Category: Homeless Tensei: Isekai De Jiyuu Sugiru Majutsu Jisoku Seikatsu

It is said that the place where the heavenly realm exist is located at the center of a huge celestial body called “Himiko”. It is mostly composed of gas, and three star clusters lined up in a straight line shines from it. This celestial body is said to be very ancient and that it was formed relatively quickly, 800 million years after the birth of the universe.

The sight of the blue light emitting from it is both mysterious and divine. We were teleported to the vicinity of the star cluster located in the center of Himiko. There is gas floating around and the visibility is not very good.

Looking back, the others were struggling with zero gravity and ended up the breaking the formation as they dispersed.

“Uh-, we should have trained in zero gravity.”

On the other hand, the Angelton Division, remained perfectly in formation perhaps because their body remembers the environment. The Skeleton Division, which had been drifting, also get the hang of how to move and they gradually began to line up. However, the Magical Beast Division was still in a state of confusion. The griffons are desperately trying to paddle while flapping their wings which was very pitiful to look at.

“The gatekeepers have arrived.”

In response to Kurohime’s words, I glanced at the star cluster. The shining thing was a dragon that was coiled up and asleep. Its size is so huge that it is comparable to a galaxy. There were two of them.

Then they raised their huge heads, opened their eyes and glared at us. At the same time, countless angels, numbering about hundreds of billions emerged from the central star cluster, stretching their bodies like white snakes. This is going to be quite a challenge.

I’ll make the first move then. I made five transparent orbs in my right hand and unleashed them. The orbs snapped and erased the heads of the two dragons. Some of the angel army also disappeared.

Should I reduce it a little more?

With my Wave of Destruction, from hundred billions, I reduced the number of the enemies to tens of billions. Them appearing all together is a bad move after all. When the angels finally realized their mistake, they scattered, changing their course to minimize the damage. But that’s exactly what we wanted.

“Go! All out attack!”

“At your will!”

Following the instructions, Suketarou gives the order to attack. Wrapped in purple light, my familiars flew right away. White and purple light spiral as angels and skeletons fight.

“Abyss Gate, Open!”

Pero creates a black orb. A black, distorted crab-like creature spilled out like water from a faucet. They cling to an angel and devoured it without a trace.

The war was evenly matched.

—No, I’m pushing slightly.

Although angels are numerous, they can be said to be a small fry for my current familiars. Each of them is as fierce as thousand men, and they can continue to fight tirelessly. In addition, they are turning the dead angels into an undead and make them a familiar, so their number will only increase. The numbers are reversed in a short time.

“You are the new God of Destruction! You will not be allowed to get in Gohma-sama’s way! We are going to get rid of you right here!”

Four special class angels appeared with hundreds of first-class angels in tow. Behind them were thousands of second-class angels. A special class angel is a being who is at the highest level of an angel. It is said that in terms of fighting power alone, they can compete on equal terms with gods. Until now, they are opponents we would have undoubtedly lost to.

“Aghh!?”

One of the special class angel was split in half. On her other side, Liz is standing expressionless with a dagger in her hand.

“H-how dare you do that to my brethren! I will never forgi—?”

Pero’s thick arms pierced his chest. With a tight clench, he crushed the heart.

“Tsk. I had high hopes for this special class angels but this is boring.”

Freya, who had shredded her opponent in an instant, blurted out as she drifted upside down.

“Aghh!”

An arrow of light pierced his brain. Erna, holding the bow, grinned.

“Yes, the Staff of the Wind God that Moore-sama gave me is really good. It is very convenient because it can also be used as a bow.”

The bow instantly changes shape and returns to a staff. The Staff of the Wind God had granted its ownership to Erna since its previous owner had completely disappeared. However, since it is made from a part of the God Tree, ownership would have been transferred even if Moore had existed.

The angels were shaken by the fact that the special class angels were so easily killed. Then Kurohime and Suketarou launched an offensive, catching them off guard.

“Too late to run away now! Bow down to me like a good dog!”

She bit into the neck of the enemy and sipped some blood. Then she cut off the head with her hand and created two swords with the blood that spurted out. Every time she slashed an enemy, the blood that flowed out of their body gathered on Kurohime, covering her body like armor.

“As if we’ll bow to a mere vampire!”

A first-class angel slashes at Kurohime.

—But the next moment, the enemy’s sword flicked and the arm of the first-class angel was blown away. It was probably EX counter. A skill that could return an attack several dozen times stronger is really is terrifying.

“We will eliminate those who interfere with our Masters.”

A streak of light drew a sharp path, slicing the second-class angels into pieces. Confusion ensues, and with the angels unable to even fight back, they were left at their mercy. In addition, Waita, who is now a 100-meter giant, opened its large mouth to further cut down their number. The sight of it flying through outer space at a speed approaching the speed of light is a sight that is truly mysterious.

“Muu.”

Suddenly, the creature that could be said to be the last bastion to protect the heavenly realm begun to move. From what appears to be the central star cluster, a golden dragon is twisting its body and is now coming towards us. It’s clear that it’s more powerful than the two dragons I killed earlier.

I made an eye contact with Liberto and the others and had them take their positions. Then five skill boosts resonated together, creating a pentagram. Our goal is to unleash the Imperial Dragon Breath that has been sublimated to the realm of the gods.

“Divine Dragon Breath Boost Five!!”

A flash of super-extreme lightning engulfed the golden dragon’s head. I quickly restored the corpse and asked Suketarou to turn the golden dragon into an undead and then I turned it to my familiar. The golden dragon roared, transforming into a jet-black and wicked form.

Why did I make the dragon a familiar at this moment?

That’s because the two dragons I defeated earlier are about to be resurrected. As expected of the gatekeepers of the Heavenly Realm, they used their amazing regenerative ability to restore their lost head. From the looks of it, it would like take less than an hour for them to resume activities.

The dragon I turned into my familiar grew twice as large as before and then it bit into the regenerating dragons. Now there will be no hindrances, and I should be able to enter the heavenly realm with confidence.

“Liberto, I want you guys to help them here. If you think it’s too difficult, retreat immediately.”

“I understand, master.”

We left our disciples behind and moved forward. We head to the entrance to the heavenly realm in the center of Himiko. We teleported to the center and found a large open space in the gaseous state. A white orb is floating in the center. When I touched it, ripples spread out like water and a portal-like opening opened up.

“Let’s go.”

Everyone nods and then we sink into the portal.

My vision was dyed with pure white. When I opened my eyes, I saw an endless expanse of land. There is another land of high mountains that hug the clouds, and temple-like structures in the sky. Connecting them are countless thick pillars that are larger than mountains. The scenery is too fantastical and too mysterious. From a distance, it seems that this is a place where two-slabs of vast land is facing each other. There are no visible stars around it, only darkness spread out. It seems to be a special place created in a different space from the heavenly realm.

“I thought there is a trap waiting for us but it’s odd that there has been no reaction.”

“I’ve looked around too, but I can’t find Gohma anywhere.”

Not here? Did he really abandon this place??

I floated and teleported to the land above. This other land, reminiscent of Greek mythology, was completely deserted. It’s so quiet that it’s creepy. Torn clothes were left on the road in places, and traces of fighting could be seen. When I go to what appears to be a square, I found countless heads of gods pierced by spears, and headless bodies piled up on the ground. The heavens had become a titular city of death.

“Anyone still alive?”

“There are still some but they’ve locked themselves underground with barrier around them.”

Hmmm, it seems that Gohma couldn’t kill all of them either.

First of all, we must regain control of the heavenly realm. Even now, my comrades and familiars are fighting against the angels.

We went to the huge temple that caught my eye and opened the door. Pillars lined up inside and light pours in from the ceiling. Although it is a divine structure, the inside is deserted and the smell of death wafts in the air. The scattered corpses showed Gohma’s ruthlessness. Then we continued down the long corridor until we come to a door. When I opened it, we came to a room with a chair that looked like a throne. But as expected, Gohma is nowhere to be seen.

“Father, look at this.”

Pero found an envelope placed on the throne. I opened it and takes out the letter inside.

『I commend you for making it here. Kukuku, you came here hoping to fight, didn’t you? Unfortunately, as the creator god, I am no longer interested in a place like this. I seek to create a new world. A world where no one rules over me, where only I can find peace. And when the time comes, I intend to declare war on you people. I am the one who will become the one and absolute ruler.』

I instinctively crushed the letter.

Was I one step too late?

I attacked, knowing that it would take time for him to evolve into a creator god. But he was expecting my action. By now, he must be evolving in a safe place where we don’t about.

“Tanaka-dono, what should we do to stop the angels?”

“Just sit on that throne.”

“I see. Then, Pero-sama.”

“What!? M-Me!?”

Urged on by Freya, Pero reluctantly sits on the throne. Then the throne took on a rainbow of light. A window appears in front of Pero.

【The owner of the heavenly realm has relinquished ownership. Therefore, you are now the next owner. Will you own the heavens? YES／NO】

Pero chooses YES. Immediately afterwards, the sound of bells rang in the heavenly realm. Now the angels should obey Pero.

“Hey, there’s a door over here.”

“We can’t open it though. We had trouble opening it.”

Erna and Liz said as they returned from behind the throne. On the wall behind the throne, which is covered with red curtains, there is indeed a hidden door. I tried to push it, but it doesn’t seem to open, it did not even budge when I hit or pulled it.

“Hn?”

Suddenly, I find something that looks like a keyhole in the door. It was just the right size to stick your finger in. I tried to put the index finger of my left hand, but there is no particular reaction. The hole feels slightly bigger than a finger as well.

I guess a finger with a ring on it would fit perfectly…..

Eh? I was startled by my sudden thought.

Then with the mentality of trying it out, I stick my right index finger with the black ring on it to the hole. Sure enough, the lock is unlocked and the door opened with a clank.

“I see, this ring was meant to enter here.”

I told Erna and Liz that I would check it out first and asked them to wait for me outside. When I opened the door, I was greeted by a small room. In the center of the room was a pedestal, on which several bundles of paper were placed.

“—Order?”

That’s what the cover of the paper says. I quickly flipped the cover open.

『I command my family, which is divided into two, to manage the world and samsara for all eternity. Your main objective is the salvation of souls and the expansion of our forces to defeat evil enemies. 』

Flip to the next page.

『Do not allow the gods to be enlightened. We must not let them abandon their duties. The gods are the custodians of the Eternal Cradle.』

Flip the next one.

『Serve people, dedicate yourselves to people. 』

I staggered back and slumped down on the floor.

What’s this?

My head is spinning. Then a golden light flashed through my mind. The gods are—

The gods….. are dominated by something? And, I get to know that?

“Shinichi? Not done yet?”

Hearing Erna’s voice, my consciousness clears. I hurriedly stood up, put the stack of papers back in place, and left the room quickly. Then I close the door and checked again and again that it is locked.

“What was inside?”

“There was nothing in there.”

“That seems suspicious.”

“It’s true. There was nothing there. Really.”

I broke into cold sweat. This seems like a truth that should not be known to any other. Somehow, I feel that it should be that way.

“He is supposed to be here…… Oh, there he is!”

Kurohime and the others enter the room one by one. None of them appeared to be injured.

“Master, what about Gohma?”

“He is not here.”

Liberto and the others showed a look of disappointment. I thought this would be the end of it as well.

“So what are we going to do now?”

“For the time being, we have no choice but to protect the survivors and find out where Gohma went.”

“I see. By the way, Master, your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I replied casually and went outside.

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

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The battle situation is overwhelmingly in our favor. The other side is more than 100,000 at most while our side is over 800,000. In addition, the lowest-level skeletons possessed the power of third-class angels or even stronger, so most of them were instead leaning towards aiding the evacuation of the people.

“What about the other you?”

“They’ve already caught on my whereabouts by this time. I should be on the run disguised as a monster.”

Gohma had probably pinpointed the position of the other Naoki. However, he should be wary of our sudden appearance so he does not appear easily.

Should I have waited a little longer?

But if we moved too slowly, there will be a big problem. The toll on the people in Tokyo will grow and Naoki will be deeply wounded by Gohma. What I want is to secure Naoki safely with minimal injury and face Gohma.

If history was exactly as it had been, I wouldn’t understand why I even came back in time then. As I was deeply thinking, the ground starts to shake.

Is there an earthquake at this timing?

The ground rises and huge stone walls emerged. It surrounded the city and completely sealed it off.

Could this be Gohma’s work?

It seemed that he had no intention of letting Naoki escape no matter what. On the other hand, I was also concerned about the safety of the people stranded inside the city.

“We’re back.”

Erna and the others are back. I entrusted them with the evacuation, but I wonder if it went well.

“We managed to get most of them out with our own efforts, so I don’t think there is a problem. The skeletons are still guiding them to shelters so I think they will be fine.”

“Un, that’s good. But it’s about time they made some move—”

At that moment, Naoki, who had far vision, shouted.

“Gohma has appeared!”

“Really!?”

“Together with the Four Zodiac Gods, he is surrounding the other me!”

That’s bad. We have to go there right now. We followed Naoki’s guidance and flew at the speed of light. In the middle of a deserted intersection in ruins, the other Naoki was grabbed by the neck and is lifted by a well-built man. Around him, four handsome young men are watching the situation.

“Dragon Slash!”

I unleashed a slash at Gohma’s arm. However, the attack was prevented by the Four Zodiac Gods.

—But there was something I’m really aiming for. Liz emerges from Gohma’s shadow and quickly cuts off his arm, then like a smoke screen, she covered the area with dark matter. When the darkness converged to a single point, Liz nor Naoki is no longer there.

Next, they appeared on the roof of Shibuya Station.

“Cough, cough. You are….…”

“I don’t have time to talk about it right now.”

As for us, we descend to the ground and Eugrapia put up a barrier so the enemies can’t get away. If we defeat them here, this battle will be over.

“I never thought that there would still be someone against me. I guess you sent that strange army after me, right?”

The figure, who appears to be Gohma, picks up the severed arm and connects it on the cut, instantly reattaching it. He was clad in golden armor and had a sturdy, muscular build. His greying blond hair was combed back, and his chiseled features and sharp gaze were like an eagle’s. He had a beard around his mouth, and his presence was imposing and dignified. And his white cloak fluttering in the wind further accentuated his majesty.

In addition, Four Zodiac gods protect him. Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku and Seiryū. All of them had peerless appearance and they got weapons that seemed to symbolize the four gods. Genbu is equipped with jade gauntlets. Byakko holds a pure white giant axe. Suzaku had a crimson spear. Seiryū weilds a huge blue bow. They were clad in white cloth like the Greek gods, and like emotionless dolls, their expressions didn’t change at all.

Gohma glanced at Naoki beside me, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

“I see, you guys have come from the future. In that case, this unexpected situation makes sense. I was lured out huh.”

“Gohma, your ambitions fall through! My Dad here is the next generation God of Destruction!”

“God of Destruction…… Kukuku, he is quite a big shot then.”

Gohma keeps his fearless smile and doesn’t even seem ready to draw the sword at his waist. This doesn’t seem like an attitude of someone who’s cornered. Then….I think it is safe to assume that he has a secret weapon we don’t know about.

“Eugrapia please take care of Naoki and the others. I am going to settle the matter with Gohma.”

“I understand. Good luck.”

Eugrapia takes Naoki, Kurohime and Liberto and the others outside the barrier. Liz continues to protect the other Naoki.

“D-dad!? You are my dad, right?! W-why are you here!?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Stay still and just watch from there.”

The other Naoki tries to run to me but Liz restrains him with dark matter. I feel bad seeing him like that but I don’t have time to sit down and talk to him right now.

“Now then, hey Gohma, now that this is the case, I suggest that you surrender. What do you think?”

“What a fool. I’d consider doing it the other way around, but why should I have to bow down to the likes of you? Especially to a God of Destruction who’s like a baby and hasn’t even lived for a hundred years.”

What is he saying? How can he afford to be so calm?

For a bluff, he is strangely very confident with his words. Is he confident that he will win? —No, maybe he is confident that he can get out of here.

But how?

They are getting closer and closer. We also have our weapon at ready, waiting to see what they’ll do.

“I have one question. Did my future self get the proof of the Creator God?”

“No, you couldn’t even see it, let alone touch it.”

“Mmmm. Either way, it looks like this plan has been in vain.”

The next moment when we relaxed our guard, Bam! With great impact, six pillars of light appeared, forming a hexagram. The area around Shinjuku Station, which is the center of the city, had a huge hole and caves in.

Along with Eugrapia and the others, we fell down.

Darn it! Was this what he was aiming for?

The unexpected event caused the barrier to flicker and crack. Gohma and the others broke through that gap, swiftly charging towards the free-falling Naoki.

Damn it! I won’t let that happen!

I regained my balance and attacked Gohma, but my sword was quickly blocked by the Zodiac Gods who stepped in between. I kicked Genbu away, grabbed Suzaku’s spear and threw it away, and deflected Byakko’s strike. However, my movements were stopped by the countless arrows that were instantly fired by Seiryū.

“Aaaaghh!”

Gohma’s arm pierced Naoki’s chest.

“Naoki!!”

“Fool! Did you really think I was unprepared?”

He took the Creator God’s token from Naoki’s pocket and threw my son in the trash. He stares at the proof in his hand with a grin before disappearing from the spot together with the Four Zodiac Gods.

I ran to Naoki who had fallen to the bottom of the hole and hugged him.

“Naoki, Naoki! Pull yourself together!”

“Da……ad..”

“I-, I’ll heal your wounds right away!”

I tried to put the Rainbow Mushroom I took out of the ring into Naoki’s mouth. But he smiled weakly and shook his head.

“It’s no……use….. I-, I’m so….rry.”

“Can’t we do something about it!?”

Naoki placed his weak hand on mine. Unstoppable tears began to spill. No matter how much I tried to hold it back, it just kept spilling out. My emotions were raging and I couldn’t get my thoughts together.

The other Naoki approaches and touches Naoki’s face.

“P-past me…… I……leave Dad….to you….”

“Okay, my future self.”

Pero ran up to him and took Naoki’s hand.

“Oniisan! I don’t want you to die!”

“Pero…… My cute little brother……”

“Naoki-niisan, don’t die!”

“Sorry…… Support… Dad.…”

After touching Pero’s face, Naoki ran out of strength.

“Naoki!”

Flashbacks of events from the day we reunited till today came flashing to me. We are just finally reconnecting as a family. I never thought it would turn out like this. He was the only Naoki I had spent that time with. And yet I couldn’t protect him.

I’m sorry, I’m really sorry Naoki.

I stand up with Naoki’s body in my arms.

“Eugrapia, cover the Earth with a barrier at once. They should be launching an attack soon.”

“Certainly!”

Leaving the cleaning up of the angels to my comrades, I left the place with Naoki in my arms.

　◇◇◇

The angels disguised as monsters were safely cleaned up. After returning to our mountain house for the time being, we decided to spend time together and sort out our minds.

To tell the truth, I was prepared to some extent. I had expected someone to die in this battle. But even so, when it actually happened, it’s still upsetting. Especially when it’s my son. The explanation of the situation to the other Naoki was done by Erna and the others. It was something that I should have done but my wives and comrades who cared about me did it for me.

Once again, I felt a deep sense of gratitude that someone was by my side.

“Naoki..…”

My frozen son lay in the basement. I tried to bring him back to life over and over again but his soul was nowhere to be found. The souls of the gods disappear after death. That story was true.

The door opens and Erna and Liz enter.

“Shinichi-, are you okay?”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Mmm, I’ve calmed down now. I’m sorry I made you guys worried.”

I put Naoki’s body in the bangle. After this battle is over, I’m going to let him sleep in Tanaka family’s graveyard. Until then, I’ll have him bear with it for a little while.

When I went up to the first floor, everyone was there. On the table is a bento box they made for lunch. Right, we missed the chance to eat.

“Dad-, I’ve heard about the situation. It appears that it was tough in future as well.”

“I guess so. But I’m relieved you’re safe.”

“It’s kinda weird, having two Dad I mean.”

For this Naoki, it’s our first reunion in decades. I hugged him tightly. The only saving grace is that Naoki in the past is here safe and sound. Thanks to that, I didn’t have to despair.

“I’m hungry so let’s eat first.”

“Right.”

I untied the bag that covered the heavy bento box, open the lid and looked inside. It was filled with rice balls and omelets made by Naoki.

“U,uuu……”

As soon as I took a bite on the rice ball, my tears spilled out.

Naoki, your cooking is really delicious.

After eating, I drank coffee and the others had tea as we watched the news. The program is all about the unknown monsters that suddenly appeared and the huge wall that covered Tokyo. It also talked about the mysterious black human skeletons that protected the people.

Then the breaking news comes in. The newscaster hurriedly read out the form he had received. Apparently, countless unidentified life forms are heading to Earth. At the moment, it is still in orbit around Mars, but due to its unusual speed, it is expected to approach Earth in the next few days.

“They’re here.”

From a quick glance through my far vision, their number is about 300 million. He is underestimating me. Sending such an army against me, the God of Destruction.

Or, is he just waiting to see what happens? See how will we respond?

“As originally planned, we will leave Naoki and Eugrapia here on Earth, and we will launch an all-out attack on the heavenly realm at once.”

“Can we really win? I’m starting to get a little worried.”

“Don’t be fooled by their numbers. Angels are nothing more than winged worms to us now. If they stand in our way, don’t hesitate to get rid of them.”

I stood up with a new determination in my heart.

Naoki also stood up and then he handed me something from his pocket.

“I want you to keep it for me Dad.”

“Isn’t this the proof of the Creator God? But—”

“Gohma will probably try to get this other one. He knows otherwise that it will get in the way. But if I keep it with me, something unexpected might happen. So I’ll leave it with Dad, who I can trust the most.” He added with a smile, “It could also be used as bait to lure Gohma.”

Conversely, that is how much Naoki is betting on this battle.

I only said, “I will try not to use it as much as possible.” and put it in my pocket.

Before the decisive battle, we teleported to the surface of the moon. The main reason was that I wanted to see Earth one last time.

“Earth is blue and so beautiful.”

“What a nice view. I want to see it again.”

Erna and Liz look at Earth in a daze.

“This is space huh. It’s fluffy.”

“If you’re talking about fluffy, it will lose to Pero-sama’s fur!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Pero and Freya seemed to enjoy the low gravity.

“I’m going to avenge Master’s son!”

“For sure! I’ll show him what we are capable of!”

“That’s right. It would be a pain to leave it like this.”

“Leave everyone’s defense to me.”

“I’m going to beat them all, gods and angels alike!”

With their fighting spirit burning, Liberto and his team formed a circle.

“I’ve come this far, this is the sight I’d like to show Moore someday.”

Kurohime narrows her eyes as she looks at Earth.

“Come forth, my familiars.”

My skeleton army emerges from the bangle. All of them got down on one knee in unison.

I unsheathe my sword and raised it.

“In the name of Tanaka Shinichi, the God of Destruction, I command you! Use your power to the fullest and overwhelm the enemy forces! Show no mercy! Don’t allow them to beg for their life! Step over their corpses and take control of Heaven!”

“At your will.”

Suketarou replied.

Then the others clattered their jaws.

“Let’s go!”

I teleported everyone. Our destination is the center of the universe where Heaven Realm is.

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

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Chop, chop, chop.

I can hear the brisk sound of vegetables being chopped. I woke up and got out of bed. The bedroom is simple with just a king-size bed. I checked just to be sure, but Erna and Liz are not in the room.

Yawning, I left the room. When I went down the stairs, I could already smell the delicious aroma of miso soup on the first floor. There is also the aroma of coffee mixed in the air. Even with my still sleepy head, I recognize that morning has come. When I opened the door to the living room, everyone is already there except for me.

“Whoah, you guys are up pretty early.”

“I haven’t gotten used to this world yet. No, I mean it feels like I’m traveling.”

When I get to the table, Erna serves me rice and miso soup. In addition, Liz placed a fried egg and spinach salad on the the table. In front of me, Pero and Freya are already eating, munching on a heaping bowl of rice. Leaning back a little, I can see Kurohime and Liberto eating while watching TV on the sofa. In the kitchen, Erna, Liz, Eugrapia and Naoki are busy and each of them seemed to be doing their part.

Suddenly, as I see Freya eating, I blurted out,

“Have you gained a little weight?”

“!?”

Clang. She dropped her chopsticks with a pale face. At the same time, the women of the Sword of Glory party also became restless.

It’s not an illusion as they had definitely gotten rounder. Since we came here, they’ve been eating a lot of high-calorie foods without doing any decent exercise so this was only natural. In addition, their bodies are constitutionally excellent at absorbing nutrients. It’s no wonder they would gain some weight.

“It’s not my fault! It is because the foods and sweets here are too delicious!”

“Coming from the one who was completely absored in playing games while eating pizza and drinking coke, that’s quite something for you to say.”

After I finished my meal, I opened the newspaper on the table and took a breather. The coffee served by Erna was fragrant and calming. This place is deep in the mountains far east of Tokyo. After leaving the abandoned factory, we bought a mountain and built a two-story house on it. Moreover, this time, we put up a barrier and casted an illusion on top of it so that they could not even tell that there was a house here. It is also unlikely that the other Naoki will find us here.

“Have you finished your breakfast?”

“We’re just about to eat. We are making lunch boxes for everyone you see.”

Naoki and Eugrapia are busy preparing food for everyone. What was surprising was that my son was able to cook. It seems that Miyuki taught him a lot about cooking and I am impressed that his hobby is cooking. The pasta I ate the other day was so good that it could put a professional to shame.

“It’s done.”

My son smiles as he wrap the three heavy lunch boxes in cloth. I casually checked the clock in the room. It’s now 7 a.m. My heart flutters when I think about today’s schedule.

Today is “that day”.

—The day that me, Shigeru-san and Kanzaki died. I get nervous when I think that this day has finally arrived. After they finished cooking, the four of them sat down in the place where Pero and the others seated before and began to eat breakfast.

In the garden, Freya and the Sword of Glory ladies are beginning to train in preparation for battle. But strangely enough, they have a terrifying air around them though.

“So have you decided on what to do?”

“Yeah. That said, it’s not that difficult.”

Here’s the plan. We will attack the army of angels that attack Tokyo and defeat the main god Gohma. Even if they escape, I plan to leave Eugrapia and Naoki here on Earth, and we will attack the heavenly realm at once in pursuit. In the first place, the angels follow Gohma because he rules the heavenly realm, not because of Gohma himself. The quickest way to stop the angels is to take back the rule in the heavenly realm.

“But the damage in the battle would be enormous. What do we do about that?”

In response to Liz’s question, I placed the wrist-watch-type mobile phone digital fit on the table. When she sees it, she tilts her head in confusion.

“You guys don’t know this, but this thing have a built-in system for notifying its user of disasters. For example, if there’s an earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency will send an emergency report to the mobile phone company’s server, and from there, via the base station, an alert will be sent to mobile phones in that area.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means that we can issue evacuation orders.”

But this can’t be done right before it happens. This is because even if they received news that an unknown creature has appeared, it will only be dismissed as a mistake. Therefore, I concluded that it was best to release the message immediately after the incident occurred. It pains me a little knowing that some people will be sacrificed because of this.

I returned to our room and got ready. I dressed myself with my usual outfit and armor. I wore a black robe over it and a black ring on my finger. It’s still unclear what the ring can be used for, but it’s certain that it’s special because Zefa once owned it.

When I went down to the first floor again, my well-equipped companions are already waiting for me.

“Are you guys ready?”

Everyone nodded quielty.

I came back for this day. I want to finish this without leaving anyone out. With conviction, I slammed the door open.

◇◇◇

“It’s tall.”

“I wonder how it is built.”

Erna and the others look up. There is a towering building in front of us. It is the White Ring Co., Ltd. It is generally known as a mobile phone company. Well, to put it simply, it is the company I created. Kanzaki has already stepped down as CEO at this time so it is now run by another person. Compared to the early days when we started in a small building, it’s amazing to think that we have grown so much.

We then entered an alley and teleported. We moved to the roof of the company and took in the view.

“We are going to wait here until the scheduled time. In the meantime, you guys can have free time.”

“Speaking of which, Dad, don’t you want to go see Shigeru-san?”

“Hn……”

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see him. However, I felt that if I met him, I would definitely want to stop what is going to happen. Then Moore would not be born. If that happens, history will change drastically. I wanted to keep history unchanged as much as possible.

“I’m not going to see him.”

“I see.”

Naoki lay down and looked at the sky. There is a lukewarm breeze blowing here, and it feels good. Before I knew it, Pero and Freya were asleep next to us. A short distance away, Liberto and the others continue their training. Kurohime and Eugrapia were unfolding the map and discussing how to build a base after the battle started.

Not long after, the sky became overcast with clouds. Humid air flows in, and an unpleasant atmosphere seems to cover the whole of Tokyo. I finally understood the feeling that Shigeru-san had when he said that his back was tingling.

“Here you go, Shinichi.”

“Thank you.”

Erna poured coffee from her flask and handed it to me. Liz also offers me a cup of coffee.

“Could you please not get in the way.”

“It’s Erna who’s in the way.”

“I’ll  drink it both so don’t fight.”

The moderately hot coffee warms me to the core. I drink the coffee as I look down at the city from the rooftop.

It’s about time it start.

“I’ll go to the server room. Everyone, prepare for battle.”

“Got it.”

“Understood.”

I opened the door on the roof and went down the stairs. Locks isn’t a problem for me. One after another, the locks were unlocked and I proceed deeper inside the company. Of course, I am using stealth so that they could not see me.

Suddenly, I passed a certain person.

“I told you to find Tanaka Shinichi! Why can’t you do something as simple as that!?”

“He has disappeared and we don’t know where he is…..”

“What about Kanzaki? Ask him! He might know!”

“He also disappered. I couldn’t follow his whereabouts.”

“Damn! Just find them quickly! Right now, our company needs innovative products like the digital fit! If this continues, we will be acquired by foreign capital!”

I recognized the man who yelled at his subordinate without any regard for what others think. He had put on a lot of weight and is now completely obese. Back then, he was a slim and good-looking young man. Time can really cruelly change people.

(Dad, the angels began to gather.)

I quickened my steps at Naoki’s message through telepathy. When I get to the front of the room where the server is located, I unlocked it and quickly went inside. There was a row of servers running. Here’s just a small part of the picture. More servers are running in other locations. I uncovered the server and placed my hand inside.

(We’re all ready here. We can go anytime.)

(Got it. One minute left until the scheduled time.)

Just wait a bit.

(The attack has begun!)

(Okay. I’ll start evacuation guidance to everyone.)

I interrupted the program with magic. From here, I forcibly intervened at the base station and sent a warning message to everyone’s mobile phone with Tokyo Metropolitan Government as the sender with a message, “Evacuation order: An unidentified creature has appeared in Tokyo, please immediately start evacuating to the nearest evacuation center.”

It is a delicate point whether people will believe it and take action or not. But at least this will prevent the damage from spreading further due to a state of confusion.

Then from the server room, I teleported to the rooftop. Plumes of black smoke are already rising in the city. Meteorites are also raining down from the sky.

“Let’s go!”

We flew to the scene. In Omotesando, a huge beast was attacking people. Screams and horror filled the city.

“Kyaaaaaaahhhh!”

A 15-meter-long, red-black wolf-like creature attacks a woman. I drew my sword and in an instant, I cut the wolf in half.

“Hurry up and run.”

“Y-yes!”

The woman gets up staggerinly and then she starts running. When I looked at the back alley, I saw my old self there. He made an eye contact with me, but he can’t comprehend the situation and is dumbstruck. At that moment, Shigeru-san rushed over to him and taps him on the shoulder. Then the two of them ran to the back of the alley.

“Shinichi”

“O-oh. Sorry.”

Beasts overflowed on the street. They trample cars and eat people. Meteorites rain down on the building, destroying it and causing an explosion. I never thought that I would be seeing the scene that I had seen before again.

“Come forth, my familiars.”

In an instant, the skeleton army appears in the city. My army lined up in a row. Seeing them, the beasts stopped moving.

“Get rid of the angels!”

“Katakata!”

Rubbles. Cars. Corpses. Stomping on everything, the skeletons rush towards the enemy like wave all at once. They were scattered throughout the city and expanded the field of battle. I deployed a defense force in places where people gather to prevent the enemy from entering. After giving instructions, I entered the alley.

Two dead bodies are lying there.

“Seeing my own corpse is quite weird.”

When I go further, I came to a slightly wider road. Kanzaki’s corpse was lying there, and a familiar being was floating nearby.

“Gugigigigi”

“I finally met you.”

He was wearing a black cloth and only a pair of yellow eyes peek out of the gap of the cloth. A hand with green skin can be seen holding a large sickle as he float in the air. That’s right, he was the little Grim Reaper who once killed me.

Woosh! He swung the sickle in an instant. I effortlessly blocked it with my sword.

“Why don’t you stop pretending to be a monster, second-class angel Zazi?”

“!?”

I could see his yellow eyes widen. The grin on his face disappeared and he broke out in a cold sweat.

“Who are you? How do you know who I am?”

“Asking who I am is a strange thing to say you know. Didn’t you just killed me earlier?”

“Killed??”

I don’t think he would understand even if I told him that I traveled through time. The scythe and sword crossed again and again. Sparks flew and harsh metallic sound rang out. Each time, the billboards and posts fell. Deep sword marks were carved into the walls of the buildings and even the asphalt was scraped.

The opponent is desperately attacking, but I easily fend it off with one hand. It’s completely different from that time when I was easily killed. I came back stronger and came back to this day.

“You—, so you’re a god!”

“Guess. You’re free to think what you want.”

“Damn! I’ve never heard of someone like you!”

“I never informed you guys, that’s why.”

For a split second, our speed increased and we passed each other.

—Zazi’s head dropped to the ground. He looked daze. His wide open eyes told me how stunned he was. I lightly brushed the blood off my sword and walked away without looking back.

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

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The dinner was sumptuous, made with an abundance of mountain delicacies. It had been decades since I had eaten such a feast. I used to eat it often when I was the president, but now that I think about it, I used to have a very extravagant life.

“Hey, your glass is empty. I’ll pour some for you.”

“Thanks.”

“There’s still some left. I’m going to pour it, so drink it quickly!”

“Okay.”

Sandwiched between Erna and Liz, I am busy drinking beer. Whenever I emptied my glass, it will be instantly refilled, then I had to drink again. I kept doing that cycle.

Ugh, my stomach is about to reach its limit.

I don’t even know how many bottles were opened.

“The food in this little pot is delicious! Yum!”

“Aaaaahhhhh! Fluffy! Fluffy!”

Pero, who is enjoying the food, wags his tail vigorously. Freya responds to it excitedly. She is chasing his tail like a cat with a toy being swing to it.

“I can’t drink anymore!”

“Come on, come on!”

“N-no more (Shaking his head)”

“Just drink it! Here you go!”

“Hiiiiiiiii!”

Liberto opens his mouth after being threatened by Margaret. A bottle of sake was shoved into his mouth and he is forced to gulp it down. Not long after, Liberto crawls on the floor and comes to me for help.

“M-Master…… help.”

“Liberto~ Where are you running off to? Hmmm~”

“W-wait! Aaaaaahhh!”

Margaret grabs him by the leg and forces him back to Dominique, Layla, and Tina, who are smiling darkly again. I have to be careful not to be like that.

“I’ll be the first to sing!”

Kurohime took the microphone and stands in front of us. The song that is played is “Tsugarukaikyō fuyu rei-shoku (津軽海峡・冬景色)”.  I was surprised that she started off with this song so suddenly, it was cool, or rather, she knew it well. What’s more, I was even more surprised by how well she sang it.

The second is Eugrapia. She sings an American song in fluent English. Moreover, her beautiful voice, befitting a goddess, stirred up intense emotions. I even suspected that there was some magic in her singing voice.

The third is Naoki. He performed a song that is currently popular. His singing voice is neither good nor bad. However, it is quite good and it feels quite good to listen to.

“Fourth, I, Erna will sing!”

Erna took the microphone. That alone made everyone anxious. The melody that flows is that familiar masterpiece, “Okuro Kotoba (贈る言葉)”. Of all things, Erna put magic into her voice and began to sing. Not only was it a strange choice of song for this timing, but her singing voice was just awful. And yet, there is a heart-wrenching emotion.

Crash!

I heard the sound of something falling from outside the room. When I opened the door and looked down the corridor, I saw the waitress who has been carrying food, curled up on the floor crying. Many other guests are also sobbing in the hallway. Thinking that this is not good, I asked Erna to stop singing.

“Why can’t I sing?”

“Go and look outside!”

“Eh? Outside?”

Erna, who had seen the situation in the hallway, returned and laughed awkwardly, “Ahahaha……”

Looks like putting magic on our voice is a dangerous act. We’ll be very careful in the future. After the banquet was over, the men decided to take another bath.

“Phew.”

It is best to see the night sky in the open-air bath. I leaned my body against the edge and enjoyed the moment.

“I think I understand why Father wants to save this world.”

Pero says as he wipes the moisture from his face with a towel. Finally, he lightly wiped the tip of his nose and then he put the towel on his head.

“This country is so cozy. The service is good, the food is delicious, so I like it here. It does feel a little bit small compared to the one over there though.”

“That can’t be helped. This is an island nation with a large population after all.”

Shortly after, Liberto and Naoki joined us and soaked in the hot spring as well.

“So Master, do you think we can beat Gohma?”

“I have a plan prepared. But to be honest, I don’t think we have a 50/50 chance of winning. From what I’ve heard, their military strength is in a different league. We’ll be at a disadvantage if we fight them head-on.”

“Maybe we could try to get the other gods on our side.”

“I thought about that as well. However, according to Naoki, the gods who are still resisting are no longer reliable as they lost their spirit to fight. They are now only doing their best to protect themselves.”

I’d rather they continue to attract the enemy forces like that. It will be convenient for us because in that way, the enemy will be dispersed.

By the way, according to Eugrapia and Kurohime’s prediction, the first opponent will be about 100,000. We believe that the number of enemies joining from there is between 100 million and 200 million. It’s such a ridiculous number, but it’s only normal because we are fighting against the entity that controls this vast universe. The good news is that they are just angels, not gods.

“Angels aren’t the only problem. Don’t forget that there are also the Four Zodiac Gods.”

The Four Zodiac Gods are the four powerful gods who serve Gohma. They are subordinates who have sworn absolute loyalty to Gohma. Unless we defeat them, we cannot face the Chief God, Gohma.

“We’ll take care of the Four Zodiac Gods, Father can just fight Gohma.”

“That’s right. If master can defeat the big boss quickly, it will be easier for us.”

“Gohma doesn’t have the proof of the Creator God so he is no match against Dad now. Let’s get rid of them quickly and live together again.”

The three of them spoke powerfully. Well, that is right. If we defeat them quickly, this battle will be over sooner.

　◇◇◇

The next morning, after taking a bath, we ate sumptuous breakfast and went out to town.

“Hey, Shinich, look, look. This is cute!”

“This one is not bad either.”

Erna and Liz are having fun with drawstring purses. The two of them in yukata looked really sexy and I can’t help but look at their breasts instead of their drawstrings purse. When I came to my senses, the two of them made me buy drawstring purses and a few other items.

“Dad!”

Naoki, who has returned in a hurry, hurriedly hides behind me. Several policemen ran past him. When I looked closely, I can see that their figure is blurry. They are angels.

“Did they find you?”

“No, I don’t think they found out because I didn’t show my face. But I might have gotten suspicious because I suddenly ran away.”

They even stationed angles in places like this. The other Naoki, who continues to run away, must be having a hard time. It’s so frustrating that I can’t help him.

“Gather everyone, we’ll get out of here right away.”

“Understood.”

The hot spring trip ended after only one night. After that, we returned to the abandoned factory while being wary of the angels. I was relieved that no one was missing.

『Next news. Last night, a prisoner escaped from prison. He is still on the run and police are pursuing him.』

As I was watching the news in front of the sofa, my eyes widened when I saw Naoki’s face projected on screen. When I switched to other news programs, a special feature on Naoki Tanaka’s upbringing and criminal record is being broadcast.

“That’s right. Around this time, angels had infiltrated the government and a major crackdown was underway. It was all nonsense of course. I remember being pissed because it even affected Dad.”

“Hmm, but if you knew this was going to happen, why didn’t you tell me? We could have been a bit more careful.”

“Don’t worry. By this time, the police had already tracked down my hiding place. They were paying attention to that, and I’m sure they never dreamed that there would be another me here.”

He sat right next to me, opening a bag of sweets and watched the news. In other words, time is flowing smoothly as before.

But in the end of all this fuss, Naoki could not be found. So Gohma, who had been fed up, attacked Tokyo in an attempt to draw him out.

“Gohma is going to go in person, right?”

“That’s right. Well, if history hasn’t changed, he will come after me. He even injured me then after all.”

It can be assumed that he sustained some serious injuries. It is also a special attack.

“Gohma has the skill to reduce healing power. He can also copy his own skills and give them to others. Plus, he has the skill to kill gods. He’s an expert at fighting gods.”

“That’s why he kept the Creator God close at hand huh.”

“Un. That way, it can keep the other gods in check. It became even more important after the God of Destruction was sealed away. Rumor has it that Gohma was the one pulling the strings behind the denouncement of the God of Destruction.”

He is well-prepared and shrewd. The battle ahead will undoubtedly be fierce. It will be far from the peaceful days like now.

Knock. Knock.

Someone knocked on the shutter. Everyone was on guard and gripped their weapons. I don’t think there is anyone in this world who would come to a place like this. Moreover, since Eugrapia had put up a barrier, the angel should not have known where we are. I put my index finger to my mouth and signaled them to be quiet.

Erna approaches the shutter and calls out to the other party.

“Who is it?”

“Well, uhm, my name is Tanaka Naoki. I don’t know how to explain why I came here….. this place is veiled, and I can’t see it clearly at all even with my far vision. I came here thinking that maybe you are one of my kind.”

Uh-, the other Naoki came?

I exchange glances with Naoki. He shook his head as if to tell me to chase the other Naoki away. I instructed Erna with a gesture to ask him to go back. If we made contact here, our plan would fall apart. I feel bad for using him as a decoy, but I can’t meet him now.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you please go back?”

“—Please. Even if I try to teleport, I can’t get in. There is a strong barrier here. I beg you, please let me in. Help me.”

“Go back. I don’t know who you are, it has nothing to do with us.”

“No— ….Aren’t we from same race!? Can’t you protect me at least for a little while? Just a little while is fine!”

I gritted my teeth. This is terribly heartbreaking. When I tried to stand up, Naoki grabbed my arm and stopped me.

“Bear it Dad. If we are found out, Gohma won’t show up and a larger army will be sent to us. Our advantage now is that they don’t know about us.”

“Damn!”

That’s absolutely correct. I sighed heavily and sat quietly.

“Please go back.”

“Why!? Why don’t you take my side? Are you so scared of Gohma!?”

“Please go back.”

“Fine! I don’t know what kind of god you are, but I was foolish in trying to rely on you!”

The sound of footsteps recedes into the distance. He seemed to have given up. Everyone exhaled heavily.

“I’m sorry. But at that time, I was mentally exhausted. I was worried because of the shadow of the angels looming every day and the uncertainty of the future. The place where I lived was in the sewers so I was looking for a place to escape as soon as possible.”

“I see…… You must have a really hard time then.”

“It’s okay. I’m with Dad and younger brother now. Oh, and my stepmothers too.”

However, it’s painful that this place has been discovered. The other Naoki will definitely come again. In addition, the angels may also pay attention to this place. It is time to move.

“Kurohime, do you still have the money?”

“Ufufu, actually, I increased it.”

Huh? Increased it?

With a thud, three chunks each worth 100 million yen rolled out.

“Why are there so many?”

“That’s because I won. If you’re as good as me, you can see through cards, and I can put out the fastest horse in history. If you want to make money, there are plenty of ways to do it.”

“You bet the money I had deposited to you without permission?”

“It’s a surprise. That will make it twice as fun, right?”

Kurohime laughs so loudly that I lose the desire to get angry. My goodness…… But really, I’m thankful that she took an initiative. I’ll use this money to buy a new place to live.

“Everyone should prepare to move. Leave the facilities here as it is, in case someone who comes here uses them.”

“Then do you want to leave some food?”

“It would be better that way.”

Naoki should still be around here anyway. I’m sure he’ll come back given the pinch he is in. When I asked Eugrapia if it is possible to set up multiple barriers remotely, she replied that it was possible.

We will continue to maintain the barrier here, and we will hide somewhere Naoki and the angels can’t see us. As we tried to keep a low profile, it wasn’t until midnight that we left the abandoned factory.

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

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Slurp. Slurp.

I slurp the noodles in one go and gulps down the broth. The distinct saltiness and umami flavor made me let out a blissful cry.

“Everybody’s looking at me……”

“Don’t worry about it. No one is looking at you.”

Pero, who was wearing a coat, was eating udon noodles with a timid look on his face. There are no magical beasts or demons here, so he probably think that he is standing out too much. Unfortunately, it is the women who are receiving curious gazes. A group of beautiful women and beautiful girls are slurping noodles at an udon restaurant after all. With them in the front, Pero looks like nothing more than a teen cosplayer. It’s doubtful that they even notice him in the first place.

The men passing by are in a daze, as if they were floating cause of a fever.

“They are staring so much, I’m a little embarrassed.”

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped because I’m a beautiful girl.”

“I’m a little embarrassed too. It’s the first time I’ve been looked at with such curiosity.”

““That’s not true.””

Erna and Liz replied to Freya with a straight face. All three of them are dressed casually, which feels fresh. Erna and Liz look pretty good like this too.

Click.

Then I heard a sound that sounded like the sound of a camera shutter. When I looked around, I found a man taking images with a wristwatch-type mobile phone. There are also people who are secretly filming with glasses-type terminals. Hidden cameras don’t go away no matter how many years pass huh. In fact, it has gotten worse as time passes.

Spark! Crash!

I glared at those gadgets and then their gadgets shattered. A male customer even dropped to the floor and screamed.

“Thank you Dad. I couldn’t tolerate that either.”

“Right. Well, if our faces are photographed and posted on social media, the other us would be able to find out.”

“Yes, I don’t want to make contact with my other self if I can. After all, I won’t be able to use him as a decoy to lure Gohma if that happens.”

Our plan is simple. We surprise Ghoma and his army, who are invited by Naoki in the past. In order to do so, we have to create the same flow. It is very painful to have to silently watch Shigeru-san and Kanzaki being killed, but if I think that it is to save the earth, I have no choice but to endure it.

“Mufufu, this is delicious! My decision to become Master’s familiar was right!”

“I know right. What about Liberto-san and the others?”

“It’s incredibly delicious! Master, can I go and order another one!?”

Kurohime seems to like Kitsune udon as she gobbles the noodles with enthusiasm. Eugrapia savores a bukkake udon, and Liberto and the others are full of youth as they enjoy kamadama with various tempura dishes.

I’ve always thought about this, but the inhabitants of that other world seem to go well with Japanese food. Before I know it, Erna and the others are eating their second set of udon.

“What should we do now Dad? I don’t mind staying in that building.”

“No. I’m going to look for a more comfortable place. Preferably an abandoned factory or something.”

“An abandoned factory huh…… Maybe there is one around Saitama.”

I looked far away and search for a place that looks good in Saitama. If possible, it is better if it still have a door that can be closed. Mmm, good. There is one that fits those criteria. The size is moderate and it is not bad. It’s decided, we will stay there.

I checked the address of the real estate agency on the sign.

“When we get out of here, we’ll head directly to a real estate agent in Saitama.”

“I understand, Dad.”

Naoki and I slurp our udon noodles.

　◇◇◇

Whoosh. When I opened the shutters, a large amount of dust flew up. It seemed to have originally been a warehouse somewhere as it was very spacious. The entire space is large enough to park over a hundred compact cars.

“Tina, close the shutters.”

“Got it.”

Once completely closed, I placed my hand on the floor and used a skill. I used the Restoration Space. The interior quickly returned to being as good as new and sparkling.

“It looks a bit dull, doesn’t it?”

Erna used her magic to turn the interior into pure white. Liz creates a piece of furniture that she has seen somewhere, and in no time at all, a huge living room is created. Then the latest furniture was put in place one after another, and when the kitchen island was placed, Erna began to squirm.

“Is there a second floor here?”

“Yeah. The second floor is like a one-story office and there is one outside as well.”

“Hm~”

Erna and Liz smiled meaningfully. They must be thinking about their own room anyway.

Naoki turns on the OLED display and sits on the sofa. He called out to me while watching the news being projected.

“It was a stroke of luck that we were able to buy such a property for 50 million yen.”

“That’s right. It’s also convenient because it’s not popular around the neighborhood.”

“It’s inconvenient that there are no convenience stores near here though.”

I replied with a “Yeah”. After a while, Pero came running back from the second floor.

“Naoki-niisan, what room do you want?”

“I’m fine with sharing it with Eugrapia. I can’t sleep in peace unless I’m inside her barrier.”

“Hmmm, I think it would be better to make it soundproof.”

“N-no, you’re mistaken! I’m not in that kind of relationship with her! I didn’t mean it in a weird way Dad!”

I gave my son a warm look as he hurriedly corrected me. I see, Naoki likes Eugrapia huh. As a father, I will try to help as much as I can.

“Don’t look at me like that, Dad! It’s not like that!”

“Yes, yes. I know, I know.”

“No listen, you definitely got it wrong!”

Naoki then goes upstairs, saying, “I’m going to make my own room!”

The only ones left on the first floor were me and Kurohime.

“How do you plan to spend the remaining six days, Master?”

She opens the tab on a can of beer and crosses her legs. She looks young but on the inside, she’s an old woman. It’s feels a bit weird, though. I also opens the tab of a can of beer and took a big gulp to quench my thirst.

“I’m going to kill time as I please. I know where and when the enemy will appear, so I’ll get something in return for doing what I need to do.”

“I mean, since you’re back here, I’m asking if there’s anything you want to do.”

“Something I want to do huh……”

I’ve already done most of the things I wanted to do over there. So I don’t have anything in particular I want to do.

“……Come to think of it, there is one thing.”

“What?”

“A hot spring trip.”

“Hot spring?”

Yes, I dreamed of going on a hot spring trip with my family. I often talked with Miyuki and Naoki about wanting to go there someday. I guess it’s time to make that dream come true.

“Let’s spend a few days here and then go to a hot spring inn.”

“If that’s what Master wants to do so, I have no objection to it.”

Then she continues, “I want to play a game, so can you buy me something that looks interesting?”

“Okay.”

I stood up without hesitation. I then teleported to Akihabara. As usual, this is a mecca for Otakus. I entered a suitable building and purchased a suitable body and software.

On the way back, I stopped by a ramen shop. For the first time in a long time, I felt that the taste of ramen was much stronger.

As I walked out of the store towards the station, I saw something strange. It’s a man in a suit, but he is slightly blurry. It’s probably a disguise skill or something. Because of the eyes of truth, it was obvious to me that it was an angel. A third-class angel is observing every passing person. It was as if he was looking for someone.

I guess he is one of Naoki’s pursuers. When I passed the angel, he turned around and called out to me.

“Excuse me for the sudden interruption. It’s like this, I want to ask you something. Have you ever seen someone like him around here?”

The angel shows me a notebook and holds out a photo. It was a photo of Naoki that was secretly taken.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him.”

“I see. Thank you for your help.”

The angel bows and walks away. Apparently, he didn’t realize my true identity. Well, a third class angel like him won’t be able to see through my disguise.

Then I take the train home. On my way back, I ended up seeing many angel in disguise many times. There must be thousands of them roaming around in Tokyo. This is troublesome. I’ll have to make my companions aware of this.

When I returned to the abandoned factory, there is a strangely nostalgic smell. In the kitchen, Naoki, Erna, and Liz are cooking in aprons. However, he seemed to be guiding rather than cooking with them.

“Okaasan, put a pinch of this and this as a secret ingredient.”

“Really? Something like this?”

“Element of surprise huh. Does it really taste good?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll guarantee the taste.”

Naoki is eagerly teaching the two of them how to make something. Judging from the smell, it should be curry. Come to think of it, Miyuki used to make it a lot.

In one corner of the living room, Freya was looking sloppy as she brushed Pero’s tail as he read a book.

“Oh, I’m so glad that Pero-sama has evolved! I can’t believe you’ve become much more fluffy! I can eat ten meals with just this fluffy tail! Mufufufu!”

“It’s scary so please calm down.”

Haa~haa~, breathing heavily, Freya strokes Pero’s tail even more. Wherever these two go, this is the usual.

When Erna and Liz come over to me, they fidget.

“Welcome home, Dear. Do you want to take a bath? Or eat? Or(blushing)…?”

“I’m ready to do it all at once perfectly.”

“Hey, don’t get in my way!”

“You’re the one getting in the way, Erna. You should get out of  the way as soon as possible.”

The two of them grappled each other. I don’t know where they learned it, but I don’t want them to gain any more weird knowledge.

“By the way, where are Kurohime and the others?”

“They are making room upstairs. The bath is already done.”

There was a small door in the direction Erna pointed. Apparently, it was created by expanding the space. When I opened the door, there was a large dressing room equipped with the latest equipment. There are even washing machine and other items, and beauty-related items are placed on the shelves for each individual. There was a bathtub that could fit ten people in the bathroom. Hot water has already been added and steam is rising. There was a glass wall in front of it, and the view overlooking Tokyo was reflected. The Sky Tree is shining in the distance, and it is a truly wonderful night view. It’s probably just an illusion pasted on the wall, but this is fine.

I immediately took a bath and took a breather.

　◇◇◇

A few days have passed since I returned to Japan.

“What do you think of this? Does it suit me?”

“Un.”

“What about this?”

“Not bad.”

In front of me, Erna and Liz were holding a fashion show while looking at a magazine. The judges are me and the other women. Everyone is looking at the same magazine with a serious expression and writes with a red pen. It seems that they are thinking about the combination of clothes based on what the two of them wears. However, spending a few hours with them, make me feel sleepy.

Tina and Freya, who are not interested in fashion, are playing against each other in a game. Pero paints silently, and Liberto makes plastic models. Naoki was reading at the bar counter in the corner of the room.

I check the clock on the wall.

It’s time to leave.

“Are you all ready?”

“Ready.”

“All set.”

The women changed into their assigned clothes and carry their luggage. The men also came with their luggage that they had left nearby. We are going on a trip. Of course, the purpose is to enjoy a hot spring.

We exit the abandoned factory and close the shutters. From there, we walk to the station and take the train to our destination.

“It’s nice to be laid back.”

“Mmm. It’s peaceful.”

We enjoy the scenery while the train moves. Occasionally, a man would secretly take pictures of us, but since Naoki was wearing glasses and mask, I judged that the angels would not notice him. In addition, Kurohime and Eugrapia are not a problem because their faces were not seen by the low class angels before.

It took several hours to reach the destination. The hot spring town excites our spirits.

“Hey, did you book the lodging here?”

“It’s the best place around here.”

It’s a prestigious old inn. The quaint gate made our excitement higher.

“Welcome.”

We were greeted by a woman who seemed to be the proprietress, and we were led through a corridor with a view of a beautiful garden to our room. A Japanese-style room with a view of a large garden. The building itself is relatively new, and I don’t feel much anxiety in terms of functionality.

I entered our room (with Erna and Liz).

“Thank you very much for coming today.”

The landlady bows and looks up. It’s only for a moment, but her eyes move as if probing for a relationship between us. It’s troublesome, so I’ll say it first.

“These two are my wives. They look like this because their nationality is overseas.”

“Oh, oh! I see.”

She nodded repeatedly as if she was convinced. It’s better than being scrutinized. When the landlady leaves the room, I placed our luggage in the corner of the room, and the three of us immediately head to the hot spring. The two of them stop in front of the red and blue curtain.

“What does this say?”

“If you use the power of God, you will know for yourself.”

“That’s true. But it’s boring to rely on power for everything. Enjoying these small discoveries is part of traveling isn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but be impressed by Erna who’s smiling mirthfully. Exactly. Traveling is fun because you discover something new.

“This one says male, this one says female. It’s the red one that you enter.”

“What’s the green one over there?”

“…… It’s a mixed bath for private use only.”

“Mixed bath!”

The two of them grabbed my hand and pulled me closely. The destination is a mixed bath covered with green bricks.

Is this going to be a mixed bath? 

No wait, since we are husband and wives, there is no reason to refuse…….

While I was dazed, I was taken to the dressing room, and I was undressed by two people, and before I knew it, the three of us were soaking in hot water.

“Fuu~, that feels good.”

“After all, we have to go in as a couple.”

“I agree vehemently.”

They both make slovenly expressions. We washed off our sweat and went back to our room.

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

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After a few leisurely days, we sent the participants to their respective homes and then we returned to the hideout.

Afterwards, it is time for a major clean up.

“Do we need this?”

“You can throw it away.”

“What about this?”

“We need that.”

We are sorting out what we can take with us and what we can throw away. I plan to keep our luggage as light as possible. From here on, we only need to take the things we needed.

“Father, I’ve developed the pictures.”

“Really?”

Naoki comes over and gives me an album. When I opened it, the state of the wedding was firmly preserved. The back page contains a DVD disc, and the footage taken by Naoki is edited and stored.

“Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s okay. I was bored and had nothing to do.”

“In that case, I think you can help clean up too.”

“Ge-”

I grabbed Naoki’s clothes as he tries to escape and grinned at him. I told him to mop the floor before leaving. We spend several hours cleaning the hideout and draping dust-proof cloth over the furnitures.

That’s right. We returned the hideout to the same state as when I first came here. The room that had been added had now disappeared and is back to its original size.

“We’re done. Is this okay?”

“It’s perfectly back to normal.”

I felt nostalgic. I remember the day I came here alone.

“But, was it really necessary to restore it to the original state?”

“Well, it’s a sentiment. Because of this place, I’m able to stay here, and I’ve always decided that when I leave, I’ll leave it properly clean.”

We stare at every corner of the hideout. Maybe it’s a sight we will never see again. That’s why we wanted to burn it in our memories.

“Tanaka-dono, it’s about time.”

“Yes.”

When we came out of  the hideout, I pressed the lion’s eye. The chains rolled up and the door was slammed shut. Freya and Pero walk first, followed by Liz and Erna.

I am still looking at the door with a feeling of nostalgia, but I followed the four of them with firm resolve.

　◇◇◇

We came to a stop in a grassland dozens kilometers away from Mana. The skeleton army was already gathered there in full force. Skeleton Division. Angelton Division. Magical Beast Division. The total number is more than 800,000. This number is the result of gathering together the skeletons of this world and making them into my familiar.

General Suketarou activates his Demonic Divine Attire. A large amount of darkness spewed from his mouth and envelops his entire body.

—A woman clad in armor appeared from the darkness. Contrary to the sinister armor based on black and gold, her face is that of a beautiful young girl who is dainty and fragile. Long silver hair and eyes closed. At her waist was an impressive sword. Then she opened her eyes. Her open eyes are filled with darkness, and the voice she utters does not seem to belong to a person.

“Master, the entire army is here.”

“Un.”

When Suketarou appeared in this form, I was genuinely surprised. It is one thing that the skeleton now has a flesh body, but what was even more surprising is the gender. I had always thought Suketarou was a man. However, it was now too late to change Suketarou’s name so I decided to keep it as it is. Of course, if he, well she-, wants to change her name, I’ll do so.

By the way, I’m going to explain what the Soul Eating skill is. Soul Eating is the act of dropping the target’s soul into a lower dimension. In other words, a simple and incomplete reincarnation.

The creatures that become skeletons continue to grow by feeding on negative emotions, and eventually depart for the Abyss, a lower dimensional world. However, my familiars have begun to express other emotions and feed on things other than negative emotions as well. The best example of this is Suketarou. She has succeeded in raising her soul to a higher dimension, and as a result, she has acquired a flesh body.

“…… Apparently, there are still reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements?”

There were countless black shadows in the sky in the direction Suketarou was looking at. It was a herd of griffons. About 300 heads. The herd landed on the grassland and looked at us. Two gigantic black griffons stepped forward from among them.

“I didn’t expect the familiars I left behind in Dartan to come back.”

““Gururu””

The griffons had grown considerably larger under my influence. Is it easy to understand if you imagine its size that is on par with a large truck. Their eyes were purple, the feathers were as hard and lustrous as metal, and their heads now had something like decorative feathers.

“You rushed to me with your companions huh.”

““Kurururu””

When I touched them, they rubbed their heads on my face whit a whiny sound. Even so, it is surprising that they have grown to a point that they have formed such a flock. I turned their herd into my familiars and incorporates the griffons into the Magical Beast Division.

Kurohime and Eugrapia arrived late. They got down on one knee and bowed their heads.

“Pardon us, we’re late!”

The five members of the Sword of Glory party finally arrived. They had also become my familiars and their appearance had changed. All of them now have black hair and purple eyes. On their back were wings of black light. Their wings can be erased at will, so even if we go to the other side, it seems that they will be accepted. All five of them got down on one knee and bowed their heads.

The last one is my clone. I already absorbed Tanaka β, so the only thing left is α who is acting as King Logas.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

Ten minutes later, my clone appeared. We shook hands and as I absorbed him, the days he spent as the king flowed into me at once. It seems that he also had a reasonably enjoyable life as a king.

“Looks like you’re ready.”

Naoki appears and smiles at us. I nodded before putting the skeleton army and the other familiars in the bangle.

“Alright, we can go anytime.”

“Then let’s get started.”

Naoki’s body begins to glow and turns into particles of light. Then Erna, Liz, Pero and Freya. My party members also ascends to the sky as particles of light. Then the Sword of Glory party, Kurohime, and Eugrapia disappeared. And finally, my body began to disappear as well.

As I gradually disappears from my feet, I stare at this other world. I’ll surely come back someday. Until then, goodbye.

I also completely disappeared from this world.

　◇◇◇

Bang! Crash! Priiiing!

““Gyaaaaaaahh!?””

I woke up with a shock. All I can see is a white wall and several frightened women.

Wrong. I’m now lying on the ground. When I slowly got up, I realized that I had been lying down on a broken table. Nearby were broken plates and there were scattered pasta everywhere. There were other broken  glasses and mug that should have contained coffee lying around.

I checked my surroundings. There are only female customers in this small shop. A young man, who was probably a waiter, looked at me in shock and was frozen in his tracks.

“Did it work? But why can’t I see my companions here?”

I tilted my head in confusion and placed my hand on my chin. Then screams rang out again.

Hmm? This-?

When I posed, they screamed. I posed again and then they scream again.

I see, they were frightened by my sudden appearance.

“Don’t be scared. I’ll leave right away.”

“W-what is this guy talking about? Hey, does anyone speak English?”

A question mark appeared in my mind and I tilted my head in confusion again.

They don’t understand the language?

Oh, I got it. It seems that I was inadvertently speaking in an otherworldly language.

“Ahem.”  I’m speaking in Japanese for the first time in a long time again. “Don’t be scared, I’m going to leave right away.”

I repaired everything I broke with the divine qi. In addition, I cast a spell on the people in the store to erase their memories. Now everyone is standing in a daze, but there is no problem because soon their consciousness will become clear.

Should I leave the store now?

Just as I was thinking so, I noticed that someone is knocking on the window. It was Naoki dressed casually. He wears headphones around his neck and looks like a teenager. He immediately walked into the store.

“You finally arrived.”

“Finally? What do you mean?”

“We’ll talk about it later. But first, we need to do something about that outfit.”

Hmm, that makes sense. 

I removed the robe and put it inside the bangle, I then transformed my clothes into a suit. I didn’t wear a tie because it was in the way.

“That’s an outfit that Dad would wear indeed.”

“I used to wear it often you see.”

We left the store before the customers regained consciousness then a familiar sight jumped into my field of vision. There are countless skyscrapers. Cars were coming and going on the road, and people were walking busily and briskly. Tokyo Tower can also be seen in the distance. Without a doubt, this is Tokyo.

“This way.”

Guided by Naoki, we walked for a while.

“What about the others?”

“There are already there, Dad is the last one to arrive.”

“Why was the time shifted?”

“My skills are meant to be used by one person, and I used them with a lot of people, so it seems that the arrival was uneven. But there’s still plenty of time, so there’s no need to rush.”

I see, that’s why I didn’t have any comrades nearby huh.

However, judging from Naoki’s attitude, it seems that the gap is not more than an hour or so. He led me to a small building, we went up the stairs and then he opened the door. It seems to be the office of a company that has collapsed. There was a table and two sofas in a small room. Sleeping bags are laid on the floor, and my comrades are playing games or reading manga on the sofa and doing whatever they want.

“This is so delicious. I can eat as much as I want!”

“Erna, you’re eating too much. Give me some.”

“No! This is mine! I’m not going to give you any!”

She holds up a bag of potato chips to protect it from Liz. I reached into the bag and took out one.

“It’s calbee huh. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten it.”

“Shinichi!!”

Erna and Liz rushed to hug me. When I hugged them, I felt my heart soften.

“Father!”

“Pero arrived safely as well huh.”

When I looked for Freya, I saw that she is playing a certain famous puzzle game with falling objects. Since the computer is stronger, stones are dropped one after another and gradually piled up. As she can’t get rid of it, it’s soon game over.

“Uwaaahhh! I lost again!”

“Freya, Father is here! Freya!”

“Eh? Oh, Tanaka-dono!”

When she finally noticed me, she stands up and bows as if nothing had happened.

“Naoki, I don’t seem to be able to find Eugrapia and Kurohime, and the five of the Sword of Glory members.”

“They’re getting some cash, and the others are doing some shopping.”

Getting cash? Are they robbing a bank?

As if reading my thoughts, Naoki answered,

“Dad, do you know that there is quite a bit of cash buried here in Japan?”

“I’ve never heard that before. Is there really such a thing?”

“When there’s a lot of money that hasn’t been publicly disclosed, people want to hide it somewhere you see. But knowing that if they put it near them, they’ll be found out for sure so they bury it in a secluded place.”

When he said that, I was convinced. It made sense.

“The people in this world are too weak. Just a little push can make them flip over.”

“Please remember to go easy on them though.”

Liberto and the others are back. They smiled as soon as they saw me.

“Master! You’re finally here!”

“Yes, just a while ago. Did something happen?”

The five of them put down their shopping bags and took a breather.

It was Dominique, rather, Catherine —who answered.

“Please listen, Master. When we were walking around city, this strange guy suddenly approached us and said some weird stuff like, if we formed a group, we’d definitely be a hit, and he tried to ask us where we lived and our names. I wonder if it’s because we’re too beautiful.”

Catherine wriggled and looked happy. That guy should be a scout from an entertainment agency or something. All four of them had good looks, so them walking around city together must have caught their eye. However, the solicitation was so bad that Tina drove him away.

“We’re back.”

Kurohime and Eugrapia emerged from a hole in the space. I was impressed by the square lump that she dropped to the floor. It was a pile of bills covered in a transparent plastic bag. It is likely roughly around 100 million. If we have this much, we can spend as much as we like.

“Oh, so Master has arrived huh.”

“You’re quite late, aren’t you?”

“Mmm.”

I noticed a newspaper on the desk, I sit down on the sofa and opened it.

The date is…… February 20, 2041. No mistake. This is the time I’m aiming for. I’m sure I died on February 26^th that time.

Wait, wasn’t the supposed arrival time on the 19th?

“Dad came a day late and it seemed like the location missed a bit as well.”

“So that was why I ended up at the café huh.”

Well, I was a little bit surprised. I would have liked to have appeared in a less crowded place. I quickly stand up and put on a serious expression.

“Alright, let’s go to 〇Kame Seimen!”

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

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Boooooooooooooong!

The luxury cruise ship’s horn blows its sound. I squinted at the orange sunset as I sat on the deck feeling the sea breeze.

“This is the first sunset we’ve seen since we got married.”

“That’s true.”

Erna snuggles up to me, and a ring shines in her left hand.

“Do you regret it?”

“No, I feel so great. Although of course, I feel a little guilty.”

“I think that’s natural. After all, Shinichi is dull-witted when it comes to it but you have the deepest love in this world.”

“You can never really say I’m the best in the world you know.”

“I, as a goddess, says so, so it’s true.”

It’s illogical. But that’s what I want to be too.

A skeleton passing by offered me a cocktail, so I accepted it. The skeleton bowed down and left. My familiars are working everywhere on the ship. The Great Homeless is one of the largest luxury cruise ships on this world, weighing 230,000 tons. Inside, there are a number of bars, amusement parks, casinos, theaters, shopping centers, swimming pools, first-class restaurants and much more. There is also an arena inside, where guests can enjoy a little friendly match.

“Kyahahaha, if you want it back, go for it!”

“You’re bad -Gero! I’ll get back at you!”

Two of the Four Demon Kings run on the deck. It was nice to see that they are enjoying themselves. Beyond the horizon, Leviathan-san makes a brief appearance and immediately sinks again. The fantastic and mysterious sight make my mind calm. It’s strange, but I feel like the scenery I see is different from yesterday. I felt like I remembered how beautiful and vivid the world was.

“It’s already this late. If we don’t hurry up, it’s going to start.”

“Mmm, it’s time to call Liz.”

As I start walking, Erna thrusts her right hand forward.

“……What’s that hand for?”

“Don’t you understand?”

“?”

“Haaah.”

She let out a loud sigh. My ex-wife, Miyuki, overlaps with her appearance.

『You’re really dull huh. Usually, guys are the one who holds a woman’s hand.』

『Really?』

『Haaah. You’re so annoying. If this is how it is on the first date, you’re going to have a hard time going forward you know.』

『S-sorry. This is my first time dating someone.』

『Fine, fine, enough with that. Come on, let’s go.』

On our first date, I learned to hold hands with a woman. I felt like a box of memories that had been closed until now had opened. That’s right, Miyuki. She taught me a lot of things.

I gently took Erna’s hand.

“This is something a man does, right?”

“Y-yes….…”

We went inside the ship while holding hands. The people who we passed by looked at us and grinned as if teasing. It can’t helped because we know all of them. When I went to the casino, Freya is banging on the table in front of the slot.

“What’s this!? Is it broken? I only need one more to get three 7s! Now look at this, Tanaka-dono must be working hard to rip off gold! It’s unfair!”

She was banging so hard on the machine that a staff member Skeleton came over and forcibly pulled her away from the slots machine.

“I’ll bet on red.”

Pero puts the chip forward. The dealer skeleton nods and puts the ball in the roulette. When he raises the sign that says “No More Bet”, the chip can no longer be moved. The ball moved and it went into the red box and Pero won the game. After receiving the chip, Pero happily wags his tail.

In the other seats, I can see the kings of the four kingdom playing blackjack. Vishu, Dodol, and King Kycilia were throwing away playing cards with their hands in their head, and the Queen of Sanargia was chuckling. By the way, Scathach seems to really like the pool, so she’s probably still swimming right now.

The skeleton manager, comes over and bows to us. I asked where Liz and the others are, and he told me that she and her family have just returned to their room.

After passing through several floors, we came to the main hall. This is an atrium with a huge chandelier hanging from it. Looking down from above, I saw a Homeless Seraph playing the piano gracefully. He is a Homeless Seraph, but his appearance has changed since I became a god. He still had an amethyst-like skeleton, but he now had thick, large horns on both sides of the head and two pairs of black wings on the back. He still has a purple orb on the chest.

At the end of the performance, the people who had heard the performance applauded. Seraph stands up and bows. From there, we go to the top. There was a pool and bar to enjoy the open outdoors, and people in swimsuits were enjoying all around. Among them, the most eye-catching is the group of stalls that are already smoking. Fried noodles, candy apples, yakitori, cotton candy, takoyaki, squid, etc. The skeletons continue to cook wholeheartedly.

“Katakata”

Suketarou gives instructions while looking around the stalls. The figure is pure white without a single blemish. He seemed to have come full circle and returned to his original skeleton form. However, in reality, he is incomparably stronger than before. The pure white skeleton had no light in his eyes and his chest was equipped with black orb. Suketarou seemed to have received the most power from me of all my familiars, and had become a being that was infinitely closer to the gods. If Eugrapia was the most powerful of my familiars, then there was no doubt that Suketarou would be next.

Name: Suketarou Race: Bone Demon Deity Magic Attributes: Darkness, Holy, Evil, Nothingness Magic: — Skills: Eyes of Truth, Space Jump, Demonic Divine Attire, God Slayer Domination Rate: 100% dominated by Shinichi Tanaka Evolution: ―

The Demonic Divine Attire is Suketarou’s combat form. Its power is so strong that it can  apparently shatter stars……. I haven’t actually seen it, so I don’t know if it’s true or not. There are also other changes, such as Sukejiro, the ten division commanders of the skeleton army, and the five division commanders of the Angelton army. Well, I’ll come back to that later.

“Katakata!”

Suketarou finds me and bows reverently. He is wearing an apron and has a chimaki on the head. He is really all out. I later learned that while we were gone, Suketarou had become the owner of three shops in Mana. He has also steadily continued to run the Homeless Cafeteria, and is now a successful manager. Moreover, now he does not even hide his identity, and he usually serves customers in the form of a skeleton.

Suketarou packs yakisoba and yakitori in a bag and brings them to me. Although I refused at first, despite his humble nature, he pushed the bag in my hand with strange force. It looked delicious, so I’ll accept it without hesitation.

By the pool, Scathach was lying in a chair wearing sunglasses, and in the pool, Zefa was playing with Eva and Satanas in school swimsuits. Elsewhere at the bar, Budwell, the branch manager of the Mana Guild, and Duffy, Liz’s specialist, are chatting over a bottle of beer.

“It’s almost night, hurry up.”

“Don’t panic, we still have about 20 minutes until it starts.”

Led by Erna, we descend to the floor where our room is.

“Oh, Dad!”

“Naoki? What’s are you doing here?”

I met Naoki with a pale face in the hallway. He seemed very wary of his surroundings and behaves suspiciously which made me wonder.

“W-well, I was listening to Kurohime-san’s story, then our topic turned about Moore-san and the she started saying things like…… 『Reincarnating your father was a very good deed of yours. I’m going to give you a lot of guidance as a reward.』and so on…..”

“I’ll scold her later.”

What a troublesome old woman. I didn’t think she would try to get her hands on my son.

Naoki said he was going to the rooftop and parted ways.  I then knock on the door of a suite room. There was no response, so I opened it and looked inside. The Schmidt family and the Frederia family were all chatting together.

“My, what a very lovely young lady. Well, although she is not as pretty as our daughter Erna, she still boasts good looks. I’m sure as her parent, you are proud of her.”

“No, no, same here. My daughter is more kind and prettier than your daughter, so I was worried that you might think she is inferior to her.”

The two fathers changed their smiles to furious expressions.

“Come outside, Human!”

“Fine! Let’s do it!”

““Stop!””

The two mothers scolded them. Both of them became quiet with regretful expressions.

What’s going on? Why are they fighting?

“They’ve been bragging about their daughters ever since. I don’t think you know this Shinichi, but those two have been on bad terms since the wedding reception.”

Now that she mentioned it, it did seem like they were glaring at each other for a while. The culprit should be Sir Frederia. His bragging must have gotten on Liz’s father’s nerves so he bickered back.

“Shinichi!”

Liz notices me and runs to me. However, as soon as she saw me and Erna holding hands, her brows wrinkled.

“Mmmm”

“I know, I know.”

Just as I held hands with Liz, both families noticed me. The father of the two came running to me smiling.

“It seems like my Erna is the best after all!”

“Is that really so? It seems to me that my daughter is more compatible with Tanaka-dono!”

““Stop messing around!””

Their wife pulls their ears to make them quieter. I could only smile wryly.

“Anyways, Tanaka-san has really great power and financial resources huh. I never thought that he would give Erna such a wedding. I was also amazed by this ship.”

“No, not at all.”

“I’m really surprised as well. I can’t believe that my Liz found such a nice man, so much so that I want to abandon my husband and get married myself.”

“Uh-, no……”

“Shall we throw them to the sea as it is?”

“That’s a great idea!”

The two mothers seems to be getting along well as they are chatting happily. The father of the two was in a cold sweat and their molars were chattering.

“It’s about time to go upstairs.”

I invite both families to go up to the deck where the pool was. Many people had already gathered and looked towards the island. The sky darkens and the star-filled skyline shines.

“I’m starting”

A few seconds after hearing Eugrapia’s voice, a huge firework went up in the sky. The smell of gunpowder arrives on the wind and the popping sound that shakes the air. There were cheers every time the fireworks went off.

I look at my two wife on my left and right side. What is here is what I came to this world and obtained. Wife and son and many acquaintances. It’s the same with my familiars. If I go to the past, most of them may disappear. But the memory remains. This is my thanks and apology for them. A ritual to make a resolve that we’ll meet again.

Again, I’m really sorry.

“Are you still apologizing?”

Kanzaki was there with a cocktail.

“Just a little.”

“It’s not like you, Tanaka-san. You should be the one who doesn’t hold back when you do it. That’s the manager, the Homeless, the Shinichi Tanaka I knew.”

As expected, he is my right-hand man. He always pushes me when I needed it.

“Instead, do your best to save the world.”

“Mmm.”

“And let’s see that sunset again.”

“Yeah.”

The sunset that we just saw is the future. A brilliance that continues into tomorrow. I shook hands with him, and the last fireworks burst into the night sky.

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

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Along with Erna and Liz, we went to the 19^th floor of the Great Dungeon. Unlike back then, the orcs flee in fear as soon as they see us who have become gods. Now that I can defeat them without even touching them, it’s kinda weird.

“This area brings back memories. This is where I had the bad luck of encountering an orc.”

“I am not there yet.”

“Fufun! Too bad for you, I’m the first one to meet Shinichi. I’m the oldest member of the party.”

“Oniichan, you’re too kind. You should have just abandoned this woman.”

“If it’s fight you’re selling, I’ll buy it.”

Erna and Liz glared at each other. It’s hard to tell if the two of them are on good terms or not. I looked at Moore’s map and continue on. That’s right, I found Erna’s backpack around here. I retrieved it and went after her.

I turned left at the crossroads.

“But why did you suddenly want to come to a place like this?”

“Maybe it’s because I wanted to feel it again, and I wanted to reaffirm that feeling I had when I first walked into this world. In other words, I’m trying to imprint the memories of this world on my five senses.”

“That’s right. If we go to the past, this place will disappear, even if there’s the same place, it’s still different.”

Yes, to us, that place of the past is just a similar place. What is here now is unique and will eventually disappear.

Soon, we arrived at the place where Erna and I met. Blue crystals shine on the walls, illuminating the floor like spotlights. I remember that I called out to the elf who was sitting here.

“Right! This is the place. This is where me and Shinichi met!”

“He picked it up by mistake.”

“Heh- you’re really looking for it huh? Let’s have a fistfight right now!”

Leaving the two of them making a lot of noise, I move under the light. I took something out of my pocket and hid it behind me.

“Erna”

“Yeah?”

I start talking with a serious face,

“I once had a woman I loved with all my heart, but she suddenly disappeared with my son. The rest of my life was unbelievable. I was so depressed that I couldn’t see the point in living.”

“Un.”

“One day, I met a strange elf. She can’t use magic properly, has a spending habit, and is loud-mouthed, but she is actually a competitive woman who works hard at everything. She is a very kind-hearted woman. Before I knew it, I was drawn to her.”

Tears gradually welled up in Erna’s eyes. Still, she listened quietly.

“Then I was reunited with my son and learned that my former wife still love me and I also get to know the circumstances that forced her to disappear. To be honest I was confused. Things that had been sorted out were turned upside down all at once. I didn’t know what to do.”

Liz is silent as she listens. There were also tears in her eyes, but sadness were in it.

“So I kept thinking, what should I do? After thinking about it over and over again, I came to a conclusion. I couldn’t abandon the person I love. That’s why I decided to love my ex-wife, but also love Erna even more.”

I took out a small box from behind my back and opened it in front of her. It was a ring with a simple design. It shines brightly under the light.

“I might be like this but still, will you marry me?”

“…………”

Erna covered her mouth and tears fell in her eyes. Her tears are spilling as she lets out an inaudible sound. She then replied in a small voice, “Yes.”

“Liz, you have it, too.”

““Eh!?””

I quickly pulls out another small box from my pocket and shows it to Liz.

“Actually, there was one more thing that I had been struggling. That was whether I should love Erna or Liz. Both of you are attractive and irreplaceable to me. I love you guys so much that I couldn’t choose one or the other. You can call me indecisive, but I have decided to marry both of you.”

“……I knew it would end up like this.”

“I kind of expected it too.”

The two of them look at me with exasperated look. I thought it over and over again before coming to this decision. Please forgive this selfish man.

 “I hope we’ll be together forever Shini~chi~.”

Liz accepted the ring with a smile. Erna is also smiling as she says, “Well well~”

Paaan. Two crackers sounded. It was Pero and Freya. Both Erna and Liz seem surprised by their sudden appearance.

“Why are you two here?”

“We’ve been set up?”

Kukuku, exactly. They have fallen into my trap. The scenery changes all at once and shifts to a certain place.

“Congratulations on your marriage!”

Paaan, Paaan, Fireworks, fireworks, fireworks.

Countless crackers are set off, and fireworks are also set off in the distance. The musicians who had been waiting played light music, and the strangers in formal clothes surrounded us and cheered.

“W-what!? What’s this?”

“Erna is not very perceptive at all. I created a situation that only you two don’t know about.”

“Could it be that this was a surprise proposal?!”

The place where we are now is on the sea.  We are on the deck of a huge cruise ship. Not far away was the Forbidden Island, a dazzling sea of emeralds is illuminated by the sunlight. By the way, the fireworks are set off from the island by Eugrapia.

“Erna! Congratulations!”

“Mother!? Eh? Eeeeeh!?”

Without even knowing what was going on, Erna was taken by her mother who is already dressed for the occasion. Dressed in formal attire as well, Liz’s family also arrived, and she was also taken to another room without further ado.

Now, I should start getting ready too. When I went to a room on the ship, I found Vishu and Dodol drinking on the sofa.

These two are already drinking? 

The ceremony is about to begin. In an instant, I changed into a white tuxedo and sat down on the sofa.

“Fuhahaha, why don’t you take that robe off for the wedding!”

“Gyahahaha! Good grief! But you look better that way!”

“Is it a compliment or an insult?”

I was also nervous, so I decided to get a drink. It’s been a long time since my wedding with Miyuki. At that time, I was also extremely nervous. I couldn’t even sleep the day before.

Click. Click.

When I turned to the sound of the shutter, I saw Pero with a camera. Come to think of it, I asked him to take a picture. In addition, Freya is taking photos of the guests, and Naoki volunteered to take videos.

“So you are here huh.”

“Oh, Dhal! You’ve come too!”

“Of course! It’s still too early to get drunk though.”

“Don’t say that. Come on, you can drink too!”

Sitting on a sofa in a tuxedo, Dhal takes a bottle of liquor from Dodol and takes a sip. Then Rodman and other acquaintances gathered in the room one after another. The banquet had begun, even though it was before the wedding.

“What the-, such smell of alcohol! Hey, you! What the hell is going on here!”

Erna’s father, who came to check on the situation, is immediately furious. I was seen in a bad place. However, Vishu and Dodol forcibly pulled him into the room and made him drink.

“—Hiccup, when I think that my sweet Erna is going to get married…… It’s so complicated.”

“I know, I know. To be a father with a daughter can be lonely.”

“You have a daughter too?”

“Yes. I had three daughters, but they all got married and left. And even though I thought I was relieved, I felt like I had a gaping hole in my chest.”

“King Dartan!”

“Sir Frederia!”

For some reason, the two hug each other. I never thought that they would get along better all at once because of that.

“Dear! I was wondering what you were doing! Erna’s preparations are over, so come quickly!”

“O-oh finally! Well, please excuse me!”

Sir Frederia left the room quickly. Liz’s father came in by mistake, so I stood up and shook his hand.

“Thank you very much for this time. I never thought that I would end up united with Tanaka-dono in this way.”

“Same here. She has helped me many times and I’m deeply grateful to you, her parents, for helping her so many times and raising her to be such a wonderful woman. Thank you very much for your support at the ceremony.”

He was also drawn in by Dodol and decided to drink. Like Sir Frederia, his wife came and dragged him away.

“It’s almost time.”

“Un, let’s go.”

Edner came to call me, so I stood up. At the same time, the guys who had been drinking were also following me in droves.

The wedding ceremony begins.

First of all, the groom enters first. I then wait in front of the priest for Erna and Liz to enter. The door opened and two people in wedding dresses stepped in.

Both of them wore a pure white wedding dress. Erna wears something that is gorgeous and elegant looking layered dress with sparkly diamond studs in it. Liz wore a classy classic dress with bow that looks cute and eye catching as well.

Their faces are veiled, and I can see that their faces had light layer of makeup. I was already nervous, but now I’m even more nervous. Sweat began to drip down my hands, and I ruminated in my head over and over again that this day had finally come.

The aisle on the church of the ship is purposely made wide so that two people can stand side by side. With a quiet step, Erna and Liz lined up in front of me.

“Do you swear?”

Huh? I was shocked. While I was in a daze, the oath ceremony had already begun.

“Yes, I swear.”

The priest then asks Erna and Liz,

“Do you swear to the Creator God that you will always walk alongside Shinichi Tanaka and serve him with all your heart for as long as you live?”

““I swear.””

The exchange of rings comes.

Erna and Liz took off their gloves, revealing their thin, white fingers.

Fist, I received the ring from Erna’s sister. With trembling hands, I slipped it onto Erna’s ring finger. Erna looks at her left hand with a crying expression. Next, I slowly put the ring on Liz. Liz was as expressionless as ever, but her eyes were filled with joy and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.

Erna then picks up the ring. When it was put on my ring finger, it shone silver. Liz then puts the ring she’s holding in the same way, and the two rings merge into one.

“A kiss of vow.”

I raise the veil of Erna. Her face is more beautiful and divine than anything I had ever seen. Gently, I put my lips on top of hers. The soft feel that it sticks to mine felt so great. It makes me want to do this all the time. When I let go of her face, Erna turned bright red. Maybe mine is bright red, too. I felt that my face is hot.

Next, I lifted Liz’s veil, and there I saw an incredibly beautiful girl looking at me. I was reminded that this was the kind of girl I was going to marry. I put my lips on hers. Then she grabs my head and puts her tongue in my mouth. Shocked, I pulled my head back in a daze, Liz licks her lips happily. What a naughty girl. It’s not something you do at a wedding.

“Hey, you’re cunning!”

“I don’t know, this is what the kiss I saw looked like.”

“Who did you use as your inspiration!? Tell me!”

“Sec~ret”

The atmosphere became more relaxed after their quarrel began. In the end, it ended up with the usual one. But I feel like this is us.

After the ceremony, a grand reception was held. The people who gathered were influential people equivalent to the rulers of state of each kingdom. In addition, the total number of people who have been invited has reached 600. It’s the most flamboyant, grand and memorable wedding ever.

I decided to change my plan and delay our departure by a few days. I wanted to feel this time just a little longer.

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

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I stare at the ring on the round table. I’m currently at the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters, located halfway up the sacred Grand Mountain. I’m led to the conference room we used last time, where I’m currently waiting for a certain person. 

“Hoh~, so you’ve become a god huh.”

“Un. Well, it doesn’t really feel real though.”

Eva arrives and calmly takes a seat. I came to see her for two reasons. 

I’ll tell her the first one first,

“Moore’s clone has disappeared.”

“……I see. And what about Maria?”

“As she was. At the last minute, Moore had doubts about bringing her back to life and before vanishing from existence next to his own corpse, he said it was just his own selfishness.”

“What a fool……”

She turned her face away, biting her lip as she endured something. Her eyes were slightly moist.

“I made their tombs in the Demon Realm. I could have brought them to the surface, but I felt that there would be an unnecessary disturbance doing so.”

“That’s a good decision. Those two already had graves here. It doesn’t matter where the body is. In fact, I’m sure he would be happy to be buried with just the two of them.”

I can’t find the words to say so I fall silent. But in a moments time, Eva changed her expression and smiled.

“Well, the last thousand years have not been as bad as you think, because that Idiot has come to see me from time to time and act like a husband. I’m sorry for Maria, but it was me who was more like Moore’s wife. I’m not going to give up on that.”

Is it her pride as a wife?

I don’t know what kind of relationship she had with Maria, but she seems to have had a rivalry in her own way. In his youth, Moore was a very popular man huh. I’m really curious to see what his father, Shigeru-san, looks like.

“By the way, Moore asked me to look after his descendants, do you know what their current situation is now?”

“Descendants huh…… Well, as for my direct descendants, I am doing my best to support them. As for the others, they should be scattered all over the world after the downfall. I have heard that Maria’s direct descendants live in the Royal Capital.”

To think that the downfall would made them disperse all over the world… It’s a little late but it turned out to be a troublesome request huh. For the time being, I’ll get to this after the battle.

I then hold out an envelope to Eva to finish my second errand.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an invitation to a ceremony.”

“Oooh! A wedding!?”

She opened the envelope and looked at the details with a suspicious expression.

“Three days later? That’s a bit hasty, isn’t it?”

I explained to her my plan on going to my past world.

“—Is that so? Alright then.”

“As it says, there’s no need for any gifts. Just come.”

“Definitely. And now that you have become the God of Destruction, there is nothing that I can give you…… No, there is one.”

“Hmm? One what?”

I tilted my head as question mark appeared in my mind. Eva stood on the round table and looked down at me happily.

O-Oi… I can see what’s inside the skirt.

“You may make me your subordinate.”

“Huh?”

“If you travel to the past, this time will disappear, right? Besides, you still don’t have enough fighting power against Gohma. The other party is a main god after all. There is for sure an army of tens of billions of angels waiting for you, right? Don’t you want me, hmmm?”

“But….…”

This is indeed an unexpected offer. I’m happy for it, but I can’t give an immediate answer because there seems to be a ulterior motive behind this.

“As you know, I am only a clone of the Demon King, or more precisely, a fragment of her soul. However, the Demon King has already lost her divinity and has lost the ability to manipulate soul. In that case, I am destined to be forcibly pulled back to the main body.”

“Does it mean that you will be absorbed?”

“Mmm. If that happens, I will never be able to be me again.”

In other words, before she is absorbed, with my power, she want me to reconstruct herself as separate individual. If she became my familiar, her power will be further strengthened and she will be able to continue to stay in this world. In this way, I can also make a powerful ally and strengthen my fighting power.

“Let me tell you, even if you go back to the past, you may not have a place for yourself.”

“Is it because there is another me here? In that case, I can just kill her and take her place, right?”

She grinned.

I see, that’s one way of thinking about it. If the future disappears, killing your past self will not cause a paradox. The contradiction arises because time is continuous both forward and backward, and it got no connection between us, who suddenly appears. To put it simply, we become doppelgangers of our past selves with memories of the future.

“You have another goal, don’t you?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Oi, there’s no use trying to get away with it.

If we go back in time, Moore’s clone will still exist. She is going to persuade him this time for sure. Just as Moore was attached to Maria, she is obsessed with Moore.

“In this current world, he and Maria entered the tomb together. So shouldn’t I be the next one to do so? Of course, I have no intention of neglecting you, my master. Everything in this body will become yours.”

“Are you trying to say that if I accept your conditions, you’ll become my familiar?”

“Correct. But let me tell you, this proposal came to be because it was you, otherwise, I would have chosen to disappear with time.”

Is it a proposal based on the fact that I am not interested in Eva?

Honestly, I don’t want anything from her other than as a fighting force. When the battle is over, I think she can be free to do whatever she wants. That is, of course, if we survive.

“I agree then. I’ll have you stay with me until the end of the battle.”

“Fufu. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to fight to my heart’s content.”

She jumps off the round table and then I placed my hand on the top of her head. Becoming a familiar of the highest ranking god, she will be infinitely close to an angel or god. With someone like her, she would certainly be a powerful force.

The familiar creation was over, but there was no change in Eva. She is about 150 cm tall as usual, with shiny black hair and red eyebrows. She is a beautiful and fragile looking girl with a blood-red dress and a parasol that stood out strangely. However, her abilities had risen by leaps and bounds.

Name: Kurohime

Race: Black-Blooded King

Magic Attributes: Wind, Darkness, Evil

Magic: ―

Skills: Eyes of Truth, Blood Manipulation, EX Counter

Domination rate: 100% dominated by Shinichi Tanaka

Evolution: ―

“Why did your name changed?”

“I took this opportunity to change my name. From now on, you can call me, Kurohime.”

“You have an arrogant attitude for a familiar huh.”

I check her status again. Blood manipulation should have been a skill that Eva, the main body, also possessed. As for the EX counter, it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

But is Eyes of Truth a skill that anyone can acquire after a certain level of strength?

“Blood manipulation is the ability to manipulate not only one’s own blood but also the blood of others. Not only that, it can also control the person I had bitten.”

“That powerful huh. But then why is it that Eva in the Demon Realm did not try to control me?”

“It’s simple. The seal that sealed the God of Destruction is designed to prevent brainwashed humans from being considered as key. You could say that she couldn’t do it even if she wanted to.”

She then said, “Try hitting me”.

I was a little hesitant, but with her current state, she wouldn’t get hurt I guess.

Paaak. The hand that slapped her cheek was forcefully deflected back. When I checked, Kurohime’s cheek had no trace of being slapped at all. That means to say that I was counterattacked even before I could hit her.

“The EX counter is a skill that doubles and returns all perceptible attacks, and although it doesn’t auto-activate and it needs to be timed, it’s a pretty effective way to attack.”

She sits on the edge of the round table and dangles her legs. I have the impression that her appearance has become more formidable than before.

“As I said before, the enemy is far more powerful than you can imagine, and considering that there are also first-class angels who are god-slayers that takes on the role of the God of Destruction, it won’t be so easy to win.”

“Ah, so that is the role of that angel huh?”

“What? Didn’t you notice? You are surprisingly stupid huh.”

“Shut it. I just didn’t know what was going on.”

But we certainly need to be careful of first-class angels. The gods must have been at disadvantage because of their presence. In addition, Gohma’s own abilities are unknown. Well, let’s hear about that from Kurohime and Eugrapia later. I checked my pocket watch and leave my seat.

“Are you going already?”

“I don’t have a lot of time, and there are a lot of people I need to give invitations to.”

“That’s true.”

I greeted Kurohime lightly before teleporting.

　◇◇◇

By the time I got back to our hideout, it was already evening. In the living room, Pero and Freya are cooking together. Looks like we are having hot pot tonight.

“Hmm, where did Erna and Liz go?”

“Welcome back, Father. They said that they would remodel the room and then they stayed holed up in there.”

I have a bad feeling about it. When those two people act together, they never do anything good. For the time being, I decided to take a peek into Liz’s room.

“What the heck is this!?”

Beyond the open door, a Japanese-style corridor continued endlessly. There were shoji doors on both sides, and when I opened the door, I found a Japanese-style room with brand new tatami mats.

“Shinichi?”

“Uwaa!?”

The ceiling on the hallway opens up and Erna pops her head out. Then part of the wall rotated to reveal Liz.

“What are you guys doing!?”

“Remodeling”

“I know that seeing this. But this is going to be too much!”

“A ninja must be prepared at all times.”

Liz’s eyes shine brightly, and she’s more like a ninja than before.

“Oh yes, take a look at my remodeled room!”

“O-okay….…”

Erna takes me into the room. At that point, I was speechless.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“…………”

It was a forest. A house stands alone in a quiet flower field surrounded by trees. It could be described as a moderately sized two-story log cabin. It was a stylish and serene building. The building is filled with antique-style furniture, and her own particular style can be seen everywhere.

When I found a room that looked like a bedroom and checked it, I found a king-size bed and a small table next to it where you could put a cup of tea. There seemed to be a veranda in this room, and the white lace curtains swayed in the wind at the open window. In addition, there are subtly beautified portraits hanging on the walls. Perhaps embarrassed, Erna hurriedly removed the painting from the wall and hid it behind the bed.

“My bedroom is even more amazing!”

I turned around, and Liz is there before I know it. She must have traveled in the dark water, but I would like her to at least give a greeting.

Liz beckoned me with her hand and told me to enter the black water. I dipped my foot into the water cautiously before fully diving in, then I fell straight onto a fluffy futon. I see, so the exit was connected to the ceiling of the bedroom. It felt strange.

When I looked around, I saw that the futon spread in a room of 12 tatami mats. Beside it lay a lantern painted in vermilion, and beyond the open door was a splendid garden with the sound of deer. Moreover, the moon can be seen on the other side of the wall. Moreover, as I listened closely, I can hear the sound of bell insects, which is surprising.

“Now we can have a child whenever we want.”

“Too bad for you. Shinichi absolutely loved my bedroom.”

This strange competition must have started while the room was being remodeled. This is interesting, but I also feel that it is a bit overkill.

“Ah! We have to make a nursery room!”

“Crap! I forgot about that!”

The two of them are talking happily again, so I quietly teleported and returned to the living room.

“Oh, just in time. We just made it.”

“Tanaka-dono, tonight’s dish is miso stew.”

“It looks delicious.”

As I sit down, steam is rising from the clay pot. I almost drooled at the ingredients that were being stewed.

“Eh? How about those two?”

“I don’t know. They’ll come when they feel like it.”

I said, “Itadakimasu!”, picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

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

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When I arrived at the Imperial Capital of the Estent Empire, I head towards the main gate from the front. However, two guards immediately crossed their spears to block my way.

“Why is there a human in a place like this? Go back immediately!”

“Wait, maybe he’s a new merchant. Hey, if you have a permit, show it quickly.”

One is a young guard. The other is a middle-aged guard. The younger one seemed to hate humans and tried to turn me away, but the middle-aged one seemed flexible as he talked calmly.

But what is a permit? Does it mean that I can’t enter the Imperial Capital without a certificate issued somewhere?

“I don’t have a permit.”

“Then you can’t enter. Get lost!”

“Instead, I have money.”

“…..I see.”

The young guard grins. However, the middle-aged man interrupted the conversation.

“Bribery is not appreciated. You can get a permit in the previous town, so make sure you follow the proper procedures.”

“Hey, Ossan, are you still saying something like that? You are too stubborn you know.”

“You’re the one being too lax. We are soldiers of the Honorable Empire. We can’t mess around and go casual with anyone.”

The two guards begin to quarrel.

I’d like to go inside soon…… Should I just make them sleep and get through?

As I was having that thought,

“What are you two arguing about?”

““A-Advisor!””

A figure who appeared to be a superior officer appeared with a fluttering cloak. Looking at his armor, he seems to be a high-ranking person. Hmm, I feel like I’ve seen his face somewhere.

“I apologize. A human suddenly came and asked to be let in….”

“What about the permit?”

“He said he didn’t have one.”

“Then drive him back—!?”

The man who was called the Advisor was stunned as soon as he saw me clearly. It was there that the memories of him finally came to me. He was the one who commanded the Imperial army when I was chasing them with my skeletons. I remember that thanks to him, it was difficult to catch the Imperial army. The other party seemed to remember me as well, and immediately bowed his head.

“Please pardon my subordinates for their impoliteness. Please let them go!”

“I don’t mind. Can you let me through now?”

“P-Please do. I’ll show you around!”

The Advisor is called Fector, a slim man with long gray hair tied at the back of his head. He has the temperament of a gentleman and does come across as a harsh one.

“I had no idea that Tanaka-sama would be coming. If you had given us a prior notice, you wouldn’t have experienced such a greeting.”

“No, that’s fine already, no need to worry about that. More than that, I’m impressed that you remember me well.”

“You may have forgotten, but I also participated in the sacred beasts defense battle. I don’t know how many times I prepared myself for death in those fierce battles with the angels.”

Looking back on my memory, I certainly feel like I’ve seen his face a few times in that place. However, I still has a strong impression of him from the war against the Empire. With him as my guide, I make my way through the imperial capital. The city center, which was damaged in the battle with the Emperor, has been repaired and regained its former tranquility and is bustling with people. No, in fact, it feels like it has become even more prosperous.

“Her Majesty, Scáthach is a very wise woman. She has opened up the market in exchange for drawing support from other kingdoms. Thanks to that, we are now richer than we were before the war.”

“That’s indeed what it looks like now.”

A few townspeople turned pale as soon as they saw me. They must have recalled the time when I marched with my skeletons in the previous battle.

“Don’t be too offended, it was too shocking for us Imperials you see. After all, it was the first time in thousands of years that the capital had been attacked.”

He said that the killing of the Sacred Beast was the most painful for them. The Sacred Beast Doran was the strongest guardian beast protecting the Imperial City. That’s why the Imperial Army was able to go on the offensive without defending any of its home bases. The loss of an absolute guardian god and object of worship must have shaken the empire like never before. Even though I had no choice at that time, I guess I am also responsible for upsetting the balance of power in the world. In fact, that even shook the barrier that protected this planet.

“By the way, what did Tanaka-sama come here for?”

“As you have thought, I would like to meet Empress Scáthach.”

“As expected huh. I had guided you to the palace with that in mind so I’m relieved. By the way, may I ask you why you are meeting Her Majesty?”

“Actually, there seems to be a ring in the treasury here that I am looking for, and I thought of asking her if she could give it to me.”

“I see. A ring huh….”

He crossed his arms and tried to remember if he had ever seen one in the treasury. Of course, not out of kindness, but because he is interested in the value of the ring. If it’s a normal ring, I can just make one. So he can at least tell that it’s not just a ring.

“What does it look like?”

“Probably black.”

“Black ring…… C-could it be the first emperor’s ring?!”

The first emperor of the Estent Empire—Emperor Guwan Shikōtei. He was reportedly very ruthless and dictatorial. However, many of the things he did were groundbreaking at the time, and it is said that he was undoubtedly the one who laid the foundation of the current empire. The first emperor Guwan wore a black ring all the time. Today, it is kept in the innermost part of the treasury, but successive emperors always have a ritual to test whether they can wear the ring after their accession to the throne. However, since the First Emperor, no one has been able to put the ring on.

“If that’s the ring Tanaka-sama is looking for, it’s almost impossible to get it. After all, it’s the national treasure of our empire. Even Her Majesty Scáthach wouldn’t agree to it.”

“Hmm, it’s a national treasure huh. That’s a problem then.”

“But first, we need to make sure if it is really Guwan-sama’s ring. We need to talk to Her Majesty and check the treasury.”

Fector led me inside to the Imperial Palace, and then to the throne room where the Empress was. Scathach was sitting on the throne with all the charisma of an Empress, and her expression does not change even when she sees me. Compared to that time when she lost her father, she is now very different.

“Welcome, Tanaka-dono. So, why did you come here?”

“I am looking for something. I think there’s a black ring in the treasury of this Kingdom. I want you to give it to me.”

“Are you saying you want it for free?”

“Of course I’ll pay you in exchange.”

“……Very well.”

She ordered her servant to bring all the rings in the treasury. It seems to take a while, so I start chatting with her in the meantime.

“You’ve become a lot more like an Empress huh.”

“Fufu, you say something quite embarrassing huh. Well, I wonder if you did this to me.”

“Maybe.”

Even though Scathach is called Empress, she is still a young girl. Her beauty seemed more polished than when I first saw her.

“By the way, don’t you want to be my husband?”

“Huh? Husband??”

Even I can’t believe my ears.

 Is she sane to propose marriage to the man who killed his father?

“I want to leave behind an excellent child, and in that respect, despite you being human, you have dealt with the world’s most powerful people on an equal footing, and even defeated those powerful angels. Considering the prosperity of the empire, my marriage with you should be a major turning point.”

“No, no way. I killed your father you know. Besides, your people will not stay silent.”

“Would a man like you care about such a trivial matter? My father is already dead, and when I think of the future of my kingdom, I am more than willing to throw away any grudges I might have. If the people are unhappy about my marriage to you, I will simply oppress them until they say yes.”

This girl may have been more terrifying than I thought. As expected, she is the daughter of the former emperor, I can really feel their strong blood connection. However, I have no intention of marrying her, so I have to refuse.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not going to do that. I’m sure there is someone more suitable for you.”

“Then let’s do this, if the black ring you are looking for is the ring of the First Emperor, which is our national treasure, I will give it to you but in exchange, I will ask you to become my husband.”

It has come to this huh. Hmmm….

I could take it by force, but I don’t really like doing so. If possible, I would like to make a proper transaction. That’s what I wanted.

“I have brought them.”

The servant returns with four rings placed on a tray. The Empress raised the corner of her mouth slightly, “Which one are you looking for?”

“Can I touch it for a moment?”

“No problem.”

The first ring. It’s a gold ring with a black pearl in it. I tried to touch it lightly with my finger, but there is no reaction. This is not it.

The second ring. It is a silver ring with onyx in it. I tried to touch it, but there is no reaction.

The third ring. It’s a gold ring with a blank opal in it. Again, there was no reaction either.

The fourth ring. It’s a jet-black ring embellished with gold. The black part is engraved with scrambled letters. When I touched it, a wave of light ran. This is it. No mistake.

“This is it.”

“That’s the First Emperor’s ring.”

As expected. It’s obviously different from other rings. The empress looked at me with a slight smile.

“If there’s anything I can trade outside of marriage, what is it?”

“It’s a difficult story, after all, it’s the history of the empire itself. If there is an equivalent value, it would be Sacred Beast Doran. Therefore, you cannot pay a price for that.”

“Sacred Beast Doran huh……”

It seems that she is determined to draw me into the empire. But it is true that Sacred Beast Doran is worth it. It is the best way to enhance the Empire’s defense and unify the public’s consciousness. It would be a reasonable price for the ring.

However, if I bring Doran back to life, the next thing she’ll demand is the former emperor, Gaen, and her other siblings. In that case, there will be no end to it. After all, when it comes to reviving the dead, it’s more about the outcome than the process.

“I’ll give you a new sacred beast, can I use it as a price?”

“What are you talking about? A sacred beast you say!?”

“I’m going to give you a sacred beast to replace Doran, and in exchange, I’ll have that ring.”

“Hmm, let me tell you, a mere dragon sacred beast won’t convince me. It must be at least a high-ranking dragon sacred beast.”

I used divine qi to create a dragon-type sacred beast. If I suddenly turn it into an adult, it will destroy the Imperial Palace, so I first create it as a juvenile and adjust it so that it becomes an adult in a few days. Its color is pure white. Golden eyes. Bestowed with light and holy attributes. A dragon cub appeared in a swirl of iridescent light.

“Kuwaaaang~”

“Come here.”

The dragon cub yawned as I picked it up. It had pure white scales and large golden eyes like glass beads. 

There was a commotion in the throne room.

“H-How did you do that!?”

“It’s a trade secret. By the way, is there anyone who can use appraisal?”

Looking around, I saw that one of her subjects possessed appraisal skill. I instructed that person to hold the dragon and check its status.

“How is it!?”

“Y-Yes…… Empress, it is indeed a sacred beast. It’s also a top-tier dragon.”

Empress Scathach vigorously hit the armrest of her throne and looked frustrated.

“Not yet, I can’t give you the ring at this rate! I’ll accept the exchange if you produce another top-ranking dragon sacred beast!”

“Hmm, that’s fine.”

This time, I created a jet-black top-of-the-line dragon. This one had darkness and holy attribute. It has silver eyes. The moment it appeared before their eyes, both Scathach and her subjects were speechless.

“You…… You have become a being beyond the real of humans……”

“The short answer is, yes.”

“It would be even more unfortunate then, if I had moved earlier…”

I can’t find the words to say to the depressed Empress. In fact, I was thinking of having her come to the wedding. I feel like it’s too cruel to invite her now. However, it is also a problem if she is the only one not present at the ceremony where the rulers of each kingdom all gather together.

This…. I guess I’ll invite her anyway.

I took out an envelope from my bosom. I handed it to a nearby servant and told her to show it to Scathach.

“Inviting me to your wedding ceremony…… What a thoughtless man you are.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s also a gathering for all kingdom, so I can’t help but invite you.”

“Very well. I’ll participate. However, the date of the event is three days later, which is quite hasty. What do you mean? You don’t even need a gift?”

“I’ll pick you up in three days. Please be ready by the time listed. The details are written in the letter.”

“Understood.”

Empress Scathach smiled resignedly.

“So, can I get the ring?”

“Given those two powerful sacred beasts, I have no choice but to accept. Even though it is a national treasure, the ring is nothing more than a useless ornaments that no one can wear. I am actually surprised that I was able to exchange it for more.”

Scathach looked satisfied as she stroked the two dragons on her lap. Those two will make the empire even calmer.

“See you soon.”

I took the ring and left the throne room.

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

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