Chapter 1: Apostles
Chapter 1: Apostles
“Guildmaster Rio— No, Riold is an Apostle. The alias that Our Lady bestowed upon him was Analyzer, and he is the Fifth Seat. He and I were in charge of gathering and manipulating information.”
The truth that Ange revealed shocked us...or not really. At least, for me it was more like, “Ah, as I’d thought.” Efil did look extremely shocked, though.
“Huh? You knew, Kelvin?”
“More like I’d considered the possibility when I found out you were Assassin. I was planning on taking time to go over everything I knew tomorrow or the day after. Now I have the confirmation I need. Thank you for telling us, Ange.”
“I see... Ehe heh, so I was of help to you?” The red in Ange’s cheeks from the alcohol deepened by a shade.
“How did you figure out he was working for Elearis, Master?” Efil asked.
“I wasn’t sure if he was a proper Apostle like Ange was, but I suspected he was connected in some way. You know how it seems like you can never tell what he’s thinking? It’s that Rio— Ah, his actual name is Riold? We’re talking about that cunning old coot. Even if he was innocent, there’s no way he wouldn’t notice what Ange was up to. Not when she was working under him. I may not trust him, but I have every faith in his uncannily sharp eye.”
“As always, you truly see through all, Master.”
Ange sighed. “As an intelligence operative, I have no idea how I’m supposed to feel about this.”
I mean, I did always have my guard up against that sly old man, but the idea of him being an Apostle wouldn’t have occurred to me if I didn’t know you were one, Ange.
“Long ago, when I was only a Rank A adventurer, I tried peeking at Riold’s Status using Analyze Eye. I suppose this means both of you were using a skill named Disguise all along?”
“That is correct. For me, it was obvious why I had to do it; it’d be weird for a supposedly normal guild receptionist to have her Status Concealed, right? As for the Guildmaster, he changed his Status using Disguise, then cast Rank B Concealment on top of everything. That way, although you might have had your guard up against him, you didn’t suspect anything further, right?”
“That’s...fair enough.” I suppose hearing that he used to party up with Mist-san, the Guildmaster over at the capital in Toraj, also reassured me a little. Wait, hold on...
“Is the Guildmaster over at the branch in the capital of Toraj, Mist-san, also one of your former buddies?”
“Nope, Guildmaster Mist isn’t connected in any way. It is true that she and Riold partied up when they were younger, but I’m afraid I don’t know anything about what his life was like before he became an Apostle.”
“I see...” Tch.
“Uh, did you just click your tongue? You did, didn’t you?”
“The possibility of there being someone so strong among my acquaintances got my hopes up a little.”
“Normal people would be relieved in this situation, Kelvin-kun.”
What can I do? This is just the way I am. “Speaking of which, that Disguise skill sounds pretty darn useful. I didn’t see it when I was looking for skills similar to Concealment. Are there certain conditions for picking it up?”
“There is one. When you get Rank S Concealment, it’s secretly added to the list of skills you can acquire.”
“Secretly, huh?” In other words, I was supposed to notice the addition within that massive list when I didn’t even know it’d happen? That’s a bit of a tall order, isn’t it? Couldn’t I have gotten a message like, “You have now unlocked such and such skill”? But my complaint aside, this doesn’t change the fact that Disguise sounds very useful. Let’s grab it now.
Disguise (Rank F) [SP Cost: 10]
The ability to change the age displayed on your Status.
Uh, my age?
Noticing my look, Ange explained, “When the skill rank is low, there isn’t much you can do with it. When you raise it to Rank S, though, it’ll let you change everything.”
“I-I see...”
I suppose this could be useful to some women even at Rank F, but I can’t really see myself— Hold on. My life span is now much longer due to me Evolving into a daemon. If I look at this long-term, it could still be useful as is, I guess.
“So, where’s Guildm— Where’s Riold-san now?” Efil asked. “We haven’t actually seen him in quite a while.”
I started. “Now that you mention it...” The last time we saw him was, what, after we killed Demon Lord Zel? Ange told us he was traveling around mediating postwar arrangements.
“Well, now that he probably knows I’ve joined you guys, I don’t think he’s ever coming back to the Parth Adventurer’s Guild. Since his cover’s been blown, there’s no need for him to risk it.”
“Does that mean we don’t have to worry about him suddenly coming to attack us through the teleportation gate?”
“I can’t say for sure, but the possibility is very low. Riold’s on the Western Continent at the moment, after all.”
“Wow, that’s pretty far.”
However, he was the gatekeeper for the teleportation gate in Parth. It’d be dangerous to leave him with the authority to use it, but how can I explain it to whoever’s in power? It’d probably be a whole thing trying to explain about Melfina and Elearis, and if I did it badly, I might be the one who comes across as suspicious. If only there was someone who conveniently has a certain understanding of the circumstances and the authority to decide who gets to use the gates—
“Ah.”
“Master?”
“Kelvin?”
There is someone. Looks like our next destination’s been decided.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing. There’s no change to our plans to return through the gate. If Riold really does attack us when we do so, we’ll take it as a bonus. We’ll be with our entire party and we’ll be ready. If needed, King Leonhart will probably even vouch for us. The only concern is the Apostles deciding they’re willing to do whatever it takes and, say, attack the entire city of Parth.”
“The possibility of that happening is almost zero. Arbitrator’s goal is to help Elearis descend upon this world as a goddess, not commit indiscriminate mass slaughter. Remember how I first evacuated everyone in the vicinity when I called you out?”
“You did. But what about with the Demon Lord, then? The Apostles were involved with his appearance, right?”
“We did use the Demon Lord and a Black Grimoire to gather mana, but that was more like taking advantage of a naturally occurring phenomenon. I know this kind of sounds like an excuse after the fact, but Protector was going to kill the Demon Lord after letting it rampage for a while. After all, the Heroes of this age are far too weak to do it. But in the end, you ended up taking care of everything.”
Ange had a very conflicted look on her face due to her complicated standing in regards to everything that had happened.
Wait, she just casually revealed that there’s at least one Apostle who fits the condition for negating Mara Pisuna! In other words, that Apostle’s gotta be a Hero! WHOO!
“Wh-What was that, M-Master?!”
“Why’d you suddenly shout out loud?!”
“Ah, sorry, Efil, Ange. I couldn’t hold myself back any longer.”
Understanding dawned on Ange’s face. “Ahh, so that’s what it was.”
“Master, I’ll pour you some herbal tea,” Efil said, getting up. “It’ll help you calm down.”
“Thank you for understanding, both of you.”
If I have to give an analogy, it’s like making Melfina sit at a table loaded with dishes made by Efil. Oh no, I’m drooling... Let’s take a sip of the tea that Efil just poured me. Okay, be calm. Be calm. I’m normal. I’m absolutely normal. Inhale, exhale. Inhale...exhale... Okay, I’m good now. Still, this conversation really is bad for my heart.
“Ange, we kinda got cut off before, but can you tell us all you know about the Apostles now?”
“Oh, right. I don’t mind, but wouldn’t it be better to gather everyone for this?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll upload all the info to the Network. But tell me the details slowly. The night’s still young; we have plenty of time.”
“That’s a pretty troublesome chronic condition you have there, Kelvin.”
At least I’m not as bad as Colette. Uh...I’m not, right?
◇ ◇ ◇
“Nn...hnn...”
I slowly woke up with my left arm feeling strange. My consciousness struggled to push through a fog of languor and listlessness.
Last night...I listened to Ange...then got caught up in a drinking showdown between Gerard and Nellas. I swear both of them have bottomless stomachs; no one in their right mind should challenge them, and that includes me. After a while, Efil and I excused ourselves and got away. I wonder if those two continued their match after that?
“In any case, it’s about time I got— Huh?”
Just as I was about to sit up in bed, an incredible force pulled on my left arm.
“Mmm... Why’re you going away...”
“Uh...because it’s morning?”
The culprit was Sera. She was sound asleep, probably because there was still alcohol in her system. Clearly, she wasn’t going to get up anytime soon. And just as clearly, she wasn’t going to let go of my arm. Although she normally slept quite peacefully, things were a bit different when she went to bed drunk. That said, she was no match for Melfina, of course!
“Efil is already awake. Of course she is.”
There was still a bit of warmth left on the right side of the bed where Efil had slept, but it was already vacant. At this time, she was most likely making breakfast.
Hmm, what should I do? Sera isn’t letting go of my arm.
“Oh, right.”
I might as well use this time to properly review all the info uploaded to the Network. My notes on everything Ange shared about the lineup and abilities of the Apostles last night should be up there. Right, here it is. If I organize it a bit... All right, this sums it up nicely.
◆ ———————————————————— ◆
Tenth Seat: Empty
This Seat was empty when Ange was still in the organization. Based on her conjecture, Tristan Faaze has been reincarnated to assume this position. When he was still alive, he possessed Summoning and used a golem made by Jildora.
Ninth Seat: Survivor
Real name: unknown. The swordsman Rion fought at the Beast King Festival. The second newest addition to the organization if Tristan did join. Managed to stall Rion, Gerard, and Alex all by himself when I was attacked by Ange and Baal. Body has seemingly inexhaustible powers of immortality; he recovers in an instant even when beheaded, immolated, or reduced to cinders. Unknown whether this is due to a Unique Skill. Possesses a large variety of other abilities, including instant-draw iaijutsu.
Eighth Seat: Assassin
Hardly a reveal anymore, but this used to be Ange’s seat. Possesses two Unique Skills: Uncontainable, which enables her to pass through both matter and magic, and Assassin’s Strike, which multiplies the damage done when catching an opponent by surprise. According to her, Ange’s Agility is the highest among all the Apostles. However, when fighting head-on, her battle strength is below average. Due to her leaving the organization and joining our side, this seat should now be empty.
Seventh Seat: Reviver
Real name: Estoria Kranweltz. A voluptuous vampire with as good a figure as Sera’s (racially, demons and vampires are separate). Ange did not have much opportunity to interact with her, but she knows her name because she often mentions it. Supposedly possesses the power to resurrect the dead, something that even Rank S White Magic cannot achieve, but Ange never saw Reviver use this power in person. Is on extremely bad terms with Condemner of the Sixth Seat.
Sixth Seat: Condemner
Real name: Bel Baal. As is obvious from her family name—though Ange can’t say for sure, as Baal never talked about her past—chances are high she’s a demon tied to Sera through familial relations. Still, Baal was the one Ange was closest with. Ange passionately told me how, despite having a sharp tongue, Baal was actually a really good listener. Possesses the Unique Skill Color Corrosion, which enables her to freely increase or decrease the intensity of a target’s properties. Specializes in close-quarters combat using kicks and Green Magic. Is on extremely bad terms with Reviver of the Seventh Seat.
Fifth Seat: Analyzer
Introduced himself as “Rio” when I first met him, but his real name is Riold. Served as Guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild branch in Parth, where he and Ange monitored me and my party. Possesses a grand-sounding Unique Skill called God’s Eye, which enables him to easily see through skills such as Concealment and Disguise. Likely a significantly superior version of Analyze Eye. Currently on the Western Continent.
Fourth Seat: Protector
Real name: Serge Flore. Summoned as a Hero by a former Oracle of Deramis, Iris Deramilius, to defeat Demon Lord Gustav. Has a very open and cheerful personality but possesses battle prowess leaps and bounds beyond that of the other Apostles. Mainly stays within the organization’s base to protect the temple within and rarely leaves. Due to this, she’s often bored and engages Ange in meaningless chitchat whenever the opportunity arises. However, a lot of confidential information gets mentioned during those supposedly meaningless chats, making this one of the venues through which Ange acquired her knowledge. Possesses Absolute Gospel as a Unique Skill, which grants her such good luck that circumstances are bent to her benefit. Judging by the fact that it has the same name, this is likely the same skill as Touya’s, meaning she has the same protagonist characteristics he has. Her black hair and eyes indicate she is most likely a Japanese person like me and the current Heroes.
Third Seat: Creator
Real name: Jildora. Has lived for a long, long time thanks to his Unique Skill, Eternal Return, which enables him to jump into other bodies. Has spent that time mostly involved in research in a large variety of fields, ranging from creating golems, weapons, and items to studying biology and virology. Just like Ange, the majority of Apostles wield weapons made by him. Has deep personal history with Gerard.
Second Seat: Selector
Real name: unknown. The one Apostle Ange has never met in person. She’s only ever heard their—Ange couldn’t determine the person’s gender—voice through a Holy Stele. Supposedly only Arbitrator knows their location. All that she knows is that they are in charge of selecting new talent for the organization. In short, they serve as a scout for the organization.
First Seat: Arbitrator
Real name: Iris Deramilius. One of Colette’s ancestors. The Oracle of Deramis from the era when Demon Lord Gustav threatened the world. She received an incomplete form of Reincarnate, the power to reincarnate souls, from Elearis, the target of her worship. Has been using that power to bring back talents useful to the organization. Almost always found praying at the temple in the base. Possibly as an effect of receiving the power of a goddess, her skills are completely different from when she was alive and she is now half a deity (according to Protector).
◆ ———————————————————— ◆
I guess that’s about it? I’ll ask Ange to look it over later. Of course, one thing we have to keep in mind is that this is only info Ange knew. In other words, each Apostle could still have aces up their sleeves, be it more Unique Skills or anything else, just like Ange never told anyone else about Assassin’s Strike.
“Just thinking about this is getting me excited.”
I’m positively tingling with excitement; such is my lot as a Japanese guy. We’re a battle-hardened race! Oh no! My heart is racing so fast I’m feeling a nosebleed coming on!
“Uh...”
“Oh, hey, you’re up, Sera?”
When I looked around in search of something to plug up my nose, I noticed that Sera had woken up. For some reason, she was staring at me with judgmental eyes.
“Perv.”
“Wait, no! This isn’t that kind of nosebleed!”
◇ ◇ ◇
After clearing up Sera’s misunderstanding and finishing the breakfast Efil made, I headed to the open square in the middle of the Village of Elves.
“This is a sight indeed. All the food and drinks are just gone.”
How late did the elves stay up? Not a single morsel was left from all the dishes that had been prepared, and empty bottles rolled about on the wooden tables.
“The elves themselves appear to be completely out too,” Efil replied before turning to Nellas. “Pardon my forwardness, but I’ve made enough congee for everyone.”
I chuckled. “What luck we had so much rice in Clotho’s Storage.”
When we walked through the village, we saw elves lying around everywhere, most with bottles in their hands, almost all lying limp. They must have drunk themselves into oblivion. A few from our party who had finished breakfast earlier—including Rion, Shutola, and the maids—were now passing out warm tea and tending to them. Of course, I had sent Sera indoors ahead of time so that she wouldn’t breathe in the fumes from the elves’ breaths.
“I can still...keep going...roar...”
I cast a glance to the side. “Is that corpse over there our dear friend Dahak?”
“I heard he challenged Gerard-san to what he called a ‘duel between men,’” Efil answered.
“Oof, it clearly didn’t go well for him. C’mon, man, you should have known better.” It’s like challenging Melfina or Sylvia to an eating contest.
Leaving Dahak alone, I turned my eyes to the seats next to his. There, two figures were still sitting conspicuously upright amid the sea of casualties.
“Uh, don’t tell me... They’ve been at it all night?”
“Unfortunately, I believe so.”
Even Efil could not help but sigh. So did I. How could I not, seeing what they were like?
“Glug, glug...phew! You sure can hold your drink, Elder Nellas! You’re the first person I’ve met who’s been able to keep pace with me this far!”
“I may not look it, but I took second place in the Western Continent Drinking Competition! I can’t very well lose to you just yet, Gerard-dono!”
“Gah ha ha! What a merry time we’re having!”
“To great friends!”
“CHEERS!”
“CHEERS!”
CLANK!
The sound of mugs knocking together in a toast rang out god knows how many times.
You sure seem intent on destroying my image of a leader of elves, Nellas-san. And here I was, feeling so touched when we last parted. Well, this is no time to be complaining. If I leave these two alone, they’re likely to continue drinking until the end of time.
“Gerard-san, Nellas-sama, it’s already morning. It’s about time to wrap up this drinking session.”
Ah, Efil got to it before me.
“Mm?” Gerard looked up. “Now that you mention it, it seems strangely bright.”
“Is that so?” Nellas brought a hand up to his brow as he shook his head. “It’s been so long since our village had a celebration that it seems we went a bit overboard. I think I’m also quite drunk. Now it looks to me like Efil-san’s ears are longer than they used to be.”
“My...ears?” Efil’s ears twitched cutely a few times.
Oh, right, we haven’t told the Elder about Efil’s Evolution yet.
“You’re not imagining it,” I said. “After our battle with the Demon Lord, Efil Evolved into a high elf.”
“Huh?” Nellas blinked at me blankly.
Efil smiled like an angel. “Oh, that’s right. My ears grew during the Evolution. Now they’re as long as everyone else’s in this village.”
For some reason, Nellas froze. His jaw dropped in the most perfect sense of the word I’d ever seen. Even Gerard, who had been on the same wavelength with him until that point, tilted his head in confusion.
I peered into his face. “Um, Nellas-sa—”
“E-E-E...”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“EVERYONEEEEE! WAKE UUUUUP! A HIGH ELF! A HIGH ELF FROM THE LEGENDS HAS BEEN BOOOOORN!”
A shout far too loud for the morning reverberated throughout the village. All effects of alcohol had disappeared from the Elder in a split second.
◇ ◇ ◇
“I am truly sorry for losing myself,” Nellas apologized, sitting up straight to show how earnest he was. “I got a bit too excited.”
The elves gathered in the square waved away the Elder’s apology in a chorus of murmurs. Thanks to Efil’s congee, they, too, had made a full recovery from their hangovers. To those wondering how they had recovered with a simple bowl of rice gruel, all I can say is: because it was made by Efil. That’s the long and short of it.
“Judging from your reaction just now, high elves are quite highly esteemed in your culture?” I asked.
“‘Esteemed’ doesn’t cover it!” Nellas exclaimed. “We elves live long lives, but only a handful have ever obtained the honor. To my knowledge, it was centuries ago that it last happened, and that high elf went on to achieve the incredible feat of defeating a Demon Lord as a member of the Hero Serge’s party!”
Seeing that Nellas’s breathing was growing increasingly ragged and excited, I interrupted him. “Okay, okay, please calm down! You’re raising your blood pressure!” Please take a few deep breaths first before continuing.
“My blood...pressure? Can’t say that’s something I’ve been aware of before.”
“It’s a thing, trust me. And I think I sort of get what you’re saying. If Rion goes to Deramis, they’ll probably react the same way to her.” Since she’s a saint and all.
To sum up what the Elder told us after calming down, high elves were truly rare beings. All elves who Evolved into one accomplished historic feats and lived very colorful lives.
The elves crowded around Efil, well-wishes on their lips. Some even started to worship her.
“U-Um, may I shake your hand please, Efil-san?”
“Congratulations, Efil-chan! Now your future is guaranteed!”
“Dear, Efil-chan already defeated a Demon Lord; her life is smooth sailing now. Looks like she’s found a good partner too. Right, Efil-chan?”
Efil nodded. “I’m very happy with my life now.”
“We can’t very well let you return without doing anything for you!” Nellas declared. “This calls for another fea—”
“That’s enough, Nellas-san.” Don’t use this as an excuse to raise another toast.
◇ ◇ ◇
Once we finished saying our farewells to the villagers, we headed back to the capital of Gaun. Dahak had recovered enough to fly, so we made good time.
“For some reason, the majority of my memories of the Village of Elves involve feasting,” I commented wryly.
“That’s fine, isn’t it?” Gerard chortled. “The villagers all seemed happy and I fully enjoyed myself!”
Dahak grumbled, “How am I supposed to ever win?” before releasing a short blast of fire from his mouth in a sigh.
You realize the person you challenged was still going strong the next morning, right? Have you considered choosing a different thing to challenge him with? Like gardening, for example?
Shutola looked at Gerard. “Grandpa, I don’t drink.”
“I’m not that great with alcohol either.” Rion smiled wryly.
“Efil,” Gerard said, “I am swearing off alcohol as of today. Don’t bother preparing wine for me tonight.”
“Understood.”
Quick and decisive, just as a man should be. Gerard didn’t hesitate for even a second.
“We’re finally returning to Parth tomorrow...” Melfina murmured wistfully. “Fun times really do pass in the blink of an eye.”
Honestly, I feel like Melfina enjoyed herself even more than the kids.
“That is so,” Efil agreed before turning to the other maids. “Rest up properly today. When we return, we will be thoroughly cleaning the mansion, going through the spaces and corners the golems missed.”
Ellie and Rosalia chorused, “Yes, Efil-sama.”
At the same time, Ruka said, “Okaaay,” raising her hand half-heartedly and sighing. “Aw, we have to get back to work tomorrow.”
“I want to skip it,” Huba mumbled under her breath.
I understand where they’re coming from. It’s the same feeling as going back to work after an extended holiday, right? Our house is huge, so I imagine it takes a lot of work to manage. At least now we’ve got Dahak to take care of the garden. To think Efil used to do everything all by herself... The working conditions should be much better now, so hang in there, you two.
Everyone was free to spend our last day in Gaun however they wanted. We would be returning by teleportation gate the next day, so I got to work making the necessary preparations.
◇ ◇ ◇
Today was the day of our return. We were using the teleportation gate within the Castle of the Divine Spirit Tree. More precisely, we were already standing in front of the gate. All I had to do was present my guild card for confirmation and pour mana into the device.
“U-Um, are you sure we don’t need to provide mana, Kelvin-sama?”
“Mel and I have got it, don’t worry. Especially because we need to keep it open for quite a while. It’ll be tiring, right?”
“It’s true that we can only maintain it for a short period of time, but...”
The old man representing the court mages normally tasked with the operation of the gate shot Jereol and Yujil a look. The pair simply nodded with a resigned air. Just let them do as they please, basically.
As I’d had to submit an official application to use the gate, our schedule was readily available to everyone in an important position in Gaun. The princess and all the princes of Gaun—with the exception of Kilto—were currently there with us, making it a truly extravagant send-off. For some reason, they all had bewildered looks on their faces. The Beast King had other business and therefore couldn’t make it.
“Thanks for everything, Sabato,” I said, giving the beastkin a clap on the shoulder. “Come visit us in Parth every once in a while, yeah?”
“S-Sure...”
I turned to Goma. “I bet King Leonhart’s giving you a hard time as always, but never stop fighting back. Speaking of, send him my regards please.”
“R-Right, I will...”
“It’s such a pity I couldn’t see Prince Kilto one last t—”
Unable to hold it in any longer, both Sabato and Goma asked at the same time, “By the way, why is your entire group fully armed?”
You’re gonna ask? Well, I guess they would.
“You’re not making a detour to a dungeon, right?” Sabato asked. “Aren’t you just heading straight back to Parth?”
“Sera-san’s even got those giant arms she used in the semifinals of the tournament,” Goma added.
The siblings looked confused as they bombarded us with questions. It was understandable, as everyone in my party was wearing full battle gear and had their respective weapons in hand—Sera had even cast Blood Scrimmage. Everyone who knew a buff spell had cast it on everyone else, and I was internally debating whether to cast Boreas Death Scythe on my staff.
“A trip technically isn’t over until you actually get home, right?” I replied. “As a Rank S adventurer, I thought we ought to properly put that attitude into practice to set an example for others. After all, there’s no telling when and where someone might come to assassinate us.”
“I-Is that true, Goma?”
“Why’re you asking me?”
Even I was aware that my half-assed answer was stretching it a bit. However, the way Sabato seemed to be taking my words at face value made me worry for him instead. In contrast, Jereol and Yujil were being considerate and staying out of the conversation. The truth was that I had also secretly applied for the right to bear arms in the castle. Considering the location, it had been a rather tall request, and the two had worked pretty hard to grant it.
I’m sorry for the trouble, but my companions’ safety is of the utmost importance to me.
“Is everyone ready? We’re opening the door soon.”
After looking around and seeing the others nod once, I stepped forward with Melfina. I placed my guild card in the groove and a hand on top to pour my mana into the device. Melfina placed her hand on mine.
::Look at us! We’re doing something together!::
For starters, let’s each give it 2,000 MP.
::Being ignored is really hurtful, honey.::
Being told such a sweet line by Melfina when she was holding an MP potion in one hand prompted me to respond jokingly, but the truth was that I had also been somewhat self-conscious about the hand contact.
After our banter, I fixed a mental image of Parth in my mind and charged up the apparatus. My guild card shone gold as a steady, consistent light came on within the frame as if a light bulb had been turned on. The sight was markedly different from the twisting whirlpool that had appeared the other times we’d used such a device.
Okay, that seems to be enough MP. Between Mel and me, we did give it enough for four Rank S spells, after all. Uh, can you not stare so hard, court mages? It’s embarrassing being the target of such passionate gazes.
While watching Mel down her MP potion out of the corner of my eye, I barked, “First squad, Gerard and Clotho!”
Both Sabato and Goma repeated, “First squad?!” in astonishment.
It makes sense to first confirm the situation on the other side of the gate, right? The best ones for the job are, of course, Gerard, who’s our tank, and Clotho, who’s sending a clone through. Ange said we should be fine, but it never hurts to be prepared. Not when our opponent is that cunning old codger, Riold.
“Very well! Let us go forth, Clotho!” Gerard cried, bracing his greatsword and shield as he charged into the gate alongside the slime.
Next was Sera and Melfina’s turn. I was just about to give the order to proceed when Gerard’s face reappeared from the gate. He beckoned, all the tension gone from his shoulders.
“My king, the situation’s a bit different from what we were expecting.”
I paused briefly, then ordered, “All right, everyone in!”
“See? I told you it’d be fine.” Ange sighed.
Clearly, there was no Riold and no trap waiting for us. I guess that works too.
We bid our final farewells to everyone from Gaun and strode into the teleportation gate.
“What on earth was that all about?”
“I’ve given up trying to understand how Rank S adventurers think. What, do you think you know what father is thinking?”
I wasn’t sure, but I thought I caught the start of a pretty rude conversation just before the gate closed. I didn’t have time to dwell on it, however, as I found a truly unexpected person waiting on the Parthian side.
“Welcome back, Kelvin-san.”
“Huh? Mist-san?”
The person who lifted her hand from the pedestal and waved it in greeting was none other than the Guildmaster of the Toraj Adventurer’s Guild, Mist. The gates needed someone with the right authorization to admit us on the other side as well, and apparently, she was the one who had performed that role today.
“I’m sorry for surprising you; you didn’t expect me to be the one greeting you, did you?” Mist wiped a few beads of sweat off her forehead with a handkerchief. “I admit, I was quite surprised myself just now.”
Ah, I suppose anyone would be surprised by seeing a suit of Demon Lord armor and a large slime suddenly jump through.
::When we got through, we just stared at each other in the most awkward atmosphere I had ever experienced,:: Gerard said.
Sorry, that’s partly my fault.
Mist was quite low on the list of those I had expected to see on this side—I was under the impression she was still in Toraj—with a guild staff member being the next choice after Riold. Then again, that staff member would probably be surprised to see Ange’s collar, so I reminded her to put on her scarf. It was still a bit too early to do the whole reveal and explanation.
“I’m very sorry, Mist-san,” I apologized. “We were still a bit excited. Holiday mode and all that, you see.” While speaking out loud, I also asked through the Network, Sera, how’s it looking?
::There are no presences nearby that match Rio’s signature. The city is completely at peace.::
My conclusion was the same as Sera’s. In other words, Riold truly was not around. There were no presences nearby, or indeed even within the city, that seemed remotely similar to his. He was likely still hiding somewhere on the Western Continent.
“Of course,” Mist replied. “Well, there’s no need to keep talking on our feet. Come join me in my office. We have quite a bit of catching up to do.”
I sent all the maids but Efil home before following Mist upstairs with my friends. We went up a flight of stairs...then another...and found ourselves on the second floor.
“Here we are.”
The room she led us to was the Guildmaster’s room. The fixtures inside were just as I remembered. Since she had called this “my office,” it could only mean...
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions. But first, take a seat. I’ll explain everything.”
Before I could vocalize what I was thinking, Mist had already gestured us towards the visitors’ sofa. It was big enough to seat us all, so we obliged, with the exception of Efil and Gerard, who took up position behind me without saying a word. Efil being obstinate about acting maid-like in public was nothing new, but it might have surprised some to know that Gerard was also a bit of a stickler for acting knightly at times like this.
Okay, we’re ready. “So, what’d you want to talk about?”
After a slight pause, Mist said, “Rio, whom you knew as Guildmaster of the Parth Adventurer’s Guild, submitted his resignation to the Adventurer’s Guild HQ the other day. It seems he showed up suddenly, handed the letter to the receptionist, told them to pass it on to the Guildmaster General, then just left and was never heard from again.”
“Really!” So that’s the path he took. I wonder if he decided to do it as soon as he found out Ange had failed to assassinate me or if he had prepared for the possibility long in advance.
Either way, after Ange joined us, he obviously could not continue staying at the Parth Adventurer’s Guild. He basically had three choices: erase us, erase his own position and disappear, or wage information warfare to bury us. Coming from Rio, that last one would have been a huge pain to deal with, so I was relieved to hear he had chosen the second option. Now that he had resigned, he would have lost his authority to use the teleportation gate in Parth as well. Of course, we were still going to take all the precautions we could.
Mist declared, “As I’m sure you’ve already realized, I’ve come to the Parth Adventurer’s Guild as its new Guildmaster.”
“Ahh, I figured,” I started. “Hold on...what about the branch in Toraj, then?”
“I’ve instated someone who used to work for me as the new Guildmaster there. Her name is Suzu, and she’s very talented, so there’s no need to worry. If you have an opportunity to stop by Toraj again, please do pay the guild a visit. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”
“Of course, of course.”
So, Mist-san is the new Guildmaster here. She and Riold go way back, so I’m sure she has rather complicated feelings about this arrangement. Based on what she just said, she has no idea why Riold went incognito. To suddenly be transferred to a new post—and not just any post, but the one he had just held...
“His resignation was truly sudden, making my transfer equally so,” Mist continued. “Normally, this would cause a lot of mayhem and turmoil, but as it turned out, he had finished dealing with all the aftermath and subsequent paperwork related to the Demon Lord incident. Not only that, he even set up systems for passing down his work and duties. Thanks to that, my installation went so smoothly even I couldn’t believe it. I knew he’d gotten somewhat eccentric and whimsical with age, but I guess that part of him is still the same...” Mist turned to look up at the ceiling, smiling faintly as if enjoying memories of the past. Suddenly, she brought her gaze back. “Ah, I’m sorry. I went off on a tangent.”
Ah, was he a troublemaker back in the day? In any case, this means he had the presence of mind to get things in order for the person who’d be succeeding his position. I guess it’s safe to assume he’d planned on leaving, then.
Ange lifted her hand hesitantly. “Um, Guildmaster Mist, it’s difficult for me to bring this up, but...”
Oh, right. She also has to announce her resignation, just like Riold did.
“You’re Ange-san, yes? I’ve looked over the notes Rio left behind. He mentioned that you intend to resign quite soon. Losing such a valuable talent now that Rio is gone is truly a pity and pains my heart, but I understand.”
“Thank you, Guildmaster.”
Huh? He already knew Ange would be resigning?
Noticing my expression, Ange said, ::Regardless of whether I succeeded in killing you or not, I would have lost my reason for staying in Parth. Analyzer probably foresaw this and made preparations accordingly. This is perfect for us. Let’s make use of it.::
Ahh, I see. Okay, that sounds like a good id— Wait, if we just go along with this, then your resignation wouldn’t cause a commotion, right?
“By the way, may I ask why you’re resigning?” Mist asked. “That was the only field Rio left blank.”
“Of course! It’s because—”
“No, don’t—”
I desperately tried to cut in, but Ange’s high Agility helped her speak with incredible speed too.
“I’m getting married to Kelvin!”
Oh god, she skipped over everything. Ange-san, you skipped over everything in the middle! Couldn’t you have gone a bit more into the process?! Though I do have to give you kudos for not mentioning the slave thing.
“Oh my, how wonderful!” Mist exclaimed. “This calls for red bean rice! Ah, do you know about red bean rice? It’s a tradition in Toraj—”
Mist beamed with the biggest smile she had shown all day as she chattered on.
Ah, I can see how this is going to go. Tomorrow, everyone in the guild is going to know the news. Yep, let’s just go home. We’ve stayed long enough today.
◇ ◇ ◇
When a good stopping point had come up, I’d cut in, promised Mist that we would visit again the next day, and slipped out without any of the other guild staff noticing. As soon as we arrived home, I collapsed onto the large sofa in our living room. A short while later, Rion and Shutola walked in.
“Huh? Kel-nii got the sofa before we did. That’s rare.”
“Are you tired?”
I mumbled, “Mm, a lot happened today. I’m tired. Mentally.”
“Then you keep the sofa. Are you facing An-nee’s fan club tomorrow?”
“Ange’s already told Mist-san she’s marrying me. There’s no getting out of it anymore. I so don’t want tomorrow to come.”
“Honestly, I feel like everyone already kinda knows An-nee likes you.”
“Even if they know, I still have to announce it properly. The other adventurers are my colleagues and they deserve the courtesy.”
“That’s the right thing to do,” Shutola agreed. “It’s important to properly maintain your relationships, both with other individual people and with countries.”
“Ah...you’re right. I’ll do my best.” I was just admonished by Shutola. If the future Trycenian monarch says so, then I’m sure it’s right.
Ange, the topic of our conversation, had gone to her rented place to bring her stuff over. She had said she planned on taking her time with the process and bringing over only what she really needed first, which probably meant she was only grabbing a few outfits and daily necessities today.
“By the way, Shutola, have you chosen your skills yet? You really agonized over it, didn’t you?”
“Mm-hm! I asked Rion-chan and decided with her! We are going to try them out in the underground training hall sometime. Oh, that’s right, I have to ask dearest sister Efil to help too.”
“I’m sure Efil-nee will make you something really cute!”
“What’ll you be asking Efil for?” Having to use the training hall means it’s a battle-oriented skill, right? What would Efil make that’s cute that’d be related?
Both girls grinned mischievously and each cutely placed a finger over her lips, saying, “It’s a secret!” at the same time.
Kilto, my comrade, this is where Shangri-La exists. Well, I guess I now have another thing to look forward to.
“If that’s how you wanna play it, then it’s also a secret what I’ll be making next.”
“What? You’re making something, Kel-nii?!”
Rion’s eyes sparkled. Unfortunately, what I was making this time wasn’t for her.
“We’ve been getting our hands on pretty sweet materials lately, but I haven’t had time to make good use of them. I plan on spending the next week whipping up a whole bunch of stuff.”
Sera had promised she’d be helping me out. Being someone who liked to get into the right headspace for something by starting with wearing the right clothes, she even said she’d do it in her lab coat and fashion glasses. She was most likely in the middle of digging through her closet for the outfit at the moment. And of course, during the week, I also planned on continuing to gather what information I could on Riold and the Apostles.
“You have about a week to test and finalize your skill set and battle style,” I told the two girls. “Once I’m done making this batch of equipment, we’ll be going on a trip again.”
“Where’re we going?” Rion asked.
Sensing Sera approaching, I sat up, took a deep breath to shore up my motivation and energy, then answered, “The Holy Empire of Deramis.”
◇ ◇ ◇
Dahak whistled cheerily as he brought hedge clippers to the garden that had gone untended for so long. The sky was clear, the sun was almost at its zenith, and the air smelled of rich greenery. It wasn’t as if anything had happened between returning to Parth yesterday and this moment that put him in such a good mood; Dahak was generally in high spirits whenever he was working with plants and crops.
“Looks like you’re already getting right back into it, Hak-chan.”
Dahak turned around. “Ah, m’lady! Yes, I am. I mean, I do this ’cus I want to. Is Alex resting in your shadow?”
“Mm-hm.” Rion nodded, smiling. “He’s taking an afternoon nap. He ate a bit too much for lunch.”
Suddenly, Shutola’s face poked out from behind Rion’s figure. She studied the garden. “I wouldn’t have imagined it from how you look, but you have a pretty deft hand. The trees and flowers are all really happy.”
“Oh, hey there, squirt.”
“Who’re you calling a squirt?! I’m only a little smaller than Rion-chan!”
At the very beginning, Shutola had been so shy that she was practically glued to Rion’s back. Now, however, she had gotten so familiar with the group that not a hint of her past self remained. In fact, she was even capable of talking back to the dragon who looked like a delinquent. Then again, this was perhaps also part of Dahak’s own nature—children seemed to get attached to him easily.
“M’lady’s different, all right? She might be small, but that chest of hers is deeper and wider than you can imagine.”
“S-Small? My chest? I-It’s true that even Ruka-chan’s surpassed me lately, but...”
“That wasn’t what I was talking about!”
Shutola looked between the two in bewilderment. “Um, what’re you talking about?”
Rion recalled that, although Shutola’s build was now similar to her own, she was originally quite voluptuous and tall. The fruitless nature of the effort she put in every day plunged Rion into despair, prompting her to bring her hands up to her chest.
Sensing that he had touched a nerve, Dahak tried to change the subject to one he expected Rion would latch on to. “Oh, that’s right! We’re going to Deramis next week! I heard it from Brother when he came back with Ange from the guild.”
“Huh?” Rion looked up. “Oh, yep, I’ve heard. Kel-nii said, ‘We’re going to the heart of the Holy Order of Rinne to look for clues about Elearis and the Apostles.’”
“Deramis!” Shutola exclaimed. “I wonder if I’ll get to see Colette-chan?”
“I’m sure you will. When we arrive, let’s find her and go hang out!”
Thanks to Shutola moving the conversation along—though not intentionally as Dahak had done—Rion seemed to have come back. The dragon heaved a quiet sigh of relief and pumped a fist out of sight of the two girls.
“Oh, by the way, Kel-nii’s back, right? Is he in the house?” Rion’s face made it clear that she was wanting to hang out with her brother, but Dahak shook his head.
“He is back, but he went straight to his workshop. Sister Sera is probably with him.”
“Awww. That means he probably won’t come back out until dinner.”
Once Kelvin was immersed in one of his hobbies, he would not emerge until he was satisfied with his work or mealtime came around. Rion did not like bothering him, so she rarely went into the forge. Dahak knew that.
“Speaking of the workshop, Kel-nii said one of the things he’s working on this time is for you, Hak-chan. When you turn into a dragon, you can’t use your human equipment, right? So he’s making something for your dragon form.”
“Yep, that’s what Brother told me! That giant golem gave him a ton of great materials. He’s working on something for Boga, Mdo, and me. Y’see, when I was in Gaun, I realized that Combat Technique works even when I’m a dragon! Adding equipment that Brother is personally making for me on top of that... Oh, I’m getting pumped up just thinking about it!”
“Are you... Are you crying, Hak-chan? Oh, c’mon, it’s okay.” Shutola gingerly clambered up the ladder that Dahak was on and gave his head a few reassuring pats.
“Huh?! I’m not!” Dahak blustered. “This is sweat! I’m so moved that I’m sweating! And it’s dangerous up here, so please go back down, okay?”
“How do you even sweat from feeling moved?” Rion asked wryly. “But fair enough. At any rate, where’s An-nee? She should have come back with Kel-nii, right?”
“Last I heard, she’s teaching Ruka how to fight in the underground training hall. She was all like, ‘I’m going to make her the best assassin ever!’ and Ruka seemed really excited. I guess they’re practically master and disciple now.”
“Isn’t Ruka-chan’s main job to be a maid?”
“Just think of it as Ruka-chan learning self-defense techniques!”
Are assassination and self-defense techniques that similar? Hmm, since it’s Shutola-chan saying so, I guess it must be true. Rion decided to drop the matter. “How about we head for the training hall? We can continue where we left off yesterday.”
“Sure!” Shutola nodded. “See you later, Dahak!”
“Don’t rush too much and trip, y’hear? Ah, they’re already gone.” Dahak turned towards the door of the house just in time to see it close with a soft click.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Huba asked, Cataract Lance in hand. “I may not look it, but I was considered pretty strong in Trycen.”
“It’s not real training if you don’t get serious,” Shutola replied, adjusting the feel of the large backpack over her shoulders. “I want to see how well I can perform.”
Upon finding Huba “taking a break”—basically, playing hooky—in the training hall, Shutola had asked her for some sparring practice. Huba couldn’t very well refuse a direct request from her mistress, so she had accepted, expecting to do a few simple military drills. To her surprise, it had turned into a full-on practice match.
“Do your best, Shutola-chan!” Ange cheered.
“Who do you think is gonna win, Teacher?!” Ruka asked excitedly.
“That’s the wrong question, my disciple. A true professional would ready themselves for what comes, no matter who wins. Come on, it’s time to prepare for a congratulatory feast!”
In the bleachers was a teacher-student pair enjoying the spectacle in their own way, sitting next to a very still Rosalia, who had a smile frozen on her face. Even from a distance, the fury behind that smile was palpable. Huba thought she could almost hear Rosalia saying, “So you skipped work again, did you?”
Could this situation be more awkward? And why is Rosalia here?! I can tell she’s already dead set on punishing me after this! Huba thought.
Part of the awkwardness she was feeling was related to Shutola herself. Or to be more specific, it was what the girl carried on her back that made it awkward. Huba was familiar with the two black, beady eyes staring at her. After all, she saw them practically every time she saw Shutola.
Even so, isn’t the size a bit...off? Is it me, or did it get really big?
Huba stared at the round face protruding from the backpack. It belonged to the stuffed teddy bear Shutola was so fond of—a premium limited edition item or something like that. However, the one Shutola normally carried around was so small that she could hold it in one arm.
Okay, I can’t be imagining it; it really did get bigger. Only the head is visible and it’s already larger than Shutola-sama’s face. In fact, the head is twice as big as the rest of the backpack. I can’t imagine it looking good with those proportions... Either way, that can’t be the teddy bear she’s always holding.
The plushie’s beady eyes and Shutola’s fired-up eyes stared directly at Huba as her mind raced. This was why she was feeling so awkward.
“If I may be so forward, I, Rosalia, shall serve as the referee for this match.”
“WHAT?!” Huba shouted in surprise, having been so focused on her opponent that she had failed to notice Rosalia’s approach.
“Something to say, Huba?”
“N-N-No, of course not!”
“If Shutola-sama wins, she’ll get a special pudding made by Efil-sama as a snack. In addition, Huba’s assigned cleaning area will be doubled. If Huba wins, her assigned cleaning area will be doubled. Does this work for both sides?”
“Yay, special pudding! Does Rion-chan get some too?”
“Of course.”
“H-Hold on a moment! Did I hear that right? I must have heard wrong!”
“I’m sorry, Huba. I misspoke. If Shutola-sama wins, your assigned cleaning area is tripled.”
“NOOOOOO!”
Regardless of the outcome of the match, Rosalia’s anger remained. Huba’s attempt at protesting had only made things worse.
Ignoring her companion’s cry of despair, Rosalia ordered both sides to assume their starting positions. Once they had readied themselves, she gave the signal. “Ready... FIGHT!”
“Let’s do this, Georgios!”
With a soft explosion accompanied by white smoke and an almost comical pomf, someone leaped out from Shutola’s backpack. Of course, that someone was the teddy bear whose head had been protruding all this time. Although she was fast gaining a reputation as an incorrigible slacker at the Celsius residence, Huba did possess fighting prowess that lived up to the title of Lieutenant General of the Dragon Knight Order. Her head cooled down in a split second as she took stock of the situation.
But still, “Georgios”? Huba giggled inwardly at what was likely the bear’s name, but her laughter soon gave way to confusion.
Pomf, pomf.
The plushie’s footsteps sounded through the smoke screen. It was a sound that seemed entirely unrelated to fighting, but that did not matter as Georgios came into view. Its round, beady eyes and soft, fluffy face were both as cute and charming as ever—that was nothing new, as it was the same head that had been visible before. The problem was everything below the head.
“I-Isn’t it a bit too big?” Huba blurted out as sweat flowed down her face.
The body of the teddy bear was chestnut-colored; that was normal. What wasn’t was its size. It was far more massive than the largest plushies sold in famous theme parks, practically matching giant, vicious, bearlike monsters pound for pound. In fact, it was so much taller than Huba that she had to look up at it. At the end of its long arms gleamed jet-black claws that looked as sharp as razors, cutting a sharp contrast to the cute face on top.
Shutola was sitting on one of the teddy bear’s shoulders, looking smug. “Cute, right? Efil-san made him for me.”
“Of course, Shutola-sama. It’s very cute—no, no, no, that’s not the point! How is that thing moving by itself?! Did you possess it with a spirit?!”
“What’re you saying, Huba? Georgios isn’t moving by himself.”
“What?”
Shutola’s blank look of confusion was reflected in Huba’s face.
“Ah, I guess she doesn’t know about this skill,” Shutola murmured. “I suppose that makes sense. Even I’d only heard of it being used for small tricks.”
“Um, what was that, Shutola-sama?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Well, as they say, it’s faster to show than to tell. Here.”
Shutola showed the backs of her hands, revealing that there was something on each of her fingers. When she moved them in an exaggerated manner, Georgios lifted its arm.
“Is...it a puppet?”
“Correct! After thinking about it lots, I decided to learn Puppetry. This way, even though I’m weak, I can still be of help to dearest brother and Rion-chan!” Shutola explained cheerfully, rocking her body left and right. She was clearly very fond of Georgios.
“It...sure makes an impact,” Huba managed. “Have you tried using it in a fight yet?”
“Rion-chan assured me that this works, but anyway, that’s what we’re doing now. Um...are you ready? Can we start yet?”
Fwoosh!
The moment Shutola’s question left her mouth, Huba charged towards Georgios as fast as she could. One could make the case that it was a cheap move, but the match had technically already begun. Huba was not concerned with appearing honorable—under Azgrad’s hellish training, she had learned the importance of making the first move. Cataract Lance activated, penetrating Georgios while blasting water—presumably a weakness of the cloth-based plushie—from its tip.
“You shouldn’t let your guard down, Shutola-sama!”
“Neither should you.”
“What?!”
Huba was forced to abruptly retreat from the clash as Georgios’s arm formed a crater in the ground—which was made of adamantite, just like all the walls of the training hall—right where she had been standing. In contrast, the damage done to the bear with Huba’s lance was hardly noticeable. Georgios looked none the worse for wear.
If I take one of those punches head-on, I really will die! And what’s up with that plushie’s cloth?! Even soaking wet, it stretched so much that my lance couldn’t get through!
Complaints flooded Huba’s mind, and for good reason. This match, which she had casually accepted, had turned into a genuine fight for her life. Ange intended to step in if things truly got dicey, but of course, Huba had no idea about that.
“Teacher, how would you fight if you were down there?” Ruka asked curiously.
Huba immediately pricked up her ears, hoping for a hint to help her out of her current predicament.
“Hmm...I guess I’d start with taking off the head?”
“But that’s gonna ruin the cute teddy!”
Unfortunately, reality lived up to its cruel reputation and let Huba down. If she were fast enough to behead Georgios, she wouldn’t have been in need of advice. She was already struggling to pierce the giant plushie’s stomach; how was she supposed to get all the way up to its neck and chop through it?
“Did you know about this teddy bear, Rion-chan?” Ruka asked curiously.
“Well, Georgios was actually made by Efil-nee based on the design of Shutola-chan’s teddy bear,” Rion replied. “It looks like it’s made of cloth, right? But it’s actually as waterproof and tough as Rank S armor. The claws sewn onto its arms were taken from the evil dragon we killed and strengthened by Kel-nii to deal more damage.”
Ruka clapped her hands. “Wow, so Master and Efil-sama worked together on this!”
“I see.” Ange nodded. “No wonder it’s so powerful.”
“Kel-nii doesn’t actually know about this yet, though,” Rion added somewhat mischievously. “When Shutola and I went to ask him to help with the claws, he did it for us immediately, but we didn’t tell him what they were for.”
The longer Rion talked, the more Huba felt victory slipping from her grasp. What is that Master with a sister complex even doing?! I mean, it’s a good thing Shutola-sama is happy, but still!
At the start of the fight, Huba had decided to not attack Shutola directly. Now, however, she realized she was in no position to be handicapping herself. She brought her weapon to bear and unleashed a long-range attack powerful enough to knock someone unconscious.
“Pierce, Cataract Lance!”
Water poured out of Cataract Lance and formed the maximum number of projectiles that Huba could control. All of them shot forward, aiming for the area above Georgios’s shoulder where Shutola was perched.
With a cute “Yah!” the young girl flung her right arm sideways. Huba braced herself, closely studying Georgios to catch any sign of its movement. However...
“What?!”
All the flying water lances were suddenly torn apart, erased so completely it was as if they had never existed.
“Those threads wrapped around Shutola-chan’s fingers are special too,” Rion continued. “Mel-nee made them when Shutola-chan went to ask her. I guess you could call it a magic item that creates threads out of MP. They can’t be cut because they’re made of MP, and Shutola-chan can freely move them however she wants. When she imbues them with even more MP, she can use them to attack. That’s what she just did.”
“Wow, the work of all the artisans of our family is out in full force!”
Both Ange and Ruka expressed their surprise. According to Rion’s much-appreciated commentary, what they had just seen was Shutola using her threads to cancel out Huba’s attack. In other words, the young girl was capable of controlling her teddy bear while directly dishing out attacks. To top it off, her threads were practically invisible.
Ugh, I won’t be able to slack off again for a while. How long will it take to clean three times my usual area?
Huba was starting to make peace with her fate while getting as serious as she had been for her fierce battle with Efil. We will not mention who won that match, but suffice it to say that snack time that day was much fancier than usual.
◇ ◇ ◇
Roughly an hour before Shutola and Huba’s match, Kelvin and Ange were at the Parth Adventurer’s Guild. The atmosphere was bizarre: on one side, Ange was surrounded by her former colleagues, all of them showering her with blessings; on the other, Kelvin was surrounded by his colleagues, all men, who—despite only being Rank B at best—had bursting muscles and looked more than intimidating. There was no more stark contrast of delight and suffering in the same scene. If someone walked into the guild at that very moment, they would have likely backed up a few steps...then joined one group.
“Bro, what’s the meaning of this?!”
“I mean...it’s...y’know...”
“We’re asking ’cus we don’t know!”
The man speaking on behalf of the mob, which was currently emanating killing intent, jabbed a finger towards the reception counter where Ange was. This was the very clash with Ange’s fan club that Kelvin had been dreading.
Kelvin and Ange had thoroughly planned out how today would go. Their basic approaches—which they had confirmed with each other twice, then thrice—boiled down to hiding the fact that Ange was now a slave, being vague about the details of how they had gotten together, and doing their best not to aggravate those present.
Kelvin had shored up his resolve and charged into the guild with the intention of taking whatever punches came his way until things blew over. However, contrary to his plans, Ange had been immediately whisked away by the women the moment she’d stepped in and proceeded to spill the beans on every last detail. Kelvin knew there was no telling what would happen once girls started getting into love stories, but it was too late. The abridged narrative of how they had gotten engaged spread through the guild like wildfire, leading to their current predicament. The silver lining was that Ange had managed to hold back the one important detail that she was now a slave.
“Oh my, oh my!”
The thought of asking the new Guildmaster for help flashed through Kelvin’s mind, but he dismissed it immediately. At the moment, Mist was no more than an older lady in the neighborhood tickled with gossip about love. She was there in the crowd, badgering Ange with questions just like everyone else.
“Ugh... I knew who Ange-chan liked... I knew, but still! ARGH!”
“How dare you lay hands on my goddess when you already have Efil-chan!”
“Wait, are you going to go after your own sister too?!”
One thing that Kelvin had not expected was that almost all the single adventurers based in Parth were actually Ange’s fans—although given how fervent they were, it might have been more apt to call them worshippers. Basically, Kelvin was surrounded by enemies on all sides. The head of the fan club was one of the buff guys from the Rank B adventurer party led by Uld, which should not have been surprising as Uld was the only one in the group who was married. Of course, it was no more surprising that the other two members of that party were also in the crowd.
“As I keep saying, our relationship is entirely wholesome—”
“Wholesome?! I call bullshit!”
“Bro, we know that you went on a trip with her recently!”
“Goddammit! What part of that sounds wholesome?! I bet you went all the way with her, didn’t you?!”
Kelvin clutched his head. Where did you hear that?! What are you, a stalker?! The truth was that Kelvin had indeed slept with Ange, but all they had done was sleep. None of the wonderful things the adventurers were wailing about had happened.
On the other side of the guild, the conversation was going very differently.
“So, how far have you gone with him?! How did you snag him?!”
“No, no, we haven’t done anything yet! All I did was tell him I love him!” Ange insisted before adding, under her breath, “and chop off his head.”
“More deets, now!”
“Really, that’s it!”
Unfortunately, what was being said by the women was not registering for the emotionally charged men. Even if it had, however, they would have likely read too much into it, only worsening the situation.
“You seemed to be keeping Ange at arm’s length for some reason, so I thought I had a chance!”
Kelvin really wanted to reply with, “It’s not that I was keeping her at arm’s length, it’s that I misunderstood her a little,” but he swallowed the words. After all, he did not expect people to understand the true dynamic between them. Theirs was a tumultuous love between an assassin who wanted the head of her beloved and a battle junkie who sought the thrill of life-and-death battle with her. No normal person could—and none should attempt to—replace either one of them in the relationship.
All Kelvin could do was avoid making excuses and assert that he would treasure Ange and take good care of her. He was ready to accept whatever came of it, be it punches, kicks, or his reputation plummeting. That was what it meant to wed Ange.
But just as he had convinced himself of this and opened his mouth to speak...
“So, that’s why you gotta take good care of her! You hear me, man?”
“Huh?” The sudden shift in mood took Kelvin by surprise.
Someone sighed. “At the end of the day, all we want is for Ange-chan to be happy.”
“Yeah, what he said. The unspoken rule was always that no matter who she chose, the rest wouldn’t hold it against him.”
“I’ve pretty much said everything I wanted to get off my chest!”
“Now I have no regrets. That’s strange, why am I crying?”
“GAH! Get it together, dude!”
“I’m sure Kelvin-san will protect and provide for Ange-chan better than any of us, honestly. Th-This is the best outcome... Yeah, it is!”
The guys were all changing their tone, each congratulating Kelvin in his own way with shoulder pats, back claps, handshakes, and other gestures. Their faces looked relieved, as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
“You guys...” Warmth filled Kelvin’s chest. He felt like a guy who, after multiple attempts, had finally convinced the father of his girlfriend to bless their marriage. All he had to do now was give voice to what he was thinking.
“I swear that I’m going to make Ange ha—”
However, things rarely go as one wishes, and disaster often strikes at the most inconvenient of times.
“By the way, what’s with the scarf, Ange? Is it a gift?”
“Wow, it looks really expensive! Aw, I’m so jealous! Can I see it?”
“Ah, no, don’t touch—”
The scarf wrapped around Ange’s neck slid off without a sound, revealing the collar beneath that indicated she was a slave. And since she had suddenly raised her voice, everyone in the room turned to look her way.
“A-Ange, that’s...”
“Ehe heh heh... Yeah, I became Kelvin’s slave. Oh, but I’m happy! Don’t misunderstand!”
Unfortunately, this did Kelvin no favors. Ange sent him an apologetic look for letting the cat out of the bag, but the men surrounding Kelvin caught it as well. As he repeatedly insisted that it was a misunderstanding, he caught a brief glance out the window. The clear skies from before were now covered by dark, roiling clouds.
“Kelvin, you...”
“Let’s have a talk out back, shall we?”
“Let me punch you once.”
“I’m gonna go fetch my best sword.”
An hour later, while Dahak was hard at work in his garden, he found Kelvin sitting there forlornly, depressed about this world’s truly unfair timing.
◇ ◇ ◇
After returning home, Ange made her way to the training hall while I headed straight to the workshop to make new weapons and armor. Sera was already there in her casual wear, tinkering with some of the base golems lying around while she waited for me.
“Ow... Those guys sure didn’t hold back...”
“You’re hurting? But you’re not wounded.”
“My heart hurts.”
Insisting that I would be fine, being Rank S and all, my fellow adventurers had attacked me at full strength. They were right, of course—even the attacks that had landed properly did almost no damage to me whatsoever. However, being the target of jealousy, resentment, and bitterness coming from those I had been close to did get to me. Then again, after venting their pent-up feelings, everyone had once again given me their blessings, echoing each other’s cries of “Go and be happy!”
“It’s proof of how much trust you’ve built up in this city,” Melfina said as she Summoned herself out.
She didn’t say anything this whole time, so I thought she was aslee— Oh, that was on purpose.
“You were watching all along?”
“Mm-hm. After all, it’d be troubling if anything happened to you. I’m glad my worries were unfounded, though.”
“Which sounds very caring and decent of you, but...you were just enjoying it, weren’t you?”
“That’s...half-correct.”
This goddess just admitted to getting a kick out of watching someone else’s misery!
“Oh, don’t make that face, honey. Half of me really was worried for you.”
“And the other half?”
“Was enjoying the show like you wouldn’t believe!”
That’s one of the brightest smiles she’s shown lately. What, is she trying to dump all her stress on me in preparation for our trip to Deramis? If that’s the case... Yeah, I’ll let it go. She’s probably going to have a tough time over there.
“You should probably leave it there, Mel,” Sera cut in. “Kelvin’s feeling all down now.”
“So he is. Sorry, honey. The adventurers support you because they really do trust you. I meant what I said earlier. Most Rank S adventurers are treated as highly dangerous and kept at arm’s length. In contrast, everyone back at the guild was entirely frank with their feelings—against you, a Rank S adventurer who has a reputation as a battle junkie. There’s no need to overthink what happened; you can let it go and simply focus on doing what you love doing.”
“Are you sure?”
“A hundred percent.”
They trust me, so that’s why they’re frank with me. I guess that might be true, considering how they reacted at the end. It’s a relief to know that everything I’ve built up so far wasn’t for nothing.
Melfina sighed. “Honey, if today’s fallout is enough to get to you, you won’t be able to survive when the real fight comes.”
“Uh...asking just in case, but what do you mean by ‘the real fight’?”
“You sure you want me to answer that?” She returned a smile that seemed to ask implicitly, “You already know what I’m referring to, don’t you?” It was a very beautiful smile, but it gave me a small shudder.
“N-Nah, I guess I’m good...”
If such a situation comes to be, it’s not only me who’ll be in danger; it’ll probably be the whole city. I can guarantee it’ll be a catastrophe like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Thankfully, everyone’s happy with how things are now. Peace is truly the best.
Sensing the lull in the conversation, Sera said, “If we’re done talking, let’s get to work! We have to finish up before we go to Deramis, right?” She threw on her lab coat with a stylish flourish and put on her prescriptionless glasses.
Did you practice that? You looked really natural doing that move just now.
“You’re right. I’ve come up with a way to further reinforce Gerard’s shield, so let’s focus on that today. Hm? Mel, what’re you holding?”
Just as I was about to look down at the blueprints on my workbench, I caught sight of what was in Mel’s hand. If I remember correctly, that’s her toolbox for when she makes her accessories.
“I thought I’d help out too. You’re putting crests on the equipment, right?”
“You have time?”
“Sure I do. My Accessory Craftsmanship skill is just right for the job, so leave it to me.”
“Glad to hear it. Thanks!”
The crest that Mel mentioned was my family’s—as in, the Celsius family’s—crest. After Rion and I had officially acquired “Celsius” as a family name through the Naming Ceremony in Gaun, the idea of making a family crest came up while we were on our trip.
Rion was in charge of the design, having recently picked up the Painting skill. She’d had plenty of experience as an artist in her previous life, so much so that she could draw many times better than me even without the Painting skill. But now that she had it—and at Rank S, no less!—she could paint with watercolors, ink, oil, and anything else like a master. It was a whole world that I couldn’t even begin to understand, but when she drew something in manga-style, even a layman like me could tell how incredible she had become.
I mean, she could draw in the style of any mangaka I named without looking at a single reference. No normal fourteen-year-old can do that.
With Rion-sensei’s pen at the ready, my party began discussing how our crest should look. There were a large variety of crests in this world: some liked to include dragons or other powerful monsters to signify strength, knights liked to include swords or shields to signify their dedication to duty, Torajians liked to include flowers, Gaunians liked to include fangs or claws, and so on. In other words, as long as there was intention behind the choice, almost any image could be used in a crest, so it took quite a while for us to come to an agreement.
One idea that made it to the end was my suggestion to take the blue briars from Melfina’s Rank S spell Celsius Briar as a design base. Those in favor were Dahak, the vegetarian dragon who loved everything related to plants, Melfina, who had already expressed support for the idea beforehand, and Efil.
As a counterproposal, Sera and Rion had expressed strong support for going with Grim Reaper. It made me happy that they wanted to incorporate my alias somehow, but I wasn’t quite sure about having something so ominous represent our party.
“Stuff like this is common for demons!” Sera insisted. “Practically every family has a skull or a guillotine or a black cat!”
They’re all symbols of misfortune! We’re not making a pirate flag here! I thought, but to my surprise, Ange threw her support behind Sera’s idea. Does it appeal to her sensibilities as an assassin?
This left us with three against three votes, so we all looked at the person who would serve as tiebreaker, Gerard. He crossed his arms and, after considering long and hard, said, “What do you all think about a heartwarming crest depicting a grandpa surrounded by his grandchi—”
“How about I combine both ideas into one design?” Rion had asked, in response to which everyone said, “Okay!”
Thus it had been decided that the Celsius family crest would be a grim reaper surrounded by blue briars. Still, Rion made it tastefully abstract to the point where someone would go, “Oh, I think I see it,” only if it was pointed out to them. Exactly how it looked will be left up to your imagination.
We had then submitted this crest to the Adventurer’s Guild to be put into the Adventurer Directory and distributed throughout the world. This would help us to use the fame of Rank S adventurer status to avoid unnecessary conflicts. It was true that I loved fights, but I could definitely do without scuffles like with that pig prince from Trycen and Nagua from Gaun. As long as we had our crest on our armor or weapon in a visible area, the majority of people would know better than to mess with us. Anyone who was still confident enough to pick a fight with us was more than welcome.
Then again, people like the pig prince and Nagua wouldn’t care. But seeing as we aren’t adding the crest to our casual wear, it’s not like we’re being all that purposeful about this.
To be honest, all of that was more or less just an excuse. The real reason we were putting this on our gear was Rion’s statement of “It’d look cool!” She had clearly taken a huge liking to the whole crest thing.
“Mel, make sure to put it on Arondight and Queen’s Terror too!”
“You’ll have to ask Efil to do it on Queen’s Terror.”
Oh, here’s someone else who’s also really taken a liking to it.
◇ ◇ ◇