CH 303.2

Cool-san took Light Cruiser-sensei’s gaze that seemed to say “what are you talking about?” with hers and continued.

「You’ve been talking about how you’re going to beat him someday, haven’t you? If it’s now, it’s three against one. You don’t get many opportunities like this.」

After she finished, she glanced at me with her expressionless face. I raised my eyebrows when our gaze met and suppressed a groan of admiration.

(What a kind and thoughtful subordinate she is!)

Cool-san is our Doom Squad’s monster, also known as first-timers eater Unicorn. Although she does not have the mental path to my familiars, she was still able to communicate with them.

She is now trying to bring Explosive onee-san into the play we’re going to do.

『Light Cruiser-sensei, Cool-san, and Explosive onee-san.』

Jayanne’s top stars are all here. It’s a Jayanne dream come true for me.

My subordinate, who knows exactly what her boss wants, mixes a slight laugh in her voice and pokes at the other side’s pride.

「Could it be that you’re scared?」

After opening and closing her mouth a couple of times, she shakes her head from side to side to calm down.

I watched her while holding my breath, and her expression turned grim.

(It’s impossible, huh)

As expected she’s not like Ponytail. She won’t jump into something instantly just because of a slight provocation.

However, Explosive onee-san doesn’t refuse right away and stares at us. It was as if she was calculating the difference in strength between them and me.

It was only after a few moments had passed that she gave her answer.

「How interesting. Fine, you can count me in.」

Light Cruiser-sensei eyes blinked several times, and the Unicorn let out the air as if she had accomplished a great feat. I’ll have to reward her later.

(It will be tough to find one, but with this job well done, that’s the only fitting reward.)

While worrying about this, I walked up the stairs with a blissful expression on my face, surrounded by three beautiful women.

Meanwhile, in the lobby, the regulars, all of whom are very strong, were exchanging words with a mixture of fear and excitement.

「Oi oi, isn’t that 『Number One』, 『The Eminence in Shadow』, and 『Phantom Princess』 walking with him?」

The “Number One” is obviously Explosive onee-san. And the behind-the-scenes powerhouse is Light Cruiser-sensei, who is said to be more skillful than the sidelines even though she sits on the platform.

And lastly the “Phantom Princess” which is Cool-san. She is called as such because she seldom takes a guest even though she became a champion in the Divine Tournament.

「Could it be that the store is finally getting serious to take down Dr. Slime?」

They were just watching from a distance and couldn’t even pick up what the group was talking about. They drifted in the wrong direction with their assumptions, but there was no one here to correct them.

「It’s over.」

「Yeah, that’s just too much as expected.」

The fierce warriors nodded at each other. No matter how strong Dr. Slime is, they can’t picture the way he would win. All of his opponents are world-class women.

「I’ll go and inform the others for a bit.」

Another old man calls out to him as he runs toward the front door.

「Hurry up.」

His expression and tone are serious.

Even if they informed the others, they would not be able to watch, and there would be nothing they could do about it. Still, they wanted to share this information with everyone.

『One of the top three brothels, Jayanne, began to make a move.』

This news spread quickly to the gentlemen who frequented the high-class brothels.

***

Leaving the red-light district of the royal capital, the stage shifts to the High Elves’ mansion in the trunk of the World Tree in the Spirit Forest, far off to the north-northwest.

About ten High Elves were gathered in the conference room, listening to a report on the current situation.

「There were a few deaths, but many of our people are missing. Almost all the houses in the village have been swept away, as well as the workshops.」

Reading from a paper in his hand is a hunched-shouldered high elf who was the acting chairman. He has already resigned from his role and returned to being a mere attendee.

The only reason he was not suspected of being a spy was because he was getting his hands dirty. Unlike the Chairman, who was on his sickbed before the Spirit Cannon went off and remained with his hands clean.

「The fields were destroyed. The water intake tower was destroyed by waves, so the water from the lake cannot be sent to the village. Well, in the first place, it was not drinkable because of the mud and garbage.」

Here, he looked up and scanned the room with a lifeless face.

「Water, food, and a place to sleep. Everything is in shortage. We, the High Elves, who have access to high-level magic, have been divided into three groups, and we will take immediate countermeasures――」

「We can leave those things for later! Let’s talk about the magic of the World Tree, first.」

The one who interrupted his explanation was a high elf with thick eyebrows. The hunched-shouldered man sighed weakly and turned the page.

「The magic amount released is extremely small. The area is no longer nearly the same as it was outside the forest. Of course, it is impossible to reactivate the Spirit Cannon.」

Heavy air fills the room. The only person who does not change his expression is an old man who was as thin as a tree, sitting with his legs crossed on the table, his arms folded and his eyes closed.

He must have felt the stares of those around him. Slowly lifting his eyelids, he spins his words in a tone as if there is nothing of importance.

「What are you so worried about? There is only one thing we have to do.」

A point of light appeared after he lightly tapped the table with the heel of his boot on the map tapestry. With the tip of his chin, he guides it to the south.

「With the full strength of the Elven Knights, we just simply have to aim for the Great Pit. Pay no heed to the enemy’s fortresses and Knights, we should just go past them all.」

A point of light on the map ran toward a large hole in the southeastern part of the Empire. Staring at it, the high elf’s thick eyebrows arched wide.

「Full strength you say? Then what about the defense of this place?」

The high elves nodded in unison. Then a sneer flies from the commander of the Elven Knights.

「What an idiot. You still don’t get it, don’t you?」

The thin old man formed a smile with the corners of his mouth and glaring light in his eyes.

「Kill the royalty descendant, obtain the next generation’s World Tree, and defeat the World Enemy. For us, this is the only thing we can do.」

Only his somewhat hoarse voice echoes in the conference room.

「We need to make sure to settle this with a single blow. We shouldn’t hesitate to use a single Knight.」

While many of the high elves are silent, only the high elf with the thick eyebrows raises his eyebrows and retorts.

「If you can win, then that’s alright. But what if you lose?」

The people in the conference room are shaking their heads at the landmine-like question. Contrary to their expectations, however, the knight commander did not scream in anger.

He simply said a few words in a quiet tone.

「I don’t know」

「What did you say?」

Unable to understand what he said, the high elf with thick eyebrows asks again. The thin old man replied with a smile on one side of his face.

「I said I don’t know. We will fight with all our might. I don’t care what happens after we lose.」

Then he looked straight up, opened his big mouth, and began to laugh loudly.

While everyone else’s faces were tense, only the hunched-shouldered high elf looked away and sighed. He then raised his hand and announced to those around him.

「The village needs water. Even if it’s just me, please let me go to restore the intake water tower.」

The people who were in the intake tower were not common villagers, but soldiers who had been trained and prepared.

「Is this fine?」

All eyes in the conference room focused on the thin old man. The knight commander, however, is still in the afterglow of laughter.

Taking this as approval, the hunched-shouldered high elf exits the conference room. He went straight to the transfer magic circle further inside the building.

(Good grief, firstly we need to do something about this place.)

The magic circle in the basement of the intake tower. What he saw the moment he transferred there was a thick layer of clay and debris that filled the floor.

They must have entered with the water.

(Let’s just do what I can do)

Having reached a state of resignation, he no longer thinks about the future. He simply processes the events that come into his eyes and covers up the anxiety that wells up.

He grasps the current situation and sets priorities. As he climbed the stairs to the surface to do so, he noticed something strange.

(There’s no one here?)

The wreckage of the water intake tower, of which only the foundation remains. The hunched-shouldered high elf emerges from the basement and enters the first floor.

He looks around, but there is not a soul to be seen, nor is there a sound of voices or people working. All that could be heard was the sound of the waves coming and going and the wind blowing over the lake.

(What is the meaning of this?)

He stepped out onto the shore and looked around, then he put his hand on his chin and raised his eyebrows.

At that moment, a Knight’s left hand thrusts out of the water behind him and grabs the hunched-shouldered high elf by the torso.

His head is ripped off before he can comprehend the situation, and his body is tossed aside.

『……This magic power feels really good.』

The head of the high elf emerges from the water and is carried into the cockpit of the elven royalty’s private Knight. While eating the head, the zombie who was formerly a prince, let out a cry of joy.