CH 10

<Third Person POV>

↓ ↓ ↓

The Hot Spring Village, <Juraku> is located 120 km northwest of the Adventurer Town of .

Located at the foot of an active volcano, <Raging Dragon Mountain>, is an observatory staffed with Court Mages who have mastered such advanced magical arts as Farsight, Clairvoyance, and Foresight in case of a disaster.

Why are these High-Ranking Magicians, who had mastered spells that can be used by those at least Lv 40 and requires 150 MP (it is possible to learn them, but lower stats than the requirements wouldn’t allow them to acquire the necessary accuracy and time maintained), stationed in such a remote area? There is only one reason———–

[Chief! There’s no doubt about it. The <Earth Dragon>, which had been dormant in the crater, has resumed its activities! It’s expected to emerge from the crater shortly.]

Baron Arnold, the Chief of the Observatory, clenched his teeth at his subordinate’s report.

[Damn it……. For the <Earth Dragon> to awaken for the first time in 200 years today…… Evacuate the town of <Juraku> immediately! Evacuate women, children, and tourists first! Also, contact the royal capital immediately! Request the formation and dispatch of the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit immediately! What’s the course of the <Earth Dragon>?]

[According to our estimations, it fortunately appears to be heading in the opposite direction of <Juraku>.]

The Secretary answered with a resounding tone.

[Fumu. I see. We can’t completely predict the future, but a windfall has at least appeared. This makes it so that we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario……]

[Yes. In the direction of where the <Earth Dragon> moves, there’s only about 120 km, and the rest is almost uninhabited wilderness, and fortunately, the <Earth Dragon> is moving slowly, with a peak speed of 3 – 5 km/hr, so I think the National Army’s Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit will be able to reach the town in time.]

Baron Arnold nodded in satisfaction at the secretary’s words.

Stroking his beard, he’s satisfied that his subordinates were demonstrating the fruits of their daily training to the fullest extent even in this time of crisis.

[Wonderful. As expected of our Court Mages who can use High-Level Magic. However, how will we notify the royal capital of the danger? I don’t think sending a fast horse or a pigeon would be fast or reliable enough……?]

[Regarding that, we are planning to use a Secret Art that only High-Ranking Magicians can use, “Telepathy”.]

[Telepathy? However, not only is it a one-way communication, doesn’t it also have troubles with transmission range? Even a straight line distance from here to the royal capital is 500 km……?]

[Regarding that matter, this spell was originally a Secret Art, but as a matter of fact, in case of emergency, each city, town, and village has an undercover agent who can use Telepathy secretly stationed there, covering the country like a net.]

[I see. So you’re going to use that communication network to immediately notify the royal capital! That’s wonderful. It’s truly a triumph of magical technology!]

[Yes. The plan is to send a telepathic message to the nearest station at 09:15, 15 minutes from now. The content will be: “Extremely Urgent: This is the <Juraku> Observatory. The dormant <Earth Dragon> is now active. It’s currently heading southeast toward at a speed of approximately 5 km/h. We request the evacuation of the residents in the vicinity and dispatch the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit. This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill”.]

[Yes. That would be perfect.]

Baron Arnold nodded his head in an exultant manner, seemingly at ease now. However, there’s something they did not know. It’s true that the magic and preparations were perfect, but the problem is that the ones sending this message is still humans————

[①09:15~~ Telepathic Message begins at the <Juraku> Observatory.]

“Extremely Urgent Matter: This is the <Juraku> Observatory. The dormant <Earth Dragon> is now active. It’s currently heading straight southeast toward at a speed of approximately 5 km/h. We request the evacuation of the residents in the vicinity and dispatch the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit. This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill”.

""

[②09:20~~ Telepathic Message of the most nearby resident staff (who had been sleeping and just got up).]

“Urgent Problem: This is the <Juraku> Astronomical Observatory. The dormant <Earth Dragon> is now active. It’s currently heading straight southeast toward at a speed of approximately 5 km/h. We request the evacuation of the residents in the vicinity and dispatch the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit. This is not training. I repeat. This is not training”.

[③ 09:30~~ Relayed Telepathic Message by resident staff (who was currently doing farm work)]

“Urgent Problem (Mondai): This is the Astronomical Observatory. The dormant Earth Dragon started a business. They’re currently heading straight southeast toward , their hideout 5km away. We request the evacuation of the residents in the vicinity and dispatch the Anti-Unit. This is not an exercise. I repeat. This is not an exercise”.

[④09:45~~ Relayed Telepathic Message by resident staff (who was hungover and under the influence of medicine)]

“Urgent Question (Mondai): This is the Astronomical Observatory (Tenmondai). The dormant World Dragon started a business. They should be currently heading straight toward their hideout town 5 kilo away. We request the evacuation of the residents and the soldiers in the vicinity. This is not a sport. I repeat. This is not a sport”.

[⑤10:05~~ Relayed Telepathic Message by resident staff (who is currently attending a Divorce Settlement Conference with his wife)]

“We have a question: This is the outlook (Tenboudai). The dormant brave people all over the world started businesses. They are currently heading straight toward their hideout town 5 kilo away. I think the neighboring residents and soldiers should take responsibility. This is not a joke or a game.”

[⑥10:10~~ Relayed Telepathic Message by resident staff (who is an overly serious guy)]

“A certain someone has a problem and would like some consultations. He was thinking of his future outlook. It seems that his dormant business ambitions have been ignited. (I heard he’s not getting along with his wife lately), and no joke and not playing around, he wants to start a business with the world. He seems to be currently heading straight toward their hideout town 5 kilo away. I think he’s quite determined. For abandoning his current job, he apparently wants to take responsibility for his neighbors and the soldiers.”

[⑦10:20~~ Relayed Telepathic Message by resident staff (housewife currently shopping)]

“I was consulted about a problem by the 6th Relay Station. (Ara, fish are on sale. How unusual. However, they’re expensive.) It seems that his dormant business ambitions have been ignited. (Ara ara, that husband and wife aren’t getting along.) Not joking or playing around, he wants to go into business with the world. (What a stupid thing to say, men are always like this. Ahh, that’s right, I need to buy toilet paper.) He seems to be already on his way to a remote hideout town. (I feel sorry for the wife, that stupid husband of hers is getting ahead of himself.) He says he’ll abandon his current job, but he’ll take responsibility. (Well, he’s probably just all talk, right?)”

[⑧10:35~~ Received Telepathic Message by the Royal Capital’s Court Mages Station]

“There was a consultation from the 6th Relay Station. It seems that he’s selling unusual, yet expensive fish. Business ambitions have been ignited. Not joking or playing around, he’s starting a business with the world. She thinks that this is just stupid stuff men say, but for the sake of buying a lot of toilet paper, he seems to be already on his way to his hideout town. The guy himself says he’ll abandon his current job, but his wife said she’s also responsible and even though it may just be her saying it, she’s sorry.”

One of the Mages covering the country’s intelligence network was puzzled by the contents of the unintelligible Telepathic Message, but still did their best and compiled a report.

Half a day later———-

[Head Mage. The resident staff at the 5th Relay Point has requested to relinquish his duties as an undercover agent in order to become a fishmonger, and it seems that he has already left the area with an after-action report……]

The Head of the Court Mages’ office, who was reading the reports that had come in from around the country, snorted at the report from his subordinate.

[What the heck is that!? Using Telepathic Messaging for something as stupid as this, don’t ever connect them again! Good grief, young people these days are mistaking work for part-time jobs. Even if you quit, it’s basic manners to request for leave properly in writing…… ……Ahh, alright already. I get it. Don’t send the message through the 5th Relay Point for a while, and make sure you bypass it until we can send a replacement. Unless there’s a natural disaster, war, or an attack by a Dragon-level monster, there would be no need to use the emergency Telepathy network anyway.]

With that, he turned his attention back to the documents in front of him and this matter was forgotten once and for all.

That is until 10 days later, when the <Earth Dragon> has been sighted in the —————–

↑　↑　↑

<Third Person POV End>

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. So, in the face of the incoming Dragon, the town is in a mess……”

[Even though they could use amazing magic, the people themselves are useless. Typical.]

Hearing her story, I sighed in disappointment.

“If there had been time, the country’s Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit would have done something about it, but it seems like they wouldn’t make it in time here……”

[Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unity huh. I wonder if it’s a group of fierce warriors who specialize in fighting Dragons, carrying <Dragon Slayer> weapons and equipped with Orichalcon armor.]

Hearing her mention a unit like that somehow reminded me of that movie depicting the Battle of Thermopylae in Ancient Sparta, where 300 soldiers fought against a million Persian troops.

If human beings were to fight against a super-powerful monster that transcended human knowledge, they would require strength and resolve of that magnitude.

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. This is the problem with amateurs……. You may have misunderstood something, but battles are about numbers and firepower. The tactic of the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit is basically to attack with all their strength at the same time, without any tricks, with more than 10,000 troops and huge firepower at the highest possible density. They would take away the opponent’s mobility and then breach its defenses before it can respond. Striking with the maximum force in a short time. In short, a highly-efficient brute-force approach. Winning with a small number of elite soldiers and using some sort of trick to achieve it is just something you’d read in manga and light novels. They hold the power, making the strength they hold right……”

It was a blunt assertion by Mary-san that I couldn’t believe I’m hearing from someone living in a fantasy world.

I wonder what this feeling is. Even though she’s making a sound argument, hearing her say all that makes me want to refute it.

This is an isekai story anyway, so wouldn’t it be fine if you put some more romance to the scene? Like, the staple scene of using your cheat ability to turn the tide of war by yourself, or the siege-and-destroy tactics that every Justice-loving folks love so much.

[……Well, whatever. So, what’s going to happen then? The army won’t be able to get there in time, so the staple here would have been that the adventurers will decide “We’ll protect our town!”, rising up to the action.]

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. Most of the adventurers ran away, saying “their life is important”……”

[Just as to be expected from delinquent NEETs!]

Where the heck did the isekai romance go!?

“Also, the Adventurers’ Guild did ask us to stall the <Earth Dragon> as long as we can……”

[Stall, they said, I don’t know what this <Earth Dragon> is like, but is it possible with the number of people you have left? Even if you were able to stall it for a little while, I don’t think that would make the situation any better.]

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. Errr, from what I heard, the <Earth Dragon> has huge fangs in its mouth and has strong carapace-like skin. It was about 60m long and weighed about 80 tons. Not only does it have superhuman strength, but it also breathes fire from its mouth……”

I feel like I’ve heard of this monster somewhere before.

The image of a giant alligator snapping turtle somehow popped into my mind.

“For the time being, we’re going to dig holes with Earth Magic, and set up barbed wires and use Lightning Magic to make electric current flow through it. So, as a countermeasure from the country’s side, when the <Earth Dragon>’s movement stopped, a tactical nuke……”

[Oi! Stop right there, as expected, you gotta stop there!!!!]

“It’s actually just “something like a nuke”….. Because the actual thing is registered with a trademark, It’s like saying “something like a crowbar”, or like how in order to bypass the Sofurin (EOCS)’s ratings, even though all the heroines were around 140cm tall and carry school bags, there’s that “All characters are over 18 years old” note they add. In other words, it’s already arranged that they’re adults, so you can’t point this out. Though I said that, it doesn’t feel like that would arrive in time either……”

Hearing the words Mary-san said with a sigh, even though it might be too late to ask this now, I got curious about her personal current position.

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. At such a time, the Mayor and the Adventurers’ Guild Branch Manager asked Mary-san to do something about it with my miracle power, so I’m in the Countermeasure Office now……”

I see…… They had nothing to lose asking her now, so they tried asking her. Drowning men will grasp at straws. And so, said straw happened to be Mary-san.

The Upper Management of must be at their wits’ end.

Of all people, their final hope had to be Mary-san. She’s something like a breakwater for them. Their action feels no different from putting up a scarecrow against a tsunami, the most useless fortress on earth.

“Where’s the Countermeasure Office!? You’re completely gonna lock me up in a dungeon! Let me out~~! I’m not suspicious, and I have nothing to do with Mary-san~~! The only one who is suspicious is Mary-san, and we just happened to be together for lunch, and even though this might sound strange to you, we’re complete strangers! Please let me out~~!!!”

At that moment, a girl’s voice I didn’t recognize suddenly resounded from behind Mary-san’s side, echoing in what seemed like a narrow space.

[———–Who’s that?]

“It’s Olive Tusa, the witch I told you about last night. When we were eating sukiyaki for lunch, she took the liberty of bringing a small plate and chopsticks and saying “Nabe tastes better when it’s surrounded by many people!”, she tried to steal Mary-san’s meat! In the first place, what Mary-san was eating was Rojin-style sukiyaki, so it was meant to be eaten by one person. So, her saying she isn’t related to Mary-san is surprisingly correct, but her saying Mary-san is suspicious is offensive. In the first place, the moment she called herself <Deep Sorcerist>, she became completely famed for her suspiciousness……”

Witch? Olive Tusa? Huh. I’ve never heard the name before, but for some reason, I don’t think this is the first time I’ve heard it……? At that moment too, for some reason, I immediately thought of the triumphant look on that hallucination woman. Also, it’s not Rojin, it’s Rosanjin.

Incidentally, that hallucination had been in a good mood, smiling since this morning.

“Loooook, see thaaat. You must be scared! You must be spooked inside. Hee hee hee!”

And so, since she was actively jeering around me, I deliberately cut through her translucent body, and she finally stopped being visible before noon.

Thinking about this any longer just makes me displeased, so I quickly decided to change the subject.

[So, what brings you and the witch to that dungeon?]

It seems that Mary-san has finally been arrested. Well, that’s just what I felt, as I didn’t really have a clear grasp of her situation.

Even though she said she’s in the <Earth Dragon> Countermeasure Office now, she’s probably leaving out some things.

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. I was eating lunch when all of a sudden, the Adventurers’ Guild members appeared out of nowhere, making me smell a sleeping drug, and brought me to their headquarters like they just caught an alien……”

“Sacrifice! We’re going to be sacrificed! I saw the Mayor and the others talking about this in my dream. However, I had nothing to do with this! And yet, why the heck am I being treated as a freebie dragon feed!!!?”

The exclamation of the witch named Olive echoed.

[Hahaa~~ I see……]

Since olden times, sacrificing virgin maidens has been the standard way to ward off a Dragon’s wrath.

No matter how you look at it, it seemed like they secured the custody of the piece called Mary-san, who is a young girl and a Hero, as even though she’s useless, she could still be dangled on the tip of the Dragon’s nose.

“Why are you so calm!? You’ve been knocked unconscious and locked here, you know!!!?”

“There’s no point in panicking. First of all, there’s no disturbance in my clothes, so I’m relieved……”

“Even if you were relieved right now, putting aside your chastity, even your life would be in danger!”

I can hear the exchange between Mary-san and Olive.

Speaking of which, it might be too late to ask this now, but I wonder how is it that Mary-san was calling me? It doesn’t feel like Mary-san has a cell phone.

“You’ve been ranting on the premise that Mary-san is succumbing to whatever’s happening, but perhaps, at the moment of crisis, Mary-san will suddenly awaken to a legendary technique and overpower the Dragon, the royal road development……”

“Like hell that’s gonna happen! In the first place, how do you awakening to some technique gonna help in facing against a 60-meter-long fire-breathing tortoise!!!?”

“For the time being, my plan is that while it’s distracted by the decoy, I would go around to its back and stab it in the vital spot with my kitchen knife……”

“Uwaaahhh! This brat is completely ready to sacrifice me! Help~~! I’m scared of the Dragon, but I’m getting more scared of this child~~!!!”

“Besides, even if at worst, you get eaten up by the Dragon, you can think of it as a level-up. From Mary-san’s goldfish’s poop to a dragon’s poop……”

“Your expressions are so new that I can’t keep up! No~~~~!!!”

With her scream, I hear the clattering sound of shaking bars.

As I turned down the volume on my phone because it was too noisy, I heard the sound of what seemed to be several people’s footsteps approaching……

“Kyaaaahhh, please help———-“

And in the blink of an eye, they were seized and drugged again, and with the sound of something collapsing……

“The <Earth Dragon> was finally approaching the town. At this rate, it will surely run straight through the town. Master, we’re counting on you.”

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. Leave it to me! I’ll turn the dragon into steak! Also, I’m going to bring that convenient meat shield……!”

Ignoring Witch Olive’s will, Mary-san seemed ready to run ahead, bringing along her unwilling companion with her. She really is quite willing to make the witch her shield.

” ” ……Meat shield?” “

They probably don’t know what she’s talking about. The voices of the men unlocking the lock of the prison sounded puzzled.

“I’m talking about the witch there, who is carelessly sleeping like a fool in a place like this……”

“————Oi, talking to that girl will make you mad and drive you insane. I think it would be better if you don’t touch her.”

At that moment, the sound of another man wisely warned them not to get caught up in Mary-san’s pace.

“Yes, you’re right. Mary-san will be heading off then.”

” ” ” He’s (I’m) talking about you!!! ” ” “

Seeing Mary-san, who took the initiative to distance herself from Olive, the pace of the scenario got broken and they simultaneously threw a tsukkomi.

Thirty minutes later————-

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. I’ve got back the Holy Sword “Empera Sword II” that had been confiscated from me, and the dragon is just a stone’s throw away. The stage is set……!”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Help me! The rope! At least untie this rope around me~~!!!”

Mary and the Witch Olive (who was apparently wrapped in a bamboo mat) were left in the wilderness about 15 minutes by carriage from .

“Now, come, <Earth Dragon>! Mary-san will turn you into hotpot with her awakened Hero power……!!!”

“Gyoooooooeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh!!! It’s here! It’s stretching out its head heeeeeere~~~!?!?”

Holding not a single hint of fear against enormous or unknown enemies, Mary-san……

“Mnghh, should’ve expected this from a reptile. It smells fishy. For the time being…… I’ll conduct a preemptive attack. A certain kill witch attack……!”

“Higyaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! I’ll be killed in the confusion———-………….!!!”

Mary-san had probably kicked that witch, who was wrapped in a bamboo mat near her feet, towards the <Earth Dragon> before its eyes. The screams of the girl, caught in both disaster and plot by others, became smaller and smaller as she tumbled and rolled.

[……You’re seriously ruthless, aren’t you?]

“It may seem ruthless at first glance, but it’s all an agonizing decision to protect the innocent townspeople. The most results with the least amount of sacrifice. For that purpose, Mary-san wouldn’t mind becoming an oni, a snake, or even Ariy*shi Hiroiki……!”

Mary-san decisively declared that, but what she’s doing is literally an act of a demon.

“Besides, Mary-san will take revenge for the sacrificed meat shield! Only the death of her murderer will we be a fitting offering to the witch……”

[No, in this case, wouldn’t Mary-san be both the avenger and the murderer……]

Even as I speak, I can hear the roaring bellows coming from the nearby <Earth Dragon>.

Even Mary-san’s fate hangs in the balance huh———– Just when I was thinking like that……

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. Why did the Dragon suddenly avoid Mary-san and pass me by……?”

However, sounding like she suffered a disappointment, Mary-san continued so.

[How the heck did that happen!?]

“Mnghh…… This must be because the Dragon gave up going through this path before Mary-san’s shining majesty. Yes, that must be so……!”

Mary-san clapped her hands and got convinced of her own reasoning. Not like I really care what’s going on, but hearing all of that really gives me a headache.

“As expected of Mary-san. Winning without fighting. This is the way of an expert businesswoman……”

“————-From what I saw though, it looked as if it smelled something and found it really dirty, so the <Earth Dragon> had stepped over Mary-san!”

Opposite of the rejoicing Mary-san, a familiar voice, sounding as if she doesn’t give a f*ck anymore, shouted.

“Ara? I see you’re still alive, witch……”

“Yes, yeeeees. No thanks to you! Urph…… I feel sick……”

“Morning sickness? Also, why are you still crying? The horror is already over——— Ahh, you’re crying with joy……”

“I’m not having any morning sickness! I mean, my biggest horror is still right in front of me, you know!? Rather, that <Earth Dragon>. It certainly bypassed this place, but it’s still going through its previous route and is destroying right now!”

As she said that, the roar of the <Earth Dragon> and the feedback of a blazing commotion echoed from behind the call. The sound of collapsing resounded.

“———-Ahh……”

[Oi————]

After a short pause filled with the sound of destruction and heavy footsteps, it seemed like the <Earth Dragon> began moving away……

“Hello, it’s Mary-san. This is karmic retribution. The scum of the earth have been punished for putting an innocent woman and a child in the line of fire against a Dragon……”

[Didn’t you just call them “innocent townspeople” before……?]

“There are no innocent people in the world……”

[Stop with that shamelessness, you!]

I scolded Mary-san, who changes her opinion constantly depending on the situation, but she was having none of it……

“For the time being, I’m going to leave this town behind and head to another town. I hope there’s something left in the ruins to help me get around……”

And the brat now started planning to loot the ruins

“Well then, I’ll go back first……”

“W- Wait right there! Get me out of this! Heck, don’t just leave me here!”

Olive’s sorrowful cries followed.

Just like that, disappeared from the map, and the <Earth Dragon> attack incident reached a turning point, as after that, as me and Mary-san forgot about them, the Anti-Dragon Subjugation Unit finally engaged the <Earth Dragon> and exterminated it.

Meanwhile, just as followed the disappearance of <Ikama Village> with its disappearance, Mary-san, who could no longer live a self-indulgent life, she rode a carriage she loo…… borrowed from the ruins, and once again set out on a wandering journey.

Accompanying her as the carriage’s driver is the <Deep Sorcerist>, Olive Tusa, who also doesn’t have any destination in mind.

“Why!?”

“Stop with all the complaining……!”

Well, at any rate, as their adventures were in a place I’m not in, I just hope she’ll be able to be the roof above Mary-san’s head.