Chapter 27

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Arc 02: Guild and Competition for the cursed sword\nChapter 27: The cursed sword was unexpectedly fiendish, so we’ve tried doing a downgrade \nI tightly grasped the cursed sword Reginablus, the real body of the girl currently floating in the air, in my hand. Different from Cecyl and the rest, there was absolutely no need to hold back against this fellow!\n\n

I will replace the concept of her skill and rewrite it in one go!\n\n

<ol> “Heart Domination LV8” (Locked Skill) </ol>\nA skill, which allows “to manipulate” “heart” “at will”.\n\n

*Clank!*\n\n

I slapped my finger on the letters the moment [Ability Restructure] window displayed the skill.\n\n

“Ha-haaa!”\n\n

The floating girl bent her body in the air. She was aware that mine and Aine’s magical power was currently flowing into her, which caused her to loosen the grip of her magical power inside my head.\n\n

Alright, I can do it!\n\n

“Wha-what is this? My lord, what is this feeling?!”\n

“…Aine, listen to me”\n\n

Disregarding Reginablus, I started whispering into Aine’s ear close-by.\n\n

“I will give you a detailed explanation later. For now, I will just say that I can overwrite the skills of my slaves. That’s why I need to make use of Aine’s skill in order to seal the power of the cursed sword”\n

“Why are you are expressly ignoring me?” — cried Reginablus.\n\n

With the look of the innermost wonder, Aine looked at me.\n\n

“Na-kun is free to use Aine however he wishes. No matter if it’s painful or bitter, your onee-chan will accept it as a reward”\n\n

“…Ummm”\n\n

As I thought, onee-chan is scary.\n\n

I displayed Aine’s skill.\n\n

(2) “Drain cleaning LV9”\n

A skill, which allows [to wash away] [muddled water] by means of [cleaning tools]\n\n

“You okay, Aine?”\n\n

“…………………………. Abso………… lutely………… fi…ne”\n\n

You don’t look fine.\n\n

While still hugging me close, Aine closed her eyes tightly. She’s scowling and chews on her lips like she’s trying to bear with something. Her hot breath tickled my ear. Still, she clearly gave a response with a trembling voice.\n\n

“….. I am okay, continue. Aine won’t… allow… Na-kun… to show… restraint”\n

“Got it”\n\n

I started slowly shaking the conceptualized skill. \n\n

It’s fine not to show a restraint when dealing with Reginablus… I suppose.  This fellow was trying to make me a hero or whatnot.\n\n

“Hey”\n\n

Then I began poking, scratching and pushing the “heart” part of the “Heart Domination LV8” inside Reginablus.\n\n

“———- Hi-i-i-i! Wait-wait, my lord, wait!”\n\n

Reginablus face became bright red.\n\n

“It’s wrong! My lord, this is—wrong, being handled in such a way… for guiding…ha-a-a-a, what, what is this feeling—?!”\n

“Come down, cursed sword, so that you cannot look on people from above anymore”\n\n

I continued shaking the concept of Reginablus skill, so that I could then line up three necessary concepts.\n\n

“Ah-h-h-h!”\n\n

*splash*\n\n

Probably because she couldn’t keep floating, small Reginablus fell down into the water of the hot spring and just sit there.\n\n

“What is this? I don’t know this feeling! My lord’s magical power… it enters my deepest parts! It’s very deep… it’s resounding… like a heartbeat… ah, ha-u-u-u!”\n\n

This girl, she made me remember some unpleasant memories… I will get back at her, even if it’s a little bit!\n\n

*clink* *clink* *clink*\n\n

I tapped the letters of “Heart Domination LV8” with index finger. Each time I did, Reginablus grasped her chest and crotch and bent her body backwards.\n\n

“Hi-i-i! N-no, ha-a-n! Wait! I am asking you, my lord. Wait a bit!”\n\n

*clink* *clink* *clink!*\n\n

“No good! Handing a sword… in such rough matter is not good… It’s resounding… Ahh. It’s like an electric shock, it’s bad. The magical power comes and enters… so wrong… I don’t know… I don’t know anymore… not good… Ah, a-a-ah!”\n\n

While her small body was convulsing, Reginablus looked at me in implore.\n\n

“… Reginablus, you said that you would be ruling over me, didn’t you?”\n

“That’s, I am, I am such existence, so… Ah”\n

“Are you saying that you yourself do not wish for that?”\n

“…y-you’re wrong. As a sword… being a tool that accomplishes its function grants the sense of reward… Taking on a human form too, it’s done… in order to get to know humans. However, taking on an appearance of a little girl… I am not… I don’t know why there is such an ability…… ku-u-!”\n\n

Reginablus was trying to escape from me and Aine by crawling away. However,\n\n

“It’s useless. Your real body is here!” — I tightly grasped the cursed sword and continued shaking the letters for “heart” inside of Reginablus.\n

“Ky-a-a-u!” — The crawling body then collapsed with a jolt.\n\n

It was like she was being dragged by some invisible chains. She tumbled while gripping her own chest and frantically trying to close her legs.\n\n

“…Hiy-a-a… Why? Why can I not run away…”\n\n

The letters of “Heart Domination LV8” began to collapse, making a rattle. “Heart” became completely loose, it was about to fall out at any time.\n\n

“… Cannot concentrate… cannot stop the lord… cannot run away… from this feeling. The bottom of my heart… has it already decided to submit…?”\n\n

Reginablus extended her arm towards the air, like she’s trying to search for something.\n\n

“I guided a multitude of kings and mistresses… Being able to only look over them all this time, could it be that what was I realling seeking is this feeling………?”\n\n

Reginablus turned over her body to face up. Her red hair was spread out like a flower. The clothes were sticking to her damp body.\n\n

“It’s a lie. I am the cursed sword of the spirit realm… me seeking something like that… no way that’s true… u-a-a-a-ya-a-a!”\n\n

“I am asking you, cursed sword Reginalbus, to become my slave”\n

“… what, the hell… my… lord”\n

“Isn’t it about time for you to stop controlling my heart?”\n

“… Eh… Ah… Eh… What’s… this…”\n

“You see, I don’t want to finish things half-heartedly, but it looks like I cannot stop because you will try to dominate me otherwise. So…”\n\n

I started fiddling with the letters on Reginablus skill a third time.\n\n

“A-a-a-ah, a-a-a!!”\n\n

Reginablus curled up her body tightly. With blank eyes, she chew on her finger as if she’s trying to withhold her voice.\n\n

“You’ve said it, you would rule over people for me. Are you saying this isn’t what you’re trying to do to me?”\n

“… F-forgive me, please… I won’t do it… anymore… I won’t do it… to my lord… the skill is already… unusable”\n\n

Tears started to spill from her blank eyes. Opening and closing her mouth, Reginablus looked at me and asked for forgiveness.\n\n

“…… I cannot use it… anymore… I just can’t. Inside of my head, it’s pure white… I cannot do… anything…… My lord… forgive me”\n

“For real?”\n\n

I continued rocking the now loosened “heart” part many time over. Each time I did that, Reginablus received the magical power from me and Aine and trembled a bit.\n\n

“Mn, ku-u. I’m serious, really serious. Please believe me. My lord, my… lord… my lord…… my lo-o-ord…“\n

“… Na-kun, this is… it’s not good… you know?”\n\n

*clink*\n\n

Aine pressed her forehead against mine with a sullen look. It’s the first time I saw such look in her. \n\n

“If you relax here, onee-chan will start pouting. If you start something… you have to… see things to the end properly”\n\n

Aine suddenly pushed me down.\n\n

*splash*\n\n

Both of us fell into the the shallow stream gushing from the spring of magical power. \n\n

My left hand was still holding onto Reginablus. \n\n

The only things I could see were the ceiling and Aine’s face. With the red face, delirious eyes, and half-opened mouth, Aine was pinning me down and clinging to me.\n\n

“In this position you won’t be able to see anyone but Aine. That’s why, you should continue, Na-kun.”\n\n

Time and time and time again, Aine continued pushing her chest onto me until I agreed with her.\n\n

“…You should tell me if it gets painful, Aine”\n

“Only if you can promise me… that you won’t stop… okay, Na-kun?”\n\n

I nodded to Aine, whose eyes looked drowsy, and extended my arm to the window of [Ability Restructure].\n\n

“……… Na-kun………… conti… nue?”\n

“Got it”\n\n

I tried lightly pushing the [Muddled water] part of [Drain Cleaning LV9].\n\n

“……….Mn!”\n\n

The letters still remained a little bit hard and couldn’t be extracted, whether it was because it was the first time I did that with Aine or because the skill was a high-level one.\n\n

Then I tried pinching them and draw lightly.\n\n

“——Ah, a-a-a-h!!”\n\n

Aine’s fingers on my back jolted and stiffened. A teardrop fell down from the corner of her black eyes. I was thinking if I may’ve been too forceful, but,\n\n

“Na-kun… you mustn’t… stop”\n\n

Aine shook her head in a tantrum.\n\n

“……. I’ve told you already… everything… painful… and embarrassing… is a reward for your… onee-chan. I won’t allow you… to stop. Being too gentle is… bad!”\n

“…Okay”\n\n

I pinched Aine’s skill with two fingers and started pulling.\n\n

“————–Ah!”\n

“Are, are you okay?“\n

“Fine— I telling you— I am fine! Continu-u-u-ue!”\n\n

Guess I have no choice but to believe in her.\n\n

I tapped the skill’s concept with my thumb. Each letter of the “Drain Cleaning LV9” began to loosen up little by little.\n\n

“Hiyan! Fuwa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a. Au, a-a-an!”\n\n

I thrusted my fingers into the gaps between the loosened letters and started to push.\n\n

“——- Na-kun is inside Aine. So strange…… it’s painful, yet… so warm………”\n\n

While still pushing me down and hugging me, Aine was shivering a bit. It’s like the skill inside was synchronized with her. In order to make sure that I was with her, Aine crawled her thin fingers on my back.\n\n

“—— Na-kun— Na-kun—— you are here, aren’t you? —— You won’t leave Aine alone— right?”\n

“I am here. Everything is fine”\n

“— this is happiness. I can feel…… Na-kun…… so pleasant… to lead things… to the conclusion… A-ah”\n\n

The skills’ concept became disconnected. \n

Aine’s breath was becoming more rough, her movements were getting more sluggish. She was about to reach her limit.\n\n

I should finish soon.\n\n

I replaced the concept of Aine’s skill with the skill I had taken from Reginablus.\n\n

“Okay— I understand— Na-kun is here—— inside of me— I am— so— hap-py— it’s painful— so suffocating—!”\n\n

Aine’s body jolted, and she hugged me with her utmost strength.\n\n

“………. It’s scary… My mind… is pure white… I am born again……… so thirsty…… Mn, ku-u, Ah!”\n\n

It looked like Reginalus was having some lapse of consciousness, based on her voice. \n\n

I reconfirmed the concept of the exchanged skills.\n\n

This should probably be enough!\n\n

“Invoke, [Ability Reconstructure]!!”\n\n

“Na-kun, Na-kun…… Na-ku-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-un, A-a-a-h!!”\n\n

Aine stuck close to me in pain. After a while, the strength left her body.\n\n

“Ya-a-a-a-a-a…… broken……… I am broken……… the magical power……… the residual magical power……… overflowing……… a-a-a-a-a-a-h!”\n\n

At the same time, the magical power began to overflow from the cursed sword Reginablus which was still in my hand. Those turned into shining particles and flew alongside the spring of magical power. \n

The amounts of magical power that’s necessary to dominate a human’s heart, and those used in the new skill are too different.\n\n

The excessive magical power is apparently being discarded like that.\n\n

As she raised her body, the girl version of Reginablus disappeared. And, the cursed sword easily fell out of my hand.\n\n

The newly obtained skill of Reginablus was — \n\n

[Slime Bringer LV1] (Ultra Super Rare: Aine + Reginablus) (Locked Skill)\n

(TL: Kanji reading: Domination of Liquid Beings)\n\n

A skill “to manipulate” “muddled water” “at will”. It allowed to gather slimes in the surroundings and command them. Moreover, it also allowed to freely collect and scatter viscous liquids and sewages by touching them with the sword.\n\n

[Heart Domination] was an extremely dangerous skill, so I have tried  downgrading it, but… I wonder if this skill is actually useful at all.\n\n

Then there was also one more skill. \n\n

[Self Regeneration LV8] (Locked Skill)\n

No matter of it’s broken or smashed, the sword will regenerate to its former state in an hour.\n\n

This one actually looks strong.\n\n

And then there was also a change in Aine’s [Drain Cleaning LV9] skill.\n\n

[Memory Wipe LV1] (Ultra Super Rare: Aine + Reginablus)\n\n

A skill [to wash away] a [mind] with [cleaning tools].\n

It allowed to make a target faint if you rub their face with broom or dust cloth. If you continued to scrub the target for ten-odd minutes after they fainted, it would produce a memory crystal of that person and made it possible to take it out.\n\n

This one is… is probably similar to the one used by deputy bishop Argis. He applied it with the cane, but Aine became able to use it by herself, huh?\n\n

At any rate, with this I’ve used [Reconstruction] more than ten times already, but it’s funny how I still seem to have no luck with money even now.\n\n

Will I really be able to reach it? The skill which would me to live without working… it would be like a dream.\n\n

“Now then, The quest is completed”\n\n

Looks like both Cecyl and Raite regained control over their bodies. Both of them… had red faces for some reason, but it’s not strange, given the current circumstances.\n

As for Leticia, she plopped down on the ground and covered her face with both hands.\n\n

Still, why is she looking this way from the large gaps between her fingers?\n\n

As for Aine…\n\n

“……Na-kun”\n\n

Suddenly, I felt something soft touching my back. I was still topless so I felt it very clearly.\n\n

Aine… has she still not put on her clothes?\n\n

“Ah, that’s right, we will catch cold if we stay wet like this, right? You can use my coat, so wipe yourself with it! And wear some clothes!”\n

“Umm, does Na-kun really [suppresses his urges] like it was said?”\n\n

Aine whispered to my ears.\n\n

Suppress my urges? Is she talking about the stuff that Reginablus said before?\n\n

“I-I don’t. That’s just the misunderstanding of the cursed sword. Wasn’t it just the sword in my hand that was telling that to everyone?”\n

“…… if… should those words be the truth, I would like you to tell me”\n

“I told you already, no. Frantically speaking, that’s the last thing on my mind, given how hard we try to make a living right now!”\n

“You can consult about this with Aine, I want to be helpful to Na-kun. Onee-chan has awaken, almost anything that Na-kun does will be a reward to me. From today onwards, I am [New Aine Clunette], okay?”\n

“I would like if you didn’t wake up in a weird direction”\n

“T-that’s how it is”\n\n

Aine separated from me. \n\n

Having put their outfits in order, Rita and Cecyl came this way.\n\n

“… Onee-chan won’t try to monopolize Na-kun” … is what apparently she meant.\n\n

What a flawless big sister.\n\n

I adjusted my clothes and put up the sheathed cursed sword to let Cecyl know.\n\n

“Thank you for your hard work, Nagi-sama”\n\n

Standing in front of me, Cecyl quickly lowered her head in visible disappointment.\n\n

“I think the magician is delighted that my master has become the successor to the cursed sword”\n

“Is that so?”\n\n

Cecyl looks refreshed. Thank god. As I feared, she cared about that, didn’t she?\n\n

I guess she’s right. Her ancestor might’ve been worried about the summoned sword loitering in the dungeon for a long time. \n\n

“Then, let’s seal it away in the residence basement, as an offering to demonkin… no, to people from Cecyl’s tribe”\n\n

*rattle* *rattle* *rattle*\n\n

Still in its sheath, Reginablus began to shake. \n\n

Shut up already. You better be grateful we don’t just leave you soak in the spring’s water.\n\n

“That probably means that it asks Nagi-sama to continue carrying it” — Cecyl murmured while looking the cursed sword with very gentle eyes.\n\n

“This sword no longer has the ability to manipulate person’s heart after Nagi-sama has performed [Ability Reconstruction], right? I think Miss cursed sword here would like to be used by a kind person”\n

“I don’t know about that, this fellow tried to dominate me already and make me into a kind of Black Ruler”\n

“You will reflect on your past actions, won’t you, Reginablus-san?”\n\n

*rattle* *shudder*\n\n

“Being the sort of faculty that you are, you didn’t have your own goal to achieve, did you? You will no longer plan to rule over people and do bad things, won’t you? You can promise us that, right?”\n\n

*regret* *shaking*\n\n

Reginablus shook like it’s trying to nod.\n\n

“That’s how it is. And besides, it’s painful to let your fellow slave end up being sealed”\n

“As for me, I am fine with either outcome, but… No, wait a minute. This fellow had a self regeneration ability, didn’t she? Which means, she may help us reduce the costs of weapon’s maintenance, right? They would remain whole no matter how many time they were broken, grinded or destroyed…”\n

<<…..my lord… >>\n

“It was a joke”\n\n

Unmistakably, Reginablus was already my slave, and I wouldn’t want to let her be treated awfully before my eyes much like I wouldn’t do so to Cecyl and the rest… Still, I would still mercilessly make use of her if our lives would end up being at stake because of me not seriously using her and breaking her down.\n

“Master…”\n\n

It was abrupt. \n\n

Having adjusted her clothes and sorted our luggage, Rita came before me with teary eyes. What she did next was…\n\n

“Please accept my apologies… My earlier behaviour was inexcusable, Master”\n\n

She slowly lowered down to her knees like in some sort of ritual.\n\n

“During this incident I was completely shaken and could not be of any help at the crucial time… It’s my, Rita Melphius’s fault… Forgive me, Nagi-i”\n

“It’s nothing you should be apologizing for”\n\n

It was my mistake that I had misread the power of the cursed sword.\n\n

But, Rita still looked up at me with teary eyes, her tail hanging down dejectedly, and her beast ears drooping.\n\n

“… Master, please bestow punishment on me”\n

“That again?!”\n

“You’re wrong! It’s different from the one before! I want to train so that I won’t get shaken when a similar situation arises in the future. I hate to be useless to Nagi when it counts! Moreover… there is also that matter”\n\n

Rita wiggled her fingers in front of her chest and continued.\n\n

“I also thought before that I should find out that the [reward] means for me personally. Today I felt like I could understand that, it’s like my “beastkin instincts” had awakened. That’s why, Nagi… please… “\n\n

*flap-flap* *flap-flap*\n\n

The beastkin girl was looking at me like she’s seeing a dream.\n\n

“You don’t need to awaken anything. You are fine as you are, Rita”\n

“I am fine as I am…”\n\n

No, there is no need to blush.\n\n

“Cecyl, Rita seems to be a little strange. Why don’t you say something to her as well?\n

“Eh?”\n\n

*smile* *smile*\n\n

Cecyl displayed an angel-like smile.\n\n

“You also think what Rita has said was strange, don’t you? Do you have an idea what she meant?”\n

“Ah, yes. Ummm… Rita-san, you mustn’t trouble Nagi-sama”\n\n

Cecyl placed her hands on her waist and looked down on Rita’s golden hair.\n\n

“That sort of thing… you should do it after we get back to our rooms and calm down!”\n

“Cecyl?!”\n

“Yes, Nagi-sama!”\n\n

*smile* *fluff*\n\n

Cecyl laughed, making her silver hair shake in the air.\n\n

Don’t tell me…\n\n

“… Could it be, does Cecyl also want to know about the [Reward]?”\n

“Nagi-sama knows everything there is about me, right?…”\n\n

Cecyl covered her blushing face with her hands, and Rita was still in her puppy mode that waited for scolding.\n

Having put on the clothes, Aine was quietly waiting for my instructions… and as for Leticia…\n\n

“I-I won’t become your slave under no circumstances!”\n\n

… it didn’t seem like that I could rely on her.\n\n

What am I going to do with this situation?\n\n

　ＧＩ？　ＧＹＡＧＹＡＧＹＡ？\n\n

A rough voice resounded on the opposite side of the room next to the spring of magical power… it belonged to a goblin. Did they come after hearing the disturbance?\n\n

“We’ll talk later! Everyone, prepare for battle!”\n\n

Instantly, we switched to battle mentality. Deep in my mind I made a thumbs-up to the coming goblins. \n\n

There probably won’t come a second time where I could’ve thought that I would be grateful for the appearance of the monsters.\n\n

“Rita and Leticia are vanguards! Aine will act as support. Cecyl, you have no magical power right now so just remain at my side!\n\n

I then prepared the cursed sword Reginablus.\n\n

A few dozen minutes later.\n\n

It turned out the goblin I’d heard was the last remaining survivor. We killed it and then returned to the surface.\n\n

The quest was completed.\n\n

Speaking of which, my [Ability Reconstruction] skill rised to LV3 before I noticed it. Well, it was the skill I used the most after all.\n\n

————————————————————————————————————\n\n

New skills\n\n

[Slime Bringer LV1]\n

Allows to summon slimes that are located in a few dozen meters around the user and command them. High-level slimes are capable of resisting this skill, but low-level slimes will most certainly be drawn to the user. However, the weakness of this skill is that it takes time to gather the slimes because of their slippery movements.\n\n

[Memory Wipe LV1]\n

Allows to stun an opponent by rubbing their face with broom or dust cloth.\n

It’s a fairly atrocious skill, capable of pulling out the memories if the user continues to wipe their opponent. However, it takes time to extract the memories, so the user needs to be careful. An advanced level of the cleaning skill is also required. It’s a difficult-to-use skill, according to sister-in-law who said “Well, this thing is completely dirty. I won’t be able to extract memories like that”.\n