Chapter 579: She Was a Count-level, High-ranking Demon

It was the first day of the second Fire month, the Six Kings Festival was over and six months had passed on the calendar. Incidentally, the calendar of this world passes in the order of Fire month, Water month, Tree month, Earth month, Wind month and after the Light month, Fire month and the following months were repeated again, other than the 12th month being called the Heaven month.

The months of Fire to Wind come around twice a year, so the second month had the “second” attached to its name to distinguish it from the other month.

Well, that being said, I’m quite tired from the Six Kings Festival, so I’m more inclined to take it easy…… but how should I say this…… the people of this world really are energetic.

As I was thinking about this, I stroked the head of Bell, who I was leaning my back unto, and looked at Lilia-san and the others who were hard at work on their training.

Participating in the training are Lilia-san, Luna-san, Sieg-san, Anima, Eta and Theta. Aoi-chan and Hina-chan were probably like me, tired from the Six Kings Festival, so they didn’t participate in the training today and went out to the city together.

They also invited me in their training too, but I declined because I wanted to brush Bell, so after I did that, I came to observe their training.

Everyone at the training seemed to be more enthusiastic than usual, but I guess it’s just my imagination, right?

Right at that moment, Lilia-san stopped swinging her sword and wiped her sweat away. She seems to have noticed me and walked towards me, so I called out to her.

[Lilia-san, great work out there.]

[Thank you.]

[It seemed like everyone was quite enthusiastic huh.]

[……You’re right. The incident with the First Hero, and the challenge to Agni-sama at the Six Kings Festival…… I supposed everyone had felt how inadequate their current strengths are.]

I see…… Anima was probably looking forward to her rematch with Epsilon-san, while Luna-san, Sieg-san, Eta and Theta, just like Lilia-san, may be fired up about their training after being completely defeated by Agni-san, even when she was holding back against them, at the Six Kings Festival.

[Now then, I guess I’ll do another set.]

[Eh? Already? You haven’t rested enough though……]

[I still have a job I need to do and can’t devote too much time to training, so I want to do my best while I still have some time to train.]

[I- I see….. Then, please at least have some drink……]

[No, like I said, please don’t casually take out a juice made from the Fruit of the World Tree as if it were normal water. I won’t drink it, okay?]

Hearing that Lilia-san would return to her training after talking to me for a few moments, I took out a juice made from the Fruit of the World Tree to at least help her recover from fatigue, but she refused.

Saying “I’ll just accept the thought” with a wry smile on her face, Lilia-san went back to her training.

Hmmm, everyone seems to be working hard, so I wonder if there’s something I could do to help them…… but I’m not really good at fighting.

[What’s the matteeeeer~? You have such a serious expression on your faaaace?]

[……Illness-san?]

[Hellooooo~~ I was walking by on my way back from doing laundryyyyy, when I saw that you seemed to be thinking about somethiiiiing~~]

[Ah, well…… Lilia-san and the others are training hard, and I was thinking if I could help them in some way.]

Telling Illness-san who happened to be passing by, I told her what I had been thinking earlier. Thereupon, after glancing at Lilia-san and the others who were training, she nodded her head before speaking.

[……I see~~ They seem to be “worried because they aren’t growing fast enough” huuuuh. They might even be feeling impatieeeeent~~. As for their training methooood~~ I can’t really say that they’re doing it wrong but~~.]

[Eh? I- Is that how it is?]

[Yeeees~~ Especiaaaaaaly~~ My Laaaaady and Animaaaa, the both of them were stuck in a waaaaaaaall~~. This is also a chance for them to grow a loooooot.]

I don’t really have any idea what she’s talking about, but I could feel certainty with the way Illness-san said it. Lilia-san and Anima were stuck in a wall? A great chance?

While I was confused, Illness-san gently reached out her hand and patted my head a bit, before she slowly walked closer to Lilia-san and the others.

Then, after walking a few distance away from me, she clapped her hands, prompting Lilia-san and the others to stop their training, and she spoke.

[Please listen to me for a bit~~ By Kaito-samaaaaa’s requeeeest, I will give everyonnnneee some adviiiiiiice.]

[Illness?]

Hearing Illness-san’s words, Lilia-san tilted her head in wonder.

[First of allll~~ My Laaaady, I recommend that you train your magic power controooool~~, not your physical ability or techniques.]

[Ehh? E- Err…… Yes?]

[Neeeext, Animaaaa~~ You should improve your techniiiiques~~. As for Siegliiiiinde~~ I think you should focus on parallel activation of the techniiiiiques. Lunamariaaa, you should be more mindful between you and your opponeeeeent. As for Eta and Theta, you two should go back to basiiiiics.]

[ [ [ [ […………………] ] ] ] ]

[That’s aaaaaall. Do youuuu have any questiooooons?]

Hearing Illness-san casually give them advice, Lilia-san and the others looked stunned, as if their minds were still unable to catch up with what’s happening.

Anima, who was the first to recover from her confusion, raised her hand.

[Yeeeess~~ What is iiiiit?]

[Illness-dono, if I do that…… Can I become stronger than I am now?]

Incidentally, Anima has also been indebted to Illness-san for teaching her how to write letters, so she properly makes use of honorifics when she’s speaking to her.

[Let’s seeee, how about~~ we try it out for a biiiiit~~?]

[Try it out?]

[Please try~~ attacking meeee~~. I “won’t use magic power at aaaaall”, so pleaase attack me with all your miiiiight~~]

[Eh? N- No, but that’s……]

I can understand why Anima lost her bearings. Hearing her say that she won’t be using magic power at all means that she won’t be able to use Strengthening or Barrier magic….. In such a state, receiving an attack from Anima, whose strength is comparable to a  Viscount-level, High-ranking Demon is quite absurd.

[If you really want to be strongeeeeer, stop hesitating and start attacking~~ Then, you might find your answer to that question, don’t you thiiiiink?]

[……I- I understand.]

When Anima heard Illness-san’s words that held no hesitation within it, as if she had made up her mind, Anima nodded her head and drew back his fist.

While Lilia and the others were looking on with worried expressions on their faces, Anima ran towards Illness-san, who was waiting for her without any stance at all…… Swinging her fist towards Illness-san……

[……Eh?]

I didn’t know what had happened. When I came to my senses, Anima, who was supposed to be the one on the attack, was lying on her back on the ground with a shocked expression on her face.

[I made suuuuure~~ that you don’t get hurt buuuut, are you alriiiiiiiight?]

[Y- Yes.]

[Illness!? W- What did you just now? From what I saw, it was as if Anima just spun the moment she was touched by you……]

Did she throw her? She was spun the moment she touched Anima? That technique Illness-san used……. Could that be aikido?

[As Anima pounced towards meeee, all I did~~ was adjust the force within your fiiiiist.]

[Huh? E- Errr……]

[Weeeeell~~ This is the kind of techniques I’m talking aboooout.]

It really is the case huh. Of course, since we’re in a different world, it wouldn’t be called aikido, but it might be the same kind of technique.

Rather, Illness-san…… she’s strong!? She just easily handled Anima’s attack without using any magic power……

[For the time beiiiiiiing~~ I will teach you the detaaaaaails on how to use such techniiiiiques later, Animaaaa.]

[Y- Yes!]

[Your physical abilityyyyy is good enough even for Count-level, High-ranking Demooooon. Howeveeeeer~~ you have a very simple attack patteeeeeern. The times when you were defeateeeeed was because you were being easily handleeeeed without being able to hit your targeeeeet.]

[ ! ? ]

Hearing Illness-san’s words, Anima’s battle at the Six Kings Festival came to my mind. Anima resolutely attacked, but all of her attacks were handled by Epsilon-san.

[You don’t haaaaave to learn the exact same techniques as mine. Superficial it might be, it’s good to learn a wide range of techniiiiiique. If you learn the techniques to hit an attaaaaack, you will also learn how to avoid attaaaaacks. If you learn the defensive techniiiiiiques, you will also know how to crush down other people’s defense. If you do thaaaaat, your offensive abilitiiiiiies will increase a dozen tiiiiiimes.]

[Y- Yes! I’ll keep that in mind!]

After hearing Illness-san’s advice, Anima hurriedly stood up and saluted. Seeing this, Illness-san smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

Thereupon, Lilia-san, who still looked surprised, spoke to Illness-san with a slightly flustered look on her face.

[……I- Illness. You are t- this strong?]

[Well~~ I’m still a “Count-level, High-ranking Demon” after aaaaaall. So I’m strong to some exteeeeent~~]

[I- I see, you’re a Count-level, High-ranking Demon…… Count-level…… Count…… Eh? Eeehhhhh!?]

Hearing Illness-san’s nonchalant words, Lilia-san screamed.

Dear Mom, Dad———— I can completely understand why Lilia-san screamed. Rather, I was about to scream too. I knew that she should be strong since she defeated Anima so easily, but Illness-san————- she was apparently a Count-level, High-ranking Demon.

? ? ? : [I have a fairly good news, very good news, and a bad news.]

Serious-senpai : [A fairly good news? Well, for the time being, let’s start with the bad news.]

? ? ? : [The short story bonuses aren’t available in the third volume of the light novel.]

Serious-senpai : [Why!? Do your best regarding that, Author-san!!! ……So, what’s the fairly good news?]

? ? ? : [There’s a Serious-senpai short story on the back cover.]

Serious-senpai : [Alright! It’s finally my turn!!! Wait, eh? That’s the fairly good news? Then, what about the very good news?]

? ? ? : [……Plans to make a manga for YuuShou is in progress.]

Serious-senpai : [……Hwooeeehh?]

? ? ? : [Plans to make a manga for YuuShou is in progress.]

Serious-senpai : [W- What did you saaaaaaaayyyyy!?]

T/N: 16/181