Author: Yume Neiji

Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

Walking, Chapter 223: Martial Arts Tournament Preliminaries Day 2

Yume Neiji

On the second day of the preliminaries, we were scheduled for the first match, so we left the estate early, just like yesterday.

The weather was perfect—clear skies and a gentle breeze.

“Hey there, you’re the slime from yesterday, right?”

“First match today, huh?”

“Do your best!”

When we arrived at the plaza, one of the men who had visited the stall yesterday came over to greet us. Ao waved her tentacles in return, responding cheerfully.

The stall wouldn’t open until after Ao’s match, but we decided to get some prep work done. We set up the sign first, then started chopping vegetables and getting things ready.

Sue and Horn had gone over to the medical teams tent. A few people had already come for treatment, and just by watching them wobble around, it was clear that the man was suffering from a hangover.

“Shun-sama, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“We’ll help with the prep as well.”

“Good, you all came in such numbers. This really helps.”

Today, as planned, plenty of attendants had shown up, so we hurriedly got to work preparing. Considering what happened yesterday, it was better to prepare extra this time. The bread for the sandwiches hadn’t arrived yet, so we started by making rice balls first.

“Shun-sama, it’s almost time.”

“Thank you. If anyone is going to watch, please come along.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Once we had finished most of the prep work, the head attendant called out to me.

Since the sign was already up, no one was buying anything yet, but many people still called out words of encouragement to Ao.

Along with Shiro and the others, I brought three attendants with me and headed toward the aid tent.

“Um… you’re being a nuisance.”

“C’mon, Miss, forget work for a bit. Come hang out with us!”

“I said, you’re being a nuisance.”

“Let’s have some fun! Hehehe.”

“Enough already!”

Boom!

““Aahh!””

Good grief… that persistent middle-aged man had just been blasted away by magic from the aid tent. The one who cast the spell was Sue. Her nervous, fidgety demeanor from our first meeting had definitely faded a lot. The man who was sent flying, was promptly taken away by the soldiers on duty.

“So there are people hitting on others in a place like this, huh.”

“They probably think the the medical team’s tent is some kind of matchmaking spot. I saw a few others trying the same thing with other medical staff, too.”

Sue came storming out of the aid tent, fuming.

Judging by her reaction, it seemed there had been other idiots hitting on staff inside the tent as well. And this was still early in the morning, before any matches had even started.

“We’ll handle the security here, so don’t worry.”

One of the attendants spoke.

“Thank you… we appreciate it.”

Thus, we decided to have some burly, muscular soldiers stand guard at the medical team’s tent. Even so, some drunkards might still try to ignore the guards and hit on the staff.

If that happens… well, it looks like a “fun date” with the imposing soldiers, rather than the medical staff, will be waiting for them.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Umareta Chokugo ni Suterareta kedo, Zensei ga Taikensha datta node Yoyuu de Ikitemasu

Chapter 311: A lump of obscenity

Yume Neiji

“Uu… I-I’ve never… never in my life suffered such humiliation…”

After the treatment, Dana let out a groan, completely exhausted. Her whole body trembled in tiny spasms, and the bedsheets beneath her were soaked with sweat.

“How is it, Oneechan? Try feeling your own mana.”

“What do you mean—nothing has chan…ged…? W-wait, this is…? It’s like… mana is welling up from deep inside my body…!”

“Looks like it worked. From now on, you should be able to use magic far more efficiently than before.”

Once Dana had put her clothes back on, I led her into another room.

“You can use this place freely as your workshop for crafting magic tools.”

“W–what…? A room this spacious…? And all these materials!? Magic stones, copper, iron… W–wait, is this mithril!? There’s this much mithril here…? Hm? And what’s this black, glossy stuff…?”

“That’s adamantite.”

“Adamantite!? The legendary metal I’ve only ever heard about in stories!? A-and there are other materials I don’t even recognize…!”

“You can use anything you want. All of it.”

I had converted one room of the airship into a workshop dedicated entirely to her magic-tool crafting.

“This… this is a literal mountain of treasure…”

“By the way, on that island, how did you get the materials for making magic tools?”

There are hardly any monsters living on that rocky island, so there are probably no resources whatsoever.

No matter how advanced their magical technology, they still can’t do anything about the materials needed for magical tools.

“There’s a dungeon. Only one, but it’s located in the north of the island… Not just magic-tool components, most of the materials essential for our daily life were gathered from that dungeon.”

“I see.”

“But it wasn’t a very large dungeon. Certainly nowhere near the kind of place where you could find materials like these.”

Dana’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I feel so fired up now…! With this, I might even be able to build a flying ship!”

“Good, that’s the spirit. In that case, I’ll start teaching you everything there is to know about crafting magic tools right away.”

★★★

Dana possessed genuine talent.

Everything I taught her—every piece of knowledge, every technique—she absorbed them instantly, as if she had been waiting her entire life to learn it. She understood it, internalized it, and then made it her own with astonishing speed.

Considering she had managed, to single-handedly craft a magic tool capable of floating in the air even in that barren island environment, it was already clear she had remarkable ability.

But she was surpassing even my expectations.

“Th—this stability… incredible… I can’t believe that modifying the magic circle just a little could make it fly this smoothly…”

Dana spoke in awe as the magic device floated steadily above us.

“Right? But even at this size, getting this level of stability on your first try is amazing.”

It was a small model, only about ten centimeters in diameter, but it was an immediate success. The result was impeccable, so they could move on to the next step right away.

And so, while teaching Dana the know-how of magical tool making, the Seno Grande Kai headed towards a certain location. The magical city of Enderzen.  It was the city built by Deophrastus, the man responsible for stealing the forbidden items from the Tower of the Great Sage.

However, the self-proclaimed “Great Sage” Deophrastus—and the Demon King Alzazeil who had taken over his body—were defeated, and now the one ruling this city is none other than the foremost disciple from my previous life.

“Oh, there it is.”

A massive circular city built in the middle of the wasteland came into view. At its center, a single tower rose sharply into the sky. I guided the airship directly toward the top of that tower and began descending.

Since I was only dropping by for a moment, everyone else stayed behind on the ship. By the time my feet touched the rooftop, a welcoming party was already waiting for me.

Standing at the front was Meltera, a High Elf and the current leader of this city—alongside several magical knights who served as its guardians.

“Eeh!? Big-chested girls!?”

“…Eliminate that creature.”

“““Yes, ma’am!”””

“Wait, what!?”

At Meltera’s command, the magic knights all launched attack spells at once. I unfolded a barrier and calmly blocked every single one.

“Our magic was… brushed aside so easily…?”

“What is that infant…?”

“It doesn’t matter what he is! Our duty is to protect Meltera-sama!”

I was being treated like a complete enemy.

“O-oi Meltera!? Wait—don’t tell me you’ve been possessed!?”

“No, I am perfectly sane, thank you.”

“Then why!?”

『Master, have you forgotten? When you left this city, you said you’d visit again someday… and asked Meltera to gather a group of big-breasted girls to welcome you. She replied that you’d be banned from the city for that.』

“Did… did that happen?”

So basically, I’m banned from this city.

No wait. I thought I was the hero who freed this magic city from Deophrastus control…?

“A-Anyway! I’ll apologize! I’ll apologize and leave right away, so please stop the attacks!”

I hurried to plead, and Meltera sighed deeply like she had given up.

“Good grief… you truly never learn. …Everyone, cease fire. That baby is—at the very least—an acquaintance of mine. A lump of vulgarity, yes, but not a dangerous one.”

A lump of obscenity? Really?

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

Walking, Chapter 222: The food stalls are bustling

Yume Neiji

My, oh my, once Ao’s match was over and we reopened the food stall, things turned absolutely chaotic.

“Oniichan, five yakisoba buns!”

“Next order—ten rice balls!”

“Got it!”

The moment Ao returned to the stall, a flood of customers came pouring in. From that point on, it was truly hectic.

Darn it, who’s the lunatic that ordered ten rice balls?

Ao and I were cooking at full throttle, barely keeping up. We were running low on bread, so we added rice balls to the menu—but the line of customers never stopped.

Of course, Shiro and Fran were handling the customer service, and even the attendants were working at full speed.

“Man, that was refreshing!”

“We’re looking forward to your next match!”

Customer after customer called out to Ao as they passed by. The match earlier had been a mess, but the fact that a slime won must’ve made quite an impression. Ao happily waved her tentacles in response to all the cheering.

Ao became famous in an instant.

Thinking about that, we kept cooking nonstop all the way until evening.

“The day’s program has now concluded. Matches will resume tomorrow at nine in the morning.”

“Woo… finally over…”

As evening fell, the first day of the preliminaries finally came to an end.

We also run out of ingredients, so the food stall closed right on schedule. I was exhausted, of course—but Ao and the attendants were completely worn out too.

“That was fun, though.”

“Yeah.”

For some reason, Shiro and Fran were still full of energy, but… let’s just chalk that up to youthful stamina.

Since our sales were terrifyingly huge, it was decided we’d return to the estate to count everything. That job was left to the head attendant.

The medical team stationed at the aid tent had also returned to the Margrave family’s seats, so after cleaning up the stall, we headed there as well.

“Good work today. The stall was a massive hit.”

“There were so many customers we completely sold out.”

“That’s incredible. We’ll have to increase tomorrow’s stock, then.”

“—Eh!?”

Fina-san’s brother… what are you even saying!?

Any more than this, and even Ao and I won’t be able to handle it!

“Uhm, Young master, may we increase the number of attendants? Even with everyone working, we’re still short-handed.”

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the estate’s operations, hire as many as you need.”

“Thank you very much.”

Nice one head attendant!

Ao and I couldn’t help but clap for him.

“Well then, we also need to discuss that idiot’s situation, so let’s head back to the estate.”

“Today was so much fun!”

With the Madam and Fina-san also saying it was time to return, we all began making our way back to the estate.

“How are things going in the medical team?”

“Quite busy. We treated injuries from the matches. There were more because of drunken brawls.”

“Getting worked up like that isn’t good for anyone.”

To be honest, the afternoon had been so insanely busy that I hadn’t watched a single match. Judging by the cheers, though, things must have been lively. And naturally, that meant the medical team had their hands full as well.

Once we arrived back at the estate, the Margrave himself gathered with us in the reception room.

The topic, of course, was that heir.

“I’ve heard the whole story. To break the rules so blatantly and then end up self-destructing… honestly, it’s really pathetic.”

“The match ended in just three minutes, too. To be frank, it was terribly dull.”

Thus began the Margrave and his wife thoroughly—and mercilessly—tearing apart the heir’s performance.

Everyone else felt the same, so we all nodded along in complete agreement.

“Of course, that fool is currently locked up in the barracks’ holding cells. Turns out he’s committed other crimes as well.”

“That idiot threatened the referee, you know. Said that if he didn’t call the match in his favor, he’d ruin the referee’s family.”

“So that’s why the referee was pale and ran to speak with the Madam.”

“Exactly. And since his opponent was a slime, he figured the replacement referee wouldn’t have to do anything special—he’d win anyway.”

Was the heir really that much of a scumbag? What reason could he possibly have had to go that far just to win?

“It seems that he spent an absurd amount of money acquiring that magic sword and the enchanted armor. All of it just to get his hands on Fina, apparently. Typical foolish thinking from an old noble family.”

“For the old-fashioned nobles, marrying into the Margrave’s household adds prestige. And if their own house is already in decline, the effect is even greater.”

“But thanks to this incident, the count’s family has done nothing but anger the Mmargrave’s house. That idiot will be spending the entire tournament locked in a cell.”

The count’s family might honestly have been better off flattering the Margrave’s house instead. At this point, there is absolutely no chance that Fina-san will ever marry into the count’s household.

“Let’s leave that fool’s matter at that. Tomorrow, Ao has the first match, correct?”

“Yes. So we plan to open the food stall only after the match is over.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. It’ll be over quickly anyway.”

The Margrave sounded entirely confident.

Well, matches are originally capped at ten minutes, and Ao’s fight tend to end even faster than that. But that also means the stall will be open longer than usual… meaning we’re going to be really busy again.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

Chapter 117: A hero’s step

Yume Neiji

A flood of monsters burst forth. Fishmen also known as Sahagins, water horses or kelpies in other terms, and blue bats called sirens.

Mia-san swung her chain axe with a clang and shouted,

“Damn it! Is this some kind of monster-call trap?”

That would normally be a trap set in the dungeon to summon monsters. It was close to that, but not exactly. What lay scattered on the ground were bags containing the titan’s ashes.

The injured adventurers groaned in pain. They had been lured by the slave traders into rushing ahead to the hidden area of the dungeon. They’ve been given the ashes that attract monsters along with the “key” to the area. It was a trap designed to exploit the adventurers’ own greed.

“Warrior Corps, block them!”

I shouted, glancing back.

“The other parties—keep watch outside the room!”

For the rescue in the hidden area, we were a massive group of fifty. Only three could pass through the entrance at a time, and the rear rows probably hadn’t yet grasped the situation. I didn’t even want to imagine the chaos if they panicked in the presence of monsters.

It would have to be handled by the lead members of the Warrior Corps alone.

A group of sahagin immediately leapt at us.

“Gigigi!”

A grating scream cut through the sound of rushing water.

Mia-san hurled her chain axe, striking down one of the monsters, while Felix-san froze the waterway with his ice magic. Wrinkles creased his narrow eyes.

“There are so many of them…!”

There really were. I dodged a kick from a kelpie and drove my dagger into its throat.

“I want to get through quickly… but—!”

Sahagins leapt at us from both sides of the waterway. I sidestepped a spear, slipped inside its guard, and slashed its flank. As I turned, a siren was gliding toward me.

Air condensed in its gaping mouth, ready to strike.

“Rion!”

Nils-san stepped forward, slicing the air projectile with his sword.

I ran along the wall, circling around the low-flying sirens and cutting through the base of its wings.

The coin in my pouch vibrated.

『This formation is bad.』

Just as Thor had said.

The monsters’ arrival coincided perfectly with our entry into the room. On top of that, there were injured adventurers near the entrance whom we had to protect.

“We can’t afford to stop here.”

At the far end of the hidden area, people held as slaves were waiting. The adventurers carrying the titan’s ashes, which summoned the monsters, had already gone ahead.

We had no choice but to hurry.

“—Gods!”

I clenched the coins in my pocket.

The coin case Lu had made stirred my resolve.

“Wake up!”

The gods were stirring.

First, the Valkyrie Sigris waved her spoon. Particles of light rained down upon the injured adventurers, healing them instantly.

“W-what is this?”

“It… doesn’t hurt anymore?”

The adventurers must have been astonished. Magic poured down from the sky, and their wounds vanished in an instant. And on top of that, they couldn’t even see the gods’ presence.

“Fall back!”

I shouted, but Felix-san’s voice overlaid mine.

“Stay outside. We may need to ask about the party that rushed ahead and how many there are.”

The adventurers nodded and fell back toward the entrance.

Even as they retreated, the gods continued their work.

Solana unleashed golden light, smashing clusters of monsters into the walls. Thor’s hammer struck the ground, and the lightning that scattered from it reduced the Sahagins to ash. Fleeing kelpies were meticulously shot down by Uru’s arrows. Not a single one escaped the precision of the God of Hunting.

“This is…”

Nils-san muttered as he cut down monsters.

“I can faintly see human shapes… is that your power?”

I hadn’t introduced the gods to Nils-san yet. So I thought he couldn’t see them—but… had the gods already revealed themselves to him?

“Can you see them?”

“Yeah. Faintly, but it’s enough to coordinate.”

Nils-san gave a brief smile and sliced a sahagin that leapt at him in two.

The flow of battle was shifting. Thanks to the gods’ fierce intervention, I could finally take a breath and turn my attention to keeping watch over the area. If even one person could observe the battlefield freely, the party’s overall strength would increase.

“…There are a lot of them.”

“Wah!”

Loki floated lazily, hands clasped behind his head, completely at ease.

…This god is seriously laid-back.

“…Loki?”

“I just have something to say. Thor’s power has already become yours, and it seems Uru’s power is starting to settle in as well, isn’t it?”

Every now and then, a brownish light glimmered over my chest—probably the light of the God of Hunting. The blessing hadn’t matured yet. I could feel Uru’s power from time to time, but Blessing of the God of Hunting hadn’t actually increased in strength.

It was… stuck at a standstill, for now.

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

“However, I can’t say I’m thrilled about being outpaced a little. I’m a god of magic, after all, while you… you don’t really have any magic-like power, do you?”

Loki pursed his lips.

“But you seem to be getting along with the spirits just fine. It’s like you introduced a friend to another friend, and those two hit it off while leaving you behind.”

…W-what does that even mean?

Loki grinned, as if he had just thought up the ultimate prank.

“Anyway, I’ve got a good idea for this situation.”

Even while talking, he continued scanning for threats. Any enemies that emerged from the water were quickly wiped out by the gods’ power. The last siren was shot down midair. A magic stone bounced off with a ting.

“Is that the end?”

I raised my voice at Mia-san, who was wiping the sweat from her brow.

“Not yet!”

In the next instant, splashes erupted from the water channels on both sides. Once again, Sahagins leapt into the air.

It must be the second wave.

Loki called out.

“Rion! Use the water spirit Undine to form walls of water! Make several of them!”

“Eh…?”

Sahagins are water-based monsters, right? Would this even work?

“Just do it!”

Following his command, I awakened the spirit in my gauntlet.

Undine, in the form of a mermaid, stretched walls of water between us and the monsters, like drawing a cloth across a space. In no time, multiple shimmering curtains of water had formed.

“There!”

Loki extended a hand from his black robe and snapped his fingers. The monsters immediately began attacking in the wrong directions—kelpie horns, Sahagin claws, and siren air blasts.

Every strike missed entirely. At worst, the monsters even attacked one another.

“Illusion.”

Loki said with a laugh.

“I used the water you raised to show the monsters a false image. Water can reflect appearances—or distort them.”

When the god snapped his fingers again, the water curtains shattered. The illusions created by the water vanished. The monsters froze, realizing they had been striking at empty air, confused and disoriented.

Their cries echoed as they reacted reflexively.

“Now!”

The monsters had left a deadly opening.

I kicked off the ground, and my companions followed in stride—swords and axes, spells, and blades danced. One by one, the disoriented monsters turned to ash.

Finally, the wave of monsters ceased.

A heavy silence fell. From the frozen waterways and waterfalls, the cracks formed by magic spread with sharp, snapping sounds.

“Just now… what was that?”

My throat trembled.

I couldn’t help but stare at my right-hand gauntlet where Undine resided. The water spirit swirled inside the pale blue crystal, but the illusionary power surely wasn’t hers alone.

Felix-san planted his staff and groaned.

“I see. You supplemented magic with the reflection of water. For a brief moment, the monsters must have seen countless copies of us, like mirrors facing each other.”

“Exactly. It wasn’t an offensive spell, and the spirit handled the water manipulation. The magic only made the reflections appear real. With the spirit’s help, you, Rion, might even be able to create basic illusions yourself.”

Loki winked at me with one eye.

“Rion. Illusion is the power of deception, of trickery.”

As the battle ended, the gods gradually faded, their forms thinning. Before disappearing completely, Loki closed his eyes and spoke to me.

“Depending on your resolve, you can use it any way you choose. As a hero with limitless potential, Rion, face it, and decide how you will wield it.”

The god slowly vanished.

I couldn’t help but glance at Nils-san, reminded of the time we had sparred together.

—If you’re truly protecting something important, don’t be choosy about your methods.

Wake up skill held infinite potential. And precisely because of that, I might have to face what I can do with that power.

The inner chamber had fallen silent.

The gods had already returned to the coin, leaving behind only countless magic stones scattered across the floor.

The adventurers who had entered the room stared wide-eyed.

“…All this… you lot did it?”

The veterans could probably tell how overwhelming the numbers had been just by looking at the scattered magic stones. Some might have even glimpsed the scene from outside.

I drew in my chin and straightened my chest.

“Yes!”

The adventurers exchanged looks—some exasperated, some impressed, all complex.

“…You don’t look like it, I guess… or what can I say.”

“Still, that was an incredible number of monsters.”

“So the ashes that awaken monsters… were real, huh?”

“The Raven Warriors, huh.”

The adventurers stared at me intently.

Just as questions were about to start, Mia-san clapped her hands.

“Now that the fighting’s over, let’s move!”

““““Okay!””””

Everyone replied in unison.

The exit from the inner chamber was already open. When we spoke to the injured adventurers, a bad feeling was confirmed. There were other parties incited by the slave traders, who had rushed ahead into the hidden area with the keys they had received. They were likely carrying the ashes as well.

There’s no time to waste.

“Yeah…!”

We passed through the first room and followed a cave-like corridor.

Eventually, we reached a fork in the path.

“From here, we’ll split into two groups.”

Felix-san leaned on his staff and swept his gaze over us.

“The hidden area is likely circular. That means it runs along the outer edge of the dungeon. Splitting into left and right groups to explore and then reconvening will be more efficient.”

The adventurers nodded in agreement. We will split up, four parties on each side to explore the hidden area. If they found any captives, one party would stay behind to guard them while the others retreated to rescue them.

“…Once this floor is cleared, you’ll be aiming for the deepest part, right?”

The adventurer bearing a stone hammer reminded me. He had come to our aid this morning when the Water Transport Bureau director was giving his speech.

I remembered him well—he had mentioned my father.

He had a body as large as a golem’s, yet his eyes were gentle, and it seemed he genuinely cared about my safety.

“Mm. We can’t ignore the lowest level.”

No one knew what awaited in the hidden areas of the lower floors. The most dangerous was the bottommost floor—the boss layer.

Freya might be there, and if the slave traders were hiding anything, it would likely be there as well. For the sake of rescuing captives and scouting the depths, someone had to go.

“You’ve already decided on the divisions, right?”

Felix-san was about to speak, but a large hand gently stopped him.

“No, it’s fine. I saw your skills earlier. Your hearts as adventurers are united.”

The hammer-wielding adventurer thumped his broad chest with a solid thud.

“Stay safe, alright!”

The hammer-wielding adventurer went right at the fork; we headed left.

Screams of men and women reached us almost immediately. The Blessing of the God of Hunting  alerted me to the presence of many more.

A battle was already underway.

“…They must be the adventurers who rushed ahead, carrying the ashes.”

Nils-san shared the same thought.

“Let’s hurry.”

The corridor curved gently, the screams and clash of combat burning a sense of urgency into my chest.

Through the open doorway of the next chamber, I could see people fighting—and the monsters. Women and children had been captured.

Memories flashed—of Lu and me a little while ago, and of Gideon trying to kidnap us in the royal capital.

“We will save them—no matter what!”

I didn’t want anyone to die.

I kicked off the ground, clad in Golden Flame.

A woman with her hands bound behind her back, crawled as she tried to escape. A Sahagin raised its spear. I intercepted the attack, parrying it with my short sword.

“I’ve come to rescue you!”

As I declared, sparks flew from the weapons that collided.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

Chapter 116: Rescue Operation

Yume Neiji

Spring sunlight glittered across the lake. Countless boats with their sails swollen with wind, skimmed over the water. Flocia Dungeon lay at the lake’s center. Naturally, if masses of adventurers wished to reach it, an equally large number of boats was required. And so, a fleet had formed.

There were messenger vessels from the Adventurers’ Guild, and escort ships apparently supplied by the Raven Warriors. Every prow pointed toward the same destination.

“Preparations are complete.”

A man stood at the pier, his ornate hat catching the sunlight. He was the director of the Water Transport Bureau.

After slipping away from the Warrior Corps in the crowd, he now watched the fleet depart from a quiet corner of the docks. The easternmost side of the harbor bordered the slums so there were few eyes around to notice him.

Frost crawled over the director’s body. When the chill burst into shimmering light, the fat man was gone. He was replaced by a slender merchant. Rata the Ratbone smoothed down his short-cropped chestnut hair.

“If I had stirred them up a bit more, I could’ve pulled twenty or thirty percent of those adventurers onto our side.”

Rata had used his shapeshifting ability to slip into the crowd at the Raven Warriors’ speech.

Since the global message, many adventurers had come to Flocia, inspired by the word “hero”. Surely, some of them harbored resentment toward the Raven Warriors for claiming control over the dungeons. And Rata had intended to stoke those feelings—maybe even push things toward division, if fortune went his way.

“But tsk, tsk…. children’s logic really is the worst to deal with.”

The boy’s words had changed the tide. “Adventurers protect people”, a line of pure idealism, yet it had been enough to hold many of the adventurers back from dissent.

Still, the day wasn’t without its harvest. 

Being able to see the boy wielding the horn with his own eyes and managing to disturb the adventurers’ unity were his worthwhile gains.

While walking through the harbor in the guise of the director, many parties had secretly approached him. There were still adventurers eager to hear more about the “director’s” proposal.

To them, Rata had handed a certain item. It would throw the Warrior Corps into confusion and draw their attention toward the dungeon.

“Now then….”

Rata gave a shiver. He lifted his gaze to the towering structure overlooking Flocia. From the building of the Odis Temple, he could feel a harsh, biting cold emanating outward. Most likely, they had strengthened the seal in the area by some means. The difficulty of the dungeon should have dropped as a result.

Even Rata, a monster himself, would not be able to approach the temple easily.

“We’ll start preparing as well.”

(He had been quite useful today. I’m sure that somewhere beneath the water, the real director of the Water Transport Bureau was pleased.)

Rata thought. And with a satisfied chuckle, he started walking toward the temple.

◆◆◆

Before my eyes, the fleets of boats entered the dungeon island one after another. After dropping off the adventurers at the pier, they immediately departed, making room for the next vessel. Ships too large to dock sent small boats back and forth to ferry people ashore.

Adventurers disembarked in a steady stream, and those who arrived moved into the dungeon in that same order.

Our party—Felix-san, Mia-san, Nils-san, and me—had been among the first to arrive. Yet we would be the last to enter. We had the role of guiding the other parties into the unexplored areas.

“What an incredible number….”

Parties streamed into the dungeon, and somewhere along the way, I gave up trying to count them. 

In total—Warrior Corps included—more than three hundred people would be entering the dungeon at once. Roughly twenty percent of them were what you’d call elites. They were the ones who would push into the uncharted area and free the captives taken by the slavers.

The parties that had already gone in were tasked with thinning out as many monsters as possible inside the dungeon, securing a safe route for the rescued people to escape later.

Eventually, the flow of boats came to a halt. Aside from us, seven other parties—around fifty people—were waiting near the entrance. 

Felix-san, leaning on his staff, swept his gaze over the group.

“Has everyone brought the keys as arranged?”

Felix-san was referring to the items used to unlock the hidden area.

They were thumb-sized pieces of metal. The dull, gold-colored magic keys numbered only three in total. They had been confiscated from the slave trader overseer and distributed among the gathered parties.

“…This?”

A man carrying a greatsword held his key up with a dubious look.

“Looks like a piece of scrap metal to me.”

“It’s infused with magic. My apologies that we don’t have enough for all seven parties. Please coordinate your use of them carefully.”

The adventurers nodded to Felix-san.

“Understood.”

“We’ll be moving in loose formation anyway, and the hidden area doesn’t look that complicated.”

They accepted the explanation so easily because they were convinced by the map provided beforehand. That was thanks to Safi, the dwarf blacksmith. The structure of the hidden area had been predicted by an underground specialist.

I glanced toward our party’s transporter supporter.

Inside the big backpack, Safi was probably puffing out her chest with pride.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Mia-san raised her voice, and we plunged into the dungeon.

The first and second floors were what they called the exploration layers—areas where no monsters appeared. Even at a time like this, the sparkling water was breathtakingly beautiful. Basking in the abundant vitality of the water, we dashed forward.

Nearly fifty people in total—far exceeding normal party limits—but all were high-level adventurers, so our pace was swift. In the blink of an eye, we descended deeper into the layers.

“Now, we’ve reached the combat layer.”

I led the way.

Using Blessing of the God of Hunting, I scanned for monsters.

It didn’t take long to realize just how few there were. The parties ahead had been systematically thinning out the monsters from the third floor onward. And the Odis Temple had strengthened the seals, lowering the dungeon’s overall difficulty.

Normally, the more people that enter a dungeon, the more monsters they attract. That rule didn’t apply when there were so few enemies to begin with.

We reached the fourth floor, nearing the hidden area. The scent of blood suddenly grew stronger.

Proceeding cautiously, we came upon a wall with a hidden door yawning open.

Solana’s voice called out.

『Rion, the entrance to the hidden area—』

“Yeah, it’s open!”

What was going on?

We had made sure to close it properly before returning to the surface. I poured magic into Blessing of the God of Hunting. The red light expanded gradually, revealing the area within my sensing range.

『This presence…. there’s also the ashes of the titan.』

As we dashed into the hidden area, everything became clear. An adventurer party lay fallen in the shadow of the entrance.

“Hey, what happened here?”

Mia-san rushed forward.

I froze at the sight of something lying near the fallen party.

“This is….!”

On the ground lay a bag burned with a red-black flame. It’s the titan’s ashes. And there, scattered nearby, were charred metal pieces. The same type of magic key used for the hidden area.

“The Water Transport Bureau people…. they gave the keys to them, and in exchange, they scattered the ashes….”

Felix-san clicked his tongue at the groans of the injured adventurers.

“They must have struck a deal. The director hand over the magic keys, and in return, they spread the ashes. From the director’s words, he already had his eye on the parties likely to try going solo.”

The Titan’s Ashes loosened the dungeon’s seals, drawing monsters toward them.

Nils-san narrowed his eyes.

“In that case, the director really was….”

“At this point, there’s nothing we can do. He’s been missing since yesterday, but perhaps this was his way of showing outright hostility toward us.”

Felix-san regretted the situation, but there was no choice now but to press forward.

Clinking her chain axe into position, Mia-san spoke.

“Damn it. Did anyone else try going solo?”

A trembling hand from one of the adventurers pointed toward the far wall. An exit had already opened there.

But we couldn’t reach it yet.

Water channels ran along both sides of the room, and a waterfall poured down from the ceiling. From every direction, red light surged forward.

“Monsters incoming! Get ready!”

A tide of monsters crashed into the hidden area.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

Walking, Chapter 221: The opponent self-destructs

Yume Neiji

“Go, Ao! Do it!”

“Go, go!”

“Keep it up!”

From outside the stage, Shiro and the others were cheering loudly.

Ao glanced back at them, waving her tentacles in return.

Honestly… she looked completely at ease.

“Ugh… c-can’t… pull it out…”

Meanwhile, the heir was still struggling desperately with his sword stuck in the stage. Ao turned her gaze toward the Madam, and she gave a subtle nod, gesturing as if to say, “Go on, do it.”

Thud!

“C-can’t… pull it out… guh—!”

Slam!

“Whoa! Contestant Ao’s powerful tackle just hit Contestant Chikin square in the stomach! Or… since his sword finally came free from the stage, maybe it’s all good?”

“Gahaha! He flew back spectacularly!”

“Even with all that fancy armor, is his brain just as empty?”

The heir, smashed by Ao’s charge, flew nearly five meters back. Even without taking major damage, he must have felt that impact. The audience couldn’t contain themselves and burst into laughter at the sight of him soaring across the stage.

“D-damn it… I-I’ll… kill you!”

“Ooh! Contestant Chikin is charging!”

The enraged heir ran straight at Ao, swinging his sword with all his might. Apparently, he thought Ao had insulted him—but really, he was just blowing himself up.

“Uooorah!”

Smack!

“Amazing! Contestant Ao just caught Contestant Chikin’s downward swing with a proper blade-grab!”

“What the—now the slime is stopping his sword?”

“Bwahaha! Well, the swing was way too slow anyway.”

I could understand why the crowd are shouting. The heir’s sword swing, focused more on hitting than speed, was too slow. Even Fran or Horn could probably have caught it in a proper blade-grab.

Whoosh… whoosh… WOOOSH!

“Whoa! Uwaah!”

Slam!

“Whoa! Now Contestant Ao, still holding onto the sword, has swung Contestant Chikin in a giant toss!”

“That guy really flies, huh?”

“Hahaha! That’s just proof that his head is as empty as his armor!”

Uh… that heir really is hopeless. Even with such fine equipment, he can’t use it properly at all.

Just as the audience said, it seems the problem isn’t the gear—it’s what’s inside. And now, something strange was happening with him.

“G-g-guh… guzzoh…”

“Whoa! Contestant Chikin is using his sword as a makeshift cane, but he’s having a hard time standing up!”

He wobbled like a newborn fawn, struggling to get to his feet.

The reason quickly became clear.

“His mana ran out just one minute into the match.”

“Yeah… such a short operational time.”

Just as Sue had said, the heir’s meager reserves of mana were exhausted in an instant. As a result, the armor that had been functioning as a magical tool became nothing more than heavy plate armor.

Including the chainmail beneath, that thing must weigh a ton.

Ao cautiously stepped closer to check on the heir.

“O-oa? Oaaah!”

“Oh my! Contestant Chikin has fallen again, weighed down by his armor—and this time, he landed face-first!”

“Gahaha! Hahaha!”

“Ha-hahahaha! M-my stomach hurts from laughing… hahaha!”

““““Haha—hahahaha!””””

The audience erupted into uncontrollable laughter.

The audience erupted into laughter at the sight of the heir tripping while trying to stand.

Shiro and the others weren’t holding back either, pointing and laughing uncontrollably at his misfortune.

Amid all the chaos, only Ao and the referee calmly approached the heir.

Come to think of it… the heir hadn’t twitched a single muscle since he fell.

“Match over. Medical team, bring a stretcher. Quickly!”

Seeing the heir’s condition, the referee and Ao called urgently for the stretcher.

Soon, a stretcher was brought onto the stage. And, almost casually, the referee declared the match over.

Even the Madam seemed concerned now, her eyes on the fallen heir.

“It seems… Contestant Chikin hit his head when he fell and has lost consciousness.”

“Whaaaat?!”

The audience was shocked, and so were Sue and I.

The heir, stripped of his full-face helmet, didn’t move a muscle.

(Shine)

“Oh! Contestant Ao is casting a healing spell on the Contestant Chikin! What an admirable display of sportsmanship!”

“Way to go!”

“Magnificent!”

Just to be safe, Ao cast her healing magic, and the audience responded with a huge round of applause. Waving her tentacles, Ao turned toward Shiro and the others, a small smile on her face.

“Ao-chan, that was amazing!”

Fina-san and Pearl were clapping with all their might, cheering for Ao.

Well, there was no doubt who had won.

“Now… that guy isn’t going to the medical tent—he’s going straight to the prison. Mother gave the orders, so there shouldn’t be any issues.”

“Even if he were taken to the medical tent, I wouldn’t want to treat him.”

“Neither would I.”

It wasn’t just Sue and me—Fina-san’s older brother didn’t hold back either, tearing into the heir mercilessly.

And just like that, Ao’s first round came to an end—though to be honest, even Ao wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Umareta Chokugo ni Suterareta kedo, Zensei ga Taikensha datta node Yoyuu de Ikitemasu

Chapter 310: Refrain from false advertising in your self-introductions

Yume Neiji

“In that case, I’ll hire you as a crew member, Dana-oneechan.”

“R-really!?”

“Yes. You can study the ship all you want, and there are plenty of rooms. You can use them however you like.”

“Living aboard a sibling of the divine ship, dedicating myself entirely to research… it’s like a dream come true…”

Dana’s eyes shimmered with tears of excitement.

“Now, let me properly introduce ourselves. I’m Reus. As you can see, I’m a cheerful and adorable baby.”

『Master, please refrain from false advertising in your introductions.』

Ignoring Lindwurm’s comment, I continued.

“This is Fana-oneechan. She’s my first disciple, and her bust is still growing—G-cup, 93 centimeters.”

“Mm… nice to meet you.”

For reference, her height has grown a bit since before—160 centimeters, and she weighs about 47 kilograms.

“Why do you have all these details? That’s creepy.”

“And this red-haired lady is Anje-oneechan. An Amazoness, with an I-cup, 97 centimeters.”

“H-hey! You don’t need to announce cup sizes!?”

She stands 166 centimeters tall and weighs around 51 kilograms.

“And this one is Lill. Despite her appearance, she’s the legendary beast Fenrir. Bust… J-cup, 105 centimeters.”

“Nice to meet you.”

In her humanized form, she stood 178 centimeters tall and weighed about 60 kilograms.

“Lastly, this is Karen-oneechan. A samurai from the East, and she just recently joined us. H-cup, 102 centimeters.”

“I’ve never measured my chest before… but, well…”

Karen herself was 174 centimeters tall and weighed around 55 kilograms.

“O-oh, I’m Dana, a magitech artisan. I don’t know about bust sizes… but, it’s a pleasure to meet you all properly.”

“H-cup, 97 centimeters, right?”

Her height was 170 centimeters, with a weight of roughly 54 kilograms.

“You already know that…?”

After the introductions, I led Dana on a tour of the airship.

We explored the spacious interior from end to end, finishing at the engine room—the very heart of the vessel.

“~~~~~! ~~~~~! ~~~~~!”

“W-what is this… a restrained woman!?”

In the center of the engine room, a humanoid female demon was hooked up to countless cords with a spherical gag stuffed in her mouth. Dana stared in shock.

“This is the ship’s power source. We draw magical energy from her and convert it into the force that moves the ship. And don’t worry—she’s not human. She’s a demon, or ‘Mazoku.’ You know what that is, right?”

“A demon…!? Yes, of course I know! I’ve never seen one, but when I was little, my parents used to tell me stories. They said if you misbehaved, demons would come and… eat you.”

Apparently, even on this island, tales of the Mazoku had been passed down.

“So this is a demon huh…”

“Yeah. By the way, she looks like a woman, but she’s not actually female. They are creatures that don’t have genders you see.”

“Is… is this safe…? She’s glaring at us with such a terrifying expression…”

“Don’t worry. At this level, there’s no way she can break free from these restraints.”

“~~~~~! ~~~~~! ~~~~~!”

She seemed to be trying to say something, but it was probably nothing important—so ignoring her was the only option.

“Divine ships even use a demon…”

“Nope. That one in your place doesn’t. Thanks to its materials, it’s far more energy-efficient than this ship. Still, replenishing its magical energy is quite a hassle.”

If the Beretette Grosse were allowed the same modifications as the Kai, I’d want to use a demon as its power source too.

“So… you came up with a way to make a demon the ship’s power source all on your own… and actually did it…?”

It helped that I picked up a few hints during my trip to the East, of course.

“Your deep knowledge of magical devices… and your ability to make them a reality… what are you, really…?”

“That’s a secret. But if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me. I think, with enough guidance, you could build your very own magitech airship from scratch.”

“R-really!?”

“Yes. But there’s one thing you can’t avoid.”

“One thing I can’t avoid…?”

“That is—”

“W-w-why am I… nakeeeeed!?”

Dana’s scream echoed through the cabin. She had been laid out on the bed, completely naked, desperately trying to cover her ample chest.

“Uh… don’t worry. Just stay still and be calm.”

“!?!”

Fana, acting as my assistant, forcibly pried Dana’s arms away.

With a bounce, her full bosom was exposed.

“~~~~~~!?”

“That’s right. Dana-oneechan, all you need to do is lie still.”

“Struggling is useless. Just do as your master says.”

Lill held Dana’s legs down, securing her completely.

With Dana’s limited physical strength, there was no way she could escape the combined restraint of Fana and Lill.

“W-what…!? How am I supposed to actually learn to build a flying ship like this under these conditions!?”

“I already explained. By treating your magical circuits, I can drastically enhance your magical abilities. If you’re fine with being an ordinary magitech artisan, that’s one thing—but if you want to reach the level needed to create a magitech airship, this treatment is absolutely necessary.”

I focused magical energy into my fingertips and moved closer to Dana, whose eyes were brimming with tears and cheeks flushed red.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Soon… it’s going to feel good…”

At first glance, she seemed like a no-nonsense, straightforward type—but apparently, she was surprisingly shy.

Fufufufu… this kind of contrast is actually kind of irresistible…

『Why did God allow this perverted old man to be reincarnated…?』

Lindwurm let out a heavy sigh as the treatment of Dana’s magical circuits began.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

Walking, Chapter 220: Ao’s first qualifying match begins

Yume Neiji

Then, something shifted onstage. For some reason, the referee—his face utterly pale—approached the Madam and spoke to her. She listened, nodded, and then relayed something to the staff waiting backstage.

A moment later, the referee was replaced. His face had been almost ghostly… maybe he wasn’t feeling well?

“With that, we will begin the final match before the lunch break!”

““““OOOHHH!””””

Once the new referee was ready, the Madam began the announcement. Since it was the last match before lunch, the audience was more fired up than ever.

“Red Corner: Heir of the Count Ooak, Chikin!”

““““Boo—! Boo—! Boo—!””””

Huh?

The moment the Madam called out the heir’s name, the audience erupted in a massive chorus of boos.

Fina-san’s older brother explained why.

“That guy keeps loudly proclaiming that Fina will be his bride at every opportunity. The townspeople know about it, and they absolutely hate him for it.”

Wow… what an idiot.

Even Sue, hearing Fina-san’s brother’s explanation, couldn’t help but jolt in disbelief.

“Blue Corner: The Miracle Mage… Ao!”

“Go, Ao!”

“Take that idiot down!”

The moment Ao’s name was announced, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. A few over-the-top shouts here and there, but nothing to worry about. Ao waved her tentacles enthusiastically, responding to the audience’s cheers.

“All right, the match time is set. Let’s begin with a handshake—”

“Hmph! I have no need to shake hands with something like a slime.”

““““Boo—! Boo—! Boo—!””””

The heir ignored the referee’s instructions, snapping shut his full-face helmet as he stepped back from Ao.

Ao had been more than ready to extend her tentacles for a handshake, but he completely brushed her off. The audience responded instantly with another massive chorus of boos.

Ao bristled with anger, putting some distance between herself and the referee.

The referee, meanwhile, looked utterly helpless.

“Both competitors, take your stance! Let the match begin!”

““““OOOHHH!””””

The referee, eager to get the match underway, gave the signal to start. The heir drew his sword from its scabbard and began concentrating his mana.

Yep—already breaking the rules.

“Heh, a mere slime won’t even make a decent test swing.”

“Whoa! Contestant Chikin’s sword is starting to glow! Meanwhile, Contestant Ao has deployed a magical barrier.”

A mocking voice can be heard from the full-face helmet. I couldn’t see his expression, but there was no doubt he was grinning. Ao, on the other hand, raised a small magical barrier, fully prepared to defend herself.

“Uooooooh!”

“Contestant Chikin is charging with his sword!”

Well… that’s something.

The heir had charged forward with his sword raised, looking brave—but his pace was painfully slow. Even in plate armor, with the supposed effects of a magical tool, he should be moving much faster.

Ao stayed completely focused, maintaining her defensive stance without a single lapse.

“Take this!”

Whoosh! Boom!

“Contestant Chikin swung his sword at Ao! And… some kind of mysterious explosion just occurred!”

The heir swung his sword straight at Ao. Then, when the blade struck the stage, it triggered a massive explosion. However, the Madam paid no attention to his blatant rule-breaking and continued her commentary as if nothing had happened.

“Huh? Damn it… the sword won’t come out!”

“Gahaha!”

“What on earth are you doing?!”

“There’s an idiot over there! Hahaha!”

Yes, it’s important enough that I’ll say it again. The heir’s downward swing didn’t hit Ao—it drove his sword straight into the stage. Right beside Ao, who was standing behind her magical barrier. And now, the heir was struggling desperately to pull his sword free from the stage.

The audience couldn’t help but laugh at his clumsy predicament.

Ao, meanwhile, alternated her gaze between the sword stuck in the stage and the hapless heir, her expression utterly serious.

She hadn’t moved an inch and yet she clearly hadn’t expected his swing to miss her entirely and he even embed his sword in the floor.

Yeah… this match is already over.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Umareta Chokugo ni Suterareta kedo, Zensei ga Taikensha datta node Yoyuu de Ikitemasu

Chapter 309: It’s very uncool to praise yourself

Yume Neiji

A flying ship suddenly appeared in the sky above the Inquisition headquarters, throwing the entire city into an uproar.

“T-the ship… it’s flying!?”

“No way… c-could it be the divine ship!?”

“But it should be sealed away in the Grand Temple!”

“And… doesn’t its shape look different?”

“So it’s something else?”

“There’s no such thing as a ship that can fly unless it’s a divine vessel!”

“I–it must be an illusion! We’re all being shown some kind of hallucination, that’s the only explanation!”

To these people who were forbidden even from creating imitations of the divine vessel, this sight surpassed anything they could comprehend. Sensing the disturbance outside, the inquisitors began spilling out of the building one after another.

“Impossible… something like this…”

“A ship identical to the divine vessel… actually exists…?”

“It’s nearly the same size… no—perhaps even larger…?”

Confronted with a reality that shattered the very foundation of their identity as inquisitors, they could do nothing but stare blankly at the sky in stunned disbelief.

Dana—who had escaped from the Inquisition not long ago—was standing nearby, yet none of them even noticed her presence.

“You rode that thing all the way to this island? Then that means you…”

“Yeah. We flew here from the surface. The whole amnesia excuse was a lie, of course.”

Dana’s eyes widened in shock as I spoke the truth.

“From the surface… all the way to this island!?”

Just then, one of the inquisitors finally noticed Dana’s presence.

“Y–You! Why are you outside!?”

“Uh… Oh no..!”

“Oh my, they noticed you. I thought they’d ignore a single escapee with everything else going on.”

Her shout drew the attention of the others, and soon several inquisitors were turning toward us, moving quickly to seize Dana again. Anyone would assume the flying ship was the more urgent matter here, but their rigid sense of duty left them unable to ignore their assigned task. But before they could reach her, Dana’s body suddenly rose up into the air.

“W–what!? My body… it’s lifting on its own—!”

“That’s how you board the ship.”

I explained, floating upward beside her.

“The divine vessel enshrined in the Grand Temple works the same way. It has no visible entrance, right? You always wondered how anyone got in or out.”

“Then… I’m really about to go inside that ship!?”

The airship I created uses an elevator-like system that can raise or lower people and cargo at will. However, there’s no platform or lift—its movement is achieved entirely through flight magic.

“W–wait! Escaping during an inquisition is a serious crime!”

“Come down at once!”

“Do you think you can escape from us!?”

The inquisitors shouted in fury, but Dana was already far beyond their reach. A moment later, an opening appeared on the underside of the Seno Grande Kai and we drifted straight into the ship’s interior.

“Welcome aboard the Seno Grande Kai.”

“T–this is… the inside of a flying ship…”

“Yes. Its internal structure should be very similar to the divine vessel. They’re sibling ships, after all.”

“W–whaat!? This is a sibling to the divine ship…? Then the Three Sages created another ship as well…?”

Dana’s misunderstanding was so large I had no choice but to correct it directly.

“No, that’s not it. Neither this ship nor the divine ship was built by the Three Sages.”

“Eh…?”

“Both were made by the person who taught them—their master.”

“The master of the Three Sages…?”

“That’s right. His name was Aristoteleus—a great sage of ancient times. Even fifteen hundred years after his death, his achievements are still honored throughout the world.”

Incidentally… that great sage was me in my previous life.

『Master, saying that yourself is extremely uncool.』

Lindwurm chided.

Dana’s lips trembled as the reality before her shattered everything she had believed.

“S-Something like that… could it really be true…?”

“There may be nothing like it on this floating island, but down on the surface, there are documents that prove it.”

Well…probably. No, there should be, right?

『Hard to say. The Tower of the Great Sage held no surviving records, and who knows what became of all the scattered documents.』

…Well. We’ll just pretend they exist.

“Haha… if that’s true, then what was the point of calling it blasphemy to create imitations…?”

Dana let out a laugh tinged with self-mockery.

Perhaps the days she’d spent living in fear of the Inquisition now seemed almost absurd to her.

I guided her toward the control room.

“This is the wheelhouse. You can pilot it manually, but it mostly runs on automatic control. As long as you set a destination, it’ll take you there on its own.”

“Automatic control!? H–how could such a thing even be possible…? And more importantly, how does a ship this size stay floating in the sky? I could barely manage something suited for a single rider… no, even that wasn’t truly successful…”

When I went on to explain that the ship could automatically detect approaching monsters and even intercept them, her reaction was immediate.

“The great sage was a genius, wasn’t he!?”

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure that much is undeniable.”

『…Master, I must repeat—praising yourself is extremely uncool.』

This airship was practically a treasury of magical engineering. As a craftswoman of magitech tools, Dana could clearly recognize its value, and her excitement only grew.

“And I’m thoroughly familiar with this ship the great sage created. After all, I even upgraded it—gave it a full refit to improve its performance.”

“You modified this ship!?”

Most of the wheelhouse’s walls were made of glass, giving us a clear view of the city below. Far beneath us, the inquisitors were still running about in disarray, glancing up at the ship as they scrambled in confusion.

“So, what will you do, Dana-oneechan? If you come with us, you might never be able to return to this island—your homeland. Will you leave with us aboard this ship? Or go back down there and submit to the Inquisition?”

I posed the question to her. She answered without a single moment of hesitation.

“Of course I’ll leave the island!”

Then, with fiery determination, she declared:

“And I want to learn everything I can about this ship…! Someday, with my own hands, I’ll build a vessel that can rival it!”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

Walking, Chapter 219: Ao’s opponent is someone to watch out for

Yume Neiji

When we went over to the Margrave family’s seating area by the stage to greet Fina-san and her older brother, it was her brother—wearing an inexplicably grim expression—who came out to meet us.

Huh? Did something happen?

“Shun, about Ao’s opponent—you’d better be careful. He’s the son of a noble from the royal capital, and he’s been pestering us for a while now, insisting that Fina should marry him.”

“I don’t like that person.”

“Eeh?!”

We were assigned to the blue corner this time, but standing over in the red corner was that unpleasant noble we’d already encountered at the reception desk.

I mean, seriously—he looks like he’s in his thirties, and yet he wants to take eight-year-old -san as his bride? Isn’t that basically picking a fight with the entire frontier margrave family?

Just then, Sue seemed to recognize our opponent.

“Could it be… the heir of Count Ooak?”

“Ah, yes. That’s the one. He keeps insisting Fina should be his legal wife, but the man already has multiple mistresses and even children. He’s a spendthrift as well, so he’s probably aiming for both. Well, impressing Fina and getting his hands on the prize money for this tournament.”

Judging by his name alone he already sounded like a terrible noble, but his behavior was even worse than that. If he was targeting Fina-san, it was surely because he had his eyes on the frontier margrave family’s fortune.

“Ao-chan, make sure you beat that guy, okay?”

At Fina-san’s and Pearl’s request, Ao waved her tentacles in eager agreement.

Ao then headed towards the blue corner together with Shiro and the others. As they moved, the Madam approached Shiro and the group, speaking to them about something in a low voice.

Since we weren’t registered as seconds, Sue and I borrowed a section of the Margrave family’s seating area.

By the way, the attendant who came with us was here to look after Fina-san and her older brother. He was actually doing his job—replacing Fina-san’s drink and such—so there was no problem at all.

Alright then, let’s take another look at Ao’s opponent. If anything, he certainly looked like a noble—wearing plate armor layered over chainmail. He hadn’t put on his helmet yet, but his defenses were clearly top-notch.

There’s one more thing that bothered me. Sue seemed to have noticed something about the heir’s equipment as well.

“That armor… I’m fairly certain it’s a magic tool. The sword as well.”

“I can’t say for sure about the sword yet, but the armor probably has some kind of physical enhancement spell. I can feel a faint trace of mana coming from him.”

Magic tools—those things that show their true power only when used by a mage.

If his equipment was really that kind of artifact, then Ao might actually struggle a bit. But then a small doubt occurred to me.

“Wait… wasn’t this tournament supposed to ban magic tools?”

“Oh—that’s right.”

“In martial tournaments, magic tools are prohibited. Magic itself is allowed, but the battle must be fought purely on one’s own ability. That is precisely why magic tools are forbidden.”

Fina-san’s brother explained.

He was absolutely right. If someone used powerful magic tools, personal skill would no longer matter at all.

And that heir wasn’t just using a magic weapon—his entire body was covered in enchanted gear. It wasn’t just a violation, he was so far past that line that it was almost refreshing in its brazenness.

“Even so, there’s no way Mother wouldn’t notice that the heir is using enchanted gear. If she still chooses not to reprimand him… well, that tells us everything.”

“In other words, even if he openly breaks the rules, he still won’t be able to beat Ao.”

“Exactly. No matter how good the equipment is, it’s useless if the one wielding it is incompetent.”

The Madam knew that heir all too well. And because she knew him, she was intentionally letting the violation slide. Which meant one thing: the heir’s chances of winning were already gone.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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