CH 181

Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 181

Before dawn

***---***

I woke up to a sudden impact assailing my face with a thump.

"Kento, Kento ... Ah, what should I do."

"Yuika, first of all, cast healing magic on him."

"Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and heal! I'm sorry, I'm sorry ..."

"Uuuh ... Yu, ika ..."

In my vague vision I could see the chairman's crying face, and next to her, I could see Manon's worried face.

"I'm sorry. Until now, I didn't know that Kento was in such pain, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry ..."

The chairman is tearing up while casting healing magic.

Finally, my head began to start working, and I found myself lying on the floor in a room somewhere.

Perhaps, I fell out of bed while I was thrashing.

Until now, when I took the attribute and fell ill, I would go to the training grounds in the Devil's Forest and lean on Nero.

I'm sure it's a nuisance for Nero, but with Nero's big belly, it didn't matter how much I rolled around, and since it's on the same height as the ground in the first place, there was no need to worry about falling off.

Above all, I managed to avoid showing my weakness to the chairman, so it seemed that the decision to return to the garrison training ground was a mistake.

"It's okay ... If I rest a little longer ... Don't cry ..."

"Kento, Kento ..."

The chairman held my outstretched right arm to her chest and continued to cry.

I let go of my consciousness while feeling guilty for making her worry about me.

The next time I woke up, I was entrusting my cheeks to a soft warmth.

The warmth conveyed a throbbing heartbeat.

It seemed that I was asleep while being held by the chairman.

[ Reinhardt, are you there? ]

[ How are you feeling? ]

[ My physical condition ... is not good, but the current situation is the best. ]

[ Buhahaha, if that's the case, please allow yourself to rest. ]

[ I'd love to do that, but I haven't made any preparations for Bakkenheim. ]

[ You can take out what you need from the shadow storage. That's Kent-sama's style, so there's no need to prepare. ]

[ I see ... That's true, too. ]

Certainly, no matter where I went, I didn't remember making any preparations since I became able to use dark magic.

If I needed something, I could take it out of the shadow storage, and if I didn't have anything on hand, I could go back and buy it.

[ But now, when an ordinary adventurer receives a request and goes on an outing, what kind of things do they take with them? ]

[ That's right ... We only have knowledge as knights, but normally, we would have a change of clothes, money, medicine, bandages, portable tableware and food, camp paper, rain cloth, blankets, knives, and our own weapons ... I feel it's like that. ](TN:camp paper, in case you forgot, is paper with magic symbols/circles on them to activate things like lighting campfires, or creating water.)

[ Am I missing anything? ]

[ That's right ... Most of the things are in the shadow storage, and if I had to say something is missing, it would be food such as dried meat. ]

[ It can't be helped ... I'll try to go back to buy it later. ]

[ Then, are you going to take a rest? ]

[ Yeah, wake me up about an hour before the meeting time. ]

[ As you wish, please take a good rest. ]

[ Thank you. ]

It seemed that there was still some time before dawn, so I decided to sleep a little more while enjoying the warmth of the chairman.

The chairman was still asleep when Reinhardt woke me up the next morning.

I tried to get out of the futon without waking her up, but she woke up.

"Nnh ... Kento, Kento!"

"Oh, did I wake you up ..."

"Kento, where are you going?"

I told her yesterday that I was going to Bakkenheim, but I guess since she just woke up the chairman's head hadn't started working yet.

"Because I have a meeting with Reese-san and the others in front of the guild ..."

"Ohh ... that's right."

Even as I said that, the chairman grabbed the hem of my pants and wouldn't let go.

"I'm sorry ... I didn't know Kento was suffering so much ..."

"No, I didn't tell you about it either, so it's not Yuika's fault. Besides, it didn't change even after trying my best to heal myself, so it doesn't seem like it's something that can be cured with healing magic."

"Yeah, I tried using healing magic too ... I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything."

I gently hugged the chairman who was looking down and crying.

"I was scared ... Kento let out a terrific cry, looked like he was in pain, and I thought he was going to die ... Still, I couldn't do anything ..."

"Yuika ... I'm happy just to have Yuika by my side."

"Kento ..."

As I gently hugged her and stroked her back to calm her down, she fell asleep.

[ Yuika-jou, she stayed up late last night and took care of Kent-sama, so she must be mentally and physically exhausted. ]

[ As expected, was it a mistake to come back here? ]

[ Rather than that, I think it was a mistake to not explain the reason why you didn't come back. ]

[ Right, that's right ... ]

I laid the chairman on the bed, asked Helt to watch over her, and left the infirmary.

I tried to move into the shadows, but the bugs in my belly complained loudly.

[ Ah ... I'm hungry. ]

[ Kent-sama, then let's go near the back gate of Volzard. ]

[ Ehh? Are there any shops open at this time? ]

[ There should be a stall for adventurers and travelers who leave early in the direction of the dungeon. ]

[ Hee, they've been doing it since this time. ]

As Reinhardt said, several food stalls had already started operating around the back gate of Volzard.

It seemed that they earned by providing breakfast to those who leave Volzard towards the center of Landshelt and the dungeon.

They also sold bread, soup, tea, sandwiches, kebabs, skewered meat, and fried bread.

I bought something like a kebab and soup to satisfy my hunger while looking at the street, it was true that it was before dawn, but there were quite a few people who were getting ready to travel, and many horse-drawn carriages were waiting for passengers.

[ Everyone starts moving at such an early hour. ]

[ If it's summer, it's already bright. ]

[ Ah, I see, it's winter and dawn is late, so I just think it's too early in the morning. ]

[ That's right. Unexpected things can happen on a trip, so they leave as early as possible and aim for a town with plenty of time to book a place to stay for the day. ]

[ I see ... ]

[ Well, it doesn't have much to do with Kent-sama, who can move in the shadows. ]

[ Maa, that's right, but if I travel with someone, it's knowledge I have to remember. ]

[ Indeed. ]

When I finished eating and returned to the front of the guild, Takayama was standing there, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

It looked like he came on time.

"Good morning, Takayama."

"Oh, good morning, I'm sleepy ..."

"Maa, the time is like this."

"In spite of that, you don't look very sleepy, but ... you, don't you look awfully pale?"

Even Takayama noticed it, so I guess I was still pretty pale.

"Ah, I had to take the attributes of one person yesterday, so I'm not feeling very well."

"Oh, one more person has been returned, how many is that now, three, four?"

"It's the fourth one. I won't have to experience that disgust once I finish taking the water attribute."

"Is it possible to use the stolen attributes?"

"Yeah, I haven't used the wind attribute yet, but I can use the fire and earth attributes as well."

"Are you serious ... You're really a cheat ..."

"No, if you have to experience that disgusting feeling, you won't want to be able to use other attributes. It's really painful."

"I see ... Cheats aren't easy either."

"Even if you say that, you're cheat enough for everyone else, but you were only having fun at the beginning, right?"

In Takayama's case, it's mostly self-inflicted, but after leaving Lastock where he was treated as a Hero, he was just a stupid bastard with a slightly high magical power.

"Ah, now that you mention it, it might be so. It seems that my mana is quite high, but it seems that I can't be something like an adventurer with just that, so it's not going to be like in anime."

"Well, yeah ..."

"That's right, yesterday, it seems that Manon-san visited my house, that's my bad."

"No, I thought that Celia-san and the others would be worried if Takayama left Volzard. Actually, I didn't even notice it, but Yuika and Manon pointed it out and got angry."

"What's that. Isn't Kokubu also dominated?"

"Of course. It won't go well if they don't dominate me."

"Hee ... Harem isn't easy either."

"Right, right, cheats and harems aren't easy either."

While I was talking with Takayama, Donovan appeared from the guild. 

"Good morning, Donovan-san."

"Good morning, Shuichi is here too."

"G, good morning."

Takayama, you're pretty freaked out, did you do something wrong during the course.

"Kent, where's your luggage?"

"My luggage is stored in the shadow storage, so I'm empty-handed."

"I see, do you have that hand. Shuichi, is that all you have?"

"Y, yes, Kokubu told me to bring a change of clothes for the time being ..."

"Haa ... You guys, did you even bring a knife?"

"Umm, I have several knives ..."

"Take it out for a moment."

"Yes ..."

Donovan-san seemed a little annoyed, so I hurriedly took out the knives from the shadow storage.

"Hou, Kent, what's with these knives?"

Donovan-san nodded when I told him that I had received them from a carriage that had been attacked by monsters on the way to Volzard.

"Keep the length of the knife from your elbow to your wrist, including the handle. If it's too long, it will be difficult to handle, and if it's too short, it will be useless. A knife with a very narrow blade is light but breaks easily, so it's not suitable for fighting. Choose something with thickness and width."

From the items I took out of the shadow storage, we hung the ones that Donovan-san judged suitable on the waist of our dominant hand side.

"Keep your knives free, whether it's straight hand or reverse hand. If you let go of your weapon, it will be your partner that will protect your life. Kent, if you could use the knife freely, 

"Yes, that may be so."

"Your genus are powerful, but they won't be in time. When you come back, I'll train you hard, so be prepared."

"Eeeehhhh ..."

"What, do you want me to train you so quickly, alright, then Lau-san ..."

"No, no, no, it's fine after I return. Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

"Fuun, maa, they can train you without me telling them, so be prepared."

"Yes ..."

I looked at Takayama and drooped my shoulders in disappointment.

Then I heard a roar from across the street.

I looked up to see what was going on, the Gigawolf Bran pulling the cabin of a carriage appeared, Takayama was also surprised.

"Uwaa, what is that!"

"That's the vehicle we're going to ride."

"That big thing ... Isn't it a monster?"

"That's right. Bran the Gigawolf is registered as a tamed monster, so it's fine."

"Are you serious? It won't come over and chomp, right?"

"Well? I don't know about that, but ..."

In the cabin pulled by Bran, Ruija, the self-proclaimed Monster User, and her younger brother, a GoriMatcho, Gunther, were on board.(TN:GoriMatcho, Macho Gorilla)

Bran approached me with strong steps, wrinkled his nose and bared his fangs a little and glared at me.

"H, hey, Kokubu, are you sure it's okay?"

"Well, I wonder ..."

I was thinking of calling Nero, but it would be a problem if Bran leaked again, so I decided not to.

Ruija, who came down from the coachman's stand, also glared at me.

"Wait, why are you here."

"Good morning. Ruija-san, Gunther-san. Takayama and I will accompany you to Bakkenheim."

"What the hell, I've never heard of such a thing!"

"Didn't you think Reese-san would keep quiet because it was amusing again?"

"Hey you, don't call her Reese-san in such a familiar manner, how many times do I have to tell you. Master Reese, or Reese-sama."

When Ruija attacked us, the large Gunther bowed his head and entered the building next to the guild.

"I have no intention of letting you in a carriage pulled by Bran. If you want to come with us, run on your own feet."

"Eeehhh ... Maa, Takayama is fine with that."

"Hey, no way. Let me ride too."

"Eeehhh ..."

"Eeehhh ... is wrong, eeehhh ... is, there's no way I can follow with human feet."

"Since that's the case, we're going to ride too."

"That's not what I meant. I just told you that you can't ride. Are you stupid?"

"Eeehhh ... everybody's selfish ..."

"Who's selfish. You're selfish, aren't you."

When Ruija pointed at me and raised her voice, I heard a bewitching voice that did not match the morning atmosphere.

"What's this, what's this, being noisy so early in the morning ... What's the fuss about?"

"Good morning. Master Reese."

"What's that, Kent, being so cold right away in the morning ... Don't be so formal, call me Reese ~."

Reese-san was wearing a coat, but her chest was wide open, and it was difficult to focus my eyes.

"G, good morning, Reese."

"That's no good, put more love and intimacy ..."

"G, good morning ... Reese ... Nnguu."

Reese-san, who gracefully walked up to me, put our lips together with a flowing naturalness.

I thought it was just a normal kiss, but it almost sucked the magical power out of my body, so I hurriedly strengthened my defenses.

"Nnh ... As expected of Kent, it's good, it's good, that's why you're suitable to be the father of my future child."

"Yesterday I took an attribute so I'm not in the best condition, so please don't bully me too much."

"Hou, what attribute did you get?"

When she learned that I had acquired a new attribute, Reese-san's eyes lit up suspiciously.

"It's wind attribute."

"So, how many do you have?"

"It's the fifth one. The only one left is water attribute."

"I see, you're becoming more and more suitable to be my companion."

Looking at Reese-san licking her lips, I felt like I was being targeted by a reptile.(TN:Plot twist, she's actually a dragon not a dark elf!!! Just Kidding.)

"Should we leave soon, I woke up early, but we're going to be late."

"How boring, Kent, well, it's fine. So, is that man Kent's lover?"

"No, no, I already told you I don't have such a hobby. Takayama, this is Master Reese of the Headquarters Guild. Say hello."

Takayama, who was overwhelmed by Reese-san's presence, bowed his head in a hurry.

"I, I'm Takayama Shuichi. Ohh, no ... Shuichi Takayama. Nice to meet you!"(TN:First he says his name in Kanji which is how their names are said in Japan, 2nd time he switches to Katakana which is how their names are said in this Isekai.)

"Fumu, I heard that you were blessed with magical power due to the fire attribute ..."

"Yes, but I have almost no experience in actual combat."

"Hou, to expose your weak points, are you honest ... or are you an idiot ..."

"He's an idiot. Takayama is a true idiot."

"Hey, why is Kokubu answering!"

"Kukukuku ... It's fine, Lau, maa, maa, you look like you're in good shape, until we get back to Bakkenheim, it would be good to train a little."

Lau-san was hiding behind Reese-san's presence, and he probably didn't even notice Lau-san being there.

Takayama followed Reese-san's gaze and saw Lau-san.

Hey, why does Takayama look so calm, Lau-san, scary, scary, bloodlust is scary ...

"Ho!Ho!Ho! ... It's true that his body can handle it, but it doesn't seem like he's crossed too many dangerous bridges."

"I'm sorry, he's really stupid, I'm sorry."

"Hey, Kokubu, no matter how you call me stupid, stupid, isn't it going a bit too far."

"Stupid, you really are stupid. If you become an adventurer like that, you'll be in the other world in no time."

"Why is that. What's wrong with me."

It seemed that Takayama didn't realize how scary Lau-san was.

"Hey Donovan. This Kent is interesting, I can understand why Reese wants to meddle."

"I don't think the ingredients are bad, but he's still a child and I can't get rid of the naivete. Please train him a little before Bakkenheim."

"Ho!Ho!Ho! , it's okay, I'll train that kid too while I'm at it."

Ah ... Now the tourist trip to Bakkenheim has been completely cut off.

Just thinking about what kind of training awaited was scary.