The day after the request for free treatment, a request for a cleanup in the church came in from the Holy Knights.
The search has already been completed, but just in case, the adventurers who fought the demon in the church has been nominated for this task.
We have also been nominated, and Maya-san and Sera-san have been specially appointed. After seeing Maya-san’s cooking and Sera-san’s help in the treatment yesterday, the deputy commander decided that there would be no problem with the two of them joining as well.
“At the end of the day, it’s the same squad as yesterday.”
“We’re the same group that fought that demon, so it can’t be helped.”
The martial art adventurer and a swordsman-oneesan are having such conversation. But it’s true that most of the people here are the same members as yesterday’s soup kitchen.
However, there is only one guest in the mix.
“Uhm, why am I here?”
“You’re one of the members of that demon-fighting group, aren’t you? You are registered as an adventurer, right? My old man told me that I should join because they may be short of manpower.”
“When I get home, I’m going to beat my dad!”
Yes, she is the daughter of the executive committee chairman of the Cherry Blossom Festival, who was with us during the extermination of the demon. She didn’t hesitate to throw magic at the demon, so there is no problem with her criteria for participation.
Since we’ve all gathered here, I should take this opportunity to talk about our party’s future plan before we start working.
“Sorry, but before we start, I have an announcement to make. We decided to go to the Northern Frontier Territory a little early.”
“Oh, I see. Now that I think about it, you said you were originally from the Southern Frontier.”
“It’s common for adventurers to look for new places to work.”
When I started talking, the others understood me. It seems that it was also because we originally came from the southern margraviate.
“However, there is also the matter of Maya-san and Sera-san, and it is a learning experience for us to teach people a lot of things, so we plan to stay in the Eastern Frontier Territory until Maya-san and Sera-san reach F-rank.”
“Shun-san and Sue-san, thank you so much for going out of your way to help us.”
“Mm. We will do our best to move up the ranks as soon as possible.”
After hearing my story, Maya-san and Sera-san respectfully bowed to me and Sue. I thought they would be confused, but they took it surprisingly calmly.
From what I’ve seen, I have a feeling that Maya-san and Sera-san are going to rise through the ranks very quickly.
Okay. Enough with the story, we all got to work straight away.
First, we split up and carried out the rubble from inside the church.
“Heave-ho, heave-ho.”
Shiro is strong, so she is carrying a lot of rubble at once. Fran and Horn also used physical enhancement, but they didn’t carry as much rubble as Shiro.
Sue and I also made a simple stretcher using sticks and cloth and carried the rubble out together.
The rubble taken out of the church are checked by the Holy Knight just in case. They are checking to see if there is any evidence mixed in the rubble.
Well, it’s a bit of a pain in the ass that I can’t use the item box to carry the rubble all at once.
“But that demon has smashed the facilities of the church in a spectacular way huh.”
“That demon seemed to have a low level of intelligence. We were pretty much pinpoint attacking him.”
When I looked inside the church after most of the rubble had been removed, I saw that the floor, chairs, and even the walls were broken. It’s going to take a long time to fix it.
Now that we have finished removing the rubble, we will pass the baton to the professional craftsmen for repairs from here.
“It all ended safely. Thank you for your hard work, everyone.”
““Same here, thank you for your hard work!””
The further checking of the Holy Knights was also completed, and our work is finished. The rubbles we carried out will be cleaned up later by a specialist.
“We completed the request this morning huh. I think it would be okay to take simple requests this afternoon.”
“Oh, I just heard that there is a request to clean up a store near my house.”
“Really? Then we’ll do that request.”
“““Okay!”””
This is how we did simple requests in our free time.
And we ended up rising in the ranks faster than Maya-san and Sera-san.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
In the dimly lit cavern, the sound of ice axes continued without pause. What is being mined is a reddish-black vein of ore. Its color, similar to hot charcoal, stood out in the dim light. Everything except the vein was covered in ice, resembling a frozen tunnel.
Ganis, the magician, observes the work with dry eyes.
The workers were breathing out white breath as they swing their ice axes down without a pause. The magic stone lantern is dim and has no warmth.
It’s a total hard work in the extreme cold.
“……Uu-.”
One person fell.
Then a large shadow approached him.
It is a three-meter-tall humanoid with one blue eye shining on its head. The magical creature—a golem—picked up the fallen person, put him on its shoulder, and disappeared somewhere.
“It looks like things are going well today.”
Ganis spoke.
The sound of the ice axes hitting the vein stopped.
“G-Ganis……sama.”
“Hey, keep going. We’re going to attract the golem.”
They hurriedly resumed the movement of their ice axes.
Ganis was a middle-aged man with a pale complexion. He is a little over 40 years old. His blond hair was a little sparse, but his facial features were well-proportioned, befitting an aristocrat.
However, his wide, bulging eyes gave him the impression of a frog. When he glared at people, his eyes were especially gloomy. He wears a magician robe, but he doesn’t carry a staff. Two golems are behind him, holding his equipment.
“I-, I need to take a short break….…”
Ganis glanced at the pile of reddish-black ore. The buyer calls it “ashes”.
“……It’s not enough, not enough yet.”
“N-no way…”
“I’m at my limit.”
Ganis laughed.
The golem has returned. The person before was no longer on its shoulder.
“This is not good…… Hmm, I need to get some more workers. Whose family should I use…..?”
The workers turned pale.
“You are slaves, your lives have been bought with money. Commoners can be easily replaced you see.”
The slaves plead with Ganis, who mercilessly dismissed them.
“At least give us a rest, even if it’s just for an hour!”
“Why don’t you let that golem work too?”
Ganis raised his eyebrows.
“Don’t be stupid, this golem is my creation. Besides, you guys are better suited crawling into those tiny holes.”
“Y-you damn bastard! Odis-sama is watching!”
One of the workers finally cursed.
The use of slaves. Too harsh environment. Unauthorized golems. All of them were in violation of the laws of the Kingdom of Asgard.
But Ganis just shrugged his shoulders.
“Huh? Hahaha, with you underground like this, who would notice?”
The lord has little interest in politics. As a brilliant magician, Ganis had long been respected. Even more so now that he has gained new powers. Geographically, and in terms of power, no one can do anything about him.
“Punishment time.”
Ganis casts a somber glance at the rebellious slave.
“Come on, my golems.”
When he called, golems came running towards Ganis from all directions. All the magical creatures knelt at the same time.
The workers retreated seeing the power of their Lord.
The golems carried up the rebellious slave. Then he was eventually slammed into the wall.
“Kuku…… Commoners have a worse memory than golems.”
Tossing his robe, Ganis made his way to the elevator.
The sense of versatility stimulated his memory.
It was the “slave traders” whispered among the aristocracy who gave Ganis these slaves and taught him this secret vein.
—But the real blessing lies elsewhere.
“What a great skill……”
Ganis mutters in fascination.
Slave traders were able to impart skills to humans. What Ganis received was a 『Skill: Puppet Master』. He had never heard of it before, so he thought it was an “outlier skill”. However, the moment Ganis accepted it, the ability of “Golem Master” came to fruition.
His ability is to control golems. Using his experience as a magician, Ganis had built an efficient mine with magical creatures and slaves. The magically powered elevator that Ganis boarded is also an application of golem technology.
“But……”
As he was rocked by the diagonal elevator, Ganis took out a letter from his pocket. The slave trader that he had once been grateful to was now a source of headache for him.
“Another increase in production……”
Because of his position, he can no longer go against the slave traders. But recently, their demands have become stricter.
He clicked his tongue.
“I won’t be able to smuggle golems for a while.”
Thanks to his skills, the Golem of Ganis is tremendously powerful. If he could devote the time to smuggling, it would eventually become a side business that could rival the secret mine.
Just the other day, he had a carriage set off for the border territory of Varis. He also conducts various experiments in the dungeon. He needs as much time as he could. However, he was still hiding the golem smuggling and some of his experiments from the slave trader.
“I’ll have to get some more slaves. I need an excuse…..”
With a frown, he descended the elevator. In the upper layers, the ice is gone. A passage hollowed out through the rock led to the exit.
The usual sound, similar to a growl, comes.
——Oooh.
“……Again?”
It’s an unpleasant place for Ganis. Every time he comes here, a wind passes by that sounds like the roar of a giant.
A certain concern crosses Ganis’ mind.
――Is it really a mineral deposit?
The wall is illuminated by magic stone lanterns. A huge face appeared in front of it, with its eyes closed and teeth clenched. If the position of the ore deposit was the foot, then this would be the head.
“N-no. That’s impossible……right?”
Right —it just happens to look like a human face. Giant being is too ridiculous to be real.
He thought to himself.
There seemed to be a general message informing adventurers of “the end” and “powerful monsters” or something like that. But in the end, seven days later, nothing of note had come of it.
Ganis dismissed that concern with, “There were plenty of other things to think about, and plenty of fun things to do.”
Then he chuckled.
“Well, I wonder what happened to the golems I sent to the Varis. It should fetch a lot of money……!”
Ganis doesn’t know yet. But all the golems that he secretly sent to the Varis territory were found by a certain boy. And that boy is approaching Alvis, accompanied by the gods.
There is no way he would know.
“Kuku……”
Suppressing his laughter, Ganis leaves the mine.
――Oooooh!
The sound of the roaring wind came again. But now it had an intonation like that of a laughter of a giant.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
It’s no wonder though. After all, when she woke up, it’s already 1000 years in the future, and she is far away from her hometown, Alfheim. In fact, even the name of her beloved hometown had changed to “Alvis.”
Solana may be watching over her because the goddess herself remembers the time when she woke up alone.
“Safi-san……”
It was as if the fire had been extinguished, and her liveliness had disappeared.
“I’m okay.”
Safi sits back down, making her green pigtails sway in the process. She looked like a child, but her eyes were intense.
“I’ll tell you what I remember too. I think I’ve been asleep for a very long time. But—”
She paused then she continued,
“When I woke up, there was no one around. I mean, for it to be 1000 years later……”
She held her head and then she shakes head. She’s like a real child.
“……I’m sorry.”
“No, you don’t need to.”
“So I went out of the room I was in, but my head went fuzzy and more than anything, it was very cold…… I don’t remember much about what happened right after I woke up.”
Solana asked softly, “Did you hear the horn?”
“……Horn? Oh, I think I heard something……”
On Safi’s finger, a red ring glittered.
“From far down where I was sleeping, I felt a very…. hmm, how should I put it, ―it’s a very scary presence! I thought of running away so I went all the way up the stairs, and then I came out into a place that looked like a river…… I think I hid in a crate, and the next time I woke up, it was here.”
We looked at each other.
Maybe her memory is hazy in some places too. Because of that, there are a lot of parts that doesn’t make sense.
“……Can I ask you something?”
Solana narrowed her eyes at Safi’s ring. She stretched out her white hand and take Safi’s hand.
“It’s a ring imbued with magical powers.”
As if in response to the goddess, Loki approached the table.
“Let me have a look. Hahah~, it’s a dwarf’s work.”
Loki looks down at us and raised the corner of his mouth.
“It’s a ‘Guardian Ring,’ and the amount of magic you put into it protects its owner from hardship. Now you can imagine what it is.”
Loki points out his index finger.
“Perhaps she woke up from the seal because of the horn or maybe for some other reason. Then for a while, the protection of the ring allowed her to push aside the seal and move. But eventually, the time ran out, and she was finally resealed and turned to stone —I think that’s probably the case. If she managed to hide in the crate, then she must have been shipped as it was.”
Loki chuckled.
“I’m glad it’s not an antique-shop carriage. Imagine, what Ghent stone statue will you be?”
“Damn, you……!”
“Loki, that’s mean.”
—Even I decided to chime in with Safi, who was getting angry. Bent over laughing, Loki even points his finger at Safi.
Loki then adjusted his figure and pointed at Safi’s hand.
“What’s more, your ring also seems to have the effect of absorbing the magic of the surrounding area.”
“The surroundings?”
“This time, it must have absorbed the power in the magic stones that was carried with you. Which means that after a while, the magic power on it will be revived, in short, it can be recharged.”
Safi jumped up.
“Oh, I remembered! And I just woke up! But outside the crate is a completely different place, and I’m hungry—I went to scavenge for my stuff.”
Finally, I was convinced of one thing. Just before Safi was released from her seal, she had turned to stone with her hand reaching in her bag.
She was probably looking for food.
“S-so sturdy huh……”
Mia-san was stunned and impressed.
Solana puts her hand to her chin.
“I see…. But on your way to resupply, you turned to stone again, then we found you—”
Felix-san rubbed his eyebrows.
“……Let’s sort out our concerns. The situation is unclear. However, it seems that the golem core may have come from Alvis, just like Safi.”
After all, they were all on board that carriage.
Felix-san’s words made me think about it too.
It seems certain that the mining town of Alvis is located in the same place as Alfheim. If so, it certainly means that the golem core came from the place where Safi was, that is, the destination of our journey.
“Golem huh……”
In the Western dungeon, and again this time, the golem gives off the shadow of a giant. It’s just as big, but there’s something even bigger.
Safi stared at the table for a while. Then she raised her head.
“That…… I still don’t understand what the seal is. But I still have friends in Alfheim. There are voices that responded to your call, right?”
Safi looked around at us.
“Please, help Alfheim and wake them up. I’m sure everyone will be thankful, in exchange, you can take from the dwarf’s forge……!”
Her sincere wish is different from the dangerous image of the “black dwarf” that I knew beforehand. If the dwarf’s skills are on our side, it will also help protect Lu.
I would like to respond, “Of course”.
But right at that moment, Loki’s voice echoed in my head.
『Rion』
……He is outside the coin but he’s using telepathy. It’s the same way he does when he is in the gold coin.
『Be careful. We don’t really know much about this child, but even in mythological times, distrust and betrayal were commonplace. In any case, just be careful……』
Loki……
After all, something happened huh.
Safi laughed sadly.
“……You can’t? Hehe, I guess you guys can’t trust the black ones after all.”
No. I shake my head.
“Everything is going according to plan, right everyone?”
Both Mia-san and Felix-san nodded. Solana is watching over us like the sun.
“Rion, I agree with you.”
Safi’s face lit up. Her pigtails shook as she got excited and then she pulls out a small hammer from her heavy-looking bag.
“Then I’ll help too! Just wait, until we get to Alvis, I’ll forge you weapons to the point where you can’t even look at your current ones!”
The dwarf blacksmith puffed her chest proudly.
“I’ll carve a special magic runes just for you!”
“Runes?”
“It’s like a coat of arms, a weapon strengthening! Dwarf carving, also known as magic runes, is something special that even the gods can’t imitate—wait with anticipation!”
We decided to hurry on the road to Alvis.
We also added a new companion to our group —the dwarf blacksmith, Safi.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The nomination request was over, so we were about to go back to the inn.
“By the way, Sue, I got a letter from the Margrave of the Northern Frontier, could you come with me to the mansion?”
“Y-yes. Thank you very much for taking your time on this.”
The former Margrave was talking to Sue.
Sue apparently received a letter from the Margrave of the Northern Frontier Territory, our next destination.
I was wondering what to do after this when Shiro grabbed Maya-san and Sera-san’s hands.
“Let’s go, let’s go. If you go to the mansion, you’ll get delicious food!”
““Eeh?””
Oi, Shiro!As I said before, the Margrave’s mansion is not a dining room you know.
But as expected, Maya-san and Sera-san did not get what Shiro is talking about.
“Hmm, then, shall we have the new adventurers come to the mansion as well?”
““N-no, no, no, no thank you.””
The former Margrave talked to Maya-san and Sera-san, but they refused wholeheartedly.
It is probably too much for the two of them to suddenly go to the Margrave’s mansion. So, Maya-san and Sera-san returned to the inn, and we decided to go to the Margrave’s mansion.
By the way, the other adventurers who are with us earlier didn’t come with us either.
“This is it. Please take a look at it.”
“Yes, I’ll take care of it.”
When we arrived at the Margrave’s mansion, we were ushered into the waiting room. Then the former Margrave handed Sue a letter from the Margrave of the Northern Frontier.
Sue immediately read the letter, but her expression changed somehow. Sue chuckled a little so I can’t help but wonder what was written on it.
“As for this letter, it is true that the sender was the Margrave of the Northern Frontier, but the contents of the letter is addressed to me by his daughter.”
“Oh, you mean the daughter that the Margrave of the North dotes on?”
“Yes. It seems that Fina has heard from the Margrave of the Northern Frontier that I am in the Eastern Frontier now, so she wants to see me as soon as possible.”
Huh? What does that mean?
The letter was written by the Margrave of the Northern Frontier, and the content of the letter said that his daughter wanted to meet Sue.
When I looked confused, Sue answered my question.
“Oh, Fina is the daughter of the Margrave of the Northern Frontier, and she will be eight years old this year. She used to play with me a lot when she was in the Royal Capital, that is why she missed me.”
“Oh, right. Sue is a daughter of a nobleman. I had completely forgotten about it.”
“Well, I’ve been an adventurer since I met Shun-san, so it’s no wonder you forgot that.”
“Uhm, Sue, are you angry?”
“I’m not angry about anything.”
Sigh, I had completely forgotten that Sue was a noble.
Although there is a difference in titles, it is understandable that there is a relationship between the daughters of nobles. In fact, it seems that Lady Fina is quite fond of Sue.
“That said, since we’ve started to look after Maya-san and Sera-san, let’s make a decision on our next step and then head to the Northern Frontier.”
“Then, let’s see how it goes until they reach F-rank. It will take some time to take care of them until they move up to E-rank after all.”
“That sounds good.”
So, with Sue in agreement, we will take care of Maya-san and Sera-san until they reached F rank.
There was also a request from the Margrave, so it looks like Maya-san and Sera-san will reach F rank in about a month.
This was the end of the letter check, but since we are already here, it was decided that we will have dinner at the Margrave’s mansion.
Not only Shiro, but also Fran and Horn were delighted.
In a way, it turned out exactly as Shiro expected.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
After leaving the desert country of Embara, we headed east again in a magic airship.
“Haah~, it was really bad…… Ugh, uweeh~, I don’t want to remember it, but I…… that old woman’s nakedness is in my mind again.”
I blurted out as I slumped in the wheelhouse.
『Why did you run away, Master? It was a sight that you were willing to spend a lot of money to see, right? 』
“Of course I should! I don’t want to see it even if they offered me a lot of money!”
After that encounter, I quickly converted the large amount of coins back into cash. But when exchanging coins, they charge a 20% commission, so it was a huge loss even though I didn’t do anything.
“I mean, isn’t it pretty crazy for an owner to suddenly get naked in front of such an innocent baby?”
『Isn’t it because Master wanted it so badly that you even filed a complaint? Besides, she’s probably no match for Master who’s pretending to be a baby even though you are actually an old man. 』
In any case, that incident was completely traumatic.
I didn’t want to be in that place anymore, so I decided to resume our journey as soon as possible.
In the first place, our target destination is the East, and we just had a random stop along the way.
By the way, when I told her that I was going to leave soon, Eleonore went out of her way to see us off before leaving. She asked me if I could stay in the city a little longer, but I politely declined.
“Hmm, I’ve enjoyed it enough. I want to know the sword skills of the East as soon as possible.”
Fana is in a good mood after winning big at the gambling house, and she is looking forward to our arrival at the target destination.
“Ugh…… I’m penniless……”
In contrast, Anje, who suffered a crushing defeat, was left depressed because all the money she had was used up.
“I’ve been through a lot too. It’s a lot of fun to be a human being though.”
Lill, who was mistaken for a staff member, is said to have done dozens of times more work than an ordinary clerk with her overwhelming physical ability.
Moreover, because she was the only one who had different type of animal ears, she stood out. She was well received by customers, and before she knew it, she had become the most popular one.
……In fact, she wasn’t a staff member or anything.
The others were very surprised when it was finally discovered, but it seems that the owner directly persuaded her to become an official one.
Yes, I’m talking about that perverted striping old hag.
『The one who asked her to get naked was you Master. A perverted old man with a big breast fetish.』
Please don’t speak ill of people.
In the meantime, the airship passed through the desert. Going further, we came to an area of fresh greenery. It’s not just a meadow. It’s beautifully plotted and clearly man-made.
“Those are rice fields.”
“Rice fields?”
“In the East, a grain called rice is their staple food. Rice fields are where they grow it.”
“Wow, it’s like a green carpet, it’s beautiful!”
“But how do you work in such a vast rice field?”
The rice fields stretched all the way to the end.
Along the way, there are a few villages that almost look like a town, but they are clearly not large enough to be managed by that level of manpower.
When I came to this area in the past, there were rice fields here too, but they weren’t on this scale.
“There’s something moving over there.”
“You’re right…… I wonder what that is. And if you look closely, are there people on it?”
A large object with wheels was slowly moving on the soil, which still seemed to be uncleared. Strangely, after it has passed through, the soil is clearly plowed.
Normally, they use human power, oxen or horses, but apparently, they now use that mysterious tool to cultivate the uncultivated soil. The speed is much faster than using cattle and horses, let alone human power.
“Is it a kind of magic tool?”
“Maybe.”
At that time, the East was a country with backward magic, and they even abhorred magic by calling it witchcraft.
As expected, more than 1,500 years have passed, and as exchanges with the West have flourished, their understanding of magic must have progressed.
Meanwhile the city came into view. It is the same as it was at that time, and the houses with tiled roofs peculiar to the East are lined up.
“That’s the largest country in the East, Edou.”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The medical team is led by Sue. However, there are not many members who can use healing magic, so other people have to line up.
The ones who can use healing magic are Sue, the swordsman-oneesan, the gorilla beastman fighter, and Horn and Sera-san.
Ao and I can also use healing magic, but this time we are in the soup kitchen, so we will not participate in doing the treatment.
“Line up in order!”
Shiro spoke in loud voice so people waiting in line can hear her instructions. Shiro’s voice is well heard, so the people in line also listen to Shiro’s instructions. She also greets all kinds of people with a smile so some people, especially elderly ones, occasionally pat her on the head.
Looking over at Sue’s side,
“Yes, that’s how it is.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Sera-san treats people with minor injuries under Sue’s guidance. She’s still not very good at treating people, but this is something she needs to get some experience with.
“How do you feel?”
“Oh, I feel better now. Thank you, Miss.”
Horn, as she had been with the medical team throughout the cherry blossom festival, was quite used to it. Together with the swordsman-oneesan and the gorilla beastman, she treats many people.
The medical team is very well organized by Sue, so it seems that I will not be needed here.
As I was thinking so, Fran came to me with Ao.
“Shun, please make extra food in the soup kitchen.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I held Fran’s hand as we went back to the soup kitchen area. There are now a lot of people lining up at the soup kitchen, so I have to do my best to cook more.
In this way, we cooked and treated until after noon.
“It looks like everything went well. At this rate, next week should go well too.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The Margrave had to leave midway through for work, so I’m talking with his father, the former Margrave, who had come in his place.
I also introduced Maya-san and Sera-san to him, but Maya-san and Sera-san were stiff.
“Shun, it will take at least a month for a replacement priest or sister to be elected. In the meantime, I’m sorry, but I would like you guys to treat patients as with the nomination request.”
“Yes, it’s not a problem at all. The others are also taking the initiative, which is very helpful.”
The Deputy Commander also told me that he would be in the Eastern Frontier Territory for another month.
In that case, I guess we will leave for our next destination, the Northern Frontier Territory, in a month at the earliest.
It’s time to discuss the itinerary of the trip then. When we get back to the inn, I’ll talk with Maya-san and Sera-san about it.
In this way, the first nomination request was successfully completed.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“Congratulations, Reus-sama! With this exchange, you are now a VIP.”
By converting almost all the money I had earned up until now into coins, I was able to become a VIP and receive secret service.
“Once you’re a VIP, you’ll be able to play in a dedicated VIP room where you’ll receive a different and higher quality service. Would you like to play in the VIP room?”
“Play~~!!”
I replied immediately. I had invested most of my money for this after all.
I’m glad I’ve made so much money up till now~
『…… It’s foolish to spend that amount of money just for that naked service.』
Ignoring Lindwurm, who is fed up, I was guided by a bunny girl to the rumored VIP room.
“Now then, I wonder what kind of spectacular view awaits me…… uh-!”
I concentrated magic on my eyes to enhance my eyesight to the extreme.
And what I saw was:
“““Welcome to the VIP Room!”””
Bunny girls made up of women who were even more beautiful than the servers in the general room.
Yes, it’s a bunny girl.
It is true that the level of the girls seemed to be higher than that of the general room, but the costumes are almost the same, with only minor difference.
“Uhm…… Oneechan?”
“Yes, what would it be?”
“This VIP room…… the servers was supposed to be stripped naked, right?”
“……?? No, we don’t offer such kind service.”
I screamed inwardly.
Those bastards! Don’t spread false informatiooooooooooon!
“You’re not doing it? I’m a VIP though!? I exchanged a total of 10,000 gold coins, and I am the biggest customer ever! If such a VIP wants it, isn’t it professional to respond to that request?!”
“A-ah..…?”
The clerk was greatly perplexed when I suddenly snapped out loudly.
『Master, you’re just being a completely malicious complainer you know. People like that are no customers at all. They should be kicked out immediately. 』
Lindwurm commented sternly, but I ignore it.
“No, I can’t talk to the employees about this! Call the owner here!”
“W-wait a minute.”
One of the servers rushed into the backyard in a hurry.
After a while, a petite old woman appeared. She seems to be over 70 years old, but from the way she carried herself, it was clear she was no ordinary person.
“I’m Marcia, the owner of this place. What can I do for you, dear customer?”
“You’re the owner? Listen, I thought that if I became a VIP, I would be able to receive striptease service from the clerks here. That’s why I spent a lot of money and bought coins! And yet, you don’t have such a service!?”
“Dear customer, I’m very sorry that I couldn’t meet your request.”
The owner, the old woman, bowed politely to my complaint, which changed my enraged mood.
From the fact that she didn’t seem to be upset, she must have plenty of experience like this.
“But it’s a great idea. If we can make it happen, I’m sure our customers will love it.”
“If you know that, why aren’t you doing it!?”
“Yes, actually, it’s because it violates the laws of this country.”
“Huh? Really?”
Apparently, serving customers while being naked is prohibited by law. Outside the forbidden zone, they were relatively tolerant, but of course there seemed to be limits.
『That was a pity, Master.』
Lindwurm taunted me, but the old woman continued,
“However, our motto is to put the customer first, and if there is a customer request, it is our mission to do our best to meet it.”
“Eh? Then…..”
“We will now perform a strip show for you. Of course, you must not tell anyone about this.”
Seriously!? Will they do it!?
Ooooooohh!!
After all, it’s always good to voice out whatever you want!
『……It’s because they indulge such complainers, so they always get too arrogant in the end.』
No, no, I’m not a complainer, I’m a VIP!
VIP is the best! I’m glad I spent a lot of money~~!
“Well then, please enjoy.”
In front of me, who was very excited, the old woman assured me so strongly, but for some reason, she put her hands on the clothes she was wearing.
Riiiiip!
She tore her clothes in an instant.
What appeared was the wrinkled nude body of an old woman.
“I’ll serve you in this form myself.”
“N-no, no, no, no, not thaaaaaaaaaaat!”
I ran out of the VIP room with all my might.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Maya-san can’t use magic, so she and I are part of the cooking team. Sera-san is weak but can use healing magic, so she and Sue are part of the team doing the treatment.
By the way, Fran is in the cooking team with me and Horn is with the team doing the treatment.
Now that the division of duties has been decided, we can start working immediately.
Chop. Chop.
“Wow, Shun-san is a good cook.”
“Until recently, I was cooking all day. Maya-san is doing very well too.”
“Thank you. I have a big family, so I had to do the housework out of necessity.”
As I was chopping vegetables, Maya-san, who was standing next to me, praised my knife skills. Maya-san was also quite skilled with the knife. She helped with chopping the vegetables.
A steward from the Margrave’s mansion also come to help with the preparation of the kitchen. The other adventurers are not very good cooks, so they prepare tables and tableware for serving.
And as early as then, the children of the slums had already gathered at the soup kitchen, and they are having fun in one place.
Swoosh, swoosh.
“““Amazing!”””
Ao and Thief-oneechan’s familiar, Leaf, is using wind magic to chop vegetables.
The brilliant magic of the little slime made the children of the slums who gather there very excited. Of course, Ao and Leaf are also careful not to hit the children with magic.
Bubbling, bubbling.
Today we will serve soup with plenty of vegetables. Of course, meat is also included.
“Un, a little salt will do.”
When I tasted it, I found that the vegetables had a good taste, so I added a little salt. I tasted both Ao and Leaf’s dish as well, and it’s perfect.
“Shun, let me taste it.”
“May I try it too?”
“Yes. It’s hot, so be careful.”
Fran, who is in charge of being the taster and server today, said she wanted to try it with Maya-san.
I served some on a small plate and let the two of them taste it.
““It’s delicious!””
“Good, good.”
Both of them seemed satisfied as they smiled involuntarily.
This should be fine then.
The hungry children from the slums were giving us hurried glances, as if asking if it’s not ready yet.
Receiving such gazes, it would be a pity to make them wait too long.
“Leave the plating to me.”
“The smell attracted more and more people.”
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you from here on out. I’m going to the medical team.”
From here, the martial art adventurer, the thief and magician-oneechan will help serve the food. Both Ao and Leaf helps with the serving of food too.
I’ll leave this to them, and I decided to head to the tent of the medical team.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The night bell was ringing. We left the carriage and guards in the square and sneaked inside the city walls.
We had managed to hide the existence of the golem, but in its place there was a scoundrel who had conducted a magical experiment. So witnesses and people who were really worried were allowed to enter the city.
Right now, we are renting a room in the temple of Odis to get some rest.
At the temple of Odis, which is dotted along the road, there are people who cooperate with the Raven Warriors, and they are all eager to help in times like this.
Crouching in a cold chair, I drink a cup of tea that is said to dispel drowsiness. I can’t afford to lose consciousness just yet.
The bell rang. The date changed.
As I was counting, Felix-san came into the room.
“All the adventurers carrying the golem core have been captured.”
I exchanged glances with Mia-san.
We are in a small room with only a round desk and four chairs. The only people here were Felix-san, Mia-san and me.
It’s a different story if we include the “other race” though.
“The wagon departed from Alvis, as expected. The golem core in the western dungeon might have come from there as well.”
Felix-san stopped talking at this point.
My gaze moved down to the table. To be precise, on the small figure sitting on it.
“……Fuaa~.”
The other party yawned loudly, as if to emphasize her presence.
Her round clear eyes were black, and they blink repeatedly. Her green hair was tied high and arched on both sides. It was the black dwarf girl who was “unsealed” in the carriage.
“Hey, is it not over yet? I’m getting sleepy now.”
She is really small.
A child—I can’t help but think of those words.
“W-what is it?”
As I stared at her, the child pursed her lips. She is being defensive like an echidna.
“I already pointed it out. The fact that I was in that carriage was unavoidable. Or rather, where are we? It’s so cold, and when I wake up, there’s a big battle! Ah, and let me emphasize one thing, that golem has nothing to do with me!”
The words came pouring out like a bucket overturned.
We all looked at each other blankly. Felix-san pulled a chair and sat down, but he didn’t seem to know what to ask first.
“Uhm……”
The more I looked at her, the more mysterious she was.
When standing, her head is lower than Felix’s belt. But compared to my height, she’s only tall up to my stomach. However, over her tunic, she is wearing an apron like a blacksmith’s. The bag she is carrying on her shoulder looks quite heavy too.
A small body with equipment suitable for heavy work.
This—Black Dwarf?
“I just wanted to confirm something. We were heading to Alvis, no – Alfheim.”
Ahem. I cleared my throat exaggeratedly. It’s really rude to stare at girls.
“My name is Rion, and they are Felix-san and Mia-san. I’m sorry for looking at you so many times. I think you’re a black dwarf, but this is the first time I’ve seen one…. I just wanted to confirm if I’m correct.”
This is what I learned as an adventurer. The first step in the discussion is to confirm the premise.
The black dwarf girl curled her mouth. She looks around, and finally, her gaze moved to my hand.
“That’s a nice gauntlet.”
It was made by Lu.
“Oh, thank you very much……”
“But the white armor on your chest is very ordinary. I think it’s just coated in magic defense dye, but that’s not a good combination you know. If it were me, I would make a chest plate for the same weight and price. It’s nice to see the cockatrice leather carefully tanned, but it’s not worth the effort.”
The girl began to talk about my equipment one after another.
“The axeman over there, you’ve been hitting hard stuff lately, haven’t you?”
Mia-san raised her eyebrows.
The little girl chuckled.
“Soon your strength will surpass the strength of your axe. I’ll make one out of harder, tougher steel. Don’t worry, there won’t be any scary price to pay like the rumors say. And you’re a magician, right? Don’t you have any iron weapons?”
Having spoken in one go, the black dwarf took a long breath.
“Ah~, I’m so happy. I’ve finally calmed down and I can see weapons and equipment……!”
After swaying her pigtails from side to side, the child crossed her arms.
“Rejoice! If you came here looking for a blacksmith, then I am the black dwarf! My name is Safi!”
With a puff of her chest, she stands on the chair. Finally, her head was a little higher than ours.
“I’m one of the Ten Blacksmiths of Alfheim!”
She nods her head proudly.
“Hmm, I see. You have come to Alfheim huh. I guess a lot of people come here looking for a blacksmith. If that’s the case, you should have told me sooner!”
The black dwarf—Safi seemed relieved.
Maybe she thinks that we are in Alfheim. In fact, it still takes four days by horse-drawn carriage to Alvis.
Safi tilts her head.
“Oh, but you guys…… wasn’t there a God earlier? No, no, there’s no way……”
The gold coin in my pocket vibrated.
『Rion, let me tell her what’s going on. 』
“Yes….…”
She probably have a lot to talk to this person.
“….W-what’s with you people? Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?”
I put the leather coin case on the desk. Safi narrowed her eyes seeing that.
“It’s a nice little thing.”
As if she had found a treasure, Safi sat back down.
“Mmm, it might be the best. The design is strange, but…it’s made with the user in mind and designed to last a long time. It’s a fine tool, and it’s full of emotion.”
My chest felt a little warmer.
If I am to say what is the proof to a dwarf’s existence, it might be the emotional attachment they had to crafted items.
I used my Alarm skill.
“Wake up.”
The gold coin scattered a dazzling light.
Four gods, Solana, Sigris, Uru and Loki, appeared in the room. Everyone showed up at their original size, which made the room a little cramped.
With no place to stand, Solana floated softly.
“……Eh?”
The biggest one is missing.
“What about Thor?”
“……He is too rambunctious. He used up too much magical power so even his small form can’t come out.”
Solana looked off into the distance.
The gods suddenly appeared, and Safi was stunned.
“G-Gods!? Why are you gathered in a place like this? Was it the Sun Goddess? Huh? That’s right, how did the war with the monsters go?”
“It’s still going on.”
Saying that, Solana shook her blonde hair.
“To be precise, we lost once, and now we have started again.”
The goddess talked about the current situation. That the gods were about to lose, and the seal covered the world.
Safi was stunned.
“There was a distress call from Alfheim? I mean, this is 1000 years ……from that time?”
Her eyebrows furrowed again and again.
Somehow… Safi seems really lively.
“E, e, eeeeeh!?”
Her voice echoed in the room, and Felix-san quickly doubled the soundproofing magic.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Thanks to the god’s efforts, the battle was over. I detected magical energy with【Wild Heart】, but the golem was no longer moving. It’s back to a quiet night with just the wind howling.
You leveled up. You’re now level 20.
I heard God’s voice.
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that, so I was left with my mouth open.
I leveled up —I reached Level 20, which is also known as the entrance to the intermediate level.
“I-, I did it!”
Mia-san raised her eyebrows.
“Have you leveled up?”
“Yes!”
Compared to the days when I was going up two or three levels at once, I’ve leveled modestly lately.
Well, there is a period of time when some people are at the so called “standstill”.
Of course, in my case, there was also the fact that there were more parties of Raven Warriors, in other words, parties that share magical power has increased.
Or it’s that the zombie werewolves and Skoll were out of the norm. But it was certain that I was at a standstill.
This is a big step forward. It means that my body has become stronger by another level.
“Congratulations Rion!”
Solana congratulated me. Goddess’s words always make my heart flutter and warm.
“Thank you. But……”
But I can’t rejoice just yet.
I looked around me. All that remains of the mist-shrouded battlefield are broken trees and gouged ground. Just like in the Royal Capital, the scars of the battle are fresh. The place that was part of the square looked like it had been plowed by a giant.
The golems were strong, but the power of the gods is also outrageous. If the horn could be blown, it would be even more terrible.
“Well then….…”
Loki softly descends to the ground. The moonlight shone on his black hair and robe with a pale blue glow.
“Oh dear. Even though we went to great lengths to hide the battle, it doesn’t make much difference since there are so many traces left.”
That’s… true. It’s better than total chaos, though…
“Fufu, I know what you’re thinking. If I were to release the mist and leave this view like as is, everyone would end up being in a panic. That would mean there was a monster that caused this much destruction after all.”
Loki chuckled, his red eyes shining.
“I really wish I could just release the magical mist and enjoy the astonishment of the crowd.”
“Loki!”
“I know, I know.”
Loki shrugged after being scolded by Solana.
He waved his hand, and red lights lit up all around. They were the golem cores that had not been destroyed. There are about eight of them. Then the light gradually turned blue.
“I’ll do it right until the end.”
It was eye-opening. The soil and rocks that made up the golem returned to the ground. The hole created by the smashing disappeared as if nothing had happened here.
Loki explained proudly.
“It’s just a matter of moving a finger. Creating Golem involves taking in rocks and soil from the surroundings. If you reverse that technique, the soil and rocks will return to their original state.”
I remembered what I had learned in the study of the Temple of Odis. The golem changes its properties depending on the materials at the vicinity of the core.
The Mithril Golem in the West Dungeon is made of Mithril. The one that was rampaging earlier was probably the type that had absorbed wood, rocks, or even iron from weapons.
“Uhm……”
Therefore, if you reverse the occurrence of the golem, the soil and rocks will return to the original place…… is that it?
Felix-san stroke the coronet on his forehead.
“What an incredible feat.….. It’s like taking wheat out of bread. It’s out of standard, I would say.”
Sigris floated in the air softly.
“Then I will take care of the living trees.”
Her large spoon scattered particles of light. Broken branches and damaged trunks are healed back to normal.
Loki winked at me.
“With this, there are no traces left.”
He snapped his fingers.
“Well then, next is….…”
Loki spoke happily then he placed his index finger to his lips.
As we stood there, stunned, he pulled his robe up to his neck and pulls her hood over his eyes.
“Next, let’s play a little prank.”
The mist that covered the battle area thinned.
I could see the adventurers and Raven Warriors outside. Even from a distance, I can feel the tension of the people watching. Most of the people were holding weapons.
In this situation, how is it possible to settle the place without causing the slightest panic?
Solana and Thor returned to the gold coins.
Loki is the only one who remained outside.
“All we need is a made-up story. The kind that will convince everyone and help them sleep at night.”
Loki stretches out of the mist with a loud “Mmm~.”
It was so natural that I froze. Everyone’s eyes followed Loki.
Loki, they can see you clearly…..
“Uhm…”
“Shhh”
Solana’s voice interrupted me as I tried to call out to Loki.
Loki continued his performance. He stretched out his hands.
“Oho~, I’m glad I was able to do the experiment! It was fun!”
Adventurers gathered near us. There are more than 30 of them. Loki spins around, fluttering his robe in a showoff manner.
“Haha! Being outdoors is the best! Well, it was a bit loud, but—”
Then, as if suddenly noticing everybody else, he turned his head towards the adventurers who had gathered around.
“……Oh. Did I cause a commotion?”
The silence was momentary.
The temperature suddenly rose.
“My goodness!”
“It was just a magician’s experiment!”
“Give me back my sleep!”
“I thought I heard a loud noise……”
“I must be seeing things wrong! Where are the golems?”
There were swearing and complaining.
Loki quickly ran away. It looked like he vanished into the darkness, but he probably really did vanish with magic….
“Someone should call the guards!”
“That guy is ridiculous!”
Loki had left a mist behind so that we could escape. By simply following the blind spot, we returned to where the black dwarf had been.
Felix-san narrow eyes squinted even more. Then he looked dumbfounded at the late realization.
“Oh, I see…… Does this mean that the commotion was caused by an unknown magician?”
The gold coin trembled. Loki is back on the coin.
『Well, it will cause some anxiety, but it’s much better than having the golems go on a rampage, right? The temple can announce later that the magician has been caught and punished, fufufu.』
There was no such thing as an army of golems in the first place. That’s what he portrayed by acting like a foolish magician who caused chaos at night while doing experiments.
『Our journey will be covert as possible till we reach Alvis. This will suit our goal better. 』
I see, so you’ve thought that far……
Loki is indeed a trickster.
『Haha, well, it’s fun to surprise everyone, right? 』
『……That’s what you say.』
Sigris continued, 『Even then』, but she stopped talking.
What was it?
I think the gods’ mood had changed a bit.
“……What’s wrong?”
As I waited for a response, I noticed that one person was missing from the gold coin.
“Eh? Where’s Uru…… ?”
◆◆◆
A man was on the run.
Scratching the scar on his nose was a habit when he is impatient.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
It should have been an easy job. It was a job he had done many times before after all. He had been contracted by a magician in Alvis to transport the golem cores and magic stones.
Golem cores, especially powerful ones, were controlled by the kingdom and were considered prohibited goods, so secret transports could bring in loads of money.
He was used to it. But this time, he let his guard down. He neglected to keep an eye out.
What he regrets most of all is that he took the middleman’s offer seriously.
――A child adventurer with brown hair and a gold coin in his hand.
――Even the slightest bit of information could turn into money.
If he remembered correctly, he was called something like the “Wake-up caller.” There were many middlemen between him and his employer, so the information that came down was limited. But he remembered the smell of money.
So, when he saw a child who met the description, he wanted to make sure if he had a gold coin.
He put his hand in the boys’ pocket. If there were any, that was good. Even if there weren’t any, he’d been a pickpocket before. It would just be another thing to add to his record.
Fortunately or unfortunately, he hit the jackpot.
“If only I had known that they were such dangerous people……!”
He speaks scathingly of his employer, whom he has never even seen.
When he robbed the gold coin, he made fun of the coin case. The strange feeling of intimidation at that time frightened him very much. Even though he is a child, he seems to have tremendous power.
But, what’s the point of such a dirty coin case? He thought to himself.
“Damn it!” He can’t help but curse loudly.
All of his comrades have been caught. He was lucky enough to escape when the golem went on a rampage.
Whoooosh! An arrow moved past his head as he sprints.
“Hii-”
With his head down, the man lost his balance and fell to the ground.
He is now carrying a trunk on his back.
“W-what’s this, ……?”
Squirrels, bats, owls, rabbits, foxes —all the creatures in the forest where he had fled were watching him. It’s as if they’re watching him to make sure he doesn’t escape.
“Weren’t you told when you were a child? God is watching you, so you should not do something bad.”
Right in front of him.
A hunter-looking man came down from the tree. Immediately afterwards, a thick branch falls on the man’s head, knocking him unconscious.
“Alright, I’ve caught my prey. I guess I should head back now. It’s getting cold cause of the seal……”
Uru, the God of Hunting, picked up the man and walked back to his precious boy.
“By the way…… I wonder if anyone will come to pick me up……?”
There was a lonely breeze and the cry of an owl.
“Yeah, that’s what scouts are like…… I mean, I wonder if everyone is aware that I’m still working……”
Shrugging his shoulders, Uru moves on.
Reconnaissance, disturbance, lure and clean-up —the front line has always been a bit dark, even in the past.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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