Chapter 447.5, How They Spend the Night ~~Act 2~~ Scene 5 (Split Part 5/7)

Chapter 447.5, How They Spend the Night ~~Act 2~~ Scene 5 (Split Part 5/7)

South of Beilanea, and further south through the Giants’ Passage, was the site of the ruined Faltown.

Here, the once somber ambiance has long disappeared, replaced by cultivated lands adorned with lush greenery, where fruits, vegetables, and grains thrived abundantly.

Amidst a recently tilled field were two women, their bodies smeared with soil.

“Lala... I gotta say... My back is killing me!”

Itsuki, bent over while digging evenly spaced furrows, lamented.

“Itsuki, you said you wanted to go on a diet. Doing this will help trim that belly fat of yours.”

“Yeah, I did say that, but the strain on my knees is no joke!”

“It’s fine — I’m good at recovery magic...”

Indeed, the former site of Faltown had been changed into what it currently was — the Lala Farm.

While having Itsuki assist her with farm work, Lala conducted a late-night inspection of the fields.

“Why do this now? Considering that the world might end tomorrow and all...”

“Sir Instructor said that, precisely because it might be the end, we should carry on as usual.”

Upon Lala’s recitation of Tzar’s words, Itsuki let out a dry laugh.

“...Haha.”

And so, with dirt on the tip of her nose, Itsuki took a quick look around her.

“...And where’s Tzar, anyway?”

“I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get this done by tonight... So he went to find some extra help.”

“This late into the night?”

“Late at night or early morning, it doesn’t matter in agriculture... at all!”

“Okay, I do appreciate your enthusiasm, but you really need a proper rest.”

While watching Lala diligently planting seeds, Itsuki commented, but Lala never ceased her actions.

“You know, I’ve been thinking lately, but... aren’t our mages all a bit... nutty? Like Sir Asley, you, and then there’s Mister Warren...”

“Nutty... Yeah, that sounds nice!”

“No offense, but really... Mister Warren really has a rough way of treating people. Doing business with him has been quite profitable, though.”

“Warren’s the sponsor of Lala Farm. He’s a good man.”

“Well, I guess I can’t deny that the crops here are so nutritious and delicious...”

“Itsuki, no slacking.”

“Excuse me. This is what you call a break.”

“Your face’s all dirty.”

“...And whose fault is that?”

Itsuki, exasperated, blew air out of her mouth at her forehead. Lala, distracted by Itsuki’s swaying bangs, got excited.

“Ooh... How do you do that?”

“Well, like this... Fuu! Fuu!”

“Fuu?”

“No, not like that! Push your lower jaw forward! Like this! Fuu!”

“Fuu!?”

“Yes, that’s it!”

Itsuki pointed at Lala, whose hair danced around as she cracked a broad grin.

“I did it!”

“”What did you do?””

A sharp remark, sounding like a reprimand, echoed loudly from behind the jubilant Lala.

Startled, Lala, with a look of fear on her face, slowly turned around.

“Sir Instructor...!”

As one would expect, there he was — Tzar, Lala’s Kagachi familiar, guardian, and mentor in agriculture.

“”Lala, haven’t We always told you? Even within Lala Farm, you must not raise your voice so late at night!””

Tzar’s four eyes glared at Lala.

“Ahh! I-I apologize!”

“”Apologize quietly.””

“...! Oof...”

Lala approached Tzar and whispered softly in his ear.

“...I apologize.”

“”Apology accepted.”

Itsuki, with a wry smile at the exchange, glanced behind Tzar.

There stood another person, an out-of-place presence in this location.

Itsuki pointed at the newcomer and asked Tzar,

“...Is he our helper?”

Tzar nodded both of his heads.

“”He seemed to have free time on his hands.””

“Him...? Really?”

“”Indeed. Look at his face — he seems like a free man, doesn’t he?””

“Well, I guess...”

Itsuki examined the man’s face.

“Me, a free man? Never thought I’d hear anyone call me that.”

At the man’s shrugging response, Lala reacted,

“Hmm? Ooh, Ricky’s here too!”

Lala’s initial response was to the man’s voice, but her attention was not on that man.

The man was Barun, known as The Scale Tipper among the former Six Braves. Perched on his shoulder was his familiar, Ricky.

“You want some more spicy treats?”

Ricky, a Spicy Monkey with a fiery red face and fur, was fond of spicy foods. Lala, as the manager of Lala Farm, frequently treated Ricky to such snacks.

“Lala, let me do the talking.”

“Huh?”

“What’s up, Ricky? Did you secretly snack on something again without telling me?”

In response to Barun’s question, Ricky twitched and avoided making eye contact.

“”...Well, then let us take a short break.””

“We haven’t even started yet, though...”

“”Oh, was that so?””

Barun saw through Tzar’s feigned ignorance. He knew he had not been summoned here just to help. Tzar had one aim: not leaving a lone warrior to spend this night filled with anxiety and fear. That was all there was to it.

Following Tzar’s words, Barun and Tzar moved to a nearby bench, ready to hear Itsuki’s story.

“Ready?”

“So exciting...”

Lala swung her legs from the bench, eagerly waiting for Itsuki to begin.

Itsuki, with a rod that appeared out of nowhere in her hand, casually placed it on her palm without indicating any specific direction.

“First, the probability of Sir Asley defeating Devil King Lucifer!”

Itsuki, tapping the makeshift blackboard that had mysteriously appeared in front of the bench, spoke while wielding her rod.

“”That came out of nowhere.””

“Quiet, you.”

Itsuki pointed her rod at Tzar.

“Quiet, sir instructor.”

“Quiet, Sir Tzar.”

With three requests, Tzar had no choice but to remain silent.

Then, in the complete silence that ensued, Itsuki continued,

“It’s almost zero.”

Everyone’s faces darkened for a moment.

“Almost! Almost zero! Got it? The probability of Asley defeating Lucifer is almost zero. And the probability of all of you defeating hordes of monsters and Devils is also almost zero!”

Although there was a momentary recovery at Itsuki’s use of ‘almost,’ she quickly plunged all four of them into despair.

“Like I said! It’s almost! Next, multiply this almost zero by another almost zero! Then... it’s hopelessly almost zero!”

Itsuki wrote numerous zeroes with chalk on the blackboard, adding more and more of them and moving the decimal point further left.

“...Uh, is the phrase ‘almost zero’ a hit with the kids these days?”

Barun threw a joke at Itsuki.

“Even if you multiply almost zero by almost zero, it’s definitely not zero.”

“Well... that’s true, but...”

“We’re staking the potential of humanity right here.”

“”Oh?””

Surprisingly coherent words emerged, prompting Tzar to remark.

“Yes! And so hopelessly almost zero turns back to almost zero!”

“I already regret calling her a calculating girl...”

Barun said, exasperated.

“I’m gonna die tomorrow...”

Lala cast her eyes down.

“”We must admit We were a fool for being impressed.””

Tzar sighed.

“We never should’ve come here.”

And Ricky expressed his regret.

“Now, if we add love, bonds, teamwork, and wishes, and then multiply by the enemy’s teamwork and momentum... yes! Still almost zero!”

“Looks like you’re having fun.”

“My body’s gonna return to the earth...”

“”Itsuki, stop bullying everyone.””

Barun, Lala, and Tzar voiced their thoughts.

However, Itsuki had the final say,

“...And here, we’re staking Sir Asley’s potential.”

“”...!””

The characters written on the blackboard formed the symbol of ‘infinity.’

“And would you look at that! In the blink of an eye, our chances exceeded a hundred percent!”

The sound of chalk scraping the blackboard disappeared, replaced by a sudden silence.

The one to break it first was the manager of Lala Farm.

“Pfft... Ah... hahaha!”

Laughing heartily, as if forgetting Tzar’s earlier lecture, Lala’s voice echoed.

Tzar looked exasperated. Barun exchanged glances with Ricky, and they both widened their eyes.

“...Really? Is this the part where I laugh?”

Barun pointed at the blackboard, questioning Itsuki’s calculation method as if it were a joke.

In response, Itsuki shook her head.

“We haven’t seen Sir Asley’s potential and limits yet.”

Confidently, Itsuki proudly puffed out her non-existent chest.

“That’s true, but...”

“Sir Asley has accomplished so many things considered impossible! He saved the children of the Colorful Food District, created the Teleportation Spell Circle, and defeated the Devil King once! Even if he loses, he’s still alive! And as long as he lives, he has limitless potential! ...So, that’s why... My statistics are accurate...”

The longer she spoke, the more Itsuki’s voice trembled.

Though tears filled her eyes, Itsuki turned away, not showing them to anyone.

She lifted her apron to wipe her face and blow her nose.

As Itsuki turned back around, everyone could see her apron being covered in snot.

Pointing to it, Lala laughed, and Itsuki gave her an ear-to-ear smile.

Tzar sighed, and Barun, along with Ricky, exchanged glances once again.

As if speaking for the three of them, Barun looked up at the night sky.

“Yeah, I guess I can laugh at that.”

The war was tomorrow.

Itsuki, who brought smiles to those who would participate in it, earned Barun’s admiration.

Seeing that she had even calculated the probability that everyone would smile, Barun saw Itsuki in a new light, muttering to himself, “She really is a calculating girl.”