This is merely a repost. No edits have been done nor will be done. Don’t even ask. This is just so people don’t have to search the net for chapters 1-73 which aren’t available on the original translator’s site anymore.
This chapter was originally MTLed by Birdy
Chapter 21: Arrival of the Savage Rabbit
I wake to bird song the next morning.
Is it already morning?
Provoked by the bird song, I raise my eyes.
Birds are flying amongst the tree tops and the song of their chirping echoes about.
I stretch out a finger to the surface of the big tree in front of me while raising my body.
A strange smell emanates from the tree.
This big tree, could it be around a thousand years old? Unconsciously I think about the mind boggling time this giant tree must have live for.
Big fern-like leaves grow around the base of the big tree.
A drop of morning dew drips of the end of a leaf ad creates a small puddle in the depressed ground. There is a small line of ants nearby.
With only this line of ants, I am able to tell that this land is brimming with vitality.
“Are you awake?”
Raguren asks me.
It looks like Raguren just got up, too.
“Yes, just a moment ago.”
I feel refreshed even though I only slept a little.
“I’ll settle breakfast with this hard bread and what’s left of yesterday’s meat.”
“Understood.”
“Still, I thought the debonchitchi spirit children appeared here, but they didn’t.”
“Ah, the one that make the mysterious sound?”
“Yeah. It’s a sign of good luck if it appears during Shuya’s journey. Ey?”
“Can they be met if you travel for a while? Rollo is here too.”
There’s no grounds for it.
“Hahaha, I guess Divine Beast-sama can gather good fortune too.”
A beckoning cat?
Breakfast is finished quickly while having a silly conversation, and I replenish my blood with a sip from the corresponding water flask. In the meantime, Raguren gets on his popobumu.
“I’ll go ahead a little.”
He takes the reins and quickly goes ahead.
The black cat Rollo also seems to have finished her preparations and is sitting on the back of the popobumu’s head.
I hurry to get onto the popobumu and chase after the back of Raguren.
Whilst I am complaining in my head about Raguren overdoing it this early in the morning I see him moving leisurely in the trees up ahead, illuminated by the morning sunlight.
“You came? We’re getting closer to the elven territory, but we still have some way to go. “Let’s go.”
“Got it.”
Raguren is plowing through the undergrowth of the forest.
The footing under the popobumu’s feet changes to thick mud as we enter a valley between two cliffs.
Then we are attacked by a mosquito monster. But even though it sucks blood it is only a mosquito so it is easily defeated and we pass through the muddy area.
We encounter a bear monster bigger than a degozabear in an area where dark green forest spreads out. Its face is obviously furious, but Raguren ignores it.
It seems to have judged us as dangerous.
It avoids me same way. I keep the popobumu moving forward for the time being while being careful.
When the forested land turns into a slightly uphill slope I fight some forest goblins, but they are defeated with no difficulty and we arrive at the hill.
Even if I say hill of the forest the trees are in the way and there’s no view.
Without saying anything Raguren continues ahead down the hill. I continuously direct the popobumu. I keep going while avoiding the trees.
Then, Raguren who ran ahead stops his popobumu.
There’s a presence of magical essence, when I move to Raguren’s side, and looks back at me with a stern face and talks.
-From here onward “everything is the domain of the Elves.”
When I weave my way through the trees.
Until now we’ve only passed through overgrown dark green forest, but now there is a path of compacted dirt between trees.
A soil highway. The popobumu snorts softly and takes light steps. It seems to be comfortable with this.
Our traveling speed is able to increase and we advance ahead smoothly.
It suddenly changes from a path of dirt to a path paved with stones.
As a result, sparks begin flying from the hoofs on the ground, and from above-
“Stop!!”
We are called out to in a loud voice.
What? I look around for the voice.
There in one of the big trees is a lookout constructed from wooden boards.
Two soldiers wearing helmet are standing guard. The two soldiers are carrying bows and pointing arrows at us.
Raguren easily locates the outpost and opens his mouth to talk.
“I am horned person of mountain.”
In the babble judged to be Elven, he talks.
“What! You are one of the mountain people? Then why are you accompanied by this ‘human!’”
The words are different than Raguren’s, but I can understand them…
This skill is helpful.
It seems that Raguren’s Goldiba are called the mountain people.
“This human, good guy. Friend of mountain people. This human wants go south. This human to country, I give passage.”
He seems to be negotiating…but when the story gets complicate it becomes difficult.
I’ll entrust it to Raguren.
“Understood. I am not able to judge this. Wait here. Mountain person.”
When one of the Elf soldiers says so he jumped back and disappeared. However, the other soldier still has his bow drawn and pointed at me.
When Raguren sees that he whispers in my ear.
“Now he will get an associate and ask for judgment.”
“So, wait patiently.”
After I wait for a little, the soldier who disappeared early returns with a female Elf with long bright golden yellow hair on the lookout.
“Person of the mountain, I am in charge of this area, I am called Lanfa Seyaruka. You seem to want to pass through here, but are you also one of the mountain people?”
“No, I’ll stop here.” (TL: Thank you Yukine for this fix.)
The female Elf introduces herself to Raguren is broken words, moving the long golden yellow eyebrows, her eyes becomes sharp as she opens her mouth.
“What? Only the human wants to pass through here?”
“That is right.”
The Elf women looks closer with her blue eyes.
There are feelings of doubt and discomfort written in her eyes.
Hesitating, the silence grows.
“…The people of the mountain are acquaintances through trade. Also, there is the acquaintance of the elders. I can’t do it flatly. I will probably be okay. But, you cannot go through to the south. Because the eastern exit is closer, I will guide you there.”
The south is impossible. The east…
“Is that so, Elf. Thank you.”
“…Good, person of the mountain. It is because we are taken care of in our trading.”
Raguren turns back to me with a smile.
“Okay, it looks like everything will be alright. They’ll only take you to the east…”
“Ah, it’s fine. As long as I can leave the territory for now it’s all good.”
“That’s right. Then, I have finished guiding you… to here. I’m returning home.”
“Nn, Nya〜 N, Nya!”
As Raguren is about leave Rollo seems to hear and jumps onto Raguren’s popobumu with an unusually long cry. She quickly jumps onto Raguren’s thick shoulders.
“Divine Beast-sama?”
Raguren pulls back in surprise. Indifferent to his surprised, the black can Rollo touches a feeler to Raguren’s cheek.
Rollo shakes her whiskers and feels a little.
Raguren begins to blush and show a face no one has ever seen before.
“Yes. Divine Beast-sama, you also take care.”
Raguren and Rollo’s gazes mix together.
It is a kitten and a very big man, but somehow the atmosphere is peaceful.
Satisfied she had conveyed her feeling to Raguren, Rollo jumps back onto my popobumu.
Uneventfully, she sits down with her head up and her chest pushed forward to display her fur.
“Did you give you good byes Rollo?”
I pat the small head and neck of Rollo before she starts trying to fix and groom her fur again. While stroking her fur, I turn to look at Raguren.
“Raguren, thank you for guiding me. Also, give my best regards to Shisho as well as Refaa and Rabbi-san. And, Raguren, la kerlada.”
Imitating Shisho, I place my hand to my chest in a mark and say la kerlada, expressing my thanks.
“Ou. I pray for your safe trip Shuya, la kerlada!”
Raguren smiles back and placing his hand on his chest in the same manner says la kerlada. Turning his popobumu around, he shows his big back and departs slowly.
Raguren. He has a simple personality of a man among men.
For this past year, thank you-
I natural lower my head to Raguren’s departing back.
When the Elf woman confirms that Raguren is leaving, she talks to me.
“…Human, come here. It is not possible to pass through the south boarder. Even if I say that, you won’t understand what I’m saying.”
Saying so the Elf woman lifts her arms above her in a gesture waving to come to her.
I can understand. Understanding implicitly, I tap the popobumu’s side and move his reins, and I approach the elven lookout.
Looking, again I can the form of an elf nearby.
There is a tattoo on the soldier’s cheeks, some kind of animal or creature is drawn in a seal.
The two people have two different patterns.
Is it a faction mark?
I do not mind the tattoo mark… staring down the Elf soldier looks at me dubiously. That’s how it looks. Words,
As expected, the one who understood the conversation is comfortable, and speaking of the other-
“-I understand your words. Lanfa-san? Thank you, my name is Shuya Kagari. It’s fine to call me Shuya.”
“Na…Elven language. Besides, that dialect, it’s fluent like an old noble of Befarits?”
Then, one of the male soldiers approaches the Elf woman doubtfully.
“Platoon Chief Lanfa, isn’t it fine to just let this human go as is?”
The platoon chief Elven woman named Lanfa hears his words and frowns.
“Letting him go, is there no helping it? Did I not promise the people of the mountain directly? If it is you, could you bluntly say so to the mountain people?”
She talks in an intense tone as she coldly admonishes her subordinate soldier.
“I would not be able to.”
“Exactly. From here isn’t the south but it is immediately the eastern domain from here. One human will be okay. And then…is it because this matter is a secret for the elders?”
“Haa, I understand.”
The Elf soldier man has a dissatisfied expression but answer in affirmation.
“You said Shuya of the Humans. From here on, you will go the way I take you. As much as possible, avoid crowded areas and villages, okay?”
“Understood. I will follow you.”
As for Lanfa, when we finish talk she looks back, and from down from the lookout point out of my sight. She seems to be running back to a stable.
When she returns on horseback, she directs me from on top of her horse.
“This way. Come!”
She declares it like an order.
Lanfa shifts on the horse’s neck and canters gallantly.
“Fast…”
The horse Lanfa is riding moves steadily at first.
The mantle she is wearing fills wind and billows out.
I clap the popobumu’s side to increase speed and follow.
Then I hear a strange voice.
When I look at the back of popobumu’s head while running… Rollo has shifted to a position where she is embracing the back of the popobumu’s head like she is clinging to it.
It is an interesting posture. Furthermore, Rollo extends a feeler.
She looks at Lanfa riding her horse as if to say “catch up to it,” and uses a feeler like a whip to slap the popobumu’s neck.
If I had a smart phone I world take a video.
I remember the figure of a cat stuffed into the hand bag of beer.
When I remember such a video the horse Lanfa is leading from turns aside from the stony path.
We have to deviate from the path in order to avoid elf villages.
-I run off the side of the road into the forest-
I handle popobumu so as not to fall behind Lanfa’s horse, following.
Maintaining speed, I hurry to catch up, and approach the side of the horse she is riding.
I carefully look at the face of an Elf now. No, she is a beauty.
Rabbi-san was an adult woman too…
The Elf has long ears and beautiful bright golden-yellow hair.
Her eyes are blue. The tattoo of a snake stands out on her right cheek.
Are all Elves this beautiful…
At which point, perhaps noticing my gaze, she slows her horse down.
“What is it? N? You have a cat too…It’s cute.”
When Lanfa looks at Rollodinu I smile.
She muttered in a voice appropriate for a girl.
“N? Ah, this cat is Rollodinu.”
When I say that, Lanfa suddenly shakes her head and glares at me with unsparing eyes when she collects herself.
“…Really, strange human, the area of the human countries you are going to, aren’t those from 【 Osberia Kingdom 】on bag terms with cats and dogs? War has happened in the past too. There are skirmishes taking place there now. Ma, there haven’t been any battles that stand out in more than fifty years…”
“He, such a thing… I don’t really know much about this area.”
In response to what I said Lanfa raises her eyebrows in a look of surprise.
Hou, is a human like me unusual? Thinking about something like that, I look back patiently.
“…I may doubt what you say is true, before we continue east like this, I want you to make one promise.”
“What?”
“Not only this eastern territory but that you also never return to the Elven domain.”
Elves are very insular.
Though only the Elves in here are not known…
“I agree. I promise.”
Lanfa looks relieved by what I said and begins to smile.
“Good. Then the conversation is to here. It will already take a while before we reach the eastern border.”
“Got it.”
As expected, Lanfa is a forest Elf.
She seems to know her way through the forest. While the trees grow think, we run at full speed through one animal path after another,
I speed up and somehow manage to follow her. But, I almost crash into a branch growing out from a big trunk-
I bend my head down and am somehow able to avoid it.
“Fuu, that was close.
“Are you alright? There are only animal trails in this area. We’ll slow down.”
Lanfa seems to understand my condition and slows down her horse to wait.
“It’s hard, right? As expected when there are so many tree this densely packed it becomes difficult.”
“Really? However, your handling of the magic beast is good.”
Lanfa looks at popobumu.
“It’s because I’m ridden him plenty.”
“I see. It will be the ‘hill of the horned rabbit’ soon. After that is the eastern border to 【 Terramay Kingdom 】”
“The horned rabbit hill, are we already outside of elven territory?”
“Yes.”
As Lanfa continues her silly talk I begin to focus more on the reins in my hand as the hill begins to slope steeply downward.
After about three hours pass.
As the sun looks dazzling shining in the grove of tree, the forest- suddenly opens up.
The giants tree feels like the gate of the Elven forest; I’ll be stepping outside the territory of the Elves.
I can see the horizon through the tree line, and a small hill right in front of me.
This seems to be the place called “horned rabbit hill.”
Since it mentions horned rabbit so that mean a monster called horned rabbit appear?
“We are here.”
“Lanfa-san, thank you for guiding me.”
“Ah, un.”
It looks like the first tie Lanfa was thanked by a human.
She is blushing red and judging by her short reply she seems to be having trouble coming up with an answer.
But, ma, she shakes her head and returns to her serious expression and says “Leave, Human.” before quickly turning back to the forest.
“Are all Elves like this?”
A reply with the amiability from the Elf woman.
I get such a cold feeling.
There’s something I would still like to but, but ma, there is nothing to be done about it.
Pulling myself together, I look at the hill in front of me.
The view from here is good too.
I wouldn’t say I’m on a mountain top, I’ll aim for the hilltop.
I direct the popobumu to the top.
When I arrive on the hilltop, a panorama spreads out in front of me.
Gently rolling hills extend out.
I can see traces of a decaying fort.
The horizon continues to a forest of broadleaf trees.
The rippling grass and flowers sway back and forth in the wind like a living creature.
There is even a signpost directing from hill to hill.
When I look up at the sky sunlight leaks through the clouds. Beautiful flowers and green grass color the ground.
-It is magical.
I haven’t been there, but it looks like New Zealand.
Splendid scenery spreads out.
The natural sounds of the wind weaves through the air. The sound of the wind is beautiful poetry. (TL: 天籟てんらい)
All of the sounds and smells made by nature are shown on this abundant land.
The image couldn’t be capture in an image or photograph.
My body aches as the landscape sinks into my heart.
With that timing, I pull the reins and begins to go downhill.
I open the map on the back of the popobumu’s head while advancing slowly.
E〜to, I’m now to the east of Terramay kingdom. (TL: I’m confused, I thought she said they were in the eastern section of the Elven Kingdom, but somehow he’s now in the east of Terramay Kingdom?) If it is like this, then when I go east…I guess Terramay Kingdom is closest to here?
From here, I should see the Haym river if I go straight.
While I am looking at the map.
“Nya?”
Rollo makes a sound and poking her nose out from between my thighs she begins to look at the map.
Rollo stretches out one of her paws and presses her pads to a name on the map.
That is the place we should go now? I thought for a moment, but…
This time she begins to place both of her forefeet down at the same time.
Rollo plops her whole body down on top of the map.
“Nyaa”
She cries out in a small voice before calmly curling up on the map. She has occupied the map.
She is in the way, but it is kind of cute.
“O〜i, Rollo-kun. I can’t see the map?”
She slaps the map with her tail in response.
She is being cute, but there is no helping it.
“Does quality of the map paper feel good to touch? Ma, I want you to mind it. It seems like a really nice bed, but what happens when I put this map away?”
When I pull the map, Rollo moves her body, goes “N, Nya” and jumps onto my shoulder.
I put the map back in the saddle bag.
While smiling at the black cat Rollo who has returned to my shoulder, I move the reins and hasten the popobumu to hurry up. We come down from the gentle hill.
It may be called a hill, but grasses are growing here and there, and there are scattered trees growing here and there.
◇◇◇◇
After traveling for several hours, the sun sets and night falls.
Just at that time I discover a hollow under a rock shaped like a fist striking at the sky.
The ragged stone pillar standing in the middle throws a long shadow in the moonlight.
I will make camp here.
The popobumu also lowers its head and comes inside before folding up and settling down on the rocky floor.
“Is it okay?”
Hearing what I say it replies;
“Bubo”
It breathes out from its nostrils as a response.
While stroking the back of such a popobumu I takes down the back of the saddle, and remove the dried venison from the bags and feed the popobumu.
Rollo suddenly comes around the head of the popobumu, and raising her neck 『What do you do? 』turns her red eyes to the popobumu She seems interested in staring at the dust and hair on the popobumu as it eats its meat.
I am hungry too so I eat some jerk and hard bread.
There’s no wood for a fire so the only thing I can do for now is fill up with this. I tear off some of the jerky and hard bread before giving it to Rollo. After eating I take out a blanket from the back of the saddle and immediately sleep.
I remember the ancient golden coin Shisho gave me.
If I arrive at some town could I exchange it for some normal coins…They should be valuable.
◇◇◇◇
The next day, I am awoken by sounds of thunder. Thunder roars in the distance before the *biri* sound of lightning is mixed in too. (TL: I know thunder is the sound lightning makes, I considered changing it, but this is what the author wrote.) Dull reddish night illuminates the dark night.
Then a spirit child appears from the edge of the rocky hollow with the lightning.
…Dangling from the ceiling.
“Dee…boon…chii…”
I see one for the first time in a while. The spirit child, debonchitchi.
But, compared to the ones I saw before, this one’s face is a little different. Its singing voice is quiet too.
Matching the roaring thunder and lightning, one, two, they keep appearing until there are five of them.
They are only a few of them. When I saw them before although they didn’t overflow.
Ma, maybe this is normal? This location isn’t as abundant with nature as the one in the vast forest. There also might be monsters here.
To such spirit children, Rollo looks like she wants to play.
But, the spirit children slip around her smoothly, and float up to the ceiling to taunt her.
“Rollo, they’re just spirits? It’s useless. They seem to be good luck so top pawing at them.”
“Nyaa.”
Rollo’s ears lay down a little. She looks back at me with an 『Understand, nya 』face, and returns to the back of the popobumu’s head.
While chewing jerky I look outside.
The morning sun hasn’t risen yet. The rain has decreased a little. Little by little, does it look the rain is letting up?
Good. The rain seems to stop.
The rain water flows into ditch…
There are some puddles at the bottom.
A face appears from the rock of the hollow and I wait for the rain to stop for a while…I understand when the morning sun climbs from the other side of the hill.
Then, the time is just right. The rain stops and the weather begins clearing up.
“Ooh…”
Suddenly my natural voice leaks out.
A rainbow appears over the hill.
A rainbow makes a bridge straddling two hills, I feel like crossing it.
It is a beautiful rainbow…
A few of the spirit children celebrate the appearance of the rain by dancing at the edge of the rock.
After being released from the gloomy shadow of the rain I feel better.
I depart while staring at the rainbow.
As I advance the undulations of the hills become smaller. But, it seemed to take a few days before I arrived at the river.
As I advance quietly, I hear a high-pitched voice.
The voice is coming from up in the sky?
While looking up at the dazzling sunlight I shield my eyes with my palm.
Several hundred birds are flying.
Hoaa, that is a lot. Nn? Don’t those look like cranes? Are they heading for the mountain range?
N? There is a bird similar to a hawk too.
“Na!? It’s huge!”
The great bird spreads its wings a little more than three meters across.
It resembles a goshawk and a golden eagle. Is it a raptor?
N? It seems to be extending the sharp talons on its feet.
-Uo, it is making a nose dive for me!
Hurrying, I take the spear out from the back of the saddle and have popobumu run.
The legs of the Steller’s eagle are descending on me and flapping its wings, its eight sharply hooked talons set on the ground.
The flank of the Steller’s eagle is abnormally swollen.
I thought it was an eagle, but is it different?
The wings resemble an eagle but its bear is incredibly sharp and abnormally big from the body to the neck.
As for its color a portion of its chest in unusually red. On that part only blood vessels and muscles are swelling.
There’s a lump of flesh to the left and right, and there’s a lot of small red muscles intertwined grossly stuck the it.
Such a fake Steller’s eagle rises again. It is circling in the sky.
Somehow or other, after making a circuit, it again comes boring down.
Rollo’s black hair is ruffled as she looks up at the sky following the movements of the Steller’s eagle, and hisses “Shaaaa” in a threatening voice.
Then, the fake Steller’s eagle swoops down not with its talons but with its beak in a nose dive.
I will meet its attack.
While riding on the popobumu I study the Steller’s eagle and prepare my black spear.
I stand up straight, and jump into the sky so we’ll meet.
I swing up with the black spear from below and flash in a vertical line-
After having its wing cut the false Steller’s eagle loses its balance and crashes head first into the ground.
Because I jumped from the popobumu my aim was a little off but I managed to cut off one of its wings in two.
I land on the ground while feeling good about my ability.
Good, I am approaching the goshawk I cut.
Blood gushes out from where the false goshawk was cut, and the body is twitching in convulsions.
Let’s dismantle this fellow. I take out a knife and thrust out.
-Dead.
A, I thought the lump of flesh on the false Steller’s eagle was a lump of flesh but it is different.
Let alone a lump of flesh, it is actually a big aggregate of red and pink eyeballs.
This is disgusting, does it become nourishment…
When I remove it I must keep it. Will it be good if I cook it? (TL: Why does that idea even come to mind. That sounds like a TERRIBLE idea.)
I suck some of the blood before draining its blood and dismantle the meat. (TL: Maybe he meant eating the rest of the bird.)
I tie up both talons with strings and soak them in ice with <life magic> before storing them in a bag. I pile up ice in the bag just to be safe.
Dinner tonight is Goetz. (TL: I don’t know.)
I can still see some false Steller’s eagles in the sky but they don’t come to attack me.
There’s a magical essence sign here-
It is quite small but there are multiple reactions in the area.
When I look the reason for the magic essence sign is a herd of rabbits.
The false Steller’s eagles seem to be aiming at them.
Rabbits… I remember the old black rabbits I used to eat when I lived underground. Several such horned rabbit notice me and attack one after another.
Are the rabbits in this world actually really cruel?
Its body length is bigger than a normal rabbit.
While having such a though I immediately react-
I thrust at a rabbit with the black tanza spear.
The rabbit lowers its head with its horn facing forward, but the black spear point skewers its body through the head. Shaking the rabbit stuck on my spear away, the rabbit is flung into the distance. Having shaken it off I rotate the black spear once- I use the butt end of the spear to deal with the nearby rabbit.
After connecting with its body rabbit immediately collapses to the ground.
Swinging the spear around to attack, all the rabbits around me stop moving.
Taking the chance, I use <Magic Though Guidance Hand>
I hold the Kukri sword in the air with <distorted mana hand> in order to protect popobumu.
After having fallen Rollo is sitting on the popobumu’s shoulder opposite from all the rabbits.
I enter the fight with the horned rabbits in earnest.
More than ten horned rabbits are in the area.
Saa, I will annihilate them.
I make the black spear revolve like a folding fan.
Once I cut down he rabbits surrounding me I drive them away. I spear the rabbits with the black spear multiple times as I continue advancing without rest.
Seeming to become excited halfway through the black cat jumps down from my shoulder to enjoy the hunting, I let some of the rabbits go on purpose and she runs after them and bites down on their necks to kill them. Like this I continue fighting the black rabbits until one last horned rabbit remains.
I’ll kill this fellow with a skill. -<Thrust>!
The black blade spirals toward the head of the charging horned rabbit. When the horn and black blade meet the back bone of the horned rabbit breaks at the skull and holds back. Meat and bones are all crushed.
The rabbit becomes minced meat strewn over the area.
I check the surroundings. There don’t seem to be anymore rabbit presences.
A weasel-like figure shows up in the distance but it does not approach after seeing fight between the rabbits and me and runs off. Do even rabbits have territorial disputes?
From that horned rabbit. Because they look nice could I sell them?
For now, I’ll harvest a little?
I choose a clean horn from one of the rabbit corpses rolling around and borrow it. When I tap the horn it makes a metallic *konkon* sound.
I also don’t forget to take the opportunity to suck some blood.
The soul can’t be absorbed once it dies, so the bodies are left behind. Rollo is also tasting the rabbits’ blood to get a taste of their meat.
Should I also keep this meat?
I begin dismantling the rabbit meat. I cut the meat into pieces and tie it together with a leather cord.
The gathered rabbit meat could be frozen like the hawk eat. I finish harvesting put everything away in the saddle bag and after stroking the popobumu’s head I climb into the saddle.
I begin to advance along the hill.
Oh, a grassy plain…
After I climb the hill I am able to check the surroundings and confirm that the scene to the left was different.
The hills full of undulating hills changes into a plain full of green, the change is too sudden.
Should I see the Haym river soon?
I see a herd that looks like wild horse in the distance.
I watch the wild horses moving around while I climb onto the popobumu and advance forwards.
Over the next day and a half, the scenery changes as I gradually advance.
I can see a big river, the Haym river.
Is it the Haym river? I check on the map.
Many branches gather from the Maheim mountain range and from one big river, the Haym river.
The Haym River is big great rive to the south of Maheim and when it is mixed with a tributary is stretches all the way across the Maheim continent.
The Haym river really leads to the sea.
Seen from where I am, if I follow the Haym river south I will appear in a delta of three countries.
I urged the popobumu forward while constantly consulting the map.
The delta is to the south, the north east is 【 Terramay Kingdom 】 and to the south east is 【 Samaria Kingdom 】. Haym river leads to the Roderia sea beyond the continent.
The Haym river also leads west of the delta toward the Elven domain and 【Osberia Kingdom】 as well as 【 Fort Town Hector 】 and to the southwest is 【 Labyrinth City Pernette 】. If I go south down the Haym river, I’ll come to 【Royal Capital Gurmuheim 】of 【 Osberia Kingdom 】and eventually Haym sea…
Where I am, is about here…I tap on an area of the map. My finger is pointing to the east of the Elven domain.
If I follow the river south, I’ll come to the Royal Capitol 【Fadyke】 of Terramay Kingdom.
Looking at the map, I advance alongside the river.
Chapter 22: He that Fights and Runs May Live to Fight Another Day
Weeds and flowers growing along the river side a buried underfoot.
The popobumu’s heavy footsteps firmly step on the flowering plants making a footprint.
The wind and weather is good.
A refreshing wind is wrapping around us.
Approaching a small hill near the river, the view spreads out more.
A branch of the Haym river.
I am able to confirm to confirm the area around and see stones of various scattered around and covered in moss that have gathered together to form the steam.
-N?
As I enjoy the scenery I detect a magic essence.
There are multiple magic essence signs…and they are coming from the river.
Because I detected magic essence coming I back away from the Haym river cautiously;
Coming down from her favorite place on the back of the popobumu’s head Rollo changes into her panther form to be safe.
It feels like they’re jump out at any time.
I can hear bubbling sounds coming from the river.
The sound becomes larger.
Cautiously, the source of the sound appears.
It is a large crab.
With bubbles foaming out of its mouth it rises out of the river.
The source of the bubbling must be this…
At the ends of five pairs of crab legs are twin pincers.
It looks like it will hurt if I get hit by that.
Before long, one of the bubbles floats towards me.
Immediately it attacks. Because I move while getting on popobumu, the attack natural does not succeed.
There’s an evaporating sound in the place where the bubble lands.
A rotten sulfur smell drifts up.
Poison type? I don’t want to receive that bubble…
Only one of the big crabs is releasing bubbles and is approaching from the side.
A bit more…coming closer.
“Rollo, separate that crab from the river a little.”
Rollo remains silent and wags her tail to say “Got it.”
I watch the condition of the big crab as it walks away from the river.
Then Rollo attacks it stomach with her feeler bone sword.
When her attack lands there is a *busu* sound like soft leather being punctured.
From the hole a bit of fibrous white crab meat protrudes.
The big crab desperately resists as it tries to repel Rollo’s bone sword with its pincers but the bone sword penetrates its body multiple times.
The grab seems to be becoming angry, and furthermore, it is being drawn toward Rollo.
Haha, stupid crab.
I get down from the popobumu with a smile and move to flank the big crab.
I thrust out the black spear from the side while the big crab is being distracted by Rollo.
From a normal stab-<Thrust>.
It received my attack, but there is little response. I felt soft to the touch.
Going by the sensation I was able to stab the big crab’s body twice, but it is still able to move.
With bubbles gushing out of it mouth it twists around with its pincer hands.
Without bother to aim it tries swinging at me from the left and right, but because I am already outside of the range of the huge claws its attack fails.
Again Rollo’s feeler bone sword pierces the body of the giant crab.
The bubbling from is directed in Rollo’s direction but she simply jumps out of the way and they are only harmlessly scattered about.
The big crab tries to move sideways so that it chase Rollo with rustling motions.
This crab is tough; it is a good thing it is stupid.
Again, it is being drawn in by Rollo.
Now, should I aim for the mouth? I hold up my left hand. I eject <Chain>.
The chain cuts straight through the air. Through the bubbling mouth of the big crab it penetrates out the back of the crab’s shell.
The grab twitches and falls back.
I run there fiercely.
I jump a little – and swing down the spear length-wise.
All of the pincer are severed and a huge part of the head is cut into. A yellow past like fermented soybeans hangs down from the section.
Ooh, isn’t like miso mixed with crab meat.
The claws are filled with white flesh.
It looks tasty.
But, as I saw the poison spurting out I will leave it be…
While thinking about the poison Roll howls with a “Garururu.”
She reveals the shining fangs in her mouth suddenly begins to tear into the leathery stomach of the giant crab.
Thus she begins to energetically consume the white crab meat.
“…O〜i, is it tasty, Rollo?”
Hearing me Rollo turns around to face me in the form of a kittens and goes “Nya, nyaa.”
“Well then, I too…”
Taking one of the giant claws in my hand I pull out some of the white meat from where I cut it. It’s not animal meat, exposing my teeth I take a bite.
Mumbling I chew and taste it. This white meat is yummyyyyy. It is crab meat. Okkasan, this is white meat is crab. (TL: Don’t know why he says mom here.”
The tension goes up and even though it is strange this is proper soft crab sashimi. (TL: Sashimi means the meat, normally for sushi type dishes, is thinly slice. It has more to do with the presentation, I think, so this doesn’t make sense to me.)
It hasn’t been boiled, but honestly…it is really good… and there is a slight saltiness.
But because there is so much I won’t be able to finish it.
Chewing on the soft crisp meat, it is really tasty.
“It’s good, but I want soy sauce…I really wish I had soy sauce…but I’ll have to bear with it.”
Holding onto the crab claw with both hand I am sure to eat all of its slim contents.
Rollo seems to be eating the yellowish gunk and her lips have turned yellow.
Because there is so much white meat I am full in no time.
It seems to be the same for Rollo, she stopped eating and is now repeating the action of washing her face.
“Will you eat this, popobumu? Will you eat some of the white meat?”
I return to the popobumu with some of the game and try to press some of the white meat against its mouth.
Then, with a big snort it stretches out its head and takes a big bite.
*Mogumogu* it eats all of the meat and its small green eyes look bright and pleased.
We who have finished eat the big crab we caught hang around for a little while like this before we begin to head south again.
We travel across the grassland and hills while keeping the Haym river in sight.
After eating the crab meat, the popobumu seems to have become spirited. I can hear it going “bubobubo”
The scenery changes from grass-covered plains to dirt fields.
I can see a “person” plowing the field, and some sparsely dotted houses are visible.
The first human being- A human. (TL: It only took about two years.)
They look like a farmer.
There are a few wooden hills too.
And old man seems to be keeping watch from there and is sitting down with a book as he looks over the scenery.
Do they work on days with fine weather and read on days with rainy weather?
This area seems like a quiet farm village.
I see children playing with wooden sticks to the side. A cow that looks like a lunga is pulling a millstone to grind flower.
There do not seem to be any monsters or bandits in the area.
After I pass the quiet farming village I appear on wide road with ruts from carriage wheels.
The dirt here is appropriate for a highway. As I travel down the highway on popobumu, I pass people and carts transporting farm products.
In the carriages I can see humans, elves, and beast people riding.
The coachman in this case is a human and the other two are a “tiger beastman” with tiger ears and a long eared elf, there is a lot of variety. I prompt the popobumu to hurry up.
I get a strong impression from the face of the tiger beastman.
He has long whiskers like a tiger and tawny hair that looks really bushy.
The human is wearing short sleeves and a hat, and to be honest, because he is driving the cart to scene is a bit odd.
With the head of a leopard or tiger, well I am reminded of a famous protagonist from a long novel.
I continue to travel down the highway as I watch people come and go.
I am able to increase the speed of the popobumu thanks to where the road goes.
The road follows alongside the Haym rive so it is just right
When I cross over a hill, the river spreads out and becomes shallow enough the cross.
When I cross the shallows I can see a part of a big town.
And as the clouds clear up and I can see a high tower come into view.
Amazing, such a tall tower.
With my hand up to shade my eyes from the bright sunlight I take a look at the tall tower. The tall tower seems to reach the heavens.
Is it one of the dungeons? Possibly a space elevator? It looks like the Tower of Babel, but…It is extremely tall.
Possibly, is it higher than the Maheim mountain range?
My eyes look over the tower and I remember, I cannot seem to find a castle wall.
Maybe it is not visible from here.
On the map this is marked down as the 【 Royal Capitol Fadyke】 of Terramay Kingdom.
When one reaches the tower are they at the center of the capitol? The number of buildings increases the closer one gets to it, and I can see pedestrian traffic is able to come and go freely.
As I look up at the tower I push the popobumu forward, when suddenly, I hear a hard metallic sound nearby. I hear a rough male voice.
There seems to be a fight somewhere.
I get a reaction from presence detection too.
However, because there is a lot of magic essence appropriate for people in the area it is hard to distinguish.
When I activate <Smell Secretion Technique Pheromone Touch>…I am over whelmed by the smell of blood.
It seems like this area could be dangerous.
A human with a drawn sword and a beast person with a bloody axe are walking.
The body of the beast person is quite large.
His whole body is covered in hairy armor.
I remember a character from a famous sci-fi movie.
As I pass by while observing their figures, sure enough, I can hear the voice a woman being attacked.
Should I help?
I hurry and make the popobumu face the direction of the sound.
However, everyone is gone, so it seems the victim was take somewhere.
I do not pursue too far. I just advance.
And in the evening, the traffic dwindles down to very little.
It is already night. I look for an inn…but there doesn’t seem to be one.
I walked around, but there doesn’t seem to be anything like an inn. Only private houses and abandoned buildings everywhere…
Trying to find one is hopeless.
There are traces of the ruins of a large estate. Crossing the threshold, I’m coming in.
The grounds of the ruins have a lot of weeds and trees growing in the back.
It was adjacent and connected to the highway.
I hide the popobumu under a tree and stop here.
I give it some feed. After feeding some jerky to the popobumu I pat the rough skin of its neck.
Then, I explore the mansion a little.
I go into the ruins with the black cat Rollo.
-There is no one.
Since there is no one here I contemplate staying the night here.
After exploring the mansion and finding an open space between some pillar I decide to make my bed there.
I spend the night calmly, leaning against a pillar and chewing jerk. (TL: He’s so cool.)
At midnight while I a sleeping lightly-there’s a reaction on presence detection, I detect more than one magic essence signature as well as footsteps.
“Rollo, shhh…”
I place a finger to my lips and gesture for Rollo to be quiet.
I check with my <Pheromone Touch> skill.
Multiple humans are approaching.
Rising quietly, I watch from the shadows.
Roll jumps to my shoulder. Listening to my instructions she waits quietly.
The members entering the mansion are hooded robes so I cannot see their faces.
Some round sources of light illuminate the mansion along with the people.
Is that light magic?
The people cloaked in hoods look around the room.
Fortunately, they don’t come to where I am hiding.
Those who have finished patrolling gather in the hall.
“This is the home of a noble family who lost their position. It will be all right.”
A man speaks with a voice that carries the feel of an apprentice and pulls back his hood.
The face is middle-aged. White hairs are growing from the side of his head, the man is clear cut and his eyes are sunk into his cheeks.
He is wearing hide armor that is slightly stained around the neck.
Then everyone follows the man’s lead and remove their cowls. They all look like soldiers wearing steel helmets.
The young soldier opens his mouth.
“Captain, may I invite those people here?”
“Ah, make it so. …Please mind that you are courteous?”
The leader with the chiseled features reminds the subordinate soldier to pay special attention.
Courteous? Are there big shots here, too?
“Yes.”
The young soldier nods and disappears into the darkness outside of the mansion.
After a moment I can see the soldier is guiding a group of people inside. Everyone is wearing a hood like those who entered earlier were.
However, judging from their attitudes and appearances they are clearly different from the helmet wearing soldiers.
They are delivering orders in a distinguished manner.
The soldiers respond to their orders and search the hall for a table and chairs before returning and setting them up.
When a desk is set up, one of the bossy people removes their hood, exposing their face.
The person has blond hair and blue fox eyes. A man with handsome features.
Tall and good looking.
His clothes look expensive, the fridge of his mantle is embroidered with gold thread. (TL: The RAWs say he is wearing a タブレット which translates to tablet, and the closest thing I can think of that makes sense is some kind of mantle.)
A fur cape is wrapped around his shoulders, and a black scarf substituting a tie is wrapped around his neck.
Something shiny is also attacked to his chest.
When I look closer at the shining object I can make out a golden hand-shaped broach.
A high-class accessary.
After the blond-haired ikemen sits down on the stool his subordinates prepared he taps his finger several times on the table.
And, raising his blue fox-eyes he begins to glare at the captain for before.
“Oi, Jared! Isn’t this different from what you said before?”
The blond-haired ikemen calls the captain Jared. (TL: His names in the raws is Garudo which sounds like Guard. I thought it was kind of funny.)
The middle-aged captain of the mercenaries wearing brown hide-armor seems to be named Jared.
Jared lowers his head in apology.
“Hai. I am sorry. There are circumstances…this was an order his Excellency’s ‘royalist faction’ to move, I had to act quickly after receiving the communication. From his Excellency… be extremely cautious, once here ‘all of you,’ stand by until you receive an order.”
Hearing this the ikemen is completely enraged.
“What? Do you understand the circumstances! Expressly, although the court came from Samaria… there is no banquet, we meet in these ruins… Am I not one of Marquises of Samaria? Who does Prime Minister Zamdo think he is?”
Not only is that ikemen a noble, he’s a marquis?
He is definitely a big shot. That explains why there are so many soldiers.
Thereupon, a suitably showy person takes down their hood and sits on another stool.
Long, swaying pure blonde hair. Judging from that appearance, a woman?
“Shall we hear the circumstances? You are suspicious.”
“Chardonnay. You say something. We, the secret bureau of the royalist faction, have already understood everything if that is the case…”
“Maa, ne. This is natural. So, is there any reason for us to be here? Prime Minister Zamdo is an insecure good for nothing. The subordinates of such a person…”
Prime Minister Zamdo?
The eyes of the noble woman called Chardonnay stares at Jared like he is garbage.
“Fu, surely, surely all of these guys can be used including for work so.”
The blond-haired ikemen talks with warped cheeks.
Jared’s complexion worsens as he is he being blamed by the two nobles.
“Hewso, do you really need to torment him so much? You might not think so, but he is a subordinate of Terramay Kingdom’s Prime Minister Zamdo.”
The Marquis’ name seems to be Hewso.
And then, the Prime Minister…
“That’s right. We are certainly in a different country, and then, although the armistice treaty has been signed, originally we are enemy nations.”
“Correct. We are here together because the relationship between the two countries is different now, will we be sharing each other’s fate?”
“Chardonnay, you are saying something like that…”
“Ara… are you surprised? Have I not invested considerable sums of money in this?”
Jared interrupts the middle-aged noble there.
“I apologize. Hewso-sama and Chardonnay-sama. The matter of this conversation…”
Hearing this the blond middle-aged ikemen, Hewso, opens his mouth and looks at him with eyes filled with fox eyes filled with unresolved anger.
“What is it?”
“Hai… His Excellency was concerned that information concerning Princess Narskeri-sama was leaked from the loyalist faction. He is concerned.”
Jared’s voice is somewhat tense.
“Prime Minister Zamdo is still worried about that matter? There hasn’t been any blundering of the details out of impatience? Even if the secret bureau has a leak the truth about the kidnapping will never come out because of all the gold…” (TL: I’m not confident in that last sentence.)
Wait, what? Princess? Kidnapping? Secret Bureau? Royalist Faction?
Did a lot of these words suddenly come out?
“The surrounding masked group… kidnappers, assassins, aren’t these back room dealings your business? Isn’t ‘Nebulous’ called the 【Shadow’s Right Hand】? No doubt they are all excellent people.”
Chardonnay says so and turns her eyes to Hewso.
She makes a bewitching smile while she plays with her blond hair.
The way this woman talks, for some reason I find it discomforting.
While unpleasant, the woman called Chardonnay is a beautiful woman.
Beautiful long blond hair and porcelain skin.
She has a well-defined nose cool blue eyes, a beauty that feels like high class furniture.
The clothes she is wearing serve to emphasize on her beauty.
From the opening of the coat the collar of her black dress has pink flower embroidery, the low-cut neck line is decorated with flowers to hide her exposed chest.
Surely the clothes she is wearing is not below a precious stone. Her legs’ figure is exposed by the pants is wearing.
From her clothes give the impression of a bell rose.
She has the impression of an overbearing woman.
“That’s right. After Chardonnay, isn’t the person standing behind the same kind?”
“Ara, isn’t something like this natural. Do you think I would come to the ruins of this mansion with nothing but small fry soldiers?”
“Certainly.”
Jared then opens his mouth.
“Hewso-sama. Chardonnay-sama. Soon there should be contact from his Highness Zamdo… we will hear the details about the preparations for the surprise apology at tomorrow’s banquet. (TL: Surprise is in English.)
When the noble woman Chardonnay hears that she makes a satisfied smile.
“…Naturally. As expected. But, Prime Minister Zamdo is bad too. This is the princess of your country?”
Kidnapping a princess?
I should run away… (TL: This be some bad juju.)
I activate <Hidden Body> and retreat one step, two steps.
And then-
‘-Someone is there!”
Even though I am using hidden body I was discovered
The person who spoke appears out of the darkness from behind Hewso.
They are wearing a black coat and a white mask. White mask-san turns their blood lust in my direction.
“Oi oi, is there an outsider? No one should be here?”
Blond-haired Hewso-kun is furious. He glares at Jared with a flushed face.
“Hai. Naturally…is it true?”
“Yeah. Zeefu reacted.”
“Ara, ma. This conversation… does that mean the plan has been leaked?”
White mask seems to be called Zeefu, and the mask is turned in my direction.
“Come out from that corner.”
Acha, I was seen through.
Does the white mask named Zeefu have a skill similar to pheromone touch and presence detection?
No, because I was not noticed right away it must be a different kind of perception
There are multiple magic essence reactions from presence detection around me.
Is this midnight snack part open to everyone?
However, this situation does not really seem appropriate for a joke.
I am at an overwhelming disadvantage in numbers.
I need to be prepared to escape, although I was planning on leaving…I reveal myself.
Hewso looks at my suddenly exposed figure with his slitted fox eye.
“Where are you from. Are you actually from the royalist faction?”
He asks me calmly.
“Eto, I’m just a vagabond.”
I do not intend to try and deceive them.
“How long have you been there?”
“From the beginning.”
“Since this is just garbage there’s no reason to keep it alive? Hewso?”
The noble woman, Chardonnay.
Her pale-complexioned beautiful face, a cool feeling spreads from my stomach as she takes a cold attitude.
She just called me garbage.
She called me garbage while looking down on me.
…Sickening.
“Understood. Zeefu, Apo, Yui. Kill him.”
“Ha.”
“Understood.”
“Immediately.”
Two shadows appear from the darkness and reply.
The two newcomers are dressed like Zeefu with black overcoats and white masks.
Two new people. The two white masked individuals, without making a sound come to a stop next to Zeefu.
Three people in total. And then, captain Jared whistles.
With that signal, the helmeted soldiers pull out their swords, and become a wall to protect the nobles.
Several of the soldiers are slowly approaching me.
I check with magic observing eye.
The helmeted soldiers are out of the question. There is also no sign of moji.
The problem is the three white masks dressed in black. All of them are concentrating mana in their hands and feet.
All three must be moji users.
However, their proficiency is clearly lacking.
The transfer of mana in their body is too slow.
N, there is one person who is awfully smooth.
To be frank, since I don’t want to fight…should I try talking?
“Wait just a second. Arbitrarily killing me like that, I’m unrelated. After this, regardless of what happens…”
“You know more than you need to.”
Hewso says so while looking at me with cold eyes.
After giving me that chilling look, he signals Zeefu and Apo to kill me with a look.
Chi, it cannot be helped.
It looks like there is going to be a fight, holding the black spear I make eye contact with Rollo.
In that instant, Rollo transform into her larger body and throws herself at two soldiers.
At the same time, the white mask that discovered me earlier steps forward.
Zeefu kicks the ground with fighting moji enhanced legs and comes at me.
-Quick movement.
Holding a long sword in their right hand.
Aiming for my chest, the black mask called Apo runs at me too.
Similarly, they seem to be using a sword.
The black mask is aiming for my neck.
In those few seconds, I respond. (TL: I would like some help translating this phrase “俺はゼロコンマ何秒で” this is the second time it has come up and I’m not sure how to translate it to English. If anyone has any idea, please leave a comment.)
I move the black spear in a figure eight and dodge the two slashing swords.
Both of the longswords miss.
I attack while their guard is down.
I point the tip of my black spear at the white mask first.
Zeefu can’t react to my counter attack with the spear.
They can only slightly shift my body.
Naturally, that is not enough to prevent my attack.
My spear counterthrusts like a drill deep into the pit the white masked Zeefu’s stomach, the sound of metal being torn. Blood gushes out from the cut in the cloak.
Zeefu groans “Gwo” and retreats back in agony.
Immediately, the black mask named Apo attacks again.
I remember Shisho’s words “When the spear is sealed an opening appears.”
Green eyes behind the black mask are visible shifting for a moment. Apo swings down their long sword and tip slashes across my right shoulder.
I move to give up-
I move in a circle with “tiptoe half-turn” and retreat half a step.
And lifting my elbow I lift the back half of the spear.
The long sword meets the butt end from above at an angle.
Then, with a *clang, * the sound of breaking metal.
The broken end of the sword flies of in the direction of the nobles, and pierces a soldier forming the wall.
-Hii, he screams faintly.
Fu, success. Alright, I broke the long sword.
This looks easy, but it was hard.
I had to make the butt end of the black spear collide with the middle of the sword along the edge with perfect timing. This is a technique Shisho taught me, “Sword Break.”
I immediately counterattack.
Disturbed by the destruction of their beloved sword, Apo cannot match my speed.
Circling in from a right angle, I come in with a battle cry.
It attacks straight as knife.
I enhance my legs with fighting moji and kick Apo in the pit of their stomach. The kick sinks into Apo’s stomach- a dull creaking is audible.
“Gwe.”
The black mask, Apo, cries out in pain and begins to lean forward like they are going to fall.
I pull the cloak wearing black mask falling toward me and hurl them to the ground in a back throw.
But I do not end it with that.
Looking down at the black masked Apo-
Right before Apo’s skull smacks the ground I swing up the metal rod of the black spear and kick.
The thrust out black spear cracks into Apo’s face.
The metal rod smashes their skull together with the black mask.
Apo’s grey matter splashes out.
After all, this is “Lightning Drop.”
This is one of the abstract <Spear Sparring> techniques, however I don’t remember most of their names. As for the fight with Shisho, most of them were used for actual fighting.
Oh, Rollo has finished biting the necks of the small fry soldier, the fight seems to be over.
But, there is another one…the guy with the black mask.
I can see mana gathering in their feet.
This one is the shortest, and their atmosphere seems strong than the other two.
Seeing how their other white masked companion was easily taken care of, being cautious and moving slowly, they pull two unique swords from their sheaths.
The sword blades are crossed in front of the mask.
A faintly shining white character emerges the sword blades.
Those words, they look like protection magic.
The two of them have mana.
Cool.
In addition, those swords look something like a trench knife and a scull crushed for attacking with fists. (TL: You can see them on the cover art.)
Part of the sword blade extends away from the main blade and is designed in a circular pattern.
While looking at the unique swords, after swinging the black spear to remove the blood, I assume my posture with my spear directed at the eyes.
The white mask moves first.
This guy takes advantage of their small stature and leaning comes running fast with their swords swept out horizontally to the sides.
I quickly keep the back spear pointed at their eyes- I block their attack.
The black tanza spear collides with the unique swords.
With a high-pitched *kiwi* the swords are repelled, and I respond with a stab with the black spear at the same time.
But, it is easily avoided-
The guy leans their head slightly and dodges my black spear.
Without change they move their body forward and extend out their left hand, and the silver sword stabs at my neck.
-Crap, I was careless.
One stab, two stabs, aimed at my body, at move to the left and right, avoiding the slashing swords.
As if white mask never missed they swing at my torso with the sword in their right hand, slashing down again-
This fellow is really strong.
With the continuous fight of the white mask it becomes a defensive fight for me.
Dodge. Avoid. Shift. Continue dodging attacks.
Ma, this is on purpose. This sword is beautiful.
I do not need to use my trump.
I watch it slowly and carefully, and when there is an opening in the sword I counterattack.
As the sword slashes at my black spear I easily rotate it. I wait for the attack with the two swords where the guy over swings slightly.
In one strike to the eyes, without receiving the black spear, they barely dodge it. The movement pays out though as the white mask slips to the left a bit.
Swinging with the two sword, aiming with that timing.
-Here it comes!
I am aware of my grip on the black spear like holding a willow branch.
Gently, I receive the sword slash- and repel it. In an instant, the sword that collided with the metal bar is knocked away.
Without using <Fighting Moji> taking the opening in that moment, I kick down to the right of my opponent and hit my enemy’s foot.
“Eh-”
The white mask falls off. Once again, I take once of the guy about to fall and thrown them backwards.
Like this, the nobles who were watching pleasantly suddenly stare wide-eyed.
Hewso looks at me in surprises and mutters.
“T-the three strongest of Nebulous, our 【Shadow’s Right Hand】 defeated so easily-”
“…I’m surprised. I want him as my subordinate-”
Is her, Chardonnay?
The noble woman says such a thing and blushes with a far off look in her eyes…
“Hewso-sama! Chardonnay-sama! Let us retreat now. I-”
The tattooed captain Jared, is it because of me? But, this guy must think it won’t be much different after seeing the soldiers killed by the black cat Rollo…
“Jared. It is impossible for you.”
Hewso talks. Seeing his subordinate defeated so easily, he seems to understand my ability.
“Th…This responsibility, is mine!”
“Jared, I said…did you, no, did Prime Minister Zamdo arrange this?”
Hewso glares at Jared.
Jared hurriedly shakes his head left and right and looks at Hewso.
“It’ different, completely different! I know nothing about it. It’s true. However, this fellow, they may be a talent who has been nurtures by the secret bureau and royalist faction…”
“Jared- you are an incompetent good-for-nothing. Yet, thanks to that I can tell that you are not an enemy…”
A white haired old man draped in a white mantle with a large sword strapped to his back appears. The old soldier with the big sword bows slightly to Chardonnay, and approaches her.
“Ojou, no, you Highness…”
The old man whispers to Chardonnay and talks in a low voice.
“So. Un. Ahuh. I understand. Right away, let’s retreat…Hewso. I am disappointed we couldn’t have our talk here; it will have to wait for another time…well then. Keeki, Same. Let us return.”
A beast woman quickly appears to follow Chardonnay, and lining up next to the old soldier, touches one knee to the ground.
“Ha.” “I obey.”
The beast woman and the old solder both lower their heads to Chardonnay and respond.
“Chardonnay!”
Are you breaking you promise with Hewso! Yelling as if to say that.
Besides, are there subordinates that seem to be strong. But they seem to have run away.
Good. As for me, I will escape.
“Then, I’ll escape to, so be relieved. I have to intentions to reveal anything. There was no meaning to my being here, best regards. Let’s go Rollo. Well, bye.”
Speaking in an easy-going tone, I bow goodbye.
Hewso and Jared glare at me, but the smartest thing to do in a tight situation is to beat a retreat.
“Hey, you!”
Strengthening my legs with fighting moji I quickly come to Rollo’s side and pick her up, and run away to where the popobumu is waiting.
Chapter 23: The Smell of a Woman
I do not want to get involved with that group of people.
I sit astride the popobumu, lightly clap my foot on its side and leave. I run to the highway from the back yard.
I return to where I came from and cross the shallows of the Haym River.
To get even a little distance between me and the outskirts of Fadyke, I run through the darkness.
I pass a few villages.
The morning sun eventually rises and my surrounding become bright.
Finally, I let the popobumu rest.
Which reminds me, I just killed someone for the first time earlier.
But, I feel nothing.
N? There is a magic essence reaction. I hear the sound of a horse as well.
-Is it a pursuer?
When I look back, after all it is the guy with the white mask.
That fellow, they seem to be running after me without learning their lesson.
Do they have a grudge from losing?
Persistent.
From now on, should I let the pursuer know what kind of existence I am?
Quickly, I grab the black spear from the popobumu with my right hand, and jump- when I fall to the ground I turn my spear around and assume my stance.
I will wait for the pursuer here.
“Rollo, watch for a little.”
“Nya.”
Rollo the black cat cries in a light voice to say 『Understood』, and assumes a posture with both her back feet together on the back of the popobumu’s head.
After nodding slightly Rollo moves her crimson eyes and watches the pursuing party.
The white masked rider is standing on the back of the horse and holding a sword in both hands
She can stand and do that?
-Jump?
White Mask jumps while twisting her body, borrowing the momentum of the horse.
Her body spins like a piece. Her twin swords spin out, borrowing the centrifugal force of her spinning.
A perfect ten-point score! Her physical orbit wants to say, and I move to ward off the slash which approaches me.
The rider less horse runs past my side.
I lift my black spear diagonally and receive the spinning blades. Sword and spear collide, and a harsh *kiin* sounds rings out many times, I handle the black spear in a circle and parry away the spinning blades.
Landing after White Mask’s spinning attack was prevented, advancing while slashing with a sword, they swing their two swords consecutively.
Watching without receiving the attack, I retreat and avoid the blades.
I also thought of it last night, these swords are extremely well forged.
The reinforcement of the mana used as fighting moji is smooth, a special weapon that seems strong and releases mana.
It must be a special metal.
However, it stops here.
I bend down to avoid an attack and kick out with a fighting moji enhanced leg.
I kick the ground to retreat back and take a distance from them.
Once again, I stare at the white mask.
I stare at the eyes that are slightly visible behind the mask.
At that moment, I smile-
I will go on the offensive for a while.
Head, neck, chest, thigh, knee, I attack with the butt end of the spear, aiming for the vitals.
For dozens of seconds, I continue wielding the black spear at high speed ever-changing up down left and right.
White Mask beds down to utilize their small physique, and turning the swords in their hands to repel, quickly avoid my lunges, about half are able to be avoided, a disheveled voice going “ku” and “ha” reaches my ears.
They begin breathing with their shoulders. Is anaerobic exercise hard?
I don’t use my spear martial arts in this high-speed battle.
The rhythm visibly worsens.
And, a gap is created.
I cannot over this slight pause.
-I aim at the right arm.
I shift to the attack and weave “the skill” and feint a stab to middle as I attack to the left and right.
I half step counter-clockwise on my toes.
I suddenly change the trajectory of the black spear, and hit the opponent’s right upper arm with the butt of my spear.
The arm breaks and bends in as a dull sound echoes.
“Ia.”
The White Mask lets out a strangled cry in pain and drops the sword is their hand.
However, white mask continues to advance as if they were never injured.
Cutting the distance between us, they slash down with the sword in their left hand from above.
However, the attack is too weak to pass.
I elude the sword slash and catch the attack with the black spear held diagonally.
While absorbing the force of the attack with the black spear sparks scatter as the blade slides down shaft.
Then they approach deliberately, and lock our weapons together.
I meet the eyes of the white mask.
I look at the eyes of my enemy behind the white mask.
Beautiful eyes- during that short moment, I feel the center of gravity of the white mask fall to the side.
The weight of the sword attack can’t resist sliding- the weight of white mask falls forward.
I let them lean forward, and half-turn my body while catching white mask’s body.
I take white mask’s back.
Grasping the left hand of the white mask while forcibly grabbing their elbow, perform and arm lock skill with the black spear.
This is another one of the variety of <Spear Sparring> skills.
I twist the left hand with the sword up forcibly and dislocate their shoulder.
“I, gaa kyaaa.”
Oh? A woman!? The white mask makes a shrill scream.
The white mask drops the last sword grasped in their left hand.
The sword pierces the ground.
I am surprised by the woman’s voice, and turn them around to check.
I put a hand on the black cloak, and grope their chest over chain mail, massaging them…Fumu. (TL: There are other way to check than groping the poor woman.) These are definitely breasts.
And they are soft. Dome–shaped oppai.
As a consultant for the breast research society, I am instantly able to tell the shape of the breast from grasping it.
“Ah, let me go…what are you doing.”
Since the masked woman is constricting her chest I give a weak sigh and resist.
I am feeling a “woman” after such a long time.
My crotch is hard; it is developing a peak like Mount Everest.
Because I am curious about this woman’s face, I immediately act.
I untie the mask’s string and remove along with the ragged black cloak.
I release her and step back.
And I see the woman’s face.
Oooh, surprising.
What a beautiful woman.
This beautiful assassin lady, is it ni○ta?
She seems to be wearing a chain mail outfit underneath the cloak.
Moreover, the length of the dress is shorter.
Her thighs are exposed, and soft look peach-colored skin is visible.
The black armor reminds me of a “kunoichi.” (TL: Female Ninja.)
Nevertheless, her short raven-black bobbed hair and black eyes have the atmosphere of a modern woman.
Rather than ni○ta, is she not closer to ○mika? A small face, this is a beautiful woman. Possibly the same town?
“…A woman?”
While I stare at the woman, using her broken hand, she holds her dislocated shoulder while trembling. (TL: Dude, you’re giving her some really rapey vibes.)
She is glaring at me with eyes clearly colored with contempt.
Sometimes, she looks over at the sword she dropped.
-Do you want your sword?
She is easy to read. Again, she is glaring at me.
“You, what is your name?”
“…”
Is she being silent? If I am not mistaken this one’s name is Yui…
At the beginning, before I was attacked, I remember the Marquis Hewso summoning her.
“You are called Yui.”
“Na.”
Oh, a reaction. So Yui really is your name.
However, you’re still giving of a blood thirsty aura.
Since she is releasing such a dangerous aura I glare at her.
“…Is Yui all right?”
“Na, why, did you stop? Why didn’t you kill me?”
Ma, more than her name, I am worried about one from that place.
“When I stopped, I wanted to talk with you a little…I think it was because you’re a woman? Because I heard a cute voice, I wanted to see what underneath the white mask. Honestly…I was really surprised to find such a beautiful woman.”
Yui’s dark eyes wavers at my words.
“Eh, na…”
“Also, I thoroughly enjoyed your chest. You also have a nice figure.” (TL: I don’t know what to say.)
“Y-you are trying to humiliate me, guaaa!” (TL: Can also mean rape.)
Yui cries out and forces her joints to move, picks up the left sword and takes a distance.
Ue, it is painful, you should not overdo it.
Using her fractured hand, she forcibly pops her left shoulder in… I mean, she can move in that condition, she must have gone through training to deal with such considerable pain.
Ma, it is a fair argument for such a thing.
“…Oi, oi, after you selfishly attacked me, are you going to run away without permission? Besides, you should have the resolution to yield after being defeated.”
“Shut up!”
Judging from this reaction, she had no intention of losing to me.
“Even your right hand is fractured? Your left hand is hanging down painfully with no strength, are you going to kill me like that?”
“Noisy, shut up, that’s nonsense.”
Yui uses the hand of her dislocated left arm and forces her sword up. Because the trajectory of the sword is slow she cannot prove herself right.
I shift my body a little, avoid the weak sword, catch Yui’s left hand again, and rotate it behind Yui while twisting her elbow.
I pin her arm behind her back.
Yui again drops the sword she picked up through much effort.
“Itai, itai, let me go!”
“Unpleasant.”
While smiling I bring my face to her nape. Opening my nostrils, I smell the nape of her neck. (TL: Okay, uh, I don’t know where this is going, but I’m scared.)
Kuwaaaaa, I cannot take it. The amazing smell of a woman’s sweat. (TL: Yui needs an adult.)
Her height is about 160 cm. Again, I grope her chest and thoroughly enjoy it, and I stretch out a finger to her beautiful thigh and stroke it. (TL: Okay this isn’t what I signed up for.)
“You, what a fantastic woman…you smell great.”
Yui’s body trembles with a *buru.*
Activating <Pheromone Touch>, from the smell of her sweat comes a slight sense of fear. (TL: Well I think anyone would be scared in this situation.)
“This, teasing me, hentai!”
“What about it? I told you before, but after being caught by a guy you were doing something like that too, what did you think the outcome would be? Besides, you’re a woman.” (TL: No, stahp.)
“…Are you going to quickly “rape” me and then kill me?”
“…Baka.”
I scold her unintentionally.
I tighten my strong body around Yui’s tiny frame as I scold her, and then push her away to the ground.
The reason is not that I am not excited down below, and it also is not because I am a preachy character…
“Ku…”
She glares at me, but it seems she has already lost the battle of wills.
Yui’s pupils turns grey and silver-white, but I ignore that and keep talking.
“You seem to be able to talk a little? So, the ones who ordered you to pursue me, were they the nobles who were in the mansion earlier?”
Yui does not answer. She is an assassin. I guess it will not be that simple.
I will ask about something more important than that.
“…suddenly, I have a slightly strange question. You, your name is Yui. So, it’s sudden, but have you heard the word Japan?”
“Japan? Is it a number?”
Oh, she is looking at me with confused eyes.
However, with this reaction, after all I am not reincarnated from the same place. By chance, is it the black hair and eyes?
“No, it’s the name of a country.”
“I have not heard of such a country…other than that, soon, kill me…”
Yui says that like is going to cry, with clouded expression.
“Is that so? But…I cannot bring myself to take Yui’s life. Though I think it is sweet, thanks.”
She is a cute child, but more than that, after such a long absence of people, let alone a woman, I was finally able to taste real breasts.
As a breast revolutionary I got really excited.
I would like a partner who would let me examine them more carefully. I definitely cannot bring myself to take this life.
As I look at Yui and contemplate, Yui’s small red lips tremble.
“…Mercy, it doesn’t make sense.”
“But, doesn’t life come first?”
Hearing my words Yui long eyelashes and dark eyes shake.
Her entire body begins shaking.
Yui has a childish impression, but she is a beautiful woman.
“…Is it okay? I you release like this…I could kill you.”
Haha, kill. But. Come at me with all your strength.
She will be given an order.
“…Ah, it’s fine. Run away like this. Does Yui want to kill me? Once you heal your wounds, you can come at me any time. Oh, if possible, show up without the mask on, and fight me with your beautiful face exposed.”
She is disgusted by my true intentions and stares at me in disbelief.
Hey eyes open wide and her mouth opens in a little “o.” It opened.
I climb onto the popobumu while ignoring a Yui with such a face.
“Ah, wait.”
“Ya.”
I turn and give Yui a smile then wave my hand.
At which point I clap the popobumu’s side and leave that place.
Fuu, I sigh.
Since there is no sign I am being chased I can finally have some peace of mind.
I am all right because there was a beautiful woman.
But, having a meeting in such a place, talking about kidnapping a princess, a dangerous keyword appeared…
Ma, it has no relation to me.
I will not intentional pick up chestnuts from a burning fire.
The future will take care of itself.
I want to become an adventurer, travel to world at my leisure, find treasure, and do it with a woman, this is the main premise. (TL: I should make this the summary.)
Ah, but if a kidnapping happens right in front of me I will help. Since they are a princess they are sure to be a beauty.
However, I will not jump in after just hearing the story.
I will help those within reach with my strength, I will bring justice to exterminate enemies. (Just a thought.)
I would like to be pampered by a beautiful woman. Aside from living like that, my goal may change.
There is the promise with Rollodinu, too.
Filled with such greedy and impure thoughts, I run the popobumu.
Now then, where am I…
I ran the popobumu like a man in a trance.
I look around the area. I look at the distant surroundings.
-N?
Ooh, it seems to be a mountain high above sea level.
A considerable distance away I can see an especially high mountain range.
Since its position is opposite from the Maheim mountain range it must be Mt. Burdock in the south.
The Haym river is visible this way too. If I can see the river and that high mountain, then I can understand my rough position.
Thereupon, I see several carriages that stopped a little earlier.
They have a flag bearing a turtle insignia. Is it a trade caravan?
There seem to be multiple people as well.
I’ll approach and try to ask.
“Stop there, what do you want?”
When I approach the caravan I am stopped by adventurer-like people.
The other party is cautious, so I’ll speak honestly.
“I’m a traveler. I know nothing about this area, could somebody tell me where I am? I would be very grateful for any help.”
As I speak humbly the three young adventures keep an eye on me, observing me.
“…Is that so, and you are alone?”
“Yes.”
“Suspicious…”
The adventurers look at each other.
“Oi, for the time being, I will go report this to Broncos oji-san.”
“Alright. Go.”
“Un.”
Saying so, one of the adventurers runs to a carriage behind them.
After a few minute, he returns with an adventurer with leader-like manner.
“…What is the matter?”
The leader-like person who asks is balding.
The thin hair on his head is pulled back and looks like a bar code, he has a sour expression.
He has a strong personality and has the study build and looks of a strong mercenary.
“…This person is a traveler. But, he’s ignorant of the area and wants to hear what this area is called.”
He explains politely.
“Is that so? You an adventurer?”
“No, not yet. But because I am confident in my strength, I intend to become an adventurer soon.”
When the man hears my words he smiles joyfully.
…I see, I see. Iyaa, I’m sorry for these youngsters. So you only want to know what this area is called?”
“Yes.”
“This is the southwest of Terramay Kingdom, Surbard’s Earldom. And, that far off mountain over there is Mt. Burdock, home of the dragon. The river in this area is Haym River.”
After all, this is Terramay Kingdom.
The name of the mountain is the same too.
“Is that so? Thank you for your help.”
“I don’t mind it particularly. Other than that, what is your destination?”
“I want to go to 【 Hector 】.”
“What, from here?”
He is surprised. Where is 【Hector】?
“Yeah.”
“Stop it. Traveling alone by the Haym River gold route is to dangerous.”
Oh, it is…
“Eto, what kind of…”
“Don’t you even know that? If a Rich person is using the Haym River to get between cities, it’s safe. By all appearances, you seem to have no money, and you intend to go the land route? The land route is dangerous all the way. Besides, the barony and viscount territory are places are places where Terramay and Samaria have had tough battles in the past. Many years have passed since such a war was fought, but it is well known that the peace and order in this area is worsening by the day. Do you really know nothing about this place?”
The balding man seems sour but oya-san is a good person.
He warned me.
“Thank you. But it is all right. I am confident in my strength.
“Fu, is that so? Confident in your strength, then I won’t stop you. Well then. If you want to be an adventurer, go to 【Labyrinth City Pernette】. I run a bar owned by adventurers.”
A bar. The is this caravan bar-related work?
Ma, I did not hear something like that, and I am not interested right now.
Well then, I guess I will go.
“…Is that so? In that case, then-…
“Ou, good luck.”
I part from the bald fatherly character and advance to the south west of 【Terramay Kingdom】
If I follow the Haym River to the west, I will eventually arrive in 【Osberia Kingdom】 and come to the cities 【Hector】 and 【Holkerbam】.
Chapter 24: Master:less Land x Forest of Magic Fog x Assassin ※
Enjoying the cool wind of spring, the popobumu steadily advances south west through the burn ruins of small towns, scars of war.
I come across a monster in the form of a goblin.
Other than that I encounter no other monsters.
I can see huge jellyfish floating in the sky, but there seems to be very few earth bound monsters.
I want to plunge into the huge jellyfish in the sky, but what do you say, when you see something really strange…I can easily accept it.
However, in place of the monsters…
There are a lot of thieves in this area, it is dangerous.
Exactly as the sour oya-san told me.
Ma, there is nothing to be done about it.
There are no adventurer’s guilds in the post stations around here.
There are tattered homes, dirty bars, small stores, pawnshops and cheap inns, but I cannot make money so I can use those.
A store may be able to break one of the coins Achilles-shisho gave me.
In the first place, the towns and villages around here don’t have the proper atmosphere to talk about gold coins.
Fighting and stealing are everyday occurrences in the streets of these towns, when I step a little into a dark alley I also encounter a fight.
When I found the body of a child and adult…I was really upset.
Aside from the body, it was my first time seeing the body of someone who had been killed and left alone.
Even when I ask the people in the area about the body they acted like they didn’t know anything.
“Are you an official of one of the barons?”
“Fuun.” “Ah, they’re dead.”
“…I dunno.” “What’s it to ya?”
Like that…
If the wind blows the bucket makers prosper.
Saying that, there do not seem to be any businesses making a profit from building coffins.
I pray that they will rest in peace.
This world is harsh…this area is very different than the one I was in after leaving the Elven territory.
So, maa, let us talk about the limitations around here.
-Naa? Unusually Rollo has gotten down from the back of the popobumu’s head and is walking around the area.
While walking Rollo goes “Nya?” lightly, before returning to the back of the popobumu’s head.
On such a dangerous highway, the merchants travel in groups with adventurers, and the scene is normal in the area.
Someone traveling alone like I am seems to be unusual. But, the thieves are attack without exception.
-They attack while taking me for granted.
I defeat all the thieves I come across, I know them out and leave them on the ground, then escape again.
It seems that there some merchant caravans that quietly pass through the highway at night with adventurers for protection to protect them from bandit attacks.
However, something like that does not seem to bother the thieves, it can happen at noon on the highway but it normally is at night, when a target is found they can defeat they attack repeatedly, looting as much as they like.
The methods they use to win are dreadful.
Not only the merchants and coachman are attacked, but also women, children, all are murdered without overlooking the adventurers meant to be guarding them.
…It is horrible. I heard it was a Barony but I can only think of it as a “Master-less Land.”
When the thieves are stronger than the adventurers, it becomes like that.
Under a cloudy sky I push popobumu over a slight hill along the highway with a gloomy feeling, and then I come across a scene that disgusts me.
Many bodies have been hung by their necks, dangling from a big tree on the hill.
I am stunned. The body of the child I saw in the town the other day was only just the beginning.
Once again, I realize how cruel this world can be.
To intentionally be hung from such high branches…they look like prey impaled on thorns by shrikes, that is probably the intention. (TL: Shrikes impale their prey on thorns and barbed wire. This serves both to make tearing their prey into edible pieces easier and also for a male to demonstrate their hunting prowess during mating season.)
These were bandits, not thieves.
At first I overlooked it, but when it comes to this, do you have to completely abandon your optimism?
I feel indignation at the bandit’s actions.
I check the surrounding area for magic essence of bandits.
Because the bandits’ behavior stands out I follow them immediately.
I tail them from behind without being noticed. In a position where I could attack, I wait for the bandits to move a little.
Then, the bandits begin to move.
The group of bandits seem to be aiming at a caravan.
In the form of a raid, I attack the bandits.
Then…I knowingly kill a person for the first time.
Any sensation of regret passes after a moment.
How should I say it, killing is not good. I understand that, but I feel no revulsion from my actions.
Rather they only felt like fodder, I guess this is evidence that I became a monster.
And, I need blood, so finally like the vampire I am, I catch one of the vampires alive.
I will return the same inhuman treatment to the bandits.
It is cruel, but…this is a different world.
This is reality.
I stick the surviving bandit to a tree and start to do various experiments.
Honestly, the blood of human beings was good.
While being careful not to suck too much, I suck the blood little by little.
Sure enough I suck the blood, is this harmful to humans?
I suck the blood while wondering such a thing.
There is a bite mark on the back of his neck. Even when I drink human blood, the taste doesn’t give me a craving for blood.
And because there is nothing like a drug induced trip I am relieved.
No, is it dangerous when I get a taste?
I wonder inside, but because I am convinced it is inevitable I leave it.
When I am thinking about the blood, Rollo participates half-way through. Assuming her best form, she approaches the bandit while extending her claws.
She opens her mouth to deliberately show off her fangs.
The bandit becomes frightened and passes out.
After a suck a little blood I leave him be for a while.
There is no change in the bandit, even after he has been unconscious for a whole day.
When I suck someone’s blood they become a member of my “Family” and transform into a “Ghoul” becoming a monster, there doesn’t seem to be a novel or movie like even like this.
Even after waiting for two, then three days, he really is a normal human.
I also asked the bandit why he was running around this place like wild.
The group of bandits seem to be called 【Doldevi Gang】.
They seem to be part of a major dark guild in 【Imperial Capitol Fadyke 】for the 【Oath of Nocturne】.
“Only, just, we don’t hav’ that.”
“Beside, there are lots of rotten gangs.”
Even as thief has his reasons, he talks about it importantly.
Furthermore, 【Terramay Kingdom】, 【Samaria Kingdom】, and nobles of 【Osberia Kingdom】, some knights, when there are those in positions to obtain information and accept bribes, after a groups grows into bandits, there is also a huge group made from banished noble families.
This was all explained boastfully.
Talking and chattering and twittering.
The strong hypnosis effect from the skills appears to work.
Is it also related to permanent skill too?
The bandit man does not act like he is hypnotized, he is fully conscious and talking properly.
So it is the truth.
Ma, I can easily image this fellow’s story.
As for the thing about government officials, there seems to be some corruption.
The talking continues from there.
The intervals between the cities 【Fadyke】⇔【Hector】⇔【Holkerbam】⇔【Pernette】⇔【Gurmuheim】 make up the Haym River gold route, it is not only shipping groups that use the river, but also merchant groups using the highway, the trading groups travel a lot too.
Is it this?
What the sour oyaji talked about.
Because the 【Magic Fog Forest】 is in this area, it is easy to attack the highway here, and between 【Royal Capitol Fadyke】 and 【Fort City Hector】 is on the border of 【Osberia Kingdom】 and 【Terramay Kingdom】, all the more, it seems this area is easy to attack.
After the war the development of each country’s knights has been lacking as well.
However, do I need to be careful about monsters? Then the man exposes his dirty crooked teeth and talks in trivial tone.
In his words, “We’re all strong enough to fight monsters, ‘though the ‘venturers should do it.”
“We the pus that cum out from d’aventurers, normal ‘venturers don’t got much money. Even if dey strong, if dey want to take th’easy way, get drunk on power their skill, drunk on blood, drunk on killin’. Human trash fightin’ their own blood.”
“Besides, with so few monsters on the highway it’s safe, an as merchants come and the economy grows, prices go down. Ma, as the money increase, don’t the rivals increase too? Kekeke…”
If that’s the case, there is the possibility of conspiring with merchants to consider.
Most of the thieves seem to have been former mercenaries, adventurers, and soldiers.
Ma, various background…they do not have.
I did not hear too much about it.
Besides, I wanted to try the permanent skillwhere I share my blood to make faithful servants, if they were a beautiful woman I would make them my servant right away, I stop because I thought I should still able.
The bite mark on the bandit’s necks disappears immediately.
Oh, because I intend to kill you, there is no meaning behind it…
Finally, I suck all his blood and kill him.
The bandit man dries up, becomes bones, then disappears.
I take his soul with the skill .
The taste makes me feel refreshed.
But, honestly, the state of my mind is complicated.
Ma, I do not know about during a battle, but capturing and killing someone, even for a bandit, it bears down on my conscience to some extent.
Like this, I continue traveling with pheromone touch, presence detection, and using with Rollo, I raid thieves and bandits, exterminating them.
After exterminating today’s thieves who attacked a merchant caravan, I take a break.
I check right away. Status.
Name: Shuya Kagari
Age: 22
Title: Divine Beast Contractor
Race: Rusivault
Battle Occupation: Magic Spearman : Chain User : Magic Apprentice
Physical Strength 18.2→18.8 Agility 19.3→19.8 Stamina 17.4→18.0 Mana 22.2→22.9 Dexterity 17.2→18.0 Spirit 23.1→23.4 Luck 11.0
Condition: Calm
From facing the masked professional killers before, to now, my abilities seem to have only improved a little from kill thieves.
Then I close my status.
When I examine the money and bags left behind by the dead thieves and merchants, I am finally able to gather some money.
Because I got money from the merchant I helped too, I have gold coins, silver coins, large copper coins, thus my saddle bags and magic bags have become a little heavy. Because I hated my bags being too heavy I tried to return the money immediately, but the merchants I helped suggested I stay with caravan to guard it. However, I politely declined.
In the first place I have yet to become an adventurer/
And like that, I advance to the west.
All too soon, I leave the Barony and enter the Viscount’s territory.
I enjoy going to the village and staying in an inn, I buy a small backpack and jerky then squander and money and play with women.
I continue traveling happily like the past time of a noble. But thieves attack one after another outside of post towns.
Every time, I respond by slaying and exterminating them.
Then, in a bar of a certain post town, while enjoying my meal I sit next to a bar maid in a reddish brown dress pouring me liquor, and I hear a strange rumor.
“Sorgey, did you hear about the Spearman?”
“Yeah. What about ‘im?”
“These days the Barony is safe. The Spearman and the black cat, the Spearman with a black wolf companion, the wolf companion of the black cat, they seem to aim at thieves, hora, there are also people searching for the rumor.”
N? Is that us? The last “Wolf Companion of the Black Cat” name, it almost made spit liquor out of my nose and mouth.
“Ah, I heard, the Baron is searching for the rumor too. But, the owner of the rumor always seems to disappear right away and leave the area.”
“It seems like it, I want to see it. Won’t he come to this place…as a matter of fact it should be ‘you.’”
“Kakaka, and what if it really is myself-sama?”
“Eeh, that would be impossible. Baka.”
U〜n, after all if Rollo is with me…
This is becoming like a historical Samurai movie.
But, the samurai is those period dramas are always accompanied by children, and it is always one person wanting to be prudent.
Not worrying over the rumor, I pass through the town in high spirits and advance…
As I traveling along the highway and pass through a thick forest, without noticing I seem to have veered off=course, the area is becoming foggy and I am in a rocky place with moss growing.
The area is deserted.
As I pass through alone, I get a weird sign, the crows in the rocky place at stop cawing and fly away at once.
Is this a sign that something is about to happen? However, here is a small mountain? The fog is making it hard to see, I seem to have travel to a place with a valley.
The fog is thick…n?
Ah, perhaps this is the placed named for the magic fog?
Having such a question, I pick up magic essence behind me.
-I make the popobumu hurry up and run.
In the place I was before- a sword cuts the air.
The bearer of the sword is a beautiful woman. Ah, it is a woman this time.
She is not wearing a mask this time. Is it because I said so?
Ma, at any rate…this beautiful kill is Yui.
Yui is holding a sword with both hands.
Bathed in the blood of her victims, there are dirty spots of blood here and there.
N, were you injured? The black overcoat is torn at the left shoulder, and I can see blood stains around it.
Her eyes are vacant with a clouded expression.
“You. After a long time. You removed the mask. But, why is your beautiful face dirty? You seem to have been injured, and aren’t you tired?”
“…”
“Quiet again?”
Yui has appeared before me again after a long absence, and not answering my questions, stays expressionless and silent.
She is giving me a cold look.
Then, Yui’s eyes suddenly change.
Eyes like obsidian is grey from silver-white, again they return to black, the color of her pupils changes repeatedly, becoming like a shaft of wavering light, and then continues to change.
Again, innumerable small silver-white points appear moving in her eyes.
It seems like snow is scattered in her eyes dancing around beautifully in the open sky, the snow in the white of her eyes soon become pure white.
Both eyes take on a mysterious silver ting.
These beautiful eyes are wasted on this cold blooded killer.
“Nyaa.”
Rollo also leans her head to the side questioningly, and calls out at the eyes.
But, did she react to the cat’s voice… her eye color changes and there is none of the blood thirst from the other day.
“What happened? Looking at a face such as this-”
Defending against Yui’s sword- a metallic sounds resounds.
The sudden flying cut.
I stay calm and handle my black spear, I shake of the sword and prevent it.
This area is still foggy, because I cannot focus on Yui I kick the popobumu’s abdomen, and decide to advance into the to escape.
However, I come to the top of a cliff. Dead-end.
Since there is no help it, I get down from the popobumu. (TL: It really bothers me that the popobumu doesn’t have a name.)
Dangerous. With the fog like this I did not notice the nearby fog.
There is a sign that Yui is pursuing me from behind.
“Rollo, since Yui is coming again, please stay to side and watch.”
After I tell Rollo I wait for Yui to approach from the back.
There, Yui appears like a ghost from the fog.
Her expression seems somewhat hard.
Her eyes have returned to black.
“Yui, you look unwell? Are you okay?”
“Why are you worrying about me in this situation?”
“Haha, that’s right.”
When Yui says that, she raises the sword with both hands.
Her inured arm from before seems to have already healed.
To deal with her dual sword style, I concentrate on dodging. (TL: Wait, I miss-translated something.)
Then, Yui stops swings her swords.
She crouches down and turns to the side to draw a sword, unsheathing it.
She pulls out the other sword at her waist with a quick draw. (TL: Okay, I understand now.)
She quickly shifts to attack with her two unsheathed swords.
But, I real her sword strike, and avoid it.
“W-why, counterattack.”
After all- the blade of Yui’s sword passes right in front of me.
Two sword streaks are seen, and-
She brings back her swords and crosses them for a slash attack.
Referencing my own sword play- once again, a drawn sword attacks from the upper-right in a line. I read the trajectory of the blade, look at the unique sword.
Such brilliant swordsmanship-
-N? It suddenly becomes sharp
-Did the sword shift?
Yui’s two sword blades move in with a blazing white light.
This seems to be a special unique stab skill’s payout.
Waeeeh- ku, my ear, iteee, I suffer a cut on my cheek and arm. My earlobe was cut and there is a small trail of blood down my cheek, but the wound immediately closes.
It is sharp, but I can still dodge it-
“How?”
With tears in her eyes Yui appeals to me.
“No, maa, I would say that was really close. -You should be happy.”
“Ku, wha-what is it with you!”
“Mou, don’t swing those around so much anymore.”
Seeming to have been upset by my words, the point of Yui’s sharp swords are shaking. The sword attack goes wide and she completely over swings.
She keeps swinging her swords around.
Then, the dirt footing suddenly collapses.
“Ah-”
One of Yui’s feet lose contact with the earth and steps into the sky. She quickly loses her balance.
She falls over the edge of the cliff.
-Shit, I strengthen my body with fighting moji and move
I jump over the edge of the cliff to help Yui. Yui hits a rocky protrusion and her body spins around once. Blood dances.
“Yui-”
I was able to catch Yui’s stretched out hand and am falling upside down.
I can’t be concerned about whether this is a trick.
I tighten my grip around Yui’s hand while falling through the air I spin around and hug Yui’s body.
The cliff bottom approaches.
Not letting Yui’s body hit, I turn my back to face the rocky ground for impact.
My back smashes into the rock ground.
“Uga!”
Too painful, a shock runs through the middle line of my back.
I am having trouble breathing. Apart from that- I am thrown into the air, and I continue falling, rolling down while smashing into rocks. (TL: I forgive you for the last chapter, Shuya.)
I reach the ground after smashing into rocks several times.
Meanwhile, I do not separate from Yui’s wrist and body.
However, I lose consciousness and Yui falls without me being able to completely protect her.
I am injured and my leather clothes are torn, but I am already recovering.
I am not in pain anymore. The jacket Shisho gave me is a little ripped.
Other than that, I am worried about Yui.
“Oi!”
I hurry and call out, I pick up Yui’s body from the ground.
I look over Yui’s body dressed in the black cloak.
Her cheeks are bruised, the left shoulder of the cloak is torn away and the chain mail and black clothes worn underneath are also split.
There is a wound that looks like it came from big beast on her left shoulder. It still has blood coming out of it. A sharp rock the penetrated through the chain mail is stuck in her side.
The wound in her stomach is dangerous too, but the problem with be the lower part of her body.
The injuries on both of her legs are bad. They are bent in the wrong direction.
A bone is jutting out of one of her feet.
She is seriously injured.
Her head I was holding on to and protecting doesn’t seem to be injured.
I check her back. The bottle of recovery potion I took from a thief I killed is broken.
Shit, n, oh, there is a little of the liquid at the bottom of the bottle.
I can have her drink this, however, Yui is unconscious. (TL: No, wait, I know what you’re thinking. Don’t you dare.)
Ma, first I’ll put an ear to her mouth a confirm that she is breathing.
Dangerous. She isn’t breathing.
She may not swallow it properly even if I soak it in her mouth.
I think it may have an effect if I just put on her face, but it isn’t a technical thing.
I decide to use the potion on the most severe wound fist.
When I pull out the rock stuck in her side blood pours out, and I pour a little bit of the potion there.
As soon as I use the potion the wound starts to look somewhat healthier, the wound empties a little.
I should sew it up, but I have nothing to do that.
There is no helping it so I wrap it with leather.
Other than that, since I can’t tell if she is breathing, she will need artificial respiration.
Lifting the back of Yui’s head, I secure her respiratory track.
However, if the wound to her chest is bad, will this only worsen it?
She also has wounds on her abdomen, and for a moment, I hesitate. Then, I lift up her torn chain mail and look at her chest, but the damage from internal bleeding can’t be seen, eei, I will do it.
I take her small lips send in air.
Because I am worried about a possible injury, I push down on her chest repeatedly like with a baby and continue.
Just after that-
“Cohohoho, goho, haa haa.”
Oooh, Yui is breathing again.
Good. I saved her. It was good that I learned EMT back when I was a student. (TL: I’m glad he has an explanation for knowing this. I know this because my Dad was an EMT and always points out what they do wrong on TV, but a lot of people don’t know.) A vague memory…anyway, she has resumed breathing.
Was the potion effective? Maybe.
“…ko, koko, Dad? Na…you.”
“Ah, it’s me.”
“U…”
I am not paying attention to Yui anymore, once I noticed, she had already passed out.
“Oi!”
I put an ear to Yui’s lips to make sure she is breathing.
She is breathing properly.
However, her forehead is too hot.
Is it because the wound on her shoulder and the one to her stomach? Or is it a cold? Which reminds me, she didn’t look well earlier. Even if I show her to a doctor at the bottom of this foggy valley…I do not understand the geography of this area well enough. In this world I should look for a magic user, someone with a healing potion, or someone who can use recovery magic, rather than a doctor.
Because the potion from the thief healed the stomach wound this is the last bit.
I look around.
Oh, I discover that the area is a scree slope.
Over the is Yui’s unique sword.
The sword blade glitters, shining white.
Since the black sheath with demon like design fell off the cliff with Yui I put the swords in the sheath and gather the two swords.
Then, I find several appropriately sized tree branches.
These seem usable.
I cut a tree branch and use it set Yui’s broken foot. I tie up her foot with leather cord wound around the waste.
First of all, I call the popobumu with a whistle.
Carry Yui’s body, while whistling, I walk.
After a few minutes,
“Pubupubo”
I hear a snort. Fast. The popobumu seems to have found its way around from the cliff top.
However, Yui is light.
She ran after me with a body like this?
“Nya nya!”
It is the sound of Rollo.
When I return to the area Rollo cries at me, worried.
“Rollo, I’m okay, but this child is seriously injured. I am putting her on the popobumu.”
“Nya〜”
I handle Yui as gently as possible while I lift her onto the popobumu.
And, I check the baggage on the back of the saddle.
N〜, there is only the mana recovery ririumu portion Shisho gave me a small earthenware bottle wrapped in a blanket.
The bag smells of the spice of the ingredients and salt. This bag is only clothes.
There is no recovery potion.
This is because I was experimenting on the thieve and sucking his blood.
I should not have used it then; I should have kept more…
Damn it. Yui’s forehead is hot when I touch it.
Rollo licks Yui’s cheeks as if to nurse her.
First of all, should I try giving her the mana recovery potion Shisho gave me.
It may be able to restore her a little.
Yui is still in an exhausted state.
Mouth to mouth transfer, I give it to her little by little. (TL: I told you not to!)
There is nothing ero about it.
I appeal so to Rollo, but Rollo’s red eyes stare at me reproachfully.
While acting foolishly, we who placed Yui on the popobumu advance through the mist.
Even then, the fog around here is too thick…
We are lost. I aimlessly advance through the fog.
I can feel the presence of monsters all around us.
I advance through the fog while using pheromone touch and presence detection to avoid monsters whenever possible.
The area becomes dark in the evening.
Dangerous. There is nothing convenient like an inn.
There are still as many magic essence reactions on presence detection.
What is this forest, it is full of monsters.
Then I hear a howling voice call out.
Is it possible to avoid this time?
I do not want to fight because Yui is seriously injured…
Then, I discover the ruins of a small stone chapel. There is a small goddess statue inside, the neck is broken off and it also has no arms.
Creepy.
I pray to the nameless goddess for Yui’s safety.
So that Yui’s injuries may be healed.
Namu. For some reason I try Buddhism-style. (TL: Namu is in Buddhist prayer.
N, wait, I remember a certain skill.
If Yui finally become dangerous, should I use my?
Hm. If I make her drink blood and turn her into a Yui will be saved. No, that is no good. No matter how pretty a woman is doing it by force is no good.
If you want to do it, you should ask for confirmation.
I will stop thinking about .
While I think about such reprehensible things I pick something up with presence detection.
The magic essence is human sized. I can smell it with pheromone touch too. (TL: Are you a dog?)
This reaction is not a monster.
-It is the smell of a man.
To the side of the chapel, out of the thickets of the forest, all of a sudden a person appears.
Wearing a black robe like a magic user, and a black hood.
“Nn? That is…what?”
I can hear the robed man’s voice change in surprise.
Their appearance is strange, first of all they are a person. Lucky.
“Ooh, sorry. Have you seen my companion, Yui? If possible, could you please use recovery magic or a potion? She fell from a cliff and suffered an injury to her stomach and her foot is broken. She also has a fever.”
The hooded man who hear my appeals sees the figure of Yui lying wearily on the popobumu.
The man who sees Yui’s state is bald, their head shaved. A strange red and white mark stands out on the figure’s forehead.
What is on his forehead?
I can see that it has something to do with magic…
Mana is released from his forehead.
He looks thin and middle-aged, with visible smile lines.
Even though he is a man, there is a yellow earing attached to one ear.
“Surely there is a wound to her stomach, her foot is broken, and her arm is injured too…but she has no fever. It will be good. My home is nearby so I will guide you.”
The mark on his forehead rises from the skin.
“…Ooh, thank you.”
Though the mark on his forehead surprised me I do not show it on my face and act obedient.
“Nya, nya.”
“N?”
“Oh, you own a black cat.”
“Yeah. Then, let’s go.”
The robed man doesn’t mind Rollo anymore and begins to walk into the fog.
He seems to be guiding me.
We seem to be moving uphill.
Oh? Just before the slope, a pale blue light begins to shine, and a small stone pagoda appears.
This looks like electricity.
What? Magic? There is a magic essence reaction. There is small stone stuck in the front of the stone pagoda, the pale light is coming from it.
When I stare at the artificial light the man showing us the house looks at me and prompts me “Saa, Hurry up…”
I hastily follow the man uphill.
Up the slope is a is prominent stucco house.
A hut is connected to it and the whole thing is big.
“A house in such a place…”
“It’s a small house. Now, please carry your lover-san over, then you can store your bags in the warehouse”
The robed man says this and then goes into the hut.
“Tadaima. Theta. I’m back.”
When the man calls out a name a beautiful woman emerges from the entrance of the hut to meet him.
“Nya?”
Rollo is staring at the woman’s face, looking puzzled.
The woman called Theta has shiny raven-black hair.
A beautiful purple is displayed in her hair next to her ear.
She is beautiful, and her face is really place-n? What?
I look at the woman with magic observing eye.
Then I see a lump of dense magic essence sitting inside her chest.
I have never seen this before.
And, even when I use pheromone touch, the woman has no smell.
There is no smell of blood. Odd.
There is no sense of blood vessels? Why is this?
This woman, is she not human?…This is surprising.
I have to be careful…but, I will put on my poker face.
I suppress my surprised expression back to a normal one.
But, this is unusual…
I stare at the pale-faced Theta. (TL: There is something about eating her 食い I think it means he is staring at her intensely but I can’t think of an appropriate way to fit it into the sentence and I am impatient to keep ready.)
“This is my wife. I am sorry for my bluntness. Theta. Please go inside and bring out a bottle of recovery medicine.”
Wife!? You serious?
My poor heart, I keep being surprised.
I frantically control my feelings and do not let them show on my face.
As soon as I look, my eyebrows are twitching unintentionally.
The husband who is the master of the house gives an order and the pale-faced woman nods silently.
Theta goes into the hut without blinking her eyes. After her husband sees that he goes into the warehouse, and moves bags from the bed.
I carefully take Yui down from the popobumu”s back and carry her into the warehouse.
“Please lay her here. Then, I’ll go check on Theta. I’ll bring the medicine.”
Following his instructions, I lay Yui down on the bed.
He seems to be fetching the medicine
I must thank danna. (TL: Danna means master of the house or husband, I’m not sure why the author chose to use it here, although Shuya may be chastising himself for think the guy’s wife way beautiful and is now reminding himself of that over and over.)
“Danna-san. Thank you.”
“No, no, it’s my pleasure.”
When the shaved danna-san has an awkward smile, he leaves.
-I look around the barn.
There are only a few farming implements, most of it looks like tools related to magic. There are faded magic formations, medicinal herbs, and discarded phials…
To start with, why is there a bed in this shed?
As I am contemplating, Danna-san returns with a vial in his hand.
“Have her drink this potion.”
Opening several kinds of earthen bottles, I start by applying them directly to Yui’s foot and stomach.
Then I give the medicine to her lips. (TL: This is an emergency, nothing ero ero here.)
On the back of the Danna-san who gave me to medicine, there is an insignia of arm holding balance scales and a wand on the messy black robes.
Is the mark a symbol of an organization? (TL: I want him to ask, but I don’t want the guy to attack.)
Danna-san looks back and begins to talk with a serious look.
“With this she should already be okay. After she sleeps and gets up she should be recovered to some extent. However, the wound in the stomach is blocked, because time has passes and the bones in several places were broken, I think full recovery will take some time.”
Good. She is saved.
“Is that so. Thank you.”
I can relax for now.
The Danna in the black robes looks at me curiously.
“Still, why are is traveler-san here? Here is an area deep in the mountains, this is a place people do not drop by very often. Besides, isn’t this area called the 【Magic Fog Forest】 where fog is produced? Why are you out here?”
So this really is the mag fog.
Besides I am suspicious if I am in a place like this…
However, considering you “wife” from before, you are pretty suspicious as well…
Since I cannot be honest about what happened, I will make up a story.
“Eh, I heard about the magic fog and knew, but at any rate, Yui and I are in the middle of a trip from far away, so we are unfamiliar with the area. Once I had noticed we were already surrounded by the thick fog. Yui dismounted her horse and was walking care, when the ground suddenly collapsed…she fell down the cliff along with her bags. Quickly try to get help I moving through the fog, and then you appeared…”
Even though this is an emergency to story is not that great, but…
Does the Danna understand by motive? He nods in silence.
The dana’s eyes are still serious…he is also still watching me.
He is storing mana in his eyes. He seems to be looking over Yui and me with magic observing eye.
After looking over us the corners of the Danna’s mouth crack into a weird smile and begins talking.
“…Is that so? You’ve been through some hardships. You may stay here until your love recovers.”
“Ooh, thank you.”
“No, no, don’t mention it, you can rest using this bed too. The shed is normally a mess, so please pardon it.”
The nearby bed looks dirty, but it looks usable.
“No no, this is more than enough. Honestly, I am thankful for the bed. I will accept your offer.”
“Well then, I’ll call you to the hut when it is time for dinner.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
The Danna’s manner is friendly; I return a careful bow. After the Danna goes back to the nearby hut, I lay down on the bed next to Yui.
Rollo comes over and we curl up together.
Confident the medicine will help Yui, I sleep comfortably.
While looks at her cute sleeping face, I begin to sleep lightly.
-Several hours later, Yui woke up.
Chapter 25: Black Violet
“N…here, ah, you!”
“You’re awake?”
I approach the now awake Yui.
“Do-don’t come any closer, ita, why are you here…”
Her forehead is wrinkled; she seems to be in pain.
This is what happens when you push yourself even when it hurts.
I place a finger on her lips.
-shhi, I tell her to be quiet.
Yui sees my finger and looking at my face stops talking.
“Good, listen to what I say quietly. Your foot, if you move it forcibly does it hurt?”
Yui nods.
“Now, I’ll explain the situation. First, the injury to your foot is from you fall from a cliff. A rock was imbedded in your stomach, and you also had a fever, so, you have been unconscious until now.”
Then I separate my finger from Yui’s lips.
“I-”
“-By the way, didn’t I jump from the cliff top and save you? So, your so called savior is this guy.”
Like a high-pressure salesman I talk.
“I am. But, you don’t need to express you gratitude.”
Yui responds with an upset face.
I will help you even if you hate it. I do it because I like it.
“There is no need for thanks.”
“…what kind of thing?”
Her expression does not change very much, but she looks suspicious.
“It’s because I look you. Now rest in bed.”
Hearing me Yui’s eyebrows lower and she frowns slightly.
Seeing that I continue talking.
“So, I will nurse you until you recover with the head of this house.”
Hearing what I say, she smiles.
“You, are you stupid?”
“Ah, I’m stupid. Why did I help you after the last time? Because I have a question and want to continue the conversation.”
“Ask me.”
“…First of all, it’s about this place…the forest here is shrouded in thick fog. But, you can relax. For some reason there no monsters here. We’re now in a house on a slightly elevated hill.”
Yui then looks around the room.
I continue talking without minding it.
“…So, after you passed out I wandered around the forest filled with thick fog. Luckily I happened to tumble across someone living here and they agreed to help.”
“I see…”
“By the way, I told the husband of the couple living here that you and I are lovers.”
“Wh-wh-why…”
She seems to have become upset.
Ma, that is how it is. I try to remind her.
“You helped me, a professional killer. Why would you do something like that?”
“Well, even if you ask…”
“Do you understand?”
A little forceful, I glare at her and talk.
“…I…I don’t mind it.”
I do not know if my influence worked, but Yui seems to understand.
And at that moment, the master of the house walks in wearing a robe.
“Ah, your lover-san has come around.”
“Aah, uh, ya!”
Speaking lively I hug Yui.
I rest my cheek on her head too.
Her cheeks seem to be a bit red, is it a coincidence?
It looks like she is acting properly.
“Haha, good, good. It looks like lover-san is able to eat now, but since she should stay in bed I’ll bring something to eat.”
“Ah, if it’s alright I’ll bring it.”
“Is that so? Then, please.”
After Danna-san lowers his head slightly he returns to the other room.
“Then, I’ll bring you something to eat.”
She stays quiet with her head down.
Ma, her attitude is cold but I think she will eat.
I go to the next room to get food.
Rollo follows next to me as well.
The “noh mask” wife is in the next room, her posture is strait as a ruler, she is standing to the wide holding a wooden pedestal. (TL: Okay, creepy spooky.)
A wooden bowl and spoon are placed on the platter and the bowl is filled with a white soup. An appetizing smell is coming from the steaming bowl.
The smell is making me hungry.
But, the lady rather than the cooking.
The purple flower looks nice on the beautiful woman, but…
Her expression does not change, it is strange.
I am also curious about the forehead mark on the bald Danna…
This woman is far too unnatural.
The Danna pretending to not notice the woman’s behavior is odd as well.
After the noh mask wife pushes the meal into my chest she withdraws.
I stand there and receive it in silence, but I am growing increasingly interested in her wooden behavior.
Rollo begins to squint her eyes and gather her legs beneath her like she is going to chase after the wife’ retreating figure.
The cat seems to sense “something” about the wife.
She is definitely suspicious, but I should bring this food to Yui now.
I take the food to the room Yui is waiting in. She seems to be trying to move her body a little, and when I bring in the meal she smiles.
I place the meal on the bed.
“Sorry. But, it’s until the day after tomorrow. After that much time has passed…my foot will be healed.”
She should recover soon.
The potion was really effective.
“…Ah, understood. Then, would Yui like me to feed her?”
“Iii, the shoulder wound is okay. I can already use my arm.”
“Is that so, then I’ll go get my own food. I’d also like to ask about the area around here.”
I go to the next room and the Danna-san and noh mask wife and sitting on straw cushions near the hearth with meals in wooden bowls in one hand.
Seeming to have been enticed by the smell, Rollo is sniffing around the kitchen area before walking over to the side of the hearth.
“You journey. It’s not much but please sit down and eat. I also prepared something for the cat. Here you go.”
The meal I am given seems to be the same as Yui’s meal.
In the big iron pan in the center of the hearth there are root vegetables like potatoes simmering. It looks heavy and appetizing.
I accept Danna’s offer and take a seat on one of the free straw cushions.
I comfortably sit cross legged.
“Then thanks, itadakimasu. Rollo, you’ll eat too?”
“Nnnnnn.”
She climbed onto my knee and making a weird sound in her throat seems to want to eat.
“Theta, get another serving.”
Danna-san gives her wife an order.
His wife expressionlessly takes out another wooden bowl for the soup.
And, taking a ladle she scoops out some of the soup from the pot over the hearth and pours it into the bowl.
“Thanks.”
There is a strange tension.
Bringing the wooden bowl to my mouth I break of a portion of one of the potatoes and put the spoon in my mouth.
Hot, hot. Although I feel uneasy, this soup is delicious. (TL: Shuya is weak to food.)
I quickly consume the think white soup filled with potatoes and white leaves.
Although Rollo’s soup is hot too she laps the soup up with her tongue just fun.
Even though she is a cat her tongue does not seem sensitive to heat.
The Danna opens his mouth and exposes his white teeth.
“Traveler-san, you seem to be okay with the meal. I apologize for Theta’s bluntness.”
“No, no, she is a beautiful person.” (TL: Nah man, as long as she’s hot it’s all good -Shuya)
His wife Theta’s expression changes for the first time.
She laughs awkwardly.
It is hard to describe, but I got goosebumps all over my skin after seeing her smile with that beautiful body.
The reason is because the purple flower ornament in her hair is not very human.
She is just like a “doll”…
“Traveler, before you wandered into the magic fog and got lost, where were you going?”
“…Hector.”
“I think that is southwest from here. It is difficult to tell because of the fog, but if you head west you should be able to find the highway.”
“Is that so. Good.”
Answering casually, Danna-san winks at his wife.
Then, Theta-san suddenly stands up in the room that has fallen completely silent, and goes to another room on the other side of the kitchen. (TL: Okay, this is really creepy. She defs a zombie corpse.)
“Oya, Theta already seems to be full. She went back inside because she felt satisfied. Please eat much of the remaining potatoes as you want.”
“Yes. Itadakimasu.”
I continue diligently eating the potatoes while I watch Danna-san’s back recede further inside.
This white leaf is good, but my tongue is a little tingly.
Ma, since this is the first proper meal I have had in a while I will eat it.
I wolf down what is left in the pan.
Eating eating.
Should I go check on Yui now? Feeling satisfied I return Rollo to my shoulder and go back to the storage shed.
Once I returned Yui has also finished eating and is resting.
“…Looks like she ate. She should recover well.”
Everything seems fine.
Good, good.
“…You’re here…”
I open my mouth while smiling wryly.
“Don’t worry about it. Right now you are my lover. Since you finished eating I’ll take the tray.”
“T, thank you.”
Rollo comes down from my shoulder and curls up next to Yui’s side like she is anxious about her. Her small face turns to Yui’s hand and she licks the back of one of her fingers.
Ah, Yui expressed her gratitude.
At least she seems to have become obedient.
Fufu, I chuckle to myself…now, I guess I’ll clean up.
I pick up the tray with the empty dishes and carry it to the nearby kitchen.
In the big kitchen there’s a cutting board on the counter next to a sack of flower, bottles of oil, vegetables, and a barrel in which potatoes are piled up.
Below there is water jug, an earthen oven built on the floor, and a heavy iron pot is already there.
Several different frying pans are leaned up again the nearby wall.
Should I put the dishes in the big jug…?
While I a hesitating about where to put the dishes in someone else’s house I hear a voice from the bac room. (TL: Don’t investigate. This is how bad things happen.)
“Master, the remaining mana is below 30%.” (TL: Master is in English.) Activation limit approaching.”
“Understood. I will supply some now.”
A moment passes…
“…How’s that?”
“40% of Mana restoration completed…55% of Mana…restoration completed.” (TL: Fill me up, master.)
“Ku, I’ll stop here. This is the limit of my Mana…”
“I am sorry, Master.”
They seem to be using some kind of magic.
“Because I can take that Mana recovery potion, I’m fine. But, I’m still inexperienced. Despite the Magic technology being similar to the Magic Wogan Doll, it is difficult for me to synchronize my mind with the ‘Spirit Absorption.’”
“No, master is a genius. You made me, and even led Sabido by the nose.”
“I won’t fall behind the Magic Clan. I was ousted from the clan, but I am an owner of a demon emblem mark. I am the eldest son of the Gustave Family. I am also the successor of the skill handed down generation to generation in my family. The people with the secret enchanting type skill amongst magic craftsman are few.”
“Yes. Master’s skill cannot be imitated by others.”
“That’s right. It’s probably because of my younger sister in the clan. Although the Magic Wogan Doll is made, despite this there are probably a massive amount of people that possess the required magic ore casting skill
“Master’s family? I have not met them.”
“Ah, it’s in the past. I have you now, so I don’t need anything else.”
“Yes. Master. I am happy.”
It seems like they’re flirting.
But what is this related to the magic clan?
“However, if I was the maker of the magic wogan doll I might be able to use it on you…”
“But, Wogans are scrap iron after all. Unlike me, the master must always be nearby, it will only function if it is supplied.” (TL: The master here is 主人 or “shujin” which can mean head of household, proprietor, employer, or master, depending on the context. It feels more possessive.)
“That’s right, the strong point is Theta’s magic essence conversion ratio. If the core of a berbaky and oil of a chimera to ragazer powder and the scales of an ancient dragon…”
“Yes. Surely, if it is that then output will rise 85%.”
“Ma, it will take time to collect those items. Right now there are two ‘souls’ that can be used. So let’s be patient. Theta’s magic essence tolerance should increase markedly if I incorporate those. I can’t wait.”
“The soul sacrifice, that young man, is always looking at me.”
“Yeah. I cannot allow those eyes. But, Theta is a beautiful woman. A young man like that will get all wound up.”
What…
“Hai.”
“But, the young man and woman are important sacrifices and will give power to your ‘Spirit Absorption.’ It is important that they remain healthy so the two souls can be safely transfer to ‘here.’ Because, first they are paralyzed. About this time…the medicine should be taking affect and they will be collapsing.”
“Hai. Master.”
Spirit Absorption? Paralysis? These are really dangerous words…
This time is a dangerous magician.
Right now we are suckers coming along just begging to be parted from their money? (TL: 鴨がねぎを背負って来る)
That explains why this person lives in such a remote place. We should run away quickly.
Ah, Yui…I hurry to the nearby room.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
“Damn it. We already ate the meal; the man here seems to be a dangerous magician. I overheard them talking about “souls” and “sacrifice” and giving us paralyzing medicine. We need to escape fast, can you more?”
“Ah, my…ah, my arm is numb…”
The paralysis is already setting in.
“Rollo, go outside and be prepared to fight at any moment.”
“Nya.”
Rollo responds and then vigorously runs outside.
“Gu, so, sorry. Numbness…”
I should have been more careful.
“Mou, the medicine is already taking affect.”
“…You, are you okay? I can move my mouth…but my arms are shaking, and there’s no strength in my legs…although this feels kind of funny…it must be a special narcotic…”
“I’m fine. I just moved the food…I didn’t eat it.”
“There’s no helping it now.”
“Understood. Let’s leave here first. I’ll carry you.”
I carry Yui.
“Kya!”
“What is it lover? I’ll help. Don’t worry.”
Yui nods and falls quiet.
“Oya…are you going somewhere?”
Crap, we were caught. I must deceive him.
“Ah, Yui wants to go outside for a little while, feel the wind, look at the stars…”
“Is that so, ha, I guess our lies are mutually transparent. I can’t let you leave like this. Theta. Block the exit.”
“Yes. Master.”
She came too. Theta is blocking the warehouse’s exit.
“Rollo!”
At my signal, Rollo springs on Theta.
“-W, what?”
The bald old man cries out behind me, but I’ll ignore him for now.
I hold onto Yui and rush outside. I run to where the popobumu is.
I put Yui of the popobumu’s saddle a bit roughly.
“Run ahead like this.”
Then I should slap the popobumu’s rear.
“Wait.”
Yui calls out.
Is she worried? But I must hurry.
“It’s all right. Believe in me. I will not let them kill you. I’m also worried about the forest, but that couple comes first. Hurry up and escape on the popobumu. I will call you back right away once I kill the couple.”
“Wait, you absolutely can’t die. If you do I will kill you-”
I ignore Yui and slap the popobumu’s rear.
With her on top of the saddle the popobumu takes off and disappears into the darkness.
It shouldn’t go too far.
…It will return when I call for it.
Now, I will return.
I return to the shed where Rollo is fighting.
When I run up the short hill to the front of the hut Rollo and Theta are in the middle of an intense fight.
The jacket around Theta’s shoulder is torn and black blood is pouring from her right shoulder. But, her quick movements show that she isn’t bothered by the injury.
Seeing the figure receiving, I am rooted to the spot.
Theta’s arm transformed to a point like a sword. When the word arm collides intensely with Rollo’s feeler swords they make a hard sound as they are repelled and the collide again. They have each other in check. The purple flower ornament in Theta’s hair is shaking as she moves around.
Rollo shows a glimpse of the divine beast.
Powerful, throbbing limbs. Four claws scratch the ground and a cloud of dust rises.
Sharpened claws swing at Theta’s feet. Theta receives a big cut above her knee, but doesn’t seem to feel any pain. She quickly counter attacks with her sword arms and tarts running after Rollo. Rollo calms down and dexterously avoids Theta’s attack.
Theta runs after Rollo who runs away.
The fight shifts from the entrance of the hut into a large garden.
I can see the fight from the little light leaking out of the shed, since it is night outside, when the fight shifts to a dark place, I can no longer see the fighting figures of Theta and Rollo, I can only hear the sound of a bone sword colliding with a sword.
I activate <Night Vision> and ensure my vision.
The fight between Rollo and Theta seems to be equal.
There,
“What on earth are you?”
The bald man approaches shouting with a torch in his hand.
“No, what, you mean…”
“You ate a lot of the food with the special medicine in it. Yet you can still more easily…Are you not human?”
“Whaaaat?” (TL: Whaaaat? Pft, watch chu talkin’ ’bout man.)
Ma, he is right.
“Besides, that black beast injured my wife, Theta.”
What? This old skin head in a robe…
His expression gradually changes.
Did too much blood rise to his head? And then did I anger him?
“Theta, that? Your wife…isn’t she just a doll?” (TL: That wasn’t a smart thing to say, Shuya.)
When the skin head man hears my provocation his face distorts and a blood vessel on his face pops out. It attracts attention to the unchanging mark on his forehead…he leans his head forward, and bares his teeth with a growing light of insanity.
“Aaaaah? What did you say!? My wife Theta, isn’t a doll!!”
He speaks in a rough voice while spitting saliva.
“Is that so. Then that means, Theta isn’t human.”
“Joke later-”
The bald skin head man mutters angrily and throws his torch into the nearby garden.
A small light source is created in the darkness.
The light of the torch casts the bald man in creepy shadows.
The right hand of the bald man is held out, and touches a fingertip to a ring on his left hand. At that moment, the ring reacts.
The helmeted black skull ring shines, flickering between black and red as two strings appear from its eye sockets. The threads extend into the ground, and the ground it touches suddenly begins to melt? Before long the ground begins to make a sound like boiling lava and the air begins to fill with a black and red smoke.
What appears from the smoking ground is two skeletons, one of red bones and the other of black bones.
He summoned these guys, skeleton knights.
The skeletons are only made of bones, but their formed ribs are large and their forms look like a soldier or knight. They have a long sword that shines with a black luster in one hand and a shield in the other.
The two skeleton knights seem conscious.
Though their bones creak, they move to protect the skin head who summoned them.
-I look with magic observing eye.
They seem to have come from the ring.
The ring contains mana. The thread coming from the ring seems to be mana.
They are connected to the skeletons. There also seem to be rings that hold mana on his other fingers, shining faintly.
The bald man is wearing a lot of magic tool rings.
As I am looking a strong voice comes from behind the bone knights.
“…Bone knights, protect me and attack when you see a chance! I don’t care if his soul isn’t captured!”
As the bald skin head man issues out his order with a burning heart he appears before one of the bone knights, letting his robe billow.
He turns a hand to me and points. N, he’s storing mana in his hand? From a ring shaped like a beast a fireball is suddenly created.
-Swiftly.
I quickly drop down and the fire ball flies over my head. The fire ball hits the ground where I was and explodes. The darkness suddenly becomes bright.
That moment- A blade of mana comes from a different ring? But it flies. I hurry and swing down the black spear at the mana blade. The mana blade is broken by the black spear, divided-the wind blade goes to the left and right. A trace of a sword cut marks to ground to the left and right and a cloud of dust is kicked up.
Yes. I was able to cut the mana blade.
“What!? To move so fast, to see the wind blade in this dark night…you, after all you aren’t an ordinary person. Perhaps the guild?”
So it really was a wind blade.
Because it shines with magic observing eye I can still see it at night.
Besides, what guild?
“…No, I’m just a traveler.”
Unlike the question that appeared in my heart, I answer normally.
“Fu, maa-”
Ue, another fire ball.
Like that, I continue avoiding flying fireballs and wind blades.
He shoots the magic continuously so I have to be careful.
They are endless. I move and knock down wind blades.
Since it has come to this should I use <Cerebral Demon Speed>? The bald man saw that I stopped moving, and thinking it is a chance, the corners of his mouth lift in a smile.
He holds up a different ring.
Then with a *pika* and a blinding light and intense pain runs through my body like my heart is freezing.
Ita- There’s a rumbling sound in my ears and the smell of burnt meat flesh reaches my nose.
I am also surrounded by smoke. There is a black scar spread from my stomach to my chest.
It buuurns, that guy, he used lightning this time. Too fast, all the rings on his hand seems to be magic rings.
Not needing an aria is too inconvenient.
Indeed, I can smell my flesh burning…
Making a crackling sound, some of the leather clothing has been burned to cinders, and part of my body seared black is visible.
But, despite how it looks, the condition of the burn was healed in an instant.
Only the black tiger leather jacket I received from Shisho is intact.
“I did it, I did it, I did it. Pitch black.”
The bald man is hopping from foot to foot turning about in a dance. (TL: Okay, now he just seems sad and pathetic.)
His face is pale, and because his lips are discolored abnormally red, with the corners of his mouth pulled back he looks just like a clown.
This man is a crazy bald clown.
Without delay- I yell out.
In response the robe wearing man’s expression collapses and he lets out an ugly “Uiiiii!”
I will kill him with one blow.
I eagerly thrust out my black spear.
-A metallic sound.
My stab is blocked by a shield. The shield the black bone knight is using.
“-Ooh, quickly, bone knight!”
The bald man cries out as his expression shifts.
As he recovers he puts on a weird smile while he spits out saliva.
I smile back.
Decent reflexes- I move to the next action while thinking such praise. First, I activate <Magic Thought Guidance Hand>.
I make a fist with “distorted mana hand” and hit the red bone knight.
With the red bone knight unable to hold up its sword after the sudden blow from the mana fist it retreats.
I activate <chain> on my left hand at the same time- the chain first goes for the black bone knight that prevented my stab with its excellent reflexes.
The black bone knight cannot keep up with the chain’s speed.
The chain drills through the black bone knight’s jaw faster than a bullet, shattering it.
Like that, I change the trajectory to smash through the head of the black bone knight and then destroy the neck and spine one after the other.
On the other hand, the red bone knight struck by the big mana fist from <Magic Thought Guidance Hand> has an indent in its chest, touching one knee it is downed.
Big mana fist. It is strong.
The red bone knight with the caved in chest somehow rises, and approaches while holding its shield.
I send the Kukri sword to such a red bone knight.
But, since the red bone knight was injured so much already, I turn it into training and hold the kukri sword with <Magic Thought Guidance Hand>.
I swing I move the kukri sword over to the red bone knight with a shaky sword attack.
The red bone knight holds up its shield and it turns into a defensive fight.
Now then. Without overlooking the gab in its defense I point the black spear at its lower body and fire of <Thrust>!
The twisting black blade penetrates through the thick foot bone, destroying it. -Next I destroy the thigh bone. Then I destroy the back bone followed by the sternum.
The red bone knight immediately collapses. Its knees give out and it falls to the ground.
Furthermore, the chain that destroyed the black bone knight goes around and around to the red bone knight and penetrates its head. (TL: This is what I wanted to see the chain do. I feel really satisfied.)
I crush the bones into pieces.
The kukri sword, together with the chain and spear smash all of the red bone knight’s bones with synchronized attacks.
Finally, the bones pieces are crush and strewn about.
After having beaten the bone knights in only several seconds the bald man raises a frightened voice, and with a dumfounded expression his teeth chatter.
That face, I am going to punch it.
I ran at such a bald man.
Leading with my left shoulder, I hold the black spear in my right hand and deliver a shoulder tackle with a shout.
“Hiia.”
As expected, the bald man is a magician. Raising a ring with a scream he releases a fireball to counter attack.
While advancing I use <Thrust> to break through the middle of the fire ball with the black spear.
I dispel the fireball by destroying its core with thrusting.
To the bald man, from the fireball he just released, my left shoulder appears.
-It is over with this.
Once again, taking strong steps, I <thrust> at the chest of the bald man.
That moment, “-Master,” Theta leaps in from the side to the bald man.
The sound of meat tearing echoes out, and together through Theta’s back, I go through the heart of the bald man.
The two skewered people fall down like marionettes with their string cut.
“Ma, st, er…”
“Shi, shi, Theta…gufu.”
He is trying to talk but blood over flows from his mouth.
“…So. Zoru. D, dear…it’s enough.”
Then, the purple flower next to Theta’s ear falls next to Zoru’s face.
“This violet?”
“Gua, th, that’s right. A purple flower…eh, w, well, remember, Theta?”
The Zoru that is spitting up blood opens his eyes wide when he sees the face of his wife, Theta.
“Oh well…fufu, maybe this is the whim of god?”
“It’s you. It’s you…Theta. Her beauty is one that doesn’t fade away like a purple flower…” (TL: I really pity these two.)
“Zoru always says that, you gave me the violet…” (TL: They should also be really dead, not having their final words.)
Are you serious?
I sneak around and look at Theta’s face.
Then, the face of Theta which had looked like a doll face had turned into the face of a really beautiful woman.
Ooh, that’s amazing.
Theta has had her chest penetrate by the black spear, yet she is smiling without showing any signs of pain, looking over her husband Zoru affectionately.
From the wound in her chest, black blood flows out unceasingly.
The black blood pours down the black spear then over Zoru’s robe and mixes with his in the mud, at last the black blood even ran down the affectionate eyes.
Theta’s black tears mix together the tears on Zoru’s cheeks, the darkening tears flow over his cheeks, along the ground, and finally dyes the fallen violet black. (TL: Oh.)
“…Theta. I wanted…gu.”
Blood pours out of Zoru’s mouth again.
“Zoru.”
Theta shakes her head to Zoru’s words.
To bring her body closer to her husband’s, she pushes herself along the black spear stuck in her chest, so that they may hug while each other’s blood pools.
When Zoru is hugged by Theta, and evil spirit slips out, and his insane expression changes to a gentle one.
“Zoru. Remember how we always strolled along the riverside of the Haym?”
“Ah…I remember well.”
“Fufu, me too. …my last moments are good.”
Theta drops her neck, and closes her eyes weakly.
As blood flows from Zoru’s mouth, he blinks gently, and looks at me.
“Theta. -There is…more…traveling.”
Patching together those words…he dies with his eyes still open.
He died…
Rollo also seems to have noticed and turns her red eyes questioningly.
After a short moment, while trudging along feeling empty, she rubs face head against by head, back and forth.
Ah, Yui…
Taking care of Rollo under my feet, I return to the place where I separated from Yui.
Whistling, I look for the popobumu.
I whistle over and over again and search.
Then the popobumu returns while snorting “bubobubo”
“Yui! Are you all right?”
“…I’m okay. My body is numb and I can’t move…but you’re all right.”
“N? Were you worried about me?”
“Baka…if you’re like that, should I kill you?”
Again, she says something like that.
She needs punishment, I sentence her to a bottom massage. (TL: No, stahp, my feelings aren’t ready.)
“Kya, he, hentai!”
“Hahaha, saying such a thing, aren’t you supposed to say I can never be a bride?”
Her face turns beet-red.
“Yui, your body shivers when I hold you.”
“Aan. Baka.”
It might be a result of the battle ending, but I repeatedly rub and massage Yui’s buttock. Pulling myself together, I ask about how she is feeling.
“Which remind me, Yui’s important swords. I left them here. I made sure to recover them.”
“Un…”
“Well then, take a rest, I’ll take care of the bodies in the garden.”
“Understood.”
I take all of the valuable rings from the corpse’s fingers.
There was no ring with the water attribute, but there was a ring with the darkness attribute.
I will test this ring later.
I dig a hole in the ground, and make a simple grave for Zoru and Theta.
I put a ring on the gravestone, and place the violet dyed black with blood as an offering.
Even though I killed you…
Seeing these two at the end affect my heart some.
I go to my knees, and pray Japanese style.
