Chapter 191 191 – Subtitute Servants

“Nakagami-san, why do we have to be in a place far from the soldiers’ camp?” Tamayo asked while leading the way between the tents. Occasionally she smiled awkwardly at the soldiers on patrol. The Hitomi twin’s gesture reminded Yua of Elise.

“Well…” Yua couldn’t take her eyes off the ‘cyborg’ walking next to Tamayo. That thing is basically made using magic, something familiar in fantasy worlds. However, Yua felt strange after knowing that inside it was only a series of inanimate objects. “You’ll find out later too.”

Before long, they came to an empty lot, slightly separated from the camp, and covered with trees. Some soldiers were building a big tent. They greeted Tamayo, then finished their work and left.

“Come in.” Tamayo entered the tent, which was almost nine feet high, and the inside was lit by an oil lantern. “Is this enough for our guests? Sorry, we couldn’t prepare more due to time and logistics issues.”

“This is more than enough.” Yua looked at several sleeping bags and bags filled with supplies in one corner of the tent. Then he spoke to his master. “I think you can call them now, sir.”

“Soon, Lord Levi will finish making preparations for the portal. Creating three portals at once after making portals in different places was very complex,” Raymund responded. “Levi will send it gradually…. Hmmm…. Maybe that place was too low for the guests to arrive. The portal that Levi prepared is unpredictable. You better wait outside.”

They exited, and Tamayo gasped when she saw a cloud of mist appear above. The first to arrive were Lucy and Alain.

“What’s up?” The archer waved his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

After Alain introduced himself to Tamayo and surveyed Taka up and down, another cloud of mist appeared. Still, this time the position was much higher. Elise, Gina, and Olga emerged from the mist.

“Why is it so high!!!” Gina panicked and desperately defended the bottom of her robe.

“C-calm down. I will do something!” Tamayo raised her hand, and the descending speed of the women decreased, except for Gina.

“Kyaaaaa!!!”

By reflex, Taka jumped up, caught the mage’s body, then rolled to the ground.

“T-thanks….” In Taka’s hand, Gina thanked him with a slightly red face.

However, Taka’s gaze accidentally fell on Gina’s lower body, which was now unprotected. The mage’s cloak was accidentally pulled up. She hastily covered the part, and Taka dropped her.

“Ouch!” Gina rubbed her ass, then protested to Taka. “Why do you do that….”

The mage widened his eyes in terror when he saw Taka’s head moving in various directions stiffly. Even the cyborg’s head could rotate a hundred and eighty degrees.

“Aah, he sure is unstable under certain circumstances.” Tamayo hastily approached the ninja.

Yua, who followed behind Tamayo, grimaced. “Well, this could be terrible if the next one comes.”

The third cloud of mist appeared, this time lower than the first. Kimi descended slowly, while Lynn immediately landed by rolling on the ground and standing only a few feet in front of Taka.

Seeing Lynn’s naked body, the non-servants immediately gasped. The worst was Taka, who immediately collapsed and was convulsing. Tamayo hurried over to the cyborg and took a look.

“He really is Taka, huh?” Yua crouched next to the ninja.

“At least he won’t lose much blood again,” Raymund responded.

***

The guests gathered inside the tent after getting acquainted with each other. The atmosphere was quite awkward because Lynn’s appearance was very conspicuous. This made Taka have to face the other way so as not to see the woman.

“Can you wear more modest clothes, miss?” Alain asked. The archer seemed to be desperately trying not to see Lynn’s body.

Lynn, deliberately keeping her distance from the others, answered. “Sorry, I’m used to this. My movements have gotten better because of this, so I have no plans to change it.”

“But…”

“If you don’t like it, I can get out of here.” Lynn cut off the archer.

“I didn’t say that.” Alain scratched his hair, glancing at Lynn’s body, which was quite muscular. “At the very least, could you get dressed first before we go on a mission? And after that, you can be naked again. This feels really weird, to be honest.”

Lynn sighed. “I was anticipating a surprise attack or something. So, I’m more comfortable continuing to look like this.”

Before Alain could argue again, Yua intervened. “Listen, looks aren’t the main issue in this mission. Most importantly, you heard sir Raymund’s plans for tomorrow. After that, you can rest.”

“Is that plan you mean related to cooperating on the battlefield?” Olga, who was sitting on one of the chairs, chimed in. “Sorry, it’s not that I disagree with cooperation, but I’m used to working without other people. You guys cooperate. I’ll do everything myself.”

Gina chuckled. “As expected, you would be like this, aunt. I didn’t like you the first time I met you. You’re the one I can’t work with, the type of person I really hate for ruining the plans that were made.”

Olga was silent, not responding to the mage’s words.

Elise and Tamayo looked scared, not wanting the tense atmosphere to escalate further. Yua watched the guests with a sharp gaze, prepared for another argument to arise. Meanwhile, Lucy looked confused, repeatedly opening her mouth to speak but holding back.

Kimi was already lying in one of the sleeping bags and drifting off to sleep.

“Well, I didn’t expect you two to get along right away in the first meeting,” Raymund spoke through one of the communication devices at a table. “It’s impossible to build a solid team if you have never met before. So, I plan to let you guys attack the demons at will. You are all attacking types, after all. Then, you will destroy the crystal in the shogun’s castle.”

“This is a map of that place.” Tamayo laid out a large sheet of paper on the table. The map still looked rough, but it was sufficient to show a map of the villages surrounding the shogun’s castle.

“Why don’t we just drop off near the shogun’s castle, sir Raymund?” Gina asked.

“Well, the demon aura over there is so powerful, and it hinders the creation of the portal.”

Alain focused his eyes on the center of the map, which showed the shogun’s castle. “How do you know we have to destroy a crystal, sir? Is…. Ah, I forgot you are a god.”

Actually, Raymund sent Ciel, whose divine power was not taken away. When the divinities of the servants were absorbed, the bug just happened to be observing from afar.

“We will attack from here and here,” Tamayo explained while pointing at the two paths on the map.

“You guys will be divided into two teams. Lynn, Olga, and Alain will go through the first path, while Taka and Gina go to the second path.” Raymund explained.

Alain glanced at Lynn, who immediately looked back at him. The archer hastily averted his gaze.

“Now you can rest,” Raymund added.

“Is that all the briefing?” Gina raised an eyebrow.

“Furthermore, Tamayo will tell the strategy used by the troops.”

“We have to go,” Yua said with a big smile. “We cannot continue to be here because our divinity has been lost. We are very dependent on the environment in the realm of god right now.”

After hugging each other with the substitute servants and bidding farewell, Raymund’s servants returned to the realm of god using the mist portal.

Tamayo cleared his throat. “So, regarding our troop plans….”

The woman’s words were interrupted because Olga separated herself and lay in one of the sleeping bags instead.

“Sorry, I don’t need that explanation,” Olga spoke while closing her eyes. “Looking at the map, I can already guess the strategy to be used. So, I’ll just use this moment to rest.”

Gina sighed as she looked up, trying not to launch an argument.

“Where are you going, Lynn?” Alain asked the naked woman who was about to leave the tent. “You don’t want to listen to Tamayo’s explanation, do you?”

“Whatever the plan, it has no effect on me. I have my own way of doing things. I’ll be on guard outside.” After saying that, Lynn just left the place.

“What’s with these people?” Gina snorted in annoyance.

Raymund was grateful that he had made the right decision by not pairing Gina with Lynn. The mage really hates people who don’t cooperate. He still paired Lynn with Alain because the god of hope wanted a ranged attacker in each group, even though Alain was clearly affected by the woman’s nudity.

“At the very least, we will represent our respective groups to understand the strategy to be used.” Alain shrugged.

Gina rubbed her chin. “Is it just my feelings, but why do I feel so hot?”

“Well, I feel it too.” Tamayo chimed in. “Even though it’s already autumn.”

Raymund deliberately didn’t tell them that the extreme weather was for a reason. Mortal transfer using portals was unnatural, thus disrupting Levidna’s natural balance.

Raymund didn’t want to add to their burden.