common demon is equivalent to Monster Rank C.'' Monster rank C is the level of strength that an average party of adventurers with a certain amount of experience can manage to deal with one monster without any problems. It is one rank higher than the D-ranked Rockworm that I have defeated many times in the mining city of Norvan. It''s a little strong, but it''s not an opponent that you can''t beat by yourself. I think the Orc Lord, one rank below the Orc Emperor, is C rank? I can''t be too careful, but I can handle something like that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ''...... You know, Satsuki, please don''t use your ability as a standard. You should be aware that you''re a little bit uncommonly strong right now. ''......? Is that so? ''Yes. From the point of view of an ordinary person like me, a monster rank of C is an opponent that can only be tackled by several people in a group. I nodded my head to Cyril''s words. It''s true that if you think about things based on Satsuki''s current strength, things will go wrong. In my opinion, the current Satsuki is a B-rank adventurer. He is clearly one of the best adventurers in the world, and would be in the top 5%. Even Cyril, who says so above, has the ability to be an acolyte of the Holy Order, or even the deputy head of a temple in the city. He is not as ordinary as he says he is. He is not as ordinary as he says he is, and the same is true of the other member of his party, Mee. She is a skilled thief, and since she has been able to handle auras that strengthen her physical abilities, her fighting abilities have surpassed those of ordinary warriors. But even for these girls, if you look at their daily conversations... ''I''m sure Satsuki''s sword arm is sucking up all the nutrients that should be going into her diaper. It can''t be helped. ''Yes, yes. I''m too dumb for that...'' ''Wait a minute, isn''t that too much? ''And Cyril is being sucked by the tits.'' ''Oh ......! ...... Hey Mee, can you come to the confessional in the temple later? ...... What can I say? They are just ordinary beautiful girls who are having a very pleasant exchange. No, the expression ''ordinary beautiful girls'' is also a bit of a stretch, but for some reason they are actually all beautiful girls, so it can''t be helped. However, it is good that they are pleasant, but there is also a problem that the story does not progress. ''''I''m sorry, can I continue with the explanation? ''''''Oh, yes.'''''' I said a word, and all three of them became quiet. After confirming this, I resumed my explanation. ''''So, the demon race, as with any other race, naturally there are individual differences. Some of them are extremely powerful, but the "demon lord" refers to the most outstanding of these powerful individuals. I''m sure there are only a few demons of the demon lord class that have been confirmed to exist in the history of mankind. The three girls gulped at my words. Then Satsuki asked me fearfully. ''...... Well, isn''t that a pretty bad thing? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Then that demon king is ......''. I''m not sure what to do. In the event that the demon king appears in the country with his subordinate demon tribes, the small and medium-sized countries will be in danger of extinction, and even a country as large as the Grace Road Kingdom is expected to have a major impact on the tensions with neighboring countries, military and political levels. ''Whaaaaat? ...... Seriously, ...... why are we even trying to get involved in that ......?'' ''I don''t know that much. I''m on my way to the royal castle to find out. I''m on my way to the royal castle to ask that. ...... Do you have a better idea of the situation now, Satsuki? I asked, and Satsuki shook her head. Even Satsuki seemed to understand the magnitude of the situation after I explained it so far. No matter how strong Satsuki was as an individual, the appearance of the Demon King was not a problem on that level. But on the other hand, Mee raised a new question. But what does it mean that such a thing suddenly ''appears''? Or rather, what is the ''magic world''? It was a bit of a tricky question. I chose my words carefully and explained. ''I suppose I should answer ''I don''t know'' too. One of the most promising theories is that the demon world is a different world in a different phase from our world, and when the two worlds get closer than a certain level, there is a possibility of interference phenomena, or in other words, the transfer of materials and organisms from one world to the other...'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I don''t think it''s possible for Mee to understand. ''Mm......, I see.'' Mee gave up on understanding. In addition, Satsuki seemed to have something like a soul coming out of her wide open mouth. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m going to give you a more detailed explanation. Then Cyril, who had somehow been following the conversation, asked me a more in-depth question. ''Well, ......, are the demon tribes able to move freely between the demon world and our world? ''No, it''s considered impossible. So, if that theory is correct, the demon tribe that was sent to this world can also be said to be victims of interference phenomena. ''...... But even if that''s the case, if they don''t come peacefully, we''ll have to use force against them. ''That''s what I meant. And there is no example in history of a demon race taking a peaceful attitude toward humanity. At least, not as far as I''ve learned. As we walked along the streets at night, we eventually arrived in front of the royal castle. I told the gatekeeper guarding the gates of the castle that I had been summoned by Princess Irene to pay a visit. As I waited at the gate for a while, I saw a figure behind the gate of the castle, pacing through the courtyard. He was dressed in men''s clothes, with silver hair cut short, and looked like a beautiful boy or a beautiful girl. ''Thank you for coming, Will. And Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, too. Come on inside for now. I''ll talk to you in my room. With that, Irene, the princess of this country and a childhood friend of mine, led us through the courtyard towards the main building of the castle. The four of us followed her into the castle. 145-Episode 144 We were escorted to Irene''s private room on the third floor of the castle building, and the owner of the room suggested that we sit down on the long horizontal guest couch. While the butler, an elderly gentleman, served tea and tea cakes at a low table in front of us, Irene took a seat opposite me. As the butler bowed and left the room, the beautiful princess in male attire leaned forward slightly and began to speak. ''Well, let me get this straight. Will, I''d like you to come with me to ''Fire Dragon Mountain''. With her elbows on the table and her hands crossed in front of her, Irene said with a straightforward look in her eyes. But even if you push the atmosphere like that, it doesn''t make any difference that the story is too abrupt to understand. ''...... Wait, Irene. Why don''t you tell it to me in order? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''Oh, is that ......? Did I leave out too many pauses? ''That''s probably true. I thought you were going to talk about the Demon King, but suddenly you''re talking about the Fire Dragon Mountain. There''s too much context. The Fire Dragon Mountain is a rugged mountain located in the south of the royal capital, in a place that can only be reached after three days of walking. As the name implies, the mountain is said to be inhabited by a red dragon, and it is a place that even adventurers usually don''t even try to approach. ''Ah, uh, I see... ....... Then where should I start? ......'' ''Tell me in order from the beginning of the matter. You said that a demon king appeared, but where was the place where it was found, and what was the situation of its discovery? Please start with those things. ''Uh, yeah, okay. ...... Well, I''ve heard this story from others too. ......'' Then Irene began to talk about the origin of this incident. ****** It seems that it was a party of adventurers who first discovered the strange phenomenon. The adventurers were on a journey and stopped at a village. Or should I say, ''what used to be a village'' at that stage. What the adventurers saw was an appalling sight. It was almost night. There was not a single living soul in the place. There were just the corpses of cruelly murdered villagers lying here and there... I saw three figures standing in the middle of the dead bodies. Even though they were shadows, they were somewhat larger than normal humans and had sharp claws, fangs and horns. In other words, those three figures were all demons. But none of them were ''demon lords''. I don''t know if "ordinary" is the right word, but they were just ordinary demons. However, I think Will knows that demons are quite powerful, even the lowest level ones. A single demon, or even three of them, would be too much for a party of ordinary adventurers to contend with. So when the adventurers saw the scene, they rushed away from the scene. Fortunately, the demons didn''t notice them, and they succeeded in escaping. The adventuring party reported the incident to the Adventurer''s Guild. That information was passed on to us, the Knights of the Royal Capital, as a serious matter. Of course, we couldn''t leave the demon tribe that destroyed the village in our territory behind. The knights organized a strike force and sent it to the village. The ...... strike force was supposed to be more than enough. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you''ve got a little bit of a problem, you''ll be able to find a way to fix it. In fact, the strike team that arrived at the site easily defeated the three demons that they found there. So far, so good. However, when they were investigating the village further to make sure they were safe, they came across that person. He had apparently emerged from the building that had once belonged to the lord of the village, alone and unhurried. His appearance resembled that of a low-class demon, but his size was rather small, like a normal human. It has horns, fangs, and sharp claws just like ordinary demons. But he was wearing ice armor. Furthermore, there was a blizzard-like cold storm blowing around him. The strike team recognized him as a demon to be exterminated. Elvis, the court magician, immediately chanted a fireball spell and released it while he was still far away. But the fireball did not hit him. As the fireball was approaching, he held out his left hand in front of him. The ring he wore on the finger of his left hand glowed, and that was enough to drown out the fireball of the court magician Elvis. From there, the slaughter began. The demon approached at a frightening speed, and with incredible agility, it ducked through the hurrying knights, killing the court magician Elvis in a flash. In addition, he easily tortured and killed Bertram and the other knights who challenged him to battle, as if he were twisting the hands of a baby. His fighting style was like that of a martial arts master who had refined his skills to the ultimate level. The knights, whose morale had collapsed due to the sheer strength of the knight, ran away as fast as they could. Some of them somehow managed to escape, but one of them turned around as he ran away. And saw the scene. From the former lord''s mansion, more than ten, twenty or more demons had emerged. I''m not sure what to do. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. He was tentatively called the ''Demon King of Ice'' at the Order Conference. Also, the power that drowned out the fireball of the court magician Elvis. It''s believed that it''s not the power of the Ice Demon King himself, but rather the power of a magic item called the Ring of Extinction. I don''t know where he got it, but as long as it''s there, any direct magic won''t work. To sum it up, the Demon Lord has a tremendous physical fighting ability that makes him seem invincible, he has magic items that block magic, and he also has twenty demons under his command. Everyone was already scratching their heads. How are we supposed to defeat such a thing? Even if you send a hundred knights or a thousand soldiers to challenge him, they might just end up being slaughtered. At that time, the king''s father, who was participating in the meeting of the knights, said. ''All right, then, I''ll go to the Fire Dragon Mountain. I''ll get the dragons there to help me. But he''s pretty difficult to deal with, so if I die, you''ll have to find a suitable replacement. I''m sure the Ice Demon King has ice properties, so if magic doesn''t work, the dragon''s fire will, apparently. ...... There''s a lot of things to think about, isn''t there? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get there. Anyway... The Knights are fiercely opposed. You''re the king now. You should be aware of that. Of course. And then your father said. ''Then let my daughter go.'' I really thought he was an idiot. I wonder what he thinks of me. Well, I don''t mind that kind of thing either, so it''s okay. Of course, the Knights were opposed to this too, but your father overruled them by saying so and so. He said that we have the lives of the people in our hands, so we should do whatever we can, and that even if we send an envoy, we should at least send a daughter who has my blood in her veins. Anyway, that''s how it went down. Of course, they''re going to take a lot of other measures, but among them, getting the cooperation of the dragons is a trump card (joker). However, there''s no way they''re going to let me go to the Fire Dragon Mountain by myself, and on the other hand, they can''t just devote their limited resources to that... I''m sorry. ''So that''s why Will and the others were chosen. He said they were good enough, and more importantly, he could trust them. ...... I wonder, would you accept? ''...... I see. I get the gist of it. I heard about the reward, discussed it with Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, and decided to accept the request. The reward was more than enough, and I could easily imagine how much trouble it would be if we didn''t accept it, and since we had come all this way to accept the request, well, to put it bluntly, I couldn''t see any reason to refuse. If I had to say one thing, it would be that the level of danger is expected to be reasonably high... In any case, if Irene was going to go, I didn''t like the idea of her losing her life without my knowledge, so in a way I could kill two birds with one stone by escorting her while I watched her go. I sometimes wondered what she meant to me, but anyway, I thought that I could just go along with it this time. After that, we went to bed at the inn. The next morning, Irene and I met at the Adventurer''s Guild, and we set off for the Fire Dragon Mountain. 146-CHAPTER 145 , . , . , '' '' . , , , . , , . '' . , , , . '' . , . '' , . , '' '' . '' '' , . , '' , . , , . '' , . '' , . . '' , , . , '' , . , . '' , . '' ,'' , '' . , . '' , , . , '' '' . , , '' '' , . . . '' '' '' . , '' , . , . '' , . , . , . , . '' '' , . , , , . , . , . , . , . , , . '' . '' '' '' , . , , . , , . , . , , . , . , , . , . , , . , , , . '' , '' '' , . '' , , . . , , . , , , . , . , , . '' . '' , . '' , '' '' , . . '' , . . . , , . , . '' , . , '' '' . , '' , . . , . , , . , . , , , . But that said, it''s also too late to leave things completely up to intuition and wait until something happens. So... ''All right, let''s go with the compromise plan. I''ll start with a light jab with a spell. After that, Irene and Satsuki can go in and see what happens. Mee and Cyril will back them up. How''s that sound?'' I said, and Satsuki and Irene looked at each other. ''...... You''re still very careful, Will. I''ve always been a worrier. But it''s okay, if Will says so, I''m all for it. ''Oh, yeah, I''m okay with it, too. Irene and Satsuki smiled at me. Both Mee and Cyril agreed with my proposal. I feel that I am trusted by my friends. ''Okay, let''s get started. I pointed my sorcerer''s staff at the target, chanted a spell, and increased the magic power in my body. The spell I''ll use is a beginner spell, a magic missile. The four girls also lowered themselves to build up their spring and prepared to enter. And so, when the time was right, we began the battle. 147-CHAPTER 146 ''Magic Missile! From the shade of the grass, I pointed the tip of my wand at the target giant plant and cast a spell. Four glowing arrows of magic power appear in front of my staff, and they are shot out all at once. With a speed that could cut through the wind, the arrows of light headed toward their target. The Magic Missile spell is a basic offensive spell that is at the beginner level among the magic spells used by mages. Naturally, its power is moderate. At the same time, however, this spell has the feature that it can create multiple arrows at once and send them flying all at once when the level of the magician rises. Even if you create multiple arrows in this way, the power of each arrow remains the same and the amount of mana consumed is the same as one shot of the spell. Therefore, the cost performance of this spell is quite high if it is used by a high level magician. A wizard level magician can usually create three arrows, but now I can create four. The four arrows of light that I fired rushed in a straight line to the giant plant in question, partially exploding its stems, petals, and other parts here and there. The plant monsters, each with a fist-sized hole in its body, flailed their bodies and ivy as if in agony. But it wasn''t very fast. And it doesn''t have the kind of high magic defense that higher-ranked monsters have. It''s still not much of a monster... ''Okay, let''s go, Satsuki! ''Alright princess, I''ll take care of it in a second! Irene and Satsuki jumped out from behind the grass where they had been hiding. Both of them quickly drew their weapons, clothed their legs with aura, and headed towards the target plant monster with tremendous leg strength and speed, as if they could run several meters in one step. ''Are Mi and the others going too? ''In a manner of speaking. I don''t think I''ll be able to use it. Mee, who had a dagger in her hand, and Cyril, who had a mace drawn, followed the two vanguards and jumped out. Good. I guess we''ll just have to wait and see what happens. With that in mind, I kept my eyes on the situation, but... And then... The body of the giant plant, which had been moving sluggishly for a long time, suddenly took on a peach-colored aura ( ). Then... When I saw it, I was so surprised that my heart almost burst. That thing...! I hurriedly stood up from the shade of the grass. ''Wait! Eileen, Satsuki! That''s not good! ''''What? But the warning came one move too late. The two had already stepped into the giant plant''s dominant territory. The giant plant suddenly showed a quick movement that was unimaginable from the sluggishness it had just shown. And then... Whoa! From the depths of the open tulip-like flower, something that looked like pink pollen spat out. The pollen-like substance, which swept out from the flexible stem like a neck, attacked Irene and Satsuki, who were approaching from different angles. ''Whoa ......! I''m not sure if this is a poisonous ......? ''Geez, ......! d*mn, I inhaled that ......! Both of them stopped a few steps away from the giant plant and coughed up tears in their eyes. This is not good. ...... Is that poisonous ......? No, if that monster is the work of ''that ancient sorcerer'' I know, it''s hard to imagine it posing any direct danger to their lives. But that pollen, in a way, is likely to have the same properties as poison. In that case... ''Cyril! Neutralize it! ''Huh? Uh, yeah, I got it! Cyril, who had been surprised and confused by the situation, heard my words and started praying hurriedly. Neutralize is an intermediate level miracle, but as a Holy Order priest, Cyril should be able to use it with acolyte level abilities. ''William, are you in some kind of trouble? Are the two of you in trouble? Mee was also confused about the situation and seemed to be unable to get close to the plant monster. But it turned out to be right. ''Yeah, we''re in trouble! If I''m right, I don''t think their lives are in danger, but something else is in trouble! ''What about ......? What do you mean by that? ''I''ll explain more later! Anyway, Mee, stay away from that thing! You''ll end up like that again! ''Ha, ha, ...... I don''t know, but I understand.'' Mee tilted her head slightly, but accepted my opinion. All right, now that you''ve arranged for the neutralization, you''ve prevented any secondary damage to Mee. Now all that''s left is for me to destroy it with my spell. Now that Satsuki and Irene are close by, I can''t use the fireball spell, since it would engulf my allies in a wide area of fire. The best thing to do is to use magic missiles to kill them. But will that be enough? ......? In this situation, it was fortunate that I hit him with the opening shot, but... In the meantime, while I was thinking about it, the situation was progressing moment by moment. ''Ugh, what is this...... power is not coming out......! ''d*mn it,......, my body can''t move,.......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. And then... ''Stick to the ...... ivy, it''s getting tangled up in the ......! ''Stop ...... and let go ......! The two girl swordsmen were wrapped in the ivy of the giant plant and tied up. Then each of them was lifted up by the ivy while still bound and suspended in the air. And that''s not the end of the story. ''What the ......? Where did you come in here...? ''You idiot! Don''t come inside my kimono! Stop it, you pornographic plant! It''s started. ....... The ivy of the giant plant began to move in a more undulating and unpredictable manner. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. I can''t answer her question because I''m in the middle of chanting a spell, but in my mind I was thinking of the name of an ancient magician. It is said that there was an ancient magical civilization that was far superior to the modern one. Most of the details of that civilization, including the reasons for its demise, remain shrouded in a veil of mystery... However, there is a rare ancient magician for whom a great deal of historical records have been unearthed. The ancient sorcerer, named I. K. Pawn, is believed to have been driven by a single obsession in life, despite his immense magical power. And what is that? ...... Well, to put it bluntly, it was s*xual desire. He showed incredible persistence in realizing his own desires and devoted his life to that end. ...... In every age, men are foolish at their core. But what was unusual about him was that he did not seek straightforward s*xual intercourse with the opposite s*x. It is difficult to describe in a few words what it was that he sought. However, his philosophy is expressed in his ''works''. He used his profound understanding of magic to create a variety of monsters and magic items. All of them have the kind of power that can ''make a woman look like crap''. The monsters he created have a characteristic of being unusually powerful only against women, due to some kind of magical power. It is said that the ''peach-colored aura'' of the plant monsters is unique to the monsters he created, and only appears when a woman approaches. The monster with that aura suddenly shows incredible fighting power. This may be part of the creator''s philosophy, but it is said that no monster he created has ever threatened the life of a woman. So, I''m sure that Irene and Satsuki, who are currently being held, are not in any danger of death. ....... I''m not sure what to say. No, Will, don''t look at me. ......! ''Oh my god, help me Will! Enough! Stop it! ......!'' The two genius swordsmen were now in a very disgusting state. Incidentally, the sum total of their words means that they were given an absurd order to help me without looking. I understand the feeling, but unfortunately I think it is impossible. On the other hand, at that moment, Cyril''s prayer was finally completed. ''...Neutralize! Cyril raised his hammering mace and shouted with dignity, and the glow of God''s miracle poured down on Irene''s body. He couldn''t target both of them at the same time, so he thought he''d start with Irene. As the name implies, Neutralize has the effect of neutralizing the poison that has entered the body of the target and erasing it. And the term "poison" here does not refer only to lethal substances. The miracle of neutralization is that it is also effective against paralytic poisons and various other drugs that harm the normal state of the body. The pollen released by the plant monster is probably not a lethal poison, but probably has some kind of less-than-perfect effect, and neutralization will be effective against that as well. And as if to prove this, Irene, who was bathed in the light of Cyril''s cure... ''Hnnnngggghhh! she shouted forcefully. At the same time, she forcefully tore off the ivy that was tying her up, in one fell swoop. Irene, who had been suspended in midair, fell and landed with her athleticism like a four-legged beast. She then picked up the sword that was lying at her feet and stood up shakily. ''How dare you ...... humiliate me like this in front of Will ...... I''m really going to be angry about this...'' ...'' Not caring about her partially exposed clothes, Irene held up her sword. And then... ''I''ll kill you! I''ll never forgive this porn monster! I''ll kill you, kill you, kill you, kill you, kill you! While calling out words that sound like something a princess of a country should never say, Irene began to slash the giant plant monster to pieces. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ...... I don''t need any more magic missiles. Then, in front of the plant monster that was finally chopped up and stopped working, the girl who was covered in the plant''s bodily fluids like a return of blood... The girl who was bathed in the plant''s bodily fluids as if she were blood... ''Huh, huh, huh... ah, ha, ha, ha, ha! She looked up at the sky and laughed loudly. Seeing this, I thought that Irene was broken, but at the same time I was relieved that it hadn''t reached a critical stage. 148-CHAPTER 147 ''Gosh ...... gosh ...... I can''t get married anymore ......'' We were a party of five, making our way through the forest. There was one among us who was badly wounded. Satsuki. Unlike Irene, who was venting her anger, she had been beaten up, which made me feel even more pity for her. ''Well, well, well, Satsuki. I''m a victim along with you, aren''t I? I''m sure Will didn''t see it either. Right, Will? Irene was talking to me, but as for me... ''............''. ''Wait, ......? Will, don''t just shut up! I''m going to need you to talk to me! ''......'' ''No, I couldn''t lie to you. ''I knew you were watching me, Will! I was staring at you! Aaahhhh! Satsuki cries even harder. This is getting out of hand. ....... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. Of course, now that the miracle of neutralization has been applied to her, she is in a normal state. ....... I did not, of course, take a good look at her at that time, but I could see her without looking if I looked at the battle situation, and I even heard a very s*xy voice, and it is a fact that I had trouble directing my attention. In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, then you''re going to want to make sure that you get the most out of your business. ''U-ri-am? You should learn a little bit about delicacy. Cyril tightened his arms around my neck from behind. This is a sleeper hold, a technique found in bare-knuckle martial arts... ''Geez ......, give, give, give, give, Cyril ......! I''m going to hit Cyril''s waist with my hand as he hugs me from behind and tightens it up. It''s not so much that it''s painful, but the fact that her feminine body is so close to me that it''s very bad for my mental health. ....... When Cyril gently released me after I announced that I was giving up, I turned to her. ''Cyril, you''re the one who needs to learn a little bit of decency. ......! ''......? What do you mean? ''...... No, no, that''s okay. In any case, please refrain from using such techniques in the future. ''Hmm ......? William, you''re looking a little red... Yeah, that''s what I meant. Then Cyril brings his face closer and closer to mine. ''What''s that, Cyril ......? ''Hmmm, that''s what I thought. So here''s my answer. I really like to see you confused and pretty like that. Then Cyril smiles at me in a devilish, seductive, but also shameful way. I''m going to ...... have to go back to the rockworms and try to woo them again. And now Satsuki, with tears in her eyes, came up to Cyril. I''m not sure what to say. I''m the one who''s embarrassed, so why are you feeling so good about yourself? ''Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to. It just happened this way. If you want, Satsuki, you can watch too. He''s so cute right now.'' ''What? Cyril took Satsuki''s hand and pulled her towards him, then turned her around in front of his body and made her face me like a puppet doll. The teary-eyed Satsuki looked up at me, and my gaze met hers. It''s a little embarrassing, but ....... ''...... Will, cute ......''. ''...... No, you can''t say that now. I''d say that''s my line. I''m sorry to say this to Satsuki, but her childlike expression and teary eyes were very cute. The image of Satsuki''s s*xy figure was mixed with the image of her earlier, and I felt that a new charm of Satsuki was developed in my mind. On the other hand, it was my childhood friend who was watching us and puckering her mouth like a tropical fish. She didn''t say anything at the time, but when the agony was over, she poked me in the side with her elbow, and then secretly whispered in my ear. ''Will, you''ve become quite friendly with Cyril-san while I haven''t seen you for a while. It''s not cool to have your nose all up in the air. I''m embarrassed to be your childhood friend. ''...... I''m sorry. But you can''t tell me not to stretch my nose, you know. ''Oh, you''re so naughty. I''ve got a boy on me. You weren''t like that when you used to play with me, but now you''ve become so jaded. I guess I can''t help it. Besides, there''s a big difference between you and Cyril, when you were so naughty that I couldn''t tell if you were a boy or a girl. ''Oh, what''s that? That''s right, compared to Cyril-san, I may be as different as the Gloran Mountains and the Chimari Hills, but I''ve grown up a bit too! ''Oh, um, Irene, ......? I can hear you loud and clear. ......'' ''Hmm, William''s adultery theater is still going strong today. ''Adultery? What''s that all about? Mee-chan, Master Mee, please tell us more about it at ......! ''...... Mee, if you could avoid such disturbing expressions, that would be great. ...... I think it''s a good idea to start slamming things like this as soon as you notice them. I''ve been trying to refrain from acting in a way that would be very wrong for a human being, but I''ve often wondered why things have turned out the way they have. And then... I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Then she frowned slightly. ''...... Irene, I''m sorry, but it smells a little. ''What ......? When Irene herself sniffed her own arms, she also vomited, saying, ''Ew. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s wondering what''s going on here. I approached Irene and sniffed her out of curiosity, but even sniffing her from a short distance made me sick. It was a terrible stench, like a mixture of sweetness and decay. The smell quickly grew stronger and spread to the surroundings. The liquid on Irene''s clothes and hair seemed to have lost its moisture and was beginning to dry up. ''Maybe it''s the kind of liquid that stinks when it dries. ......'' ''Yeah, yeah! Whoa, don''t go away, guys! Even Will! That''s terrible! I stink too! ''Sorry, sorry. Why don''t you try dousing your head with water from a water bag first?'' ''Ugh, I''ll try that: ......'' Irene takes out a water bag containing drinking water from her luggage. She then opened the bag and poured the water into it over her head. The water is poured over her short-cut silver hair, which is covered with the scalding liquid, and soaks her entire body. When all the water in the water bag was poured over her, the girl shivered like a bathed dog. ''Ooooh, it''s cold ......, but I don''t know, I guess it''s a little better now ......''. Then he sniffed himself and said, ''Yes,'' which seemed to satisfy him. After a while, the smell that had been filling the air around us dissipated. ''It seems to have subsided somehow. ''Yeah. ...... But this is only a first aid, right? I''m sure you can''t even get rid of the stain on your clothes now, and it''ll be the same thing when it dries again. I guess. I''ll try to find a nearby water source, though it might be a bit of a side trip. I chant the Seek Water spell. This is a beginner spell that allows you to detect rivers, springs, and the like if they are nearby. There is also a spell called Create Water, but the amount of water that can be created with this spell is not very large. It is useful for securing enough water for drinking, but if you want to prepare enough water for bathing or washing, you will have to spend a lot of mana. Therefore, if you can find a natural source of water at a low cost, you should be able to do so. And the result of the Seek Water spell was... Bingo. Luckily, they had found a water source near their direction of travel. ''Found it. A place we can get to with very little detour. Let''s go.'' As I started to lead the way, Irene, who was following me, murmured. ''...... Really, Will is amazing, isn''t he? He can solve anything. If she said that, I would want to correct her because it was not true. ''No, of course, there''s no such thing as everything. For example, if you were to ask me to defeat the Demon Lord by myself, it would be an impossible order. ''That''s true, but... It means you can rely on me. Eileen chuckled happily. 149-CHAPTER 148 We walked along the path in the forest, stepping through the underbrush. The source of the water that the Seek Water spell had detected should be a little off to the side, straight ahead. Satsuki was getting her bearings, Eileen was sniffing her clothes from time to time, Mee was keeping a sharp eye on the surroundings, and Cyril, though not yet proficient, was keeping a serious eye on the surroundings. I, too, carefully walked forward, stepping firmly on the unstable footholds caused by overhanging tree roots. The group had been walking for a while when Mee suddenly said, "I''m here. Mee suddenly shouted a sharp warning. ''Stop, sir. ...... smells something.'' ''What? I don''t think so. I don''t feel it that much myself.'' Irene rushes to sniff herself, but Mee shakes her head. ''No, I don''t. I''m saying that I smell something dangerous. ...... I can''t quite put my finger on it, but my intuition is telling me that it''s not safe to go any further.'' Mee said, looking around more carefully. I followed her lead and looked around. But to my eyes, there seemed to be nothing unusual. The scenery was the same as before, colored with green and brown. If I had to say anything, it would be that the number of vines ( ) wrapped around the surrounding trees had increased slightly. There was no response to the alert spell, and it''s possible that Mee''s intuition might be off once in a while... No, wait... Vine plants ......? Maybe that''s... If that''s the case, then it stands to reason that my intuition wouldn''t be caught by an alert that requires me to sense a threat. ''...... Mee, have you ever heard of "Strangling Ivy", the Strangle Creeper monster? At my question, Mee, standing in front of me, twitches her cat ears and then turns her gaze toward me. ''A strangle creeper? I''ve never heard of it. What kind is it? Mi''s honest question. I responded by spewing out all the knowledge I had in my head. Strangle creepers are known as a type of plant monster, but it might not be appropriate to call them monsters. If anything, it is better to recognize it as a kind of trap. A strangle creeper is a type of vine ( ) that spreads ivy over a wide area. At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary, harmless plant that wraps itself around the surrounding trees and grows thickly. However, the strangle creeper, which thrives over a vast area, does not miss an organism that enters its dominant territory. As soon as its prey steps into its territory, the myriad ivy infestations begin to move like creatures with their own will, creeping up on its poor victims and wrapping around their bodies to strangle them. The usual cause of death for victims at the hands of a strangle creeper is asphyxiation by strangulation. The victim, whose arms and legs are bound by ivy, is strangled helplessly, usually for 30 seconds or so, and exhibits convulsive symptoms accompanied by dripping feces and urine, becomes comatose and stops breathing after about a minute, and dies after several minutes to several dozen minutes. The territory of a strangle creeper varies from individual to individual, but a standard size strangle creeper is said to cover an area of about 10 meters square. If one were to step into that territory, a living person would be strangled to death without a moment''s hesitation... In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ''...... I see. You''ll be able to find out the reason for the discomfort. The birdsong that had been coming from everywhere was no longer coming from this direction. And if you look closely, you''ll see that there are dead animals hidden in the grass and behind the trees. A rabbit, a deer, and is that a wolf? I looked at the place where Mee was pointing, but all I could see was a patch of grass. If you stare closely, it may look like what she says is lying there, but if the observant thief girl says so, it must be exactly what it is. When she thought about it, the scene in front of her suddenly seemed horrifying and a little frightening. She shrugged her shoulders and added, "Well, that''s not good. I nodded my head in agreement. Even though I knew that there was a nasty killer in front of me, if I didn''t go this way, I would have to make a very steep and troublesome detour. On the other hand, even if Irene and Satsuki tried to use their swords to cut through the ivy, there would be no end to it even if they cut down the ivy one by one. In addition, Irene and Satsuki, although they are skilled swordsmen, are not invincible. If they stepped into the Strangle Creeper''s territory, it was uncertain whether they would be able to completely handle the ivy that attacked them from all directions, and it was not hard to imagine that they would eventually collapse from exhaustion if they continued to stand around. If that''s the case... ''I think it''s best to do this here. I raised my wand on the spot and began chanting spells, increasing the magical power in my body. Then, after completing the Fireball spell, I threw the scorching ball of energy that I had created in front of me forward. The ball of magical power landed on the ground in front of him as if it were being sucked in... Do-go-go-go! The magic power turned into red flames and engulfed the area where the Strangle Creeper seemed to be thriving with explosive flames. When the flames ceased in an instant, a burning field of crackling sparks was created in a radius of about ten meters in front of them. We had no choice but to burn other objects as well, but it was unavoidable. Meanwhile, watching the collection of vines ( ) crumble into black charcoal, Mee muttered in dismay. ''Oh, you''re still as amazing as ever ........ With William around, it''s easy to take on such a nasty opponent. I put my hand on her head and ruffled her hair as she looked up at me. ''I guess it''s thanks to Mi that she noticed in advance. Otherwise, it would have been more serious. It''s all Mee''s fault. ''No, that''s not true ......! Meow, meow, meow, .......'' She squinted her eyes like a cat, her cheeks turning bright red and her cat ears twitching. She was still amazingly cute as ever. On the other hand, the other three who were watching the scene said.., ''''I like .......'''' All of them wagged their fingers and looked envious. I realized once again that we all have a hunger for approval. 150-CHAPTER 149 After passing through a small obstacle, a strangle creeper, we eventually arrived at the water source we were looking for. ''Oh, wow! That''s good, that''s good! ''That''s true. Wow, I''m glad we came here even without the smell! Satsuki and Irene started to smile and get excited. It was such a beautiful view. In front of us was a waterfall basin with splashing water. The water flowing down from the high, mossy rocks formed a large, clear pond underneath. The sound of birdsong harmonized with the sound of the cascading waterfall. The surrounding dense forest trees were generously sharing the late afternoon sunlight, as if they were giving up their space for this place. In addition, there was a good rocky area near the waterfall basin, which seemed to be a good place to take a rest. ''Hey, let''s have lunch here. I''m starving. That''s what Irene, our employer, said, so we decided to take a short rest there. But first... ''Irene, I think you''d better clean yourself up first. I tell her, and the silver-haired transvestite puffs out her cheeks. ''I know, I know. I''m going to wash my clothes and body, so please don''t peek at me. ''I''m not going to do that. I''ve seen you naked many times over the years.'' ''Oh, I''m not like that! I''m growing up! I''m growing up! ''Okay, okay. Go ahead and go. ''Mmmkay! All right, what do you want to see? You can watch, it''s Will anyway! Irene was about to start a striptease when she thought of something. Satsuki stops her with a choke hold. ''How, how! Calm down, Princess! You''ve got too much blood in your head! ''Let me go! I''m going to show her what I''ve become! ''Just calm down! You don''t have anything worth showing off! ''Mukkyaaaaa! You''re an enemy too, Satsuki! I''ll strip you too, Satsuki! ''What? I turned my back to the scene when Irene forcefully untied Satsuki from her chokehold and attacked her. Even though Satsuki''s skill has improved, Irene still overwhelms her with pure aura power, I thought to myself. Eventually, after they had finished playing with each other, Irene went to the waterfall basin to bathe and wash her clothes. For some reason, she took Satsuki along with her, and they seemed to be having more fun together. I consciously tried not to look at the scene, but I could hear Satsuki and Irene frolicking in the water under the sound of the waterfall. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them in the marketplace. ...... Evil thoughts are terrible. This is just like a bad boy trying to peep into a woman''s bath at a public bathhouse. Then Cyril walks up to me. ''What''s wrong, do you have a headache? ''No. I''m just fed up with my evil thoughts. ''...... Evil thoughts? Oh, were you trying to take a peek at Satsuki or Irene''s naked body? Cyril said, elbowing me in the face. But it''s not too far off the mark, and I can''t help but feel resentful. ''I''m ashamed to say I''m not far off the mark. ''...... Oh, so that''s how it is in William, too. But so be it. I guess that means you''re a boy too. And then Cyril patted me on the head as if he was a good boy. ...... Why do you do that? I''m so embarrassed that I can see my cheeks flushing. ''...... Even if you do that, I''m having trouble reacting. ''Mmmm, that''s not true. You''re reacting really well right now. ''You know what? You know, men won''t like you if you''re always trying to mount them, right? ''Hmmm, what about ...... William? Do you hate me for doing this?'' ''No, I''m fine with it. ......'' ''Then fine. As long as you don''t hate me for it.'' Cyril said, still smiling and nodding my head. ...... You''re being played for a fool. I''m sorry. A little while later. The five of us were sitting on a rocky beach by a waterfall, spreading out our lunch there. Baskets of sandwiches were laid out on the rug that we had gathered around us. The sandwiches, filled with a variety of colorful ingredients from meat to vegetables, all looked very tasty. ''''Well then, let''s eat...'''' After everyone greeted each other for the meal, each of them picked up a sandwich of their choice. I also picked up one and brought it to my mouth. ''...... delicious''. I said frankly what I felt. Fresh leafy greens, juicy meat, and a moderately sweet sauce that went well with the savory grilled bread. When I ate one of them, Satsuki, who was watching me, looked very happy. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ''...... I was surprised. Satsuki has a talent for cooking too? ''Well...'' ''Praise me more, praise me more. Then Satsuki squirmed, embarrassed. ...... Well, it''s good that you''re happy. The sandwiches in front of you are made jointly by Satsuki, Mee and Cyril. They woke up early in the morning and borrowed the kitchen of the inn to make it, but since tasteless preserved food is the norm when traveling, it was very nice to be able to have such a feast at least for lunch on the first day. ''No, I cooked all the ingredients and seasoned the sauce under Cyril''s guidance. Satsuki just did as she was told. When Mee complained, Satsuki''s mouth twitched. ''Why don''t you just shut up? If you hadn''t told me, I would have gotten all the credit. ''That''s why I''m calling you shallow. You should be a little ashamed. ''But even if you say so, wouldn''t you be happy if Will ate what you made and said it was delicious? It''s not the same thing as this! You can''t change the subject! Satsuki laughed as Mee raised her tail in protest. I turned my gaze to Cyril, who was heading for a nearby fire. When she returned, I took a cup of tea from her and then called out to the girl sitting next to me. ''Is Cyril a good cook? ''Well, I guess so. He was born into a decent merchant family and was made to do some sort of bridal training at one point, so to a certain extent. I had never heard about Cyril''s birth, so it was a bit new to me. But the same is true for Satsuki and Mee. I sipped the tea that Cyril had brewed for me, thinking that it was possible to spend time together even without knowing the history of the person. In this way, we finished our meal. After a short break, it''s time to start a new journey. ''All right, let''s get going...'' I looked up at the sight of the Fire Dragon Mountain in the distance and started walking again with my friends. 151-Episode 150 It took us about a day to pass through the Forest of the Demon Tree, and another two days to make our way through the woodlands. We encountered monsters only on the first two occasions, and for the next two and a half days the journey was uneventful. It is not common to encounter monsters on the road. So, around midday on the third day after leaving the capital, our party finally arrived at the foot of the Fire Dragon Mountain. ''Haha, we''ve finally come this far. It''s been a long time. Satsuki said, and sat down on a reddish brown rock nearby. Irene smiled at her and suggested that they take a break. We all sat down and began to sip water from our water bags. I sat down with Irene on the large rock she was sitting on. Eileen looked a little awkward and uncomfortable, but then she took a deep breath and calmed down. I wondered a bit about her behavior, but there was no point in worrying about every little detail. I took my attention away from her and looked up at the fire dragon mountain towering in front of us. From where we were, there was an expanse of rocky terrain with large reddish-brown rocks and boulders lying here and there. Gradually, it became an uphill slope and continued onward. The summit was still far away, and from here we could only see its silhouette in the haze. ''Oh, it''s a big one. It''s just as I expected from a place where dragons live. Irene said, fidgeting next to me. But what she said did not match my knowledge. ''Is that so? It''s not a very high mountain, is it? ''Oh, is that so? But, Will! But you still have to talk to me in these situations! The atmosphere is important in this kind of situation! ''No, I think accurate information is much more important. ''Ugh! Yes, but! That''s true, but...'''' Irene was fidgeting uselessly. I couldn''t understand what she wanted to do. Incidentally, Fire Dragon Mountain was only a few hundred meters above sea level, and although the mountain roads were not well maintained, it was an ordinary mountain that could be reached in three or four hours. The slope of the mountain is relatively gentle, and it does not require any serious climbing skills. Therefore, once you''ve come this far, you''re only a short distance away from your destination. I would like to reconfirm with Irene. ''I understand that our mission this time is to meet the dragon that lives at the top of the Fire Dragon Mountain and get its cooperation. Is that correct?'' ''Yes, that''s right. It''s fine until we get to ......, but after that is the problem, isn''t it? ''According to His Majesty Andrew, there''s no guarantee that we''ll get any cooperation? ''That''s true, isn''t it? He said that if I showed this to him, it would at least be an ''add-on''. It''s a sword that was given to me by the dragon as a token of affection. And then Irene popped the sword strapped to her back. It was one of the treasured swords that her father, the current King Andrew, had acquired in the past. It was much longer than her own sword, which Irene carried on her hip, and was classified as a bastard sword. While we were talking about this, Satsuki, who was sitting on a rock nearby, stood up and asked me a frank question. ''By the way, what will happen if the dragon does not cooperate? ''Huh? Well, ......, what''s going to happen? Irene tilted her head. When I saw her reaction, my shoulders slumped. ''Irene......, stop talking like you''re Satsuki......'' ''Hahahaha ....... It seems that I was under the impression that the dragon would cooperate with me. Irene stuck her tongue out at me. I sigh in dismay. ''Don''t try to fool me with your pretty face. You''re idealistic and dreamy, and I personally don''t mind that about you. I think it''s very strange that that''s the way a princess or a knight of a country should be. ''Heh heh. So, how about Will always being next to me and supporting me? ''You know, it''s okay to rely on people in moderation, but don''t be dependent on them. You should be on your own.'' ''...... Yes.'' Irene puffed her cheeks and replied. Just when you think you''ve become a little more mature and independent, there it is. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. Assumption is a scary thing,'' they said, not really understanding. Anyway, I pulled myself together and replied to Satsuki''s question. ''If we don''t get the cooperation of the dragons, and nothing happens, then this journey will be a waste of time. If we make it back to King''s Landing without catching anything, the four of us can get a commission from the government, but the fight against the Demon Lord will be tougher. But this is still not the worst case scenario. ''......, is that so? So what''s the worst case scenario?'''' Irene asks me this, so I go behind her and claw at her temple. I''ll go behind her and gouge her temples. ''Ouch, ouch, ouch! I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! It''s auspicious that she apologizes with tears in her eyes instead of defending herself with her aura, but I think it can''t be helped even if that part is auspicious. I sighed again and released Irene''s temples, and gave my opinion on the aforementioned ''worst case scenario''. ''It''s possible that the dragon will try to kill us all on a whim. Isn''t that what His Majesty said? The dragons of Mount Fire are fickle, and if he doesn''t return, you''ll have to replace him. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Oh, ...... that''s right, that''s how it''s going to be. ...... So, does that mean I asked Will and the others to ''die with me''? ''Well, yes. I''m surprised you weren''t aware of this. ...... But even if you were, I''m not going to let you kill me. ''I see. ...... I''m sorry. ...... But if they''re not going to kill us outright, how can we fight a dragon ......? I sighed and put my hand on her head and gave it a good scratching. ''Wafu! What''s with the ......! ''Don''t get so worked up. We''re the ones who decided to take the job. If we die because of it, it''s not your responsibility.'' ''Well, that may be true, but ......! ''And even if the opponent is a dragon, this party has a good chance of winning. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out when you accept the request. In addition, I''ve got a new story. I''m well prepared. When I tell her, Irene makes a puzzled face. ''...... New story? What is that? Is it some kind of spell we don''t know about?'' If she asks that, I''ll answer in full. ''No, it''s something better. I can show you a new world of magic that no one else in this world knows. ''What, ......? I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... What? What the hell is going to happen? Eileen''s surprise was pleasant. But it''s also tempting to talk big. The other day, I received a scroll from the duo of Glenn and Cecilia. When I deciphered all of them, I found that there was a tremendous amount of skill lying there. Cecilia probably couldn''t decipher the contents of this scroll because it was too gibberish for her. There may be no other wizard-grade sorcerer at this stage who can honestly decipher this, except me. I was delighted when I finished reading the scroll last night, thinking that I had been blessed with good fortune. However, you can''t be too sure about that. This skill is a double-edged sword that can choke you if you use it wrong. It should be used as a trump card (joker) to be used only in critical situations. But even so... ''Hmmm ...... hmmm ......! ''Oh wow ...... Will is broken ......''. When Irene, Satsuki, Cyril and even Mee saw that I could not control the excitement overflowing from inside, they all shuddered at the same time. 152-Episode 151 After taking a rest at the foot of the mountain, we sat up from the large rock and began to climb up the majestic slope of the mountain that stretched out before us. The slope, formed by reddish-brown rocks and pebbles, was not a good place to climb. If I stepped off and fell, hitting my head on a rock, it would be a disaster. I chose my foothold carefully, and somehow managed to climb up the slope. On the other hand, I saw Irene, Satsuki and Mee, who were more than ten steps ahead of me, climbing up the slope with ease. They seemed to be chatting happily or humming to themselves, often even showing concern for me and Cyril who were following behind. ''Oh, with all those athletic monsters, we''re in no position. Cyril, who was moving ahead, smiled and extended his hand toward me. I took his hand and Cyril pulled me up like a prince escorting a princess. ''I''m sorry. But I''m the one who''s in the worst position. I''m like a princess now. ''Hmm, I suppose you''re right. I guess we''re just a bunch of common men fighting over a princess. ''There''s a real princess mixed in there, though. I chuckle and point to one of the men walking ahead. There was a silver-haired princess in men''s clothing, walking lightly with a jaunty gait. ''Even the real princess is crazy about you, isn''t she? ''No, I don''t think so. You''re probably mistaken about something.'' ''Hmm, yes. Maybe I''m wrong.'' Cyril chuckles meaningfully. Irene and I have always been prone to such misunderstandings. Maybe it''s just the way of the world that if a man and a woman get along well, they''ll be suspected of having a male-female relationship without a second thought. ''Hey, Cyril! What are you and Will doing making out with each other? That''s not fair! Such a voice came from Satsuki, who had somehow advanced a long way ahead of us. Cyril replied to her, raising his voice. ''Satsuki! Princess William''s breathing is getting worse! Why don''t you take her in your arms and carry her again? ''Oh, is that so? I can''t help it. Wait here, Will, I''m coming. ''Oh, hey Cyril, what are you talking about ......! Don''t take it seriously, Satsuki! I was almost picked up by Satsuki, who came running up to me, and Cyril was laughing next to me. Watching us, Irene and Mi were also laughing cheerfully and whispering something to each other. Lately, Cyril''s pranks seem to be gaining more and more momentum. ....... You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. And so, with this kind of exchange, we went up the Fire Dragon Mountain. There were no major dangers along the way. I''m fed up with the bad footing, but I''m not so athletically challenged that I can''t fall and get seriously injured if I proceed carefully. Of course, Cyril, who has been trained as a warrior, is the same, and the other three are just abnormal. But as expected, after climbing like this for more than an hour, we were starting to get tired. I was about to suggest that we should take a break. I was about to suggest that we take a break when Mie, who had been leading with Satsuki and Irene, stopped moving, her cat ears quivering. I''m not sure if this is a feather ......? I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. Mee muttered and turned her sharp gaze to the left hand front. I followed her gaze, but could not see anything beyond it. I thought it was ....... A few seconds later, several creatures jumped out at once from the ridge ahead of me. The creatures looked like large lizards, over two meters long, with two pairs of translucent wings, similar to those of dragonflies. Its shimmering wings fluttered at high speed as it floated a few meters above the mountain slope. The distance was still far, and the figures that I could see were only tiny. There are five of them. When I saw them, I fully activated the monster knowledge stored in my brain and pulled out the names of the corresponding monsters. ''Is that... a dragonfly? ''...... Dragonfly?'' While parroting back, Irene throws a glance back at me. I give her a small nod. The monsters, on the other hand, seemed to regard us as their prey, and all of them came towards us. ''''They''re coming, Satsuki! ''All right, Princess! ...... But you can''t slash them if they''re flying through the air. I''m not sure what to do. The two of them, Irene and Satsuki, stood in the vanguard in front of the five large winged lizards that were coming towards them. Mi is right behind them. The beastman girl pulls a small throwing knife from a holder on her thigh and asks me. ''William, is a dragonfly a type of dragon? ''No, biologically it''s pretty far from a dragon. It just got that name because of its similarity in appearance and characteristics. ''I see. If it looks like a lizard and flies, it reminds me of a dragon, doesn''t it? ''Yes. And one more thing. They breathe fire breath.'' ''...... Really? Tsk, that''s really nasty.'''' While I was talking about this, five dragon flies flew in with a buzzing sound of wings, finally approaching the fighting distance. When the dragonflies were within a certain distance of us, they dispersed at once. They formed an encircling net around us from the outside, and then closed the distance between us. Seeing this, Mee clicked her tongue again. ''You''re too clever to be a lizard! It''s not like William''s magic is going to be able to wipe out ......! As she says this, Mee still doesn''t throw the knife. The effective range of the throwing knives was short, and it would take some more time for the dragonflies to get within range. ''Satsuki, if we get surrounded, Will and Cyril will be in trouble! Get behind me and cover me! ''You say that, but! I can''t help you if you''re flying and breathing fire! ''Yes, but! But there''s nothing we can do about it! Eileen and Satsuki''s voices were impatient. They''re right, it''s not good if they target me or Cyril. As for Aileen, Satsuki, and Mee, their aura-enhanced agility allows them to evade quite well. They would also be effective against the fire breaths of the dragonflies. But Cyril and I are ordinary people in that respect. I don''t have the physical ability to keep evading the breath of fire with a flutter. In addition, the foothold on the slope full of rocks and stones is poor, and if you push yourself too hard, you could fall off your feet and get seriously injured. On top of that, the combination of the ability to fly and the ability to breathe fire (fire breath) is extremely bad, making it a bad match for close combat experts like Irene and Satsuki. They would be helpless if the fire breathed out from above, beyond the reach of their swords. My magic would be the only effective firepower, considering that Mee''s throwing knives were not enough to make a decisive move. However, since the enemy has spread out and attacked us, we can''t use range magic such as sleep or blizzard to wipe them out. If that''s the case, the proper course of action would be to shoot them down one by one with magic missiles and other minor techniques. However, this would cause a great deal of damage to us as well, before we could finish shooting them all down. I can also think of a few other tricks... I was, however, thinking of trying out my newly acquired ''power'' this time, as well as practicing in battle. And I''ve already been chanting spells for that purpose. I made sure that all five dragonflies were within range, and activated the spell. ''Magic Missile''. With the completion of the spell, four small lights were created around the staff that I raised high in the sky. Normally, these would be shot out like arrows, and each arrow would deal small to medium damage to the target it hit. But that was not enough firepower this time. Dragonfly is an E rank monster, and taking into account its durability and magic defense, we can predict that we will need to hit each of them with about three arrows to shoot them down. Hence, this skill. ''Multiple spellcasting! I piled up the magic arrows (magic missiles) that I had activated in four layers ( ). With a high-pitched squeak, the light around my staff increased in number from four to eight, eight to twelve, twelve to sixteen. ''''''What about ......?'''''' When the four friends saw this, their eyes lit up, as if the sense of urgency they had felt just before had vanished. And then... ''...Go! With a shout, I shot sixteen arrows of light in all directions. 153-Chapter 152 Five Dragon Flies surrounded the five of us and were approaching us as if to close the siege. I shot three arrows of light at each of them. The extra shot was a bonus for one of them. The arrows radiated out from around the staff I raised, and all of them hit the target without aiming correctly, causing the hit area to explode. There was a bursting sound. A series of bursting sounds rang out. And then... And that was it. The five dragon flies that had been about to attack us all punched holes in their bodies and crashed to the ground and stopped moving. The whole place fell silent. Satsuki was the first to open her mouth. ''Sss...sssooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ''Whoa! Satsuki came running up and hugged me with such force. I was pushed down to the ground. But Satsuki didn''t care about that. Satsuki, who was lying on her back on top of me, looked at me excitedly from a distance so close that I could feel her breath on me. ''Hey Will, what was that? I''m not sure what to say. ''...... Ah, well, it was the unveiling of a new skill, but for now, Satsuki, you need to calm down. ''I can''t stay calm about this! Will is amazing! My Will is the strongest! ''Oh, yeah, right. But I''ll tell you again, I''m not yours.'' ''I don''t care about that! Oh, God! Will is amazing, Will is amazing, Will is amazing...'' ''Satsuki, get out of my way. ''Yank! Thanks to Irene''s kicking Satsuki from the side, I somehow managed to free myself from the excited Satsuki. Satsuki rolled around on the stone slope. Then I took the hand Irene offered me and stood up. When I looked at Satsuki, who was lying beside me, she was looking at me with a pouting expression like an abandoned puppy. It''s a little too cute to be true. Irene smiled at Satsuki and then turned to me. ''But Will, what was that really? I''m sure you''ll be able to tell me more about it in the coming weeks. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. In the event that you''re in a position to do this, you''ll be able to do so. The net result is that the quadruple use of magic arrows (magic missiles) is far from the full expression of this skill, but... ''Multiple Casting'' is a skill that allows you to stack the effects of the same spell multiple times in conjunction with a single activation. Of course, the amount of mana consumed will increase as usual, so it''s a double-edged sword that will cause you to run out of mana if you use it without thinking. But even so, the value of this skill, which can explosively increase the maximum effect at a moment''s notice, is considerable. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. So, you''re saying that this is William''s unique skill? Cyril asks me in a fearful manner. I nodded my head straight. ''Yeah, that''s probably what it is. At least I''ve never heard of a wizard with such skills. I''ve kept those words to myself, including my father, James Glenford, who is considered to be the strongest wizard in the country. Incidentally, Cecilia, who was with Glenn, also seemed to be a wizard, but I don''t think she would have been able to decipher this scroll. This is because, in order to decipher the contents of this scroll, one must be familiar with a certain type of advanced research and be advanced in it. It is doubtful that there is even one person in this field who has ventured into that realm other than me, who challenged the topic in my graduation thesis at the Academy of Magical Arts and accumulated thorough study, consideration, and reasoning. In other words, Cyril''s description of my (William''s) unique skill is as close to a factual description as you can get. ''I see. So William, a monster in his own right, has turned into an even bigger monster. Is William planning to become a god? ''No, I don''t have any such visions or plans for the future. In response to Mee''s question, the beastman girl muttered with a drawn face, ''I''m afraid he''s considering it rather seriously. I''m not sure. After we had defeated the dragonflies, we took a rest and started to climb the mountain again. After that, the mountain path was as steep as ever, but we did not encounter any more monsters or other dangers, and we continued on our way. By now, the sun was shining in the western mountains, and the landscape was beginning to turn red. We had finally reached what seemed to be the eighth station of Mount Horyu. At that time, Satsuki and Irene, who were walking near the front of the group, suddenly started to talk about something like this. ''But I wonder how strong a dragon is after all? I wonder if the current Hime and I could fight them on our own. ''No, Satsuki, you can''t do that. Even ...... is a dragon, you know. It''s not that I don''t yearn for the title of dragon slayer as a knight myself. But that doesn''t mean I''m willing to go toe to toe with you. ''Ah, well. In the legend of the Dragon Slayer, there were several skilled fighters who challenged each other and only one of them survived in the end, right? ''Satsuki, Will is familiar with such legends and stories. He''s always been a fan of such things. When Irene said this, their eyes turned back and focused on me. I clear my throat in response to their attention. ''That''s right. One of the most famous passages in dragon slayer lore is from the adventures of Sephiroth, the great Elven hero...'' I told Satsuki and the others the contents of the adventure story that I had read to the point of burning a hole in my heart as a child. The adventures of Sefirot, a collection of short stories, are generally about the great hero Sefirot and the feats he accomplished on his own. Although there are romances with the beautiful women he meets along the way, the obstacles that stand in his way are brilliantly defeated by his own hands alone. This is the royal pattern of the story of the Sefirot. However, there is one story in which he sets out on a dragon slaying adventure that stands out from the rest. This is the only story in which he is invited by three skilled adventurers to go on an adventure. Although Sephiroth is known as a hero with first-rate magic skills and first-rate swordsmanship, it must have been difficult for him to slay the dragon by himself. Incidentally, Sephiroth, the great Elven hero, is said to be a real person. Many of his tales of adventure are said to be largely based on the path he followed, though with some additions. The story of the dragon slayer is also believed to be based on a true story. At the end of the story, the three adventurers do not return, and only Sephiroth returns alive to take the title of dragon slayer, which seems to be an unadapted true story. There are infant dragons, lower class dragons (Lesser Dragons), higher class dragons (Elder Dragons), and even old dragons (Ancient Dragons), and the degree of threat varies greatly depending on the type of dragon. It''s not clear which of these dragons Sephiroth slayed, but it''s generally believed that it was probably a lower-ranked dragon (Lesser Dragon), and there''s even a theory that it may have been a higher-ranked dragon (Elder Dragon)... ''...and so on. In any case, what we can say is that dragons are a great threat even to those who are called heroes. When I concluded my story, the girls who were listening to it clapped their hands in admiration. Before I knew it, we had become like a storyteller and an audience. As an afterthought, we continued to climb the mountain... And eventually, when we had reached the ninth station of the mountain. When we reached the ninth station of the mountain, we saw a huge cave that looked as if a dragon must be living in it. 154-CHAPTER 153 We eventually reached the front of the cave. As we stood in front of the entrance, we felt the enormity of the cave. The ceiling of the cave was five times as high as I was tall, and the width was the same. The reddish-brown earthen walls seem to continue all the way to the end, and except for the area near the entrance, which is lit up by the setting sun, it is completely dark and I cannot see any further. The tunnel, which was so huge that it made me feel faint, had a gradual downward slope and seemed to be leading us to an endless abyss. Someone in the room gulped and spat. ''It''s like a gateway to the underworld. ......'' Irene, who was in the lead, let out such an impression. Her dignified profile was indeed tinged with tension. But no matter how powerful the opponent is, what we need to do is the same. As long as the place we''re going to is a cave, we need to scout it out beforehand. I was about to cast my wizard''s eye spell, as I always do... That''s when. There was a sudden, horrifying response to the alert spell I''d been casting. ''...... William? What''s wrong? Cyril, who was standing beside me, looked into my face. He must have sensed my change in color quickly. ''There was a response to the alert. But...'' ''And by reaction, you mean a dragon? Mee turned around and asked me, to which I shook my head. ''No, it''s not that huge. And it doesn''t look like it''s deep in this cave. The Alert spell places a magical barrier 50 meters around the sorcerer. If any creature passes through the membrane, it will be reported to the sorcerer, and I have been using this spell almost constantly during my adventures. The detection criteria of the Alert spell are based on the intuitive skin senses of the sorcerer. If an insignificant swarm of ants passes by, it will not be detected. My intuition gave me a chill when something passed through the sensing membrane. However, there are various oddities in the idea that it was a dragon. The physical size of the thing that passed through was about the same as or smaller than a human, and the location was not inside the cave but outside. As I was wondering, Mee reacted next. The beastman girl instantly became tense, and her two cat ears twitched. ''The sound of stepping on gravel...... bipedal...... human? But it looks a little different ...... approaching us.'' We focus our attention on the direction in which Mee is glaring sharply at us. We waited for a while with the utmost caution. And then, there it was... ''What is it with you people? What do humans want in my roost? With a young girl''s voice came a young, innocent-looking girl. Her height and age were almost the same as Mee''s. She had flowing silver hair, and her eyes were scarlet like flames. She was dressed in what looked like a black one-piece dress, but it was dirty and the hem was torn or frayed in many places. The dress is dirty, and the hem is torn or frayed in many places. It looks like what a wild child would look like after a month of being fed clothes. However, it may not be correct to say that she is a human wild child. This could be seen from the girl''s characteristic appearance, which was different from that of an ordinary human being. Two horns sprouted from the side of the girl''s head. Her back was covered with red wings that looked like those of a bat, and a long, thick tail with scales grew out from near her hips. There was no way that such a thing could be a mere human being. And it was not only her appearance that made her unique. What she was carrying on her shoulders ( ) was also unusual. It was a large bear. The bear was more than twice the size of the girl''s, and she was carrying it lightly on one slender arm. When the girl came close to us, she threw the bear in front of us carelessly. The bear was thrown incredibly high and fell to the ground in front of us with a heavy thud. It was obvious to us that the bear''s life had ended some time ago. The girl, on the other hand, snapped her neck, and then her mouth lifted up in a grimace. Her large red eyes turned a fierce color, and she looked at us. ''What do you want? What do you know about the purpose of humans coming here? It is said that being a dragon slayer is a great honor for a human warrior. Or else they''re treasure thieves... in any case, there''s no way we''re letting them leave alive. A violent aura blasted from the girl''s small body. It spread out softly like an insubstantial shockwave and stroked us. That''s it. Irene, Satsuki, and Mee reflexively put their hands on their weapons, and Cyril shivered. I also experienced a hair-raising sensation just by being exposed to that aura. But... That''s not it. That''s not good enough. I took a small, deep breath and called out to the girl. ''Hold on. Are you the master of this Fire Dragon Mountain... or are you a dragon? We''ve come to ask for help from the dragon that lives in this mountain. When I told her that, the girl''s expression changed to a puzzled one. The violent aura that had been directed at us weakened slightly. ''What''s with the cooperation ......? Humans, to me?'' ''Yes, I''ve come to ask you a favor. Irene, your sword. ''Oh, wait a minute, Will. What do you mean ......? Do dragons really look like people like that? Irene seemed to be having trouble understanding the situation. Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril all had questions on their minds as well. It was understandable. I told my friends my own opinion, which was a bit of a guess, but I couldn''t think of anything else. ''Some dragons - and not just dragons, but monsters in general - are born with the ability to ''humanize''. If you have this ability, you can transform into a human-like form called an ''incarnation'' in addition to the monster''s original form. ''Well, there''s someone who knows a lot about things. That''s exactly right. I have the power of incarnation. If you don''t believe me, let me show you what I really am. The girl who followed my words said that and began to take off her clothes. When Irene and the others saw this, they looked at me and the girl and panicked, but the girl herself didn''t care about that. The girl then completely stripped off her clothes and took on a completely clothed appearance. Next, her small body suddenly glowed with a bright light. The light, which had taken the form of a girl, changed its shape and size, becoming a large light that made you look up. When the light ceased, the creature''s form was revealed. It had the appearance of a giant lizard with wings, its entire body covered with scales of a burning color. It was looking down at us with an imposing figure. A red dragon. It is not the size of an infant dragon at all. If the kind of infant dragon that a dragon knight rides has a weight reminiscent of a warhorse, then what can we compare the monster in front of us to? It could be a rhinoceros, a hippopotamus, or even an elephant. And, of course, its fighting power would be incomparable to those animals. I don''t deny that rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses and elephants are incredibly strong in the natural world, but they are no match for dragons, which have sharp claws and fangs that can tear through steel, are clad in dragon scales that are harder than steel, fly freely with the wings on their backs, and spit scorching flames that can melt rocks from their mouths. ''Ho, it really was a dragon......'' ''Wow. ......'' Irene and Satsuki looked up at the huge beast and puzzled. Mee and Cyril were equally dumbfounded as they stared up at it. After the transformation, the dragon opened its mouth, lined with sharp fangs, and spoke in a voice that seemed to echo to the depths of the earth. You said you had a favor to ask me. Speak now, humans. It seems we''ve managed to get to the table. I breathed a sigh of relief and pondered how to start the next conversation. 155-Chapter 154 "I see... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. Aileen nodded nervously at the dragon''s words. It was after he had finished explaining the whole situation. This is the sword that your father, the king, told you to take with you. Do you recognize this sword? Irene picked up the sword on her back and showed it to the dragon as if offering it to him. The dragon stretches his neck and looks at Irene with a quizzical expression. I''m sure I''ve seen it before. Tell me the name of the king. ''Oh, it''s Andrew. ''Andrew, Andrew. ...... Oh! That Andrew kid? The dragon leans its head back. You can''t tell by looking at the dragon''s expression, but from the tone of his voice, he seemed to be enjoying himself. I''ve missed you. By the way, I gave that sword to the boy from among my treasures. What''s the matter with him? He''s a king now? And you''re his daughter? ''Yes, yes! My name is Irene.'' Irene replied in a very nervous manner. She seemed to be absorbed in the atmosphere of the dragon. Aileen''s father, Andrew, the king of the Grace Road Kingdom, was an adventurer before becoming king, which is an unusual background. Strictly speaking, Andrew, who was originally in the position of heir to the throne, disregarded the restraints of those around him and began to work as an adventurer in order to ''broaden his knowledge'', and after accomplishing a number of great feats, he returned to the royal palace and, after much debate, sat on the throne. As an adventurer, he is said to have eventually risen to the rank of A. Even now, he is known as ''Andrew the Warrior King'' and is feared as one of the strongest warriors in the kingdom along with Dylan, the leader of the Kingdom Knights. However, I didn''t learn of this fact until long after I had become close friends with Irene, and my perception of King Andrew hadn''t moved much from the position of ''best friend''s father''. He is the closest ''hero'' to me, but I don''t feel that way about him. It seems that childhood impressions are deeply rooted. Anyway, the story of King Andrew''s encounter with the dragon in front of him must be from his adventurer days. I don''t know how they met, but from what I''ve heard, it seems that they at least parted on good terms. "I see. That little boy''s daughter has grown up so big. Human beings grow up so fast. I''m glad you''ve come this far. I can''t offer much in the way of hospitality but I will welcome you. The dragon seemed to be in a good mood the whole time. The dragon seemed to be in a good mood the whole time... I''m sure all his friends here thought that things might go well. But that was a naive outlook. The next thing the dragon said was. But... You said you came to me for a favor, daughter. So why hasn''t the boy himself come? Do you think I''m stupid? The dragon''s voice was low with a hint of sullenness. The clouds are getting darker. Irene desperately tried to explain. ''Well, that''s because your father is the king now, and as the lord of the kingdom, he can''t leave the castle. Instead, I, his daughter...'' ''That''s none of my business. If you want me to do something for you, the least you can do is to come here and bow to me yourself. ''That''s true, but ......'' Irene was speechless and turned her head away. I see, it seems that King Andrew was right when he said that this dragon is difficult. But this dragon''s argument seems reasonable at first glance, but there are some subtleties that I don''t understand. It doesn''t look like we''re going to get anywhere if we leave it up to Eileen, so I might as well interject. ''I have a question, can I interject? As I said this, the dragon''s head turned from Irene to me. ''What? You''re the one who was wise earlier. Go ahead, say it.'' ''Thank you. Dragon, you said it was only right for King Andrew to come and bow to you himself. From what I''ve heard, you don''t seem to be interested in your position in the human world. And yet, you want the king to visit you himself. That part doesn''t quite make sense to me. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I don''t think there''s anything strange about it. It was Andrew''s boy, not his daughter, who recognized me as his equal. It is only natural that he should feel insulted that I should send him a messenger and ask him to help me instead of going to him myself. ...... I see, that''s what you mean. That certainly makes sense. But if that''s the case, it''s easier to say the opposite. ''All right. So that''s it, dragon. If we''re accepted by you ( ), you''re willing to help us ( ).'' When I said that, the eyes of my friends were all on me at once. The dragon, on the other hand, heard this and chuckled. ''That''s quite a funny thing to say, human wise man. Do you think you are as good as Andrew''s boy?" The dragon raises its head again. And then... Whoa! I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. But this time, I''m ready. Without being pressured, I stand there quietly and say something back. ''I don''t know how good you are... but I think I can beat you. When I replied that, Irene, Satsuki and the others who were listening to me showed a shocked expression. They stepped on their feet, which had been trying to retreat just before. And then... ''''''Huh! With a spirited shout, the girls also opened up their auras and pushed back the dragon''s pressure. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. On the other hand, Irene and Satsuki... ''I see, Will''s right, you''re right. We just need to be recognized ourselves. ''Good. I like it when things are simple like that. And with that, he stepped forward. An aura was rising from both of their bodies. If they are willing to go head to head, they are no match for us. Seeing this, the dragon once again emitted a muffled laugh from the back of his mouth. "So, so, so... Very well. Then let''s see if you can defeat me yourselves. You''ll win if I say ''yes''. Then I''ll help you or whatever you want. Good. Thank goodness the dragon is so understanding. And the dragon people are proud. They won''t go back on something they''ve said. And then there''s ...... that''s right. I''ll check with the dragon one more time. I''ll get one more thing for you, dragon. "...... What? I don''t like the idea of you going easy on me. He talked a big game when he said he could beat me. If you''re going to complain about life and death, we can''t talk about this. Now wrap your tail around your head and go home. I shook my head at the dragon''s words. ''No, I''m not. Rather the opposite. "...... The opposite?" I''m not sure what to say. It''s not that I don''t like it. ''Yeah. I''ve heard that the dragon race is a proud race, so I thought I should tell you in advance. I''ll go easy on you ( ) to defeat you ( ), but this is necessary due to the nature of the matter. I hope you won''t be offended. So I took my sorcerer''s staff and faced the dragon. 156-CHAPTER 155 The dragon''s voice is quizzical. ...... Did I mishear you? It sounds like you just said that you''re going to take it easy on me. I give him a straight answer. ''No, you didn''t mishear me. You''re right.'' A moment of silence. Then the dragon sighed with his big mouth. ''My, what a wise man you are... and what a conceited fool you are. It''s frankly offensive. Nothing makes me want to crush you more than a smug little brat. Get out of here, boy! or I''ll kill you without a second thought. That may have been the dragon''s way of saying something thoughtful. But I shook my head and replied. ''I can''t do that. If I can''t bet on a game with a very high probability of victory and return, then I am not qualified to be an adventurer. This is the time to chip in. ...... Oh, man, you''re so sure of yourself. All right. I will destroy your hubris along with your body. The dragon said this and roared loudly towards the sky. That was the signal to start the battle. The dragon''s roar was accompanied by the following words. The dragon''s roar is said to have the ability to crush the souls of the powerless and force them into a panic. However, it seems that the current roar was not an attack with such power. It was only natural, since an offensive roar requires a preliminary movement to put magic power into the voice. The dragon, which had been standing on all four legs, raised its huge body and stood up with only its two hind legs. The upright figure of the dragon was truly gigantic, standing four times taller than us humans up to the top of its head. Next, the dragon flapped the wings on its back and tried to rise up, but... ''I won''t let you! ''I''ll leave the left to you, Satsuki! The ones who flew out towards it were our top two melee fighters. He slid into the dragon''s feet at a terrifying speed with his aura on his legs, and slashed at the left and right limbs with his sword and blade. I''m not sure what to say. ''......! It''s so hard! ''I''ve heard that dragon scales are harder than iron, but...'' It''s so hard! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. However, the blown Irene rolled a couple of revolutions on the light slope of the mountain, and with the momentum, she turned herself around and landed vividly on all fours like a beast. He brakes quickly and looks at the dragon again. ''Oh no, ......! It was an excellent move. ''Princess, are you alright? Ooh, ......! ''Satsuki, be careful! If you get even one direct hit, you''re out! ''I know, but ......! This is ......! On the other hand, Satsuki, who remained alone in front of the dragon, managed to dodge the inexhaustible attacks of the dragon''s claws and tail, just in time. Satsuki''s movements were as lean as ever, as she had shown in the battle against the Rockworm, but even she seemed to be gradually being cornered. Incidentally, the dragon''s limbs that Satsuki and Irene had slashed at seemed to have been pierced by the blade to some extent, though not deeply, and the dragon''s blood flowed out from them, staining the ground red. It''s not a serious injury, but it''s no small damage. "Hahahahaha! That''s great, girls! The boy may be a fake, but you''re the real deal! But you''re going to have to do a lot more than that for talking down to me! As he said this, the dragon waved his arms and tail and happily chased Satsuki down. But what did Satsuki say when she heard that? ''Ha! Will is much more powerful than you and me! Right, Princess? ''Yes, I agree with you! I''ll bark at you, dragon! Irene also ran to the dragon again. She and Satsuki began to cut the dragon in two. From the looks of it, Irene and Satsuki seemed to be able to handle the task on their own. Under the premise that it would take two of them to fight a hand-to-hand battle on the ground, they were almost an even match for the dragon. Therefore, it seemed that there was no need for me to do anything about it... "Well, that''s interesting. You think that boy who talked down to me isn''t a forger? I was going to admit it to you... but now I''ve changed my mind. Let me see what you can do, boy. Or this conversation is over. And then the dragon took advantage of Satsuki and the others to kick them away, and then soared high into the air with the wings on its back. It then looks at me and begins to glow with a red energy glow in the back of its mouth. That was probably a preliminary move for a fire breath. The flames the dragon breathes out spread over a wide area, so if it spits that out, I won''t be the only one who gets burned. In short, as it turned out, Satsuki and I had said some things that were unnecessary. I thought it would be troublesome if they changed their minds later, but in reality, things don''t always go according to plan. Incidentally, as for the two remaining comrades, Cyril and Mee, Cyril had used a miracle to soften the damage of the flames and imbued all of his allies with its blessing, while Mee had suddenly disappeared before he knew it. She probably thought that it would be difficult for her dagger to break through the dragon''s scales and inflict damage, and was watching vigilantly for an opportunity to hide herself. Now, in any case, the rest is my job. The spell I''ve been trying to cast will be completed soon. It looks like I''ll be able to finish it before the dragon breathes its fire breath. ''d*mn it, you let him get away. ......! Come down here! That''s not fair! ''There''s nothing cowardly about it. That''s the dragon. Will, please! I gave a small nod to Irene''s words, raised my wand, and cast my completed spell. ''Ice Storm! The magic power gathered at the tip of the wand, and a pale spherical glow was born from it. Blizzard. The spell I invoked is an advanced attack spell that can only be used by particularly skilled wizards, who are high-ranking magicians. This spell allows the user to launch a magic ball and release its magic power at the target point, causing a blizzard containing a large amount of ice to appear around the target point. The basic power of this spell is not much different from that of a fireball or lightning bolt, but it should be quite effective against fire dragons (red dragons), which have the fire attribute. Dragons are very powerful monsters, but they are not invincible. They have extremely high attack power, the ability to fly, and notable physical defense with their dragon scales. Although its magic defense is a little higher than that of ordinary animals, it can still be broken through with a little less damage if it is a mage level magic. Therefore, if you unleash this ice storm (blizzard), you will be able to deal a considerable blow even to a dragon. As for the rest... In the meantime, when the dragon saw me activate the blizzard, he said he was a little more impressed. I know that magic. I''ve heard that it can only be wielded by the very best of human sages. You''re certainly not all talk, kid. It was a compliment, but... I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Well, that''s usually the case. I''m going to listen to what the dragon says and prepare for the next one. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I''m not going to let you get away with that! Did you think that I would be exhausted by that one blow! Taste my fire before I cast my next spell... ''Multiple spellcasting...'' "......?" The dragon shouted dumbly. I had used multiple spell casting to increase the pale blue magic glow of the ice storm to three. With the amount of mana I had left, I could stack up to five ice blizzards on top of each other, but I would have killed the dragon instantly if I went that far. But if I went that far, I might kill the dragon instantly. I was asking for help, and killing it would defeat the purpose. So it was necessary to go easy on him. I''m not sure what to do. Stop! Stop! Stop! What the hell is that? I''ve never heard of that! The dragon was in a panic. But we have to get the word out. I''m not sure what to do. ''I do! I admit it! So don''t shoot it! If you shoot me with that, I''ll die! ''No, I''m trying to control the damage so that you don''t die. ''But it''s going to hurt like hell! I''m going to die! ''I thought you yourself insisted on not complaining about life and death earlier...'' ''I''m sorry! I was getting carried away! The dragon came down from the sky and apologized with its head flat on the ground. His huge body and dignity were ruined. Anyway, I succeeded in getting the dragon''s cooperation. I released my tension and breathed a sigh of relief. 157-CHAPTER 156 I''m scared. Young people nowadays are really scary. They use techniques I don''t know...'' A huge man who looked up at me was muttering to himself. The sun was about to set in the mountains to the west. We were striking down a Red Dragon in front of a huge cave drilled into the mountainside. The dragon, which had been prostrate before with its head on the ground facing me, was now sitting on the ground in a crouched position. It kind of ruined the great image of the dragon. The dragon, on the other hand, seems to have no way of knowing about my disappointment and says something like this. ''Well, in any case, I''m completely defeated. I''ll have to make amends. ...... Payback? What is he going to do? You''re not going to kill yourself, are you? You think our goal is to get her to cooperate? I''ve told them that our goal is to get her to cooperate, and that''s unlikely. If that''s the case, what the hell is ......? It''s the same light that changed her from a girl to a dragon. The huge light shrank to the size of a man and formed the outline of a girl. Then the light ceased. What emerged was the girl we had first seen. The naked body of a young girl with horns, wings, a tail, and other parts that symbolize a dragon. ''So here you go, winner''s right for bringing me to my knees. Do as you please. Her voice changed to that of a young girl... no, that''s not the point. That''s not the point. As expected, the girl, the dragon incarnate, laid her naked body down in front of me. And then she lay down on her back and closed her eyes tightly as if she was preparing for something. ............. How do you want me to interpret this? ''...... Ah, dragon. What is this?'' ''Nothing, nothing at all. I, the loser, must show you, the winner, a pose of submission. How you cook it is at your discretion. I''m ready for you. Do whatever you want. It''s an obedience pose. It''s like a dog lying on its stomach. By the way, in front of the girl''s dangerous part in many ways, the unnaturally dazzling setting sun was inserted in an absurd way, hiding the place from my view. The natural order seemed to be doing its job. But even so, it''s still a problem. ''No, I''m fine with it as long as you cooperate with me. ......'' ''I can''t come to terms with that. I''ve made a mockery of you for so long. I''ll have to pay for it.'' ''Oh, I see. I''m in trouble. I looked at my friends behind me for help... ''''''Jeez...'''''' ''''Whoa! My back was pierced by the stares of the girls. I can''t help but raise my voice. ...... But wait, that''s not right. It''s not that I''m a bad person. You guys who saw the whole thing know that it wasn''t my fault.'' ''Yeah, I know. I know. And I know you''re the kind of guy who doesn''t do crazy stuff like this. Yeah, I know. I believe in Will.'' ''I don''t think that''s a believing look in your eyes. ......'' ''Because I believe you.'' The other three nodded their heads in agreement with Irene''s words, which came from a radiant smile. ...... It''s not often that the word "unreasonable" suits a situation so well. On the other hand, the dragon girl said something even more troublesome here. ''What, you''re a male, but you don''t have the desire to own a female you''ve subdued? You''re a strange male. ...... Or is my humanized form not attractive enough for you? I''m sure I''ve lived ten times as long as you have. You don''t have to worry about anything strange. ...... My head is starting to hurt. ''That''s not the point. I want you to understand that the common sense of the dragon race is different from the common sense of us humans. ''......? But Andrew''s boy wanted to mate with me in this form for a long time. He also said that human males are usually like that. ''Oh, you son of a b*tc*, ......! I''m going to tell your mother. I''m going to tell your mother! Eileen clenched her fists and shivered. It was a moment when the collapse of Irene''s family, and thus the collapse of the royal family, was in sight. But on the other hand, the dragon girl''s rampage was still unstoppable. ''Mmm, so you don''t want to mate with me in any case. The girls behind you are enough to mate with. With a fluidity and brilliance, she unleashed a series of bombshells like the breath of a dragon. Before I could deny it, the four people behind me reacted hypersensitively. ''No, no, no, no! We haven''t mated with Will yet! Will, right? ...... You haven''t either, right, Satsuki? I''m not. You guys aren''t ...... mating, are you? ''You guys aren''t doing ...... either, of course not.'' ''Hey, dragon, don''t you think it''s time to shut him up? ''What, ...... only Mee-chan didn''t state ......? ''......? I don''t think so. Eileen, come to the back later. I''ll give you a lecture. ''I''m sorry, Master! I was out of line! ...... The story doesn''t go anywhere. I sighed and said to the dragon girl. ''First of all, dragon, wake up and get dressed. We need to talk about the future.'' ''Mmm, is that so? ...... I''m not quite sure what to make of this, but if you say so, so be it. Then I''ll pretend in my mind that you''ve violated my body and soul. From now on, I am a female who has surrendered to you, the male. You''d better remember that. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t get caught up in the whole thing. ...... I don''t know what''s going on, but if I don''t get a handle on it, I''m not going to be able to move forward, so I''m going to pretend that I didn''t hear what she just said. I don''t know. When everyone had settled down on the rocks in the area, I explained to the dragon about the story of the conquest of the demon king. The dragon, in the form of a young girl, put her hand on her chin and pondered. ''...... I see. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. So you''ve come to ask for my breath of fire. I nodded at the dragon''s words. Strictly speaking, I didn''t test it by directly confronting the Demon Lord, but considering the nature of the matter, even if I had challenged him, the result would have been obvious. The dragon girl then makes a slightly difficult face. ''Hmmm ....... I''ll help you out, of course, but it may be that it''s an opponent that I''m not strong enough to deal with. There was a story about a knight who challenged me to physical combat and was twisted like a baby. How strong was he? A question to measure the demon lord''s rank. Irene answers this. ''That''s the story of Bertram, the senior knight who led the defeating party. Roughly speaking, I think he was about the same as I am now. I''ve been told that I''m equivalent to a senior knight in terms of combat ability. ''In other words, even the princess is treated like a baby. ......'' ''Mmm. You can say that about Satsuki, too.'' ''I know, don''t get angry, you''re so small. That''s why you''re small, too.'' What do you mean, you''re small? That has nothing to do with it! Irene and Satsuki started their usual friendly tussle, but that was beside the point. What was important was the fact that even a knight of Irene''s caliber was no match for her. ''That Demon Lord, I can''t see the bottom of it. You might want to make another move. ''Another move, do you have any idea what it is? ''Hmm. There are ruins of powerful weapons hidden in an unexplored area a short flight from here. One of them must have been a sword with the power of a high flame in it. If you go get it, you can add some strength to your army. If you want, I can carry it on my back, what do you say? The dragon girl''s mouth popped out with a new piece of advice. A flaming sword: ...... plus an additional element of strength: ....... If it''s a weapon with a higher power, it''s better to have it than not. In the event that you have the ability to use a spell such as a heat weapon, the effect of the Ring of Extinction will cancel out the spell when you approach with the weapon, but the Ring of Extinction should not cancel out the magic power that is permanently fixed in the weapon itself. So if you can get your hands on that weapon, I''m sure it will be a force to be reckoned with. But... ''Irene. How much time do we have left on this mission?'' I asked, and Irene, who had been in a fight with Satsuki, answered. ''Uh, well, I don''t know. I don''t know. I mean, they''re moving in parallel. ....... So, why don''t you report to your father that you got the cooperation of the dragon, and ask him about it while you''re at it? ''A contact spell. Okay, I''ll get ready. At Irene''s suggestion, I took out the magic mirror for contact from my luggage and propped it up on a nearby rock. I chanted the incantation, keeping in mind the access number to the king that I had made a note of for Irene. Irene and the others, who had straightened up, leaned toward me and looked into the mirror. The mirror reflects the scene of a stone room. Next, Andrew, the king who was reflected in the scene - a silver-haired stalwart whose strength was like walking around in a ceremonial dress - noticed us and approached us. ''Oh, my darling daughter! And William and his fellow beauties, they seem to be safe. How are things going? I have good news and bad news, which would you like to hear first?" The King Andrew on the other side of the mirror told me in a clear and fearless voice. 158-CHAPTER 157 What we want to know is how much time we have left. That will determine whether or not we should go out and get some extra resources. I''m going to step away from the mirror and pass the baton to the right person to contact. The person in charge, Irene, stepped forward, got down on one knee in front of the mirror, and raised her head. The knight Irene will report to the king. We have succeeded in obtaining the cooperation of the dragon. I believe it was due in large part to the efforts of my collaborator William. "Oh, I see! I''m glad to hear that. You''re indeed a candidate for my beloved daughter''s son-in-law. It looks like I''m still on the right track. At King Andrew''s words, Irene''s face turned puzzled. The reason for this was because the reflection of King Andrew in the mirror was also the reflection of the knights and court magicians who were probably the most important figures in the country. ''Hey, hey, dad! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I wanted to see that face. ''......, King. You''ve got to be careful with your jokes. ''I do when I have to. And you''re not joking. You like William too...'' ''Aaaaah! Stop stop stop stop! Dad, you say one more word and I''ll cut you off! I''ll never speak to you again! ''Oh, really? You''re the one who''s mixing public and private, aren''t you? ''Shut up! We''re talking about the country now! This is not the time to talk about me! ''All right, don''t be so angry. ''d*mn...'' The heavyweights behind King Andrew seemed to be watching the two of them with amusement. From the looks of it, this exchange between father and son must be a regular occurrence. Perhaps Irene has become a mascot at the meeting of the country''s top leaders. It may be that this is part of King Andrew''s calculation, since a laugh is necessary to ease the tension of a heavy meeting. ...... Even if that is the case, I would like to see more thought put into the content. In addition, there was only one person among the heavyweights in the king''s background who was not smiling. That person is the Commander of the Court Magicians, James, my father. It''s not like he''s looking particularly uncomfortable, so he''s probably conscientious about the king''s thoughts, but he''s got that usual pout on his face, so we don''t know what he''s really thinking. ...... I wonder if I look like that to others. Maybe I should practice laughing a little. Now that that''s out of the way, it''s time for you to move on. From Irene''s side, I urge her softly. ''Miss Irene, tell me about it. ''Oh, I''m sorry, Will. You''re right. I had to ask. ''King, I have a question for you. Irene, who seemed to have remembered, once again faced the king in the mirror with the face of a knight. This time, Andrew adopts a stern demeanor and responds to her. What is it, Eileen the Knight? Tell me." ''Yes, sir. Have you engaged the Demon Lord yet?'' ''Yes. We''ve already clashed once. The good news and bad news I told you earlier are based on that. The good news and bad news is that the Royal Knights have already engaged the Demon Lord. And then there''s the good news and the bad news. Irene thought for a beat and then replied. ''Then may I ask the bad news first? ''All right. The bad part is that the strength of the Demon Lord in question is unfashionable. First of all, the hardness of that ice armor is unbelievable. Longbows and crossbows can''t get through it. Secondly, the super regenerative ability. It can heal minor arrow wounds quickly and naturally. Furthermore, as expected, heat weapons and other auxiliary magic will be canceled as soon as you approach him. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... It''s an iron wall. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it. ''Almost certainly not. But that''s past tense. But that''s in the past tense, because you knights, Irene, have done it so well. King Andrew smiled as he said this. Irene, on the other hand, nods her head graciously in response. ''Thank you for the words of praise. May I ask what the good news is? ''The good news is, the stalling ( ) went well. Using an artifact that creates a simulated prison, I was able to lock him and some of his men away. It''s a one-time treasure, so it won''t happen again, but it''ll give us a few days. I was surprised to hear King Andrew''s words. I couldn''t help but interrupt him. ''Your Majesty, that ''artifact that creates a pseudo-prison''... are you referring to the ''Jewel of the Extreme Prison''? ''Oh, William, you are very knowledgeable. No way." King Andrew replied without seeming to be offended. In fact, the Commander of the Court Magicians behind him, my father, seemed to glare at me for a moment. ''Hey, Will, what''s this Kyokugoku no Nanaka? Is it awesome?'' Satsuki, who was standing beside me, asked me secretly in my ear. I answer Satsuki with the same question in my ear. It is one of the artifacts that have been handed down from generation to generation in the Kingdom of Grace Road, and it is the most treasured of all the magic items in the national treasury. I''m surprised that you didn''t hesitate to dispose of it. No, they are disposable items to begin with, so it is only natural to dispose of them. But it is, after all, a relic left behind by history and tradition to this generation. King Andrew, you are so bold in what you do. Or perhaps it was someone else''s idea... I looked unknowingly at my father, who had just glared at me. Irene, on the other hand, thanked him once more graciously and tried to end the conversation. ''I understand the situation, sir. We''ll be in touch. Is that okay, Will? And finally, he asked me for confirmation. And then the gazes of the heavyweights on the other side of the mirror all converged on me at once. ...... No, no, no, wait. I''ll give Irene a lecture later. This means that it''s up to me or Irene to decide who''s in charge. At least on the outside, Irene''s position has to be higher. As I was pondering how to deal with this troubling situation, I was suddenly interrupted by an unexpected interruption. ''Wait a minute. Why don''t you let me have a word with him? It was a dragon in the form of a girl who demanded that Irene give up her place. Irene, too, gave up her place without a second thought. ''Andrew, it''s been a while. It''s been a while since I''ve seen you, and you''ve gotten a lot less cute. The dragon girl stood in front of the mirror, and Andrew, on the other hand, broke into a smile. ''Oh, Ildora! I''ve missed you. You look almost the same as you did then. It''s probably been twenty years since then. Or have you grown a little taller? ''Idiot. In dragon form you''d be a head taller. ...... More importantly, kid, you''ve been very lax in sending me money this time. "Oh, no, I''m sorry about that. They told me not to go, so I had no choice. There are things I can do now that I''m king, but worldly ties hold me back in times like these. Forgive me. But my daughter and her guards you sent on a mission were quite impressive, weren''t they? Especially... The Andrew on the other side of the mirror looks at me as if to say so. In response, the dragon girl grinned at him. ''Yeah, I''m satisfied with that. I mean...'' She used her whole body and clung tightly to my arm. ''I''m already in love with this strong male. He''s ruined my body and soul. Andrew, you''ve been a good friend, but I''m now his property. I just thought I''d let you know. "....... William, you''re surprisingly quick on the uptake. I thought you weren''t the type, but you''re quite the charmer. ............. ...... What''s wrong with this situation? But there is not much time left for communication (contact). ''Excuse me, Your Majesty, but I think you''ve misunderstood something. By the way, the effect of the contact is about to expire. I''ll report back to you as soon as I have something to report, if that''s all right. "Oh. It''s fine to have beautiful women around, but don''t make my daughter cry too much, okay? See you. ''And so, Your Majesty...'' Pfft. The effect of the contact has worn off. ............. ...... I wonder if my social position has been labeled in some tremendous way. In addition to the king and my father, there were a lot of other important people in the country, and I wonder how they saw me. When I imagine that, my head starts to hurt. And then Cyril put his hand on my shoulder with a pat. ''I''m sorry for your loss, William. If you want to cry, I can lend you my chest. ''...... That''s a very tempting offer. I''d certainly like to cry. But I''ll pass.'' ''Well, I''m sorry to hear that.'' Cyril chuckles. I look up into the far evening sky, at a loss. 159-CHAPTER 158 The power of the jewel of the Extreme Prison has locked up the Demon King, giving us a few days of time. That''s what King Andrew said. Then we should go get the Fiery Sword. The more forces we have, the better the situation. ''Dragon, the Fiery Sword you mentioned earlier, how long will it take you to go get it? I ask the dragon in the form of a little girl who is still hugging my right arm. I''m sure you''ll be able to get to the ...... ruins in less than an hour if you fly in dragon form. By the way, Aruji-dono, please call me ''Ildora'' instead of ''dragon''. As one of the females who surrendered to you, I want your favor. ............. I''m not sure what to make of this, but it''s a good idea. ''...... Okay, it''s Ildora.'' I''ll just answer the blandest part for now. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. To my annoyance, she was very cute. The image of the majestic dragon in my mind was crumbling with a rattling sound. No, I think it''s been like that for a long time now, but it''s about to become a mortal wound. Anyway. If it takes less than an hour to go one way, it should be enough to meet the limit of a few days, even if you consider the time to explore the ruins and other things. I told Irene, my employer, to that effect, ''Yes, you''re right. I think Will is right. Let''s go get that flaming sword. She replied in two words. And so we set out on our next mission. When we contacted the King again to inform him of our intentions, he gave us his approval and promised to reward us for the additional mission. On the other hand, I did not get the chance to clear up the misunderstanding about me there. It would have been uncomfortable for me to give an explanation about myself in an important communication about national affairs, if it had not been for the flow of the conversation. Well, I''ve always taken the stance that I don''t care how others see me, so I don''t think there''s anything to worry about now. Rather, we should think about our current problems. As for the immediate problem, the first thing to consider is how much mana I have left. Due to the triple blizzard, about two-thirds of my mana had been lost. With that in mind, I consulted with Irene. ''Irene, I''d like to take a good rest before heading for the ruins. Why don''t we leave tomorrow morning?'' ''Yeah, I guess so. I''m really tired too. Let''s get some rest today and see you tomorrow. ''Then you can use my roost. I can''t offer you much in the way of hospitality, but there''s plenty of room. Because of Ildora''s kindness, we spent the night in the vast cave that was the dragon''s roost. For dinner, Ildora shared with us the meat of a bear she had hunted. Ildora and Mee butchered the bear, and Cyril, who was an excellent cook, prepared steak and meat soup. The bear meat seemed to have been drained of blood at least a little beforehand, and it was a little tough, but had a wild flavor with strong umami. When stewing the soup, Cyril used the dried vegetables he had brought with him and complained that he wished he had more vegetables, but it was still a great meal for a traveler. In fact, Ildora said, "This is good. It''s good. Very good. That''s why I don''t underestimate humans.'' and she was engrossed in the food that Cyril had prepared. Then all that was left was to take a bath and go to bed, each wrapped in a blanket. By the way, speaking of baths, ever since I made baths for the elves before, Satsuki and the others have been asking me to make baths for them on their travels. They want to take a bath at the end of the day to wash away the fatigue, sweat, and dirt of the day, no matter where they are traveling. My personal opinion is that it is not necessary to make such a bath unless you are in need of it, because it eats up a lot of mana, which reduces your ability to cope with something that happens during the night, and you tend to be defenseless while bathing, and I think that the real pleasure of traveling includes being covered in travel dirt... This theory, especially the last one, did not work at all for the women. The three of them even asked me to make a bath for them by paying them a silver coin every day, and their enthusiasm pushed me to make a bath almost every night while receiving wages for my labor on the road. Well, it''s not really a big problem if they are unresponsive or defenseless, and if it motivates them, it''s not so bad. In addition, there was once an uproar before, when Satsuki, who was bathing without a towel, said, "Why don''t you join us, Will? I understood it as a joke, but as a joke, I said, "Okay. When I said, ''I''m coming,'' Satsuki started screaming in a panic. Even Satsuki was embarrassed to take a bath with a man in the nude. ...... Well, that''s just an aside. The next morning, we spent the night in the cave. After having a simple breakfast made by Cyril, we decided to leave in the early morning when the morning sun was shining down on the quiet air. The five of us, Irene, Satsuki, Mie, and Cyril, straddled the back of Ildora, who had transformed into a dragon and was lying face down. However, he was indeed the king of the monsters. This is nothing to worry about. Two or three more people and we might be in trouble. said Ildora, who had turned into a dragon. And indeed, as she flapped her large wings, the magical wings lifted the dragon''s huge body and sent its demonic beast body flying into the sky. We rode on the dragon''s back and flew over the magnificent scenery. Then Satsuki, who was behind me, shouted at me. ''Will! It was a prophetic dream after all! ''Ah! I didn''t know this was possible! I responded with a shout as the wind whistled through the air. I was getting a little excited. Flying on the back of a dragon. It''s like something out of a fairy tale, just like a dream. I had been excited when I first flew through the sky by Metamorphosis, but this was a different kind of excitement. On the other hand, there was a problem. As the speed of Ildora increased, the wind blowing from the front became stronger, and I felt a little breathless and cold. This reminded me of the difference between dreams and reality. When I turned around to see if my friends behind me were all right, it seemed that Irene, Satsuki, and Mie were shielding their bodies from the wind with their auras, while Cyril alone was shrinking from the cold. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Aura, it''s not fair. Anything is possible. I''m not sure what to do. I''d like to be able to use auras sooner or later, but for now I''ll settle for what I''ve got. '' Wind Barrier! When I activate the spell, a layer of air is created around me. As a result, the wind that I had been feeling earlier disappeared as if it were a lie, and the air surrounding me became calm and quiet. I breathe a sigh of relief. In addition, the spell''s area of effect encompassed even Cyril at the end of the line, and when I looked behind me, the girl in the priest''s robe looked surprised. ''Warm ......, is this also William''s magic?'' ''Yeah. It''s an elementary spell, usually used to prevent poisonous gases and the like. It''s also a side effect of this spell that you can now talk within the range of the barrier without raising your voice. Incidentally, the principle of this spell is also applied to the higher level spells of the cottage. Compared to these higher level spells, most of the beginner spells have only limited effects, but they consume less mana, so if you use them well, you can achieve high cost performance. Cyril is smiling at me. ''Thank you William . I was dying of cold.'' ''Wow, ...... really, Will''s magic can do anything, can''t it? Satsuki and Mee nodded their heads in agreement with Irene''s words. I thought that people might be envious of what others have. 160-Chapter 159 , . , , . , , . , , . . , , . , , . , . '' , , '' '' , '' , . . '' , , '' '' , . '' '' , '' , . , . , . , . , . , . . , . , . , . '' , '' '' . , '' . , , . . , , . , , , , , . , , . , , . , , '' '' . , '' '' , . , . '' '' , . '' '' , . , . , . '' , '' , . , . , . '' , '' '' , '' , . , , . , . '' . , '' , . , , . , , . '' , '' , . . . , . '' , . . '' '' '' , . , . '' , , , , '' , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . '' . , . , . '' , . . , . , , . , . , . , . , . , , . , . , , , . , , , . , , . I think it''s worth it if you can still expect results... In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it to get the most out of your money. ...... Well, I guess we should go for the straightforward way here. And as I was thinking about that... ''And by the way, William ...... Mee has one thing on his mind ......''. My partner, who was standing beside me, said in a slightly fidgety manner. ''Hmm, what is it? ''You know, ...... this ruin, only one man and one woman can enter, so William is definite, isn''t it ......?'' ''Well, that''s what''s going to happen. I don''t think they''ll count Irene as a man at any rate. To my horror, even though there are so many of us, there''s not a single man in the party besides me. This is an extremely rare adventuring party, even after all this time. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. ''Hmm ......?'' I thought of the meaning of the word ''mate'' when Mee told me. It has multiple meanings, but in this case it is natural to think of it as referring to a male and female pair of animals. ''Are you saying that humans are different from so-called animals and therefore not compatible with them? I think that''s hard to imagine. ......'' ''No, no, not at all. You see, ''mate'' means ''husband and wife'', doesn''t it? ''...... Oh, so that''s what it means.'' When Mee pointed it out to me, I understood. In other words, Mee is afraid that a mere man and woman is not enough, but a man and a woman in a conjugal relationship must be enough to meet the condition. ''If that''s the case, we''re out of luck, but we''ll have to give it a try. ''What? What do you mean, "try it out"? Mee''s tail twitched and her mouth puckered up. She looks flustered or fidgety. ''......? No, I think the first thing you should do is try to get on the pedestal with the two of you to see if it works or not. ...... Is there something wrong? ''Oh,....... ......No, no, it''s nothing. ......'' This time, her face turned bright red, and she flapped her cat ears and wagged her tail, looking embarrassed. I don''t know what it is, but for now I can say that she looks very cute. 161-CHAPTER XVI Let''s get this straight. There are ruins in front of us. But there''s no entrance anywhere. Instead, there are stone monuments and statues, indicating that only two people, one man and one woman, are allowed to challenge this dungeon. After Mee has finished investigating the area around the statues, I call the remaining four players, Irene, Satsuki, Cyril, and Ildora, to the area around the statues. Note that Ildora has already been humanized and is in the form of a girl. ''Now, as for who I''m going with...'' I look around at my five companions. The girls are standing side by side in front of me, and all four of them except Ildora look nervous. Who will go with whom to explore the ruins? Assuming one man and one woman, one of them would be me. Then who should I choose as my partner? Let''s compare the abilities of each member. First, Irene. She''s a genius with swords and auras, and is one of the best of the five at close combat. Compared to Satsuki, her aura is thicker and her abilities are less biased. Her employer, the princess, and the surrounding circumstances are troublesome, but Irene herself doesn''t seem to care about them, and I don''t feel the need to pay attention to them. Next, Satsuki. Her fighting ability used to be inferior to Irene''s, but now it''s almost on par with hers, and her ability to see things through is even more divine than Irene''s. On the other hand, his pure aura power is a little inferior to Irene''s, and his words and actions are rash, so I''m a little worried about that. The third one, Mee. She is an excellent thief, and is very reliable when exploring the ruins, where you never know what kind of tricks are in store for you. Although she is hidden behind Aileen and Satsuki, she can use her aura to fight well. His weapon is a dagger, so his offensive power is inferior, but his agility is comparable to that of Irene and Satsuki, and he also has excellent judgment and quick thinking. The fourth, Cyril. He is a highly skilled acolyte of the divine miracle. However, his ability to use a mace in melee combat is limited to a minimum of training, and he is not as good as the others. With my own lack of weapon combat skills, I''m afraid I''m going to have to eliminate you from the list. Finally, Ildora. Her abilities are unknown, but she has indicated to Irene and Satsuki that ''her strength in human form will be a good match for your girls''. If she were in dragon form, she would have the highest fighting power, but with the low ceiling of the ruins, it would be impossible for her to change into a dragon and fight. In addition, he is now yawning like he is not interested. He may do it if you ask him to, but basically he seems to be unwilling to do it. Now, the question is who to choose among them. Considering not only their combat power, but also their balance of various factors... ...... Well, I''d say she''s the obvious choice. I made my decision and stood in front of the girl. ''Mee, will you come with me? I held out my hand to the beastman girl. But Mee looked surprised. ''Heh, ......? Are you sure it''s Mee? Not Irene, not Satsuki? The girl looked up at me with a mixture of anxiety and happiness. I don''t think it''s a strange decision. ....... It seems that this girl, Mee, is the type who doesn''t have a very high self-esteem. ''Oh. If you look at Mee''s abilities as a thief and her fighting skills, I think Mee is the most suitable partner for me to go exploring the ruins with. ''Is that so? ...... Oh, that''s a little unexpected. ......'' Mee averted her gaze, scratched her neck and looked embarrassed. ''Huh, I''ve been rejected. So, Mee-chan, please. ''Well, I can''t help it. But I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''ll leave it to you. ''Mee, please take care of William for us. Irene, Satsuki, and Cyril gave Mee some encouragement, looking a little disappointed or relieved. Ildora, by the way, still looks uninterested. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. It''s a big responsibility. ......'' In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ''So, William ......, please take care of me .......'' The girl who said that to me looked like a miraculously lovely creature. I''m not sure what to say. After a while, the two of us, me and Mee, were inside a building that seemed to be inside the ruins. As it turned out, the teleporter functioned normally when both Mee and I got on the pedestal. The word "couple" written on the stone monument means that we did not have to be married. The teleporter took us to a small stone room. As a precaution, Mee had prepared a torch and I had prepared a light spell to illuminate the room, but there was no attack immediately after the transfer, as we had feared. On the contrary, the ceiling of the small room was even lit by magic. ''Lighting using the spell of continual light? It''s a great service for the explorer. It means they''re welcome.'' ''On the contrary, it''s creepy. We''re treasure vandals. It''s strange to be welcomed. As she said this, Mee looked around carefully, her cat ears twitching as she listened. It''s always a good thing that Mee, who is an expert on perimeter security, is so careful about this. Thanks to her, I can concentrate on my other thoughts. ''Mee, you''re always so helpful. Thank you. ''Heh, ......? What''s that? ''No, it must be tiring to be on the lookout all the time. You''ve done it without complaining. I can only thank you.'' ''Well, that''s Mee''s job,......, but I''m very happy to be recognized for my work,........ Thank you too .......'' Mee looked very embarrassed and fidgety. As I thought before, she might not be used to being praised for her work. Seeing her like this makes me want to praise her even more and see how she reacts, but unfortunately I''m in the middle of a dungeon search right now, so I''ll try to keep it in moderation. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of them. ''...... Come to think of it, I feel like this is the first time I''ve been alone with William like this. Actually, maybe not. That''s true. It might be a rare opportunity for the two of us to be alone, without Satsuki and Cyril. ''It''s tempting to make a run for it, but since they trusted me and sent me out, I have to do my job properly. Mee said this and ran towards one of the doors of the room. The small room we were in was a bleak place with no furniture or furnishings, and a large magic circle was drawn on the floor. The magic circle had been emitting phosphorescence just after the transfer, but now it was gone. The only other things in the room were two metal doors - one on the front wall and one on the back wall, facing away from where I and Mee were standing at first. Mee went to one of the doors, the one at the rear. ''William, it''s those letters again. Mee, who was examining the door, tells me. I walk over to her and look at the metal plate the beastman girl is pointing to - it''s on the side of the door. The plate read, in ancient civilization letters, "If you want to retreat, that''s fine. If you want to retreat, that''s fine, but you can''t try again. Mee beside me looked up at me. ''What does it say? ''It says that you can leave, but in that case you can''t challenge the ruins again. ''So, this is the exit.'' When Mee opened the door after examining it, there were two stone statues and a pedestal in the small room at the end, the same as the ones outside the ruins. I suppose you can return to your home by riding on those pedestals, but... well, it''s probably best not to try. ''There''s nothing to do here for now. Mee, can you check the other door? ''Yes, sir! Mee went to check the other door, looking somewhat pleased with herself. 162-CHAPTER 161 ''...... There doesn''t seem to be any kind of trap on the door. ...... I don''t hear any noise.'' She whispered to me as she observed the door, carefully touched it, or conversely, randomly touched the door and put her ear to it. Then he turned to me and asked. ''William, there is a spell called See-Through, isn''t there? Can you see beyond this door? I can sympathize with her feeling of wanting to know what''s behind the door, since there might be something lurking behind it. But useful information is often not available for free. And in this case, there is a high possibility that even paying the magical element (cost) will not make it possible. ''I haven''t tried it, but I''m guessing that see-through will be rejected with high probability. I don''t want to waste a shot. It''s a high-level spell, and it eats a lot of mana. ''It will be played ......? How is that possible? ''Yeah. In ancient ruins, especially in labyrinth-type ruins, it is said that a magic blocking wall that shuts out the effects of information-based magic is a common device. I''ve read similar descriptions in several adventure books. ''Oh, I see. That''s what I''m talking about, William, you''re no stranger to adventure stories. In fact, I still wasn''t sure whether or not to try the see-through trick. I expect that it will be disabled with high probability, but it is not yet confirmed that it will not pass. And when it does pass, the results will be immeasurable. If I had an elven potion that could restore my mana, I wouldn''t hesitate to use it. ....... ...... No, it''s not good. It''s not a good idea. You''ve become extravagant with regard to the consumption of magical elements (mana). You should use the spells you need when you need them, but if you are in the risk management stage, you should be aware of the cost performance. Otherwise, my mana will soon be depleted. However, even if you run out of mana while exploring this dungeon, you can still return home if you need to, so it''s easy. If we go out from the exit we found first, at least we won''t lose our lives in this dungeon. But in that case, we''ll have to give up on getting the Fiery Sword. I wonder if that will be enough to defeat the Demon Lord. It''s a delicate position to be in. Meanwhile, Mee asks me one more question. ''Well, what about that spell called Alert? It can detect enemies even when they are invisible, right? ''I''ve already used the Alert spell, but there''s no response. I guess it''s better to assume that the effect has been canceled. ''...... Mmm. These are the remains of William''s countermeasures. Cheeky.'' Mee said, her mouth hanging open in a sulky manner. Of course, there is no such thing as a protection against me (William), and if I had to use that expression, I would say that it is a protection against mages. However, the fact that my informational spells are useless can be viewed positively as follows. ''So, Mee, I''m glad you''re here. I''ll need your help to get through this dungeon. ''Hmmm...'' I patted Mee''s head again. Mee''s cheeks flushed with happiness and embarrassment, and she accepted it. Her cat ears twitched occasionally, and her upraised tail wagged. It was so cute that I wanted to hug it. But somehow I managed to put on the brakes with my self-control. ''...... You really do have a demonic charm, don''t you, Mee? ''Hmmm ......? What is it? ''No, it''s nothing. I''m not sure if I''d be able to say yes to a girl like this, but I''d be a fool not to. I used to think I was an intelligent person, but now I''m thinking that maybe I''m not. I''m not sure. In the end, he gave up on any further information and decided to open the door honestly. Mee leaned towards the door, pushed it open a little, and peered through the crack. And then... Mee made a blatantly disgusted face. ''Oh, ......, there''s a really nasty guy here. ''What''s wrong? ''I''ll know it when I see it. Mee pushed the door open carelessly. Seeing the scene beyond, I understood the meaning of what she said. What lay beyond the door was a bleak little room, except for one thing. It looked a lot like the room we were in. The space was so small that a few steps would bring us to the other side of the wall, and there was a door on the opposite wall. The only thing unique about it. It was a sword propped up on a pedestal in the center of the room. The sword was unsheathed, the hilt was decorated with jewels, and the blade had a wavy edge reminiscent of fire. Looking at the shape of the blade, he felt that it resembled a type of sword called a flamberge. ''It''s a good thing Satsuki isn''t here. ''Not at all. I can see her skipping to draw her sword. Mee and I laughed behind the backs of our fellow girls who were not present. Backbiting is usually a bad thing, but neither of us dislikes the girl, so it''s okay. ''But what should we do about it? ''Well, ...... I think it''s more like an imitator than anything else, but there''s always a chance. I''m not sure if you can hit it with a throwing knife. I see. It''s a little difficult, but I''ll give it a try. Mee replied, pulling out a small throwing knife from its holder on her thigh. Then she aimed sharply at her target. After confirming this, I also raise my staff and start chanting. By the way, we haven''t even entered the room yet. Huh! Mee shot a throwing knife. It hit the blade of the sword stuck in the pedestal without missing, and of course there was no sound of metal hitting metal. Of course, there was no sound of metal clashing with metal. Mi''s throwing knife dug into the blade of the sword. It wasn''t as if the metal of the blade had been pierced and cracked, but more like it had bitten into the flesh. In the first place, if it really is a powerful magic sword, it is unlikely that it will be damaged by Mi''s throwing knife, but in any case, this is confirmed. I can''t believe it! The one that was in the form of a sword ( ) screams. Then it changes its shape, becoming a gray clay, and tries to rise. ''Magic Missile! I slam four arrows of light into it. There is no need for amplification by multiple spell casting. The sounds of rupture echoed in succession. The arrows of light made each part of the swirling clay that had been hit burst apart, creating a wind hole no bigger than a fist. The clay-like substance that had been trying to expand ceased its activity. It crumbled and slowly melted, spreading out over the pedestal, until it resembled a motionless lump of clay. ''...... are you finished? I nodded to Mee, who asked me that. The imitator should not have the intelligence to fake its own death. The imitator, or ''mimic'' as the monster is called, is literally a magical creature that disguises itself as some sort of inanimate object, waits for its prey, and then unintentionally kills those who are tricked into approaching it. It is relatively common to see them mimicking chests of treasure - a common name for them is ''mimics'' - but they can also take on different forms, as in this case. However, it is too obvious to find the target treasure immediately after entering the dungeon. The fact that the word ''challenge'' was used on the stone monument at the entrance suggests that the structure is not that simple, and that we should be suspicious of such things. Anyway, this imitator trap is clear. I breathed a sigh of relief. ''Are we off to a good start? I nod my head again as Mee asks me this. ''Yes. But let''s keep our eyes open. ''Of course. But you can give me more nudges. This isn''t carelessness, it''s the reward of victory. William, if there''s anything you want me to do for you, just let me know, okay? Mee said and smiled at me. I''m not sure what you want me to do,......, but I want you to do it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''No, not particularly.'' ''Are you sure? ...... If you want, you can even do something naughty.'' She said this with a blush on her cheeks and an upward glance. The sight of her made me nervous. However, she quickly turned around and said, I''m sorry, but... Did you take me seriously? I''m just kidding. Don''t do anything naughty. This time, she put her right index finger to her mouth and winked at me. It was absurdly cute. That''s when I lost the grip on my reason and said something like this. ''Does wanting to hug Mee count as being naughty? ''Heck, ......? Mee froze as if she had turned to stone. I came back to myself and coughed. ''No, that was a joke. ''......, is that so? You can''t blame them if it''s a joke. ...... William''s jokes are very bad. Let''s move on, shall we? ''Yeah, sure.'' The atmosphere was rather delicate. Mee and I crossed the room where the imitator was, looking distant from each other. At that time, I thought that Mee mumbled something, but I couldn''t hear what she said. 163-Chapter 162 The next door opened into a hallway. It was wide, just wide enough for me and Mee to stand side by side with our arms outstretched. The corridor went straight ahead. Mi and I walked straight down it. I glanced at the back of My, who was half a step ahead of me on my left. The girl with the cat ears was walking cautiously, her eyes carefully scanning her surroundings. Not quite a trot, but slow. I followed her quietly so as not to disturb her. At that moment, Mi''s eyes, which had been looking around, turned diagonally back and suddenly met mine. ''A......'' Then, her cheeks suddenly turned bright red. She hurriedly looked away from me. She seemed to be getting nervous. Then, we proceeded a little further. Then, she opened her mouth. ''...... William, I''m sorry. ''......? For what?'' ''Mee, I think I''ve lost it. This kind of distraction is the end of my career as a thief. I hate myself. ''............'' ''But it''s William''s fault, too. I can''t do this. I feel like my heart is going to burst. ...... If we weren''t on an adventure right now, Mee would be ......'' ''............'' Mee''s tail wagged restlessly. The little girl''s ears and cheeks were red in profile as I looked at her from behind. A feeling of love welled up in my chest. My body is about to be taken over by an impulsive desire that does not consider the time and place. But somehow I manage to shake it off and keep my self-control. ''...... Sorry''. I didn''t know what I was apologizing for. But Mee seemed to have interpreted it somehow. ''Don''t apologize. It''s a joke. It''s a pretext for a joke. If you apologize, the joke will cease to be a joke. ...... Ah, but it''s Mee''s fault. It''s all Mee''s fault. It''s all my fault. My head is a mess. Mee seems to be confused too. When I don''t respond and remain silent, the beastman girl turns her back to me and continues. ''But it''s because William does things that aren''t like William. William wouldn''t lie to protect himself by calling something that isn''t a joke a joke. I was surprised to hear that. I''m sure I hated that stuff. At the time, it had come out of my mouth as if I were trying to cover something up... But without knowing my inner thoughts, Mee spun more words. ''...... But this is just another one of Mee''s assumptions, isn''t it? It''s not ...... fake, is it? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I thought that I had come up with a strange idea, but it was the first time in a long time that I could reply clearly, so I answered immediately. ''No, that''s not true. I''m real.'' ''......, right? I''m sorry for asking you such a strange question. ''No, it''s fine. The fact that I said I was the real thing didn''t guarantee anything, because a fake could call itself the real thing, but Mi was satisfied with that. Incidentally, there is no guarantee that Mee is the real thing either, but if you think about it too much, you''ll only get stuck in a quagmire of thoughts. If we seek too much certainty in the reality in front of us, in the end we will be left with only our own thoughts. We are always living in a moderately uncertain world, believing in what we feel to be certain. ''But I''ve calmed down a little because of my strange thoughts. I think I''m okay now. I''m sorry for being so upset.'' ''No, I''m sorry too.'' ''Yes, I am. Don''t tempt Mee too much or she''ll be useless as a thief, okay, William? Wait until you''re all done and back at the inn. Then Mee will accept as much as you want. Then Mee smiled at me. I thought that was my line, but I didn''t say it out loud. But I didn''t say it. After going straight for a while, the corridor eventually turned to the right. Mie, who had tiptoed ahead of me to the corner, peered ahead and invited me to follow her. I walked up to her side and imitated her, peering around the corner. At the end of the corner, there was a door. There was a door at the end and two stone statues, one on each side of the door. Both of the stone statues resembled the same monster. On a pedestal, a humanoid monster sat with its back arched, its hands on the pedestal with sharp claws, its back with bat wings, its head with two horns, and its beast-like mouth with a row of sharp fangs. When I saw them, I turned my head back and headed back to this side of the bend. I''m not sure what to do. ''...... William, what do you think? ''No, I don''t know what to say. If it''s that obvious, I''m inclined to think there''s another possibility. ''...... Hmm? What do you mean?'' Mee tilted her head. I nodded my head along with her. We''re not on the same page. ''Mee, by any chance you don''t know about the monster in the stone statue? ''No, I don''t. Mee is not like William, who knows a lot from the Academy of Magic. If you know about it, please tell me. ''I see. ...... No, it''s not like I studied at the Academy of Magic. Well, not everyone is a fan of adventure stories. Even if they are a regular presence in many adventure stories, they are not as well known as dragons and goblins. I''m a little surprised by the culture shock, but I tell Mee about it. ''That''s a gargoyle, a monster that waits for adventurers in the form of a stone statue. They are cunning and will attack adventurers who approach or pass by them, thinking they are just stone statues. In that sense, it''s similar to the imitator... but then again, Mee knew about the imitator, but not the gargoyle? In the event that you''ve got an imitator that''s a treasure chest, you''ll find that it''s a very minor imitator that turns into a sword. ''No, is it the Imitator ......? I didn''t know it was a monster too. I just thought it looked stupidly weird. ...... I see, that''s what you mean. I''ve always thought that Mee was a much more rational thinker than Satsuki, but rationality and knowledge are two different things. Maybe there''s a lot more that people don''t know than I thought. ''So, William, is that gargoyle a very strong monster? ''No, it has a monster rank of E, which is about right. If we only talk about how fast it moves, I think Mee can play around with it even if she has to deal with two of them. The only thing is that they are as hard as real stone statues, so Mee''s dagger won''t be able to penetrate them well. ''...... I knew it. I had a hunch about that. Mee said disgustedly. ''Then, what should we do? In the event that you''ve got a gargoyle, you''ll be able to use it as a heat weapon on your dagger. You don''t want to assume that you''ll be in close combat from the start. ''...... William sometimes thinks more like a thief than a thief. ''I''ll take that as a compliment - so I''d like to try hitting him with a magic missile first, and if that doesn''t take him down, I''d like to have Mee cut him in. ''All right, sir. The magic missile is very active, isn''t it? ''It''s a beginner spell that doesn''t consume a lot of mana. Besides, it has enough attack power and usability if it''s not used against high-level monsters. It''s perfect for conserving mana. ''I think William will make a good housewife. I then went out to the corner of the corridor, completing my chanting, and fired magic missile spells at the two stone statues that appeared to be gargoyles. The magic arrows, which he allocated two shots each, pierced the head and abdomen of one of the stone statues and crushed it. The other stone statue, with wind holes in its chest and abdomen, attacked in a haphazard manner, but Mee leaped forward to fight back and put an end to it. Having passed through the second gate, Mee and I continued onward. 164-CHAPTER 163 Me and Mee defeated the two gargoyles. Then we got to work on the door ahead. This door is just beyond the two pedestals where the gargoyles were. As usual, Mee approached cautiously and started to investigate, but... The girl paused just before the door, between the two pedestals. Mee''s gaze is directed upwards to the ceiling just in front of the door. ''Ah, ......, there''s a blatantly suspicious gap in the ceiling, isn''t there? She turns to me and points at the ceiling. I walked up to her and looked at the spot she was pointing at. I see that there is a long horizontal gap in the ceiling. Cleverly, it was a dark area where the light from the wall-mounted lights did not reach, and I would not have noticed it if Mi had not pointed it out to me and I had not paid attention. The gap is a hole about the size of a sword scabbard placed horizontally, just above your head when you stand in front of the door. ''Is that a ...... trap? ''I think so. When you open the door or twist the doorknob or something, something will fall from there. ''I see. But Mee, how did you notice that thing? I had no idea until you told me.'' ''You see, I''m a professional thief. It''s a piece of cake. I patted her on the head. When I patted her head, she said, ''Hahaha'' and looked happy. It''s a standard exchange, and I''m beginning to have no hesitation. ''Can you disarm the trap? ''Sure, I''ll leave it to you. But it might be faster to trigger it.'' ''...... What do you mean? ''Well, we''ll see.'' ''I''ll be watching,'' she said, motioning for me to fall back once more. And when she saw that I had retreated to the corner, she approached the door more carefully than ever. Then she stared at the door and the surrounding walls, floor and ceiling... ''Oh... that''s it? Then, as if muttering to himself, he walked up to the door and stopped before the last step. Then she took that last step... From that point on, Mi''s movements were frighteningly quick. The girl took several back steps with an amazing agility that surpassed that of a wild feline, and in no time at all she had retreated to the ground next to me. And then, a beat later... Rattle, rattle, rattle! In front of the door, something large and sharp fell from the gap in question and crashed to the stone floor directly below. I took a closer look to see what it was... ''...... Is that a guillotine? It doesn''t have a decapitation table. ''It looks like it. It''s a hanging guillotine with chains. If you stand in front of it to open the door, it will split your head in half. What fell from the ceiling was a large blade connected to a chain. It was a silvery half-moon shaped blade similar to the blade of a large axe, and if such a thing fell on the head of a living person, he would naturally die instantly. At the moment, the tip of the blade is slightly biting into the stone floor, and the chain from which it was suspended is flexing on the floor. But then... ...... kara kara kara. Eventually, the chain was lifted up as if by a gap in the ceiling. As he waited, both the chain and the blade returned to the gap in the ceiling and returned to their original state, as if nothing had happened. The only thing that remained was the mark of the blade''s bite on the stone floor. ''Hmm, going back. That''s a bit of a hassle. Mee muttered. Perhaps if she stepped on that floor again, the guillotine blade would fall again in the same way. But with that structure... ''Why don''t we just step on that floor again and go through after the guillotine has fallen? I''m sure there was a few seconds between when it fell and when it started to come back.'' ''Yes, sir . That''s what Mee was thinking. It''s a simple but accurate way out. If you want, you can shoot a magic arrow (magic missile) when it falls to destroy the chain and disable the trap itself. The timing of the breakthrough is not too critical, and there is no need to waste a small amount of mana. ''By the way, a guillotine trap just when you''ve taken a break from killing stone monsters, it''s a dungeon with a very high killing intent. ''That''s true. I''m glad it was Mee who came with me. ''Hehehe. But that also means that William''s eyes were right. William knows Mee better than she does. With this exchange, we cleared the third barrier and passed through the door safely. I can''t believe it. After breaking through the gargoyle and guillotine, we passed through the door, and found that the corridor was still straight ahead. Mee and I carefully walked down the corridor again. After a while, we saw a door on the wall on our right. The corridor itself continued forward, but the door caught our attention. ''Do you want me to check that door? ''Yes, please. ''Yes, sir.'' Mee paused for a moment, then approached the door and began to check for traps. When she had finished checking everything, she opened the door, looked inside, and invited me to come to the door. ''It''s another room I don''t know how to take. As I walked over to Mee, the beastman girl opened the door and showed me the scene beyond. It was a medium-sized room. At the back of the room were four stone statues, and in front of them was a treasure chest. Next to the chest, there was a stone monument and a stone stand, and on the stand were three small hammers emitting a faint light. The four stone statues at the back of the room all resembled human figures, but each had a slightly different design. One had angelic wings on its back. Another has a single horn growing out of its forehead. Another has long, sharp claws growing from the tips of its fingers. The last one had sharp, beastly fangs growing from its mouth. Mee entered the room, looking around carefully, and moved to the stone monument. After examining the surroundings, she called out to me. ''William, it''s those letters again. Mee points to the stone monument and beckons me. I walked up to the stone monument and saw that it was written in ancient civilized script. ------------------------------ The treasure is not only the sword. If you want the small treasures in this box, look for the key. The key is in the stone statue. The stone statue has wings, horns, long sharp claws and fierce fangs. Hammer at the right stone statue. A hammer can only be used once. But don''t rely on luck. More is always better. ------------------------------ I see. I dove into these ruins in search of a magical sword of flame, but it seems that there are other treasures available as well. And if you want that ''trivial treasure'' in the treasure chest in front of you, you have to solve this riddle. In addition, the ''hammer'' is probably a small hammer on the table, and if you swing it at the stone statue of the ''correct answer'', you can get the ''key''. Now, while I was deciphering the words on the stone monument, Mee was checking the treasure chest. The girl looks up at me and opens her mouth. ''This treasure chest doesn''t seem to have any traps, but it seems to be locked with a magical device. Mee can''t open it. What does it say on the stone tablet? I translated what was written on the stone monument into modern language and told her. Then... ''Fumyu......, four stone statues and three hammers. I don''t understand the hint either. If you don''t want to rely on luck, you can''t just guess, can you ......? Mee said and pondered. ...... No, is this something that is tricky? I''m pretty sure that''s the right answer. She thought about it for a while and then held up her hands as if to say she was done. ''I''m giving up, Mee. Do you understand William? ''Yes. I have an idea of what I think is the right answer. ''Are you sure? That''s William.'' Mee said, giving me a sparkling look of respect. ...... I''d be embarrassed if I missed this one. But since it fits the bill perfectly, I''m pretty sure it''s ''that one''. Then I picked up two of the three shiny little hammers on the stone table and headed for my destination. 165-CHAPTER 164 ''Is that ......? William, where are you going?'' I was about to leave the room with two small hammers in my hands when Mee stopped me. She pointed to four stone statues lined up at the back of the room. ''I''m going to retrieve the key. ''Yeah, but didn''t ...... say that the key was inside the stone statues? ''Yeah. But it didn''t say ''the stone statue in this room''.'' ''Hmm ......?'' Mee tilted her head, but followed me out of the room. I walked out into the corridor and went back to the room where the guillotine had been set up. Then, after a while... ''Aaaaah! ...... So, that''s what you''re saying?'' Mee seemed to have come to the same answer as me. She almost shouted out, but covered her mouth with her hand. I nodded towards her. ''Yeah. All the conditions match, so I think that''s the right answer. ''Yes, that''s true. ....... Agh, I can''t believe I''m being hit by such a rudimentary trick. ......! Mee clutched her head in frustration and squirmed. I walked through the door with her, stepped over the guillotine again, and returned to the corridor where we had fought the gargoyle. There, in addition to the two pedestals, two gargoyles that Mee and I had defeated were lying on the floor. Mee ran up to one of the gargoyles and poked it with her fingertips, which was no longer moving. ''...... But isn''t this unfair? It''s a monster, isn''t it? It is said that the gargoyle was originally a stone statue that was turned into a monster by giving it magical power. And riddles are usually like that. It''s not that strict. It''s just a quiz to see what the contestant thinks. As I said this, I walked up next to Mee and swung my small hammer at the stone statue in front of me, which was a gargoyle. When the small hammer hit the stone statue with a pale light... The statue itself flashed white and then crumbled away like fine sand. There was nothing left after that. Only a small pile of sand remained. You can''t find anything by scraping. ''Is it ......? ''Looks like it.'' I answer Mee and head towards the other statue. I swung my hammer down on that one as well. And then... ...clink. The stone statue turned to sand, but a golden key came out of it. ''Bingo, sir. That''s William.'' ''No, I''m glad I got it right. I was a little nervous inside, even though I talked a lot.'' ''Really? Does William have that kind of thing? I picked up the golden key and took Mee back to the room where the treasure chest was. Then I used the key and inserted it into the keyhole of the treasure chest. Squeak! There was a high-pitched sound, and the treasure chest glowed faintly, and then the light disappeared. Mee took another look around, reexamined the box, and then opened the lid. With a squeak of hinges, the lid opened to reveal the contents of the treasure chest. Inside, there were three treasures. A bottle of liquid potion, a staff, and a pair of boots. ''...... magic items, right? ''Yes, I suppose so. ''A trivial treasure, but a treasure of ancient ruins.'' ''It''s a great deal of fun. I''m not sure what to do. Magic items are generally extremely valuable. In the event that you have a lot of money, it is possible to buy a lot of things at the same time. Of course, depending on the item, you can use it yourself without selling it. You can find out what kind of magical power an item has by using the Analyze spell, but since Analyze is a high-level spell and consumes a lot of mana, you should avoid using it while exploring dungeons. We should appraise it after we finish exploring and take a break. So I wrapped the items in cloth and put them in my bag. Mee, who was watching me, tilted her head. ''William, why did you wrap them in cloth? ''Because some of the ancient magic items have a curse on them. The conditions for triggering the curse vary, but for the time being, I''d like to avoid touching it directly with my hands. ''Oh, I see. I''m a thief and I''m learning a lot. ...... I mean, William, aren''t you actually a thief? ''No, I''m just an ordinary wizard. He''s not as good at detecting traps or covert action as Mee. ''That may be so, but... But ''ordinary'' is an absolute lie. He''s a bit of an unusual wizard. With this exchange, Mee and I left the room where the treasure chest was. Then we went out to the corridor and went further into the ruins. (*) Meanwhile... The King Andrew and his men, who had sealed away the Demon King with the power of the Pearl of Hell, were now residing in one of the small cities in the country. It was in this small city that Andrew and the rest of the Kingdom''s forces had clashed with the Demon Lord. The number of warriors, kingdom knights and court magicians currently stationed in this small city is about fifty, not including the squire. The total number of the kingdom''s troops in the standing army alone is about 1,000, and the maximum number of troops that can be mobilized in times of war is nearly 10,000, so this number of about 50 is quite small. The reason for this was that it was judged to be a foolish plan that would only increase the number of casualties in vain to challenge a large army with miscellaneous soldiers against a small elite enemy that only had powerful individuals, the demon race. Also, due to the combination of logistics, securing mobility, heavy mobilization footwork, and the convenience of maintaining public order other than the Demon Lord issue, the Royal Army also formed a small number of elite troops - but three times as many as the number of demons. However, because of this, the people gathered here were all capable. Each and every one of them was powerful enough to fight off a pack of goblins or a small group of orcs on their own, and were capable of competing on equal terms with the demon race. The elite warriors that the kingdom is proud of are gathering here right now. With the power of their elite troops, they clashed with the small group of demons led by the Demon Lord, and Andrew and his team succeeded in containing the Demon Lord with relatively little sacrifice. The Demon Lord is currently in the central square of the city. The 20-meter square energy field created by the Jewel of the Extreme Prison has sealed the Demon Lord and seven other demons in place. The other demons have already been defeated, and the only remaining enemies are the demons there. Two days had already passed since Andrew and the rest of the Kingdom''s army had sealed the Demon Lords in place. The time for the decisive battle was when the effect of the Jewel of Extreme Hell was lost. The court sorcerers in the army agreed that it would be safe for at least four more days. Therefore, the warriors were resting for a while until then. The ordinary citizens of this city have already been temporarily evacuated to another city. The only people currently stationed in this city are those who are directly or indirectly involved in the extermination of the Demon King. Andrew and the other heavyweights are staying in the mansion of the lord of this small city. The original owner, the lord, is now hunched in a corner of the mansion. The king, Andrew, is currently using the mansion''s dining room as a conference room, and is having a chat called a military conference with the heavyweights. Andrew himself and the heavyweights are usually too busy to talk face to face unless they have an opportunity like this, so after the discussion on tactics was settled, they took the opportunity to exchange opinions on everyday matters. The open exchange of opinions without fear of position or status is due in large part to the personality of Andrew, the head of the country, and his ability to select people. Most of the people that Andrew values are of this type. Then, a knight came running into the room where the military meeting was taking place. Andrew is the first to notice this, and calls out to the knight. ''Hey, what''s up, Knight Langley? Is there something wrong? ''Yes, sir! You need to come right away! The Demon Lord is ......! Andrew''s gaze narrowed sharply at the knight''s appearance, and he stood up. He instructed his squire to take his favorite magic sword and left the room with the knight who had come to call him. The other heavyweights who were participating in the military discussion, sensing the unusual atmosphere, followed Andrew in their own way. ''So... What about the Demon Lord? ''Yes, that''s right... he suddenly attacked the other demons that had been contained together and started to eat them ( ).'' ''...... what?'' Andrew and the rest of the country''s top officials walked quickly through the corridors of the lord''s mansion. Looking out the window of the corridor, dark clouds were beginning to gather in the sky. 166-CHAPTER 165 When Andrew and the others went to the central square of the city, they found a horrible scene. The Jewel of the Extreme Prison had not been broken. But inside, the demon king and several other demons were all eaten up ( ), with bits of flesh flying everywhere and green bodily fluids spreading on the ground. The Demon Lord was just about to start cooking the last of them. The demons were terrified at the edge of the energy field created by the Jewel of the Extreme Hell. Then the Demon Lord randomly walks up to them. The Demon Lord''s body used to be muscular and built like a human, but now it had expanded monstrously, and he looked like an obese body similar to an orc, covered with muscles and ice armor. A jet-black aura was emanating from its body. When Andrew saw this, he called out with a grim expression to his aide, the Chief Court Magician James Glenford, while he was outside the Jewel of the Extreme Prison. ''You''ve changed your appearance. James, what do you make of that? ''Well, I''m not aware of any precedents, but it''s probably the result of cannibalism. I suppose. It would be nice if it had a bite and destroyed itself... but it looks more like a power-up.'' ''Yes, sir. At the very least, we should assume that''s the case and rethink our tactics. ''So the result of a half-day-long military discussion is a blank check. That doesn''t leave me much time to waste. While the two of them were talking like this, the Demon Lord was attacking the last of the small demons. In the end, he rebelled against the demon king and skewered the demon''s chest with a single thrust of his hand. Then, the Demon Lord''s hand pulled out the heart-like organ of the demon that was there. The demons screamed, struggled, and flailed about on the ground. While stomping on them with his feet, the Demon Lord took the organ into his mouth, chewed it, and masticated it. The rest was just a brutal slaughter. Having finished eating the organs, the Demon Lord then tore off and ate the Demon''s arms, then the legs, then the tail, then the flesh of the body, and finally the head. In the process, the demons stopped moving, and the carnage turned into a mere grotesque meal scene. When he had finished the entire meal, the Demon Lord''s body trembled. Then, his body rose another level, and the jet-black aura on his body increased in density. Eventually, the Demon Lord turned his gaze towards Andrew. Between the two of them, there was an energy field created by the Jewel of Extreme Hell. Slowly, the Demon Lord walked up to the energy barrier and finally stood in front of it. His huge, swollen body slumped quietly, his fists poised at his waist in a posture reminiscent of a master of bare-knuckle martial arts. The jet-black aura of the Demon King concentrated on that fist. ''...... James. I think you said that the energy prison created by the Jewel of the Extreme Prison can never be broken by force. ''Yes. I''m sure you''ve checked all the relevant documents in existence, but there''s no precedent in any of them for it being destroyed by force, physical, magical or otherwise.'' ''I see. By the way, I have a hunch that you''re going to have to add a new page to that history. Just after Andrew made his prediction... GOOOOOOOOOOON! A shocking sound comparable to that of a castle hammer crashing into a fortress echoed throughout the area. The Demon Lord''s fist was striking the energy wall created by the Jewel of the Extreme Prison. V,V,V,V,......! The energy prison flickered, but only slightly. It quickly regained its original shape, but compared to before the fist was struck, its appearance was somewhat unsettling. The Demon Lord exhaled once and raised his fist again. The kingdom''s elite, who had gathered there, suddenly began to buzz. Andrew confirmed this, and quickly gave instructions to his subordinates. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. And notify all the heroes in this city. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. After receiving Andrew''s instructions, his subordinates ran to send out the message. As he looked at them, Andrew called out to another aide, Dylan, the Knight Commander of the Kingdom. I''m not expecting the Demon Lord to be such a formidable opponent, to be honest. Do you think you can win this battle? In contrast, Knight Commander Dylan, with a face of about thirty years old and a light smile that looks almost frivolous, shines his eyes as thin as a thread. ''Well, I don''t know. But if we don''t win, it will be the virtual destruction of the country, so we have no choice but to win. Even so, Your Majesty, isn''t that not the level of a ''demon king'' anymore? ''Oh, you see it that way. Then what is it if not a demon king? ''Well, ......, if it''s higher than the Demon Lord, shall we call it ''Demon God''? ''That''s a cheap naming sense. But I like it. I''ll write it down in the history of our country as the ''Demon God of Ice''. Hearing this, Knight Commander Dylan shrugged his shoulders at Andrew. ''That''s if we can defeat it and get out of here alive. ''What, Dylan, are you trying to lose? ''I can''t say until I actually try. The only thing is, I don''t know if I''ll ever meet an opponent in this lifetime that I can really put my mind to it, much less one that can fight alongside Andrew the Warrior King. I''m going to enjoy this to the fullest. I''ve been so busy with national business lately that I''ve become lazy. ...... Well, I''ll just do it. As soon as the conversation ended, the king and the knight captain began to do preparatory exercises and flexibility exercises on the spot. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. 167-CHAPTER 166 In front of the ruins where the magical sword of fire lies. Eileen is standing in front of a magic hand mirror on the rocky ground, talking with the person in the mirror. In the mirror is the reflection of a court magician whom she knows. Irene had received an urgent message from King Andrew through a contact spell used by the court magician. ''......Yes......Yes, I get it. Even if you don''t have the Fiery Sword, you''re supposed to come right away. Well then, take it easy on yourself too. Yeah, I''ll see you later. When contact is broken, Irene puts her hand mirror away in her luggage. Then, with a sigh, she turned to the other three present - Satsuki, Cyril and the dragon girl Ildora. ''So, what did you say after all? Satsuki asks, and Irene shakes her head. ''My schedule got screwed up, so they want me to fly over right away with Ildora. ''''Immediately... Then what about Will and Mee? Satsuki asked accusingly. It was only a moment ago that William and Mee had disappeared on the contraption in front of the ruins. It has been some time since then, but there is still no sign of their return. Irene was forced to make a hard decision. ''It''s a tough decision, but I''ll have to leave ...... behind. I don''t know how many hours it will take for them to come back, and I don''t want my father and the rest of the Knights to be wiped out because I waited for them. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. I don''t like the idea of leaving my lord behind. Andrew''s daughter... or was it Irene? I don''t dislike your selfish and personal way of talking. I''m much more comfortable with that than I am with your pretty talk about the greater good. And I like the way you don''t just lean on your lord. If you want, I''ll fly with you and help you. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''...... You guys can wait here like chicks that can''t get away from the parent bird, Lord, but what do you think? What do you mean? What do you mean by that? Satsuki closes in and grabs Ildora by the chest. But Ildora kept a grin on her face and said nothing more. Seeing this, Satsuki clicks her tongue and removes her hand from Ildora''s chest. ...... Let me think about it for a minute.'' ''Yeah. But we don''t have much time, so please be quick. What about you, Cyril? You''re not obligated to do anything from here on out because it''s not part of the quest. I might be able to give you a separate reward afterwards, but that''s it. But I''d like you and Satsuki to come with me. It''s better to have more than one good soldier. When asked by Irene, Cyril made a little thoughtful gesture. ''I''m ...... afraid to go anywhere away from William anymore, to be honest. ...... Hmmm, you''re right about the baby bird. When did I become so weak? ''Yeah. That''s fine then. Satsuki...'' Wait, Miss Irene. So... so please take me with you. Cyril interrupted Irene''s words and said so with a straight gaze. Irene looked at him and looked a little surprised, but then she nodded. ''It sounds complicated. But okay, I''ll do it. What about you, Satsuki? After finishing the conversation with Cyril, Irene turned to the samurai girl. Satsuki, who was looking at her, nodded to Irene, as if she too had come to a conclusion. ''After all, I''m going too. I''m sure I''ll regret not going, but I don''t think the opposite will happen. ''I see. Thank you. Then, Ildora, please. The dragon girl smiles gently when Irene asks her to do so. ''I accept, Andrew''s daughter... no, the brave, gentle and upright daughter, Irene. By the way, you have many good wives, my lord. That''s why there''s no room for me. As she spoke, Ildora transformed herself into a dragon. Irene, Satsuki, and Cyril looked at each other while the little girl glowed and transformed into a giant. ''Next to mating, they called me a wife. ......'' ''It usually looks that way, doesn''t it, us? I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to get rid of it. I like that. It''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure he''ll notice. ...... gosh.'' ''I''m sorry for your loss, Irene. If you want, you can join forces with us, Irene? I can''t let you have it all to yourself. ''What, you don''t mind? I''m not going to keep you all to myself! In fact, it''s the other way around. I''ve been worried that you might take him away from me because you''re all getting closer and closer to him. ...... I''m glad I''m not the only one who''s been left out. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The dragon then flaps its wings and soars into the air. Irene turns her gaze to the direction of the royal capital, beyond the sky. ...... I will not let a demon king who suddenly appeared ruin our country, our world. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The dragon carried the three girls on its wings and flew through the sky. 168-CHAPTER 167 Time moves on, and the place changes. The central square of the small city where the Ice Demon King was being held captive. The barrier created by the Pearl of Extreme Hell was not immediately destroyed by the attack of the Ice Demon King - or the Ice Demon God, as Knight Commander Dylan named it. However, as it turned out, King Andrew''s prophecy came true. The cage of energy created by the Jewel of the Extreme Prison collapsed with a crash in less time than it took for morning to turn into afternoon. In total, the ice demon god had fired several thousand fist shots without a care in the world. With a sound like shattering glass, he slowly stepped out of the cage. No. There is no cage anymore. The Demon God of Ice, now free, strolls down the central avenue of the city with a carefree, self-satisfied look. A blizzard of extreme cold blows around the ice demon, freezing the surrounding buildings and frosting their walls one after another. But that''s all. No humans were caught in it. Why not? Humans are just as bad. When the Ice Demon broke free from its cage, there was not a single human being around. The central square, where the cage was located, was completely deserted with no sign of life around it. So, did the humans all run away in fear of the Ice Demon? No, that''s not it... It was the Ice Demon''s skin sensation that made me feel that way. The smell was different, the temperature was different, the air was different... The humans may not show themselves, but they''re lurking somewhere in this city. They''re the ones who want to overthrow the Ice Demon. They even managed to lock this nightmarish being in a cage once. They deserve praise. Even an army of 10,000 mooks couldn''t stop this demon god. Although they used the power of the ancient treasure, they accomplished it with less than a hundred men. They are the brave ones. It is only those people who are vigilantly targeting the head of the Ice Demon in this city right now. The Ice Demon will continue down Central Avenue. No one has appeared yet. Still, the Ice Demon moves forward with ease. You can surprise me, deceive me, do whatever you want. Crush them all. Twist them. Trample them. That was the demon god of ice''s attitude. And then... Two humans appeared out of the ice demon''s line of sight. From the shadows of the buildings on either side of him, they came out into the central street. The distance was still far. They were both astride magnificent war horses. They also wore plate armor and held knightshields and swords in their hands. The helmet, however, is not a full-face helmet like those worn by ordinary knights, but an open-face helmet with a clearly visible face. The helmets were decorated with gorgeous designs. One of the helmets, in particular, was decorated with two horns like a bull''s and bright red feathers. The more flamboyant one seemed to be the king of those humans. The Ice Demon''s mouth hung open in a smile of delight. It''s true that the two of them, when they fought earlier, seemed to have exceptional power even among that group of powerful humans. But that didn''t mean... Are you planning to challenge a demon god of ice with only two horsemen? No, that may not be the case. But... The Ice Demon starts running as if he can''t contain his amusement. Across the central square towards the only two human warriors. Although the Ice Demon was already as huge as an orc, its agility had not diminished in the slightest. He accelerates at a speed that is similar to that of a wild beast. For the Ice Demon, destruction and violence were the best treats of all. When he is able to wield violence to his heart''s content, the Demon God of Ice feels the greatest pleasure. And the fresher the prey, the better. It doesn''t matter what the humans are up to or what they''re planning to do. All he wants to do is twist, destroy, and overrun them with his own violence. And then... A voice was heard in the city. ''Dispel magic! and something was broken. At the same time, a ''sound'' spreads throughout the silent place. The sound of many horses whinnying, their hooves tapping the ground. The clatter of metal against metal, the rattle of a cart being pushed. The rattle of a cart being pushed. Even a human voice is far more than two people''s. Beyond the gaze of the ice demon, dozens of other humans stepped out beside the two humans. All of them, clad in weapons and armor, were astride horses. Many are armed with lances, but others carry swords and spears with magical radiance. There were a few who wore robes and wands, and they were on foot, chanting some kind of incantation. Beside them were piles of weapons, rocks, and iron balls stacked on box carts. All of them were filled with the will to fight and destroy the Ice Demon. The Ice Demon smiles as he gallops towards the humans. That''s right. It''s no fun otherwise. Let''s see what you''re made of. I''ll knock it down, beat it to death, and then I''ll eat your flesh and blood. And so the battle between the Ice Demon and the Kingdom''s elite troops began. 169-CHAPTER 168 "Kingdom Army Perspective The Ice Demon is rushing down the central avenue towards the Royal Army. The first to attack were the ten or so court magicians. ''''''- Weapon Shoot! With the activation of the spell, greatswords, halberds, rocks, iron balls, and other weapons floated up into the air from the carts that were placed beside them. Next, they were shot out of thin air with the speed of quarrelsome arrows from crossbows. The target was, of course, the ice demon that was approaching with great speed. Surprised, the Ice Demon immediately applies the brakes, and at the same time raises its left hand forward. Shining on his finger is the Ring of the Demon. Seeing this, the court sorcerers giggled in amusement. The Weaponshooting spell is a fairly high-level spell that was created by rearranging the Telekinesis spell, but it is not very good as an offensive magic. Although it is a wizard-level spell of the same rank as the fireball, it can only be used to attack a single person, and the damage it does to a single person is not significantly different from that of the fireball, and it requires a weapon to fly. The only time it''s worth using it is when you want to pinpoint a specific enemy, but for that, you can use Magic Missile, a beginner spell that consumes less magic element. This is why it''s not usually used on the battlefield, as it''s a flawed attack spell that''s not worthy of attention. The magic erasing space of the Ring of Extinction is about five meters around the wearer. The moment you enter this area, you will lose the magic power that you were carrying. However, only the magic power is lost, not the vector that has already been given. Weapons of great weight rushed at the ice demon with inertia. '' ? ...Doggone it! It''s also a great way to get the most out of your business. The blade of the greatsword gouged one of his arms, causing blood to spurt out, and one of his legs took a direct hit from a rock, dealing a heavy blow. Due to the strong ice armor, the damage did not seem to be enough to cripple the limb, but at the same time, the ice demon staggered and fell to one knee on the ground. And then... ''''''Ooohhhhhh! Dozens of the kingdom''s elite knights astride warhorses charged forward. They had been running just before the Weapon Shoot was activated, and they rushed in before the Ice Demon could get into position, slamming their weapons into each other as they passed. The lances, which used the horse''s rushing power, and the magic weapons, which had their attack power increased by the magic power, pierced or cut through the solid ice armor, somehow damaging the ice demon. However, the ice demon is not the only one to be hit. Even though he was out of position, he was able to parry the attacks of the elites of the war and strike back at the slightest opportunity. Some of the knights were blown away by the ice demon''s fists and crashed into the walls of the surrounding dwellings, becoming motionless. Others fell from their horses and tumbled to the ground. The knights who had crossed the ice demon and rushed to the other side showed a slight agitation at the sight of their fallen comrades, but... ''Don''t be afraid! We''ve already done the damage! We can win this battle! The king, Andrew, sends a message to the knights. The knights are reenergized by his voice. They try to charge forward once more, but then... ''......! ''What the hell is that ......? Slurp, slurp, slurp. Something grew out of the ice demon''s wounds ( ) that were given by the knights or by weapon shooting. The lump of flesh that grew from the wound stretched out like a thick whip and began to wriggle and sway. It wavered like the ivy of a plant-type monster, and was appropriately shaped to be called a ''tentacle''. King Andrew and Knight Commander Dylan chuckled when they saw it. ''You monster. Are they trying to break our hearts by evolving one after another? ''If that''s the case, we can''t just let them break our hearts as they wish, can we? I think it''s just some kind of agony from being damaged. ''Dylan, you have a good point. I''ll take that. Look! It looks like he was in so much pain that he peed his tentacles ( )! Don''t give him time to change his diaper! ''''''Ooohhhh!'''''' The knights charge again. Just before that, a second weapon shot was fired, but it didn''t work the second time, and it was all avoided by the ice demon who regained his stance. And the knights who charged in... ''Aaaaah! Aaaaah! As the knights approached, several tentacles sprouted from the ice demon''s wounds and used their tips like sharp blades to easily cut through and pierce the plate armor-clad knights. Twice as many knights as at the time of the previous crossing were thrown to the ground like trash. Even so, the most elite knights, including Andrew and Dylan, somehow managed to evade the tentacles, wielded their weapons, and ran to the ice demon. Some of the wielded weapons inflicted further damage on the ice demon, but... Slurp, slurp, slurp. More tentacles sprout from the wound. Seeing this, the Knight Commander Dylan finally said with a grim expression. ''Too bad. They seem to be getting stronger after all. ......'' ''I''d like to think I''m damaging it, but it doesn''t look like it. James, how do you see it? Andrew turns to the Commander of the Court Magicians. Then one of the robed men near the cart carrying the weapons stepped forward and replied. It''s not known about that individual, but there are species of demons that change their form when they are damaged like that. If it''s the same as that, then morphing like that is certainly a sign of depleting life force, and the only question is whether or not the damage exceeds the regeneration ability. ''I see. That''s good news, but I think that thing''s regeneration ability was quite high even before it ate the demons under its command. More importantly, we''re going to run out of strength before we can cut it down. I''d like to collect those who are still breathing and have them healed by the subordinate priests, but now...'''' Andrew looks at the figures of the knights who have fallen, hit by the fists and blades of the ice demon. ''...... You''ve got me. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''You''re right, we''re in trouble. Was it a mistake to come with an elite few? ''Well, if we only had a few heads, it would have only confused the place and increased the number of corpses a hundredfold. It would take someone with a certain level of power to inflict even a scratch.'''' ''That''s right...'' ''Well, I guess we''ll just have to make do with our strength. That''s what I thought. James, if anything happens to me, I''ll leave the rest to you. ''...... I understand. But let''s do our best not to let that happen. James, the Commander of the Court Magicians, who received the order from the King, said so and returned to his post. King Andrew and Knight Commander Dylan both carried magic swords and firmly pulled on the reins of their war horses. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few. It stomped its feet on the ground and approached slowly. A third salvo of weapon shots was fired, but they were either evaded with terrifying agility or knocked away by the tentacles. Regardless of this, Andrew called out in a voice that seemed to echo throughout the city. ''Brave men, follow me! We are the only ones who can defeat the worst of the Demon Lords! '''''' Oh, no! The elite knights of the kingdom''s army were about to launch their third assault. And just as the Demon God of Ice took a leisurely stance to intercept them... ''Dad, get out of the way! From somewhere came the voice of a boyish but pretty girl. ''Is that Eileen? Andrew looked up, and saw a huge red shadow rapidly approaching in the cloudy sky. It was a dragon, a red dragon. When the dragon flies at an angle to change direction, three small figures can be seen straddling its back. The huge red flying object is quickly approaching the battlefield. From above it, the girl''s voice again. ''Please, Ildora-san! I''ll take care of it! The Red Dragon opens its mouth to the Ice Demon. In its depths, a glittering, scorching energy swirls... Go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o! From the dragon''s mouth, a ray of light-like eternal fire shot out. It licked the cobblestones of the central avenue, turning them into lava in an instant, and closing in on the demon god of ice... A moment later, the dragon''s breath struck the Ice Demon. 170-Chapter 169 '' '' , . , . '' !?'' '' '' . , . , . , . '' , , '' '' , '' , , . , , . , . '' !?'' '' , !?'' , . , . , . !? , , , . , , . , , . , , , . , . '' , !?'' , , . , . '' , , '' '' , , '' , . , . , , . '' !?'' '' !?'' , , . '''''' '''''' , . '' '' , , . , '' , '' '''''' '''''' , . , . , . . , . '' , '' '' , , , '' , . , . . '' , '' '' , . , '' '' , , '' , . , . , . , . , . , , . , '' , '' , . . , . , , . , , . , , , . . , , . , . '' !? '' '' '' , . '' , '' '' , , . , , , '' . , . '' , , '' , , , . , . What stuck in Cyril''s ears were Irene''s words from earlier. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to hear it. He didn''t include himself in that ''excellent'' category... The feeling of inferiority that Cyril had been secretly feeling lately. It''s not that I don''t like it, but it''s not that I don''t like it. And yet, it''s just me. I haven''t been able to move forward in any way. The fear of being left behind. Is it a difference in talent? Or the difference in effort? Either way... I don''t want to be like that anymore! Please, please, please... Cure Serious Wounds! Cyril prayed to the gods with more feelings than ever before, hoping for a miracle that would surpass his own abilities. 171-the seventeenth How much time had passed since then? The outcome of the war had almost been decided. Which side was going to win, the Royal Army or the Demon God of Ice... It was hard to believe, but even with all the damage they had sustained, the Ice Demons still had the upper hand. As the battle progressed, the most elite knights of the Kingdom''s army fell one by one, one after the other, and were forced into a state of combat incapacity one after the other. Most of the mortally wounded knights survived thanks to the miraculous skills of the squire priests, but there were some who died without any chance of healing. In addition, the miracle of Cure Serious Wounds performed by the squire priests could heal fatal wounds and save lives, but it could not bring them back to the front immediately. Therefore, it is inevitable that the number of those who can fight will steadily decrease. As a side note, while the fierce battle was going on, there were so many people who were seriously injured and falling that the squire priests could not keep up with them. The squires were frustrated by the untenable situation. They wondered if they could do nothing more than to let several knights lose their lives. But then, something truly miraculous happened. A priestess appeared in a dashing manner and saved the lives of the knights one after another by using her priestly miracle skills. It was a priestess named Cyril who had been brought by Princess Irene, but the squire priests could not hide their surprise at the fact that a beautiful girl of no more than 20 years old could perform priestly miracles. One priest even said that she looked like a goddess herself. However, aside from these offstage events, the big picture continued to move in the wrong direction. While the knights of the kingdom''s army were falling one after another, the ice demon that they were desperately trying to damage showed no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, it even seemed to be gradually recovering its strength. In the middle of the battle, the princess knight Irene and a swordsman from another country named Satsuki, who she had brought with her, also participated, but that did not move the situation. And so the number of warriors in the kingdom''s army continued to dwindle. Now there were only about ten warriors in total, including King Andrew, Knight Commander Dylan, Princess Irene, and the exotic swordsman Satsuki, surrounding the Ice Demon from afar. In the midst of this, Satsuki, who was holding her sword and breathing on her shoulder, blurted out to Irene. I was just thinking the same thing. I was just thinking the same thing. ''Because, I feel like it''s a different level than the Rockworm''s master, which Will said was about B+ rank. ''I also don''t think it''s as hopeless as this if we took on about ten Orc Emperors at the same time. What''s the meaning of this, Your Majesty? King Andrew, who was asked a question by his beloved daughter, replied while looking a little uncomfortable. ''Oh, it''s just that he ate his friends and got more powerful. It wasn''t that bad when I sealed it with the Pearl of Extreme Hell. Dylan, the Knight Commander, interrupted. ''Besides, the S rank is just a rating that lumps together everything that doesn''t fall under the A rank. ''That''s right. If you think of it as a double rule of strength in terms of the difference in rank, you have to put it at SSSS rank to make it count. ''Haha, I wish inflation would be moderate. Irene laughed, but her eyes were not smiling at all. She wiped the disgusting sweat from her forehead with the sleeve of her dress, but she could not rid herself of the sticky feeling of despair that clung to her. Everyone in the room, including Irene, was forcing herself to smile. If we don''t, our hearts will break with despair. What will happen if we all fall? It''s clear as day. Everyone on this battlefield will be killed. And when that happens, millions of other people in this country will have no choice but to be cruelly slaughtered. That''s why we can''t lose... Irene looked at the now grotesque figure of the Ice Demon God, with many tentacles sprouting from the left half of its body and the right half of its body melted into mush. Irene, along with the knights, challenged it and swung her sword again and again. And she was repeatedly defeated and dodged. On the other hand, there was one time when she had to defend herself against a monster. On the other hand, I was horrified when a counterattack came at me once. The tentacles slashed at me with blinding speed, and I dodged them with reflexes that surprised even me at the time, but there is no doubt that if I had been even a moment too late, my chest would have been gouged out and I would have sunk into a sea of blood. So... even though I could imagine myself being bludgeoned to death by that thing. I can''t imagine a single way to defeat it. The dragon (Ildora) that had been my best hope survived thanks to Cyril''s miracle, but it was impossible for her to return to the front line. However, other than her fire breath, she can''t do more damage than that demon god''s powerful defense and regeneration ability. So now it''s just a matter of time until it''s my turn to be killed. I''d like to let Satsuki and Cyril go, but I don''t think they''ll give up if I tell them to run. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do anything about it. (Will...... sorry,...... me......) Irene''s mind was now filled with the image of a young man. Her beloved, childhood friend, the wizard. (Hey Will ......, did I make a mistake ......? (Will ...... was I wrong?) My path ends here, with Satsuki and Cyril involved,......) The guilt that swirled in Irene''s chest was a feeling of desolation that exceeded it many times over. She felt sadness, love, and pity. It''s not just the knight''s feelings for the people he needs to protect that come to mind at the end, but the girl''s feelings for her loved ones, and Irene is a little confused. (Hmm, I see,......, I''m really like that, aren''t I? But I should have at least ...... said ''I love you'', seriously at least. Then maybe Will would have seen me as a girl. ......?) Such regret. And sadness. The inexplicable sadness that I''ll never see my beloved again. When I thought about it, I couldn''t stop feeling... (No, ...... me, I don''t want to do that. ...... Will ......!) (No! I don''t want to do that! Will!) With feelings and tears welling up in her eyes, Irene looks up at the sky even though she is in the middle of a battle. And then... And then, she saw a giant eagle flying under the cloudy sky. The eagle flies toward Irene and her friends, carrying the blue sky that can be seen behind the dark clouds. (What? ......?) Irene had a feeling that she had seen that eagle before. It reminded her of the night forest, orcs, elves. And then... A moment later, Irene thought of it, and with tears in her eyes, she shouted its name with all her heart. 172-CHAPTER 171 It''s been a while since I used the Metamorphosis spell to become a giant eagle and fly through the sky. I finally arrived at the battlefield. It was a small city in the kingdom. A corner of the main street stretching from the central square was the battlefield where the Kingdom''s forces and the Ice Demon King were facing off. But from the air, the situation doesn''t look good. It seems that the dragon (Ildora) has already been driven into a state of inactivity, and most of the elite knights of the kingdom''s army have fallen and left the battlefield. It seems that it was the right decision to fly in without being optimistic. When Mee and I finished conquering the ruins and obtained the Fiery Sword and other treasures and went outside, Irene, Satsuki, Cyril and Ildora, who were supposed to be there, disappeared. From a note left behind, I found out that the local situation had changed and they had to take the dragon (Ildora) to the battlefield in a hurry. So I had no choice but to fly here using the Metamorphosis spell, leaving Mee behind. In the form of a giant eagle, I have my staff, robe, and flaming demon sword in my claws. The Flaming Demon Sword was a sword with a wavy, flamberge-shaped blade, the same shape as the one the Imitator had imitated in the first room of the ruins. I had brought it here in its scabbard. Since the dragon (Ildora) has already fallen, I should think that this magic sword is the only trump card I have left. I took a look around the battle situation, found the person ( ) and dropped the magic sword towards him. He is the most trustworthy person here in terms of ability. I, on the other hand, land on the opposite side of the Ice Demon King and break the Metamorphosis spell. Then, I shout. He then shouts to the person I entrusted the Flaming Demon Sword to, James Glenford, the head of the Kingdom''s Court Magicians. ''Dad, send him away! James, who picked up the flaming magic sword, showed a slight expression of contemplation at my words. But he was as quick-witted as I was. The next moment, his mouth lifted in a grin. ''You''ve come a long way, William, using your father as a jaw. I hope you know where to aim.'' James said with a somewhat pleased look, pulled the flaming demon sword out of its sheath, and began chanting a spell. ''Of course.'' I take up my wand and start chanting as well, just a little later than James'' chanting. But as expected, the enemy doesn''t stand idly by. The Ice Demon King looked at me and James and tried to run towards James, who was holding a flaming demon sword in his hand. But the kingdom''s army won''t stand idly by and watch. ''I won''t let you! ''''We can''t have you forgetting about us, can we! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. The other knights, Irene and Satsuki also join in. The warriors, all clad in aura, began to fight with tremendous speed. A superhuman battle that makes it difficult for normal people to even recognize what''s happening. ''Will! How many more seconds? I could hear Irene''s voice coming from the middle of it, so I didn''t stop chanting the spell, but I opened my left hand and held it out at the right time, and folded my fingers in fives, fours, and threes. ''All right, Will! Three, two, one - get away from me! At the same time as Satsuki''s call, the warriors who had been cutting at the Ice Demon King dispersed at once. As expected of the Kingdom''s elite, there was no deviation at all. And at the exact same time... ''Weapon Shoot! James, the leader of the court magicians, fired a flaming magic sword. The target is, of course, the Demon Lord of Ice. But... But even the Ice Demon King knew that his magic sword was the most dangerous. ''''...! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It''s a move that I knew would come. ''No way! Satsuki shouted in surprise. But then my voice overlaps with hers as I finish my chanting. '' Weapon Shoot! ''...... Huh? Satsuki''s paused voice. I caught the flaming demon sword that the Ice Demon King had evaded and was about to fly away right beside me with my magic power, and immediately changed its direction and threw it at the Ice Demon King again. As expected, the Ice Demon King could not respond to that. I''m not sure what to do. The left arm of the Demon Lord of Ice is torn off from the root and blown away. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. This time it was Irene''s voice. But that perception is not correct. ''No, it''s checkmate. It was Commander Dylan who said that. He caught the arm of the ice demon that had flown to him and threw it further away. After confirming this, I started chanting more spells. The leader of the court magicians, James, also instructed the court magicians under his command to use their spells, and began chanting spells himself. On the other hand, the Ice Demon King, who has finally lost his left arm, roars towards the heavens, opens his mouth and begins to converge his energy there. Was that a breath attack? But breaths take some time to activate. Then it''s too late. Eventually, the court magicians'' spell is complete. ''''''Fireball! At the tip of the wands raised by the court magicians, masses of magical power of fire appeared one after another. At the same time, the spell of James, the Commander of the Court Magicians, was completed. ''Purgatory Inferno! The spell used was a fire-based attack spell of the highest power. A super-compressed, scorching ball of magic power, even more condensed than a fireball, emerges. I still can''t reach the realm where I can use that spell. But if we compare total firepower... ''Fireball...'' I cast the spell almost simultaneously with the court magicians and James. Add to that the effects of my unique skills. ''Multiple spellcasting! He poured all of his remaining mana into the spell, increasing the number of fireballs he created to three. James''s eyes widened in surprise when he saw it. But that''s the thing. We both like to do our jobs well. I fire three fireballs, James fires one purgatory flame, and the other court magicians each fire one fireball at a time. The Ring of Extinction, which protected the Ice God from magic, was no longer with him when his left arm was lost. This is what Knight Commander Dylan meant when he said ''checkmate''. After a moment, the fire magic group landed on the ice demon... An explosion, a roar, is not even a good description. The auditory information seemed to swallow up all sound in an instant and disappear. With that, a dazzling glow unlike anything I had ever seen before, colored by red lotus, flames, and scorching heat, arose. That light, which seemed to have gathered all the heat in the world, eventually disappeared according to the natural order of things... Nothing was left behind. Everything that had been there melted, and a corner of the ground in the central avenue was gouged into a magma pool. And what had once been called the Demon King of Ice had vanished without a trace. A moment of silence. Then. ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! The knights gave a shout of victory. With that, I released my tension and let out a big sigh. It looks like we''re in control. The Royal Army then began to carefully clean up, including burning off the arms of the remaining ice demons. James said a word or two with King Andrew, bowed, and came towards me. When he came up to me, he said. ''William... you''ve done well. As an objective observation, I can only say that without you, this country would have perished. Thank you, thank you. But I''ve got one thing to say. "What? ''It''s time you put on your clothes. There are ladies here.'' James pointed to Irene, Satsuki and Cyril, who were covering their faces with their hands. I''m sure it''s just my imagination that they''re glancing at me through the cracks in their fingers, but... ''...... Ah, yeah. That''s right. I also forgot to mention that I was completely naked when I released my Metamorphosis. I hurriedly put on the robe that was at my feet. 173-Chapter 172 Once we''ve defeated the giant enemy, we''ll be on our way. The Royal Army is scrambling to clean up the mess, but that''s not our job. James, the Commander of the Court Magicians, also left me to join in the cleanup. On the other hand, Satsuki came running up to me, as if she had been waiting for this moment, as I dressed and made myself presentable. ''Will, I''ve missed you so much! ''Oh! Satsuki jumped toward me and hugged me. I lose the momentum and am pushed down. ''Will, Will, ......! ''Oh, hey, Satsuki.'' ''Geez,......, that was scary. I thought I was going to die. ...... Hiccup.'' ''......I see.'' Satsuki, who had pushed me down, was sobbing quietly on my chest. She seemed to have exploded because the emotions she had been suppressing had come to a place where she didn''t need to suppress them. I became attached to Satsuki, and gently stroked her hair. ''You''ve been through a lot, haven''t you? ''...... Yeah. It''s been so hard without Will.'' ''I don''t think that''s the point. But you''ve done well.'' ''Yeah. I don''t know what happened in front of Satsuki while I wasn''t looking, or what she felt. But I pat Satsuki on the back as if I were nursing a child, and then I pull her into a light hug. I thought that would calm her down and make her feel at ease. From the outside, I thought it might look like a male-female relationship, but I decided to let it go. Then Cyril walked up to us and looked at us from above. ''It''s nice, Satsuki, that you can do something like that without hesitation. I envy you. ''Then why don''t you do the same, Cyril? If you eat the poison, you''ll end up with the dish.'' ''I''ll pass. I have my own shame and reputation.'' ''I remember hearing that expression somewhere. ''I remember saying it somewhere too. We''ve known each other for a while now.'' Cyril chuckles. I couldn''t help but laugh too. Then Cyril looks around and asks. ''By the way, what happened to Mee? ''Oh. I''m sorry to do this to her, but I left her in front of the ruins. I had no other choice.'' ''I see. Well, if we don''t go get her soon, she''ll probably be sulking now. ''I guess so.'' While Cyril and I were talking about this, King Andrew and Irene came towards me, side by side. I woke up Satsuki, who had calmed down by now, and stood up, and I made a small bow to King Andrew. Andrew, in his armor, smiled and spoke to me. I''m glad to see that you''ve become even more of a handsome man, William. But more importantly, should we now honor him as William, the hero of our country''s salvation? That''s King Andrew''s usual schtick. I try to reply calmly. ''...... No. I''m an adventurer. I was just fulfilling a quest. And it was far more than just me that defeated the Demon Lord. You know that well, Your Majesty. ''Even if that''s so. This country would probably have perished if it wasn''t for you. You should be proud of your work. And people want heroes. I believe that William the adventurer and his party have done a great deal to deserve to be called that. ''...... That''s a waste of words.'' ''So there. Therefore, we have decided to hold a ceremony to honor our hero William and his fellow beautiful adventurers at a later date. The quest reward will also be given at the ceremony. The ceremony will be ruined without the guest of honor, so please join us. ''I understand. I''ll accept the quest reward at the ceremony. Wait. I thought I just heard something ridiculous. But King Andrew ignored my reaction and proceeded with his story as if it were flowing. ''The location is the royal castle in the royal capital of Greysburg. I''ll tell you the date later using the contact spell. I''ll see you at the next ceremony. King Andrew said what he wanted to say, turned on his heel, and quickly walked away. As for me, I could only be stunned. The influence of being honored as a hero in a formal ceremony is immeasurable. However, there was no reason to refuse the kindness offered to me by King Andrew when I went after him and talked to him. How did this happen? ....... But then I realized something. King Andrew had left, but Irene was still standing in front of me. She smiled a fleeting smile and said to me. ''Hey, Will. There''s something I want to tell you. After a while... After a while. We were riding on the back of a dragon (Ildora) and traveling through the sky. We were headed for the ruins where Mee was waiting. We had fulfilled the quests we had received from our country, and all that was left was to meet up with Mee and return home. That''s why the only ones riding on Ildora''s back besides me are Satsuki and Cyril... That was the way it was supposed to be, but... ''Irene, are you sure you didn''t want to join up with the kingdom army and head back? ''Yes. I''ve told your father everything.'' Eileen, who was right behind me, answered my question. She said she wanted to talk to me, so she came with us. The quest itself has been completed, so there''s no reason for her to come along as a client anymore. Incidentally, she insisted on sitting right behind me when she rode on Ildora''s back. Satsuki was offended by this, but when Irene said ''please'' in a serious tone, Satsuki sensed something and easily withdrew her request. That''s why Irene is right behind me now. I''m pretty sure there''s something important to talk about. ....... ''Hey, Will.'' Eileen speaks softly to me. I give her the bare minimum. ''What? ''Me.'' ''Yeah. ''I like you, Will. ''............ I see.'' After Irene''s confession, I was calmer than I thought I would be. I thought, ''Oh, so that''s what it is. It''s a possibility that I''ve always assumed, but I''ve half-consciously avoided recognizing it further. But, as expected, there was no other way to interpret what she was saying in this situation. Still, Irene, perhaps still uneasy, repeated her words. ''You mean in the sense of a woman and a man, romantically? ''I know. ''I know that.'' ''Oh.'' ''You''ve known all along? ''No. It''s only now, with your confession, that I''m sure.'' ''...... So you''ve always thought it might be possible? ''Well, it''s a possibility.'' ''Hey, what''s that? I look like an idiot.'' ''I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to deceive you.'' ''...... Yeah. I know he''s not lying when he says it like that. I have access to Will''s special detect-try magic.'' ''That''s scary. I can''t lie to Irene, can I? ''Hmm, you''re right. He''s not allowed to lie to me. So, that''s why. I''m really scared to ask this.'' ''Yeah. ''I was really hoping I could just tell him how I feel, but I guess I''ll listen. ''Oh.'' ''...... How does Will feel about me? Irene''s voice was raspy and shaky. It sounded like she was scared, scared to death. I thought for a moment and answered only the part that was easy to answer. ''I''m sure you don''t hate it. ''Yes, I know that. ''You know that? ''Yes, I know that much. You''re making fun of me. But that''s not what I''m asking. What I''m asking is, what''s next?'' Irene suddenly hugged me from behind. And then she whispers in my ear. ''...... will you like me as a girl ...... and as a romantic partner? The last part was so weak and faint that I couldn''t hear it. I can feel the rapid beat of Irene''s heartbeat in her chest as she clings to my back. I can feel that Irene is trying her best to summon up what little courage she has left. I can never reply insincerely. I... ''...... Irene''. ''Yes. ''First of all, I want to apologize. I''m not really sure I can explain my feelings very well.'' ''...... Yeah. I understand. I can''t have my feelings either.'' ''Yeah. I don''t know how to say this, but ...... I probably like you.'' ''Maybe.'' ''Yeah. I think you''re pretty, I think you''re lovable, I think you''re nice. I think you''re beautiful in a dress, and I like you in real life. I think it would be great if you were my life partner. ''Ah ...... Ahhh ....... Oh, yeah. ....... Eh, hehe...... hahahaha......'' I could see that Irene was hugging her behind, and she was embarrassed to no end. That makes me smile, and it makes me happy too. But the problem was... ''But then, what''s the ''maybe''? ''Well, that''s the thing. ...... I want you to calm down and listen to me. ''Uh-huh.'' I can hear Irene gulping down her spit. I make up my mind and release the words. ''It seems that I like not only Irene, but also Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. ''............'' Irene''s words stopped. Now it was my turn to wait for the judge. In short, I confessed that I felt like I was in love with several women at the same time. This is what is called ''four-timing''. The look of contempt on Irene''s face came to my mind. I wonder what Irene is thinking right now. Is she thinking that an insolent person like me should die? She might cut me in half from the back in a fit of rage with her awesome swordplay. No, I don''t think Irene is the only one who would do such a thing, but I was prepared to let that happen. Waiting for the time of judgment. The next words out of Irene''s mouth were... ''...... That''s it? She sounded as if she had lost her nerve. ...... Hmm? ''Yeah. ...... Well, that''s all. ''Ah, ...... I mean, I see. So you''re saying that Will feels like he loves me, Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril, all of them, and you''re not sure if that means he''s loving each one of them correctly?'' ''...... Well, to sum it up, I guess that''s what I''m saying.'' ''Hmm. I see. So that''s it. That''s right. Heh heh heh.'' Irene started to sound happy. Why is that? I''m starting to lose it. ''By the way, do Satsuki and the others know about this? Do you know that Will loves all of you, too? ''No, I haven''t told them that, at least not from my mouth. ......'' ''What? Wow, this is a weirder situation than I thought it would be. But I see, I''m the only one who knows about it. I see, I see. Finally, Irene started to break down. For now, she seems to have escaped being condemned to a single blow. ....... ''Hey, Will. ''What is it, Irene? ''I love you, Will. I like you. It doesn''t matter if you like Satsuki, Mee, or even Cyril. Regardless of whether your feelings are right or wrong, I like you like that. ''......So, I see.'' ...... What the hell is this? I don''t know, is it all settled? I''m not sure what''s going on, but I''m sure it''s all going to be fine. 174-CHAPTER 173 Riding on the back of the dragon (Ildora), we traveled through the sky and eventually arrived in front of the ruins where Mee was waiting for us. As we approached from above, the grassy field in front of the ruins seemed to be empty at first. But then, a small figure popped out from the ruins. The figure waved its hands in the air toward us. Its tail was also wagging wildly from side to side. '' William! Satsuki, Cyril, and Irene. You''re safe, aren''t you? Ildora landed on the ground, and as I climbed down from her back, Mi jumped towards me with a big jump like a cat. ''''Oops... Sorry I left you waiting, Mee. I''m sorry I left you here.'' Even though he jumped at me as well, his weight and rushing power were smaller than Satsuki''s. Somehow, she managed to hold on to him without falling. ''That can''t be helped. Have you defeated the Demon King or something? ''Yeah, no problem. Mission completed.'' ''I''m glad. As expected, William is very reliable. Mee said, and hugged me tightly. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. ''...... You smell like a woman. Is this ...... Irene''s smell? Mi looked at Irene closely. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but you''re not the only one. But before that, I have something to say. ''Wait, Mee. Isn''t there something wrong with the distance between us? It''s not like you''re suddenly hugging me and sniffing me. ''Ugh ......, that can''t be helped. I thought that I might not be able to see William and his friends again, and I thought about it a lot. You never know what will happen in life. You''ll regret it if you''re shy. ''Hahaha. I guess we all think the same. Irene interjected. Then, Mee looked at Irene at the speed of sound. ''You don''t mean Irene ......! William and ......? ''Hmm, as expected of a master. It''s amazing, they recognized me in an instant. ''Did you sleep? ''No, I didn''t.'' A flowing joke and comedy. ''...... hmm? Mee tilted her head. The cat-eared girl jumps away from me and walks quickly to Irene. Mee and Irene are whispering to each other. After that, Irene whispered something to Mee, and her face instantly turned red. ''No, I''ll tell you what it is, Irene! What do you want me to say? ''I don''t know anything about that! You misunderstood me before I told you, didn''t you? ''That''s right, that''s right, but! I''m so embarrassed! I''m so embarrassed! Mee cowered with her head in her hands. Her tail thumped on the ground. Hmmm ...... whatever, that''s cute. When I was looking at them smiling, Cyril came up to me. ''Hey, William ......, I think I''d like that too. Cyril said, shyly grabbing the hem of my robe. Suspicious behavior. ''Good for what?'' I asked, and Cyril fidgeted, his cheeks flushed, and he looked up at me... ''Well, you know, it''s ......, so ...... yeah '' With a cute voice, she hugged me tightly. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... No, wait, wait, wait, wait. ''...... Hey, Cyril. I don''t think there''s any connection at all. ''Cause I''m the only one who hasn''t hugged William, and that''s not fair. ...... Or is it okay to be hugged by Satsuki, Irene, and Mee, but not by me? This little devil ...... knows how attractive he is, and he''s doing it, I''m sure. And then... ''Oh, Cyril! What are you doing? Satsuki''s voice said. And then there''s Mie and Irene, ''Nyanyu? There''s another ambush over there? I was wrong. ......! ''Wow ......, Cyril, you''re so bold ......''. The usual fuss began. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... No, if I remember correctly, my daily life should have been a little different a while ago. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. But you are still very popular, aren''t you, Lord? Ildora yawned in boredom and said so. I guess I left her out of my mind. ''I''m sorry, Ildora. One more thing, if you could drive us closer to the capital, that would be great. As I said this, I remembered that she had not only helped me to defeat the Demon King, but had also been my transportation. ''I can''t deny that I''ll do whatever you ask, my Lord. I''m sorry. ''I''m sorry, thank you. By the way, is there anything we can pay you for your work? I was wondering if it was possible for you to help us so much and get nothing for it. I''m not sure what to do. We like to collect treasures in our dens, but a small amount of money on a human scale is not enough. ...... and so on. Ildora seemed to have thought of something. Then the dragon said, as if it were a good idea. ''My lord. I would like to have a present from you as a token that I have made a pact with you. I want something from you as a token that I''m bound to you. We flew again on the back of the dragon (Ildora) to the vicinity of the royal capital, descended to the side of the street, and headed for the capital on foot with Ildora, who had transformed into a young girl. Under the setting sun, we passed by the gatekeeper who saluted Irene, and entered the royal capital of Greysburg. As I, Irene, Satsuki, Mee, Cyril, and Ildora walked down the central avenue, people around us looked at us as if they were watching a freak show. Ildora is a young woman with horns and wings, and she is wearing a tattered black dress that is torn in many places, so she can''t help but attract attention. But even if you put that aside, when Princess Irene is here and the five girls I''m carrying are all beautiful, you can''t help but give up on the idea of standing out. ''If you''re looking for women''s clothing, there''s a good store in the back of the street. Eileen, who knew her way around, said and led the way. I just obediently followed her. Eventually, we followed Irene into a women''s clothing store with a luxurious atmosphere. Inside the store, there was a dizzying array of high-quality women''s clothing priced in gold coins. It seemed out of place for me, a man, to be there. Just as I was standing there, a female sales clerk appeared from the back of the store. ''Hello, Irene, welcome. Have you finally become interested in women''s clothing? If that''s the case, I''ll do my best to choose clothes that will suit you, Miss Irene! Saying this, the female shopkeeper clenched her fist firmly with flames burning in her eyes. Irene looked a little troubled and waved her hands in the air. ''No, no, I''m not here to look for my clothes. I came here today to look for clothes that would suit this Drago...'' Irene said, showing Ildora as a young girl. The female shopkeeper''s eyes sparkled when she saw it. ''It''s so cute ......! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. All of these girls have so much potential! What is this? What is this ......? The female clerk seemed to be very excited. I wonder if ...... she''s okay. For a while after that, the female clerk, Ildora, and the other women joined in, and began to select Ildora''s clothes while shouting yellow. The selection process went on for several dozen minutes, with Ildora shouting, "This one is cute, that one is cute, and that one is cute. Eventually, Ildora brought out two outfits and showed them to me. ''Which do you think is better, my Lord? Ildora then smiled at me with a big smile. Looking at her like this, she doesn''t look like a dragon with terrible power. Anyway, I was told to choose my clothes. The two outfits Ildora brought me were... ''...... Isn''t this what is commonly known as a maid''s uniform? Both of them were brightly colored with black and white fabric, the kind of outfit worn by female servants. However, they seemed to be designed more for fashion than for practical use, and looked very gorgeous. Ildora puffed out her chest. ''Mmm! I am a female who has surrendered to my lord, a sort of servant of my lord. I am a female who has surrendered to my lord. It''s quite beautiful to look at, and it suits me in this form, don''t you think? ''Well, well, if we''re talking about whether it looks good on me or not on ......, it looks good on me. ''Hmm, yes, yes, yes. So, Lord, which do you think is better? Ildora said, pressing me to choose. But I couldn''t really tell the difference between the two. The details of the designs were certainly different, but to be honest, I couldn''t decide which one was better. But according to Irene and the others, it made sense for me to choose. After some hesitation, I chose the one that I thought would suit Ildora better. Then Ildora smiled happily. ''Hmm, this one! Then I want this one, my Lord. ''All right. I pay the shopkeeper three gold coins from my own pocket for the clothes. Then the shopkeeper and Ildora retreated to the back of the store again. After a while... ''Here you are, my Lord. Ildora came out of the changing room. She was wearing a maid''s uniform decorated with bright frills, and turned around to show it to us. Her back seemed to have been modified by the shopkeeper so that her wings could come out. The figure was, to my dismay, very cute. While I was in a daze, Irene, who was standing next to me, poked me with her elbow. ''Come on, Will. Don''t you have something to say?'' ''Oh, yeah. That ...... is so cute, Ildora.'' ''Hee hee hee, that''s right, that''s right.'' Ildora looked very happy and smiled. This is the present that I''m going to give to Ildora. It was a memento that I gave her as a thank you for all the help she had given me, or as a token of our agreement. After that, we went out of the royal capital again, where we parted ways with Ildora. ''It''s a shame to leave, but it''s not in my nature to have my freedom constrained on a regular basis. I''m going back to my den in the mountains. You are welcome to come visit me again at any time, my Lord. ''Yes. I''ll see you soon. ''Mm.'' I shake hands firmly with Ildora, who is dressed in a maid''s uniform and is a young girl, and leave her. Ildora took off her maid''s uniform, transformed into a dragon, grabbed her clothes and flew away. After watching the red-scaled dragon fly off into the night sky where the sun has just set, I turn to my friends. ''So, are we going home too? The four girls nodded at my words, and we walked down the road to the royal capital. 175-CHAPTER 174 It was a few days later that the ceremony took place. On that day, after breakfast at the inn, I went to the castle and was greeted by Irene at the castle gate. ''I''ve been waiting for you, Will. And Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril too. I''ll show you around, so follow me. We followed Irene through the gate and into the castle. As we were led into the residence, I parted company with Irene and the other women in the entrance hall. ''Bye, Will. I''ll see you later. Irene said, and went away with the women. I, on the other hand, was guided by a maid attached to the royal castle. ''Master William, this way. The maid said this and walked in a different direction from where Irene and the others were headed, and I followed her. Eventually, I was ushered into a small private room. It seemed to be a room used for dressing, with a closet and a large mirror. The maid politely took out a set of fine formal wear from the closet and turned to me. ''May I help you change your clothes? I hesitated for a moment and then nodded. I''ve spent my entire school life immersed in adventure, magic, and academic knowledge, but I don''t know how to dress myself in formal attire. I was uncomfortable with the idea of asking a woman to help me dress, but I suppose it''s normal in this kind of situation, since she would suggest it as a matter of course. Feeling like a child who is made to dress up for an event, I put on my formal clothes as I was told. When I looked in the mirror after putting on my formal wear, I felt very strange. I felt as if I had become a member of the nobility. After that, I was led to a reception room and waited for a while while listening to some arrangements. Eventually, another guide came and asked me to move again. We went up the stairs to the third floor. We were ushered into a living room at the back of the audience hall. It was very bright with the morning sun shining diagonally from the balcony. There is a table with a tea set and tea cakes, and there are a few guests. As I bowed and entered the room, one of the guests called out to me. ''Oh, William, you''re here. You''re looking quite presentable. How would you like to be my daughter''s son-in-law? It was King Andrew. He was a well-built man wearing a kingly red cloak over his ceremonial dress, which gave the impression of a warrior king. There was also a crown on the table. As I was about to reply, another voice interrupted me. ''Your Majesty. I''m ashamed to say that he''s not very good at telling jokes. Such a joke could be taken as serious. Please refrain. It was James Glenford, King Andrew''s aide and head of the court magician - my father. James took one look at me and returned to his usual blank expression. Andrew, on the other hand, has the same nonchalant look on his face. ''I''m not even kidding. William, sit and wait a while longer. Your friends should be here any minute.'' So I took a seat. But I felt uncomfortable. In addition to King Andrew and his aide James, there were several guards, noblemen, and servants in the room. The floor was covered with an elaborately decorated carpet, and there was a chandelier on the ceiling. The milky white walls and pillars were beautifully colored by the morning sun. I felt so out of place. Why am I in such a place now? Furthermore, from outside the balcony, I can hear the slight rustling of many people. The courtyard of the royal castle must lie beneath that balcony. There must already be a large number of citizens gathered there. I thought to myself, I''m uncharacteristically nervous. There was no point in worrying too much about people''s eyes, but I couldn''t help it. And then... ''Oh, Will, you''re already here. Thanks for waiting. I''ve brought everyone with me. Eileen came into the room. Since I was all dressed up, I expected her to be in a dress as she had been in the past, but I was wrong and she was dressed as a man as usual. I was a little relieved when I saw that. I was a little relieved to see that, because it was a part of my everyday life. But that caught me off guard, and I gasped when I saw the three men who came in after them. ''Ugh ......, it''s so hard to walk ......''. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve worn a dress like this. I haven''t worn a dress like this since I was a kid. ''It''s hard to move when it''s fluttering like this. Eileen, can''t you at least tie the hem?'' ''Of course not. Satsuki and Mee, just be patient for a while. Irene chided her, but aside from that. Irene was the only one in normal clothes. Satsuki, Cyril and Mee were all wearing dresses of a size and design that suited them. Satsuki''s was a pale sky blue dress, Cyril''s was a pristine white dress, and Mee''s was a lovely but intense crimson dress. Mee''s dress seemed to be made for children, but even so, it was no less beautiful in its tailoring and design. Her hair was also a little different from usual, tied up at the side or pulled up in a bun. She also wears ornaments such as hair ornaments, necklaces and earrings. She may also be wearing makeup. It may be an exaggeration to say that she looks like a different person than she usually does, but I was surprised to see her look so different. ''You''re beautiful. ...... All three of you are very. You''re usually attractive, but right now you look like goddesses.'' My thoughts slipped out of my mouth. Then the faces of the three of them turned bright red. ''So you''re goddesses now, ......'' ''The three of you together, you''re pretty destructive ......'' ''Aww, ......, isn''t William''s stubbornness getting stronger again? ''No, he''s always been like that. ''That''s why he''s such a jerk,......'' Three beautiful girls with bright red faces were whispering to each other. Irene, who was listening to them, had an annoyed smile on her face. Then, when the Queen appeared on the scene, King Andrew clapped his hands to set the scene. ''Looks like the actors are all here. James, can we begin?'' ''Yes, sir. All other preparations have been made. We''re a little ahead of schedule, but that should be tolerable. ''All right, then, let''s get started. King Andrew stood up, put on his crown, and headed towards the balcony. As he walks out to where he can see from the courtyard, the murmurs of the people grow a little louder. James casts a spell. He seems to have used a loud-voice spell on King Andrew to make his voice sound louder and reach farther. Although the king''s voice can reach the entire courtyard without using it, the use of loud voices is standard in scenes like this where the king directs his voice to the people from the balcony of the castle. King Andrew stood majestically on the balcony and called out to the courtyard below. ''Gentlemen. The reason I have asked you all to come here today is simple. I''ve come to introduce you to the hero who saved this country. The King''s voice, magnified by the loud voice, rang out loudly. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. The hero is so powerful that he can tame a dragon, but rest assured that he has a gentle heart. Even if he is hungry, he will not take you and eat you. As the king said this, a small laugh could be heard here and there. And then, after a beat, the next thing I heard was the sound of a minstrel singing. It seemed that the voice was also loud, and a beautiful, clear male tenor voice echoed around. The poem sung by the minstrel went something like this. The story of a hero is about to be told. A young man who has mastered wisdom and magic. He is ordered by the king to challenge the terrible mountain of the dragon. He overcomes many demons and arrives at the top of the mountain. The dragon appears. The dragon''s fire will melt the earth and burn the sky, but it will not be able to overcome the blessings of the hero''s fate. It''s time to fight back. The heroes unleash a storm of ice. The dragon can''t help but kneel before the hero. The dragon was impressed and swore allegiance to the hero. The hero rides on the dragon''s back and flies through the sky. The next test is the ancient ruins at the end of the world. The hero dives into the ruins in search of the ancient magical sword of fire. And then the king''s army. The heroes of the kingdom will challenge the demon king of ice, who is more fearsome than the dragon. But the demon king is too powerful. The brave men and women of the kingdom are in a fierce battle against a monster that can shatter mountains and tear apart the earth. But the heroes are children of men. One by one, they are injured and fall down in the eternal battle. The Demon Lord is a monster. Every time he is wounded by the swords of the heroes, he undergoes a strange and terrifying evolution. It''s over. And just when the heroes were ready to make a desperate charge. A hero appeared. The hero rides on the dragon''s back, burns the demon lord with dragon fire, and pierces him with a magical sword of fire. The opportunity to win has arrived. The heroes of the kingdom and the heroes of the kingdom join forces and destroy the evil king. And so our peace is preserved. Secretly, quietly. The hero''s name was William. He''s only 17 years old, but he''s already a hero. A man of talent who graduated from the Academy of Magic at the top of his class, but still remained true to himself and became an adventurer. This hero''s name is William. He and his beautiful friends are on a journey of adventure today. ...... Well... Aside from the fact that it was a bit of an embellishment, the audience would have been quiet if such a poem had been played. When the poem was over, the place was silent. Then, King Andrew spoke up again. "And now, the hero William and his friends! Let''s give them a big round of applause! With that, we made our way out onto the balcony according to the arrangements we''d heard about. I stood in front, with Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril standing behind me. As with the bard''s poem, I''m a little concerned about the emphasis on me alone. Of course, I am not doing this all by myself. But when I told this to King Andrew, he said, ''The more straightforward the better. I decided that it would not be productive to pursue the matter any further, since your people agreed with me. As we walked out onto the balcony, King Andrew retreated to the side. Standing where he had been, I looked down and saw many people gathered in the courtyard of the castle. Hundreds of people, maybe even close to a thousand. Seeing so many people gathered in one place is a sight to behold. As soon as we took the stage, there was a murmur of excitement from the crowd. We were accompanied by three beautiful girls in dresses behind us, in addition to a performance of minstrel poetry. Regardless of myself, the halo effect would be outstanding. King Andrew, standing beside me, points to us with his hand. "Let me introduce you again. I''d like to introduce you to our hero, William, and his friends Satsuki, Mee, and Cyril. In fact, the beauties behind them are all as great as the rest. Satsuki, for example, is a great swordswoman, rivaling even my daughter Irene and the Kingsguard. I''ve fought alongside her, and I can assure you that she is a real fighter. The audience once again shouted in admiration. Glancing behind her, Satsuki in a dress looked embarrassed. The king then turned his attention back to me. And the man they adore and trust is this William. You can guess what he''s capable of. In the battle against the Ice Demon King, he showed a terrifying secret technique of simultaneously activating many fireball spells. There''s no end to the number of stories my court magicians could tell you about how extraordinary that is, but I''ll spare you that for now. Well, now that I''ve told you my tedious story, let''s hear the voice of the main character. A servant comes and hands me a sorcerer''s staff. I raise it, chant a spell, and give myself a loud voice. It''s one thing to perform a little magic on your own. After confirming that the spell had taken effect, I raised my voice. I''ve wanted to be an adventurer and a hero since I was a kid. I have read many tales of adventure and have studied magic without looking aside to become an adventurer. The only sound in the silent place was my voice, magnified by loud voices. I spoke my mind in silence. Perhaps it was because of this that I fulfilled my goal of becoming an adventurer. I''ve been blessed with good friends, and I''ve even been treated like a hero. But if you ask me if I have fulfilled my dream, I still don''t know. I think I am halfway there, and I think my journey has just begun. Perhaps my desire to become something will never be fulfilled. But still, there is one thing I can say with certainty. That is, all of the paths I have taken and all of the experiences I have had have become the assets that support me today. This may sound like a beautiful thing, but I mean it. And there''s no doubt that the path I''ve taken has been supported by a lot of good fortune and a lot of caring people. I realize now that I have been more selfish than I ever thought I could be. So I want to thank you here at least. To my friends, colleagues, teachers, and parents who have paved the way for me with their good will and devotion. This may not have been the right place to talk about it. Those of you who are not as fortunate as I am may find my words deceptive and hateful. But I, as one of the selfish people, have said it selfishly. I am sorry to those who have been offended. I bowed my head once and then raised my head. Soon, applause began to sound here and there, and it gradually grew louder. At the end, the whole hall was filled with applause. I knew that this was a word that the majority liked, and I also knew that this kind of support would oppress minorities, so I felt a little sensitive about it. Perhaps it was not the right thing to say in such an occasion, but I can''t help what I have done. I guess I have to take responsibility for my actions. The ceremony came to an end after a few more steps. As I left the balcony, I walked past my father, James. James still had the same scowl on his face. But I suppose I''m no different. I say to James. ''Dad, we have a lot to talk about. I''d like to go over to your house tonight, are you okay with that? ''Okay. No problem, I''ll be home tonight. I''ll let Felicia know.'' ''Yes, please.'' Either he''d forgotten that he''d said he''d disowned me, or he''d remembered that I''d asked him to allow me to cross the threshold for once. Either way, James readily agreed. With this reward, my savings will surpass my goal of seven hundred gold coins. Now... 176- That night. I had dinner at the inn and headed for my parents'' house just in time. It was a high-class residential area lined with houses of the upper class even in the capital. The house where I was born and raised stands inconspicuously in one corner of the district. The fact that it doesn''t particularly stand out in such a high-class residential area means that it is a magnificent house in its own right. It is a spacious two-story house made of clean stone. The gate is imposing and there is a small garden in the back. I stood in front of the house under the magical streetlights in the dark, and looked up at the figure. ''I didn''t think anything of it when I was disowned or when I left .......'' I''m not sure if this is the house I''m going to return to, but now that I think about it, a feeling of nostalgia comes over me. At the time, I was only looking ahead and into the future, but now I seem to have gained enough composure to stop and look back. I don''t know if this is growth or a deterioration of my dedication. But I didn''t come here today to be sentimental. I had in my pocket a sachet containing seventy large gold coins, or seven hundred gold coins. It was a sum of money equivalent to two years of annual income of an average citizen living in the city, as well as the sum of the tuition for the four years I had studied at the Academy of Magic and the living expenses for the two years my parents had supported me even after I had passed the age of fifteen, which was my working age. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the house. Then I heard a woman''s voice inside the house saying, ''Yes, wait a minute. It''s impossible to mishear. It''s the voice of my mother, Felicia. A few moments later, the door of the house opens. Felicia emerges with the house light behind her. ''Welcome William, I''ve been waiting for you. She smiled with the calmness of an adult and the innocence of a child at the same time. I think she is thirty-five this year, but she looks much younger than she is. Her long chestnut-colored hair is tied up at her back, and her eyes are an inconspicuous brown. However, as her son, I can say that she is quite beautiful. Felicia looked at me from bottom to top and nodded her head. ''Hmm, William, have you grown a little taller? ''No, I don''t think so. ....... It''s been less than three months since you left home in the first place. Too many things have happened to make me think that more years have passed, but in reality, it hasn''t been that long since I left home and started being an adventurer. Felicia smiles softly at my reply. ''Hmm, I guess so. Come on in, come on in. ''...... Are you sure?'' ''No, what are you doing here? I heard you were coming to talk, but did you really think you''d just stand here and talk?'' ''...... Well''. Worse, that was the plan. I''d been disowned and told not to cross the threshold of the house, so I''d taken that possibility into account. Felicia sighs when she hears my reply. ''You''re still like that, aren''t you? Just come on in. Let''s talk about it inside. ''...... Okay. I''m sorry to bother you. ''Yes, come in. I''m sorry to bother you.'' I followed Felicia into the house and found James waiting for me in the living room. He was sitting at the table, having tea after dinner. ''Welcome, William. Have a seat.'' He says. I do as he says and take a seat. It''s where I used to sit before I left home. Felicia makes me a cup of tea and serves me sweets. Then Felicia herself took a seat. James and Felicia were sitting next to each other, and I was sitting next to them. It''s hard to say that we are family or strangers, but I feel a subtle distance. But since I had come to talk to them, I couldn''t keep quiet. I made up my mind and tried to open my mouth... But before I could, the other party made a move. ''Look, honey. ''...... Yeah, I know.'' Felicia poked James in the side with her elbow, and he cleared his throat. What the ......? As I wondered, James turned his gaze towards me and said: '' William. ''...... William. I owe you and your friends an apology. I''m sorry for calling you ''vulgar'' when I first met you and your friends at the castle. That was my fault. I was prejudiced against the adventurer profession and assumed they were lowlifes based solely on their attitude when we first met. I apologize. James said, bowing his head towards me. I widen my eyes in surprise. I''d never imagined my father bowing to me. I think back to ''that time'' as James calls it. After being welcomed by Irene and enjoying a sumptuous dinner at the royal castle. James and Satsuki bumped into each other in the hallway on the way home. James looked down coldly at Satsuki and the others, who had greeted him cheerfully due to their drunkenness, but not politely enough for their first meeting, and said. ''William, I no longer have any expectations of you, but let me give you some advice. Choose your companions. If you associate with the vulgar, your quality will suffer. When I heard those words, my blood rushed to my head and I punched James. I couldn''t forgive him for trampling Satsuki and the others with his words. But... ''Dad......'' The one bowing in front of me now is a human being. I realized for the first time that just like me, just like Satsuki, Mee, Cyril and Irene, he was a person who did the right thing and the wrong thing. I thought it was strange. I had always believed that my father, this James Glenford, was the only person who was always right and could never be wrong. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was always looking up to this man. And that''s why I was repulsed by this man alone, I suddenly realized at this moment. As if in a flashback, I remembered the conversation I had with Satsuki and the other three when we first came to the capital. ''Well, I admit that my father is an extremely talented mage. But that doesn''t immediately indicate that he''s a good human being. He''s not as good as he says he is, that man. ...... What, did I say something funny? I don''t think I''ve ever heard ...... Will say anything bad about anyone before. "Yes, sir." That''s right. I was surprised, too. ''...... No, it''s probably just my imagination, or I didn''t happen to mention it. For example..." "Hmm, that''s true, but ...... I don''t know how to put it, I guess I''d say it''s a personal vendetta. It just doesn''t feel like William." ...... I see. So they could see me better than I could see them. My heart felt lighter and clearer, as if something had fallen from it. Then I looked ahead... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... Yes, that''s right. I see, this is the scenario she has drawn. Well, mother''s a strong woman. I say to James. ''I''m sorry I hit you that time, Dad. ...... I was immature, wasn''t I? ''No, when it comes to immaturity, I''m immature too. No matter how old you get, you never stop learning. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I think I''ve been exposed to most of the literature on magic in the past and present, but I''ve never seen any mention of such a secret art. ''Yeah, that''s something that was written in a scroll that some adventurers unearthed from an ancient ruin. ...... Did you ever read my graduation thesis from the Academy of Magic? ''Oh, it was a novel but not unreasonable theoretical proposal about the arrangement of magic in general... Oh, so it was derived from that theory! ''That''s quite impressive. That''s all you need to know?'' ''No, but the details are mind-boggling...'' At this time, my father and I were talking for the first time in a long time. Felicia, my mother and James'' wife, was watching us with a happy smile on her face. 177- The magic talk between me and James has come to an end. Next, Felicia asked me to give her a status report. I asked her how her new life was going, how she was getting along with her friends, and so on. It seems that mothers are always curious to know what their children are up to. I answered the questions as they asked... In the middle of the conversation, I seemed to be talking a little too openly about my relationship with my friends. ''When it comes to whether or not I''m getting along with my friends,......, I''d say the relationship is good, but it''s so good that it''s a problem,.......'' I''ll tell you what I think about that, frankly, ''What, what, what do you mean? Your mother is very interested in that story! You said that the adventurer friends are girls around the same age, right? Felicia''s eyes sparkled as she leaned forward on the table and pounced on me. I remembered. She''s quite a gossip. ...... Well, how should I respond? I glanced at my father. This man in front of me is a man of ethics. But there''s no point in lying to make up for it. I have no choice but to confess. I decided to be honest and tell them the situation I was in. ''There are three of us who always go on adventures together. Satsuki, a samurai, Cyril, a Holy Order priest, and Mee, a cat-eared bandit. ...... Somehow, all three of them have taken a liking to me... ...it seems. I was, of course, very embarrassed to be saying this to myself. I wanted to say to myself, "What are you saying with a straight face? But in the interest of honesty, I have no choice but to say this. James''s frown twitched as he heard my confession. Felicia, on the other hand, showed a look of surprise in her eyes. ''Oh no. That''s not a liking as a companion, but as a relationship between a man and a woman,......, isn''t it? ''Ah. It''s been stated that way, and I don''t think there''s any room for doubt based on your usual attitude. ''Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, that''s terrible. I''m sure there is no doubt about it because William, who is not very good at knocking down stone bridges, says so. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s trying to do this. ...... I''m sure you and Irene are starting to get along again, aren''t you? ''Ugh ......, yes, that''s right.'' ''This is a surprise. I''m not sure how long it''s going to take for my child to become a prince in a country with a lot of popularity. Felicia was one of the people who had always suspected that Irene and I had a relationship, but now that she was right, she couldn''t say a word. James, on the other hand. This one, with his usual frown, opens his mouth at me. ''And you, William, what about you? Do you have a crush on one of them?'' Unlike Felicia, who was curious, James seemed to be questioning the ethics of it all. It''s a difficult position for me to be in, but I can''t just talk my way out of it after all this time. I cleared my throat and replied. ''''No, all of .......'''' ''''What about ......?'''' My parents'' dumbfounded faces. I, on the other hand, am sure that my face is boiling red. But I can''t turn back now that I''ve come this far. I''ll be honest with you about my feelings. ''I''m sure I like all of you. That ...... includes Irene.'''' ''''............'''' As expected, they both fell silent. I suppose that''s true. If my own son, whom I hadn''t seen for less than three months, came home after a long absence and told me that he was having a four-way relationship with someone, even I would be mortified. It is not unethical to be ''liked'' by more than one person. But if I myself like more than one person, that''s a different story. ...... Felicia would be disgusted with me for this. I''m not sure what to make of that. That''s what I thought, but... ''I only have one question for you, William. There was a moment of silence. After a few moments of silence, Felicia folded her hands on the table and looked at me with a different, more serious expression and straight eyes. ''That doesn''t contradict the justice you have in your heart, does it? ''............'' I couldn''t answer right away. A difficult question. Felicia continued without me. ''William. I believe that you''re a clumsy but kind boy who understands the pain in people''s hearts. So, if you can listen to your heart and believe that you''re not betraying those children, I''ll support you no matter who else is criticizing you. How about ......?'' It was a powerful statement that left no room for doubt. My mother, Felicia, is not just a fluffy person. She is usually soft and gentle, but at her core she has a different kind of strength and conviction than James. I think I was rather strongly influenced by him growing up. I think. I wonder if there''s any betrayal of Satsuki, Mee or Cyril. After thinking about it... I can''t say there hasn''t been. There''s one thing in particular that I need to do, that I''ve left undone. ''...... I have one thing I need to tell them that I haven''t told them yet.'' ''Yes. Then you''ll have to make sure you tell them that.'' ''Yeah.'' ''Hmm, good. Then your mother is on your side. That''s all from me. You can do the rest. Felicia then turned the conversation back to James. James chuckled slightly and opened his mouth. ''I''m not familiar with the subtleties of relationships between men and women. If there is a clear violation of humanity, I should admonish you, but the matter seems to be very complicated. I don''t know much about the details, but I don''t think I should interfere in any way. Besides, I''m the one who disowned William in the first place. As a parent, I''m in no position to interfere. At this point, Felicia glanced at James, but did not interrupt him. James continued. ''Well, you came here today because you had something to tell me, didn''t you, William? You''ve been talking too much and not listening to what I have to say. Let''s hear it. ''...... Oh, yes, you did.'' That''s right. I didn''t come here today to make small talk about family gatherings. In the first place, I have no right to enjoy family gatherings. I was cut off from my parents for ignoring their wishes and being selfish. I don''t regret that decision, but I have to accept the consequences of what I did. And... a decision. I came here today to make a decision in my own way. I take out a small bag full of gold coins from my pocket and place it on the table. Then I said to my parents in front of me. 178- I took out a small bag full of large gold coins from my pocket and put it on the table. Then I said to my parents in front of me. ''This is the money I''ve earned for myself since I started as an adventurer. It''s worth seven hundred gold pieces. I''m very grateful to you for sending me to the Academy of Magic, for providing for me even after I passed the age of fifteen, and most of all, for bringing me up to this point. Thank you very much. I said and bowed to the two of them. When I first left home and started being an adventurer, I had no intention of handing over this money with such words of gratitude. I didn''t want to be indebted to him, so my thought at the time was to repay the debt with the intention of giving him a three and a half star rating. I didn''t like my father, and I didn''t like James. And James didn''t like the way I was either. I can''t really remember now what caused James and I to fall out. The main reason may have been that I had announced that I would become an adventurer after graduating from the Academy of Magic, and James had rejected all of my ideas, but I don''t think that was the only reason. But I don''t think that''s the only reason. I think it''s better to think of it as a more fundamental clash between our opinions and ideas. James emphasizes the importance of people''s abilities and their contributions to society. His theory is that a person with talent must use that talent for the good of the world. Therefore, laziness that does not cultivate and develop one''s talents is bad for him. On the other hand, my desire to be an adventurer was just my own selfishness. I''m a prodigal, a hedonist, and I put myself before the world. That''s why James and I had a definite disagreement and incompatibility. That''s why we broke up. But... "But I can understand your father''s point of view." That''s what Cyril said to me when we were fighting against the Orcs in a joint front with the Elves. In the forest where the morning sun was shining through the trees, she told me that she sympathized with James'' way of thinking. The value of a person is not only determined by their abilities, but also by the fact that they are there, and that they are invaluable. I''m sorry, but what you''re saying sounds like empty nonsense to me. "...... makes me wonder if there''s any justice in affirming incompetence." I had to think about it a bit, hearing it from Cyril, who was psychologically close to me. Is a person worthy of existence just by being there? Or are prodigals and incompetents who are useless to society to be despised and denied? I don''t think I''m wrong in taking the former position even now. But I do think the latter view has a point, and more importantly, I think it''s true. That is to say, is the difference of opinion so fatal that the parent and child must separate and isolate themselves? In the first place, it is impossible for all people in the world to have the same color of thinking. If the values and justice of all people in the world were to be colored by one color, it would be a very horrible thing. A world of unified values, where there are no different values and no different justice... That is not a society in which people can live. When I think about it, I have a thought. Do James and I really have to share the same views to be a father and son? Is it not possible for us to somehow come to terms with each other''s different principles? Of course, it is possible to have difficulty accepting people with different ideas to some extent. For example, I''m still not sure if I made the right decision, but it seems impossible to coexist peacefully with someone like Alice the necromancer, who is willing to take the lives of innocent villagers to achieve her goals and advance her magic. Or Glenn, who I met when I was killing rock worms. If you ask me to establish friendly relations with such people as neighbors, I can only say that I am not willing to do so. Somehow I was able to tolerate his existence because we met under the skies of travel and parted soon after. But is the difference between me and James so fatal? It is not that either of our opinions is insane. It''s a difference of opinion within the realm of common sense. That''s the extent of the difference. Of course, I don''t blame James for his decision to leave. But I no longer have the will to give him a three-and-a-half point blank stare. Today, when I talked to my parents, I felt their love for me again. Felicia''s, of course. I could feel James'' clumsy love for me now, too. I''m their child. They''ve raised me since I was a child. They never abandoned me. They never abused me. They fed me well in a warm home. Sometimes they were strict and sometimes they were kind. That childhood made me what I am today. In my own way, I have worked hard to become an adventurer, but the prerequisite for that was the love and free service of my parents. I took for granted the love of a ''normal life''. Incidentally, the reason why I began to think like this is because I began to think seriously about my relationship with my ''girls'' and imagined ''the future''. ...... Well, that''s beside the point. In any case, I can be proud of being the child of the two people in front of me right now... So this money of seven hundred gold coins is not a sign of separation, but a symbol of gratitude and thanks. No matter what they want, that''s what I think now. Perhaps the time I spent thinking like this was very short. There was a moment of silence after I said my piece. The next person to open her mouth was Felicia. ''...... you. I''m not going to tell you. You tell me. It was a slightly dismissive tone, directed at James. James, on the other hand, chuckled. ''I know. William, before you take this, there''s one more thing I want to tell you.'' ''...... One more thing?'' ''Yeah. It''s up to you whether you accept it or not.'' ''You don''t have to say that,'' said Felicia next to James, her mouth agape like a child. I waited for him to say something else, while holding a little bit of expectation in my heart. Then James said. ''William, I said I''d disown you, but I want to take that back, too. I''m sorry. James bows his head again, for the second time today. I couldn''t immediately think of anything to say in return. James continued. ''Felicia''s told me a lot since you left. He''s not your puppet, and whether you agree with him or not, he''s an adult, so why don''t you respect his autonomy, and how long are you going to keep him tied down? ...... To be honest, I still couldn''t digest it, but after listening to your speech at the ceremony today, I''m glad. I''m finally able to say these words. Now I''m amazed at my own stupidity. James looked away from me, looking uncomfortable as he said this. ...... Oh my god. I''m sure you''ll agree. It really is a lot like me. I''m not sure if I look like him. But that''s just me talking. If you can''t forgive me, that''s fine. I just thought I''d let you know that''s what my intentions are right now. James had just said that... Felicia finally stood up. She slammed her chair down, as if she couldn''t take it anymore. ''Ahhhh, no! I don''t need you to say anything else! William! Felicia is glaring at me with fixed eyes. ''Oh, no.'' ''I''m revoking your dismissal. Do you understand? ''Oh, yes. ''You, put your hands on me. Oh, yeah. ''And William. ''Oh, yeah.'' ''Yes, shake hands! Make up! Let''s shake hands, James and I. Felicia declared. ...... Really, Felicia (this person) is no match for me. Mother is strong. After that, I had a few words with my parents and left my parents'' house. The gold coin I tried to give to my parents was refused. You don''t need to give it back because we gave it to you and you are not in need of it. Rather, he told me that I should keep the money because I would need it in the future. When I left my parents'' house, I turned around and looked at the mansion again. ...... I wonder if I will ever be able to have this kind of worthiness. I thought about that. Then I walked through the night and returned to the inn where Satsuki, Mee and Cyril were waiting. Now, I felt that my priorities were changing a little. 179-CHAPTER 178 (EPILOGUE) On my way back to the inn. As I walked along the night road lit by magical street lamps, I met an unexpected person on the way. ''Hey, Will. Have you had a chance to talk to your parents yet?'' ''...... Irene. Why are you here? Under the stars at night, waiting for me on the side of the road was, of all people, the princess of this country. She''s one of the best swordsmen in the country, so perhaps it''s not appropriate for her to be so careless without an escort. But even so, it''s the middle of the night. What would a girl of her age be thinking, standing alone in the street at night? Eileen appears at the end of my path, standing in the middle of the street, smiling at me. ''I heard that Will was going to talk to your parents tonight,'' she said. I was so curious about the outcome that I snuck out of the castle. ''...... You''re as free as ever, you know. I can''t imagine the footwork of a princess.'' ''Is that a compliment? ''No, this time it''s a compliment.'' ''Tsk. Oh well.'' I walked past Irene, and she followed me. Just the two of us on the street at night. It reminds me of when we were kids. Only back then, it was always Irene who walked ahead of me. Now... from behind me, Irene asks me. ''How was the talk with your parents? ''Well, I don''t know. I think it went as well as could be hoped for.'' ''Really? That''s good. So, have you and Mr. James made up? ''I''m not sure I''d call it reconciliation, it sounds like a child''s quarrel. But yes, I think the broken relationship has been restored to the way it should be.'' ''Yes. I''m really glad to hear that. Reconciliation... I remember that my mother, Felicia, used the same word. From their point of view, that may have been the story. For a while after that, Irene and I walked in silence through the night. It was not far to the inn, and Irene ended up following us all the way there. When we reached the inn, Irene called out to me again. ''Hey, Will. Can I come with you to the ......? ''You mean, follow you into the inn? ''Uh, ...... well, that''s it for now.'' ''......? I don''t mind. I went through the door of the inn, questioning the slightly slurred reply. Irene followed me. When I passed through the door, I found myself in a bustling tavern. This inn, like many others, is both a tavern and an inn on the first and second floors. In the tavern, there was a lot of revelry going on at tables here and there, suggesting that the place was thriving. ''Oh, Will, you''re back! You too, Princess, come here! From one of the tables at the end of the tavern, a slightly red-faced Satsuki raised her hand and called us. Of course, Mee and Cyril were at that table, drinking with us. However, they don''t seem surprised that Irene is with us. ....... I''m not sure if they''ve been told about it beforehand. I went with Irene to the table where they were. At a round table for four, Cyril brought a chair from nearby and made a seat for five people. ''Oh, it''s the hero''s return! ''''Isn''t that Princess Irene next to you? ''Hey, hey, what''s going on? There were murmurs from all over the tavern, and at the same time, all eyes in the tavern were focused on us. When Irene and I took our seats with Satsuki and the others, our table became the target of the curious eyes of the entire bar. The title of hero. One man surrounded by four beautiful girls, and even the princess of this country among them. It would be strange not to attract attention. In other words, it was inevitable... but to be honest, I didn''t feel comfortable. ''What do you think, William? How does it feel to be the undisputed hero?'' Cyril chuckles and makes fun of me. She seems to be drunk as well, and there''s a slight blush on her cheeks. ''...... No, this is different. It''s more a product of my performance than my ability.'' ''I don''t understand. Even the greatest heroes in the world may have been feted in this way. ''Well, ......, it''s possible. The hero image I admire is not like that. Such childish thoughts come out of my heart, but this may be my childishness. ''Well, well, who cares about heroes? Will is Will.'' ''Yes, sir. But William and the others are here, so we''ll drink again. Satsuki and Mee said, and ordered more drinks and snacks from the waitress. It''s a bit of a big deal, probably because they''ve earned a lot of money from this quest. ...... But in this atmosphere, it''s hard to say what I was going to tell Satsuki and the others. You can easily imagine that if you do that, you will not be able to say anything at all. You can''t be lax about the atmosphere. If I miss this opportunity now, I''ll become a man who can''t say what he needs to say... I feel that way. I''ve made up my mind. I take a deep breath. ''Satsuki, Mee, Cyril... there''s something I want to tell you. When I said this in a serious voice, the three girls tilted their heads, ''Hmm? I said in a serious voice, and the three girls nodded their heads. The atmosphere was inappropriate. There was no mood at all. I''ve heard that women value the mood very much. Given that, I''m not sure if we should do this some other time. But... I can''t. I cut off my hesitation and said to my three fellow adventurers. ''Satsuki, Mee, Cyril. I love you guys. I love you. So... please keep up the good work. When I said that, the three of them froze in place. They looked at me as if they had been petrified by a cockatrice''s gaze. Next to me, Irene put her hand on her forehead as she said, ''Oh no ......''. And after a moment... ''''''Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! The cries of the three girls echoed throughout the tavern. Later, I heard from them, ''Isn''t it impossible to propose to all three of you at once? or, ''No matter what, in a bar like that. But it''s William, so it can''t be helped,'' and so on, for the rest of my life. But that''s also my... I felt that it might not be so bad if I thought of it as one of our stories. Would it be so strange for me to start being an adventurer after graduating first in my class at the Academy of Magic? If I were to convey my current thoughts to the person who was thinking like that back then, they would be this. I don''t care if you say I''m crazy. Do what you want. Because this is my life... my life that I''ve decided to lead.