It was around the time the sky dusked and many began to fall asleep or relax after a hard dayâs work. The man carried a certain article, which he had finally managed to get in his possession, to his chambers in order to confirm its authenticity, and once he did, he raised the corners of his mouth in a gloating smile. His public facade was that of a successful and skilled merchant, but in the criminal underworld, he was known as a large purveyor of black market goods.
To obtain what we wanted, the trader would not hesitate to use whatever means necessary, like deceiving people into artificially raising the prices of certain commodities, or in some cases, ordering his subordinates to dispose of them.
In his hands was a necklace with two translucent jewels that tended to be priceless more often than not. He spared no efforts to obtain this item, which it wouldnât be too far-fetched to say that it could be found in the treasury of some country. But, although its original owner was already buried six feet under, with the necklace being such a famous article, selling it on the authorized market wouldâve been impossible, and he already predicted that a search for it would be conducted the next day. Nevertheless, probably due to there being a great number of people looking for all manner of illegal goods, the man already had a list of potential buyers in mind that would quickly take it off his hands. And, since he was trading illegal goods, the best course of action would be to sell it and have it immediately taken out of the country.
âGood Lord⊠Making me go through so much. You wouldnât have died if youâd sold it to me when I asked.â
The man held the necklace between his fat fingers while directing a sneer at its deceased former owner but that soon transformed into a vulgar smile as he looked at the magnificent ornamentation of the necklace once more. He didnât know how much the item would fetch for, but he was certain it would be enough to fill his pockets chock-full with gold. That was because the necklace in question was a magic tool. Furthermore, it was a relic with a high artistic value discovered in an ancient ruin. Just thinking about the price, the man couldnât stop himself from smiling.
âA treasured article made by an elf from ancient times, huh? How splendid kukuku⊠hm? W-What the⊠My neckâŠâ
He suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and when he went to touch the spot with his hand, he found a small needle lodged in there. The man had a big frame as a consequence of all the excess flesh covering his body, which had blocked the needleâs path leaving but a small wound behind. However, he soon felt his body grow heavy and strong nausea assaulted him.
âEh!? Ca⊠Mo⊠VeâŠâ
Gradually, it became difficult for him to move, he had an intense headache along with the nausea. Paralyzed without being able to even ask for help, he promptly concluded that he was hit by a poisoned needle. Unfortunately, he also happened to dismiss all his subordinates to appraise the necklace. In a way, it was poetic justice.
On the other hand, the poison seemed to be a fast-acting one, meaning that it was too late for him. The man experienced excruciating pain before dying just like all his victims. And, in the empty room where its owner died, something started to move. A black shadow emerged from the floor as if seeping out of it. The shadow wriggled eerily on the spot until it took the shape of a human body before long â a woman in her twenties. Wearing a black dress that heavily emphasized her cleavage, and adorning herself with a large number of accessories, her figure was clearly reminiscent of that of a noble lady. However, her gentle smile seemed unfitted for such a gruesome scene. Regardless, she approached the table the man was using and picked up the necklace, nodding in satisfaction.
âHm, wonderful. Fufufu⊠No hard feelings, alright? Itâs just business.â
The underworld would always be a place where lives were at stake. The man was killed because he had been targeted by another organization. His rivals in the business world wanted to trample over his dead body.
âSure, itâs kind of a pain, but if I can get my hands on these beauties, Iâm all for it anytime. UfufuâŠâ
Even though she just killed a man, she was still mesmerized and enamored by the ornament in front of her eyes, and as she was touching it, the necklace suddenly vanished from her hands.
âI might as well take some other things while Iâm at it. Now, I wonder whereâs the good stuff hidden.â
The woman slipped back into the shadows and disappeared from the room. All that was left was the corpse of the merchant who committed crimes to satisfy his greed.
It was not until morning that his corpse was discovered. Nevertheless, the identity of the killer could not be ascertained and therefore, the investigation was eventually closed, as no traces of the murderer were found. In the end, the only people who rejoiced were those whose lives were ruined by the black market merchant.
âăăâăăâăăâăăâăăâăăâăăâ
It was early morning, at the time Zeros finished weeding the fields as he did every day and the chickens started with their training. Close to twenty chickens were thrusting their fists and legs in and out in perfect succession as if they were practicing martial arts stances in some Buddhist temple. For some reason, the three types of chickens â Shiro Obi, Ripper, and Archer were also practicing stances. Seemingly wanting to transform into a stronger variant, they hadnât neglected their training for even a single day.
Additionally, the Grappler, Slasher, and Sniper Cuckoos were named Wookay, Zankay, and Senkay, respectively, and they were asked to serve as the representatives for the rest of the chickens. And, perhaps because they received a name, somehow Zeros thought the chickens might have become even stronger, but in the end whatever the truth was, he decided to put it out of his mind and not worry about it.
To start with, it was a world with strange laws, like the existence of magic, for example, so it wasnât strange to think that there could be named monsters. With his nonsensical reasoning, Zeros took it as ââDonât really care if they get stronger, just want them to lay more of those delicious eggs.â
Unexplainably, the three chickens who were named became more loyal and helped with the farm work as well as doing their training every day in order to become stronger. As a result, the rest of the chickens also started to help with the fields, hence there was no need to hire any extra hands, luckily for Zeros. Moreover, as they even ate the harmful insects, they were on their way to becoming quite the useful workers. Nevertheless, he couldnât understand why these chickens, including the Sniper Cuckoo, were so keen to learn martial arts.
âWhy do you guys want to learn martial arts? And you, youâre a long-range support type, you know?â[Zeros]
âKike kikeriki (I realized that I couldnât solely rely on sniping. Close-quarters combat techniques might be necessary depending on the situation.)â[Senkay]
âAs long as you donât become a jack of all trades master of none, right? Well, thinking what you want to be is also part of the training. Just wondering what you will evolve into next time.â[Zeros]
To be honest, Zeros had no idea about what the chickens were aiming for or where they were trying to reach. From the start, they were a subspecies created and molded by the unique environment they were brought up into, so there was an unknown number of possibilities for them to evolve.
Recently, the chickens have been learning calligraphy from Kaede, as well as starting to play shogi and making weapons, among other things. They were indeed very proactive. And, since monsters would transform to adapt to their environment, it would be truly frightening to see what kind of evolutionary path they would take. Furthermore, it was possible for monsters to evolve into absurdly strong creatures known as Demon Kings, and it was also entirely possible for one of the chickens to become one, as well, one way or another. Whatever it is, it was bound to be interesting for Zeros.
It was generally believed that beastmen originated from monsters and that they possibly adopted a human-like form through evolution.[1]Â Therefore, if that was to be believed, there was a high likelihood of the chickens transforming into something resembling humans. Considering the level of intelligence they had shown so far, it wasnât really all that far-fetched. In fact, there were already races possessing the lineage of spirits, namely elves and dwarves, so it wasnât impossible. And, although it was a complete enigma the process by which beings shrouded in such mysteries attained a physical body, it was clear that spirits were creating new species through evolution. Rather than just being âthe mystery of lifeâ, it could be rendered as an inflation phenomenon.[2]
âJust how far are you guys going to end upâŠâ[Zeros]
âKike kikkeri ki (I think, therefore I am. I push myself to the limits and only aim for the top.)â[Senkay]
âAnd your way of life is more important than your life itself, huh? In a sense, thatâs like reaching a state of enlightenment, I suppose.â[Zeros]
They didnât seem like chickens at all. They purely sought to obtain strength and aim for the heights. Since they were monsters, the law of the survival of the fittest was ingrained in them by instinct. Thatâs why, the chickens were burning their lifeforce [give their all] in an attempt to become strong enough to survive and at the same time, diligently learning all manner of things to protect their fellow avian. They instinctively changed to adapt to their environment while continuing to earnestly pursue what they thought was essential knowledge. It could be said that the chickens were bulldozing their way through the path of human evolution at a terrifying pace.
âIs there no point in thinking about the future? Hold on, what are the children doing here?â[Zeros]
Before the place Zeros was gazing at, the children of the orphanage were practicing stances along with the chickens for some reason. They were being taught thrusting techniques by Wookay and the rest of the chickens, projecting their fists in and out as if gouging through their opponents. The children were continuing to train to internalize the techniques and make them their own.
âKike kiki (In order to live comfortably in the future, it seems you will have to earn money from now on. In that case, you should first start building up your staminaâŠ)â[Wookay]
âYou guys sure are burning with ambition, huh? I must say, itâs really commendableâŠâ[Zeros]
For the sake of their prospective licentious lifestyle, the children had started to lay the foundations that will allow them to make money in the future. And, fitness training was certainly a step forward in that direction, but their motives were too impure.
Their plan was to dive into dungeons, betting everything on a get-rich-quick gamble.
âAlright, next up, letâs go for a run!â
âââYes!! Hardship makes the man![3]âââ
In a way, children saw things in life clearer[in reality as opposed to fantasy] than some adults. And, regardless of their motivations, their actions were definitely positive, at least for now.
Said children had lined up and started to run.
âTo have a comfortable future~â
âââTo have a comfortable future~âââ
âGettinâ rich quick is my dream~â
âââGettinâ rich quick is my dream~âââ
âââI want money!âââ
âMoneyâs everything!â
âââMoneyâs everything!âââ
âWanna make money! Lotta money!â
âââWanna make money! Lotta money!âââ
âTo live in depravity, my dream is!â
âââTo live in depravity, my dream is!âââ[4]
The children ran while singing running cadences as if they were in some army training.
Although stained with greed, they were firmly moving forward in life. Part of Zeros was a bit concerned about it, but even so, the children were earnestly training for the sake of their dreams. As an adult, he wasnât sure what to say to them. Regardless, the biggest enigma in his mind was whether they actually knew the meaning of the words they were singing.
âHow lively⊠I donât have a dream, so I canât really talk, but⊠âmoney is everything,â huh? Itâs not wrong, but itâs not something kids should be saying.â[Zeros]
There was nothing bad with working hard to pursue oneâs dreams. However, when the final goal was to be slothful, as someone whoâs lived longer, it would be natural for him to warn them about it. On the other hand, it would also be bad if he took the wind out of their sails and it ends up negatively affecting their upbringing. In the end, Zeros could only mutter a few words to himself.
âUgh, you have improved in these last few days. How formidableâŠâ[Kaede]
âKiki Kikeri! (I have still a long road ahead! Nevertheless, itâs the same for you. Your swordsmanship is sharper than yesterday.)â[Zankay]
Ahead of the place in which the children started running, the high elf who lost herself to the path of carnage â Kaede â was fiercely crossing swords with Zankay. Anyhow, Zeros was starting to get surrounded by muscle-heads in his life.
Although irrelevant at that point, he had already stopped thinking about the fact that he was having conversations with chickens. Still, It wouldâve been hard for him to say whether that was because he adapted to the environment or just gave up trying to find an explanation. In the end, he seemed to have rendered this incomprehensible phenomenon as âwell, itâs an otherworld, so.â In a sense, it mightâve been a wise decision.
âăăâăăâăăâ
After his early morning training and fieldwork, Zeros was overcome with emotion as he looked at the food he had longed for. A bowl of steaming white rice with an egg on top. Of course, it was TKG.
He poured a dash of the soy sauce he received from his exchange with Kaede and mixed it together with the rice and egg. He moved his hands while trying to keep his excitement in check until it ended up as a uniform blend with a yellow-ish color. Although Zeros was somewhat worried about there being parasites in the unfertilized eggs, a scan with his appraisal skill guaranteed that they were safe to eat, so the middle-aged magician faced his favorite food. He swallowed his saliva after seeing the TKG mixed together.
âW-Well, thenâŠâ[Zeros]
He took the bowl as if he were about to engage in a fierce battle, and without hesitation, he started to wolf down its contents. The rich flavor of the rice and eggs together with the umami of the soy sauce was supposed to invite supreme bliss in his mouth⊠And, certainly, the egg was delicious, howeverâŠ
âItâs definitely good, but the flavor is too strong⊠Itâs not the same, the egg should have a milderâŠâ[Zeros]
Despite still being delicious, it wasnât the TKG from his memories. Its taste was so intense that it completely overshadowed the umami of the soy sauce. In other words, the sense of ânot tasting quite rightâ came from the soy sauce being overwhelmed by the egg. What was supposed to be a subtle seasoning that brought out the flavor of the rest of the ingredients ended up being defeated by the intensity of the eggâs flavor.
âOh Gods, you ask of me to create the greatest soy sauce known to man? Impossible! Who do you think I am? Unlike Im*oka-san or Kai*-sensei[5], Iâm no food expert. At most I could make a somewhat normal-looking soy sauce.â[Zeros]
Unlike the eggs cheaply sold at a supermarket, these eggs would be more similar to silkiesâ eggs or Yodo Hikariâs[6], one might say, but actually, they went way beyond that.
For someone with an untrained palate like him, making a kind of soy sauce that would go well with the eggs of the Wild Cuckoo seemed close to impossible. Their eggs were very much unlike chickensâ. They should probably be considered as a totally different kind.
Zeros had made soy sauce on a whim when he was living in the countryside, but it had tasted just fine.
âItâs over. I didnât expect the eggs to be like thisâŠâ[Zeros]
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but it was as if he couldnât even give his first step because his way was already blocked by a sheer precipice. It would be insanely difficult to go on.
âGod is dead. I donât believe in anything anymore.â[Zeros]
Said Zeros, who has never believed in God.
One might think he was exaggerating, making a fuss simply over a bowl of TKG. But, it was something a person who has lived abroad in a secluded region for a number of years might perfectly relate with. No matter how much they sought even simple Japanese food, there was an obstacle preventing them from getting close to the taste of home. On the contrary, thinking about the number of dishes that are mistakenly called âJapanese Foodâ but in the end are completely different things can give one an idea of how desperate Zeros was. And, the tamago kake gohan he just ate seemed to be exactly that kind of dish that gets the aforementioned misnomer. Although delicious, it wasnât what he was expecting at all. Furthermore, Zeros was specialized in production skills[in the sense of engineering or inventing technology], so he was a complete amateur when it came to food. The fact that he was able to make soy sauce and miso was a feat in itself, or rather, it would be stranger if he were able to effortlessly devise a type of soy sauce tailor-made for the eggs he had. It seems that there were some things that cheats could do and some things they simply couldnât.
To this rather abstruse question, the middle-aged magician was as depressed as the Marianas Trench is deep.
âFor soy sauce and miso Iâd need wheat, kouji, and salt⊠And then, soybeans. Hmm, soybeans, huh?â[Zeros]
There were Jack Beans planted on the fields, which grew like trees and bore a fruit that was similar to a pomegranateâs. However, the problem was that this fruit was filled with several beans that resembled mung beans or fava beans. In the end, Zeros could not help but hold his head in between his hands after he looked at the reference book. It seemed that the most common type of bean [in this world] was the adzuki bean, therefore it would be exceedingly difficult to gather enough [soybeans] to make miso or soy sauce. This worldâs ecology was strange in many different ways, even when it came to plants.
âWell⊠I think I should probably leave it to someone else. I feel like this is already too much for me to do on my own.â[Zeros]
He was capable of making a passable miso and soy sauce, but the eggs of the chickens who have undergone an outrageous evolution were too high quality. It was an inevitability that they would defeat the mediocre condiments. Even still, Zeros refused to surrender and so he put his mind to work in order to find the ideal seasoning at any cost.
âItâd be nice if I could at least make a good sake⊠Iâve never done it before, though.â[Zeros]
In modern Japan, one couldnât make sake without a permit. So, he would essentially have to fumble his way through it if he wanted to make some. It was incomparably more difficult than making miso or soy sauce. Because, although heâd lived in the countryside for a long time, he still bought almost everything food-related, therefore, attempting to make it himself was nothing short of a foolhardy plan.
Nevertheless, there was nothing wrong with seeking the taste of oneâs hometown. He felt that he could finally start moving forward if he could recreate that taste. Naturally, it would be an illusion, a fabrication in his head, but being in a completely different world instead of just a secluded place on Earth, that feeling he had about Japanese cuisine was very important to him.
âI could use fish sauce, but it smells bad during the fermentation process. It would disturb the neighborsâŠâ[Zeros]
Fish sauce had a very strong odor during its fermentation stage. Not only will he end up with Kusaya brine[7]Â if he fails, but it would also require a great deal of courage to attempt making it in the first place. It was not something to make in the city. And so, Zeros had his meal while agonizing about that kind of thing.
Just as he was about to enter into a never-ending cycle of worries, Wookay opened the door and entered his house.
âKi Kikeri Ki (Master, you have a guest. What shall we do?)â[Wookay]
âA guest? Who might it be? I donât remember expecting any guests. HmmâŠâ[Zeros]
âKike Kikeri! (Iâm afraid I donât know.)â[Wookay]
âFumu. Then, Iâll go receive them right now. It could be Creston-san.â[Zeros]
Zeros promptly made his way toward the entranceway and opened the front door, where a good-looking middle-aged man was calmly standing. The man, who wouldnât look at all out of place in a pub with a cocktail shaker in his hands, was Duke of Solistheaâs butler, Dandyce.[8]
He was only second to the feudal lord, DelSasis, when it came to dandyism.
âOh, if it isnât Dandyce-san? Itâs been a while, what might you need?â[Zeros]
âYes, itâs been a while, Zeros-dono. Actually, DelSasis-sama wanted to discuss a few things with you, so I came to invite you. Unless you have some important business to attend to, he would like you to come to the residence immediately.â[Dandyce]
âIs it urgent? Iâm not particularly busy or anything, Iâm just wondering what it could be about? I doubt itâs a request to produce somethingâŠâ[Zeros]
Thinking that it would be rude to leave a guest standing at the door, he invited Dandyce into the house.
Many of the things Zeros made were dangerous. Put in another way, the minority of his magic tools were safe to use. Heâs only made weapons that would have a massive power if used. Of course, if he wanted to, he could make items for self-defense but for some reason, he didnât feel like making them.
In the game, he was like a criminal who took pleasure in seeing othersâ reactions to his wrongdoings as he made explosives while saying âArt is an explosion!â[9]Â Sort of like a villain from a certain ninja manga.
As one would expect, he didnât feel like doing that sort of insane thing considering he wasnât in his avatar anymore. Nevertheless, as an old man, the fact that he was almost pretending to be a terrorist in a game didnât go away. A relatively new period of his dark history, if you will.[10]
âOh, were you in the middle of your meal?â[Dandyce]
âYes, I got some good-quality eggs recently. Itâs just that it was a bit disappointing that they didnât go well with the condiments I have. I was pondering about that.â[Zeros]
âHmm, condiments, is that right? Ho, Is this soy sauce? Certainly, Iâve heard itâs made in an island country in the East.â[Dandyce]
âI can make a somewhat normal soy sauce, but the Cuckoosâ eggs have too much of an intense flavor for it. I wouldâve liked if the soy sauce was a bit stronger.â[Zeros]
âOh? Does that mean you didnât buy it from the Solisthea Firm? I believe they manufacture and commercialize soy sauce, miso, and other condimentsâŠâ[Dandyce]
His mind went blank for a moment.
âI meant to say that the Solisthea Firm sells them. We established a partnership with an Eastern merchant, so weâve been producing and selling them in this country for some time now⊠Were you not aware of it?â[Dandyce]
âGod, I wouldâve never guessed that they would be sold here. No⊠never mind that. Just in how many places is the feudal lord-dono doing business?â[Zeros]
âWell, the lord can sell anything to anyone while also managing buy anything that can be bought. Anyhow, the East seems to be embroiled in war, and so, many merchants and craftsmen who canât find any work come as refugees, hoping for more favorable conditions.â[Dandyce]
ââŠDelSasis-dono. Isnât he more of a cheat than me? I knew he wasnât a normal person.â[Zeros]
The cheat sage. Completely defeated by the flawless super lord.
As an aside, the soy sauce and miso sold at the Solisthea Firm were in high demand because of their taste, and they were famous as high-class seasonings, being traded at equally high prices. Since the ingredients used were different from the ones in the East, they were substituted for ones that would perform better in this country. By now, they were being mass-produced and sold by Eastern craftsmen. And, the fact that they werenât used as slaves, but instead hired as craftsmen valued for their skills, showed the lordâs uprightness.
âItâs a bit hard for me to enter the shop. It gives too much of a high-class feeling, you know? Itâs also in a prime location. Not just me, but anyone would feel hesitant entering, right?â[Zeros]
âHahaha, right, it isnât a store that is marketed toward commoners. Thatâs what all the people who visit there say.â[Dandyce]
âI suppose itâd be hard to anyway. I really didnât expect to find soy sauce and miso so close by. Duke DelSasis is to be reckoned with, truly.â[Zeros]
Duke DelSasis, a man who lives for his work and playing around with women.
Zeros didnât know what his work philosophy was, but judging from the fact that heâs not only managing his territory but also raking in good results in business, he couldnât be simply described with the word âexcellent.â The middle-aged magician was struck with awe and fear by such a super genius entrepreneur. And now, miso and soy sauceâŠ
âBut well, what is it that you needed me for? Did DelSasis-dono tell you anything?â[Zeros]
âNo, Iâm afraid I wasnât informed. Ah, well, there is one thing, I supposeâŠâ[Dandyce]
âThe lord asked if you could wear formal attire as long as it is within the realm of possibility, of course. Um, it seems that the madams were quite displeasedâŠâ[Dandyce]
As Dandyce pointed out, Zeros usually wore a discolored gray robe and two swords at his waist. He looked absolutely suspicious, and above all, it wasnât at all the proper appearance to have a meeting with the feudal lord. He previously met DelSasis in those clothes, and the two Duchesses[11]Â seemed to loathe him because of it. On the other hand, one didnât need to think too far to see how incredibly rude it mustâve been for Zeros to show up like that.
He didnât mind getting on the bad side of those in power, but this time around he felt that it would be a bad move to get on bad terms with the president of the firm that sells and produces soy sauce and miso. Nevertheless, even if he were requested to wear formal attire, he didnât have anything suitable in his possession.
âAlright, could you wait just a minute? Let me fix my appearance a little bit.â[Zeros]
âYes, Iâm terribly sorry about this, but the fact that you are a Great Sage must remain a secret.â[Dandyce]
âItâs fine, donât worry. Still, just how long itâs been since Iâve dressed upâŠâ[Zeros]
Zeros had not worn any sort of formal attire in around seven years. He immediately shaved his stubble and fixed his hair after he entered the washroom. There werenât any hair products, but he did have a compounding oil made from plants instead, and when he used appraisal on it, he found out that it could be used as a hair conditioner. This oil was made by crushing and squeezing out the milewid fruit, however, it wasnât used in cooking but mainly in medicine compounding; adding a small quantity of this oil could improve the efficacy of the remedy. Incidentally, it could also be used as medicine for abdominal pain, but it seemed that it had the same effects as castor oil when ingested a certain amount of it. It was fortunate that Zeros possessed a large quantity of this oil, as he often used it in the production of secret medicinal potions.
âNow, put this for my bangs⊠My hair at the back is getting too long, should I tie it up with Dragon Hair?â[Zeros]
He shaved his beard with a knife, which normally one might think to be too dangerous, but Zeros was more than familiar with the task. He became quite skilled in using a kitchen knife to shave so as to not have to buy a shaver. It remained a mystery if he also didnât feel like just buying razorsâŠ
And so, he took his full equipment out of his inventory. A coat-styled robe made from the hide of a Black Dragon and a breastplate made from its scales. Adding the boots and gauntlets created using a Black Armor Wyvern[12], he looked just like a fighting priest.
Zeros was in all black from head to toe, but strangely enough, he still gave off a feeling of holiness. The gilding and gold thread ornaments here and there created a sense of elegance and refinement. However, his equipment had been entirely customized[13]Â and made from materials so precious that an average magician wouldnât even dream of obtaining.
If appraised properly, it would appear as having defense on the same level as legendary-grade equipment. Even so, the most extraordinary thing would be the staff he was holding. Using a greatsword, that was made out of rare metals, as a base, the scales and shell of a Black Dragon were used to give it a bizarrely ominous and mechanical [like a transformer] appearance. After all, the revolver-like magazine and the several rings attached to the center of the sword exuded a certain eerie feel, like a mix between a living organism and something completely mechanical, as antithetical as it sounded.
CUSTOM WAND MODEL 54 : Despite looking like a sword, it was a wand that served as a magic medium. A joke weapon[14]Â capable of magic bombardment, in other words.
In addition, he had two combat knives at his waist and several throwing ones concealed in his inside breast pocket. The moniker Black Annihilator came from the fact that he was absolutely peerless when he was donning the previously-mentioned equipment.
âFirst time wearing this outfit here, I guess. Itâs embarrassing how chuuni it is, thoughâŠâ[Zeros]
With his hair done and his eyes now visible, the middle-aged magicianâs thin eyes[15]Â and gentle impression were completely revealed. Albeit slightly, it was actually scary when Zeros would open his eyes. Even he himself thought that he gave off a cold-blooded air, so naturally, other people would think so as well.
Regardless, although he wasnât exactly super handsome, the material itself wasnât bad at all. The finishing touch was a pointy hat so characteristic of magicians, woven from mithril thread and Kuroko Spider silk. To illustrate, he seemed like he would shout something like âAaaameeeen!!â while hunting vampires.[16]
With that enormous sword on his back, Zeros went to Dandyce.
âZ-Zeros-dono, are you going to war!?â[Dandyce]
âIs that the first thing you say!? Well, in a sense, I guess it is a war, right? I wouldnât want the Duchesses to take jabs at me from the side [to look down on], so Iâll have to put some sort of intimidating auraâŠâŠ Truth is that I donât have a suit, alright.â[Zeros]
If he had one, he wouldnât be wearing such dangerous-looking equipment. Unfortunately, most of his possessions were articles like that.
âIf I may ask, what do you normally do on a day-to-day basis? To have such a formidable weaponâŠâ[Dandyce]
âJust farming, you know? Ah, by the way, do you want some eggs? Canât eat them all by myself.â[Zeros]
âWe procure Wild Cuckoo eggs from a reputable farm, so Iâm afraid Iâll have to decline, but how about sharing some with the orphanage?â[Dandyce]
âGood idea⊠So, shall we stop by before heading to the feudal lord-donoâs mansion? Freshness is the key to eggs, after all.â[Zeros]
For some reason, Zerosâ house and the orphanage were connected. There was a backdoor that went through the wall. Obviously, any thief would be able to pass through it, except that they would encounter the strongest and most atrocious guards ever. Any thief would be beaten black and blue by the warrior chickens.
Zeros took a container with the eggs and headed toward the orphanage. Incidentally, the construction materials for his house had to be carried from the orphanage because his house didnât have a wide-enough road for a carriage to go through. The reason he had never seen it before was probably because the dwarves of Hanba Constructions danced their way in early in the morning. When it came to working, they were unusually quick on their feet.
He knocked on the churchâs backdoor and called out.
âLuceris-san, are you there?â[Zeros]
âYes, hold on a minute. Iâll unlock the doorâŠâ[Luceris]
Maybe she was nearby because she quickly came running to unlock the door and greet the middle-aged magician.
âUm, are you Zeros-san?â[Luceris]
âRight⊠I actually like the design of this outfit, but I guess it does look a bit strange.â[Zeros]
âNo, it looks good on you. Itâs just that⊠you look like a [Catholic] priest or maybe a Shinto priest[17]. It might be a little flashy, though.â[Luceris]
âIâm supposed to be a magician, though. But anyway, these are eggs laid by my chickens, but theyâre a bit too much for me alone, so Iâd like to share some with you.â[Zeros]
âAre you sure? Eggs are high-class ingredients, you know? Just selling them like this should get you a lot of money.â[Luceris]
âItâs fine, itâs fine. I donât particularly care about money and if I ever have the need, I can just go hunt deep into the forest.â[Zeros]
It was a rather bleak way of earning money. But then, to live a normal life, depending on the quality, seven palm-sized magic stones would be enough for a whole year. Earning that much could be easy for Zeros, however, he didnât want to do anything that would make him stand out, as he wanted to live a quiet life. Additionally, since he wasnât a mercenary, he didnât receive requests, and so, at most heâd have to work harder in his part-time job at Hanba Constructions if he wanted extra income. Regardless, he already had enough to live comfortably for half a year.
âThank you very much. Iâm sure the children will be very happy.â[Luceris]
âWell, theyâll probably say something like âgimme meat, uncle!â They arenât exactly very timid, to say the least.â[Zeros]
âI apologize for their lack of educationâŠâ[Luceris]
âDonât worry about it. They seemed to be thinking for themselves. Though their motives are a bit, you knowâŠâ[Zeros]
It wasnât wrong to work hard for the sake of a comfortable life. Nevertheless, the children were foolishly pushing toward a rather vulgar dream. Zeros was worried that they would fall apart before reaching it.
âLu⊠can you get me some water? I had too much to drink last night.â[Jane]
âAh, Jane-san. Seductive since early in the morning, I see. Though, it might be a little too stimulating for an uncle like meâŠâ[Zeros]
Although it was supposed to be an orphanage, the mercenary Jane appeared in her underwear for some reason. For a middle-aged bachelor whoâs never been around women such as Zeros, this scene was a feast for his eyes, or rather, too stimulating for them.
Anyhow, by the time she noticed Zeros, there was no point in trying to cover her body with her hands like she was currently doing because he had already seen her. Conversely, it only served to emphasize her nice figure in an erotic way to the point of almost causing a nosebleed. Her breasts that seemed to be an E cup were dazzling. Zeros was blessed with a beautiful daytime sight.
âJane-san, whatâs goingâ Ah! The Black Annihilator !â[Iris]
âPlease stop saying that. Iâm not at an age where Iâd enjoy being called by that kind of nickname.â[Zeros]
Iris was also in the orphanage for some reason. For her, the top-ranked players in ORG were objects of her admiration, especially the five Annihilators , who she admired as much as any idol group. And, one of them, the Black Annihilator was in front of her.
âMister, are you going to war somewhere!? Youâre in your full equipment, right?â[Iris]
âNo, I just have a few errands here and there. Iâm wearing this because I didnât have a suit. In any case, why were you here in the church, Iris-san?â[Zeros]
âAhaha⊠I didnât have enough money to stay at an inn, so I asked Luceris-san if I could stay here for a little while.â[Iris]
âItâs not really a laughing matter. I think you should pick up a trade, even learning compounding would be really helpful.â[Zeros]
âUu⊠I canât make magic potions because⊠I ignored the production jobs.â[Iris]
Iris only ever specialized in being a combat magician and did not possess any of the skills of the production jobs. Even though she enjoyed going on adventures, she wasnât able to put food on her plate just by working as a mercenary in the real world. Looking at her current situation, she wouldnât be able to subsist like that very long.
âIf you want, I can teach you how to make simple concoctions. If you sell them, you can at least earn money for lodging.â[Zeros]
âReally!? Please teach me, Iâm in a really tight spot right now.â[Iris]
The fact that Iris was in a bad financial situation meant that Jane, who was her companion, also had no money.
That Jane was crouching down behind a wall blushing. She seemed to have been really embarrassed.
âJane-san, did Mister see you like that?â[Iris]
âItâs good being young, right? It was a sight for sore eyes for me, but it looks like it was pretty disgraceful for her. You shouldnât be, youâre really lovely, you know?â[Zeros]
âMister, thatâs sexual harassment.â[Iris]
âYou canât take that to court under the laws of this country, and in any case, it was an accident, Iâm not at fault here, alright.â[Zeros]
She was in low spirits as she turned bright red behind the wall, annoyed at that man who saw her unladylike appearance but remained unfazed. As she got even more embarrassed, Jane suppressed her voiceless scream and started to resent the middle-aged magician instead.
âZeros-san, donât tease her too much. She might look like a strong-minded woman, but sheâs a pure-hearted maiden on the inside.â[Luceris]
âI meant it, though. But going back to the eggs, you should start using them as soon as possible. Theyâll last about twenty days at room temperature, but I recommend eating them while theyâre fresh.â[Zeros]
âFufufu⊠Fret not! I bought a refrigerator in case something like this happened. This will be able to preserve perishable foods a lot longer.â[Luceris]
âAnd you purchased that from the Solisthea Firm, right? I just made that the other day and theyâre already selling it⊠Duke DelSasis is not to be underestimated, indeed.â[Zeros]
He couldnât hide how amazed he was at the dukeâs zealousness, seeing that the idea he proposed around three weeks ago had culminated in the product already being sold. Although the structure itself was simple, implying that it wouldnât cost much, just gathering the required number of magic stones and mediums to make ice shouldâve been quite the challenge. Zeros was curious about all that they had to do to make it possible.
âWell then, I have some things to do, so Iâll be on my way⊠Ah, now that I think about it, I havenât seen the children.â[Zeros]
âAnge-chan and the other children went to clean up the city. They wanted to save up some money to buy equipment for when they become mercenaries.â[Luceris]
âTheyâre really strong⊠If only they werenât doing it because of⊠you know.â[Zeros]
The children who were pushing forward for the sake of their dreams were indomitable, but he still thought they left an air of disappointment. Zeros and Luceris were seriously thinking about what went wrong with their upbringing.
âAnyway, here are the eggs. Iâm running a bit late, so Iâll excuse myself now. Ah, can I go through the church?â[Zeros]
âOf course, and thank you for all your help. Now our meals can be a little more extravagant.â[Luceris]
âHahaha. Iâm glad youâre happy. Then, Iâll be on my way.â[Zeros][18]
Zeros went through the church and headed for the carriage waiting at the front entrance. In order to run away from him, Jane went first to hide in the room where the children usually slept in.
After seeing him off one last time, Luceris went to the storeroom to get a broom to start cleaning.
ââŠLu⊠You like that old man?â[Jane]
âHmm, I thought so. You were looking at him like a newlywed wife.â[Jane]
âNewlywed!? Me!? Thatâsâ thatâs not true! And what about you, Jane? I know youâre self-conscious around him, right!?â[Luceris]
âUgh! Me!? With that guyâ no, that old man!?â[Jane]
âYes, youâre interested in him too, arenât you? Youâre oddly aware of him, and love has nothing to do with age, right?â[Luceris]
âI⊠am notâŠâ[Jane]
Both Jane and Luceris were just as aware of Zeros. However, they were budding feelings that were yet to bloom into love. The two, who never experienced a first love, were still unaware of their feelings.
And so, in front of the altar dedicated to the gods, they enjoyed their girlsâ talk. Nevertheless, there was something they were forgetting⊠In this world, there existed an embarrassingly fiendish phenomenon commonly known as Love Syndrome, or in other words, a mating season[or estrus].
This love syndrome will suddenly spread like wildfire one day.
[1] Iâm fairly certain that the author isnât referring to the modern synthesis of evolutionary theories, but the fantasy/game-esque kind. Doubt the people in this fantasy world have science to begin with
[2] I guess it makes sense, but Iâm still confused by that sentence; çćœăźç„ç§ăšèšăăăă毧ăă€ăłăăŹăȘăźăăăăăȘăăLike, considering that elves and dwarves, and surely spirits as well, live for so long, given enough time and horniness, new species are bound to happen, I guess??
[3] a proverb, literally meaning something like âif you want to live comfortably in the future, you gotta be willing to go buy your hardshipsâ which is probably using some obscure use of the verb to buy, so I just googled what tf it meant;æ„œăăŠçăăçșă«ăŻăä»ăźèŠćŽăèČ·ăŁăŠćșăăă
[4] Term used is é
æ± èæ[shuchinikurin], a double entendre, if you will. It originally carried the meaning of a luxurious and extravagant banquet â making a pond of sake and enough meat to cover a forest â but now, seeing the kanji, most people think of orgies and licentiousness, I imagine due to the word èæŹČ [nikuyoku] meaning literally âwants of the fleshâ. Couldnât come up with a word with the same implication in English, but I guess the meaning of âdepravityâ isnât restrictive to orgies or sex in general, so.
[5] No clue, either. Might be an anime reference? Google wasnât very helpful; âćČĄăăăæ”·âć
ç
[6] Silkies are those chickens that look like maltese dogs, with â I kid you not â black meat and bones and endemic from Asia.
[15] by thin eyes the author means itome [çłžçź] like the eyes of anime villains like ichimaru from bleach. Itâs not racist i swear
[16] reference to that hellsing anime I havenât seen. I assume itâs the protagonistâs catchphrase
[17] I think I had a bit of trouble translating both terms in a previous chapter. ç„ç¶ refers to a christian priest, but especially a catholic one, while ç„ćź refers to a traditional shinto one. I assume the author simply wanted to differentiate between 2 types of fantasy priests and not exactly name-drop the real-life religions.
[18] I thought Dandyce was with him the whole time tho. what happened to him