Chapter 242

Under the blue sky, in the Five Noble Titled Residence’s annex .

In the large open space for training, I’m sitting on a chair placed on top of a platform, looking down to the ground .

In that large open space, there are two groups .

One is the two hundred slave soldiers led by Nana .

At first, they were women who did not have the will to train, only doing things they want to, but currently, they show organized movements in Nana’s command .

Although there is only two hundred of them, they are an elite group able to challenge a thousand or two head-on .

The other group is the one hundred drake soldiers protecting Hikari and Chibi Dragon .

These one hundred lesser dragons are the Demon Sword’s servants brought from the past .

Although their individual strength is weak, as long as Hikari is around, they can be resummoned almost infinitely .

The two groups are clashing against each other in a mock battle, and I’m watching that from the platform .

『Hikari’s side is being pushed』

「That’s true . Both their numbers and skill are lacking . If they couldn’t be infinitely resummoned, those one hundred drakes would’ve been instantly massacred and it’s the end」

『It’s just starting』

As soon as Eleanor said that, the body of Chibi Dragon who was beside Hikari shone .

Her body was turned into light particles in an instant, and after being absorbed into Hikari’s body, she was summoned just like the drake soldiers .

This time, it was a giant dragon .

She was almost the same when she was a Red Dragon when I fought her, however, her body is a little bit smaller, and her body color is not red .

Hikari summoned Olivia the Dragon .

As expected of the ex-Dragon King . As soon as Olivia appeared, they immediately pushed back . The slave soldiers were being defeated one next to the other, and Nikki, Neora, and the other platoon leaders are somehow maintaining the frontlines .

And Olivia led the drake soldiers to chargeーーbut, Nana jumped high from the slave soldier’s side .

Nana who was giving commands from the back until now swung her sword and challenged Olivia .

Olivia blocked Nana’s sword with her claw .

A pressure that could be felt with one’s will appeared with their clash and I could even feel it from this far .

Nana released slashes one next to the other just like a storm . Every time she slashes, there was the effect of the 100% additional attack, making the space tremble twice with each slash .

Olivia used her huge body, her scales harder than steel, and even used her enormous amount of magic powers to fight against Nana head-on .

「……they’re about equal, huh」

『It looks that way . But if we are talking about the potential, she might exceed Olivia in the future』

「You won’t consider Olivia growing too?」

『Hmm? Do you think she will? That a woman who has lived for hundreds of years improve?』

「I dunno, but it’s better that way」

『Kukuku, it looks like your bad habit appeared again』

What bad habit, how rude . I just believe that women who improve themselves would be better women .

Nana has grown a lot since I’ve met her, and on the other hand, Olivia died once and reincarnated, so she doesn’t look stronger even compared to when we just met in the past .

I’m just saying that it would be great if she would grow too .

『Leaving aside whether she would show growth or not, it looks like she reached her limit for now』

「Mu?」

As soon as Eleanor said that, Olivia’s body shrank .

She was gradually being pushed by every slash Nana made, looking as if she was a different person earlier from how she’s losing .

It’s not only Olivia . The drake soldiers were also at a disadvantage .

The soldiers of both sides continued their battle while Nana and Olivia faced off one on one to their side, so just like at the beginning, the drake soldiers were being defeated only to be resummoned, but here, the resummoning stopped .

And eventually, the last drake soldier was defeated and the slave soldiers surrounded Hikari .

And to the side, Nana is also overwhelming Olivia .

『Hikari’s powers is at its limit』

「Hikari’s? Didn’t it last longer when we were in the past?」

『Summoning a stronger being consumes more power . It’s a natural thing, right?』

「She got exhausted quickly because she summoned Olivia huh」

I looked at Hikari from a distance and confirmed that she looks a bit fatigued . She is breathing with her shoulders as if she had just finished running a marathon .

『If it was me, I can summon Olivia five times』

「Don’t appeal yourself just because you saw a chance . That’s too petty since you’re against Hikari」

『Although Hikari is cute, I cannot lose to her as a Demon Sword』

Eleanor’s tone was quite serious .

This girl who is more of a doting parent than me, when “as a Demon Sword” is added, she would show a strong competitiveness .

『You are far more of a doting parent than me』

「That’s not true」

I said and stood up from the chair . Hikari is of course the world’s cutest daughter, but I haven’t done anything that would allow anyone to call me a doting parent .

『Well, being ignorant is also a sin though』

「Whatever you sayーーchange training!」

I shouted and the slave soldiers who were surrounding Hikari flinched all at once .

「Protect the VIP from the enemy plotting to kidnap」

「All troops! Protect Hikari-sama!」

Nana who instantly understood my intention gave command .

The movements of the slave soldiers changed . The two hundred soldiers who surrounded Hikari as if to declare checkmate, suddenly created defensive formation to protect the King .

I just stood there unmoving .

Instead, three shadows appeared from behind me and charged towards the slave soldiers .

It’s the human-sized straw puppets that I ordered to make beforehand .

It was made with simplicity . However, the straw puppets moved their head, body, and limbs in synchrony .

Those straw puppets attacked the slave soldiers .

The straw puppet in the spearhead swung its heavy sword . One of the straw puppets in the back used lightning magic as support fire, and the other used support magic to support the other puppets .

「T-These movements isーー!」

「Io-san?!」

A shout of confusion was raised from the slave soldiers .

That’s right . The three straw puppets are respectively, Io, Agnes, and Julia .

Their power, speed, and the magic they’re using are mostly reproduced .

If you leave aside their appearance as straw puppets, it’s infinitely close to Io’s party itself .

Puppet Master .

I’m using the skill that I won using the golden lottery ticket and manipulated the straw puppets .

By the way, it’s not like I became the skill’s owner .

Just like when I was able to draw as many times I would like before I teleported to this world, I was told that I could try to use the skill once as a trial version .

That’s why I tried using it and decide who I’ll give it to later .

「Don’t panic! We will fight against famous adventurer parties sooner or later!」

The slave soldiers panicked, but calmed down with a shout from Nana .

Neora headed towards the Agnes Puppet who is a complete power fighter and nullified her strengths by parrying to the left and right .

Io Puppet dropped a lightning to help Agnes Puppet, but a platoon made up of twenty soldiers created a magic barrier .

The magic spell that was at the level of Io’s lightning was blocked by a magic barrier made by twenty soldiers .

While that happened, the first platoon led by Nikki charged and separated Io Puppet from Julia Puppet . The two puppets that were not good at melee combat was overwhelmed .

Io’s party was defeated by the slave soldiers .

「Thank goodness……we somehow won」

「This, it was His Excellency controlling them right? So amazing……」

「His Excellency can also do such thing huh」

After the battle, the slave soldiers felt relieved and said that .

Some of them were looking at me with glistening eyes, so I’ll “take care” of them later .  

『It would not be like this if it were the real thing』

「Of course . Io is becoming stronger and stronger after all」

『However, the Puppet Master skill, if you can use it to this extent, wouldn’t it be better if you just use it yourself?』

「If I use it, then I would instinctively make the puppets move just like my women」

『So what?』

「Rather than doing that, it’s incomparably better if I just stay together with my women . If I control the puppets, they would only move in a manner I know, but their originals would show movements that I’ve never seen nor experienced before」

『That somewhat makes sense yet somewhat doesn’t, but well, if it’s you’re saying so, then fine』

Eleanor got convinced at the least .

I understood what would the Puppet Master skill does .

It enables you to manipulate things named as “puppets”, making them do things that you can do yourself .

Since I was hit by Io’s lightning before, I could use it . Agnes’s movements are simple so it’s easy to copy them . And in Julia’s puppet’s case, I don’t need to control it that much, only using support magic to the others so it’s quite easy .

Everything they did was something I could do . That’s why I was able to do what I did earlier .

If I were to will it, I could just use a puppet while relaxing and take care of myself .

It’s pretty much like that .

If one master it, it is really a cheat skill . It is virtually making a clone of yourself .

Who should I give this to?

「Master」

「n?」

I heard a voice from below the platform .

A beastkin maid with lovely ears and fluffy tail . Miu Mi Myuu .

Our house’s capable made that takes care of the mansion just by herself .