Chapter 60~The Template of Picking Up Women~
The trip went without incidents, but trouble came calling after we got off the ship.
Or perhaps we invited trouble onto ourselves.
「Oi, the brat over there, leave the female elf beside you and scram.」
「…ha?」
That’s right, I had completely forgotten.
Amelia was an unparalleled beauty, so when someone with ordinary looks stood next to her, we completely stood out like a sore thumb.
And just like that, we were surrounded by male beastmen.
I couldn’t really tell because of the fur, but their faces were red, and because they smelled strongly of alcohol, they had definitely been drinking since morning.
And, these men had obnoxiously hung their Adventurer’s Guild dog tags around their necks.
The color was yellow.
Judging from their equipment, they were obviously a party of warriors.
Yellow was much lower than the topmost gold rank.
It’s the third one if you counted from the bottom, so it’s much faster if you counted from the bottom.
It’s different if they’re fakes, but even with the Eye of the World, it was confirmed that they had warrior-type skills.
Small fries…no, mobs?
They often appear in manga, those guys who faces weren’t even drawn.
Or rather, I have no preference for rough guys with cat ears and a tail, it’s unpleasant.
At the very least, get cosmetic surgery or turn over a new leaf with those cat ears and tails.
The beastmen who didn’t know that I was thinking those kinds of things in my mind, thought that I was so scared that I couldn’t say anything, and laughed vulgarly.
I gave a deep sigh as if I couldn’t hear anything.
「…haa. Another one to add to the template collection. Good job, me.」
「Akira, should I destroy them?」
「No, if I don’t do it, we will always be targeted.」
The matter I was thinking about when I met Amelia had come true
Come to think of it, this may be the first time that the elves, who were nothing but pretty faces, walked among ordinary humans.
「Oi, what are you blabbing on about. We have no interest in males? Or, do you play for that team?」
The man who was the leader shouted that, irritated.
Anger and haste hinder good counsel, you know, was what I wanted to say, but I was offended by what he just said.
「Who did you say had an interest in what?」
I too realized that the corners of my own mouth had curled up.
Yoru, who was on my shoulder, frantically raised his voice to try and stop me, but I’ll listen later.
Now then, what should I do about these guys.
It’s one thing if they’re treating me like I’m homosexual, but they’re also staring at Amelia with their filthy eyes.
「For now, I’ll be your opponent, so those who want to die, come.」
「Ah?」
Even though I said that, I didn’t intend on killing them, so without taking out any of my hidden weapons or “Yatonokami”, I hooked my index finger, and motioned for them to come.
「Are you trying to say that a human brat will win against us beastmen?」
「You guys, if you want to run away, now is the time?」
「Aren’t you still drinking your mother’s milk?」
「You’ll regret it if you make an enemy out of us, you know?」
With a twitch, this time, Amelia reacted.
On top of my shoulder, Yoru was shaking his head in amazement, as if saying, “Good grief”.
「If you cause a disturbance in a place like this, you’re the ones who will be in trouble.」
Seeing people gathering around to watch the commotion, Amelia said this.
When Amelia who had been silent until now and was just being protected by me spoke, at that moment, the men got lively.
What caused this was, not because of Amelia’s words, but that beautiful voice of hers.
「Oi, did you hear it? The voice just now.」
「Aah, so wonderful.」
「She’s much too good for such a brat.」
「If we sold her, how much do you think she would go for?」
I, thought that I endured it splendidly.
To the point where I wanted to praise myself.
However, as expected, there was a limit to one’s patience.
I held out my hand.
Amelia sensed that I was about to try and do something and reached out her arm to stop me.
However, I had said those words just before she could.
「Shadow Magic.」
Aah, I’ll say this now, but of course I’m not going to use Shadow Magic at full strength in the middle of the street.
Even if the men of the general public who heard Amelia’s voice were looking at her with eyes like beasts, they were much preferable than these guys who were just standing there.
Besides, even if I had Amelia put on a hood now, it would be meaningless when we stood out this much.
If that’s the case, it would be much better to prove that I’m strong and have them give up.
『Way to go, Master-dono.』
「Guaaaa!!」
「Sh*t! What is this!!」
「This is bad, this is really bad! I can’t get it off!」
The condensed shadows struck the men’s eyes.
And, controlling it remotely, that shadow covered their eyeballs.
In other words, they would not be able to see for a short while.
I was not able to display my strength, but they should understand my abilities from the people who saw.
「Hou, not bad.」
Suddenly, someone from among the spectators raised their voice.
The crowd of people parted, from among the noisy people, a tall man walked over in a relaxed manner.
Those ears and tail, he’s probably a leopard.
Dark clothes hugged his body, a man who seemed refreshing.
However, that face was a noh mask, his facial muscles were completely frozen.
「Th, that voice is…!」
「Th, this is bad!」
「S, sh*t!!」
「Why is that person here!?」
Based on the reactions of the men and the spectators, it seems that he’s someone important.
Even though he seems young, how amazing.
Also, it’s extremely loud.
「Now then, first off, why don’t I introduce myself. I am the person who manages the Adventurer Guild in this town, my name’s Linga. Please take care of me, human child.」
「I’m Oda Akira. Best regards. If you are the guildmaster, then this will be quick. This, is the letter from the elven king.」
「Hou, for the guy who hates writing to write this, it seems that it’s quite the situation.」
The people around us were getting noisy because I called Linga-san ‘you’, but the person himself didn’t mind it, so I won’t either.
TN: the ‘you’ here is あんた (anta) which is a more informal/rude version of anata. There are different forms of ‘you’ in Japanese, so I’ll make a note of it here so that you guys won’t be confused.
When I gave him the letter of the king of elves, Linga-san immediately broke the seal and began reading it.
「I see, this is quite interesting. And he has messy handwriting.」
「Don’t say that in front of his daughter.」
When I glanced at Amelia, Amelia didn’t seem like she minded, rather, she seemed restless under Linga-san’s gaze.
「Fumu, that guy’s daughter, which means you’re Princess Amelia, huh. You’re quite brave to come here at this time.」
「…at this time?」
I asked this in response to those words, that he muttered as if impressed with his hand on his chin.
What did that mean?
「You came without knowing, huh. Maa, it’s fine, we can’t talk here, so let’s go to the Adventurer Guild. …aah, you’ve right where I need you. Yamato-kun, after expelling those lowly people over there from the Adventurer Guild, confiscate all their possessions and throw them into the jungle.」
「As you ordered」
Turning on his heel, Linga-san, as if he just remembered, coldly looked down at the men whose eyes were still being suppressed and squatting down, and gave that order to the nearby young man.
It seems that the people working for the Adventurer Guild were unexpectedly nearby.
Linga-san continued walking, and the crowd of people parted.
The people’s eyes that were looking at Linga-san, were filled with fear.
This person, I wonder what he did.
「You are quite the schemer as well.」
Along the way to the guild, in a less populated area, Linga-san said this and looked at me.
I gave a meaningful smile.
「You saved me when you went with it. With this, Amelia should be safe for the time being.」
「Eh…. Akira, what are you talking about?」
Amelia and Yoru were blankly staring at me.
These two people were extremely honest, or perhaps I should say, they’re pure, at any rate, they were utterly ignorant of things such as schemes and traps.
I explained it to those two.
—
Chapter 61~Adventurer Guild~
I gave them an explanation in Linga-san’s room at the guild.
Maa, I didn’t know if someone will eavesdrop, or how advanced this world was.
I wasn’t sure if it would be better to do it outside or in Linga-san’s room, but it seemed to be somewhat better to do it in the room of the guildmaster who was feared by the people.
「This is the Adventurer Guild.」
Linga-san said this as he opened the door to your typical, dirty tavern that one would hesitate to enter.
「Hee.」
We went inside, and I unconsciously let out a voice.
The interior of the Adventurer Guild was different from its exterior, it was kept fairly clean.
Perhaps they remodeled the tavern, the service counter was that of a tavern’s.
The requests were printed on paper, the degree of difficulty was color-coded, and was affixed onto the wall of the tavern.
Somehow, the guild looked just as I have imagined it to be like.
Perhaps they could also function as a tavern as well, several people who seemed to be adventurers, sat at the tables and chairs and were drinking alcohol.
The moment Linga-san entered the guild, it was not noisy, but the conversations all fell completely silent.
Several adventurers who were drinking alcohol instantly turned pale as if they had sobered up.
If not for that, it seemed like a cozy place though.
「Gu, guildmaster—! For what business are you here for today?」
「Aah, Mile-kun, these are my guests. Bring drinks for several people to the room.」
「Y, yes! Right away!!」
The puppy-like guild staff member came out from behind the service counter, and after he heard Linga-san’s instructions, he once again returned to the service counter.
With my extraordinary hearing ability, I caught the conversation from the other side of the service counter.
「Haaa, I don’t know what Linga-san is thinking.」
「Maa, it seems that he’s in a good mood this time, isn’t this better.」
「Yes, yes. Besides, when I was just thinking that he rarely appears, he suddenly comes in like this with someone, how embarrassing—.」
「On top of there being a number of people this time, there’s a human, elf, and a familiar…. No, there’s a lot of things to tsukkomi.」
「In the first place, the familiar, whose is it?」
「The elven young lady, she’s cute…. She’s a goddess.」
「That doesn’t really mattter, but for now, Mile, bring this over first.」
「Uu, …ye—s.」
It seems that they’re scared of him because they don’t know what he’s thinking?
It’s normal for people to not know what other people are thinking, but was this not the norm for the these beastmen.
「Sit wherever you like. Maa, there are papers everywhere, so there’s no other place to sit other than over there though.」
The guildmaster’s room was up the stairs that was on the other side of the service counter and on the right.
There was only a shelf that was packed with books, a sofa, desk, and chairs.
In that room that didn’t feel lived-in, other than on the sofa, there were papers everywhere.
The fact that there was no bed, I knew that this was not place where Linga-san lived, but did he really not come here often like what I had heard just now.
Wasn’t it just him not entering through the normal entrance?
No, if that were the case, why would he do that?
「Now then, please continue what you were saying before.」
「A, aah.」
Linga-san said that to me who sat down on the sofa and pondering intently and then sat in his own chair.
I explained it to Amelia and Yoru who still did not understand what had happened just now.
「Firstly, from the magic that I released, you can see that the precision of the control was like passing through the hole of a needle from one meter away, right?」
The two who knew how difficult magic was fervently nodded.
I honed in on the eyeball and aimed the small, condensed magic at the moving target, and on top of that, controlled the magic remotely.
Especially in Yoru’s case, if he didn’t properly imagine the target of his transformation, it seems that the magic itself wouldn’t invoke, so he probably understood it well.
「I purposely used a skill that displayed my strength but wasn’t flashy. Now then, Amelia-kun, why did I do that.」
「Um, is it because only those with a bit of real ability would make it flashy?」
When suddenly asked, Amelia was surprised at the abruptness but even so, she was able to give a proper response.
I kept patting Amelia’s head.
「Correct! Then Yoru, why would it be good to display your true strength?」
『…as long as one was not someone who has a lot of guts, when Master-dono’s there, they probably won’t trouble us.』
I stroked Yoru’s fur with my other hand.
It is surely, fur in both hands.
TN: I didn’t know how else to express this, but fur is technically hair, right? Plus, I based this off of ‘a flower in both hands’.
「That’s correct. Then what’s the demerit?」
『Master-dono’s true strength was exposed. If, it were a powerful person who didn’t feel daunted after seeing the magic control from just now, they would, without hesitation, come looking for a fight.』
I held Yoru up and buried my face into that fur.
Yes, that’s exactly it.
「Moreover, I intentionally exposed Amelia’s identity.」
「You wanted the people to leave after learning that she’s royalty?」
「That’s right.」
When I apologized for not discussing it with them, Amelia gave a small smile and gently shook her head.
「It’s fine for Akira to do as he likes. I’m fine with anything.」
「…Amelia….」
『Linga-dono, was there anything else?』
「No, this is quite interesting.」
At the sudden growing pink atmosphere, Yoru gave a wry smile, and Linga-san gave a silent laugh.
「Was Linga there intentionally?」
「Aah, that was not on purpose. It was by chance, but I knew when I saw Linga-san that he was the guildmaster, and I thought I’d might as well get him involved.」
I lightly tapped the corner of my eye.
At that moment, Amelia gave a look that said that she understood.
Unable to handle it, Linga pouted.
I gave a wry smile at the unexpected childish behavior.
—
Chapter 62~Questions~
「What are you guys talking about, explain it in a way that I can understand as well.」
I ambiguously explained the Eye of the World to Linga-san who was pouting.
Even if he was the guildmaster, it wouldn’t be good to disclose everything.
Maa, when I find out if I can really trust him or not, I’ll tell him everything.
Though I’m not really hiding it either.
「Maa, it’s fine. I understand two things. Oda Akira, are you a hero that was summoned from another world through the hero summoning?」
It seems that there was a rumor spreading around about a certain human country that had succeeded in summoning heroes.
Was it ok for me to say it, Yoru and I looked at each other.
「…I see. Then, here is my next question.」
Linga-san saw Yoru’s and my reaction, and making his own guesses, he moved onto the next question.
I needed to keep a poker face, but still, I’m not good with these types of tactics.
「That familiar named Yoru, weren’t you the right-hand man of the demon king?」
I had vaguely guessed that Yoru had a close relationship with the demon king, but he was his right-hand man?
If that were the case, why did the demon king do something like sending his own right-hand man over to me.
『It’s as you said, but now, I am Master-dono’s subordinate. I’m not going to destroy this country like when I was young and mischievous, so don’t worry.』
Oi, you just brazenly said something explosive, didn’t you?
I want an explanation.
「When the familiar over there had been a monster, he had, as the demon king’s right-hand man, tried to destroy this country…no, this continent. Thanks to the struggles of the hero-sama at the time, it ended with just the towns and a part of the castle that the beastman king was living in having been destroyed, but ever since then, we’ve been afraid of black cats. We are not worthy of the reputation of being proud beastmen:」
When I glanced at Yoru, he feigned ignorance and was whistling unskillfully.
This guy, he’s not reflecting.
That means that, the people in town will run away when they see me on the street.
The hoodlums from just now were drunk and didn’t notice, but people running away when they see me, would be subconscious.
『Its because that was demon king-sama’s command. Also, we were in the middle of a war at that time. I don’t think that I was wrong, and I’m not going to apologize either.』
「I know. I just wanted to confirm it.」
Amelia was overcome with surprise with the fact that the outwardly pure and innocent-looking Yoru was actually a god of destruction.
No, we must not be deceived by his appearance.
This guy was, someone who released a dragon breath on us as soon as he saw us.
That’s exactly what happened.
Wasn’t he a god of destruction since the beginning.
『Ah, Master-dono, I could hear everything through the telepathic communication…..』
That’s how you see it, huh.
Yoru sulked.
「As expected, it’s likely that the familiar and its master is connected through the telepathic communication skill. What valuable specimens.」
Incidentally, when I looked around, there was an item that looked like a camera on the ceiling.
Since it was not the camera-like item that was used with ill intentions that I saw when I first came to this world, it seems I had failed to notice it.
「For there to be a camera in your own room, what tight security.」
Wasn’t the security too tight, considering he’s the guildmaster.
「There are times when treasures that are of utmost importance to beastmen are kept here. That’s why.」
「…treasure, huh. Is it ok for you to tell us something like that?」
Did the thought of us actually being thieves, and coming here to steal the treasure not cross his mind.
「No. If you were thieves, you would not bring the familiar. Since a black cat familiar would obviously stand out.」
For thieves who dislike standing out, we were certainly too flashy.
We had already stood out when Amelia appeared though.
That’s right, speaking of standing out, he was the opposite.
「That special skill of yours, ‘Noninterference’, does it perhaps have the effect of making other people completely unaware of you?」
「Aah, that’s right. I’ll say this now, but I am a civil officer though and through. To make things worse, I have a phobia of sharp objects. I can’t even directly look at a knife. That’s why, I rejected the splendid assassin occupation.」
Forks were impossible for him, but chopsticks were fine, so he was having chopsticks sent over from Yamato.
I stared at the display of Linga-san’s status.
Certainly, “assassin” was written in the occupation column.
This guy was exactly the same as me.
In other words, this guy was someone with the same occupation.
It seems that he used the skill “Noninterference” to stealthily enter this room to do his work.
In accordance with that, the level was really unexpected.
If it were someone else with the same occupation, they would definitely say that it’s a waste of talent.
Actually, for a moment, I had thought that as well.
However, this way of living was fine as is.
「Now then, back to the main subject. Let’s get down to business.」
When Linga-san said that, it felt like the atmosphere immediately became tense.
—
Chapter 63~Special Reward~
As Linga was saying that we were getting down to business, he took a sip of the drink that Mile had brought up a while ago.
By the way, the juice was not of a citrus, but some kind of fruit.
Based on the smell, was it grape.
I didn’t drink it, so I didn’t know how it tasted, but when I saw Amelia drink it as if it was delicious, it seems that it was good enough for royalty.
Noticing that I didn’t touch the drink, Linga narrowed his eyes a little.
「So, what did you guys come to this continent to do?」
When Linga questioned us with sharp look in his eyes, I took out “Yatonokami” that was encased in its sheath from my back and put it on the desk.
Prompted by the silence, Linga drew half of the sword out.
My eyes widened a little.
「I see, you came to find a blacksmith, huh.」
Seeing that the blade was chipped, Linga returned the sword back into its sheath and put it back down onto the desk.
「It seemed to be a considerably sharp sword, but why is it like that?」
The sharper the sword, the sturdier and sharper it was.
This applied to katanas as well.
He was asking how I turned a katana that even those with untrained eyes knew that it was magnificent into this.
「I, needed to raise my level to 100 no matter what. To accomplish that, I dove into the dungeon within the human territory and after I defeated the monsters, it became like that.」
When I told him the truth, Linga stiffened for a moment.
「…I must’ve heard you wrong? I heard you say that you used this sword in the human territory’s dungeon though.」
「No, you heard correctly.」
「You’re an idiot.」
He said that without hesitation.
He even said that refreshingly.
Yoru, who was on my shoulder, nodded in agreement as well.
They blamed me right away.
「It couldn’t be, did you enter the human territory’s dungeon without knowing that it’s a place that was used especially for training one’s magic? Or did you go there to die but unexpectedly survived?」
「I didn’t know until Yoru told me. It was a coincidence, or perhaps I should say, luck was on my side, but it was mostly thanks to my abilities and Amelia over here.」
Linga sighed, when I declared that unhesitatingly.
「Most people, wish to receive a unique skill at level 100, but to put one’s life on the line for a myth such as that, you’re rather eager to die.」
I sneered.
That’s right.
There’s a rumor that…those who raise their levels up to 100 will be bestowed a unique skill, a skill that was much superior than a special skill.
Of course, I heard that from Commander Saran, and furthermore, I knew that that rumor was true.
And, I promised Commander Saran that I would, without fail, reach level 100.
It was the first and the last promise.
「The unique skill exists.」
When I resolutely insisted on it, Linga stared at me.
The room was completely silent for a while.
「…that look on your face, it seems that you truly think that. No, you believe that it does, don’t you? Why is that. Heroes who are above level 100 do not exist in this world anymore.」
「No, it existed at that time. I saw it. Those who raised their level up to 100 were bestowed a unique skill.」
「Is it true?」
After leaving the Adventurer Guild, Amelia asked that as we smoothly passed through the crowd of people.
Thanks to Yoru who was on my shoulder, the beastmen avoided us, and no one came to pick a fight, did the fact that Amelia was a high elf spread all over town already.
My goal being realized called for a celebration.
However, I want to go into the alleyway soon.
Amelia’s question was vague, but I knew what she was trying to ask.
Yoru too, made a noise as he skillfully balanced itself on top my shoulder and clung onto my head.
Like this, the fur on his chest was right next to my ear and it was slightly ticklish.
『Master-dono, I’ve never heard of people being able to receive a reward at level 100 though?』
「Aah, that’s the case for Yoru who is a monster. Amelia, on the other hand, must’ve heard about this many times.」
Right? When I asked that, Amelia awkwardly nodded.
「If it’s the myth, I’ve heard about it before. Just like raising the level of one’s normal skills to MAX level, those who are able to do so was only a small portion of geniuses. It is absolutely impossible for normal people. Even raising it up to level 99 is difficult.」
That’s right, everything should’ve been a myth.
However, that was not the case.
「The first to discover level 100’s special reward was the first hero. During the last battle with the demon king, his comrades were all wiped out, he himself was on the verge of death, and it manifested when he had defeated the last monster besides the demon king. It blossomed during the fight with the demon king, he used that power, and then he lived happily ever after. Maa, he was a hero too, so he’s someone who would often overcome his limits.」
Incidentally, it seems that the northern half of the demon continent was destroyed due to the impact.
The special skill Shadow Magic could annihilate a forest, so it was most likely highly ranked.
Incidentally, it was a forest, but it wasn’t small like those in Japan.
It was a forest that was bigger than a small, foreign country.
This meant that only with the combined magic of Commander Saran’s light magic and my shadow magic, would we be able to do that much damage.
Half the continent would’ve been simple.
『Was it not the same for monsters?』
I patted Yoru who was disappointed and had said that in a depressed voice on the head.
「Just the fact that there was no myth, didn’t that mean that there was no such reward for the demons and monsters?」
「Probably. Maa, there is another possibility, though….」
『Another possibility?』
I stopped just before we entered the alleyway.
「It means that the demons intentionally concealed it.」
I looked over my shoulder, and Linga, who was hidden within the crowd of people, was looking at us with a sharp look in his eyes.
—
Chapter 64~Inn~
「Now then, Amelia-sama’s party is fine with one room. What will do you about breakfast?」
「Aah, we don’t need it since we’re going to eat at the food stalls.」
「Understood. We will lead you to your room, please wait a moment.」
Right now, we were standing in front of the reception desk at a certain inn.
It seemed like a good inn, and we were all relieved.
Actually, just a moment ago, Amelia said that she was hungry, and we entered a nearby restaurant-like shop.
The manager was a cat-type beastmen, perhaps the breed was a calico cat.
It was a trendy British style shop that was similar to that of a coffee shop.
Other than things that beastmen can eat like silver vine, there was also food and there were also customers who seemed to be adventurers as well.
It seems that there were more and more customers coming in.
Amelia, who ate more than me, got along well with that manager as she ordered various things, and it was this place that the manager recommended when we tried asking them.
It seems that, the manager also knew about the rumor that I had intentionally spread around town, and she referred it with the fact that Amelia was a high elf in mind, but just like the Adventurer Guild, there were a lot of buildings of the beastmen where the exterior and interior were completely different, even though the exterior wasn’t bad, the interior and the service was the worst…it seems that these types of things were common.
Maa, it seems that there were proper shops as well, the manager’s recommended inn, the “Ten Thousand Cranes”, seemed to be inn where the first floor served as an izakaya, and the bird beastman innkeeper with the sloping shoulders was a good person.
TN: an izakaya is a type of Japanese pub or tavern where you can drink as well as order food to eat
He wasn’t really afraid of Yoru who was feared by beastmen either, and even treated Amelia properly.
「Nice to meet you, I’m Haru. I’ll guide you to your room.」
Coming out from behind the sloping-shouldered innkeeper was our guide, a cute human girl with a snaggletooth.
Moreover, her hair was black, and if her eyes were not green but black, she would be a Japanese person.
Her name was Japanese-ish too.
「Hey, she’s the princess of the elves, you know!?」
Haru, who enthusiastically gave a friendly greeting, was chided by the flustered sloping-shouldered innkeeper.
Amelia stopped the innkeeper, who was about to bow his head.
「We have yet to greet the beastman king, and we are currently traveling incognito. There’s no need to go out of your way to welcome us.」
「But….」
Amelia gave a suggestion to the innkeeper who looked unconvinced.
「Then, recommend some restaurants to me, just that is fine.」
「Yes, then let me make a list of a few places and I’ll have it sent up to your room.」
Amelia nodded, and urged Haru.
Haru changed completely from how she was just now and guided us with a serious look on her face.
「Well then, we’ve arrived.」
As Haru showed us the dining hall and various other places, she stopped in front of a large, exceptionally designed room.
「…this is the room for Amelia-sama’s group. If by any chance something happens, the emergency exit is this way. If you need anything, ring the bell over there.」
The room that we were guided to was, most likely, the safest room in this inn, and furthermore, it was clean.
「Ah, the walls are perfectly soundproof, so you can enjoy the night without worries–.」
Leaving those words behind, Haru left.
This girl, even though she earnestly corrected herself and was polite in front of the sloping-shouldered innkeeper, she already went back to normal, how dislikable.
She didn’t reflect at all.
『…Master-dono, I am a monster that can read the atmosphere, so I will leave the room at night, so don’t worry. Ah, I won’t eavesdrop telepathically either.』
「Yoru, you think I would do those kinds of things to Amelia?」
『No, but there’s the saying that one is not a man if one does not eat the meal before them.』
「Where did you learn that.」
『Demon king-sama said it!』
「My impression of the demon king that I have yet to meet had just fallen.」
As the two of us were talking while I was cuddling Yoru, Amelia suddenly appeared right in front of me.
「What are the two of you doing so sneakily?」
「『Nothing.』」
We responded at the same time and when we did so so perfectly in sync that even synchronized swimmers would be surprised, Amelia have a hmph, and the look on her face told us that she didn’t believe us, but she didn’t pursue it.
Yoru and I have a sigh of relief.
Next time, let’s have these kinds of conversations telepathically.
Coming to such a decision, I joined Amelia who started unpacking the small bit of luggage that we had and sorted them out.
「…I don’t mind being eaten if it’s Akira.」
I did not know that Amelia, who was next to me, had muttered that.
「Is it tasty, Amelia?」
「Nn!」
I felt the corners of my mouth curling up, when I saw Amelia stuffing her cheeks with food.
After that, she hummed with happiness and the fatigue from the long trip was cured.
Just in case, I checked the entire room, every nook and cranny, and wanted to see if they had planted anything with magic, but there was nothing.
Because there had been many times since coming here where I was close to death and was almost killed, I may have become too sensitive about it.
Maa, normally, it’s necessary to be this cautious….
「Now then, what should I do about that guildmaster’s troublesome skill.」
—
Chapter 65~Flirting?~
It seems that there was a place where Yoru wanted to go, so we parted ways after eating dinner together.
He wanted to go somewhere, was there someone he knew?
We returned to the inn and rolled around on top of the bed once again.
Because it was a room where royalty was staying in, the bed was soft and fluffy, making it extremely comfortable to sleep in.
TN: so for some reason, all the ‘bed’ (ベッド) here in this chapter were actually ‘bet’ (ベット) in the raws, but I took the liberty of changing them back to ‘bed’ so that they can sleep on a bed and not a bet.
Having slept on the hard floor of the dungeon for so long, that thought became all the more stronger.
Amelia was nodding off in the bed next to mine as well.
I need to wipe my body before going to bed.
Come to think of it, Yoru had given me a thumbs up when we parted, but that guy, did he still think that I’ll attack Amelia….
Certainly, embracing such a beautiful girl would be every man’s romance.
However, there was too large of a gap between the appearance of the Amelia and myself, and on top of that, I don’t have any experience with romance.
In that world, I did my best to earn money in order to keep living, and worked multiple jobs until late at night every day, so I didn’t have the time to get a girlfriend either. Even if I did have one, okaasan was always at home, so we wouldn’t have been able to flirt either.
Maa, I had no intentions of getting one though.
With my head wrapped up in all of these thoughts, I failed to notice that Amelia had gotten up and lied down next to me.
「…Akira. What are you thinking about?」
「A, aah. About that guildmaster.」
Amelia rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at me.
I was a bit startled.
「The Nonintervention skill?」
「It’s Noninterference. It’s a very troublesome skill.」
I patted Amelia on the head when she came snuggling up to me like a cat.
Amelia, had a content look on her face and drew closer once again.
「…Akira, do I not look delicious?」
For an instant, my mind had gone blank.
「Nn?」
「What do you mean?」
When I unconsciously sat up and asked that, Amelia was pouting and she looked up at me as she was lying down.
「Because, even though I’m so close to you, Akira didn’t attack me. Is it because I don’t have any charm?」
I was dumbfounded as I looked at the sad and dispirited Amelia.
Those types of words were what I least expected to hear from Amelia.
I put my hand on my forehead and let out a deep breath.
「No charm? That’s impossible. You are too charming and just standing next to you is difficult.」
My thoughts came overflowing from my mouth.
Amelia’s eyes widened.
「Ugh, just what am I saying?」
I felt my face heating up.
「Fufufu. That’s good then.」
Amelia laughed at me who was probably red up to the ears, and embraced me from behind.
Then, she whispered into my ear from behind.
「Akira can eat when Akira wants to eat.」
Aah, Amelia’s leading me around by the nose, how pathetic can I get?!
This could not be tolerated.
I turned my head around and kissed Amelia’s cheek.
「After the business with the demon king and whatnot are taken care of, I’ll embrace you to your heart’s content. Prepare yourself, ok?」
「Un!」
I wanted to say that as overbearingly as possible, but Amelia nodded cheerfully as her cheeks turned red.
「Alright, I’m going to sleep. Since we’re going to go search for a blacksmith to repair ‘Yatonokami’ tomorrow.」
Turning my whole body around, I faced Amelia.
Amelia was already nodding off as she clung onto me.
Come to think of it, she seemed to be sleepy for quite some time now.
The two of us fell into the bed while holding onto each other.
As my mind was overwhelmed with exhaustion, my body was thinking, “let’s wipe up tomorrow morning.”
「Master-dono, I’ve returned……?」
Yoru, who came back a few hours later, tilted his head in confusion at the scene before him. Amelia’s bed was empty and Akira’s bed had a suspicious bulge.
It had already passed lights out a long time ago and it was completely dark out, but it was not a problem for Yoru who was, more or less, a cat.
His eyes could see everything as clear as day and so, determined to get to the bottom of this, he slowly approached the bed, and tore off the quilt.
TN: Futon (布団) was used here instead of ‘quilt’ but I opted for ‘quilt’ instead because a futon is a quilted mattress and it wouldn’t really make sense to take the entire mattress out from underneath them just to find out what’s under the covers.
「Hohou, well, well, good for you, Miss Amelia.」
In that place he found Akira and Amelia who were hugging each other as they slept.
He understood that they didn’t cross the line from the state of the unkempt clothes, but Yoru who knew that Amelia was worried about the matter with Akira saw Amelia’s happy face and gave a soft laugh.
Yoru put the quilt back to the way it was, and lied down on the open bed.
Such a big bed was wasted on a small body. So he purposely adjusted his size to match the size of the bed.
「…good night, Master-dono, Miss Amelia. It’ll be busy tomorrow.」
Yoru muttered that, and slowly closed his eyes.
—
Chapter 66~Genius Blacksmith~
When I opened my eyes in the morning, there was a beautiful girl right in front of me.
I was bewildered for a moment before I finally grasped the situation.
Come to think of it, I fell asleep last night while hugging Amelia.
Asleep in a comfy bed, next to a transcendent beauty with her soft body pressed against mine…was this heaven?
Or rather, was this hell because I didn’t do anything?
As I was pondering over it in anguish, there was a creaking noise coming from the other bed.
I raised my body up a little and when I peeked over Amelia, I saw a large Yoru get up from the bed.
『…』
Yoru, who was not very good at getting up in the mornings, furrowed his brows as he got up and stretched his entire body.
Afterwards, he came around behind me, sank his teeth into my clothes and pulled.
「Ah, wai, Yoru?」
I let go of Amelia and separated from her so that I wouldn’t wake her up.
Yoru dragged me off the bed, and without saying a word, started to take my clothes off.
Though I cocked my head in puzzlement, under Yoru’s urging, I undressed and changed clothes.
After that, he woke Amelia up and made her change as well
「Yoru, what’s wrong.」
When I looked at Yoru, he let out a yawn and finally opened his mouth to talk.
『Last night, I was searching for a blacksmith I knew. It seems that he is coming over now.』
With that said, he languidly returned to his bed.
Bewildered, Amelia and I looked at each other.
「He’s coming now, you say, how do you know?」
As we tilted our heads in confusion, someone knocked on the door.
No, there was some strength to it, so it was probably more accurate to say that they pounded on the door.
「…come in.」
I responded after hiding a hidden weapon in my hand, just to be on the safe side, and then, Haru, as well as a black cat beastman entered.
「This is the blacksmith Kurou-san. He seems to be someone familiar-sama is acquainted with, so I gave him a pat-down just in case and then brought him over.」
The beastman known as Kurou glanced at Yoru before shifting his gaze towards Amelia and myself, examining us.
「A, aah, thank you, Haru.」
After saying, ‘take your time’, Haru left.
Once Haru was completely out of sight, Kurou opened his mouth to speak.
「It seems that you have the skills, but you are still a child. It doesn’t mean anything even if that monster known as ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’ follows you. Not to mention the elf over there.」
“Adorea’s Nightmare”?
If I remember correctly, that was the beastmen’s capital city.
Also, his extremely annoying way of speaking rubbed me the wrong way.
『Master-dono, even though he’s like this, he’s the world’s number one blacksmith. Though he had a troublesome personality and barely has any customers as a result』
Yoru was sprawled out on the bed, and muttered that as he looked at the wall.
I raised my voice in agreement.
Heroes, and geniuses all had troublesome personalities.
「Thank you for explaining. For ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’ to say that about me, as expected, it’s embarrassing.」
Kurou didn’t look embarrassed at all, but it seems that he was actually happy about it as his tail was raised up a little.
I see, this guy’s a tsundere, huh.
TN: most of you should know what tsundere means, but for those who don’t, they’re people who act cold, but they actually care
「Nice to meet you, I’m Oda Akira. This is the high elf Amelia.」
Kurou gave a small nod and held out his hand when I introduced myself.
Unsure of what he meant by this gesture, I tilted my head in confusion. Kurou raised his voice as if he was irritated.
「Take out the weapon that you want me to repair.」
Understanding what he meant, I took out “Yatonokami”.
The moment Kurou saw “Yatonokami”, his eyes widened.
Without realizing that, I put the katana along with the scabbard in his hand.
「…fuun. It seemed like you were negligent in its maintenance, but that’s not all. You probably went to the human territory’s dungeon and overused it, didn’t you.」
Amelia let out a voice filled with admiration at his eyes of observation that accurately pointed it out with just glance.
「Can it be repaired?」
When I asked that, Kurou shook his head.
As if saying, “good grief”.
「Who do you think I am? It’s just that, collecting the materials would be troublesome.」
While Kurou was carefully observing the blade of the katana and held it under the sun, Yoru elaborated on his behalf.
『This person is only repairing it, the materials and money needed for the repairs must be provided by us. For the funds, you can get some by hunting monsters, but getting the materials would be a bit troublesome.』
Hee, I nodded, and when I turned back to Kurou, I saw that the katana had been taken apart.
The guard and the handle were nimbly put back together.
「That is not difficult. I just need materials for the blade. I will give the monster over there the list of materials.」
Kurou left after saying that and Amelia chased after him.
—
Chapter 67~Adventurer Registration~
「Wait a minute!」
Amelia said that as she grabbed Kurou’s hand.
Kurou let out a sigh and stopped.
「What business do you have with me, elven princess.」
Amelia panted, trying to catch her breath.
He had a gaze that seemed to pin the other party down. This was not something a normal blacksmith would have.
「…I wanted to make sure.」
Amelia blurted that out with her eyes casted downward, leaving Kurou quite puzzled.
The blade of “Yatonokami” in Kurou’s hand was wrapped in a white cloth and the contrast between the black and the white was eye-catching.
「If I’m not mistaken, you are one of the heroes from the previous generation’s hero-sama’s party….」
The previous generation’s hero’s party failed to subjugate the demon king, and only the hero and the beastman representative returned.
The human and the elf died a little while later, something along those lines.
Kurou’s eyes sharpened.
「So?」
Enduring Kurou’s cold gaze, Amelia raised her head and looked directly into Kurou’s eyes.
「I want you to teach me how to fight.」
After Amelia left, Yoru got up from his bed.
『Master-dono, is it ok to not chase after her?』
I put the bladeless “Yatonokami” and its black sheath in a bag.
Like this, I wouldn’t have to worry about it being stolen, and it’s so secure that it wouldn’t be pickpocketed off of me.
Maa, even if it was, as long as there was no blade, it had no value.
「Amelia has her own thoughts. Besides, Amelia won’t do anything that’s disadvantageous to us.」
I counted the number of hidden weapons I had while checking their sharpness before putting them away.
Yoru changed into a smaller size and jumped onto my shoulder.
A piece of paper fell into my hands.
「Let’s take care of our own business. …so, Yoru will go with Amelia.」
Yoru, who had fully intended on accompanying me, slumped over my shoulder in disappointment.
『Master-dono, was this not the start of an adventure for the master and familiar?』
I grabbed Yoru by the scruff and held him up to eye level.
I realized this quite recently, but it seems that when he’s a cat, he would be powerless when this was done to him, just like a regular cat.
However, when he was in the form of a dragon, he had a dragon’s wrath, among other things.
「We will always be connected no matter where we are, but it’s not the same for Amelia. Besides, we will be able to destroy all the monsters when we enter the beastmen’s dungeon. Luckily, the dungeon is in this town.」
Yoru pouted.
It seems that he understood what I was trying to say.
「Stay with Amelia until she’s found what she’s looking for. …I’ve felt somewhat uneasy ever since we entered this continent. Also, tell her to come back before dinner.」
Those golden eyes silently watched me for a time before suddenly closing.
『As you wish, Master-dono.』
I let Yoru down onto the floor, and left the inn.
I walked towards the Adventurer Guild while Yoru followed Amelia’s scent in the opposite direction.
Since Amelia and Yoru were not with me, no one noticed me.
It seems like I fail to stand out at all without them, which is quite sad now that I think about it.
Oh well, it’s better that they don’t notice me, it would be troublesome otherwise.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember where the Adventurer Guild was, but after following the armor-clad adventurers, I arrived before I knew it.
Was this also thanks to the special skill Fortune?
It was different from when I came to the Adventurer Guild with Linga. The bar was bustling, and there was a large crowd of adventurers gathered in front of the wall of color-coded requests.
The whole place reeked of alcohol.
「Excuse me, where do I go to register?」
I called out as politely as possible to the guild staff member named Mile who brought drinks over when I first came here.
「Ah, you can register here.」
The fact that he didn’t even react when he saw me meant that he did not recognize me.
Maa, this should be a good thing.
I’m an assassin after all, so it’s good that people don’t notice me.
However, I was personally introduced to him by Guildmaster Linga of all people.
That alone should have at least made a strong impression and yet…despite this, he still didn’t recognize me.
As a person, to be forgotten was quite depressing.
…No I’m an assassin, this is good.. think of the positives damn it!
Completely unaware of the inner turmoil I was experiencing, Mile held out a piece of paper and a stick that seemed to be a pen as he called out to me.
「Do you know how to write? Though I can write on your behalf as well.」
「No, it’s fine. Is it ok if I just put down my name, occupation, and race?」
After seeing Mile nod, I filled in the necessary information on that paper.
「…well then, with this, the registration is complete. This is the dog tag of the beginner rank, the grey rank. This also serves as your ID as well, so please wear it around your neck at all times so that you don’t lose it.」
I stuck my grey ID info tag onto the chain Mile provided and hung the chain on my neck.
「How do I raise my rank quickly?」
It seems that in this town, entering the dungeon depended on one’s rank, one couldn’t enter unless one was yellow-ranked, at least.
Right now, I’m grey, next is blue, and then it’s yellow after that, so I need to rank up twice.
「Hmm, I guess you’re interested in entering the dungeon, huh? You’re probably not aware, but this town’s dungeon isn’t as straightforward as the human’s dungeon or the elven dungeon. In the human dungeon, monsters are weak to magic attacks while in the elven dungeon, monsters are weak to physical attacks. You’ll find no clear advantages using either physical or magic attacks in this town’s dungeon, it’s a completely different beast you know?」
Hmm, I guess that would explain how growth skills are leveled up.
However, people generally don’t have a wide range of attacks, so focusing on the dungeon where one’s attacks were more effective would probably be the better option.
「It’s fine. Although I may look like this, I’m confident in my skills.」
After staring at me for some time, Mile gave a deep sigh.
「Just how many novice adventurers who said as much lost their lives on their first mission…. For now, I will tell you about the rules and etiquette of this Adventurer Guild, so please listen. We will talk about it later.」
I wanted to raise my rank quickly and enter the dungeon, but I nodded, reluctantly.
—
Chapter 68~Amelia’s Request~
Two people and one animal could be spotted walking along the red leaf covered road. Given how many leaves were on the ground, it looked as if they were walking on top of a red carpet, though the animal wasn’t walking but instead riding on top of someone’s shoulder.
「…well? How far do you plan on following me?」
Kurou said this without looking at Amelia who decided to walk next to him.
「Until you agree.」
Amelia answered while staring straight ahead.
Kurou scornfully laughed.
「Give up. I don’t plan on taking a disciple or teaching others my techniques. In the first place, these techniques are not so simple that a princess can just learn them if she wants to.」
However, Amelia was stubborn and unlike what her reserved appearance might imply, she wasn’t planning on backing down.
Yoru shook his tail.
「I need to have more resolve than that. It’s obvious that I would have to put in at least this level of effort in order to catch up to Akira.」
Kurou shook his head and hastened his pace.
Regardless, Amelia continued to follow him.
After walking for a while, Kurou finally caved in and looked over at Yoru.
「…what should I do so that this girl will give up, monster.」
Yoru laughed scornfully just as Kurou did before and answered.
『Give up. Miss Amelia’s stubbornness and her gluttony are the two things that are unrivalled in this world.』
At those words, Kurou finally stopped walking.
「A long time ago, I too took in disciples just like everybody else and taught them my techniques. Unfortunately, they all, without exception, lost their minds and left.」
So?, Amelia tilted her head in confusion.
「I am strong. I’m a silver ranked adventurer, though I may be weaker than you who were selected to be the representative of the beastmen.」
TN: Amelia should be a silver ranked adventurer, but here, the author mistakenly put her as a gold rank.
She indifferently said that as if she was grumbling about it.
Kurou stared at her side profile.
「That’s obvious, isn’t it. It has nothing to do with which race you were born as. The strong will be victorious.」
The wind picked up, and Amelia’s white hair and the red leaves danced in the wind.
Yoru just looked on at this magical scene.
The command from his master Akira was to stay with Amelia.
From the very beginning, he had no intentions of interfering.
「Those who are weak also have a chance to turn things around. They fight in order to seize that chance. Akira seized it with his own hands. Now, it is my turn to do so.」
She tightly clenched her hands.
「I want to learn your…no, the first generation’s hero’s techniques.」
—
「…maa, that’s it.」
After Mile explained the rules for how one should behave within the guild, he looked at Akira.
The explanation was truly a formality. It even included common sense things like properly apologizing when you’re in the wrong and the prohibition of leaving the restaurant without paying your bill.
I figured now was a good time to bring up the biggest question on my mind.
「There is a system in place for duels, huh.」
With a slightly troubled look on Mile’s face, he laughed.
「Yes. the number of duels increase every year, and now, it is a form of entertainment for the many hot-blooded citizens.」
I’ve heard that beastmen were overwhelmingly more hot-blooded than other races, so maa, I was also in approval of the duel system.
Of course, there was no such thing as a duel system in the human and elven Adventurer Guilds.
The Adventurer Guild even has organized gambling around duels.
Seems like it’s becoming quite popular as a spectator event.
「For example, just the other day, a human who wasn’t registered with the Adventurer Guild and a yellow-ranked party got into a fight on the main street. That human was the guildmaster’s guest, so they shouldn’t have picked a fight with him! Not only did they lose miserably, but their qualifications were revoked and they were expelled from town while still under the effects of the young man’s magic.」
Oya, that sounds familiar.
Was that fellow some assassin who used that as a pretense to demonstrate his abilities?
「Come to think of it, that guest of the guildmaster looked almost exactly like you….」
Mile looked at me, and stiffened.
「Are you alright? Your face is pale.」
The scene of Mile pointing at me while opening and closing his mouth was extremely amusing.
「Oi, why are you pointing at an adventurer.」
Another adventurer came out from behind Mile who was frozen.
That person, looked at me and tilted his head as if recalling something.
「If I remember correctly, you are….」
I too had some recognition of him.
Before I even started trying to recall it, the other person had answered.
「You’re the assassin-kun who crushed the yellow ranked party.」
When I heard that, I snapped my fingers.
「Aah, you’re the guild member who Linga pushed the cleaning up onto.」
Nn?, the we looked at each other.
Mile watched the two people and was trembling, trying not to laugh.
「Maa, well, I’m Yamato. Nice to meet you.」
Ahem, he cleared his throat and held out his right hand.
I gripped that hand firmly.
Something about this guy reminded me of Kyousuke.
「I’m Oda Akira. I should be the one saying that. Please take care of me.」
—
Chapter 69~An Imposing Strength~
At this moment, one of the rooms within “Ten Thousand Cranes” was enveloped in an extremely strange atmosphere.
‘In Yoru’s case though, he was only sitting down because he’s a cat and as such, it could hardly count as a punishment.
Next to the composed Yoru was Amelia whose legs were reaching their limits and her body was trembling from exhaustion.
「Now then, let’s hear the excuses?」
Akira smiled sweetly.
Though we say that he was smiling, it was just the corner of his mouth rising a bit. However, the dark look in his eyes paired with his expressionless face made him seem more like the devil incarnate.
In the face of such a demonic presence, even Amelia couldn’t help but tremble in fear.
『Ah, Master-dono? Miss Amelia’s legs can’t take it anymore.』
Yoru immediately said that to mediate, but when those ice-cold eyes turned towards him, Yoru could do nothing but stay silent.
Those eyes that caused the silver ranked adventurer and the monster who was the demon king’s right-hand man to tremble in fear no longer had any mercy.
「What are you saying, limits exist so that they can be surpassed, right?」
I shot him down with a line that seemed like it was straight out of a manga while taking it completely out of context.
「Maa, it seems that you’re reflecting on it as well. From now on, if you promise not to do something, you better keep it.」
「I promise.」
Amelia immediately replied with sparkling eyes after being released from the hellish torture.
Rather, she did not know that it would be hellish from here on out.
Let’s go back to two hours ago.
Amelia wanted to have Kurou teach her one of the previous hero’s secret techniques, but in her persistence, she lost track of time.
They arrived at Kurou’s house and all the while, Amelia continued requesting it of him.
There was a splendid smithy right next to Kurou’s house and it made her recall that Kurou was, in fact, a genius blacksmith.
His home was a one-storied house constructed from wood, and it was extremely modest as there was nothing besides a bed, desk, and kitchen.
Given that his entire house was made of wood, one would think that handling fire near Kurou’s home would be dangerous.
Unbeknownst to Yoru, Kurou’s house was constructed with timber from the fire-resistant trees that grew in this world, allowing him to continue his work as a blacksmith.
『Miss Amelia, Master-dono will worry if we don’t return soon.』
Yoru raised his voice to remind her, but Amelia, who was bowing her head, did not say a single word.
「Even if you keep doing that, I won’t teach you anything.」
Sitting in a chair, Kurou was elegantly enjoying his tea while stuffing his cheeks with high class confectioneries, not even sparing the bowing Amelia a single glance.
「Please. Please teach me.」
Amelia was still bowing her head.
Yoru stared at Kurou in amazement.
『Is it still no good even when she’s gone this far?』
Kurou turned around and looked at Yoru.
「Even I can not afford to be careless when it comes to the life and death of a princess.」
A vein popped up on Yoru’s forehead when Kurou responded so aloofly.
Amelia’s head lowered even further in response.
She bit her lips in frustration.
「Oh yeah, monster, don’t you need to return before dark?」
Kurou looked out the window. The sun was already setting and dinner time had long since come and gone.
If Yoru’s complexion could be seen, one would be able to see him turn pale.
『Miss Amelia, we should go back now before Master-dono turns into a demon. No, I suppose it’s already too late.』
Amelia finally lifted her head.
She had been lowering her head all this time, so the blood should’ve rushed to her head, but her face was as white as a sheet.
「I’ll come back tomorrow.」
Come to think of it, when they left Kurou’s house, Kurou had an exceedingly unpleasant look on his face and was waving his hand at them, chasing them away.
「Yoru, how long does it take to arrive at the inn?」
She asked that while running at full speed towards the inn, but Yoru’s face just turned pale in response.
It wasn’t that the eyes were more eloquent than the tongue, it’s just that the expression on his face said all that needed to be said.
Once they arrived at the inn, they were gasping for breath and the sloping-shouldered innkeeper expressed his concern.
They quickly told him there was nothing to be concerned about before heading to their room.
And just as Yoru had predicted, when they entered the room, there was an imposing demon standing there waiting for them.
「Saa, Amelia, try standing up.」
Surely everyone has had a time where their legs were numb.
And, that indescribable sensation after the legs were numbed was extremely unpleasant. It seems that he knew that it was painful as well.
With her hands and feet trembling like a newborn fawn’s, Amelia was crawling on all fours with tears in her eyes.
『Miss Amelia….』
Yoru looked at Amelia with pity.
As a princess, Amelia has likely never had to kneel until her legs turned numb, so I wanted to have her try it.
However, it was unexpectedly effective and I decided that this would be the punishment for being late from now on.
「Now then, come back before dinner time from now, ok?」
In response to this, Yoru and Amelia furiously nodded their heads in agreement.
After a while, Amelia’s legs recovered and then we ate a late dinner.
We could have had the inn provide us with a meal, but not only would they charge us a separate fee for it, Amelia liked the food from the food stalls more, so we’ve had all our meals at food stalls.
This wasn’t such a bad thing because although they were food stalls, there was a plethora of them to choose from.
With so many different stalls selling different things, we would be able to eat at a different one for each meal.
Since Yoru and I would not get tired of them, we did not object to eating at the stalls either.
We also noticed that Amelia was secretly aiming to conquer the food stalls..
Everyone talked about their day as we were eating.
「It seems that I need to demonstrate my loyalty to the guild and show that my abilities surpasses those of the yellow rank in order to raise my rank up to the yellow rank. What happened with Amelia when Amelia was at that rank?」
Amelia, who was stuffing large amounts of food into her mouth like a hamster, swallowed everything down before she started speaking.
「I don’t know. The Adventurer Guild in the elven territory is different from the one in the beastmen territory because it is always quiet there. There were barely any quests, and I had treated the guild as a place to sell and trade the materials I got from monsters that I had defeated. In the first place, I was at the yellow rank a long time ago….I only remember that I had become a silver rank before I realized it.」
That reminds me, elves lived for a very long time.
Amelia was too childish, so I forgot all about it.
Amelia had most likely raised her rank up to silver quite a while ago.
「Maa, I will raise my rank up to yellow using any means necessary and gather the materials for the sword, so you two can do whatever you want in the meantime, just like today.」
Yoru and Amelia exchanged looks.
Akira knew about Amelia chasing after Kurou, but he did not know that Amelia had been following him around.
He just had complete faith in Amelia and Yoru.
That’s why, Akira did not ask what Amelia was doing and why she was late for dinner.
Amelia winked at Yoru, signaling for him to not say anything.
Yoru understood what she wanted to say and he nodded.
—
Chapter 70~Kurou and Yoru’s Encounter~
「You came again.」
Amelia was already used to the fed-up look on Kurou’s face as well as his cold gaze.
She arrived right in front of Kurou and just like yesterday, bowed her head.
Due to Akira’s command, Yoru did not go off on his own and he was already sitting down, looking on, wondering if Amelia appealing to Kurou and Kurou ignoring her was going to continue. However, Kurou was a little different today.
Yoru had expected Amelia to be humiliated, but those expectations were quickly shattered.
「Sorry, but I have to do some work as a blacksmith today, so I’ll be in the smithy the entire day. You must have a lot of free time if you’re going to stay like that the entire time, right? Go make me lunch and bring it over. You can use the ingredients in the house to make the food.」
In other words, she was basically an errand girl.
Noticing Yoru’s stare, Kurou revealed a nasty grin.
「You’ll just be hindrance if you stood there, so I thought I’d have you do some chores. I think it’s a good idea.」
After saying that, Kurou took a lump of metal and a monster part, and immediately went into the smithy next door.
Yoru let out a sigh.
『What will you do, Miss Amelia.』
When Yoru looked up, he saw Amelia was holding a purple-looking carrot in her hand.
In her other hand, she was holding a kitchen knife that she had gotten from who knew where in a backhand grip.
Even Yoru widened his eyes in surprise.
『Wa, wait a minute. What is Miss Amelia trying to do?』
「What, you ask, I can’t decide on what I should make, so for now, I’m going to cut up the vegetables.」
As Amelia was saying that with her head cocked to the side, Yoru confiscated the kitchen knife that she was holding so dangerously, just to be on the safe side.
He couldn’t imagine what Kurou would do if Amelia made a mess, or worse, broke the things in the house.
Also, if Amelia was injured under Yoru’s watch, just imagining the look on Akira’s face scared him.
『Miss Amelia, before you cut the vegetables, did you wash them with water first? There is sand on this. Also, you need to peel the skin off as well.』
Yoru needed to make sure that Amelia did not do any cooking.
No, letting the obstinate Kurou eat the strange food that Miss Amelia made and having that make up for all the humiliation that she had suffered until now would be entertaining as well.
Thinking up to there, Yoru shook his head.
If she really made something strange and he actually got sick from that, it could be imagined that Akira would be troubled.
Amelia was washing the vegetables while under the watchful eyes of Yoru, who perched himself on top of her head. A thought just occurred to her and so she couldn’t help but ask Yoru about it.
「Which reminds me, what is the relationship between Kurou and Yoru?」
At that moment, Yoru seemed like he was about to fall because she had tilted her head upwards a little, and in a hurry, he clung onto the Amelia.
『Let’s see, it’s a bit of a long story, is that ok with you? Though it’s not really that important.』
Looking at the vegetables that Amelia was washing, Yoru made up his mind on what to make.
He started talking as he showed her how to make it.
『That was probably a hundred years ago? Although it was the demon king-sama’s order, I regret that I had rampaged in the beastmen territory. The mission didn’t require me to cause so much damage that I would earn the nickname ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’ in the process.』
—
He had gone to the memorial monument in the form of a black cat.
Even he did not know why he had gone there.
He just thought, I’m sorry.
That was when he met Kurou.
When Yoru had arrived at the hill leading to the monument, there was already someone there.
In front of the monument was a black cat beastman who was sitting there with a lost look on his face while calling out someone’s name.
Thinking that he was the bereaved family of the people that he had killed, Yoru quietly hid within the shade of a tree.
「Oi, ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’, you’re there, aren’t you?」
Yoru wondered if it was just a coincidence, but the person did not say anything else besides that, so he slowly came out of the shade.
As Yoru was examining the look on his face, the black cat beastman was looking back at him.
「Long time no see, thanks for taking care of me at the demon king’s castle. Don’t even think about hiding from me using your magic.」
Then, Yoru finally realized that, this beastman was part of the hero’s party who had come before the demon king, and had barely escaped with his life when he got wounded on his own accord.
「Don’t worry, you did not kill my younger sister.」
He muttered that as he looked up at the monument, his eyes red from crying.
Since Kurou had no killing intent towards him, Yoru walked up and came next to Kurou, looking up at the monument as well.
『What is the meaning of this?』
「They were killed. They were all beastmen, moveover, by the royal family.」
Yoru gasped, when Kurou said those words in an emotionless voice.
「That day, I was aiding the ships and carriages that were helping the citizens escape from the calamity that Adorea got caught in. My younger sister almost got on the ship.」
Kurou clenched his fist tightly, so tight that his nails bit into his palm, making it bleed.
「Even so, the idiot royal said, ‘Your aniki is a hero of the hero’s party, so have him protect you,’ and then kicked my sister off the ship and got on himself.」
A growl leaked out through his clenched teeth.
Those eyes were different from when he was at the demon king’s castle, it was overflowing with a thirst for vengeance and sorrow.
「I, was in Ul at the time. I did not make it in time. …in the end, my younger sister was trapped under a building and died. You are not, him. He killed his own countrymen.」
Drop after drop, tears fell down from his dark eyes onto the ground, staining it.
Yoru stared fixedly up at the monument.
Even so, it didn’t change the fact that Kurou’s younger sister had died because he had gone on a rampage.
A lot of people died as well, because he had gone along with his instincts.
「I will go after my younger sister’s enemy. It may take a while, but I will do so without fail.」
『As you wish』
During the battle at the demon king’s castle, because Kurou and the hero had persevered until the end, they had received severe injuries as well.
Yoru wouldn’t lose if it were one vs. one, but even so, he wouldn’t want to go up against Kurou who was obsessed with getting revenge.
He gave a short reply and as he was looking up at the monument, Kurou had disappeared before he realized it.
—
Chapter 71~Kurou and Yoru~
「So, what happened after that?」
Amelia asked that as she sauteed the finely chopped vegetables.
Amelia’s cooking skills had made great improvements.
Because Akira had always been in charge of the cooking, Yoru never noticed that Amelia’s lack of cooking experience.
However, if she continued to learn, maa, she may be able to become a decent cook.
『After that, I did not meet that guy again. I even forgot to search for his magic signature when I came to this town.』
The day we came to this town, a spell had come flying from who knew where.
It was at the exact moment Akira used his shadow magic.
Concealed by Akira’s burst of magical power, the spell reached Yoru.
Akira’s magic control had not yet reached Yoru’s level, therefore, he was oblivious to Kurou’s magic.
At that place, the only one who seemed to noticed the spell was Guildmaster Linga.
「Come to think of it, I’ve heard from otousama that there was a person within the previous hero’s party who excelled in magic and was on par with the demons. So it was Kurou.」
Yoru nodded.
There was a single criteria to be selected as a member of the hero’s party for each tribe.
That was, for one to excel in either martial arts or magic, be peerless in that area, and possess overwhelming skill.
In Kurou’s case, it was magic control.
『That day, when Master-dono and Miss Amelia returned to the inn, I went to go meet that guy.』
—
「So you came, ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’.」
Kurou had waited for Yoru at the hill where they had first met.
Yoru frowned and did not say anything in regards to that arrogant way of talking.
『That’s quite the attitude for someone who called me out. And, I was bestowed the name ‘Yoru’. Stop calling me by that name. That was a hundred years ago.』
When Yoru said that, Kurou gave a smile filled with contempt.
And then, he corrected Yoru’s words.
「It’s only been a hundred years. Besides, for you monsters who are almost immortal, something like a hundred years will pass by in a blink of an eye.」
Certainly, beastmen could live up to a hundred years more than humans but that pales in comparison to monsters who could live almost indefinitely unless they were killed.
『…leaving that aside, what business do you have with me. Why did you intentionally use your magic at the exact time when Master-dono invoked his?』
Kurou twitched at the words “Master-dono”.
「I thought that there was something strange about your magic…a name…so, you became a familiar, huh? Is it alright for a monstrosity like ‘Adorea’s Nightmare’ to serve a mere human and moreover, the race that is well-known for being the weakest? Maa, if it’s that demong king, of course he would command you to do it.」
Yoru flicked his tail in annoyance.
He didn’t come here to talk about this.
In the first place, this was only the second time that they’ve met.
He wanted to yell, ‘what do you know about me’ or rather, ‘what do you know about demon king-sama’.
『What do you want.』
When pressed a second time, Kurou gave a deep sigh.
「Your master, from my intuition, is probably that young man who possesses a large amount of magic. There’s a lot of things I want to ask him, so bring him over. Let’s see, how about I fix that broken sword?」
Yoru didn’t say anything as he stared at Kurou.
That gaze was different from the one that he usually used as he looked at Akira and Amelia, it was so sharp that one could say that it could kill someone.
Good grief, Kurou shook his head.
「Did you not realize it? That sword is something that the first generation hero had forged. The sword has as much magic as a single human. On top of that, the person himself who is in possession of the sword has almost the same amount of magic as the demons. Even from here, I know what he is doing. …right now, he is doing well with that elven princess.」
TN: remember, this is a past memory, so while Yoru was meeting Kurou, Akira and Amelia are alone in the room at this point in time. Kurou seems to be using some sort of skill to see far away to look into the room where the two people are staying at, but the skill itself was not specified, only mentioned vaguely.
Hou, Yoru let out a voice filled with admiration.
It was not that he admired that skill of Kurou’s, but the fact that the relationship between Akira and Amelia seemed to be progressing at long last.
Even so, Kurou was in a bit of a good mood, so that could be considered a good thing.
『However, you didn’t ask me to come here just to repair the sword. What else are you hiding.』
Kurou waved his finger at him.
Yoru felt somewhat annoyed at that gesture.
「If I told you, then you would, without a doubt, go coordinate with that Master-dono of yours. Try to figure it out by yourself a little. A hint, let’s see, it’s something that your Master-dono has but no other human does.」
Yoru wordlessly tilted his head in confusion.
What was something that Akira had that other humans did not.
Nothing came to mind.
「Also, here’s the list of materials that I need for repairing the sword. Bring them over in a few days.」
He sent a piece of paper flying towards Yoru using wind magic.
Listed on it were the monster parts that seemed challenging to collect.
『There’s this too, huh.』
「It’s just that. …come to think of it, we’ve had this conversation just now.」
Kurou was stifling his laughter, and Yoru was staring at his face.
This was the first time he’s seen him laugh.
And that look on his face, it was not one that someone who thirsted for revenge on the royal family of their own tribe could possibly have.
However, there’s no way he could ask if he had already gotten his revenge.
Because, Yoru was at fault as well, though indirectly.
—
「…that kind of thing happened back then, huh. So that’s why Yoru’s been brooding the entire time after that day.」
Amelia started transferring the food that she had finished cooking onto the plates she found on the shelf. While she was at it, she also garnished the food with juice from a fruit.
『So you’ve realized it.』
Yoru’s tail stood erect.
He was happy that she noticed that something had been wrong with him.
「Maa, the one who noticed first was Akira though.」
Amelia let out a small laugh, picked up the dish, and then headed towards the smithy next door.
It was now lunch time. Kurou had stopped working and was waiting for her inside.
「Aah, sorry. You were probably not used to that.」
When he said that honestly, Amelia and Yoru stared in amazement.
Kurou silently put the food into his mouth, not paying them any attention.
There was not much of a response when he ate it, but he didn’t say that it was bad either.
It seems that it was edible.
「Nee, I heard about you from Yoru. Did you get revenge for your younger sister?」
Suddenly, Amelia asked that, as if she had just recalled it.
Yoru looked at Amelia, startled, wondering what she was saying.
Kurou’s hand stopped.
「…not yet. The one who killed my younger sister, the current king’s nephew, is still living carefreely.」
Answering that, Kurou had an extremely anguished look on his face.
—
Chapter 72~Amelia and Kurou~
ーーーInside the Dungeonーーー
「Shitshitshitshit! W, we need to let the guildmaster know about this quickly, or it’s not going to be good!!!」
The sound of a man frantically running away and the deep growl of a beast reverberated within the dark dungeon.
And, among the chaos came the high-pitched, childish voice of a boy.
「Fufufufufufu. Everything, everything, should be broken.」
—
「I see. Then, what are you going to do now?」
Yoru was anxiously twisting his body around as Amelia straightforwardly said the words that should not be said.
Come to think of it, Amelia had always directly said whatever she was thinking.
On top of that, Amelia was royalty who was accustomed to being waited upon by other people.
The number of times when she said something in consideration of others’ feelings could be counted on one hand.
And, all those times were for Akira’s sake.
Fortunately, this personality of Amelia’s had been getting better lately.
「Nothing.」
Kurou said that, and laughed in self-derision.
This was the first time since the time on the hilltop that Kurou had opened up his heart to another person.
「I am, after all, a coward who couldn’t even save his younger sister. Besides, I had noticed it a long time ago. My sister wouldn’t have wanted me to get revenge.」
Kurou punched the desk, and the heavy-looking mace that had just been repaired bounced up on top of the desk.
Amelia was looking at such a Kurou coldly.
Yoru, who saw Amelia like that, felt a chill down his back.
『M, miss Amelia?』
Even when he called out to her, Amelia did not respond.
Yoru could clearly see that magic was infused within Amelia’s red eyes.
Akira and Amelia had told him about the “Eye of the World” that they possessed on that day when he became their companion.
They said that, they could see the status of another person, among other things.
Akira told Yoru that, it was a skill that was too powerful for humans.
That skill was a passive skill, but when they infused it with magic, they can see other things as well.
「…if it were me, I would want revenge no matter what.」
Kurou’s eyes widened.
And, he gasped when he saw Amelia’s suspiciously bright eyes.
「A special skill, huh. How do you see me right now?」
Kurou was almost immediately aware that Amelia’s “Eye of the World” skill was now active and revealing hidden information about himself.
Amelia closed her eyes without saying anything.
「I don’t know. Think about it yourself. …however, I’ll give you a piece of advice as someone who sees everything. You should stop running away while using your younger sister as an excuse. It’s futile.」
Clearly reflected in Amelia’s eyes was, a black cat beastman girl nestling close to Kurou.
The “Eye of the World” was a special skill that could see everything.
It was not strange that one would be able to see ghosts as well.
Although, it depends on one’s level, so Akira was not able to do such a thing. Amelia too, if she didn’t concentrate and infuse the skill with magic, she would only be able to see them for a brief time.
Kurou silently lowered his eyes.
「…it was delicious. Go back for today.」
Kurou said that and Amelia gave a bow towards his back and then left.
Yoru kept glancing back at the smithy as he followed Amelia.
He looked up at Amelia when the smithy was completely out of sight.
『Miss Amelia, was that ok?』
「It’s fine. I won’t be able to reach Akira even if I was taught by someone who has their head down and has not moved on. That person is kind, despite his outward appearance.」
I see, Yoru muttered this in understanding as he felt a chill from the fact that the “Eye of the World” completely laid bare a person she had met only a few days ago.
And, when he thought about how she showed concern for someone who was in no way connected to Akira, which was rare of her, feelings of respect for the Akira-oriented Amelia bubbled up within him.
「Fufufufufufu…. Go. Go, and massacre the people on the surface.」
Good grief, the sound of a sigh full of lament was cut short.
Amelia too, noticed that, though just barely.
The two of them stood there and looked down at the ground.
「……what is this.」
『…Miss Amelia, isn’t this bad?』
The monster Yoru and Amelia who possesses the “Eye of the World” immediately noticed it.
With a few beasts among them, the nearby beastmen looked at the ground in puzzlement as well.
As if, something repulsive was coming alive on someone’s orders.
『…!! Miss Amelia, look at that!!』
When she looked over towards the direction that Yoru had indicated, something black was growing bigger and bigger.
「O, oi, isn’t the dungeon over in that direction….」
「It can’t be, is it the calamity from a hundred years ago!?」
「No way.」
The beastmen around us were saying such things as they looked up at the sky.
The expanding black thing rose up into the sky in an instant, and dyed the clear blue sky black.
『…’Adorea’s Nightmare’.』
Yoru spat that out in annoyance and looked up at the black sky.
The monster who had attacked the beastmen territory’s capital city Adorea a hundred years ago was now the one being attacked.
「…I want to figure out what’s going on. Yoru!」
『Got it!』
At Amelia’s shout, Yoru adjusted his size and enlarged himself.
The surrounding beastmen fell into a panic when a large black cat monster who had attacked Adorea suddenly appeared, but he didn’t have the luxury of worrying about that right now.
With one jump, Yoru leaped over their heads, heading toward higher ground.
「…in the end, it came, huh, the nightmare from a hundred years ago has returned.」
—
Chapter 73~”Messiah of Odd Jobs”~
About an hour agoーーーーー
「With this, I’m a yellow rank now. There’s no problem for me to go to the dungeon, right?」
At this moment, Akira was holding a pile of requests fanned out in front of Yamato that he had taken on just two hours ago.
There were five of them.
There was a seal stamped on all of them that signified that the requests had been completed perfectly.
「Y, you really did it, huh, Akira.」
The triumphant look on Akira’s face made Yamato’s face cramp up.
Next to them in another reception desk, Mile’s eyes were widened in surprise.
Though they were commissions from the guild, Akira had just randomly completed the odd-job requests that had accumulated.
Among those requests, there was even one that had made many rookie adventurers cry up until now, and that was a request to give an eccentric jii-san a shoulder massage. However, even those commissions took Akira just ten minutes to complete.
Furthermore, it was even written on the request paper that all the requests that he will put forth from now on will be designated to Akira.
「You, what kind of magic did you use to make that jii-san so satisfied?」
Akira tilted his head in confusion when Yamato muttered that.
And he said this in a matter-of-fact manner.
「Magic, you say, I didn’t use magic though? I just talked with the jii-san and massaged his shoulders and then he just stamped the seal. …seriously, what did you mean when you said that it’ll take a week. Wasn’t it completed in ten minutes.」
Yamato gave a wry smile as he changed Akira’s dog tag to a yellow one. He did not even bother to warn Mile who was gaping with his mouth wide open and ignoring the adventurer at his own reception desk.
「What about the other commissions? The others were demolition work, running errands for the obasans, suggesting creative ideas for dishes…what was the last one?」
Akira look the yellow dog tag and hung it around his neck.
For Akira, the requests were really easy, so it didn’t really feel like he had ranked up.
「Aah, I remember!」
Looking over the commissions, Yamato raised his voice.
I could feel the gazes in the room concentrating on us.
Perhaps Yamato did not notice that as he leaned forward with excitement.
「It was that, cleaning of the house full of garbage, wasn’t it! How did you clean that up?」
Aah, Akira nodded and leaned his chin against his hand.
It’s not that he was obsessed with cleanliness, but even for Akira, this was the first time in his life that he had seen an actual “trash house”, so he was shocked.
「First, for the house demolition, it seems that the client could use some barrier magic, so he conjured a soundproof barrier and I destroyed all the pillars supporting the house and then it was complete. It seems that it was fine to just knock it down, so it was completed just like that?」
Akira looked up, somewhat absentmindedly, as he counted his fingers.
「(No, like I said, how did you destroy those pillars. If I remember correctly, the pillars in that house were extremely thick and they were as wide as the average person.)」
TN: the parenthesis within the speech brackets are what Yamato is thinking.
It was not possible for Akira to know about the tsukkomis in Yamato’s heart, and it also couldn’t be said that Akira had used shadow magic to form a sword to cleanly severe the pillars.
Absent of tsukkomis, he continued.
TN: tsukkomi, well, I’m sure a lot of you know what this is, but for those who don’t, they are kind of like retorts one would have about another person’s statement. This originated from a style of Japanese stand-up comedy where you have a duo where one is the straight man and the other is the funny man and the straight man would usually retort and give smart quips in response to the crazy things that the funny man says.
「For the obasans’ errand, I recalled all of the shops I visited with Amelia when we went out to eat. Then, I simply calculated the distance between the shops and compared their prices to find the best deals. Thanks to that, I was able to complete the errands really quickly at cheap prices.」
Yamato was at his wits’ end, when Akira said that this was the simplest task.
「(Nono, just what kind of head does he have on his shoulders! Normally, one wouldn’t memorize that kind of thing, and in the first place, those obasans, they always demand an amount that would be impossible to complete by yourself, so in actuality, that commission should be for adventurers who are in a party! Though this time, we made a mistake and put it out!)」
Not noticing what was going on with Yamato, Akira once again ticked off another finger.
「On the other hand, suggesting creative ideas for dishes…maa, I cook for myself, so when I gave them advice based on my own experiences, they revered me as their master for some reason.」
When Akira tilted his head, wondering why they did something like that, Yamato slammed his forehead onto the reception desk.
「(Who is this adventurer in front of me whose cooking ability surpasses that of restaurant chef’s! Go open a restaurant!! Or rather, the chef who put up the request, is a pretty famous cook in this town!)」
It’s good that he didn’t say these things out loud.
If he did so, Yamato’s voice would’ve definitely turned hoarse.
When he looked up, Akira was looking at Yamato as if he was a somewhat disappointing person
Yamato’s heart was becoming more and more perturbed.
Yamato, wanting to recover himself, even if it was just on the surface, prompted him to continue.
His flushed face slowly turned back to normal.
He seemed to have already came back to himself.
「U–n. Maa, the last one was the most troublesome one though.」
Akira started off by saying that as he ticked off another finger and shrugged his shoulders.
「I was cleaning it, but it was the first time I’ve seen such a splendid trash house, so I was bewildered in the beginning and it even took me an hour.」
Yamato, with great difficulty, squeezed out, “Hee, is that so,” in response to Akira who made it seem like he had so much trouble with it.
「Oh. However, it was kind of fun? It seems that the client found the key to his safe that he’s been looking everywhere for and was ecstatic.」
Hidden under the desk, Yamato’s clenched fist was trembling.
「(The place that you cleaned was the residence of the former earl! The house had already fallen into ruin, but it’s said that the family’s fortune was stored in that safe, and the reason why it became so messy was because of thieves who wanted to steal it! They found the safe, but not the key, and in the end, it had been left like that and no one’s cleaned it up for a long time!!)」
Before they realized it, the guild hall had fallen completely silent. The adventurers and guild staff members who were listening to Akira’s story couldn’t help but tremble upon hearing Akira casually speak about his accomplishments.
「Ah, I have urgent business regarding the dungeon, so I’ll be going! Odd job-type commissions are pretty fun, so if they pile up again, let me do some.」
They didn’t know if he was a natural airhead, thickheaded, or he had already realized it, but Akira gallantly left the guild that was embroiled in a strange atmosphere.
Yamato and the others silently saw him off.
「…the ’Messiah of Odd Jobs’, huh.」
Someone uttered that and everyone nodded.
There was a messiah who had tidied up almost all of the guild’s odd jobs that were piling up and in doing so, maintained the citizens’ trust in the guild.
From that day on, Akira would come to be known as the “Messiah of Odd Jobs” among the citizens as well as those in the guild.
As one would expect, there was no one brave enough to call him that directly, but Akira will never know that that anecdote will be told for a long time by the minstrels.
—
Chapter 74~State of Emergency~
Akira made use of his experience of working all kinds of part time jobs in order to earn living expenses, and was able to become a yellow-ranked adventurer without any problems.
He only completed five odd job commissions, but he headed straight towards the dungeon.
There was a reason why he was in a hurry.
He had an extremely bad premonition that something’s going to happen.
He’s had a feeling that something terrible was going to happen ever since he arrived at this continent, but a massive alarm the likes of which he had never experienced before was going off in his head today.
And, the closer he got to the dungeon, the more intense the alarm.
It might be better to get it over with quickly and then get away from here.
Luckily, Kurou’s house, the place that Amelia and Yoru’s been visiting every day, was quite a distance away from the dungeon.
The probability of Amelia and the others getting caught up in it was low, but even so, Akira wanted to take Amelia away from this continent.
Akira himself did not notice it, but perhaps it was the threat detection skill that had been warning him about this matter the entire time.
That Amelia, will end up having to use “Resurrection Magic” again.
「…shit.」
When Akira arrived at the dungeon, part of the dungeon was already covered in a thick fog.
And, the guild staff members were in a panic, the growls and roars of beast could be heard from the opposite side of barricaded dungeon.
The beastmen who were better at sensing danger than humans because they were related to beasts were not here in this area. Those who were here were human guild staff members, laborers who were working away from home, and adventurers who came for the dungeon.
「Oi! Run away from here!!」
The beastmen adventurers who had much higher ranks than Akira were leading civilians to take refuge and had shouted in a hurry.
Since the guild staff members also ran away after noticing that, it was now useless to have the blockade around the dungeon.
One couldn’t blame the guild staff.
People needed to take care of themselves.
Much less the civilians who did not have an ounce of combat ability.
Besides, even if it was completely blocked off, the monsters that are coming up from the lower levels would definitely destroy it. In a sense, it could be said that they made the right decision.
「Oi! You too, get away from here! Can’t you sense it!? Unless we form a raid, we won’t be able to defeat the monsters that are coming!!!」
When I looked over towards the large amount of presences that were gradually approaching the dungeon entrance, a good-natured beastman caught hold of me arm and pulled me away.
After they had taken refuge with the other adventurers, Akira and this adventurer were the only ones left standing near the dungeon entrance.
The dog tag that hung around his neck was red.
It was one rank higher than my yellow rank.
「Aah. But, how are we going to deal with this?」
He assumed that the adventurer aimlessly pulling him somewhere.
When Akira tried to shake him off, the red-ranked adventurer broke into a run.
He was holding onto Akira’s hand, so Akira started running as well.
「For now, we’re going to the guild and confirming the situation. Adventurers from the gold to yellow ranks will definitely be organized into the subjugation team, so if we’re late, we’ll be left out and we’ll die!」
“You’re awfully used to that,” when I said that, he responded with, “You too”.
Certainly, Akira gave a wry smile.
When one had ran the dungeons for a long time, one may grow accustomed to the feeling of being driven into a corner or being in a tough spot.
Many adventurers above the yellow rank had already gathered in front of the Adventurer Guild.
Akira communicated the current situation to Yoru through telepathy.
『I understand. Master-dono, hold them back as best you can over there. We will do our best to lead the civilians to a safe place and avoid any injuries.』
「Aah, if you die, I will as well. Be careful.」
『…fuu. Who do you think I am?』
「That was a foolish thing to say. Let’s stay in touch. I’ll leave Amelia to you.」
As soon as I cut off the telepathy, the guildmaster Linga appeared in a somewhat elevated place.
「There’s no need for an introduction, for now, form a pair with someone close to you. That person, will be your partner who you will trust your life with. If you partnered up with someone weak, then that just means you ran out of luck.」
The things he said were absurd and normally, Akira would’ve said, “There’s no way I can entrust my life with a fellow I don’t know!”, but this time, he couldn’t say such a thing.
Truthfully, there was no obligation for the human Akira to join the subjugation team, but if he’s lucky, he could rank up, and above all else, Amelia was nearby.
Amelia was, more or less, a silver-ranked adventurer, and Yoru was there as well, so he didn’t think that they would be killed, but even so, men wanted to protect the fairer sex.
「Oi, do you wanna partner with me?」
「Aah, please take care of me.」
The one who suggested that to Akira was the the red-ranked adventurer who had dragged Akira over here just now.
「I’m Sena. I probably don’t look like it, but I’m the younger brother of Linga, the guildmaster over there.」
I really couldn’t tell.
Linga was a leopard beastman while Sena was a wolf beastman.
「I’m Akira.」
I kept my self-introduction simple.
If he was Linga’s younger brother, then that was all the more reason to not let my guard down.
Seems like I’m stuck with a troublesome person..well, he was the one who approached me first anyway.
「I know this is sudden, but are you a vanguard? Or a rear guard?」
His bushy tail could be seen waving around.
Sena looked me up and down and said this.
「I’m a vanguard. My occupation is an assassin.」
「Then, we make a perfect pair. I’m a rear guard, a flame magician.」
I gave the smiling Sena a curt nod before observing the area.
It seems everyone knew each other with the exception of a few people who were introducing themselves.
「Then, you will move in pairs, and when something unusual happens, let the other parties know. I don’t mind if those who are not confident in their skills join other groups. I have dispatched those who are quick on their feet to neighboring towns and the royal capital. Even so, we are the only ones who can protect this town. We will not allow the demons to defile our town!!!!!」
「「「Oooooooooooh!!!!」」」
As everyone’s morale went up, I was the only one who had a wry look on my face.
「…demons?」
Why did you say, that it was demons?
From the gossip that I’ve picked every now and then, I knew that the phenomenon of the sky turning dark resembled the incident where Yoru brought about “Adorea’s Nightmare” from around a hundred years ago.
However, I did not hear that demons would be here.
I did not hear any such thing from Yoru either.
It’s not like everything I know comes from Yoru.
It’s just that, I heard Yoru had reaped many beastmen lives on the orders of the demon king-sama.
Even so, Yoru’s involved, so if the demons were at the forefront, then he would’ve told me.
A hundred years ago, the one who lead the monsters was most likely the monster Yoru.
If that was the case, then wouldn’t it be obvious that an intelligent monster would be leading them this time as well?
If you’re making speculations, then it would be all the more improbable.
Even if you were the guildmaster, you yourself should know just how much influence those words have
So that meant that, he was confident in what he said?
「Oi, you go into a daze a lot. Are we partnering with other people?」
Sena exasperatedly turned towards Akira who was lost in thought.
Not thinking too deeply into it, Akira shook his head.
「I don’t know how strong you actually are, but it’s impossible to for me who has been working solo all this time to work with someone else, and even if there’s more people, we wouldn’t work well together.」
Sena nodded, and he bowed his head apologetically to the two people who came to sound out their group when Akira had been pondering over something.
「Akira, Sena. you two will be backing up the red, silver-ranked groups.」
Just as we were about to move out, Linga came over to say this.
「Eh, is that ok? Sending a yellow rank into the front lines.」
Sena looked at me with worry.
This might have been the first time that someone was concerned about my abilities.
So far, I had only shown half of my strength, since not saying anything meant that there wouldn’t be any complaints.
「Aah, this guy’s no problem. When push comes to shove, leave him behind and escape.」
「Got–it.」
The two brothers were smiling.
I take back what I said.
They were very similar.
—
Chapter 75~Extermination~
After getting in contact with Akira, Yoru and Amelia were running all over town.
They were helping the elderly who were not able to evacuate by themselves and had them ride on top of Yoru so that he could carry them to safety.
Initially, they wanted nothing to do with Yoru upon seeing him, but they obediently, albeit reluctantly, climbed onto Yoru’s back. It’s likely the fear of death or the looming waves of monsters prompted them to make this decision.
『Miss Amelia, hurry and get on!』
After the last person got on, Yoru motioned with his tail for Amelia to do so as well, but she shook her head.
「The people over there haven’t evacuated yet. Besides, the adventurers have yet to arrive, so someone has to stay and hold them back.」
The monsters were almost here.
Yoru hesitated.
If he separated from Amelia right now and something happened to her, he would never know since he’d lose all contact with her and there was no way to determine her location either.
This is the one scenario that Akira was most afraid of
「Hurry up and go!」
Haa, when he came to his senses, the monsters were that much closer.
They were so weak that one wouldn’t think that the silver-ranked Amelia would be done in by them.
However, an indescribable uneasiness flitted across his heart.
『…I’ll be back immediately.』
Recalling the lives of the group of people on his back, Yoru kicked off of the ground.
Though his hands were sullied by his past deeds, that didn’t stop Yoru from wanting to save lives right now.
He did not want any more victims.
「Perhaps I will follow you afterwards.」
Amelia held her hand towards the monsters that were coming towards them.
「Gravity.」
Amelia’s hair flew upwards as the magic was released.
On her chest, the silver dog tag was rattling for the first time in a long while.
—
「Now, turn everything in my grasp into ashes! …Hand of Incineration.」
As Sena chanted this, I gathered the monsters and withdrew just as the chanting was about to be finished.
The spell was completed, and an enormous hand made of flames extended out from his hand that he held out, and burnt the monster directly in front of him.
But the monsters came together to fill in that gap.
It had been almost an hour since the battle on the front lines first began, but it was unknown if the number of monsters had decreased.
Just like what Yamato and the others had said at the Adventurer Guild, the weaknesses of the monsters of Brute Dungeon were different, so cooperation with others was a must.
Even so, the overall style of party compositions gathered here might be unique to the beastmen.
Beastmen had the blood of beasts.
Maa, that was something that everyone knew.
The problem was, if that blood would have a considerable impact on their temperament.
Beastmen of violent beasts were hot-tempered and quick to anger.
Beastmen of calm beasts were always quiet, and hated conflicts.
Beastmen of powerful beasts were, as expected, strong.
That was to say, beastmen of solitary beasts did not have pack mentality.
The fact that the composition of the parties was so dependent on the adventurers was probably because of these minor hereditary differences among beastfolk.
「Akira, can you hold the front lines for just a few minutes?」
I looked over my shoulder when I heard Sena’s frustrated voice, and Sena was carrying two adventurers who had been fighting on the front lines over his shoulders.
The both of them were at death’s door, and if they had withdrew just a little later, they might have been dead.
I nodded and borrowed a dagger from that adventurer.
As soon as I turned around, the dagger I borrowed from the guild had completely shattered into pieces. It would seem that it was worn out from the numerous monsters I sliced apart.
I confirmed that the dagger that that adventurer had showed no signs of growing blunt no matter how much time passed, so…I became somewhat interested in it, and I took advantage of this opportunity.
I swung it a little.
The length was about as long as my forearm, the weight was just right, and it’s quite sharp.
「…th, at, dagger, was made, by Kurou, so, make sure to, return it to me.」
I see, no wonder it was so easy to use.
I nodded at the adventurer who could hardly speak, and committed that face to memory.
If this was something forged by Kurou, the one who even the former right-hand of the demon king had recommended, then it was definitely quite pricey.
For me who didn’t have that kind of money, I’m grateful to him for merely lending it to me.
「Sorry, I’ll give it back in a few minutes.」
I said that and Sena left the front lines.
I grinned.
With this, I could fight without holding back.
There were still dozens of adventurers on the front lines, but they could not be seen from here.
On that side as well, it was impossible for the yellow-ranked adventurers to completely annihilate the monsters.
I gently held out my hand.
「Shadow Magic.」
I had followed Commander Saran’s instructions, and did not use shadow magic in a place where it could be seen.
Maa, even if it was seen, I could gloss it over and say that it’s a derivation of darkness magic, and in case I lose control, I had Perception on at full power at all times so that it doesn’t attack people if I lost control.
Dying the ground a darker shade of black than the fog in the sky, the shadows that manifested themselves into the real world, happily nuzzled against me,
I could not feel anything, but it was behaving just like a dog.
「Good boy, eat. Maa, I don’t think that it would taste very good though.」
The first thing that this fellow ate was the Minotaur.
After that, it had eaten nothing but rare-grade meats such as the Fenrir and the Chimera, so it may have a very refined palate.
After the shadow passed by, not even a drop of blood would be left. The monsters disappeared, and the other monsters who saw that grew fearful of it and were scrambling to run away.
TN: actually, it says ‘shadow magic’ here, but it would be weird to say that the shadow magic did this and did that, so I just shortened it to just ‘shadow’
However, because it did not even take a minute for them to be swallowed up, even if they wanted to, they couldn’t escape.
「It’s pretty gruesome, but it’s quite the scene.」
The monsters who had invaded the beastmen and continued to instill fear into them up until now finally experienced true terror from a completely unknown enemy.
As I observed the shadow, I thought about the beastmen who were crushed by the buildings and separated from their children and the humans that came to find work only to be torn apart by the monsters.
This made the sight of the shadow’s massacre extremely satisfying.
My Perception skill caught the presence of people, so I quickly asked the shadow to return.
I thanked the shadow as it went back into my shadow, and I cut up the nearby monsters.
It would take up too much time if I did it one by one and it would be pretty tiresome, so I thoroughly wiped them all out in one swing of the dagger.
「Sorry, Akira!」
I raised an arm and responded to Sena who came out of the shadow of the building.
「The number of monsters have decreased quite a bit eh?」
I languidly responded to Sena who said that after he looked around.
I retracted my hand and swiped at the neck of an ox-shaped monster.
「Saa, I didn’t pay attention. Isn’t it because the defenses here are too strong, so they went over there?」
Maa, though the truth was, my magic swallowed them up.
As expected, getting rid of all of them was impossible, and there were a few hundred of them remaining, but we could defeat them with two people.
If that’s the case, we could go to other places as well.
I kept my composure and looked around.
Balls of flames flew past me.
「For you to look away, how calm of you.」
「Isn’t that obvious? Who do you think held down the front lines.」
For him to be cracking jokes, it seems that Sena was pretty calm as well.
Oh, I raised my voice.
In front of me, was a monster that was on the list of materials that I received from Kurou.
「…hey, I’ve found the material.」
I closed the distance and swung my dagger.
If I remember correctly, the thing that I needed to collect was the claws.
I stuffed the monster’s claws into my bag.
「It seems that it’ll be over soon. …then, why don’t I keep some magic power in reserve.」
Sena laughed mischievously and started chanting.
It was obvious that it was different compared to other magics, I could tell that he was overly concerned about the chanting as well.
Seeing that Sena had a serious look on his face, I was on full alert so that the monsters wouldn’t go toward Sena.
「Show your power, flames of purgatory, manifest, and return everything into ashes…Flame Eruption.」
After he finished the chant, even when I looked around nearby, I didn’t see anything.
When I tilted my head in confusion, wondering if he misfired, the ground started shaking a little.
「Akira, come here. 」
With a mysterious smile hanging on his lips, Sena beckoned me, who had cold sweat at the shaking gradually getting more and more violent, over.
When I looked closely, only the ground that the monsters were standing on was shaking.
「Oi, what is this?」
In the end, I was curious and I asked him, but Sena put a finger against his lips. ???
Gopori, gopori, a sound came out of nowhere, and the shaking of the ground under the monster turned intense.
It would’ve been better if they ran away, but the monsters’ legs did not move.
All of a sudden, something shot out, and the monsters disappeared in an instant.
Thump, what’s left of the monsters, the magic stones, fell down onto the ground.
The monsters shook with fear.
My eye, that was no longer that of a human’s, saw exactly what that was.
「That’s…magma」
When I was in Japan, I had gone to Aso before, but if I remember correctly, I think that I had watched a video about this there.
TN: Aso is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu and just south of the city, there is an active volcano
Moving slowly, the red and thick liquid will surely, little by little, engulf the trees.
「Ooh, you’re surprisingly knowledgeable. That’s right, I used magic to forcibly bring it up to the surface, and then return it underground. That is what this magic does.」
How frightening.
The sight of their comrades disappearing due to a seemingly invisible force was enough to make their eyes widen in overwhelming fear..
Although they were the enemy, there were also idiots who were pleading with me through their eyes.
Wondering why they weren’t running away, when I looked down at the monsters feet, their feet had melted due to the high temperatures.
That explained why they couldn’t move.
The cells within their legs had begun to dissolve and they were clinging onto the fellows next to them.
If they could feel pain, then they would be agony until they die, and they would be incessantly attacked with the fear that they would be next, that was the kind of magic it was.
「How nasty.」
The hot wind had reached us as well.
If Yoru and Amelia who knew about my shadow magic were here, they would definitely retort with, “As if you’re one to talk”.
However, my shadow magic would eat them up completely, and an assassination would be from behind, so they wouldn’t even have the time to feel fear.
To use this kind of magic on a large-scale, it was no different from torture.
If this was used on human opponents…
When I thought that, a chill ran down my spine.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at the monsters that were disappearing and the magic stones that were left behind.
It was also thanks to Sena’s nasty cheat magic, but the area that we were entrusted with was, for the large part, fine now.
I could finally let out a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a frantic Yoru called out to me through telepathy.
『Master-dono! Miss Amelia, Miss Amelia was kidnapped!!』
My mind went blank.
—
Chapter 76~Demons~
This occurred a few minutes after Yoru separated from Amelia.
「…haa, haa, as expected, There are a lot of them.」
It was impossible for Amelia’s mana to be run dry, but when she used a large amount of magic, she would feel exhausted, as one would expect.
It would be great if Yoru returned before that happened, but he had not come back yet.
Maa, she thought that if it was him, he’d return right away, but transporting the elderly to a safe place and having everyone disembark would take time.
Editor’s note: In case anyone may have forgotten, one of Amelia’s defining traits (besides her red eyes and white hair of course) would be her near infinite mana pool.
「Until then, I will defend this place.」
With light scratches on both her arms, Amelia raised them up.
There were no traces left of the injuries after a few minutes had passed, but even so, there were a lot of them.
Currently, in front of Amelia was, from what she could see, an army of a thousand monsters.
If one added up all the monsters, including those that were in places where they couldn’t be seen like in abandoned houses or in blind spots like behind other monsters, then there might be more than two thousand of them.
Though even if she died, she could just cast resurrection magic on herself.
After resurrecting however, a lot of her magic would be depleted and she would be unable to move for a while.
「『Gravity』」
A few meters in front of her, the monsters sunk into the ground.
In the middle of the sunken ground, they were crushed by a tremendous pressure from above, and the internal organs of a few dozen flattened monsters spilled out as they died.
It was scene that was definitely r-rated.
It simply couldn’t be shown to children.
Incidentally, Amelia did not take the houses into consideration.
This of course led to many houses being flattened by her gravity magic.
Even if the survivors were able to return once more, they would face numerous challenges simply finding a place to live.
「…Yoru is late.」
I hope nothing happened, as she was thinking this, she once again casted gravitational magic on the monsters who, without any care for their comrades’ deaths, came charging at her recklessly.
「Hee—. I see, that gravitational magic was from that time’s…you are the elven princess—?」
A calm, high-pitched voice that was characteristic of a child’s sounded out from somewhere.
Amelia turned her head.
There shouldn’t have been any other person here other than herself.
That was impossible.
Because, that would mean they didn’t escape in time.
However, Amelia thought that that voice sounded familiar.
She was searching for the origin of the voice while trying to recall it.
「Over here. You, don’t you have a perception or a threat detection type skill–?」
When she looked in the direction where the voice had sounded again, sitting on the head of a long-necked monster was an adorable young child whose eyes and hair were green like emeralds.
If Akira was here, he would definitely say that that monster was a Kirin.
Those emerald eyes seemed to be enjoying the situation.
And then, she remember it.
「You are…the demon who attacked the elven territory back then?」
She did not tell Akira—nor did she tell her father the king—that there was a demon leading the monster tide that Kirika caused.
See you later, he had said that within a split second and then there was a flash of green light.
She was still a child at the time, so she didn’t know anything about demons. As she grew older and learned more about what demons were like, she was convinced that the boy of years past was in fact a demon.
Unfortunately, she only saw the boy for a few seconds and was unsure about reporting her sighting to the king.
If a demon has appeared, it meant that the demon king was starting to move.
If demons began appearing in multiple territories, then the elves would have to collaborate to form a response team with the other races, regardless of their desire to remain in seclusion.
Therefore, if she had been mistaken, her report could cause a huge disaster. Given the severity of the matter, it would’ve been impossible to make a decision from just a glimpse.
「Ooh! Correct! Iyaa, I’m truly thankful to your imouto-chan? She created an environment where we can come out!」
He’s a demon, when Amelia became more cautious, the demon suddenly sounded really happy.
His cheeks were flushed with excitement, like a child who was given a new toy.
Before anyone realized it, the monster invasion had stopped.
As if securing a target, the monsters surrounded Amelia.
There were monsters everywhere, as far as the eye could see.
Even the monster house trap that she had dealt with in her expedition through the human’s dungeon paled in comparison to the endless waves of monsters here right now.
Some of the monsters surrounding Amelia were as large as Yoru in his pseudo-dragon form.
Even though gravitational magic was a type of magic that could cause total annihilation, it was completely disadvantageous now.
「I have a little something for you to do—. That’s why, it’s kind of vexing that I can’t kill you.」
The demon boy suddenly lowered the tone of his voice.
She had thought that those emerald eyes were shining suspiciously, and then the monsters that were quiet up until now started moving in unison.
In addition to that, they were not moving impulsively like they had been doing up until now. They were now moving according to the commands they had been given.
Amelia was about to click her tongue, but then she stopped.
If Akira knew about this, Amelia, who was Akira-oriented even at a time like this, pulled her lips down into a huge frown instead.
「I know about your magic, you know? That’s why, I’ll kill you first?」
The demon boy grinned.
Those eyes were extremely pure, and if not for the strong magic pressure exuding from his body, he would’ve been no different than any normal child.
「After that, your comrade, the assassin-kun that was summoned, demon king-sama said that he was a nuisance, so I’ll kill him. I hate that guy to–o. He kind of creeps me out. I need to kill him before he finishes up what he came here to do.」
The demon boy had a frown on his adorable face.
Amelia was extremely irritated.
She knew that the demon king was aware of Akira, since Yoru had passed on the message.
However, Akira’s objective in coming here, was to have Kurou repair his sword so that he would survive in the demon territory.
For him to say that it was a nuisance even though he was the one who summoned Akira, what an egotistical demon king.
「The assassin-kun will fall at my hands. For his sake, as well as yours, use the resurrection magic so you might live on. Ah, but I won’t kill assassin-kun today, so fear not and use it as you please—.」
The boy raised his hand.
The monsters closed in evermore.
「Ah, that’s right, my name is Aulum. Aulum Trace. Remember it.」
TN: fun fact, Aulum is actually a town in Denmark.
The monsters swooped down on her as soon as the boy lowered his hand.
—
Chapter 77~Rage~
『…Aulum Trace.』
I recognized the lingering magic within the vicinity.
I also caught a glimpse of a green light when Miss Amelia was kidnapped.
Nine times out of ten, it’s that guy.
「…oi, did you see where Amelia had been kidnapped to?」
Master-dono called out to me, his voice lower than usual.
He was most likely trying to keep a straight face while desperately trying to keep his emotions in check.
There was no mistake that he was firmly suppressing his desire to go off on his own even now.
『I know, but…right now, Master-dono is no match for that guy. I think that, you need to get stronger.』
I realized that my own voice was somewhat lower than usual.
Even I was a bit surprised at myself.
For that guy to start moving, that meant that the demon king-sama was moving.
While I was the demon king-sama’s Black Cat, I had never even considered any of his movements to be dangerous, but things are different now that I’m Master-dono’s familiar.
「Who kidnapped Amelia?」
He squeezed the words out through gritted teeth as he stood in a huge, blood-stained crater.
There was a bit of magic within the blood as well.
The stronger one’s magic, the more magic there was in the blood. One could tell whose blood it was even after some time had passed.
Within that fatal amount of blood, was Miss Amelia’s magic.
『He is the man who is the third strongest among the demons, the one who holds the name ‘Trace’. Aulum Trace.』
Master crouched down, and clutched the blood-soaked sand in his fists.
「…for now, I will get rid of all the monsters in this area. I won’t hold back anymore.」
Perhaps it was because they were attracted by the smell of Miss Amelia’s blood, or perhaps they had sensed the presence of Master-dono and myself, but the monsters yet to be exterminated had gathered around.
『Understood.』
Even until the end, Master-dono did not face me.
「Shadow Magic.」
Perhaps it was because Master-dono’s rage had rubbed off on them, or perhaps they had accumulated more than enough magic up until now, but the shadows from within the crater that seemed to be created by Miss Amelia jumped out as well and combined with Master-dono’s shadow.
The limit to the shadow magic should have been the use of the shadows around one’s vicinity.
It was magic that had its pros as well as its cons like it being difficult to use when in sunny places, though Master-dono was not able to control the shadow magic at this time.
『…Metamorphosis.』
I sighed, and then altered the shape of my body.
Because I had never fought with a dragon before, the strength of my scales weren’t that good, but this was different.
Since it was a monster that I had personally worked on.
A light had enveloped me, and the shape and the strength was different from before.
After the light dimmed, my line of sight was a little higher than when I was cat-shaped
and my field of vision was separated into three.
「Kerberos, huh…. Just like when we were in the Continent dungeon, aren’t there too many legendary monsters?」
Master-dono had muttered something, but because of the ferocious nature of this monster, drool was constantly dripping from my mouth, and my thoughts were in disarray.
Right now, I could only understand half of his words.
Not only did this transformation possess significantly more power than the Black Cat, but it was also extremely agile. In terms of defenses, the body was quite sturdy, making most normal attacks incapable of inflicting a wound, but this form was not without its drawbacks.
It’s offensive ability rivalled that of the lower level dungeon bosses, but it was also highly unstable. It was like a rabid wild animal, with a constant urge to destroy something.
The most troublesome thing was that I needed someone to stop me.
Right now, Master-dono was here, so I could manage somehow or another, but when I was in a position where I commanded the troops, I never used it.
『Master, -dono, I will now, go on a rampage. When it’s over, stop, me.』
My body started to move as it wanted, without even waiting for Master-dono’s reply.
In an instant, I had pounced onto the closest monster, and bit off its throat.
Not even confirming if that monster was dead, I rushed toward the next monster, thirsting for blood.
Thirsting for blood, I understood that I was soaked in it.
「Oh–oh–, I see. You, you can’t control yourself when you’re in that form, huh.」
My mind was in a stupor, and the only thing I heard was Master-dono’s voice.
「I too couldn’t control the shadow magic, but now, I can somewhat do it. It’s thanks to you stalling for time, you did well.」
Only that voice penetrated my mind.
Right now, I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but let’s think about it carefully when I transform back.
—
Chapter 78~Emotional Meltdown~
When I saw a huge pool of Amelia’s blood on the ground, I thought about how fatal the wound must’ve been.
Unable to stop thinking about it, there was a distinct sound of something inside me breaking.
I must not let myself drown in rage. I have to prevent myself from going on a rampage.
At the moment, my mind was being bombarded with several emotions. I was mad at myself for being incapable of protecting Amelia; I felt sadness over losing Amelia and I felt helpless over my inability to do anything about it.
Just as I regained some of my composure, monsters appeared, and once again I was in disarray.
I felt like my last pillar of support had crumbled.
「Shadow Magic.」
My self-control was starting to dwindle, and I began to feel an increasing urge to vent my anger on something.
Perhaps this is why the shadows coming out of my body seemed more rampant than usual.
Honestly speaking, I couldn’t control it.
『Master, -dono, I will now, go on a rampage. When it’s over, stop, me.』
While I was focused on the shadow magic, Yoru had turned into a Kerberos before I knew it.
It was the same as when we were in the dungeon, there was nothing but legendary monsters that even I knew.
Having turned into Kerberos, Yoru rushed out after saying that.
Blood was gushing out from the throat of the monster that Yoru had pounced on and had pooled on the ground.
The three heads bit at different monsters and in a blink of an eye, the corpses of the monsters piled up into a mountain.
「…ok, take over complete.」
Of course, I wasn’t just looking on like a spectator.
I was calming the shadow magic that was projecting the desire that I had within me to rampage, and tried to turn that power into my own.
The power of the shadow magic was still unknown, and even I did not know what its limit was.
To me, its power was too strong, but strangely, I did not let go.
With the shadow magic, I created a foothold, and jumped over to where Yoru was.
The Kerberos Yoru had drool dripping from his mouth, and seemed to have lost all reason.
He was moving entirely according to his destructive impulses.
I expressed my gratitude to Yoru and joined the battle.
Since he wouldn’t understand me no matter what I said right now, I was thinking that I needed to tell him again afterwards as I accurately stabbed the vitals of the monsters with the dagger that was imbued with shadow magic.
The rest of the shadows moved as they liked, and ate the surrounding monsters.
Though, saying that they ate them might be putting it too lightly, as they were being swallowed whole by the shadows.
「…ah, oi, Yoru!」
Before I realized it, Yoru had already gone really far away.
Though I said that, we could still see each other, but even so, it was too far away for me to go help.
I was thinking that the monsters have been moving according to someone’s commands since a while ago, but perhaps they were trying to separate us.
「…demons, huh.」
It was, the only race capable of using monsters.
The pitiful race that was driven off to “Volcano” which had the harshest environment within the continent and were hated by the other races because of their power.
There was only one reason why they were moving, and that was because the demon king had started to move.
I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the mind of Retice’s king and the others, but the twenty-eight of us who were summoned from another world, that didn’t seem like it was due to bad timing.
「Aulum Trace.」
I uttered that name, and clenched my fist.
The shadows were wiggling around.
「I won’t forgive you.」
This is sudden, but in that world, I had never fallen in love or anything like that.
Of course, my mother and younger sister were important to me.
However, when it came to other girls, they were all afraid of me.
There was absolutely no interaction at all and I did not have a beautiful childhood friend.
Or perhaps I should say, I did not have any childhood friends.
Furthermore, I was too busy with part-time jobs so I didn’t have time for things like love.
But then I came to this world, met Amelia, and fell in love with her.
She’s my first love, and whether she’s a princess or not wouldn’t change my feelings in the slightest.
I won’t let her die, but even if Amelia died, I wouldn’t love anyone other than Amelia.
I wanted to treasure her, and protect her.
When she sees the awkward parts of me, I feel more depressed than if someone else saw them.
A person this special to me was now out of my reach.
I didn’t know where she was.
What if she was experiencing tremendous pain?
She might be calling for help right now.
And yet, I wasn’t able to go to her.
No matter how many monsters I killed, I wouldn’t be able to get to Amelia.
「Aaaaaaaah!!!!」
When the reality of the situation hit me, I couldn’t control my emotions any longer.
The dark sky grew darker still, and the shadows continued to grow despite exceeding their limit.
「Shadow Magic, Shadow Hell.」
The monsters slowly sank into the darkened ground.
The monsters could not break free from the shadows that were just like the antlion pits.
TN: antlions, also known as doodlebugs, are insects and their larvae are known for digging holes to trap ants and other prey. The kanji 蟻地獄 (antlion pit) literally translates to ‘ant hell’.
When all the monsters sank into the shadows, my magic had nearly been depleted.
When all the shadows returned to me, the dark sky returned to the original blue.
When I realized this, I felt my strength leave my body, and I sank onto the ground.
『…Master-dono!!』
For some reason, Yoru had returned to his original large black cat form and supported me, his body almost touching the ground.
『Master-dono’s shadow magic…no, the type of shadow magic that I saw just now seemed to have the power to dispel magic. My transformation as well, came undone as soon as I came in contact with Master-dono’s shadow magic.』
Supporting me, Yoru answered my doubts.
As expected of my partner.
『Putting that aside! Why did you do something so rash!! You don’t really need to kill them all!』
When he thought about this, Yoru sharply glared at me and yelled.
Because Yoru’s voice was one that resounded in my head from the start, coupled that with the dizziness from magic depletion, I was extremely light-headed.
「…sorry, Yoru. I’ll listen, to your preaching later. I’m going to sleep.」
O, oi, Master-dono!, ignoring Yoru who shouted that, I closed my eyes.
As expected, this was my limit.
Yoru was right, I overdid it.
It was unusual for me to not be able to control my emotions.
Even now, if I still had some magic left, I would’ve destroyed the monster house over there that had miraculously escaped annihilation.
Even though I had a rule of not venting out my anger because of how tiring it is.
Since meeting Amelia, I’ve changed in many ways.
However, it was mysterious, compared to the time in the other world where I did not even have an iota of interest in anyone other than myself, I was happy that I could express my emotions like this.
「I will, rescue Amelia, without fail.」
Muttering that, I lost consciousness.
《…Master’s magic had exceeded the limit. Acceptable value had been drastically surpassed. As Master’s life will be in danger if this continues, Shadow Magic will be forcibly activated. Mode, “Recovery”. Collecting the necessary amount from the magic power preserved by the shadow magic. …recovery complete. Shadow magic, activation suspended.》
A machine-like voice leaked out from the mouth of Akira who had lost consciousness, and after shining for a little while, the uninjured Akira was soundly sleeping.
Akira’s pale complexion due to magic depletion had returned to normal as well.
That was what had appeared before Akira had met Amelia and Yoru when he received life-threatening injuries from his battle with the Chimera.
Confirming that his master was not only safe, but had completely recovered, Yoru’s hastened steps slowed.
「…Master-dono.」
—
Chapter 79~Ring~
「..nn.」
I woke up in a place I did not recognize.
『Master-dono, you’re awake.』
I got up and was looking around, when Yoru, in his kitten form, came in through the window next to the bed that I had been lying down on.
He seemed relieved and somewhat worn out.
「Yoru, where is this?」
「My house.」
Even though I asked Yoru, a different voice sounded in the room.
It was a voice that I’ve heard before.
「…Kurou.」
The beastman blacksmith brought something over.
Besides the bed, there was no other furniture within the room, not even a closet.
It was a room that was truly just for sleeping .
「How are you feeling.」
「Terrible. How long was I unconscious for? Also, where is Amelia.」
My body was listless, a common sign of one who had slept for a long time.
My head was not working either.
After being summoned to this world, death was always nearby, and I couldn’t really sleep.
Even so, I was not at all sleepy right now.
Most likely, I had slept for a long time.
Time passed, and as my brain became more and more awake, I grasped the situation.
I put my hand on my forehead.
「Aah, I see. Amelia was kidnapped by the demon, huh.」
『Yes. By the way, Master-dono going berserk and losing consciousness, that was three days ago.』
I was shocked by Yoru’s words.
I even slept for three days, huh.
A long time ago, I had saved a child who was about to be run over by a truck and was hit instead, but even so, I had only lost consciousness for two days.
At that time, after the impact, my body had fallen just between the two tires and I came out practically uninjured.
This time as well, there weren’t any visible injuries.
It was quite strange for me to have continued to sleep for three days even though I was not injured.
As I was thinking that, the silent Yoru, who had a complicated look on his face, came in front of me.
「Yoru? What’s wrong?」
When I pulled him into my arms and stroked him, Yoru was purring like a cat.
He had told me about it before, but it seems that when he transformed into an animal, he completely became that animal.
The time when he turned into a black cat as well, when he was stroked in places that felt good, he would unconsciously purr.
Sometimes Amelia and I would even have trivial contests to see who would make Yoru purr first.
『Master-dono is…no, never mind.』
I was extremely curious.
However, I knew that Yoru, who became like this, wouldn’t say anything unless he had the resolve to do so, so I didn’t say anything.
The two of us remained silent, and Kurou dropped the thing that was in his hand onto Akira’s lap.
「This is what you had requested. Also, about the dagger that you were using, I have, more or less, sharpened it. Tell its owner to continue using it carefully.」
The dagger that I had borrowed from the adventurer who had withdrawn from the front lines was shining as if it were new.
Confirming it’s condition, I turned my attention towards the other two daggers.
「You split it into two, huh. Was I too rough with it?」
「Yeah. But, maa, you’re an assassin. It should be easier for you to use daggers.」
The two daggers were entirely jet black, and when I drew them to take a look at them, even the blade was black.
There’s no doubt about it, the sword “Yatonokami” had been remade into two daggers.
There was a huge crack right in the middle of the sword, so perhaps that’s where it was split.
According to Kurou, the crack was not something that he couldn’t repair, but he took my occupation into consideration and purposely split the sword up into two.
「Also, take this too.」
He threw a small box to me.
I picked it up and looked at it closely.
Yoru was Yoru, so when he saw that, his eyes widened.
It seems that he recognized it.
「Oi, that’s that….」
「That’s right. That is exactly what you think it is. …open it and take a look.」
Prompted by Kurou, I cautiously opened the cover.
「It’s a ring?」
Inside was crude ring, with a blood-red jewel embedded in the middle.
It was obvious that it was for men.
There was no name engraved on it, there were only words written on the interior.
「“I am the one who guides you”」
Furthermore, these words shouldn’t exist in this world. Unfortunately they were not Japanese, but English, which was what I was familiar with other than Japanese, so I was somehow able to read them.
It was definitely a hero, not the first generation hero, who was from an English-speaking country who made this.
「As expected, you’re a hero, huh. Can you read that.」
I wasn’t a hero though.
「Aah, they are not words from the country that we were born in, but exist in our world.」
I see, Kurou nodded.
It seems that, he thought that I wouldn’t be able to read it since the words and lettering was different than the ones that were engraved on “Yatonokami”.
I slept through most of my classes, but I tried to stay awake for the Japanese, English, and math classes.
It wasn’t for a reason like it being useful in the future or something, it was only because the teachers were scary.
The English teacher in particular would put on a carefree smile, seemingly oblivious to everything, but they would quickly notice if any student fell asleep in class.
On top of that, they would call on those who were sleeping, so one needed to be alert.
「Maa, it’s just as it says. That ring, will tell the one who has equipped it the location of anything. Put it on, and focus on what you want to know. It will be at the end of the light that emitted by the ring.」
My heart jumped.
Something I wanted, something I desired.
Which means, I could also find out Amelia’s location as well.
I hurriedly put the ring on the index finger on my right hand and focused on Amelia.
「Ooh!」
A red string of light came out of the ring, and illuminated the wall of the room.
The beastmen’s Brute dungeon was in that direction.
『Oi, that should be a national treasure. Why do you have it?』
Unlike me who was delighted that I now knew where Amelia was, Yoru softly asked Kurou this.
Even if downplayed, it should still be a treasure that would be stored within the castle’s treasury.
Kurou shook his head in response, as if it was of no concern.
「I got it from someone who I saved a long time ago. He didn’t divulge his social status, so I don’t know who they were, but I accepted it since it was useful.」
It’s good that it wasn’t a cursed item, towards Kurou who declared that without a change of facial expression, Yoru felt a bit of killing intent.
If this was a cursed item, and something happened to Master-dono, he was determined to immediately tear this fellow into pieces.
「Anyway, with this, I can go to where Amelia is. …are you coming? Kurou.」
When I looked over towards him and asked this, he tilted his head, wondering why I would ask him.
「You, you’re Amelia’s master, right? Aren’t you going to go save your disciple?」
Good grief, Kurou shrugged his shoulders.
「When did she become my disciple? I don’t remember ever saying such a thing.」
「But, for you to do this much, that means you care about Amelia quite a bit, don’t you?」
At my question, Kurou fell silent.
Those eyes that hid his thoughts stared off into space.
「…that’s true. I’ll look after her if she comes back safely.」
—
Chapter 80~Expectations~
『Is that true!?』
Yoru pounced on Kurou right after snarling at him.
He was in kitten form, so there wasn’t much impact, but if he were bigger, Kurou would not have been able to avoid it so beautifully.
「Are you going to make me say the same thing twice? Only if she returns.」
This guy, was he a tsundere.
I didn’t even take care of her!, or something like that?
Well, I’m relieved.
It didn’t seem like Kurou had any intention of coming, but even so, he’s lending us a hand.
「Kurou, can you help us?…help us find whoever is leading the demons.」
Pushing his body that had lost its strength, perhaps due to his relief, he said this to Kurou.
Placing Yoru on his head, Kurou looked over at me with a look of discontent on his face.
Wow, did this guy always look displeased.
「I’ll investigate it even if you don’t ask me to. Demons appearing here is still being hidden from the general populace, but the announcement from the king is just a matter of time. Since many adventurers saw the demons, not just this guy over here. When that happens, the first thing they’ll investigate is where they came in from.」
I nodded in agreement.
Even if this was a port city, the defenses were not so lenient that they were able to invade the city so easily.
Rather, it was because this was a port city that the security was tight and there’s even an Adventurer Guild here.
Of course, it was because of the dungeon that the Adventurer Guild was here, but the more skilled adventurers there were, the more powerful people there will be, thus it should’ve been extremely difficult to invade.
Although the appearances of demons and humans looked almost exactly alike, even those who have no knowledge of magic would sense the demons’ ominous aura.
The race that was well-known for being quick to fight, the beastmen, had absolutely no knowledge about magic though.
「If you’re going to look into it, you need to first investigate the guildmaster Linga and his younger brother Sena.」
Yoru and Kurou both widened their eyes in surprise.
『Master-dono, that’s….』
「Linga, when that guy was talking to the adventurers in front of the guild, he said 『We will not allow the demons to defile our town』. I don’t think that the other adventurers noticed since they were tense due to the outbreak of war, but at that time, not a single demon had appeared yet.」
Sena, who didn’t seem to have any reaction to that, was also somewhat suspicious.
If you thought about it rationally, you wouldn’t send yellow or red ranked adventurers to the front lines, would you?
There were many powerful beastmen, there was a silver ranked adventurer party there as well.
At that time, the response had already been delayed, and there were quite a number of monsters that appeared in the town.
If it were me, I would have the highest ranked adventurers such as the silver ranked ones get rid of the high level monsters and then have the red and yellow adventurers focus on the other monsters.
At that point in time, the entrance to the dungeon had already collapsed, so even if you reinforced it, the monsters would still emerge.
If that was the case, then it would be much more efficient to not bother with it and dispatch the adventurers to the areas where evacuation was delayed to exterminate the monsters.
Linga’s strategy would not be able to guarantee the safety of the civilians who couldn’t evacuate in time.
…if so, then it wouldn’t be strange for there to be someone who could fight among the people.
「…it couldn’t be, it was intentional?」
『Master-dono?』
Yoru called out to me who suddenly turned silent and muttered that as my eyes widened.
「…it’s very likely that Linga is the mastermind. The deployment of the adventurers was entirely done by that guy, the guildmaster. That’s why, even if the evacuation of the village near Kurou’s house was delayed, he was able to do something like not dispatch the adventurers there. Even if it was investigated in the future, he would be able to make excuses like the chain of command was chaotic.」
Yoru frowned, as the true meaning of my words was difficult to comprehend.
As for Kurou, he was making a face as if he had swallowed something bitter.
『What do you mean?』
「…if it’s guildmaster Linga, it’s also possible for him to anticipate that Amelia would assist the civilians who were unable to evacuate, and persuade her to join the battle.」
There were others who could’ve done it.
Of course, there were people who ran all over the place, serving as messengers.
However, for that guy to do something like that, it was too risky.
He wouldn’t be able to explain himself, and perhaps it would expose himself to danger as well.
「…it was like that, huh. Then, I will go collect the evidence. For now, you rest.」
I nodded and collapsed into the bed.
I had reached my limit.
After I realized that the use of shadow magic consumed a ridiculous amount of magic, I had used it sparingly, but this has never happened before.
That was to say, this was the first time that I had depleted my magic.
I did not think that magic depletion would be this severe.
Let’s be more careful next time.
As soon as I closed my eyes, I found myself falling asleep.
Yoru and Kurou were discussing something, but the me right now had no way of comprehending it, and my consciousness gradually sunk into the darkness.
Wandering Muse Translation 
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