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Greeting Words from the Translator:
Hello everyone,
I’m Shasu from Infinite Novel Translations, the one responsible for all translations on this blog and also the site owner. For those of you who never visited my blog in the past: I’ve been translating for the Fan TL scene for more than 7 years now, trying to lead a modest and meager life based on the support of my Patrons.
When one of my patrons pointed out about Rhex wanting to step down as TL, I decided to step up and add this series as a new weekly addition to my line-up since I’ve been lacking a good, funny parody-type of series. Thanks to Rhex’s great support and his willingness to wrap up Chapter 3 to keep consistency within the chapters, the transition has been proceeding as smoothly as could be. As fellow TL, I appreciate him going the extra mile to pass on the baton and wish him and his family all the best for the future.
I’ve started out as Fan TL in attempt to make Japanese web and light novels, which wouldn’t be translated otherwise, available to a broader audience in a quality as good as possible, but I’m not an English native-speaker, so you might find clunky sentence structures every now and then. You’re always free to point it out in the comment section, and of course, I welcome anyone wanting to become an editor for this series to improve the overall quality (contact me anytime at conact@infinitenoveltranslations.net).
I’m a fan of honest words and thus I’ll tell you in advance that I weigh importance of what I translate by community interactions (likes, comments and views). Since I try to make a living as a translator, as I mentioned above, I will lower release rates or drop series which become unpopular among the readerbase. Even though there exist hundreds of novels I’d love to translate on a personal level, my time per week is limited, and as such I have to prioritize.
The LN volumes of Atelier Tanaka are much longer than usual LN volumes (almost twice as long). Therefore, just as Rhex has done, I’ll release the chapters in parts, once a week. I also plan to set up Atelier Tanaka on my Patreon so that those wishing to support my translation effort can do so, but I’ll update you on this once I’ve managed to stock up a bit.
Lastly, I have series, which I’m translating for over 7 years now with a regular weekly release, so I’m more than willing to bring this series to its close as long as you, the readers, support it.
I look forward to seeing lots of you for a long time to come, and hope you will enjoy my translation of Atelier Tanaka.
Cheers,
Shasu
Starting from the conclusion, Sophia-chan’s trail was still fresh.
Last night at a late hour, the inn’s hostess witnessed Maid-san leaving. According to her, no one from the inn had heard any news of her coming back until we visited. And going by the testimony of the Loligon, the room was deserted.
Now then, what to do about this?
I racked my brain about the policy from now on while gazing at the living room she had probably rented out.
It’d be beyond ridiculous to hand out wanted posters with her description in the city just like that.
As I pondered about the worst-case-scenarios, anxiety reared its ugly head in my head. This world sure was inconvenient for not having portable terminals available at times like this.
“Still it’s quite worrisome, isn’t it?”
I felt that it’d be exceedingly dangerous for a young girl to wander the streets at night all by herself. A premonition of fuck.
“In the first place, why would she go outside by herself so late in the night?”
“Who knows. That alone is something I don’t understand either.”
Her bed, which had been set up in the living room, didn’t look disarrayed in any way. The same applied to other spots of the room. In short, I couldn’t find any hints that some kind of dispute took place.
“Maybe, it’s…umm…how to describe it…she got excited over visiting a big city for the first time and went out to enjoy the nightlife. Or something like that? Though, if that was the case, I believe she’d have come back by herself past noon…” Edita-sensei suggested an extremely suffocating theory.
Sophia-chan has already reached adulthood, so it’s within the scope of possibility. But, I don’t think sensei is correct.
“If this was Charis, we’d certainly have to include such a possibility.”
“Rather wouldn’t she be more fidgety after reaching the goal of her travel?”
“If she had obeyed Christina-san and Rocoroco-san’s words, she’d have gone to bed early last night in preparation for Edita-san’s investigation on the next day. I don’t think it’s a situation where she’d play around all night by herself.”
“I-I see…” My blond, thicc-legged Loli-sensei revealed an expression which could either mean her being happy or troubled.
Her being immediately unable to respond was clear proof of her communication disorder.
“Hasn’t Sophia-san simply headed out to do Edita-san’s investigation by herself?”
『Why would she do that?』
“Last night Christina-san and Rocoroco-san went out to investigate after they confirmed that she was asleep, didn’t they? Maybe she woke up afterwards and realized that Christina-san, who was sharing the room with her, was gone?”
How about this reasoning presented by this busamen?
Despite her appearances, I consider Maid-san to be a fairly sensible and smart girl. Around half of it might actually stem from her being a coward, though.
“I wonder?”
I shifted my gaze to the Loligon and Goggoru-chan, asking them indirectly.
『…Grml』
“Possible.”
In contrast to the Loligon who lowered the corners of her mouth, Goggoru-chan agreed solemnly.
Sure enough they don’t know what I used as the basis for my conclusion. But, it’d be very welcome if it’d allow them to understand Sophia-chan better, no matter how little the effect.
“Assuming you’re right, she might have become lost somewhere.”
“Or, in some trouble.”
“…Let’s see. The probability for either isn’t zero.”
It’s kinda scary having this pointed out by a Lolita-san with dark brown skin. It makes me feel like it might actually be true. I think Sophia-chan is probably alright, but I want to act cautiously, nevertheless.
“As for me, my worries have the upper hand here, so I’d like to search for her as soon as possible. Accordingly, I’m sorry, but could I ask all of you to help me with looking for Sophia-san? I feel bad about suddenly pushing things in one direction, but…”
『That’s why we should have searched for her from the start!』
“Agree.”
The Loligon and Goggoru-chan consented readily. The one appearing to be extremely apologetic, on the other hand, was Edita-sensei. She hunched her shoulders, seeming very uncertain, while restlessly looking all around her. Seeing her act like this would somehow make anyone watching her feel sorry for her.
“S-So she became lost because of me, right…?” Her whisper was so faint that it almost seemed to fade into nothingness.
『Quite so!』
“Ugh…!”
Holy shit, as usual the Loligon doesn’t hold back at all. Thanks to that, sensei looked so dejected and depressed that you had to actually pity her.
Due to this, Goggoru-chan――still sitting on the floor while grasping her knees――bluntly said, “From the very start, all of this is the dumb, female dragon’s fault.”
『W-What was that!?』, the Loligon trembled furiously. Her tail standing on end.
It’ll be alright. That was the feeling I got for some reason. Now after all this time.
『Weren’t you the one who took the initiative to search for this guy’s whereabouts!?』
“…What are you talking about?”
『Wha-!?』
And I’m pretty sure it had been Goggoru-chan who had pushed the back of Christina after she lost her temper.
As the scene from that time naturally played back inside my mind, it suddenly woke a heartwarming feeling inside my chest.
Unfortunately, the lil’ stoic over there is mischievous and won’t choose her methods when it comes to arguments.
By the way, I kinda feel like the distance between the Loligon and Goggoru-chan has shrunk quite drastically without me noticing any of it. I think it’s great for them to get along well, but it’s not like I don’t feel slightly scared when I imagine that something happened during my absence.
Maybe I’ll be able to have a threesome with the two in the near future.
“Both of you, let’s leave the arguing at that.”
I forced the discussion back on track while mediating between the two squabblers.
“It’d be inefficient for all of us to search together, so I’d like us to split up. I’ll search the southern side of the town. Christina-san, please take care of the western side. Rocoroco-san, you handle the eastern side, please. And, Edita-san, please check out the northern side.”
Because I didn’t know the area around here, I had no choice but to go with a vague division of the search areas. If I had known that something like this would happen, it’d have been better to get at least a single map from the Saint.
“Let’s meet up here again once the sun goes down.”
After I talked for a while, Drill-chan spoke up, “Oh myyy? What might I do in such a case then?”
“If you’re willing to help us, I’d ask you to focus on the center of the town over here and the vicinity where we went sightseeing a while ago. Because the vicinity is filled with mansions of nobles and clergy in high positions, it’d be very promising for us, if we could have a refined woman like you, Doris-san, take a look around the area over there.”
“My, how skillfully you run your mouth…”
“Is it too difficult then?”
“Do not fret. I do not dislike that girl either, so I shall assist you as well, hohoho.”
“Thank you very much, that’s a big help for us.”
With this line-up, it seems like Drill-chan might find Sophia-chan unexpectedly quickly. Well, no matter who discovers her, Sophia-chan is Sophia-chan.
“Then, pardon me for the sudden request, but let us start searching at once.”
The instant everyone nodded, it was ready, set, go! This spelled the beginning of the search for Sophia-chan on foreign soil.
＊
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
This maid had been wandering the mansion without even knowing to whom the estate belonged. Loitering around for almost an hour now.
If I am completely honest, I have to admit that I am completely lost.
At first I had looked for an entrance or kitchen door, walking around with a certain sense of purpose. However, whenever I discovered people in the distance, I turned on my heels and headed back the way I came from. After this had repeated itself several dozen times, I got completely lost inside the building.
Another part playing a role in this was me staying up all night. At this point, my attention span has become seriously flaky. And since I had been in a predicament, I ended up getting involved with an unfamiliar mansion.
I feel like I could have turned down her properly under normal circumstances.
“…I’m sleepy, so sleepy.”
While feeling light-headed and dizzy, I frantically continued to walk through the mansion.
Suddenly I felt an urge to just end it by leaping outside a window. I got the vague idea that it would not end too badly as long as I jumped down from the second floor.
“……”
That’s dangerous, isn’t it? People tend to become reckless when they lack sleep. I should calm down again. If by any chance I were to sprain my foot, it’d turn into a huge impediment.
“Hey, you over there!”
“…gh.”
It happened while I was walking through a lowly frequented corridor. All of a sudden, a voice roared at me from behind.
When I turned around, I spotted a maid calling out to me while heading my way.
“What are you loafing around for in a place like this!?”
“No, umm, I-I am…”
“If you finished cleaning the rooms, the courtyard sweeping is next, right!?”
That won’t work. Sweeping the courtyard in my current, physical state is bound to result in me collapsing. Even if outdoor cleaning consists of simple sweeping, it still uses up surprising amounts of stamina.
It’s now or never. I must properly tell her, even if I have to muster my last strength to do so.
“Come on! It’s this way!”
“P-Please wait a moment!”
“You have to properly work for your pay! In the first place, if Her Ladyship were to discover you playing hooky, things wouldn’t end nicely for you, you know!? Even you should be fully aware of at least this much, no? So why are you skipping out on your work so brazenly!?”
“I-I-I am not a maid of this mansion!!”
“…Come again?”
“It is certainly true that I am wearing a maid attire, but I have been working as a maid for Baron Tanaka of the Penny Empire. Not this mansion. I-I just had some work to do in the area, and then, umm, I allowed myself to take a look at this h-huge mansion, so…”
“……”
“That’s why, you see, I am not working here as a maid…”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
I think I’ve managed to properly tell her this time. Because the woman over here is advanced in age, she comes on strong. I’m sure she holds a position similar to Head Maid. If that’s the case, she might interpret my words just now as the lies of a young maid. But, how am I ever going to get out of this place then?
Just when I was pondering about all that, “…Then I messed up quite a bit, didn’t I?”
“Huh?”
“If it’s found out that I allowed a stranger to trespass into the mansion, I’d be the one receiving a harsh scolding, wouldn’t I? Besides, Baron Tanaka of the Penny Empire, you said? If that got exposed, things would become even more of a hassle. Previously, a maid lost her head due to that.”
“If it’s like that, even I would be indebted to you i-if you could let me get out of here a-as quickly as possible…”
“Now that it’s come to this, I feel sorry for you, but I’ll have you stay in our dungeon for a while.”
“…Eh?”
“What, you’ll be able to get out if you stay in there for some time. Of course you might get executed after being mistaken as heretic by chance, but you can worry about that once it happens. The torture in this place is really nasty. Well, I think even your friends won’t be able to recognize you anymore once you get out, but that’s how life goes.”
“…….”
T-That’s no good. This woman has definitely come here to kill me. Just how dangerous are the people who’re living in this mansion…?
＊
It was often said that problems never came alone. In most cases the reason for a problem stemmed from the environment. A problem occurring was owed to the existence of a situation in an environment which made it easy for problems to crop up, and as long as one remained in such an environment, problems tended to occur repeatedly.
In short, if one asked what the problem might be──
『Hey, when is that elf going to come back?』
“Well, yes, she’s certainly somewhat late, isn’t she…?”
It seemed like Edita-sensei had become a lost child as well. Sensei hadn’t shown up at the meeting place even when the sun went down, the time we had previously agreed upon to meet up again. On top of that, time passed on and it became pitch black outside.
As for the others, everyone came back a while ago, albeit without having achieved anything. Just my blond loli-sensei was nowhere to be seen.
Shucks, it’s because Sensei is such a cutie.
“Did she get lost?”
“…Let’s see. The probability isn’t zero.”
『Cut the bullcrap about probabilities and so on. She’s clearly lost, isn’t she!?』
“Yes, I think it is just as you say.”
Shit, for me to witness a day where I’d eat a retort from the Loligon…
We’re talking about sensei here, so I’m sure she’s wandering around somewhere with tears in her eyes about now. Just imagining it wakes a desire in me to tightly hug her.
“Let’s eat dinner for the time being. I think some of us have skipped lunch, so we’ll catch a meal while thinking about how we should move next.”
The healing magic of this busamen can’t fix hunger or irritation either. Even if we’re going to head out for another search, a short break is necessary.
Considering her stats, I don’t believe that Sensei would be kidnapped by local delinquents. Although her stat values are oddly low for her having a level above the four digits, she overwhelms the likes of delinquents and adventurers, which I had checked out in the Penny Empire’s business district in the past, by leaps and bounds.
“True, I do feel hungry.”
『……Got it』
Despite looking like that, she’s an adult woman, so I don’t think we need to worry that much. However, it’s quite possible that she got dragged into some sort of trouble after discovering Sophia-chan. Or rather, if we’re talking about Sensei, she has a relatively low LUC stat, is softhearted, and is very liable to run into that kind of misfortune.
For this very reason, it’s indispensable to chase after her. I guess we should search for Sensei, and at the same time, Maid-san after dinner.
＊
———– End of Part 1 ———–
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
This maid ended up being imprisoned. Things proceeded while I was dumbfounded, and once I came to, I found myself inside a prison cell. I had been tossed in here while still carrying my maid attire, kind of like taking a first good measure in dealing with me. The narrow space was enclosed by stone walls on three sides, below and above. The side facing the hallway had sturdy iron bars extending from the floor to the ceiling.
Luckily I do not have to share the cell with anyone. This must be a single cell.
A bed that was covered with straw and a pot for my waste had been set up next to the walls.
“…I am in quite a bind here, am I not?”
The heinous head maid of this mansion has been obviously dabbling in magic. Of course, it is impossible to oppose someone if you are suddenly threatened by having a fireball thrust right in front of your nose. So I had obviously no choice but to obey her demand and stay with her. Moreover, if you add my sleepiness and exhaustion from having been up all night, I could not have done anything anyway. I have lost all strength to escape. It goes even as far as me considering to take a nap for now, despite having been put into a place with a seedy-looking, extremely crude bedding.
“……”
That is right. I think I will get some sleep. I will rest for a while, restore my energy, and then look for a chance to escape. That is the only viable option.
“It is slightly dirty, but oh well…”
I felt reluctant about using straw that might have been used by who-knows-who. However, Poverty demoralizes was something that applied to all humans. Even back home, I grew up while watching our drunk customers spend the night out on the streets. In contrast to that, this place at least comes with walls and roof.
“…I will take the liberty to use the bed then, I suppose,” this maid murmured and cheerfully laid down on the bedding.
Her nose was assailed by a smell reminiscent of stable.
Honestly, it stinks. Yet, my sleepiness still wins out over the disgust stemming from the wild stench.
Without minding it any further, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. Now that I was able to retire, my mind calmed down.
The incident happened immediately afterwards. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I could hear the voices of people.
“Behave yourself and stay in here, demon king underling!”
“W-Wait a moment! What do you mean by demon king underling!?”
“There had been a divine oracle proclaiming it. You might be able to deceive the eyes of men, but tricking the eyes of god is impossible. I don’t know what you planned by coming to the Great Holy Land, but you should curse your foolish decision to have done so.”
“Wha-…”
The voices came from fairly close-by. Naturally this maid opened her eyes. Even though I had nodded off at long last, I was torn out of my sleep.
It means an annoying neighbor has arrived. Then again, it is this kind of place, so I doubt it can be helped for such people to gather here.
“Okay, I’m done here. I shall excuse myself at this point.”
“Wait!! Do the current heroes truly believe in something as unreliable as divine oracles!? What’s the underlying reason for you to actually trust in the existence of something like an oracle or the words of god!?”
“I’m a hero. All my actions are grounded on Saint-sama’s oracles.”
“In other words, you’re saying the present heroes are merely private soldiers of the saint?”
“Are you insulting Saint-sama!?”
“If it sounded to you like that, it might be so. For you, that is.”
“Y-You…!”
This maid lifted her body and stared in the direction of the voices. As I did, she saw that the hero had come here for some reason.
I think it was one or two years ago when I last saw him at a parade along the main street of Charis. He is very cool. So there is no way that I would have ever forgotten what he looks like.
If I remember correctly, the one over there should be the eastern hero. Usually, only one hero is chosen at a time, and thus it has become a hot topic when two were selected. Even back at our eatery I heard the customers talk about the mighty power of the current demon king, how the two heroes actually were one person, and many other such rumors.
And now one of those heroes has headed over to the cell next to me, talking to the person who has likely been locked up in there. Seeing how a great hero has personally come all the way to this prison, my neighbor must be a fairly heinous and evil criminal.
“What hero? What demon king? All of it is no more than an extremely retarded plot. Seeing how you’ve been continuing this idiocy for 500 years now, the Great Holy Land can only be regarded as utter scum. Just how much must you sabotage other countries until you’ve gotten your fill?”
“S-So you’re planning to deny not only Saint.sama, but even our noble deeds!?”
“Can you asshole actually take down the demon king?”
“Of course! I have been chosen as a hero for that very reason!”
“Humph, with the meager power an idiot like you possesses, it’ll likely be impossible to cross over to the Dark Continent, let alone defeat the demon king. And even if you somehow managed to reach the Dark Continent for argument’s sake, how long do you think you’d be able to survive there? Would you actually be able to fend off swarms of phoenixes and greater dragons? Come on, tell me. Would you?”
“Wh-…”
Somehow, the voice of my neighbor sounds familiar. It vividly reminds me of a small girl, which would be a total mismatch for a prison.
This maid naturally leaned her body forward, trying to take a peek at the neighboring cell through the bars. However, because the cells were lined up in a row along the hallway, it was impossible for me to catch a look at the person imprisoned in the cell next to mine, even if I could confirm that her neighbor’s cell used the same, vertical metallic bars.
“…You wretched demon king underling! You talk like you’ve actually seen the Dark Continent for yourself, don’t you?”
“How ridiculous. 500 years is a long time, and even elves grow old.”
“……”
“However, I’m pretty sure I’ll never witness the sight of a lamer like you defeating the demon king.”
“Humph, nonsense. Either way, I don’t have any more time to waste on scum like you.”
The hero turned around.
The gentle fluttering of his mantle is so catchy. Contrary to the western hero, who enters the category of a cheerful handsome hunk with a dazzling smile, the eastern hero is the calm type of hunk with his somewhat gloomy profile being very dreamy. For me, as someone who was allowed to enjoy the sight of both of them, they register as the indisputable top two guys.
Being maltreated by the eastern hero, just to get gently soothed by the western hero, before being even more fervently sought out by the eastern hero; personally, that kind of development would be a courtship which would make me feel extremely happy nowadays. It would be kind of like alternating between something sweet and something sour. How lovely.
“I’m heading out to inform Saint-sama of your arrest. You can remain there and regret your own pitiful state. I don’t know what kind of sin you have committed, but you must be a very treacherous villain, considering how a gentle and compassionate woman like her personally ordered your arrest. It is clear that you will be executed in the near future.”
“uh……”
The clicking of his footsteps gradually became distant.
What a shame. I wanted to look at his wonderful face for a bit longer.
“Just what the hell? Even though I went on my long-awaited trip at last…,” whispered this maid’s neighbor to no one in particular.
It is a voice sounding so downhearted that it makes even me as a listener feel a heartache for her. It totally tickles my urge to protect her. Having said that, I will surely not get in touch with her from my side. It would be a disaster if I got dragged into her mess.
Since the conversation had died down, this maid could now genuinely go to sleep.
＊
In preparation for the worst, I wanted to secure the cooperation of Saint-sama. I think many people would lend an ear to her words, seeing how she is a leading authority in the Great Holy Land. She was as kind as to prepare a magnificent guest house for us, allowing us to stay in the city for the present. So I thought that it might be possible to request from her that she would at least help us out by dispatching messengers to the areas under her control.
The destination of my visit would be the mansion where the Saint was said to spend her everyday life. Therefore I asked the nun, who had been assigned to us as sightseeing guide, whether she could arrange a meeting.
She readily agreed with my demand, naturally making me thankful for her accommodating us so much.
They had even prepared a carriage for us, in case we would need to travel. As far as I understand, it’s a carriage exclusively reserved for guests. I’m very grateful for their overwhelming kindness.
“Please come this way.”
While seated on a sofa inside the carriage, I gazed through the window out onto the streets. After around an hour we arrived at our destination – a conspicuously huge residence situated in the city. It had a scale close to the home of loli bitch.
After passing through the front gate, the carriage proceeded several dozen meters, before stopping in front of the entranceway.
“I’d have expected nothing less of the residence housing the Saint.”
“I shall go inside and inform them of your request. Please wait here for a moment.”
“Oh, thank you for your efforts.”
As soon as this busamen nodded, the innocent, young nun got out of the carriage and ran towards the mansion. I saw her off while watching the hem of her skirt gently flutter, every once in a while allowing a peek at her white, charming thighs.
I came here without having made an appointment in advance, but maybe it’ll still work out. Well, even if it doesn’t, I’ll just need to come back at a later time, I suppose.
By the way, as for the party having come here, it’d just be me for a change. It’s pretty clear, but Goggoru-chan wouldn’t have been an option in the first place. I’ve heard in the past the high goggoru acted quite mischievously in the Great Holy Land, and for this reason, the discrimination against the goggoru – probably because of the similar name – is quite prevalent and strong over here. Come to think of it, on that subject, the sorcery noble has previously mentioned something in a similar direction.
And since I’d feel terrible about having her alone do something else, and because it’d be a bother for the Saint if we swarmed her mansion in numbers, we decided that I’d go by myself. The other members talked about continuing the search in the city after finishing the meal, looking very happy about it.
After waiting for a while, the nun came back.
“Please forgive me for having made you wait! I have been told that she will meet with you!”
“Thank you very much.”
Pheew, that’s good to hear.
“Please, come this way. I shall guide you to her.”
“Okay, I am in your care then.”
Casing after the lovely butt of the nun, I intruded upon the Saint’s abode.
＊
After being guided by the lil’ virgin for a short time, we arrived at a room that appeared to be a parlor. Saint-sama was already awaiting me there, and as soon as this ordinary Japanese flat-face entered, my guide excused herself, leading to this becoming a one-on-one talk with Saint-sama. 1
Most recently, my opportunities to have private chats with cute girls have increased significantly, which is nothing but pure bliss for me. Something like a woman kindly spending some time alone with me never happened in my previous world.
I’ve been thinking so for a while now, but the sense of gender equality in this world is kinda messed up, isn’t it?
“I am terribly sorry for calling out to you all of a sudden while you are busy.”
“No, please do not mind it. Are you possibly planning to give me a reply to my proposal from the other day?”
“I have been in the process of discussing that matter with my friends, but in the middle of doing so, two of them became lost after going outside, and I am troubled as I cannot get in contact with them anymore. Accordingly, I had hoped that I could request your assistance in this regard. I feel deeply ashamed to bother you with something like this, but because of the urgency, I have come here to discuss it with you.”
“…I see.”
“What do you think? Would it be possible for you to help us out?”
“If it is something of this extent, I certainly will not mind lending you a helping hand.”
“Thank you very much. That will be a huge help for us.”
“If you could provide a description of their appearances, I will pass it on to my subordinates. Even though I may look like this, my exaggerated title as saint gives me a certain degree of influence, so I believe that we will be able to find your friends before long.”
Saint-sama replying to my plea with a gentle smile is seriously soothing.
Relying on her courtesy, I described Sophia-chan and Edita-sensei as well as I could. Especially the latter should stand out like a sore thumb in the city since she’s an elf with a childish appearance. If the former is still wearing her usual maid outfit, that should come in handy for spotting her too, I think.
“Okay, those two are the only ones, right?”
“Yes.”
It’d have been better if I had something like a personal profile for the two, but as might be expected, I couldn’t prepare anything so elaborate. If this was Japan, I might have been able to give Saint-sama details while showing pictures of them on a smartphone. But, such a convenient item probably doesn’t exist in this world.
However, I kinda wonder what’s the deal with something like a shady global communications network called “magic correspondence” having been set up between the countries. It makes me curious about the future of the mysterious phenomenon called magic. Maybe someday the people will manage to escape the atmosphere by using magic power instead of liquid fuel.
It’s a story that sounds quite thrilling. Is this planet really blue? It’s also highly suspicious how all the physical constants and laws I know hold true amidst the wide-spread, world-altering mysterious energy called magic. Even if I check my close proximity, someone like the Loligon is definitely a life-form where mass is not being preserved.
If you consider it like that, it’s truly a story full of dreams, a fantasy world of swords and magic.
“Is this all you wanted to discuss with me?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then please allow me to excuse myself at this point, despite regretting it very much after having prepared an occasion like this for us to meet. To my regret, I am a very busy person, and even right now, I am making someone else wait. Of course I will take care that the message to my subordinates will be sent out today.”
“Allow me to thank you once more for having freed up some of your busy schedule for me.”
“As long as I can be of help to you, Baron Tanaka, it is a great joy for me.”
“Even so, please forgive me for taking up your time.”
“I shall call over your guide. I have to leave, but if you like, you are free to use this mansion to relax. Given that this is the place where I, the saint, live, you do not need to fear drawing the attention of others upon yourself.”
“…I understand. I feel greatly obliged for your kind consideration.”
“Hehe, very well, Baron Tanaka, let us meet again very soon.”
“I am looking forward to it.”
Flashing a fishy smile at me, Saint-sama left the parlor. And as if substituting her, several nuns entered the room. Moreover, for some reason all of them wore nun habits with mini skirts. The design looked as cheap as stuff that would be sold at an online shop dealing with sex toys, but it allowed me to experience a realistic manifestation of eroticism.
Moreover, even though their outfit might look cheap, the fabric and sewing was actually of superior quality. Thanks to that, I could enjoy solemnity within pure lewdness, coupled with an overwhelming, physical beauty of all the nuns wearing the outfit. And, as if it was a law of nature, their panties were in plain sight.
Today my vertical muscle worker is in top shape, too.
The one leading the group of nuns was the girl who had been assigned to us as a tourist guide. She had also reappeared here after shortening her skirt. It looks like she expressly went out of her way to change her clothes. And somehow that very fact made me extremely happy.
If a girl is so consistent, it’s actually admirable. In the eyes of my dick, that is.
“Your room has been prepared.”
“Oh, thank you very much for being so forthcoming.”
The one addressing me was the very same girl who stood at the head of their group. This busamen stood up from the sofa, and turned around to the nuns.
And then I turned down their offer while holding back my tears, “I am truly sorry to say this after you have gone out of your way to prepare a room for me, but I would like to excuse myself for today.”
“How about staying for at least one cup of tea?” I was asked by the surefire-virgin girl with upturned eyes.
How pleasant it’d be to give in to her temptation.
“I am sorry, but since my other friends are waiting outside for me, I would like you to excuse me for going back today. You have my deepest gratitude for having led me all the way here. If there should be another opportunity, I will gladly rely on your assistance again.”
As anyone might understand, even I don’t have such nerves of steel that I could enjoy an orgy under these circumstances. I do feel bad about this, but I have to make priorities.
Therefore, all this virgin can do is to think about the lovely girls he couldn’t lay his hands on albeit them appearing to be right in reach, and persuade himself to give up on the idea.
In the end, those girls are just hired care-takers. I’m sure they put on those skimpy outfits after being forced to do so by their employer. Hence, it’s absolutely no waste to let this chance slip by. If there’s no love, this busamen won’t be able to retrieve the blemish called youthful springtime that’s nesting in his heart. I won’t be able to satisfy my romantic heart as a virgin.
It’s what you’d call a sour grape. I’m pretty sure these pussies would taste very sour. No doubt about it. That’s why they are of no use to this virgin.
As I made up all those excuses, the lil’ virgin answered, “As you wish. Then, please allow us to see you off.”
“Thank you kindly.”
Alright, I’ll at least ogle them with all my might until we have to bid farewell.
＊
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
On that day, this maid’s awakening was caused by a voice from outside.
“Wh-!? Y-You bastard, don’t tell me…!”
It was a shrill yelling, belonging to a young woman.
As soon as my consciousness started to work, I got startled when I found myself lying on straw that had been spread out on the floor, causing me to sit up in a hurry. What naturally entered my visual field was the dim interior of my stone cell.
After a little while, I recalled the events that led to me ending up here.
I do not feel like I rested up properly. Some of the previous sluggishness still weighs down on my body. And since my current dwelling doesn’t possess any windows, I can’t determine the time either, but it doesn’t seem as though overly much time has passed since I was brought here. It feels like I had a little nap at most.
The underlying cause for all of it was the voice of my neighbor which was still reaching my ears right now.
I have had no doubt that I have heard it before falling asleep, and at the same time I can’t shake the feeling of its tone sounding somewhat familiar.
I wonder what is wrong with her? Did she go crazy after being imprisoned?
Just as I turned my eyes in the direction of my neighbor while pondering about this and that, I spotted someone standing outside the cell.
It appears someone has come to visit my neighbor.
This maid heavily dragged herself out of her bedding, and scrutinized the visitor with drowsy eyes.
At once, the question of what was going on popped up in my head.
I remember having seen that person before. Or rather, everyone should know who it is. At least everyone from the Penny Empire would be able to identify this person.
“T-Then, w-what about t-that b-body!?”
“It’s a fairly decent one, isn’t it? It’s a body model I, the saint, chose myself.”
What a surprise! It’s Saint-sama of the Great Holy Land.
This maid could see how the saint calmly responded to the bellowing of her neighbor.
“Don’t tell me! You bitch…your own spirit body…!?”
“This and everything else is something you kindly taught me during our travels.”
“Ugh…as if I’d have ever taught you, if I had known it’d lead to this!”
“Unlike elves, humans have a fairly short life span.”
“How about you obediently follow the rules established by the god you worship?”
“Would you be able to tell those words to someone you cherish or someone pleading that they want to stay with you for eternity? Towards a person you hold dear while they keep growing older at your side.”
“T-That’s completely unrelated to the current situation, isn’t it!?”
“You’re the one who can’t bring yourself to say it. But that’s just normal for you, isn’t it?”
This sounds like a fairly complicated conversation. It’s not like I don’t feel that it’s way over the top to talk about something like this across the bars of a prison cell. Moreover, it engenders a dangerous atmosphere. Contrary to the composed attitude of Lady Saint, my neighbor is howling around while using a rough, casual tone. It sure is awe-inspiring.
“You might have been the Grand Sorceress Virgin who even overwhelmed the demon king, but look how deep you’ve fallen now. Well, thanks to that, us humans were able to greet an era of peace.”
“S-So what a-about it!? I like my current lifestyle!”
“Hehehe, it’s so laughable that no one has identified us as the key figures in this.”
“Ugh…l-listen to what others tell you!”
My neighbor sounds awfully frustrated.
“By the way, how’s your body holding up?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“It might not sound like it, but I’m actually admiring you here. You did well to not only survive while having that curse placed on you, but even paw your way to me. I for one definitely hadn’t expected for you to remove the curse after having lost your magic power.”
“S-So you bitch had been behind it after all…”
“Going by your appearance, you’ve gone through quite a bit.”
“You’re as cunning as ever. But come to think of it, you were that kind of person, weren’t you?”
“How cold of you. I merely adopted the most efficient methods.”
“But, thanks to that, I was able to meet someone irreplaceable. You have my thanks for that alone. If you hadn’t put that curse on me, I’m sure I’d spend my time without ever having met that person.”
“What are you bluffing for, you wretched elf.”
“Oh well, none of that has anything to do with you anyway.”
“Does that mean that person is a guy?”
“…And what if it were so?”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“W-Why are we talking about that all of a sudden!?”
“Oh my, oh my, seeing your reaction…don’t tell me, you’re still a virgin? I believe you’ve been alive for several hundred years ever since then. Even I’d have never expected for you to still wander about with no place to call home while holding onto your hymen.”
“W-Who’s a virgin!? E-Even I’ve already had some hot, steamy sex!”
“Really?”
“Yes, really! N-No doubt about it!”
“……”
“……”
It sounds like my neighbor is still a virgin. Dying while still being a virgin would definitely be pitiable. I would totally hate the idea. I would want to pass away after having done it at least once. Dying without experiencing something like a creampie is absolutely no joke! Absolutely!
Now that I think about it, is this a situation that should make me feel especially fretful? I do not know whether I will still be alive tomorrow either. And there is no guy in my cell.
“You’re as pathetic as ever. At the very least, it looks like I’ll never lose against you as a woman. I guess I should pity you instead. You who will soon die in pain and agony without having ever experienced the pleasures of being a woman.”
“Ughh…”
“Please do your utmost to entertain me by screaming nicely. After having been a pain in the neck that has tormented me for such a ridiculously long time, I certainly won’t let you have an easy death. I’ll make you regret that you’ve been born and that you’ve survived the curse.”
“B-Bring it on!”
“I wonder how long you’ll be able to keep pretending.”
Their conversation has gradually started to shift in a disturbing direction.
After a short time, the clank of a lock falling to the ground echoed through the prison. This maid suspected that the cell of her neighbor had been opened. No sooner than metal grazed across the floor, this maid could see a door being drawn back close to her cell, on the other side of the bars she was grasping.
“Come out. It’s time for your torture.”
Saint-sama ordered towards the cell.
Torture…it looks like they’re going to torture her.
However, right after Saint-sama had hurled her order, something happened. As if matching the timing with her command, loud clattering could suddenly be heard. Once this maid focused her attention in the direction of the noise, wondering what was going on, a man, who seemed to be a guard, showed up. He sprinted to Saint-sama in a beeline.
“Y-Your Grace, I am terribly sorry. The new tool we bought broke down and as a side-effect, the torture room caught fire. At present, it is in a state that makes it difficult to use until the repairs have been finished.”
“…What an untimely predicament.”
“P-P-Pl-Please f-forgive u-u-us!”
“Summon the one in charge of the manufacture!”
“Y-Yes!”
“Even though I had looked forward to testing it out on this elf…”
“Humph, serves you right, bitch.”
“I’ll sate my anger by watching you getting more scared by the day. Going by my past experiences, the fear matures drastically if you give such things more time. Even the most heated and passionate hearts naturally cool down if they spend several days inside a cell all by themselves.”
“Give it your best shot, if you think you can kill me.”
“Hihihi, I’ll be back once the room has been repaired. Look forward to it.”
“Whatever.”
“Very well, I shall excuse myself at this point.”
The cell’s door, which had been opened just moments ago, slid back into its former position, locking up the cell again.
Saint-sama has left my neighbor behind, while being accompanied by the guard.
The sound of their brisk walking gradually faded as their footsteps grew distant. Eventually this maid could vaguely sense a door being opened and closed far away, before the entire place was dominated by silence again.
“……”
It is a fairly unpleasant silence. It is inevitable for me to also be full of worry and anxiety. Since earlier, the area under my armpits has been drenched. Probably because of that, in an attempt to divert myself from all the worrying, I opened my mouth, pointing my attention towards my neighbor on the other side of the wall.
“U-Umm, that’s great, isn’t it?”
“…Eh?”
What came back was a voice full of surprise.
It looks like she had not noticed my presence so far. Maybe she thought that this cell was empty. Her cell is deeper down the prison than mine. Moreover, I have been asleep until a little while ago. Thus she might not have noticed me when she was put into her cell.
“Ah, sorry. I am your neighbor…”
“Ah, well, I see. So that’s why.”
“……”
“Having said that, my life has probably been extended by just a few more days.”
Please don’t say something so devastating. It will even make me shiver, you know? Even though I may look like this, I am a maid who has somehow managed to pull through even after having experienced life-threatening situations many times over. This time as well I am set on staying strong without giving up until the bitter end.
“You cannot say so for sure, can you? Maybe someone is going to come rescue us.”
“It’d be nice if you were right.”
“…Yes.”
A pang of fellowship with my neighbor has budded in me. If possible, I want us to somehow escape this jail.
＊
In the end, the night passed without us finding Sophia-chan or Edita-sensei. As a result of us searching all night, it dawned with the sky already brightening when everyone concerned, including me, went to bed. As soon as I rested my exhausted body on the bed sheet, my consciousness slipped into the land of dreams.
It was a dream about me sharing a bed with Goggoru-chan. It rocked. The nice part about dreams is that even a busamen can make out with girls.
But, for some reason I couldn’t stick it in. The insertion didn’t want to work, somehow. Once again.
Whenever I try to stick my dick in while dreaming, I can’t insert it for one reason or another. I don’t understand the reason, but in any case, I can’t put my meat rod into the hole. It’s a phenomenon that has been repeating itself on countless occasions in the past. Almost like recklessly trying to pass a too thick yarn through the hole of a sewing needle.
Thanks to this, I’ve been continuing my life as a virgin even inside my dreams. Don’t tell me, it’s not because you can’t reproduce something in a dream you’ve never actually experienced, is it? That’d be heartless.
In the meantime, the consciousness of this ordinary Japanese flat-face continued with its awakening process. The one who had kindly woken me up was a maid of this mansion. She told me that she’d like me to urgently deal with a visitor who has arrived
I think it’s been a while since I last regretted it so much to leave my bed. It was no normal sex, but raw sex with Goggoru-chan.
While afflicted by mortification, I quickly dressed myself and left the living room. Making a fresh start, I told myself that I’d do my best today.
Maybe the Saint has already reaped some quick results for us.
I hurried my pace while harboring such a faint hope. My destination was the parlor we had used a few days ago. However, the one waiting for me there was someone I hadn’t expected to meet.
The Hero of the West was sitting on a sofa.
“Oh, what a pleasant surprise, Hero of the West. How are you doing?”
“Sorry for visiting so early in the morning. I came here because I have information I’d like you to hear by any means.”
“Information for me, you say?”
“Yeah, indeed.”
The last time we saw each other was back when he was forced to watch my S&M play with Drill-chan, wasn’t it?
He expressly stood up and bowed in response to this ordinary Japanese flat-face entering the room.
It looks like he’s treating even a dream virgin like me as a proper noble.
After I naturally lowered my head as well, we both sat down opposite of each other.
A maid brought tea for us in no time. The tea, which looked somewhat strong, was a bliss for my mouth after just having woken up. The outlook was superb, too. The spirit of hospitality, which was the pride of the Great Holy Land, was bursting each and every single day since we came here.
“Is it an urgent matter?”
“Please forgive me for disturbing you at this time of the day, but I wanted to inform you as soon as possible.”
Hmm, I wonder what’s going on? It makes me nervous when someone speaks to me about something like this so formally.
“What kind of information is it?”
“The Hero of the East has restrained your friend upon the order of Saint-sama.”
“……”
Come on, isn’t that far from being gentle? Is he possibly talking about Sophia-chan and Edita-sensei?
But, I met Saint-sama just yesterday evening at her own home. Moreover, I had only asked her to help us with the search for those two on top of describing Sophia-chan and Edita-sensei to her.
“Has he truly restrained her? You are not mistaking it as him securing her?”
“No, it was an arrest. The elf, who was with you, is currently inside a prison.”
For real? But, why has sensei been thrown into a prison? Moreover, they even mobilized the Hero of the East to catch her.
“…When did that take place?”
“Yesterday during the day.”
“I see.”
WTF!? Wasn’t that before I actually met with Saint-sama? No matter how much time it’d usually take, she had definitely issued the arrest by the time she met with me. In other words, Saint-sama received this ordinary Japanese flat-face with a broad smile while on the other hand having already thrown the blond, thicc-legged loli sensei into prison behind my back. Now way! That’s absurd, isn’t it!?
But, the one telling me all of this is the Hero of the West. I cannot believe that a man, who’s close to Saint-sama, is lying to me. Above all, I’m well aware that the handsome guy in front of me has a straight and honest character. We haven’t associated with each other that often, but the few conversations only happened at those last moments you’d experience at most a few times in your life. And even under those circumstances, I still recall him remaining steadfast without ever giving up on his ideals.
“Saint-sama ordered the Hero of the East to restrain your friend. Meanwhile, she ordered me to keep an eye on your actions during your stay in the Great Holy Land. As a matter of fact, I’ve been instructed to not tell anyone about this, but it’s human nature that you feel an urge to tell someone else if you’re told to not do so, isn’t it?”
With his palms facing the ceiling, he lifted hands up to the height of his shoulders, theatrically breathing a single sigh. A faint smile bent his lips. That attitude as if he was lamenting his own plight totally suited his sarcastic character.
Dammit, that Hero of the West is handsome. Seriously cool.
“Oh my, you must be careful, dear Hero of the West. You cannot carelessly talk about this and that.”
“Well, that’s how it is.”
“Thank you very much. You have been a great help.”
I think this hunk of a hero wanted to repay his debt to me. He must be feeling some kind of debt of gratitude for the matter on the Dark Continent a while ago. The good you do for others is good you do for yourself, is a proverb you often hear. He has my deepest gratitude.
“The Hero of the East isn’t a villain by any means.”
“It seems like you two aren’t overly close, though.”
“He’s slightly sensitive when it comes to the word hero. And although we have discrepancies because of our birth, he’s getting along well with many other people. Not a few are sympathizing with him.”
“I see.”
In that case, the crux lies with the Saint. But, it still begs the question why Saint-sama arrested Edita-sensei. At least, this ordinary Japanese flat-face met her for the first time over here, and I didn’t have the impression that she particularly harbored ill intentions towards me. Rather, I think it’s fine to believe that she’s been welcoming. If I further take into account my own status as lowly Baron of some area in the outskirts, the costs for entertaining me, which should be quite high, are doubtlessly proof of her good will.
Assuming that’s the case, the only possibilities I can think of include Saint-sama and Edita-sensei having had some kind of discord during our stay in the Great Holy Land or sensei being a dangerous criminal who’s being searched across countries. Given that it’s hard to imagine that Edita-sensei is a criminal, seeing how she’s a lower middle class person on the same level as Sophia-chan, it seems the former is more likely here.
“…She’s someone important to me.”
“Figures.”
“I’m sorry, but I’d like to move into action as soon as possible.”
“It’d be best if you do. It’s a bit rich coming from me as a hero, but Saint-sama is slightly fishy.”
I wonder what’s hidden behind that smile of hers. I’m scared to even think about it. But even so, it’s absolutely impossible for me to abandon sensei.
“Your friend is being held in the dungeon beneath Saint-sama’s mansion. If you don’t find her there, she’ll be in the torture chamber in the worst case,” said the Hero of the West with a serious expression
“Thank you on various accounts.”
Even when he’s pulling a serious face, he’s enough of a handsome guy to make for a great picture. He’s not one of the two main protagonists for show. Compared to the Hero of the East, his use of extremely contradicting actions leads to developments that are far more dramatic than imagined, doesn’t it?
“By the way, I’d like to confirm one thing, if possible.”
“What is it?”
“Was another teenage woman with her during the arrest?”
I should confirm whether he also saw Sophia-chan, just in case. Thinking so, I told him all about her lovely appearance. About her possibly wearing a maid attire, her being a pretty blond girl who often ties her hair in a ponytail, her body being very female with her chest being big, and that any men would turn around if they met her on the streets.
“No, I haven’t heard of such a girl.”
“I see.”
That’s good. It looks like Edita-sensei’s case is different from Sophia-chan’s. Of course, I’m worried about that side as well. But, I think it’s better to prioritize Edita-sensei for the moment. If the words of the hunk in front of me are true, it means Edita-sensei is in a considerably dire situation right now. He even mentioned something like a torture chamber.
“I will definitely repay this debt in due time.”
“Rather, I’m the one who’s indebted to you, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
I’ll head out as quickly as possible. I must visit Saint-sama’s home.
＊
Me visiting her home all of a sudden in a big hurry happened yesterday as well. Today I’m visiting together with Goggoru-chan and the Loligon. In reality, the former would have been more than enough, but being discovered by the latter when I called out to Goggoru-chan, it naturally proceeded towards her accompanying us on her own accord.
It looks like she’s been getting along with Edita-sensei since both of them enter the same category of non-humans.
When I honestly explained to them what the Hero of the West had told me, the Loligon and Goggoru-chan assertively asked me to take them along. I could see anger twist their faces which somehow made me exceedingly happy. By the way, Drill-chan and Deviant-Longhair acted separately from us in preparation for when things would go south. 2
『Here? Yet another, very morose building』
“…Let’s enter quickly.”
After this and that, we were currently standing right in front of Saint-sama’s home. This time we came here ourselves without being guided by anyone.
I mean, there was no time for all that formal stuff.
Sensei’s stats or Saint-sama’s stats; if you compare both, the latter will be clearly the winner. Moreover, overwhelmingly so in everything. Even if it was an away game for Saint-sama, Edita-sensei would still stand no chance. Naturally the torture chamber, which the Hero of the West mentioned, crossed my mind.
At the same time as I actually feel a bit like watching my lovely sensei weeping and screaming as she’s being teased and tormented, I don’t want to see her suffering at all. A man’s heart is really complicated.
However, as the latter feeling was dominant at the moment, we visited this place at high speed by making full use of flight magic. On the way, the patrolling guards on the ground yelled at us, but I’d like them to make an exception and look the other way as we have an urgent matter to deal with.
“Goggoru-chan, please forgive me, but this time I’d like you to use your full strength.”
“No need to tell me.”
“That’s very reassuring.”
By the way, today Goggoru-chan has come in a little disguise. Her whole body is hidden beneath a robe and her tail is tucked away as well. She totally looks like a wandering mage. Thanks to this, I think it’ll be hard to tell from her outward appearance that she’s a member of the Goggoru race. However, it’ll be possible to guess from nearby, I suspect.
As a matter of fact, the thoughts of this busamen are currently leaking all over. Therefore, the Loligon remains at a distance outside of spear range, as always.
『Hurry up and move! O-Otherwise I-I can’t move on either, r-right!?』
“You’re right. Let’s go.”
I stepped forward while wishing that the Hero of the West simply made a mistake.
＊
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
On the next day, this maid woke up, just to find herself in a cell of an unfamiliar dungeon once again.
“…Ah.”
Immediately after my consciousness booted up, I wondered where I am, but after blinking a few times, I recalled that I was still locked up in yesterday’s cell.
Last time when I woke up I went through the same process, didn’t I? It looks like I canot quite come to terms with reality. The one I should blame is the nameless maid of this mansion who imprisoned me here after I made a blunder. While it’s only now, I feel how seething anger is welling up in me. Probably because my stamina has recovered after sleeping for a night.
By the way, what is going to happen to me? Am I going to share my neighbor’s fate in being tortured? I can’t quite believe all that disturbing talk about torture chambers or dungeons in a mansion that seems to be frequented by Saint-sama herself. But, I certainly recall yesterday’s conversation with my neighbor.
“……”
I must somehow get out of here. Under these circumstances, I cannot hope for Tanaka-san to come to my rescue either.
“Something…some kind of tool would do…”
This maid checked her cell once more. But, I couldn’t find anything that would be usable as a tool.
The only things in here are the bundle of straw that’s my bedding and the pot for doing my business. If this was a play of sorts, I think an iron plate, forgotten in a corner of the cell, would have been placed as prop for the captured heroine to make her escape, though.
“……”
Nothing. I can’t find absolutely anything. It looks like I was not the heroine in this play. As expected, it is in vain. It will definitely be impossible like this.
“…Ta-Tanaka-saaaan…please saaave meee….,” this maid muttered spontaneously as fear gradually started to kick in.
However, this maid’s prayers were in vain. Hard clicking of boots treading across the stone floor mercilessly came closer.
It sounds like someone is approaching our cells.
The one showing up after a little while was Saint-sama. Her attention was focused on the cell next to this maid’s.
Pheew, it’s not me.
“I made you wait for quite a bit, but the preparations are finally in order,” announced Saint-sama while wearing a dignified priestess robe.
It appears as if she is endowed with a beauty as befitting for a direct descendant of the world-famous church founder. If only I was as pretty as her. At this point it is already a beauty where it is clear that I would be able to woo one pretty guy after the other all over the world. I would be able to get pregnant twenty times.
“…Humph, if you’re gonna do it anyway, get on with it.”
“I wonder how long you’ll be able to act so tough.”
“Let me tell you while I have the chance, but your curse was unexpectedly weak, you know?”
“Ugh…!”
On the other hand, my neighbor is ticking Saint-sama off through the bars. Thanks to that, Saint-sama’s pretty face is obviously twisting in rage.
That is dangerous. Going by my power of observation, her anger has already reached a stage where she could kill someone at any moment.
“If you can kill me, give it a try, bitch.”
“That’s just perfect then. I’ll quickly change that tearful face of yours into a tear-stained one.”
Saint-sama is gradually building momentum as well, giving my neighbor tit for tat. I most certainly expect that I could be caught in the crossfire, but even so, it is scary what is going on over there. Torture is terrifying. I hear they skin you while alive or pour melted metal into your genitals. None of that is anything I would be able to endure. Ever.
If I do not manage to escape from here somehow, I will be in danger.
If I could at least have Saint-sama disappear. I have no choice but to pray for that to happen. If she leaves, I will be able to search my cell. Even the slightest moment of time is precious now. Probably because I got rid of my exhaustion by sleeping, my instincts are now fully groping for means of survival.
“Very well, let us be off then.”
In response to Saint-sama’s muttering, my neighbor’s cell opened with creaking. If I was Tanaka-san, I would be easily able to save myself and my neighbor with a gallant fireball or some other, similar spell. But, for the likes of a little maid like me, magic counts as no more than a fairy-tale from a faraway country.
“Guuh…”
A pained groan came from this maid’s neighbor. Saint-sama had apparently taken half a step into my neighbor’s cell and grabbed her.
At such a perfect moment, the noisy clacking of a soldier’s boots came closer. He was wearing light armor and held a sword in his hand.
Maybe he is a personal guard. Even an amateur like me can easily tell that his armor is of a fairly high quality.
“Your Grace, Baron Tanaka has visited for a meeting.”
“……Baron Tanaka, you say?”
“How should we proceed?”
“……”
Oh my god, for Tanaka-san to appear at this very moment…it sounds like he is visiting for a meeting. Maybe, just maybe, Tanaka-san has started to move in order to save this maid who has been imprisoned here on false charges. In such a case, nothing as auspicious as this could happen to me as his retainer. Tanaka-san, you are wonderful. Tanaka-san, you are so cool.
“……I understand. I’ll immediately head over.”
In the end, it looks like my neighbor’s torture is going to be postponed. Saint-sama’s murmur sounds awfully fed-up, though.
“Humph, you barely escaped death, didn’t you?”
“H-Hey, did you say Tanaka just now?”
“Please don’t worry. I plan to have him confirm your corpse at an opportune time. I hear you were kidnapped by hoodlums while walking the streets alone. When we found you, you had already been in this tragic state. I think that’s the backstory I’ll use.”
“You piece of shit! Do you intend to even deceive that man!?”
“How about you worry about yourself before worrying about him?”
“Shut up! What do you plan to do with him!?”
What a surprise. My neighbor appears to know Tanaka-san. Moreover, she seems to get quite heated over his safety.
“No need to fret. I’ll have him become a knight to protect me. To my regret, this world is full of dangers. When it comes to the one who defeated that chimera made out of the previous demon king’s flesh, which had been left behind in the Academy City, he won’t have any shortcomings as a combat asset.”
“Promise me to not mess with him! No matter what you do, don’t meddle with him!”
“Why should I kill my own knight?”
“……I definitely won’t permit you to act like some time ago!”
“Oh my? It seems like you’re getting quite invested in that ugly man.”
“I-Invested……or such, not really! D-Don’t blather nonsense!”
My neighbor seems to be very passionate about Tanaka-san. Facing danger herself and yet worrying about someone else is completely unimaginable for me. Is that the thing you call all for love? I wonder whether I will ever meet a gentleman who makes me feel like that as well.
No, in light of my current situation, I have a hunch such a day will never come with a relatively high probability.
“What do you intend to do by gaining even more power? Even the demon king won’t revive as long as the seal works. Nobody other than me will assure you: You likely won’t find anyone who could defeat you in your current state, unless you head to the Dark Continent.”
“And who’s going to give me a guarantee that no powerful, brutal monsters come here from the Dark Continent? Right now, I have a position allowing me to stand above people. It’s only reasonable to fortify my defenses in preparation for the near future. I’m different from a monster like you who can survive anywhere by herself.”
The voice of Saint-sama has become gleeful. But, it also has a slightly scary undertone.
“I’ve learned on my travels with you that this world is overflowing with dangers.”
“You want to stay alive to such an extent?”
“Yes, I want to live on.”
“What drives you to such a degree? You’ve been alive for a long time now, haven’t you?”
“Isn’t that preposterous coming from a race with longevity?”
“Yeah, I won’t deny that.”
“I’ll keep living, living, and living as I want to continue watching this world for eternity. The demon king will revive, get defeated, revive again, and in addition, things I haven’t seen so far are going to come and go. Eventually all will end, and I wish to watch all of it with my eyes until the very last moment of this world!” Saint-sama’s voice echoed through the dungeon, having become quite shrill.
I can sense hints of a hysterical woman from her.
“Death and so on is far too dreadful! I cannot stomach it!”
“…You’ve gone crazy over having lived for too long, huh? How unsightly.”
“If you want to call me crazy, feel free to do so. No matter how unsightly or foolish, the winner will be the one who lives on. I’ll stay alive forever. It’s impossible for anyone other than me to stand tall after all the trash in this world died out.”
“Where did you obtain this body? It looks completely different from before.”
“It’s a girl I found during a condolence visit. She was quite suited for my spirit body.”
“gh…You stole it!?”
“Of course. Otherwise it’d have been impossible for me to transfer my spirit body to another physical body. Isn’t that rather unnecessary to ask for you? Wasn’t it no one other than you who taught me how to manage my spirit body?”
“Ugh…”
“Because of that, I was able to imagine my current appearance along the way to overthrow the demon king.”
“Are you so scared of dying!? You want to stay alive that much!?”
“Indeed, I want to live on. Even if I have to compensate for it with everything in this world.”
“gh…”
“Even during the time of making the rejuvenation potion, you were always grim-faced, weren’t you?”
“nh!?”
A thud could be heard from the other side of the wall. As if something had crumbled to the ground.
“No way. Y-You fiend, even that village…!”
“Who knows? Well, you’ll hear the truth later on.”
“H-Hey!! Wait!!”
“I’ll be right back, even without you being so impatient. Please look forward to it,” muttered Saint-sama curtly, before turning on her heels.
The soldier, who caught the key she threw over her back, slammed the recently opened bars shut again. And then he also ran after Saint-sama, leaving all too quickly.
A little while later, sobbing could be heard from the neighboring cell.
“Kuuh…why…why do I always…when it counts…?”
Hearing the frail voice, this maid abruptly realized.
Rather, why did I not notice until now?
“……Umm, are you possibly Edita-san?”
“gh!?”
Her gasping in surprise was passed on through the stone wall separating us.
I guess that means I’m correct.
“D-Don’t tell me…S-Sophia?”
The question hurled back at her unmistakably contained this maid’s name. Hearing it, this maid felt warmth spreading in her chest.
＊
We, who had visited Saint-sama’s home, were let through to the parlor I had already visited yesterday night. It seems like the negotiations this time around will be quite tough. To be honest, I doubt that we’ll be able to resolve it without a fight. Or rather, I feel like I might not mind even if it leads to us duking it out. Still, it’d be a huge issue if all of this was some kind of misunderstanding or disagreement by some freak chance.
Violence is always the last measure. No matter how justified your cause might be, grabbing someone by the collar is regarded as a crime in any world. I don’t know what kind of punishment awaits you for assault in this world, but even so, I think it should be reserved for a time when all other means have been exhausted.
And if I go for it at such a time, I’ll go at full throttle.
That means, the first step will be to see through the other party’s intentions. I think I should confirm all facts as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, the ultimate weapon, Goggoru-chan, was as kind as accompanying me. She’s someone feared even by the Loligon and Deviant-Longhair, so even if it’s Saint-sama, she won’t possess a mind that cannot be read with Goggoru-chan’s power.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Baron Tanaka.”
“Thank you for granting me the opportunity for a meeting despite your busy schedule.”
Saint-sama arrived in front of this ordinary Japanese flat-face. She sat down on the opposite sofa with a short-legged sofa table between us. Just like yesterday, she wore the mature outfit of a female scholar made out of a thin, velvety fabric.
On our side Goggoru-chan and I sat on the sofa next to each other while the Loligon and the Hero of the West, on the other hand, stood near the entrance with their backs to the wall. This arrangement of switching around the usual actors was based on the necessity to install Goggoru-chan in the center for today’s meeting. I had requested the Loligon to deal with any emergencies.
As for the Hero of the West, it didn’t really matter whether he was present or not, but since he himself had asked for permission to attend while bowing his head, I gave my consent on the terms of it just being him alone. His party members were waiting outside in the hallway.
“Today you are not alone, I see?”
“Over here you have my wife. Rocoroco-san, please introduce yourself to Saint-sama.”
“Nice to meet you,” Goggoru-chan greeted with a slight bow.
Since her face was covered by a hood, it couldn’t be seen well. Of course I wondered whether this wouldn’t be too rude, but given the circumstances, it couldn’t be helped. By the way, the part about her being my wife was something we had decided beforehand as a hoax setting to excuse us visiting this place together. It makes me slightly excited.
“…You were married? I heard that you were a bachelor, though.”
“We exchanged the vows just the other day, so you might not have heard of it yet.”
“Oh my, then I understand. Excuse me for all the troubles we caused you.”
I suspect this response stems from all the hospitality they had offered to me during the short time of my stay in the Great Holy Land. As I thought, there’s no doubt that she has been the mastermind behind all of the maids’ approaches. I wonder how much sense it makes to go to such an extent in order to win over this ordinary Japanese flat-face.
“By the way, what might be your business with me on this fine day, Baron Tanaka?”
“As a matter of fact, I thought that I might give you a reply in regards to the matter we talked about two days ago.”
“Oh, really?”
“However, before I can do that, there is something I would like to confirm by all means.”
“What might it be? Please feel free to ask me anything as long as it is something I can answer,” said Saint-sama with a kind smile.
After confirming her state, I cast a fleeting glance on Goggoru-chan.
Thereupon, she──
“……”
──responded by lightly shaking her head in silence.
I see. So it was impossible, huh?
The responses I asked of Goggoru-chan in advance were four: negotiations are impossible, negotiations are possible, the Hero of the West made a mistake, or something else beyond our expectations. At the point of her reading Saint-sama’s mind, she would kindly give me a sign which of those she had perceived. The signal just now indicated that negotiations were impossible. In other words, Saint-sama having abducted Edita-sensei was set in stone.
By the way, I had asked her to do (＿´Д｀) if negotiations were possible, (σ・∀・)σ if the Hero of the West had been mistaken, or (＼￣∇￣/) if it went beyond our expectations. 3 Personally I think it’d have been the best for my mental and physical health, if it had been the very last sign.
“Is something the matter?”
“I am very sorry, but please regard the matter in question as void.”
“…Was there some kind of problem?”
I want to go rescue Edita-sensei at this very moment, if possible.
Once I recalled her stats, I quickly made my decision.
“I have heard that you have imprisoned my friend in this mansion.”
“gh…”
Saint-sama’s face cramped up the second she heard this ordinary Japanese flat-face’s words. But it’s okay. Even if it develops into a battle, I have plenty of combat power with me.
“Saint-sama, could I have you tell us about the details?”
The Loligon, Goggoru-chan, and in case of a worst-case scenario, Drill-chan and Deviant-Longhair are standing by outside the window. A precautionary step involving all members that boasts an unprecedented force. Assuming there exists a being who could claim victory while facing this much combat power, they’d be the perfect definition of the demon king whom I haven’t seen so far.
＊
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
This maid carried out an information exchange with her neighbor, now Elf-san.
While we were looking for Elf-san, who had fallen off Dragon-san, she had already joined up with Tanaka-san and apparently went out to search for me, who ended up being abducted into this mansion.
Hearing that story, this maid felt how the corners of her eyes unintentionally became hot. I got extremely happy over someone going out of their way to search for the likes of a town girl like me.
However, it sounds like Elf-san was abducted by the Hero of the East and his party during the search. I have heard that various things happened between her and the saint in the past. I had suspected it to be a possibility, but it appears they are truly acquaintances. I do not know the exact details, but it is clear from the earlier conversation that it’s no normal relationship. However, I will not probe any further. After all, it has recently become a common occurrence for me to experience something painful whenever I stick my head too deeply into the affairs of others.
“I-I’m sure it will be alright. Tanaka-san will definitely come for us!”
I cannot see her right now, but I still assured Elf-san.
What came back across the cells’ bars were words lacking any hope.
“I doubt that he’d ever suspect us of being imprisoned.”
“That is…u-umm…”
She’s completely right in what she says. No normal person would ever realize that the pride of the Great Holy Land, the saint, is a kidnapper. Even I took a whole night to notice that it was Elf-san who was being held in the cell next to mine. In spite of actually having heard her voice.
“For this reason, we must get out of here through our own efforts!” Elf-san said with resolve dyeing her voice.
“I-I understand!”
That was an exceedingly enthusiastic statement. I feel like it stirred even my heart.
“Isn’t there anything useful to that end in your cell? Something that looks like it could become a clue.”
“A clue, you say?”
Being asked, I checked my cell once more. I have already confirmed that no tool that could be of use is to be found here. But, I cannot afford to give up. After all, Elf-san’s and my lives are one the line here. I will frantically look all over the cell so as to not miss the slightest feeling of something being out of place.
“……”
From the walls to the ceiling, this maid closely scrutinized every nook and cranny. Suddenly a yelp escaped this maid’s lips as she suspected that she might have spotted something.
“F-Forgive me if it goes against your expectations, but, umm…”
“I won’t mind, no matter how trivial your findings are.”
“…Just one of the bars has a thinner color at its base.”
This maid timidly extended her hand, grabbed the bar in question, and tried to twist it. Thereupon, I felt some resistance, but for some reason I couldn’t explain myself, it turned with a squeaking.
A squeaking even when it is someone as powerless as me? This might be…
Thinking so, I tried to shift the bar up and down.
“…Ah.”
The bar snugly slid out of its hole. But, as it was heavier than I had expected, I had to quickly support it with both hands, barely avoiding it falling into the hallway.
“Hey, the metallic bar I saw just now…don’t tell me…!”
“I-I pulled it out…”
What should I do? Doesn’t this mean it is fine for me to leave? No wait, it is not like I am going to leave right now in this very instant. It is about when I leave at some point, right?
“That’s wonderful news. Escape, even if it’s just you alone!”
“……I-I cannot do something like that.”
Elf-san, this is the moment where you should tell me to grab the keys. Please leave it to me. Even a maid will do her utmost every once in a while.
“Please wait a moment. I will be right back!”
The other cells are empty. It looks like Elf-san and I are the only ones kept here. Maybe because of that, there are no other people around as far as I can see. An advantageous situation like this gives me a big push!
Looking to the right, looking to the left, this maid escaped through the gap created by her pulling out the bar. I safely managed to get out of my cell. Naturally, my attention was drawn to the neighboring cell as I would finally be able to face the owner of the voice.
“O-Oohhh…”
Over there I spotted Elf-san who had broken into a smile.
She does not seem to have suffered any injuries worth mentioning. I am very happy to see her as well. In situations like this, it often happens that the other party, whom you could only hear before, is in a terrible and tragic state when you actually get to see them, doesn’t it?
“I’m off!”
“Don’t try the impossible, okay!?”
Accompanied by that short request, this maid went down the straight corridor, searching for the keys to the cells.
Since things will become really hairy if I am spotted by someone else, I must hurry.
I vaguely remembered that I had seen a place reminiscent of a janitor’s office at the entrance area of the dungeon when I had been dragged into this place at first. As I advanced, relying on my memory, I stumbled upon the small room that looked no different from yesterday night. It did not possess a door. Rather, it was set up as a small chamber as if a part of the corridor’s wall had been dug out.
The man, who sat on a chair in that chamber, was lying on the desk in front of him, sleeping. Behind him I could see a row of keys neatly hanging from hooks inside a wooden case.
Most likely it also contains the keys for our cells.
A down-scaled map of the whole dungeon had been drawn into the case with the keys hanging at the locations depicting individual cells.
It is a magnificent method of managing the dungeon’s keys. Anyone can grasp which key belongs to which cell at a glance.
Thanks to that, this maid grabbed the key for Elf-san’s cell without any hesitation. The man did not wake up in the middle of it either.
I will quickly return to Elf-san. But, I have to move carefully so as to not make any noise. The thumping of my heart and the racing of my pulse are almost painful. The area beneath my armpits is totally drenched in sweat. I would like to extract that sweat and make Tanaka-san drink it.
“Y-You were alright!?”
“Yes! I will open the lock right away!”
This maid inserted the key and soon the lock fell with a clank. In short, I succeeded in opening Elf-san’s door.
“Oohh…”
Elf-san got out of her prison, raising her voice in admiration. Both of us lined up in the hallway, standing in front of the bars.
“Thanks for saving me.”
“N-No, do not worry about it. This much is not worth of any mention!”
“I’ll definitely return the favor. And in order to do so, we have to escape this mansion now!”
“Okay!”
This maid’s worries were blown away by Elf-san’s reassuring, powerful words.
Just the fact of me not being alone already gives me a strong mental boost. I have heard that Tanaka-san is visiting this mansion right now. Maybe this might help us to get out of here in one way or another. But, I wonder whether it is bad to embrace such hopes?
“We won’t let you do that.”
“rg…”
“Hii!?”
It was a man’s voice who unexpectedly tossed this remark at us. Naturally, this maid looked at the owner of that voice. The one I found standing there was Hero-sama.
The Hero of the East and his party members squared off against Elf-san and this maid, ready for battle.
I cannot believe that I am making a mistake here. All of them are very famous after all. They visited Charis of the Penny Empire many times, personally showing up in front of the city’s residents. This maid also had the privilege to look at them during a parade in the past.
“You vixens must return into your cells so as to receive proper guidance by Saint-sama.”
Hero-sama smoothly drew the sword hanging at his waist. Its tip was doubtlessly pointing at Elf-san and this maid.
“H-Hiii…”
Just how bad were the things Elf-san and I did? I cannot remember any wrongdoings myself. Isn’t Hero-sama a champion of justice?
＊
The location was still Saint-sama’s home. While sitting on a sofa in the parlor, I confronted the owner of the mansion with a low-table, adorned by expensive-looking, gilded edges, between us. Just as before, Goggoru-chan sat at my side. And the Loligon and the hero stood at the room’s entrance.
Well, to be precise, the hero was standing while the Loligon had flopped down on the floor at some point, now sitting cross-legged. She’s looking very sullen, her elbows resting on her knees, while she seems to release an aura that urges me to quickly finish off the saint. It appears like I could see her panties, but to my regret, that’s not the case.
I think there’s no need for secrecy anymore, now that we’ve reached this point.
“Rocoroco-san, please.”
“…Got it.”
Responding to this ordinary Japanese flat-face’s request, Goggoru-chan nodded lightly and moved a hand, removing the hood that had covered her head and face. At the same time, she nimbly cast off the clothing that had hidden her body.
This chain of actions exposed her trait as Goggoru.
“…Your spouse is a Goggoru?” Saint-sama asked with a puzzled look.
I informed her of the seriously dangerous aspects of Goggoru-chan.
“My wife is somewhat special in this regard. She is different from ordinary Goggorus.”
“Special?”
“Yes.”
Saint-sama seemed to worriedly ponder for a while. Eventually, her face tightened up so much that even I as a stranger could tell.
“…No way.”
“Right now, she is reading your mind. Can you understand with me saying this much?”
“gh…”
Saint-sama jumped up from her sofa the instant I asked her. Nimbly leaping over the backrest, she took a huge distance from us. At least far enough that a spear wouldn’t reach her.
“A Goggoru of the Old World?”
“Nothing less of you, Saint-sama. You possess a broad knowledge.”
“Has she not been reading your mind in such a case as well?”
“Just as I have told you a little while ago, I am her husband, so I do not see any problem in it, no matter how much she might read my mind. I hope you do not mind, but this proposal is an important matter for my family and thus I had my wife accompany me.”
It’s only now after all this time, I guess, but I’m rather remembering the horse-play with Drill-chan as I’m taking the initiative here. The touch of her warm hymen on my back, my pleasure that got spurred on even further by her hands, and Goggoru-chan whom I allowed to read all of it. Congratulations to the second reverse-rape achievement.
As I thought, now’s the era of reverse-rape. Nowadays with female dominance having become extreme and the rise of family-oriented, peaceful men, the difficulty level of getting willingly raped has become exceedingly high. As someone who managed to achieve it, this busamen has finally joined the group of hunks.
I want to be raped rather than rape myself. I seriously respect all protagonists of ambitious rape games with active raping. Therefore, I’m longing to become one myself as well.
“…Nothing to yearn for.”
Oof, without any delay, I received a stabbing backlash from Mrs. Dark-brown-Lolita. It looks like she’s truly dangerous. Let’s face her while bracing myself.
“…Why, Baron Tanaka?”
“There does not exist any significant reason. It’s just that you seemed to be too sainty a woman.”
“……”
Saint-sama cast a glance at the Hero of the West.
I guess that makes only sense. Under these circumstances, he’s the only viable option. That’s also why I think that he’s a very gutsy guy, seeing how he insisted to come with me at any cost, despite me repeatedly asking him to stay away. For this reason, I cannot afford to disappoint him.
This is the moment where I must do my best for his sake as he helped this ordinary Japanese flat-face. I mustn’t allow for her to believe that he had tattled. Otherwise, it’d spell his end, if we should lose against Saint-sama by any chance.
“In any event, I had previously sensed various shady parts. I have a few connections and among them is a virtuous demon acquaintance. For a while now I have felt that something was out of place from the facts my acquaintance told me, the oracles revolving around the generations of demon kings, and the Great Holy Land being the origin of those.”
“gh…”
It was a card I didn’t want to use, if possible, but its effect was drastic. Saint-sama’s face became especially grim. However, that lasted but a moment.
“I see. It seems like you have a wide network of connections, Baron Tanaka. I believe those personal connections of yours are yet another charm of you. How about it? The Great Holy Land would be able to offer you all the luxuries the Penny Empire could never provide, you know?”
Playing innocent on the part about demons and so on, she still continued to try recruiting me, even this late in the game. I guess this is the pleasure of having been allowed a glimpse of half the world. Her nerve goes far beyond what I’ve expected. She has the backbone to accept a certain extent of inconvenience for the sake of her own goals.
Going by her appearance, she’s a girl in the middle of her teens, but I feel like I’m dealing with an old granny who’s much older than I am. I wish I could take a lesson from Pi-chan who would immediately turn the table, get angry at the victim, and declare them to be a cocksucker.
In the first place, why Edita-sensei? Why does some like her, who’s important enough to serve as the representative of a country, wants my blond, thicc-legged loli sensei? Sensei is a superb alchemist, but even so, she’s no more than an ordinary commoner. Isn’t it a bit too extreme a treatment for her to suddenly make an appearance on a global stage, and in addition to that, get abducted and confined by the Saint herself?
This alone is something I must ask by all means.
“Why did you kidnap Edita-san?”
In response, Saint-sama began to calmly explain, “All of it is grounded in her own deeds.”
“And what kind of deeds are we talking about?”
“That elf is currently calling herself Edita or something like that, right?”
“…Meaning?”
“Her real name is Virgin.”
Okay, I knew that. I saw it in her status window.
By the way, the rate of people with fake names among those, who have befriended this ordinary Japanese flat-face, is relatively high. Now that I recall this once again, it causes my heart to ache. Everyone might have their own circumstances, but painful things remain painful nonetheless. Especially if you hear your friend’s real name out of the mouth of a stranger.
“What about it?”
“She is the saint of…no, it is pointless to lie to you. Let us stop here.”
“……”
Shaking her head, she turned back to me.
“To be precise, she is a high elf who was highly acclaimed as extraordinary Grand Sorceress, while also having been a member of the party led by the previous hero during the demon king subjugation. That is her past. Nowadays, however, she appears to call herself an alchemist or some such.”
“That is yet again quite interesting…”
For real? Sensei, aren’t you much more of a big-shot than I imagined in my wildest dreams?
Grand Sorceress is a title as embarrassing as Sorcery Noble. At the same time, this has allowed me to confirm the authenticity of Deviant-Longhair’s words about the revival state of the past Demon King-sama. While understanding that fact, I cannot help feeling doubt about the way of the Great Holy Land which has continued to do its oracles across a period of several hundred years. In all probability, it’s something that popped out from a place that’s unrelated to gods and their likes.
“What is the meaning in you telling me all that?”
“She has committed a grave sin.”
“…Grave sin, you say?”
There’s still more to come? Just the confessions up until here have been plenty startling, to be honest.
“Immediately after the demon king’s defeat which was attained after overcoming many ordeals, she unleashed magic at her own friends of all things. Beginning with the heavily wounded hero who had fight the demon king to the bitter end, even the other party members, who were just as exhausted, became the target of her assassin’s attack.”
That’d be slightly inexcusable, I suppose. But, I wonder whether that timid elf-san would be able to pull off something so outrageous.
“Grand Sorceress Virgin moved in order to monopolize the achievement of overthrowing the demon king. The one who stopped her betrayal was the saint of that time who had acted alongside the hero as one of her comrades. Since this story has not been revealed to the public, only few people might know about it.”
“……”
“Anyway, let me continue for a bit longer,” Saint-sama said asked after coughing lightly, “The saint of five generations ago said that she fervently resisted all Grand Sorceress Virgin threw at her without yielding to her violence. And while the hero, the warrior, and her other comrades continued to fall, she put her own life on the line, and eventually defeated her.”
“So far I have never heard of any such a story, though…”
“For the sake of protecting Grand Sorceress Virgin’s prestige, the saint of that time spread a fabricated story to the masses. Both had cooperated along the path that led to the demon king’s demise, and thus this way of handling matters was the lowest amount of pity by the saint who felt sorrowful about this end.”
“I see.”
If that’s the truth, it’d make the saint a truly nice person, wouldn’t it?
“She, who had gone back to the Great Holy Land after defeating Grand Sorceress Virgin, is said to have had a magnificent, triumphant return while being extolled for her achievements by the people. I hear her prestige, which is also being praised by people all over the world, has become a crucial cornerstone that is supporting the current Great Holy Land.”
“…That was very informative.”
Listening to her like this, it’s strange since it sounds kind of feasible. However, I cannot believe that Edita-sensei is a war criminal. It doesn’t connect with reality at all. Now matter how I spin it, I can’t imagine that blond, thicc-legged loli sensei betraying her comrades for the sake of fame and fortune. If I had to say, it’s been recently always sensei who’s been betrayed at the last moment after unilaterally trusting the other side. I witnessed a similar scene at the academy city as well.
“Was I able to have you understand?”
Because sensei is like that, I can honestly enjoy her thighs’ thiccness. It is unthinkable for sensei, who has shown this busamen her underwear for free, to be a villain. The ratio of good people among women who sell their femininity cheaply is high. Exactly because of my history of not having had a girlfriend for as long as I’m alive, there exist certain images of women I can put my trust into.
Right now and here I’ll trust my dick and push my way through.
“Would you be alright with my wife rereading your mind for the sake of confirming the chain of events you mentioned?”
“……Why?”
“I mean, you do not have anything to worry about, do you?”
The one lying is likely Saint-sama. I have no doubt about it. For this ordinary Japanese flat-face, the blond, loli sensei is an existence worthy of betting his social reputation.
“……”
“What is it going to be? You are certainly not going to tell me that all of this has been a lie, are you?”
“gh…”
Very likely she’s currently at her wit’s end. And yet, she must have talked to me about this and that, betting on the slightest possibility. She’s pretending to be calm as if to declare her own words to be the true history. Goggoru-chan’s mind reading isn’t perfect either. She cannot read what doesn’t exist in a mind at the time of reading.
I’m sure Saint-sama is aware of that as well. Therefore I’m having her repeat it for Goggoru-chan.
“My wife will not tell anyone what she has read in your mind. I shall promise you.”
“Is it not meaningless for her to read it then?”
“However, even I cannot influence whether my wife likes or hates you. My wife and Grand Sorceress Virgin have been close friends, and even the distance between the two as they spend their days together is not that different from the distance between my wife and me. She would certainly be unable to stay calm in a situation like this, don’t you think?”
“gh…”
At that moment, Saint-sama’s eyebrows twitched and trembled faintly.
The creature called busamen is estranged from kindness and good will by others, but in return, he’s exceedingly sensitive when it comes to malice. My insight, which I forged for more than thirty years, warns me that the woman in front of me smells dangerous. It tells me that the likelihood of a badger game is very high.
As I pondered about this, Goggoru-chan suddenly whispered, “…The one in front of us, probably the saint from back then.”
“Eh?”
Seriously!?
“Seriously.”
For real!?”
From back then basically means that she’s the Saint-sama of the Hero party from approximately 500 years ago that was explained to the public as being the one from five generations ago while being the previous generation in reality. Whatever the reason for handling it like that might be, I think there’s a limit to vintage.
Going by her appearance she’s in the middle of her teens. But if Goggoru-chan’s words are true, she’s completely transcended the life span of a human. It’d be one thing if it’s my high elf sensei, but she should belong into the framework of humans. The status window also said so.
Besides, what should panic me above all is the fact of Goggoru-chan having broken her promise with this busamen. She had talked about Saint-sama’s mind, who had become my acquaintance to a certain extent, in the presence of others. In spite of me telling her previously that it’d lead to a break-off in relations if she did something like that. In other words, this must mean that Edita-sensei is in danger.
“Kuuh…”
Saint-sama moved in response to Goggoru-chan’s muttering. Until just now she had stood as if trying to use the sofa’s backrest as shield, but now she suddenly turned on her heels. Once I thought so, she headed for the wall behind her. It’s the wall of a stylish parlor that has been decorated with paintings and such.
It’s certainly not like there’s something there. If she continues like that, she’ll run into the wall and that’ll hurt quite a bit.
Or such I thought, but as soon she touched the wall with a hand, a part of it rotated. It’s a surprise gimmick in the style of Koga ninjas. As it performed half a vertical rotation, Saint-sama disappeared on the other side of the wall. And then, a loud bang followed before the wall reverted to its previous state several moments later, leaving only us staring at it behind.
It looks like it uses the same for the front and back side.
『H-Heeey! Where is that elf!?』
The Loligon howled in no time.
Goggoru-chan frankly answered, “Beyond this revolving door. The saint too.”
“I see.”
『Let’s gooo!』
The Loligon rushed forward, taking the initiative here. Following her are this ordinary Japanese flat-face and Goggoru-chan. Moreover, before I realized, the Hero of the West had started to run as well, seemingly planning something. His extremely serious look is impressive. He must have had many things on his mind during the exchange between Saint-sama and this busamen.
There won’t be any faking from this point onward. We must rescue our beloved loli sensei at any cost. I won’t ever forgive the Great Holy Land if even a single scratch has damaged sensei’s golden thighs.
『Get out of the way, wall!』
As soon as the Loligon punched the revolving door, it crumbled into small pieces. Beyond gaped a hole that continues downwards.
“As usual, you do some fine work, Christina-san.”
It’s the start of a game of tag. I’ll definitely catch her.
＊
【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】
(T/N: I changed the way of handling Sophia-chan’s PoV by making it full 1st-person view instead of a 3rd-person view with italic thoughts. Also streamlined the usage of Japanese titles like -san, -sama. Changed it above as well)
It is a fight. A fight has started. And to make matters worse, it is a fight between Elf-san and the Hero of the East. As for the latter, the other members of his party are present as well. Even if you are going as far as including me, it will be a one-sided fight of us two against their five. And on top of that, this maid is not strong enough to be added to that figure in the first place, making it substantially a one versus five.
“Just die, you shitty criminals!” The Hero of the East shouted while unleashing his magic.
Several shining arrows came flying our way. Even though it was risky, Elf-san and I dodged them by using the wall of a dungeon corner as a shield. The black-burnt wall surface and the numerous fist-sized notches from the impact made a shiver travel down this maid’s spine.
“W-Who’s a criminal here!?”
In response, Elf-san cast another volley of spells. Several icicles rushed off towards the Hero of the East. But, all of them dropped to the floor in reaction to his party members, who had remained nearby behind him, chanting something. Their cast caused something like an invisible wall to spring up right in front of them.
By the way, we’re still inside a dungeon that appears to be underground.
“Kuuh…”
“E-Elf-san…”
I could immediately tell from her expression that we were in a bind.
Why are we, mere citizens, targeted by Hero-sama?
By now I had fully grasped the reason for this. Since we were spotted breaking out of our prison, you could describe his reaction as only normal.
I think his and our positions here are inevitable.
“It’s okay. I’ll definitely save you, so please don’t worry.”
“No, umm…maybe they will understand if we properly explain ourselves…”
“No, that’s impossible, definitely.”
“W-Why?”
“The ones who caught and threw me into this dungeon are the people standing over there.”
“But…”
“And the one who sent these people my way must have been the saint.”
“I-If it was Saint-sama, i-is it not somehow bad?”
“……”
Elf-san fell silent when I asked for her opinion. Maybe she perpetrated something in this country in the past or some such? If that was true, her conversation with Hero-sama just now about being a criminal and so on would make sense.
Still, even as this maid and Elf-san exchanged opinions, the Hero of the West and his party members closed in on us while unleashing their magic. They were slowly but steadily drawing closer to our location as if chasing down prey.
“…Sorry. I’ll at least make sure that you’ll be able to safely get away.”
“N-No, please let us think about a method on how to save both of us, okay!?
Once again light arrows hit the wall with blasts. Elf-san and I quickly moved away. We ran along the rows with their countless cells in order to escape Hero-sama and his party.
We just need to somehow reach the exit. Then we will have a bit more hope to make it out alive, I think.
The cells were orderly lined up on this square floor. There existed three broad corridors in total, and except for one row of cells along the wall, two rows of cells faced corridors on both sides.
I am certain it has been constructed in such a manner to allow an unhindered view on the cells from the entrance area.
Moreover, one narrow corridor crossed all three cell rows at the deepest end of the dungeon floor. This was our current location.
This oblong setup of the dungeon floor, coupled with the walls being connected to the ceiling, was extremely convenient for escapees during a game of tag. Thanks to this, Elf-san and I barely managed to hold onto our lives.
However, our aim was immediately seen through. Capitalizing on their numerical advantage, they split up in three groups while at the same time approaching us in a way allowing for a pincer attack. After the five had divided in two-two-one, they began to head for us.
“…Looks like we’ll make it.”
“Eh?”
Watching them split up, Elf-san’s lips revealed a daring grin.
It looks like she has discovered a chance for winning, even if only a small one.
“Umm, h-how…,” this maid naturally asked.
Thereupon, Elf-san pointed with her eyes at Hero-sama who was coming our way. He was walking through the central corridor, closing in on us by himself. He was still holding his sword with its point turned our way.
“Probably because my spells have been weak, they are underestimating us a fair bit.”
“……”
“We’ll break through the center. Forgive me, but please make sure to stick closely behind me.”
“O-Okay!”
As soon as I confirmed, Elf-san started to dash. This maid also did her best with running so as to not become a burden.
After sprinting for a short time, we soon reached a distance where we could clearly make out Hero-sama’s face. His party members were creeping closer beyond the bars of the cells on his left and right.
It’s a situation as if there’s no easy path for survival.
“Humph, since you’re facing me from the front, you’ve finally accepted your fate, eh?”
“Don’t blather nonsense, idiot!”
The Hero of the East calmly raised his sword overhead. Proceeding right in front of him, Elf-san swung an arm sideways.
In the next moment, something I don’t quite understand happened.
“U-Uuuoooaaaaaaaaaahhh!?” The Hero of the East screamed in agony, dropping the sword he had readied just moments ago.
The awfully expensive-looking sword fell on the ground with a loud clattering. On the other hand, the one who let go of it, widely leaped back as if to gain distance from the sword.
“The holy sword I received from Saint-sama has!? W-What’s going on!?”
“The present hero is nothing more than a bad joke, huh!?”
Simultaneously to her jeering, Elf-san brandished her arm once more, releasing the icicle spell she had been utilizing so far. Several icicles quickly raced off, piercing Hero-sama’s arms and legs.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!” He squealed so loudly that it hurt my ears.
It looks very painful, indeed.
“Now! Gooo!”
“Y-Yeeesh!”
I am scared. It is terrifying. I thought that Elf-san is a very gentle person, but she is definitely someone who can do her very best when it counts. She is someone extremely reliable. For some reason, her profile seems a lot older to me although it should actually look younger than mine. It is awe-inspiring and cool. Especially her chin.
“This way!”
“Okaaaaay!!”
Following Elf-san’s lead, I escaped the dungeon while sprinting. Behind me I could hear Hero-sama’s party members screaming his name after having noticed his injuries.
At this point, no excuses are going to work any more. Starting with today, this maid has joined the group of criminals in name and reality. Expecting things to end nicely after raising a hand against Hero-sama should be no more than a pipe dream. But, right now I shall strive to move my feet for the sake of seeing the next day.
“We’ll get out of the mansion just like this!”
“Yes!”
I frantically ran, obeying the instructions of my reliable elven friend. After running up the long stairs leading to the dungeon, we came out on the mansion’s first floor. The scenery completely transformed from before. The walls, which were made out of stone just like down in the dungeon, were covered by paintings, giving the mansion the air of a noble’s residence. The carpet sprawling down the long hallway looked soft.
“Umm, what was that just now…?”
“A simple illusion spell. For him to fall so easily for something of this level… The sword in his hand had transformed into a snake monster, appearing as if it’d coil itself around his body at any moment. If our opponent had been a skilled swordsman, they’d have assaulted us without paying any heed to it, though.”
“I-I see!”
I do not quite understand what she has said, but still, it is amazing. Is Elf-san actually a master at magic or something like that?
“Come!”
“Okay!”
I could sense people approaching from behind. One of the many voices definitely belonged to the Hero of the East.
It looks like he has been healed by his party members.
When I looked over my shoulder, I spotted him in the middle of climbing the stairway. He was leading his party, rushing with his sword aloft once again. As his face full of rage and hatred was terrifying, this maid ran at full speed. Following Elf-san’s back, we moved onto the garden through a window in the hallway.
“We’ll run all the way to the big main street! If we manage to slip in among the pedestrians, they won’t be able to do anything unreasonable!” Elf-san looked back to this trailing maid and gave her an encouraging speech.
Her powerful voice contained so much persuasive force that it made me believe that we’d be able to get away at this rate. I felt how hope was expanding itself within my chest. The hope that I might return to my previous, normal life if only I persisted for a bit longer.
However, the second she felt this hope, this maid’s legs suddenly trembled.
“Ah…”
My body unexpectedly lost its balance. At once I looked down at my right foot which had stepped forward.
Thereupon, I wondered why? Nothing could be seen beyond the right ankle.
“Aaaaaaaaaahhh!”
A searing pain assailed me just moments later.
It hurts. It hurts so, so muuuuch!
I couldn’t stop my voice.
“You baaaaastaaaaaardss!”
Elf-san’s voice sounded awfully distant. My body naturally pitched forward, falling onto the garden’s lawn. My visual field dyed crimson red. I instinctively reached for the ailing part with both hands, but all that was left beneath my ankle was a clean cut with my right foot completely gone.
It hurts. So, so, so much. A pain so biting that I might lose my mind over it.
＊
A descending stairway had been built beyond the revolving door. With the Loligon leading the charge, we leaped downstairs, using flight magic.
Edita-sensei is in danger, so we don’t have the leeway to run by foot.
The queue following behind the Loligon was this ordinary Japanese flat-face, the Hero of the West, and Goggoru-chan. As always, the one at the end of the line was outside the range of a spear.
The stairway itself continued quite deeply underground. And once we arrived at its bottom, we found ourselves in a dungeon.
『What’s this place…!?』
“It seems to be a dungeon, I suppose.”
The passage beyond the wall had branched out along the way. We had reached our current location after proceeding according to Goggoru-chan’s navigation.
Very likely, this pathway network is also connected to various places within the mansion, besides the dungeon. But seriously, at last it genuinely feels like the mansion of a final boss!
“W-Why!?”
We could hear something that sounded more like a scream than a question further down the path we were traversing. Saint-sama stood in front of a vacated dungeon, shaking in shock.
“Is something wrong?”
“gh!?”
As soon as I called out to her, she whirled around in our direction as if having been touched by something hot. Her face told me that she hadn’t expected us to show up here. I could see the open dungeon entrance behind her.
Maybe someone has been kept inside. And could that someone not be our Edita-sensei by chance? After all, there would be no better hostage against this ordinary Japanese flat-face than her.
“You appear to be quite flustered, but could it be that you let your detained pet escape?”
“ng…N-No way! You!”
“As you can see, yes way. So, where is Edita-san?”
“You think I’d tell you!?”
At the same time as answering, Saint-sama jumped backwards.
Most likely because of Goggoru-chan who’s behind us.
Her expression as she roared at us was grim enough to make me knit my eyebrows.
“I’d have never invited someone like you, if I had known it’d turn out like this.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, indeed. You’re followed by an outrageous pest. Everything and anything is the elf’s fault. Again and again she gets in my way. Originally you were a combat force I should have obtained for my objectives, and yet…and yet, that elf bitch…”
“Is your seeking of combat forces somehow related to the current demon king?”
“Eh? Ah, r-right! You’re completely right! And yet, that elf…!”
“Lie. You only want combat forces to protect yourself,” muttered Goggoru-chan, hindering Saint-sama from talking any further.
“gh…”
I guess she’s already read that part during our earlier conversation.
Hearing her rebuttal, Saint-sama glared at Goggoru-chan as if facing an evil spirit. Yep, this is totally the expression the wife of my friend S had when her husband found out about her adultery with a handsome university student and demanded reparation after her guilt had been proven.
“Y-You cursed Goggoru…!”
She’s completely entered a hysteric mode. Isn’t she really gung-ho about running away after blaming everything on Edita-sensei?
Going by Saint-sama’s confused state, sensei might have actually managed to get out of the jail by herself. No, wait, it’d be dangerous to conclude that to be a fact. In any case, I think it’d be best to move while thinking. She might be exposed to danger outside at this very moment.
“So all the talk about the revival of the demon king and so on had been a lie?”
“…Is that bad?”
“Yes, well, it’s not a very praiseworthy lie for sure.”
After listening to our exchange, the Hero of the West finally raised his voice, “Saint-sama, what does that mean!? I received an oracle from you! Since being appointed as hero until today, I have always been fighting for the sake of the world. However, the revival of the demon king being a lie isn’t short of anything but a shock!”
“Demon king, demon king? Yes, he exists, the demon king. In my hands,” murmured Saint-sama and reached with a hand for the pendant hanging at her chest. Pinching it with her slender fingers, she held it up in front of our eyes. “The demon king’s reincarnation has been sealed within. As long as this exists, another demon king will likely never appear. Normally, the demon king goes through the circle of death and reincarnation, but as long as he isn’t given that opportunity, he will never revive.”
“N-No way…!”
The expression of the Hero of the West turned into something akin to terror.
Well, it only makes sense. Thinking back on it now, just a few weeks ago he and his party had done their best at this and that while risking their lives after being transferred all the way to the Dark Continent. Thus it’s only natural for him to wonder what it all had been for, if he’s now told, “It was all a lie, tehe!”
『Oi, hurry up and kill her』
A disturbing line was tossed my way from the side. Naturally, it came from the Loligon. Her expression could be summed up with ‘displeased.’
“Seeing whom we’re facing here, it’d turn into a problem if we used too forceful means. Besides, we must interrogate her about Edita-san’s whereabouts. Her safety takes the highest priority right now.”
『…Then hurry up and get on with it』
The Loligon’s demand is very reasonable. But, there’s something else I’d like to confirm by all means.
“By the way, I have a question for you Saint-sama. What is that reincarnation you mentioned in your explanation just now? Doesn’t a demon king coincidentally come into existence from a mighty demon?”
“You don’t know something so basic despite having been traveling together with that elven bitch?”
“I would be delighted if you could tell me.”
Why has Edita-sensei’s name come up there? I’m really curious about the relationship between her and Edita-sensei.
Did my thoughts just now show on my face or has she recovered some of her spirit?
“If you become my comrade, I shall tell you everything, you know?”
“…I see.”
She’s talking to me while appearing to have recovered her own drive quite a bit. Even this late in the game, she still hasn’t given up on trying to negotiate. As a matter of fact, I unexpectedly don’t dislike this style of hers. I can sense a life experience going beyond the age her outward appearance suggests from her determination. According to the status window, she’s categorized as a human, but maybe she’s matured for her age at sensei’s level thanks to some fantasy-like element.
Goggoru-chan also told me something pregnant with meaning.
“I do not mind discussing it further, if you peacefully return Edita-san to us.”
“In that case, I would like to ask you to withdraw for today.”
“No, that will not do. Please allow us to confirm her safety now and here.”
“Men who demand too much aren’t very popular with women, don’t you know?”
“Please do not worry. My wife is such a wonderful woman that she is actually wasted on me,” I cracked a joke while casting a fleeting glance at Goggoru-chan.
“……”
“……”
The situation was in a complete deadlock when it came to Edita-sensei’s safety, whose current location was unknown. Moreover, how should I solve this if I have to deal with the representative of the Great Holy Land? If I handle it badly, the Penny Empire will definitely take a thorough multi-pronged, political and economical trashing from its surrounding countries.
I’ll be ardently asked to provide humiliating nude pics of Canossa-chan. Personally, I don’t give a shit as long as I can get back sensei.
But, I’m indebted to many people in the Penny Empire. With such a background, I should try to give my best as far as I can to contribute. After all, it happens unexpectedly often that things work out one way or another, if you don’t give up. However, it’s also a fact that I must hurry.
“Let me make sure of something first: Is Edita-san safe?”
“Who knows.”
“If you don’t guarantee her safety now and here, I will restrain you.”
“Are you sure? If the Great Holy Land makes a move, a puny country like the Penny Empire will be gone in no time.”
“It is absolute nonsense to compare her and the empire in the first place. Please take a look at the color of this skin.”
If I’m told to choose either, I’ll definitely go with sensei. I’m confident that Goggoru-chan, Edita-sensei and I can travel the world together. If the Loligon joins in on top of that, we’ll just build a new town on the Dark Continent.
“…You’re brimming with confidence, aren’t you?”
“Do you want to try me?”
“……”
“Please tell me, if you have an idea who could have taken her out. Her safety takes the highest priority for me. Or are you going to tell me that you let her get away? Certainly not.”
Talks would proceed faster if Edita-sensei was here. I could quickly settle things by having Saint-sama dogeza in front of sensei.
“…To be honest, I have no clue.”
“Really?”
“Do you think I’d lie to you under these circumstances?” Saint-sama asked while focusing her eyes on Goggoru-chan.
The dark brown lolita-san plays a major role here. If we wrap up things safely, I think I’ll take the opportunity to have a frank talk with her tonight until morning.
“Assuming that to be true, it will be impossible for us to let you go, especially in regards to warranting her safety. To begin with, for what reason did you arrest Edita-san? Please explain the circumstances.”
“And what are you going to do after hearing about them?”
“It will certainly affect my dealing with you.”
“……”
“Is the incident from 500 years ago you explained to us earlier the underlying cause here?” I tried to ask her about a matter that had been bothering me for the whole time.
I feel like wanting to know and then again not. I’m scared and also not scared of hearing about it. What has the sensei, whom I don’t know, accomplished and which path has she tread in the past? No, I’ll believe in her. My blond, thicc-legged loli sensei.
Thereupon, Saint-sama acted like she was brooding over this.
Maybe she’s fretting whether to lie or tell the truth here. Edita-sensei might have had a fight with her during her time as Grand Sorceress Virgin. A time period such as 500 years counting from back then is equivalent to an eternity for me. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of relationship those two share as someone who’s met sensei only several months ago.
And while all of us were conflicted about this and that…
“Ooooooooooooohohohohohohohohohohoooo!!”
…an ohoho voice was gradually approaching from behind.
I had told Drill-chan and Deviant-Longhair that I’d like them to wait outside the mansion, near the window of the parlor where we would meet. It was a precautionary measure for the case of the Saint breaking the window and escaping outside.
And yet I wonder why they’ve entered the mansion on top of coming even down to this dungeon.
Deviant-Longhair displayed his space magic in the middle of the narrow dungeon corridor. He performed a superb evasion of Goggoru-chan, the absolute barrier.
“Ohoho, there was no response no matter how long I waited, you see? And when I peered inside the room out of curiosity, things had taken a very interesting turn. But you know, going on a little adventure while leaving me out in the cold is not overly nice of you!”
“It is just as milady says.”
I see. They’ve apparently come here after confirming the Loligon’s wall punch. As always, both mistress and servant are totally in the mood of being on a sightseeing tour. No, precisely because they are together, they rapidly rile each other’s excitement up, right? If these two are in one place, the tempo of their daily life shoots up by 70%. It goes without saying for Drill-chan, but it looks like the Deviant-Longhair dude seems to somehow enjoy himself as well.
“Doris-san, the situation isn’t anything as amusing as you make it out to be.”
“Is that really the case?”
On the other hand, the one demonstrating a striking reaction was Saint-sama. Her eyes flew wide open as she stared at the maso-demon.
“Wh-…w-why are you in this place, Geros!?” She drew back conspicuously, seemingly frightened by something.
The other party, the one being stared at, responded by revealing a confused expression.
“Why does the likes of a human know my name?”
“gh…”
“The ones who know my current appearance are the previous hero and…” As he was speaking, Deviant-Longhair suddenly seemed to realize something. “You piece of shit! Your outward appearance has completely changed, but is that you hiding within, Id?”
Don’t tell me…they’re acquaintances!? Why does Saint-sama know a demon?
“Ugh…”
“I’m right, am I not? No other human should know my current appearance.”
Everyone’s attention was alternating back and forth between Saint-sama and Deviant-Longhair. Even Drill-chan, his mistress, appeared to not be aware of their relationship. So she was staring at her underling with a look as if demanding him to tell her what was going on here.
Or rather, she actually voiced it out in the next moment, “…What is going on here?”
“Please do not misunderstand. It is nothing of significance, milady.”
“She’s your acquaintance, isn’t she? And the other party is probably the saint of this country, you know?”
“I happened to cross swords with the hero of the time when His Majesty, the previous Demon King, was still in good health. The one trembling behind the hero back then is very likely the girl in front of us. For me, no other mistress than milady exists. I would like you to somehow believe that part alone.”
“Hmmmmm?”
“Her appearance has changed, but I remember this mana fluctuation. No doubt.”
Deviant-Longhair, your anxiety has missed its target by leaps and bounds. Isn’t the master of all demons the demon king to begin with? You’re genuinely a masochist, man.
Moreover, that statement just now was completely out as it got the Hero of the West involved.
“A demon!? That man is a demon!?”
He isn’t a hero for show. In an instant, he put himself on guard against Deviant-Longhair, restlessly moving his eyes back and forth between Saint-sama, who’s standing still in front, and the mistress-slave-combi that had appeared from behind. He’s a young man who can’t stop worrying. A complete contrast to Drill-chan who treats everything as someone else’s problem. And thanks to her, our conversation got admirably derailed, too.
After listening to the exchange between mistress and servant, it was Saint-sama who directed a question my way.
“Baron Tanaka, don’t tell me, you’re not aiming for the demon king’s reincarnation body, are you?”
“Please don’t misunderstand. My demand concerns Edita-san.”
“Whaaat!? Demon King-sama’s reincarnation body, you say!? What does that mean!?” Deviant-Longhair snapped at Saint-sama’s words, allowing the conversation to finally make a full round.
Fuck it. What should I do? All this ordinary Japanese flat-face wants is to go to Edita-sensei.
“Hey, you bitch! Do you know the reason why Demon King-sama hasn’t reincarnated!?”
Oi, wait a sec, Deviant-Longhair. What’s with that reaction of yours? Didn’t you tell this ordinary Japanese flat-face that the next revival of the demon king would take another hundred years?
By reflex, this ordinary Japanese flat-face once again ended up joining the off-topic, “Please wait a moment, Geros-san. Doesn’t a certain period of time exist between the reincarnations of demon kings? And I believe you told me that the next reincarnation was still a long way off. So what is the meaning behind you, of all people, asking for an explanation for him not having reincarnated yet?”
“ng…”
Deviant-Longhair’s words seemed to not be completely correct, just like Saint-sama’s. Assuming that guy’s mission as a demon was to secure the reincarnated demon king, it’d make any information concerning the details essential to him. It’d also mean he had been lying.
As I thought so, it suddenly hit me. Things became clearer to me. I’ve got a hunch that the pendant from earlier is a super important key item.
“Geros-san, you mentioned previously that the demon king right after his reincarnation would be a weak being. Yet, you also said he would be more powerful than humans. According to you, he would grow up into becoming powerful, surpassing even the other demons, and eventually he would become the king, reigning over all demons with his overwhelming might.”
“So, what about it?”
“Isn’t only half of it true while the other half is false? Without knowing where he might have been reincarnated in this world, the present demon king would grow up and it would be just a matter of time until he would catch the attention of demons once more, right? But, this isn’t set in stone.”
“……”
“The being called demon king isn’t necessarily set to be an ally of the demons, is he? Isn’t it quite possible that he might coexist with races other than the demons, even as demon king, depending on where he was reincarnated. Just like some elves live in human society.”
“……”
“That’s the very reason why demons like you are searching for him.” Then I tried to ask him while relying on the momentum (I have no proof, but I feel I’m on the right track here), “Isn’t it possible that he could become a great human if he’s picked up by virtuous humans?”
“…Humph,” Deviant-Longhair grimaced, looking annoyed.
Isn’t this actually proof of me having hit bull’s eye? I’ve got a hunch that I might be correct here.
“How about it?” I tried to press him for an answer.
In response, Deviant-Longhair started to mumble under his breath after a short while, “Her Majesty the Demon Queen from three generations ago was just like that. We, who had moved in order to recover her, were beaten up by a being we originally ought to revere as our ruler, leading to the awkward situation of our numbers having had decreased significantly. And Her Majesty, who exerted an overwhelming power, was killed by the hands of the humans who feared her for her strength.”
“I see…”
No wonder he’s become so desperate about searching for the demon king. But still, the demon queen from three generations ago means Deviant-Longhair has been living for quite a while, too. Even without needing to guess, he must have lived for more than a thousand years. But, seeing how he has become Drill-chan’s maso-slave as outcome of that, he’s a saddening creature as a male.
On the other hand, a smile returned to the Saint’s face after she heard Deviant-Longhair’s words.
“Oh my, you allowed me to hear something wonderful. Hehehehehehehe!”
Using her hand, she touched the pendant at her chest.
If I believe the words she had spoken a while ago, the reincarnation body of the demon king has been sealed inside that pendant. I don’t know what kind of item a reincarnation body might be, but there’s no doubt that it’d become an excellent pawn if raised skilfully. It’d also result in her no longer requiring the assistance of this ordinary Japanese flat-face.
“I sure hope I’m wrong, but you’re not sheltering the present Demon King-sama, are you Saint girl?”
“Who knows.”
“Even though your body has changed, that repulsive smile is still the same. How disgusting.”
“I like my current body as it’s relatively cute, though.”
“If not…if not for you bitch, His Majesty wouldn’t have…!”
It’s an exceedingly dangerous situation. If Deviant-Longhair should learn of the situation revolving around the pendant, he’s likely going to try stealing it from Saint-sama, even if he has to kill her. The maso-demon’s signature move is his teleportation. Even while being in a corridor as narrow as this, his skill has been high enough to dodge the obstacle Goggoru-chan and arrive in front of Saint-sama.
Yep, it’s an explosive situation. Thanks to that, the Hero of the West, who possesses the least information of all present here, is highly confused right now.
“I-I’d like you to wait! Saint-sama, just what are you planning!?”
“Everything is as God desires. Please put your trust in me.”
“You’re telling me to simply believe you after all that happened!? That’s impossible for me!!”
Unfortunately, no one here has the leeway to show him the proper path. Far from a three-way-struggle, everyone has shown up here with their own little agenda. And all those ulterior motives follow different objectives. Not to mention Saint-sama and Deviant-Longhair, but even the relationship between this ordinary Japanese flat-face and the Hero of the West is precarious at best under these circumstances. Furthermore, behind me the Loligon has begun to impatiently tap her foot.
At times like these it’s crucial to decide on your priorities. So what should I prioritize over everything else?
Obviously the safety of Edita-sensei.
“Saint-sama, let us return to the original topic for the time being.”
“Ah, you have my gratitude, Baron Tanaka. The information I gained thanks to you contained extremely good news for me. Because of it, I don’t see any point in recruiting you any longer either. Please leave the premises and feel free to go wherever the wind carries you.”
“Of course, I will gladly leave as soon as I can confirm Edita-san’s safety.”
“I truly don’t know anything about it. How about you check it on your own accord?”
She’s giving me an attitude as if telling me that it’s of absolute no interest for her. In her mind it has apparently been decided that the present demon king is going to become her underling. Even so, that is no problem for this ordinary Japanese flat-face. It’s fine for her to do as she pleases. After all, I can’t believe that she’d plan to conquer the world while holding the position of saint.
But, I don’t want to cede an overly powerful pawn to her, if her malicious intent towards Edita-sensei should be the real deal. I must at least confirm the reason for her targeting sensei. All for the sake of my blond, chubby loli sensei’s peaceful life.
“Please tell me just one more thing. Why are you targeting Edita-san? What kind of involvement existed between you and Edita-san, no, the Grand Sorceress Virgin whom I don’t know? Arresting someone arbitrarily and throwing them into a dungeon isn’t normal, no matter how you look at it.”
“Baron Tanaka, you won’t be able to grow up by asking others about everything, you know?”
Oof, that pisses me off a bit. Yep, she ticked me off. Right now I’m in a bit of a fireball mood.
“Saint-sama, I’m asking you seriously here…”
This ordinary Japanese flat-face wants to go to Edita-sensei as quickly as possible.
Since I was impatient, I naturally clenched my fists. Thereupon, the one roaring in my stead was the maso-demon.
“H-Hey, wait, the bond between the saint girl and Grand Sorceress Virgin, you ask? That’s something I can tell you! So don’t come up with any weird ideas, okay!? My lady is present here! G-Got it!? Doing something that would result in me losing my mistress is out of the question!”
It’s very likely a reaction stemming from his memories of the academy city. It looks like he’s got a trauma from my huge fireball.
“You know about it?”
“Of course. Back then I was serving under the previous Demon King-sama.”
“I see.”
Tell me such things from the very start!
Everyone’s eyes, including mine, focused on Deviant-Longhair. With many having questioning looks. However, only Saint-sama’s expression was grim and she appeared to be annoyed. Maybe it’s a past she doesn’t want others to hear about.
“Please go ahead, Geros-san.”
Just when I had been thinking all that──
“That girl over there was jealous of the previous hero who was in love with His Majesty. And just when the two pooled their efforts, trying to conclude a peace treaty between humans and demons, she killed the previous hero, who ought to have been her friend, and their comrades with her own hands. All because she hadn’t been chosen by His Majesty.”
“………”
Wait a sec, Deviant-Longhair, that’s going to be a major pain in the ass this late in the game.
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Translation Notes:
- The lil’ virgin is a compromise by me. The raw uses 膜っ子 (Makukko). The 膜 (maku) here pretty surely stems from 処女膜 (shojomaku) which means hymnen, or literally, virgin (処女) membrane (膜). Now if you remove the virgin part, you could call her Membrane-girly, but that makes like no sense whatsoever lol.
- The name of Kimoronge as he was called previously is actually キモロンゲ (KimoLong). Kimo is an abbreviation for キモい / きもい (kimoi). It’s slang for ugly/disgusting/nasty. The Long refers to long hair. Since he’s the slave of Doris, who’s always called Drill-chan, I’ll go with a hair-based naming for him, too. I’m open for suggestions. Kimoronge is not an option though.
- All of the signs used here are kaomoji, so I kept them since I wouldn’t even know how to localize them without losing the meaning. (＿´Д｀) is a variation of an angry reaction originating from a gag, (σ・∀・)σ is a gag from a famous comedian, the standard being: forming pistols with both hands and backing off, and (＼￣∇￣/) is another Japanese gag relating to a Japanese comedian’s reaction over the Romanian athlete Nadia Elena Comăneci appearing in a leotard during the Olympics. All of them are old man gags, so they get a thumbs-up from me lol
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