CH 49

Manon vs Beatrice

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On the day of finishing our second time camping in the Devil's Forest, I added Zae and the other undead lizardmen to the escort, and we safely arrived at the place where we could see Volzard's wall.

Shortly after leaving this morning, a pack of more than thirty orcs attacked, but Zae and the others quickly subdued them.

As soon as I gave the GO signal, Zae and the others accelerated and attacked the orcs.

Perhaps Fred is faster if it's just simply speed, but since the movements of Zae adn the others can be followed with the eyes, it may feel faster.

As usual, every time a jet-black Kukri knife, I'm uncertain what it's made of, was flourished, the limbs and heads of the orcs flew into the air, and the orcs were wiped out before they realized their failure.

"Hey, are those orcs?"

Sagara-san asked me while I was watching the movements of Zae and the others.

"That's right, if you look closely, they're quite powerful."

"Last time there was a pack of orcs, so the leader of the knights and the other knights abandoned Tomo-chan and ran away, right?"

"That's right, but if you're a good adventurer, you can deal with about three of them alone."

"That's not about three per person, isn't it? Are the skeletons just as strong?"

"Yeah, probably stronger ..."

"Hmm ... I think Kokubu really looks like a Maou ..."

Sagara-san sighed and returned to the others.

Excuse me ... I'm struggling for everyone, but it's a big deal to look like a Maou.

After lunch, I told everyone about what to do after arriving at Volzard.

First of all, I warned them saying that causing trouble was strictly prohibited, and also told them to be prepared for guild registration and rescue operations, and finally I warned them again so as to not cause trouble.

"Kokubu, you don't have to worry so much, we know it, so it's okay."

"For me, I'm most worried about Takayama when saying that ... so really don't make a fuss."

"Excuse me, if you have a magical talent like me, there's no reason to cause trouble."

"Somehow, I'm more worried ..."

For the time being, after arriving at Volzard, I will have Kondo and the old and new duo handle the boys, and Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, and the dekoboko sisters handle the girls.

At the gates, Kartz-san was waiting for us this time as well.

As before, disarm in front of the gate and have the swords and knifes collected.

Just like last time, Bart-san, who came to collect the weapons, whispered in my ear.

"Kent ... someone's waiting for you ..."

"Oh, yes, thank you ..."

I thought that the five people who had been rescued earlier were waiting, but it was an unexpected person who was on the other side of the gate when I entered with fifty classmates.

"Welcome to the fortified city of Volzard, my name is Beatrice Volzard, the daughter of the lord, and I sincerely welcome you."

Although it is not a formal dress, she is wearing a pure white one-piece with frills and lace and looks the part of an ojou-sama, and all fifty of my classmates, both boys and girls, are entranced.

But don't let your guard down, because this rabbit is carnivorous.

"Kent-sama ..."

"Yesh ... wh, what is it?"

It's dangerous, did she understand what I was thinking? Beatrice walks up to me.

The classmates take a step or two to open the way and from her steps you can feel a sense of self-confidence and even an aura.

"I heard that you were rescuing your classmates, it must have been difficult to get through the Devil's Forest, thank you for your hard work."

"Oh, thank you."

I instinctively bowed to the words of frank appreciation.

Because, my nature is that of a timid Japanese person.

"Welcome back, Kent-sama ..."

As soon as I raised my head, I was kissed on the cheek.

"Kyaaaa! Local wife, Kokubu-kun's local wife appeared!"

"Youuuuu! I won't forgive you Kokubu, unforgivableee!"

High pitched cheers from the girls, and grudge-filled shouts from the boys.

Beatrice put her arm around my waist and put her head on my shoulder.

"Rise was lonely ..."

Along with Beatrice's whisper, I smell something good, maybe perfume.

It's piercing, it's piercing, the grude-filled eyes of the 27 boys ... I wonder why I'm being looked at by Takayama with that kind of eyes, I think he's got it better.

"U, umm ... E, e, everyone needs to be guided to the dormitory ..."

"Aren't those five people doing that ...?"

The girls cheered and rushed when seeing the dekoboko sisters with a smile on their faces, and the old and new duo and fake glasses sent a hateful look.

Well, isn't Manon-chan there?

It's not the usual dull clothes, but a pants look, but with beautiful colors and slender silhouette, anyone can tell that she's a girl.

After taking a big deep breath, Manon walked straight to me.

Even though it's almost November, the pores in my head opened and cold sweat started to flow.

Beatrice stares at Manon and puts her strength into the arm around my back.

It's dangerous, is this the rumored shuraba?

The girls look at me with curious eyes, and the boys send me gazes as if expecting my pitiful appearance.

"Welcome back, Kent."

"Hey ... I'm home, Manon."

I was wondering if I would eat another slap, like before, but Manon seems calm.

"Beatrice, you're disturbing Kent."

"Uuh ... I understand ..."

If she was being told the truth, there was no room to refute even by Beatrice, and she released her clinging arm and separated from me.

Immediately after that, Manon, who snuggled in close, kissed my cheek.

"Hey, what are you doing, Manon-san!"

Beatrice raises her voice in protest, but Manon squeezes my arms and hugs me as if she will never leave.

"Kyaaa! Second, second local wife, it's shuraba, shuraba!"

"Okay, let's kill ... Skeletons and lizardmen are poweful, but I have to kill him ..."

"Of course, we'll get our weapons back."

I hear a terribly disturbing voice, I won't be able to act if the state stays as it is, I pat Manon's back to get her to separate from me.

Even though she hugged me herself, her face was bright red and her eyes were spinning.

Beatrice, who was glaring with tears in her eyes, seemed to be approaching, so I stopped her in a hurry.

"Stop! Really stop! I still have to take everyone to the dormitory and talk about the schedule for tomorrow, so please ..."

"Uuu ... I understand ..."

Beatrice, who glares with pursed lips, does not show the aura of a young lady, and instead feels the cuteness of her age.

"Let's go, Kent."

"Huh, Manon ...?"

Manon grabbed my left hand in a lovers hold and held onto my left arm.

Manon also has a nice scent, probably because she has some perfume on.

"I will accompany you too."

Beatrice, who saw Manon's actions, immediately held my right arm.

"Fua? Hey Beatrice?"

"Rise!"

"Uh ... is Rise coming too?"

"Muu ... Am I really disturbing you?"

"No, no, that's ..."

It would be a blissful moment without the spectators, but it's really uncomfortable because of the warm eyes of the girls, the murderous look of the boys, and even the eyes of the garrison members are on me.

I mean, rumors will flow from the garrison people, and the evil old man will hear of it.

Anyway, let's take everyone to the dining room of the garrison dormitory and have them eat dinner.

It's even more frustrating when you're hungry.

After dinner, I explained my future plans.

I have asked Yagi and the others to allocate the rooms for the temporary dormitory.

After this, just take a bath and sleep, and tomorrow we will make guild registration cards.

When I brought five people, we went to the guild to register, but this time there are a lot of people, so Otto-san will make a visit from the guild.

After registration, I plan to hand over 5,000 Helts per person to shop for daily necessities for the time being.

Yagi and the others have requested it for themselves, but of course I have rejected them.

"Kokubu's stupid, wouldn't it be a problem if we didn't have money when guiding them?"

"Wait a minute, Yagi, what do you mean you don't have any money? I gave you 15,000 Helts. It's only been ten days, right?"

"Idiot, Kokubu's an idiot, we can't use as poweful of magic as you can. So we have to cover it with a weapon ..."

"No, where are you going that you need weapons?"

"Idiot, are you going to do the rescue operation in earnest? Isn't it necessary to go through the Devil's Forest again? If so, we'll need weapons, hey, Nitta, Furuta, right?"

"Of course ..."

"As Yagi says, it's indisputable ..."

"Oh, we ran out the first day, of course we don't have any left."

"Oh yeah, girls need to be fashionable."

It's no joke and I've already fallen to my knees.

"That's why we also need 5,000 Helts ..."

"Rejected!"

"Come on, I finally met Ao and the others again ..."

"No! If you say you can't do it without money, I'll ask Manon to guide them."

"Then, 3,000 Helts is fine ..."

"Rejected!"

"Don't say such a cold thing, just a little ... right?"

"I refuse!"

"Okay, then take the middle and 2,500 ..."

It's rare, Yagi and Kobayashi-san are cooperating and are really persistent.

"It can't be helped anymore ... 500 Helts, I won't put out any more no matter how much you beg."

"500 ... just that much ..."

"If you don't like it, I won't give you a single Helt ..."

"Oh, wait, wait, I see, I'll put up with 500 Helts ..."

"You know ... It's only 350 Helts to carry potatoes in the warehouse for a day, such luxurious remarks, there's also helping with building the walls."

"OK, I understand ..."

I have to leave the rest to Yagi and Kobayashi-san and report our arrival to Donovan-san.

"I'm going to report to the guild, Manon, Rise, let's go together, I'll send you home."

I call out to the two who were watching the financial discussion with Yagi and the others, and left the garrison's dormitory.

Manon quickly grabs my left arm and Beatrice grabs my right arm.

I'm getting a lot of attention from people on the road, but it's fine, I'm already used to it.

On the way to the guild, Beatrice asked me.

"About before ... is Kent-sama paying for their living expenses?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Does Kent-sama have a special position?"

"No, I don't have any particular position."

"Then, is it necessary for Kent-sama to bear the burden? If it's 5,000 Helts for each of fifty people, it's 250,000 Helts ... It's not an amount that can be easily prepared by someone of our age."

"Yeah, well ... Reinhardt and the others subdue monsters, and the Gigawolfs sold well, so I'm okay on money."

There is a deposit of about 1.7 million Helts between orc magic stones, the Gigawolfs, and the nomination request reward, and there is also the untouched rock ogre magic stones, so there is almost no financial concern.

Even if I rescue another 150 people, I only need to have 750,000 Helts for the time being, so it is okay to bear the living expenses for all of them.

However, not only Beatrice, but also Manon has a face that she doesn't like it.

"What's wrong?"

"Kent, did you say that you can only earn 350 Helts a day at the warehouse job?"

"Yeah, at the Garm potato warehouse, but it was quite difficult."

"Then why did you readily hand over 5,000 Helts?"

"No, but everyone doesn't have any clothes to change into, they have to prepare necessities for daily life, and it's their first day here ..."

"I used some of Tomoko and Akemi's."

"Uh ... that's right ..."

As Manon says, if you give money to the girls led by the dekoboko sisters, you can be sure they'll consume it like hot water.

"2,000 Helts is enough, but if Kent insists on 3,000 Helts, I think any more is too much."

Beatrice nods at Manon's words.

When I think about it, even after I came to Volzard, I've been wearing gifted clothes, and eating at the boarding house, and I haven't done much shopping, so I don't really know the price levels.

It seems better to listen to the opinions of the two people here.

"Okay, I'll make it 3,000 Helts per person."

"Oh, Kent, aren't you going to report to the guild?"

"Yeah, I'll do it after I send the two of you home, because Donovan-san works late anyway, it's okay."

"Kent-sama, how do you know that Donovan-san works late, is it because Kent-sama is also active until that time?"

"Uh ... yes, but not every day."

After all Beatrice is sharp, in fact, I am active until that time almost every day.

"Somehow, it seems that only Kent-sama is playing a detrimental role ..."

"Yes, Kent should let others do more work."

"Hmm ... yes, I wonder ..."

When I sent Beatrice to the mansion first, I was kissed again in front of the gate.

Gatekeeper-san, please don't report to Klaus-san, please.

After that, when I sent Manon to the front of her house, I was also kissed by Manon.

"Ah ... maybe that headbutt from before ..."

"Oh, that's because Kent suddenly turned around ... then the sense of distance ..."

"Then I don't have to worry about head-butting anymore, right?"

"Muu ... Kent's stupid ..."

Even though Manon sulked, she kissed me again.

After separting from Manon, I moved to the guild using shadow movement, Donovan-san is still working as usual.

"Good evening, Donovan-san."

"Mmm, Kent ..."

"Yes, the report was delayed, but all fifty people were brought in safely, I'm counting you from now on."

I went out of the shadows and bowed my head while requesting such to Donovan-san.

"Hmm ... Manon and Beatrice, you sure are popular ..."

"Hey? Where did you hear that from ..."

"Be careful not to run into Klaus."

"Uhhhh ..."

Apparently, rmors have reached the bad old man.

Is the only way to have a fight?

"Registering at the guild will have Otto go to you as planned, but if I have time, I will be there too."

"Yes, thank you. Also, I would like you to register about five more companions ..."

"Is it the undead lizardmen from the report?"

"Yes, Zae, is it okay for a moment ...?"

When I called, Zae immediately appeared from the shadow.

Donovan-san has heard the report that we were attacked by lizardmen, but this is the first time he has met Zae.

"Nuu ... You made a vicious companion again."

"Umu, strong person, please do as you see fit."

"Hey ... they can even speak human language? I understand, we'll do a similar procedure as for Reinhardt and the others."

Zae shook hands with Donovan-san and went back into the shadows.

"And this morning, I encountered a pack of more than thirty orcs."

"What ... wasn't there 14 of them last time?"

"Yes, will there be an increase in orcs?"

"I don't know, but it's likely that rock ogres, lizardmen, and everything in the Devil's Forest are increasing."

A normal pack of orcs is about 20 at most, and when it is 30 or more, it seems to be a fairly large pack.

"Let's raise the level of vigilance for the time being."

"My strength has increased, so I'll leave one in Volzard."

"It would be helpful if you could do that, please."

"I'm in trouble if Volzard's safety isn't protected."

If any one remains in Volzard, they can immediately notify me when something goes wrong and can arrange reinforcements.

"Will the people you brought this time get into training as coachmen immediately?"

"No, I can't be helped by everyone, so I'll select a few members."

"Kent, wouldn't it be faster to have more undead lizardmen and let them pull the carriages than to train them?"

"Well ... oh yeah ... I'll go back now ..."

"Hmm ... it's too late, by this time they've even had the bones eaten."

Skeletons and undead do not occur unless there are bones and corpses left.

The reason why Reinhardt and the others can exist as skeletons is that the ambushing enemy was probably the same knights, and the body was not left unattended, but was burned to bone and then buried.

"If you bury the corpse without burning it, goblins and kobolds will dig up the body, and if they eat the bones, it will not be a skeleton or an undead. The lizardman's body may have been left without magic stones, but it's too late."

"Ah ... If I had about five more people, I could immediately move on to the resuce operation ... No, wait, should I go hunting ..."

When I was talking to myself, Donovan-san warned me.

"Kent, it's okay to immerse yourself in the operation, but you have just crossed the Devil's Forest, rest your body for a while."

"Yes, but those words aren't very convincing, especially if Donovan-san, who works alone every day, says it."

"Hmm, this guy, you really said it. Then I'll retire early and give you this chair."

"That's ridiculous! I'm going home! I'll be back soon, take a rest!"

"Kukuku ..."

While listening to the powerful Donovan-san snickering at me, I hurriedly dove into the shadows and left the guild.