CH 217

My house in the royal capital. The light from outside is slanting in through the curtains of the window.

(….It’s morning huh)

Winter mornings are making me sleepy. I get up unsteadily and draw the curtains.

I see the light shining on the eastern ridge. The sun had just made its appearance.

(If I remember correctly, today is the start of a new year)

With the year-end and new year holidays approaching, the streets are getting increasingly busy. There are big sales going on in the shopping district.

Even I, who’s ignorant of the calendar, knows that much.

(Though I still have no interest at all in days of the week)

I spend my days slaying demon beasts with my Knight, selling potions, and playing in brothels.

The merchant guild and brothels are both open 24/7, so the days of the week don’t matter at all to me.

I drink some tepidly boiled water, exhale, and turn my head.

(What should I do with my goals for this year?)

Let’s try to think about it since I came up with it.

The medicinal tree glowed green as it received the morning sun from the side. While looking at it, I thought for a while.

(As I thought the theme should be about Light cruiser-sensei)

At the end of last year, the ban on access to play with Light cruiser-sensei was finally lifted. Using the back entrance is still not allowed, but there are no restrictions on the official entrance.

Let’s set a goal to express my gratitude and joy for this.

「A hundred-day pilgrimage is the same as a hundred-day visit to a shrine」

I nodded to myself.

A shrine named “Light cruiser-sensei”. First, I go up to approach the front of the shrine.

When I reached the shrine, I gave it two slaps and shook my hips a few times. And then when Light cruiser-sensei makes a sound like a bell, the prayer is complete.

(And do that for a hundred times)

I’m sure both of us will reach our finish a few times. Though I might fall to my knees on the first visit to the shrine if she uses a guillotine.

(But, I will do it)

Precisely because it is difficult, it is worth doing.

And this will go on for a hundred days. Preferably consecutively, but it would also be fine only on the day I can put a reservation on her.

The important thing is the feeling.

(Walking up and down the shrine 10,000 times while offering a prayer expressing my gratitude)

If I do this, I’m sure something good will come of it.

(Now that it’s decided, let’s work hard right away)

Fortunately, I made an appointment for today at the first thing in the afternoon. It’s also a good thing that the first day of my hundred-day pilgrimage is also my first visit to the shrine*.

Feeling satisfied that I’ve decided on what to do, I hummed to myself as I baked some ham and eggs.

Then, through the window facing the garden, I saw the figures of my familiars. They were moving toward me in a line.

「TL Note: “初詣” Hatsumode, is basically a first shrine visit at new year in Japan.」

「Now this is rare, to think that Zaratan would leave the pond」

While muttering as such, I moved the food from the frying pan to the plate. I put down the salad for garnish and begin to toast the bread.

My familiars were a fifth instar larva of a swallowtail butterfly, a dung beetle, and a turtle. All of them are moving slowly, so it will take a little longer.

「What’s wrong?」

My familiars lined up on bath towels on the floor after passing through the doorway exclusive to my familiars. The three of them arrived at the living room just as the toast was cooking.

「You want to ask me something?」

Imosuke raised his body and waddled over. It seems that Zaratan wants to talk to me.

I put off my breakfast and turn to face my familiars.

The turtle steps forward and stretches his neck toward me. The atmosphere that comes through him to me is one of seriousness.

(I wonder what is it, he seems so serious)

A powerful spirit beast and a long-lived turtle, also known as the guardian of the Spirit Lake. I was nervous while waiting for his words.

「Eh? You’re asking if I have a special move?」

I relaxed my shoulders and replied in a rather carefree voice.

I don’t know why, but this turtle seems to be interested in special moves. Come to think of it, when I made him one of my family members, the first question he asked me was, 『What is the Skewering Whirlwind?』 .

(I don’t know if there is anything I can say about this one)

Magic eye is for understanding my opponent’s condition. And the Astral Sword is my alter ego that can change size at will.

Both are powerful, but I can’t call these techniques as 『Special Moves』. If I had to put it in a way, they are just tools.

Zaratan showed a slight sign of thinking and continued to ask questions.

Is there any other special technique in this world besides Corneille’s 『Skewering Whirlwind』 ? Is what he wants to know.

「Let’s see… There’s Grim Reaper’s Earthquake, Lightning’s Lightning Sword, and Light Cruiser-sensei’s Decapitation. Other than that――」

I count with my fingers as I speak.

Zaratan gives off a stern aura at the part I talked about Grim Reaper’s Earthquake. And then the turtle shrugs when he hears decapitation next.

「Cool-san also have it if I remember correctly, but I don’t know the name」

Spindle that spins at high speed, covered in lubricant. Then it stops with a snap like a figure skater.

With a sense of comfort, I recalled the memory of my defeat in the bedroom of this house.

「Is there a problem?」

The air around Zaratan became more serious as I mentioned one name after another. I noticed this, and my confusion only deepened.

The turtle raised its tail, swung it from side to side, and squeezed out a serious telepathic message.

『The magic that you used to heal my body. Are those special moves equivalent of that?』

「Eh?」

I couldn’t understand and asked back. After several times of questioning and answering, I finally understood what he meant.

「Oh, I see. That’s what you were thinking」

A terrifying magic that spreads death and destruction. That was the special move that Zaratan had in mind.

I never thought that such a thing would be born into the world while I was hiding in the Spirit Lake. I have to think of some countermeasures as soon as possible.

That’s what he’s thinking.

「Ahh, you’re wrong, Zaratan. These special moves aren’t something like that」

To clear up the misunderstanding, I explained carefully. The old, experienced turtle seemed to understand right away.

『A battle on bed? I see… So it was the techniques for that huh』

From the relieved look on his face, it seemed that he was seriously worried about the world. As expected of a world-renowned spirit beast, his perspective was completely different.

「I guess the words “certain kill”* is a bit alarming」

「TL Note: “必殺” Hissatsu, a special move, or a certain kill moves, if you will.」

I scratched my head as the turtle shook his head from side to side. That fight is also important, he said. Specifically, next to eating and sleeping.

「Since it is something that concerns the life of the next generation, it isn’t strange there are words like “death” and “life”, you say?」

Let’s not mention the magical treatments practiced in brothels.

I cleared my throat and asked a question of my own.

「By the way, do the elves have Knights?」

The Spirit Lake is in the Forest of Spirits. And that forest is the territory of the Elves.

It would be no surprise that Zaratan, who was said to be the guardian of the lake, would know about it.

『Are you talking about the humanoid giants?』

「I think yes, that’s it」

I nodded, and Zaratan continued.

He said that there aren’t that many of them, but they do show up from time to time. Apparently, they are hunting large demon beasts.

「Their class, like, A-class or B-class… Do you know about them?」

The turtle shakes its head once from side to side while conveying an apologetic feeling.

It’s like a car. To those who are not interested, they all look the same.

『You know, there’s a big difference between A and B-class right?』

It’s probably impossible to explain such a thing to him. Just knowing that they do have Knights is plenty enough.

「Can you win against those humanoid giants?」

When I asked him, the turtle turned his head in the direction of the pond. He then turned his head back and nodded.

I’m not a fan of fighting, but I will do it when I have to. He gives off such an atmosphere.

「Then can I ask you to protect Imosuke, Dangorou, and the Heavy Lancers, if it comes to the worst?」

After a moment, Zaratan quietly shakes his head.

「Eh? You’re going to work hard under general Dangorou, you say?」

As expected of an elder, he was standing up for his seniors in the garden forest. Let’s put aside the dung beetle that seems to be so proud of itself.

(With this, it’ll be alright as long as I don’t die or get so broke I fall behind on my rent)

There will be no problem if he can beat the elven Knights. And then there are the Heavy Lancers.

Unlike Imosuke and Dangorou, Heavy Lancers is a demon beast that is bigger than a Knight.

(So Dangorou will be in charge huh. I’m a bit worry about that part)

But I’m the one who appointed him general, so I guess I have no choice.

I looked over at the general, who was ordering Zaratan to do something with an air of authority. For now, I poked him with my finger and made him curl up.

(Well, it’s unlikely that demon beasts or elves would come all the way here)

Imosuke looked at me while tilting his head as I silently shrugged my shoulders.

「Strategy meeting?」

Dangorou, who had returned from his curled up state, stepped forward and announced. He said that he had something urgent to discuss.

「Are you planning to take a measure against the elves?」

I’m happy for their sentiments, but this is the third floor of a residential building in the royal capital. There’s nothing Imosuke and the others can do from here.

But apparently, that’s not the case. My familiars began to think of a special move for me.

They must have been thinking about the fact that I, their master, didn’t have one.

「Lightning Whirlwind? Hmm… I’m not sure about that」

I softly rejected Imosuke’s idea.

I started to eat my breakfast, which was getting cold, while answering the requests for my opinion.

***

The stage moves from the royal capital to the north-northwest, to the country of Black Locust.

There is only one town and one market in this country. Currently, it is crowded with many merchants.

「It’s from the Forest of Spirits! Come on! It’ll run out if you bargain for it!」

A merchant from the northern country raises his voice with a cheerful smile. The merchant from the kingdom who hears this, moves his hands from side to side in front of his face.

「That’s fine, I’ll just buy it from an elven merchant if that happens」

There are other options. That’s what he wanted to imply, but it didn’t work.

「Elves merchant only sell jewelry these days, you know」

While shrugging his shoulders, the merchant from the northern country continued to speak.

「Besides, they don’t trade in the market of a small country like this in the first place. They’ll just pass through to big cities and sell directly to the rich」

The sullen expression on the merchant from the royal capital’s face told the authenticity of those words.

Why has it become like this? It was because the Empire refused to accept the elves’ waste.

『Cease all trades with the empire』

That is what the elves have declared. As a result, the only trade route to the elven villages is through the northern country.

Two shadows were watching the activity from a distance.

「This market with cloth roofs is about to reach its limits. We need to switch to wooden buildings soon」

One of them. A thin, elderly man with a hood pulled tightly over his eyes looks up and speaks.

What he is looking at is a temporary pillar that is swaying in the crowd of people. The roof made of fabric is rippling in time with the pillars.

「That’s right. It’s winter and there’s no more farm work, so let’s hurry up and get it changed」

The one nodding next to him was a small, elderly man who had a big belly and also wore a hood.

These two men are the king and minister of the Black Locust country. They had come in secret to check on the town.

「It’s not just the market, there’s also a shortage of inns and restaurants」

The minister continues to speak while looking around at the waves of people around him.

「We’re letting them stay in a private house* for now, but we’re about to hit the limit」

「If we force them to camp out in the middle of winter like this, the merchants from other countries will abandon us」

The king contorts one side of his face as he nuzzles his not-so-thick neck with one hand. He’s glad that people are gathering, but it’s too sudden for him to keep up with the situation.

Incidentally, it is mostly merchants from the northern countries that come to the elf village to make purchases.

『Crossing the steep and narrow mountain road in winter by pulling a horse』

The journey was difficult even for the locals. For an unfamiliar merchant from another country, the risk was greater than the reward.

「Speaking of which, I’ve heard that the number of adventurers is increasing in the neighboring countries」

The king gives a hot drink to the minister who changes the subject. Then he urges the old man to sit on a bench.

Though he is travelling incognito, the king himself went shopping at a food stall. This is possible because it’s only a small country.

「That’s probably because things between the elves and the empire have gone sour」

The neighboring countries are the northern countries. These are the countries that sent Box doll and Mixed doll to support them, and fought alongside them against the empire.

And the reason why more and more adventurers are coming to these countries is because it is closer to the Spirit Forest than the Black Locust country.

『Something that can only obtained in the Spirit Forest』

They came to harvest a resource that was once considered as such.

The rugged mountains that border the Spirit Forest.

In the deep bottom of valleys and streams, gathered more magic power. Sometimes rare plants, trees, and mushrooms can be found there.

「No matter how valuable it is, it’s dangerous to go deeply into those mountains」

Some local people knew about it, but only a few went to harvest it. They believed it was not worth the risk.

However, the situation suddenly changed recently. The empire and the elves had stopped trading, and the price had jumped many times higher.

「I was surprised to see that the Adventurer’s Guild has a contact point, albeit a temporary one. It must be quite a pleasure for him too」

The king of the country where Box doll came from. Recalling his face, the king of Black Locust country stroked his chin with deep emotion.

Now, the northern countries must have become the hottest gathering place for adventurers from the whole kingdom.

「But still, they must be running short of manpower in every way」

Some demon beast are furious at the intruders and head for the villages at the foot of the mountain. Other monsters appear on the streets as their instincts lead them.

In addition to subjugating them, they also have to rescue adventurers who are lost in the mountains.

「It seems five C-class Knights won’t be enough」

Of the northern countries, there are three that have Knights in their army.

The Box doll nation has two knights, the Mixed doll nation has two knights, and the Barrel doll nation has one knight.

「Is it time to call him back here?」

The minister nodded in response to the king’s question.

What came to their minds was the image of the best pilot in the Black Locust country. It was Lightning, the hero who drove the only B-class Knight in the northern countries.

At the time, they had been unable to raise the money to maintain the B-class knights, so they had sent him and his Knight to the kingdom. But now it’s different.

「I’ll send a letter to the kingdom. If they want to pay a higher price to keep him there, it will depends on the amount」

「After all, there’s also the option of hiring mercenary C-class Knights while keep dispatching him in the kingdom」

The minister nodded enthusiastically.