When I opened my eyes, I was in a temple outside of the town of Caldart. This place is also a shintai enshrinement, I always appear here if I move to Caldart by teleportation. There is a slight fog in the room, which gives it a tinge of sacredness. I looked around in the room where a cool air drifted. There are no silhouettes of living creatures in the completely silent and holy space. Properly speaking, many players would travel back and forth through the city, but fortunately the teleport feature isnāt implemented for ordinary players. Namely, itās reserved for me only. *
*TN: Shintai is an object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity.
I stuck to the exit door. One can never be too careful. I barely opened the door and looked outside. It looks like 2A lot isnāt here. But I must be careful. When I squeezed out my body through the gap in the door, I surrender myself to the flow of people with a casual face. And I quickly blend into the cityscape.
I look towards the scenery that flows as I walk and see that the reconstruction is progressing considerably. Itās been two weeks since Caldart Capture Battle. During that time, the people of the city vigorously made progress on the cityās reconstruction, and the exotic and beautiful townscape, the feature of Caldart that combined Europe and Near and Middle East, was coming back. Buildings surrounded by scaffolds grow taller day by day, and the beige-colored stone paving and buildings made of stone that have become beautiful multiplied. The number of NPC workers involved in the repair works increased, and so did the number of stalls that traded with fellow workers. Thanks to that, the liveliness of the people is returning to the city like it was before.
Seeing the city that we Hellander destroyed being restored again like this made me feel feelings of guilty though I felt relieved in some respectsā¦ this is not the place to be immersed in sentiments like that. The purpose of my return to the city is to not let the 2A lot accept quests that are in the middle or recruitment. I recall the contents of the written report that Adra showed me.
A level 23 Mission Quest. A type of quest in which one earns rewards by capturing dungeons. By defeating the Adamite Golem, the boss monster deep inside the dungeon, the quest is completed. It was said that Holy Grave could be obtained there. The monster that protects the dungeon has already been determined, and itās impossible to insert me or a Hellzekter now.
We considered transporting thećHoly Gravećto Infermia, but it can be lost on the way, and the chances of being stolen by 2A would increase. Bearing that in mind, it was impossible to stop them or locking it up there. A recovery unit should have left Infermia already, but the dungeon is to the south of Caldart, halfway up Rummel Mountain Range that extends as if surrounded by the sea. From Caldart, it can take a day or two getting there, but from Infermia itāll take at least four or five days.
Now that it has become to this, first thing I should strive for is not letting 2A accept this quest. Because thatās the easiest thing. In case I were unable to lead 2Aās opinion. At that moment, Iāll have no choice but to join the quest as Doumeguri Kakeru and be a nuisance to corner the quest to a failure. Itāll be a more dangerous and tiresome task. I turn around the main street and after walking a bit I see the guild hall, the stronghold of 2A Guild. A six-story building. Itās a pretty big building, particularly in Caldart. At one point it was partially destroyed, but now its appearance was almost like it used to be. We played a central role in this building, not the NPCs. I practically dedicated these two weeks on this. I raised my eyes up with deep emotion, I canāt believe we restored it this far.
Well, the one who partially destroyed it wasnāt the Hellzekter but Shizukuishi. I went up the stairs of the front door, opened it and went inside. The problem is how to persuade them. I have three persuasion plans, more or less. Each one with four routes that diverge from the flow of the conversation. The key is whether or not I can successfully get Asagiri involved. Properly speaking, I was thinking about influencing Ichinomiya. If heās influenced 2A will be influenced. But thatās not how it is now.
Ichinomiya was misunderstood by other members after being attacked by the Succubi during the last battle. During the battle, he yielded to the temptation of the erotic monsters and because of that, he abandoned the fight. Thanks to that, Ichinomiya fell from the seat of the King of 2A. He still havenāt been able to fill the gap with everyone.
I hid the nervousness in my chest and approached the sofa where 2A Guild always hung out.
ā ā¦ Hmm?
There was nobody.
Even when I look around the hall, thereās nothing but NPCs of other guilds. I took a quick look at the upper floors just in case, but they disappeared without a trace.
No wayā¦.
I rushed down to the first floor and ran up to the counter that was accepting quests. Large and small recruitment advertisements of quests were put up on the whole wall. I pointed to one of them and asked the Onee-san at the reception desk who was always sitting.
ā E-excuse me. This recruitment, is it already?
With a serious look, the Onee-san in a costume with an incredibly high degree of exposure smiled.
ā Yes, 2A Guild is already taking charge of it.
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck! I was too late!
I mean, didnāt they leave me completely behind? Far from ignoring my intentions, they ignore even my existence! Iāve been helping with restoration for the last two weeks, I felt like we were companions, Iām annoyed, even if that isnāt my intention! I hate myself for thinking that!
ā Ah, I was entrusted with a letter addressed to Doumeguri-san.
ā Eh?
I received the extraordinarily cute envelope she held out and cautiously opened it.
Well, looks like thereās no razor in itā¦ but itās too soon to be relieved. As I open it, despite using such a beautiful and girly envelope and stationery, probablyćEwww, you thought it was a love letter? Wahaha LOL, tell me, how do you feel now?ćis written on it!
I prepared myself and opened the letter.
Ā
To Doumeguri-kun
Hello, itās Asagiri. Iām sorry. For departing first and leaving Doumeguri-kun behind. You were surprised, right? I consulted with everyone, but the quest has a time limit so we decided to go quicklyā¦.
Oh right, thereās the content of the crucial quest, but the quest gives you an item to defeat the Demon King that we discussed before springing forth! We canāt afford to miss this opportunity!
Iām sorry for deciding this without consulting Doumeguri-kun. But youāre not against it, right? Because itās a weapon with which we can defeat the Demon King with a single blow!
(We canāt use it unless we know his real identity! But what is his real identity anyway?)
But this is also Doumeguri-kunās fault, you know? You always disappear all of a sudden and I donāt know where youāve gone either. So, will you properly tell me where you go from now on? If you read this letter, you can run after us if you have time to catch up with us or wait in Caldart if it looks impossible. Weāll make it a success!
Ririko Asagiri
Ā
Asagiri ā¦ Youāre a real angel. It seems that my heart, which became irritable, turned into a silky smooth texture.
I looked back at the Onee-san who smiled.
ā So, when did 2A leave?
ā Hmm, let me seeā¦ if I remember correctly, that happened around five or six hours ago? Something like that āŖ.
Although sheās a character and the interface of the system, whatās with this happy reply?
Anyway, since theyāre 5, 6 hours ahead of me, it would be impossible to run after them normally. I havenāt gone to the dungeon before, so I canāt use teleportation and in the first place itās not a city either, so it would be suspicious if I become the target of teleportation.
When it comes to it, yes, the armor of the Demon King.
When I wear that, I can show my superhuman stamina and physical abilities. I may be able to pass 2A lot and get to the dungeon first. Even so, I may have to keep running for more than half a day without sleep or rest, but I have to do it.
I raised my head and headed to the exit of the guild hall.
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I run through the wilderness, go through the grasslands, climb the mountains, cross the rivers and force my way through the Alps-like mountain peaks that rise in front of me. Thereās plenty of rain and wind, the altitude gets higher, the temperature drops and snow falls. Even though Iāve taken several breaks on the way, I kept running in harsh environments that kept hectically changing for half a day. I arrived in the dungeon of the Rummel Mountains where thećHoly Gravećwas discovered.
I guess Iām actually one of the best trail running players in Japan. However, my shoes and wear are limited to Demon Kingās armor.
ā Y-you areā¦ D-Demon King Hellshaft-sama!?
The orcs guarding the entrance to the dungeon stared at me in wonder. A stir was made inside and outside the dungeon as if a beehive were turned inside out.
ā Demon King-sama has personally come, go and call the site foreman! Hurry!
The confused orc disappear into the dungeon. After a while, an orc came with a smaller but better-equipped piece of equipment than the rest. Heās probably the site foreman. When he saw me, his face stiffened and cold sweat began to gush out.
ā We should have a few days before the arrival of the recovery unitā¦ no way, you came alone, without companionsā¦
Before I knew, the foreman kneeled as if collapsing and yelled at the other orcs.
ā Imbeciles! Why are you standing there, doing nothing!? You want to be beaten to death!?
The surrounding orcs kneel in panic and prostrate themselves before me, making sure to rub their heads against the ground. The site foreman reported to me in a voice trembling in fear.
ā To have come to such an unsightly place, I am greatly sorryā¦ did we do anything wrong?
To be honest, itās hard for me to breathe, so thatās not the problem. I put my hands on my knees and managed to reply to the orc as I regained my breath.
ā Y-yesā¦ f-for a certain reason, I came alone first to inspectā¦ s-so guide me.
I stepped into the dungeon, guided by the orc who felt obliged. The entrance is wide, but gets narrower as I step into it. Thereās no light, but the rocks on the walls radiate a pale yellow-green color and the entire dungeon is wrapped in a pale green light.
ā In this mine, glowing rocks are mined. Raw ore is buried in the walls and floors of the dungeon, so we can work without light.
Saying so, the site foreman showed an eerie smile on his face, looking glad.
Eventually the passage becomes narrower than the school corridor, and turns and branches appear. They werenāt natural, someone made them, digging holes in the mountain. After passing through the narrow entrance, a pretty large room was there. The site foreman came to a stop and turned his face to me.
ā And so, when we mined those ores, we dug up this dungeon. We were surprised. Though it seems it was made by someone before, the mechanism of the traps are still functioning somehow.
ā Traps?
ā Yes, on this floor, when you step on a black tile, a cage closes, locking up the exit.I stared at the exit on the opposite side of the entrance I had just entered. Certainly, on the ceiling, I can see a part of the iron bars that looks like thorns. Does that come down, trapping us in this room?
ā But there seems to be no iron bars at the entrance.
ā Yes. There are several hidden rooms on the way, I would guess those let the soldiers be hidden there. And then slowly torture them to death in this room.
ā Hmm ā¦ I see. If they arenāt caught in a trap, then what?
ā The strongest one has been placed as the guard of the treasure in that room.
I pass through the exit and a larger room was there. A huge golem was sitting in the center of the room. I see, is this the boss of this dungeon? Its whole body is made of yellowish rocks with small pupils shining in the sunken eyes. Its mouth reached its ears, and dozens of sharp jewel-like fangs were lined up. It looks big even when sitting, but it seems to be close to 5 meters when standing up. It sees me, it looks cute as it bows its head, but if I were to encounter it as an enemy, it would be quite the threat. 2A Guild may not be a match for it.
ā That is the guy we use for construction, we call it Adamite Golem, but itās the strongest here, so Iām letting it keep watch here for the time being.
Indeed, the former was replaced by heavy equipment, and now itās standing watch?
I look up at it and the Adamite Golem scratched its back like it felt embarrassed. I canāt get rid of the feeling that the golem is a middle-aged man of a construction site that tries to fight, keeping at it, though in this case, I canāt ask for too much, can I?
ā Furthermore, we have hired a few mercenaries who take pride in their skills and were wandering near here.
Saying so, I was introduced to monsters that resembled roses made of sand, giant praying mantis and one-meter-long ghastly spiders. Regardless of their appearance, all of them seem to be level 20 monsters or higher.
ā ā¦ I see. And the Holy Grave?
ā Yes, this wayā¦
I look at the wall in the back, thereās a wooden box placed on the ground. As I look at it and approach it, the site foreman opened the lid and showed it to me.
ā This isā¦
It was a beautiful white sword. Since the sheath is also white, the blade is white like white porcelain. A flat part is arranged on the sword blade for writing a name.
If my name is written there, itāll become a weapon that can kill me with a single shot, right?
ā Ah! Touching it with your hands may be dangerous, Demon King-sama!
The orc raised a hurried voice to me as I try to reach for the sword. But in this state, I donāt have to worry about taking damage. I had to make sure of it. That way, I would end up retrieving the Holy Grave. If I can do that, I donāt have to do troubling things like being a hindrance to 2A and making them fail the quest.
ā ā¦ Hmm?
I touched the sword and selected the āCollect Itemā command, but it didnāt fall into my item list. I think Iām not eligible to own this item.
So in the end, things arenāt going to be this easy, huh?
At that time, one of the orcs leapt into the room, followed by a roll.
ā B-bad news! A party for humans is coming to the town at the foot of the mountain!
They came already!? Dammit, I had to meet them this fast.
I said to the orcs who looked worried.
ā Itās almost night. Humans will surely recover from their tripās fatigue. The attack will happen tomorrow morning. Defend this sword no matter what it takes! Understood!?
ā Yes sir!!
The orcs, mercenaries, and the golem kneeled and bowed deeply.
ā One more thing, you have to be careful. A guy among them has drawn ā symbols on his armor and shield. Meddling with him is futile.
ā Huh? What does thatā¦?
ā Hmm. That person may be a bit useful. Try letting him do as he wants for some time, thatās all. Donāt worry about him.
I continued issuing orders to the orcs who cocked their heads in puzzlement.
ā One last thing, dig a hole in the wall of this room and prepare a hidden room. Thereās no need to hide soldiers there. Rather, nobody must approach it.
I glanced at the orcs who bowed deeply once again and walked quickly to the exit. Then, I get out of the dungeon and run down, making sure to roll. I take a detour, not following the mountain path and headed to the town at the foot of the mountain, pretending that Iām running after 2A.
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The town at the foot of the mountain was named Gralstock. The townscape has a German and Swiss style, with low-key red roofs and cream-colored walls with exposed wooden frames. NPCs of various races walked on the road of stone made by putting all sorts of stones together.
Not only humans, but also human-beasts like Grasha and short and fit dwarves stand out. As expected of a mountainous town, right? There are many hunter, woodcutter and miner-oriented races. Animals I havenāt seen before, similar to cats and weasels, ran through the feet of such threatening men.
There arenāt many lodging facilities in the town. It feels like if I search for them in order, Iāll found them immediately, so I peek into each and every hotel and inn lined up on the main street. The moment I entered the fourth hotel, I was greeted by a familiar and clear voice.
ā Doumeguri-kun! Iām glad you made it!
When Asagiri, who was doing formalities in the lobby found me, showed me the finest smile. Yup, with that smile and words of welcome, my trail running paid off, I got my reward. Asagiri ran up to me, avoiding the sofas lined up in the lobby
ā The letter that Asagiri left was of great help. Umm, thank you.
I unconsciously averted my eyes and said so. Thanks to this, the words of Asagiri who saidćYouāre welcomećpropped me up, I would have lamented if I had failed to notice her tender and charming smile. A displeasured-sounding voice came falling from above, throwing cold water on such happy moment.
ā What the? He came?
The one who came down the stairs right now was Busujima Meg. That doesnāt feel like a greeting at all. And she has a very disgusted face.
ā You kidding me? Stealth-kun actually came?
Miyakoshi Ageha came right behind Busujima. She was part of the gal duo with Busujima. However, from my point of view, Miyakoshi is more like a hostess rather than a gal. Needless to say, Iāve never been to a hostess bar. If I remember correctly, a famous person said that one doesnāt go there with oneās money, but oneās companyās money.*
*TN: Hostesses are women that work at hostess bars/clubs and accompany you to have a conversation, but one must pay for her services.
While sheās not really a hostess, Miyakoshi laughs happily unlike Busujima who blatantly shows a disgusted face. Because she hides her emotions, sheās worse than Busujima.
ā But stealth-kun, we never know where you are and what youāre doing. Where have you been?
Come on, havenāt I been repairing the guild hall for almost two weeks? Rather, Iād like to complain that during that time you did only an easy job.
ā Well, Iāve just beenā¦ mappingā¦ leveling up and getting items alone. When it comes to RPG, solo play has always been a foundation for me.
Then Miyakoshi revealed a stifled laugh.
ā Like I thought, you really like solo play, stealth-kun.
ā Well, comforting your lonely self does fit you.
How are you translating solo play? Donāt get angry, or theyāll tell to our teacher.
ā So what? Did you find any good items? Or a place where you level up a lot? Or an incredible resort?
Busujima snaps at me as if criticizing.
ā No, nothing apart from thatā¦
Then Busujima sighed exaggeratedly.
ā This guys is really useless. Canāt you just go back? Youāre so weak that youāre useless in battle, we canāt even count on you as a support, youāre truly a waste. Youāre like our parasite.
I sighed in my mind. Itās not like Busujima is really demanding my ability.Ā She just enjoys feeling important, the feeling of speaking ill of others and the feeling of superiority. But when I think I must no fight with 2A, being ridiculed is just what I need. I showed an adequate forced smile and tried to go to the front to take my room.
ā Okay, then Iāllāā
ā Come on Busujimsan, no matter how you put it, didnāt you go too far?
Asagiri stepped in front of me.
ā Huh? Whatās with you, Asagiri? Are you siding with this loner?ā It has nothing to do with siding with him, Doumeguri-kun is our classmate as well. We wonāt be able to escape from this world without joining forces and helping everyone. We have to defeat that Demon King Hellshaft.
My chest hurts. Even though Asagiri is saying so, in this very moment I keep betraying her.
Busujima blushed and trembled due to the unexpected counterattack.
ā Thatās right! I want to get out of this nonsensical world right away! I want to go home! I! And even though Akira was the only oneā¦ I could count on, and yet.
Tears overflowed from Busujimaās eyesā¦ ah, youāre kidding me!? Youāre crying because of that!?
ā He did ecchi stuff with a monster and feigned ignorance even when I was killedā¦ thereās no one I can rely on, no one to believe in anymore.
Miyakoshi hugged the shoulders of Busujima and Busujima leaned her face on Miyakoshiās shoulder.
ā Calm down, Meg. Also, you donāt even believe in Ageha? Thatās quite shocking.
ā You seeā¦ Ageha is different.
Miyakoshi, who showed a bitter smile, went up the stairs, holding Busujima in her arms.
When I glanced at Asagiri, she seemed to be in pain.
ā Ah, errā¦ thank you, Asagiri. But since I feel bad for making your relationship with everyone gets worse, you donāt have to protect me or anything like that, alright?
Rather, it would have helped me more if something of that degree was ignored.
However, Asagiri shook her head.
ā I canāt do that.
She said so and smiled feebly.
ā I was hoping that Akirkun would take leadership again. But his relationship with everyone hasnāt gone well since the last battle, you see? Once time passes, I think everyone will calm down and realize it was an accident. So, in the meantime, I thought I could replace himā¦ but that hasnāt gone well as I expected, ahaha.
Ichinomiya lost the trust of the other members because I used Ecstas and the billing item Succubi. It was unexpected for me, but it turned out all right in the end. Rather, more than I expected, Iād say. But that ended up afflicting Asagiri.
ā Well ā¦ I think Asagiri is doing well. Not the same as Ichinomiya, but stillāā
ā No. Iām a complete failure. Well, this is the long-awaited quest to get the Holy Grave, but we may failā¦
Iāll surely make you fail, and as result, if Asagiri loses her confidence and canāt act as the leader, then at that moment 2A Guild will become a disorderly crowd. Thatās exactly the result I wanted. Even though I should be happy, for some reason the ill feelings in my chest grow.
ā ā¦ I donāt think we can defeat the Demon King if we clash upright, soāā
Thatās why, letās not fight him right away. When I tried to say that, Asagiriās eyes were sharply narrowed and shone like knives. My spine gets goosebumps from the pressure that felt like killing intent.
ā Asagiriā¦san?
ā Weāll win. Absolutely. Even if we donāt get the Holy Grave, weāll certainly win one way or another.
ā Y-yeahā¦ thatās right. But youāre awfully motivated. Ahaha.
Unlike always, Asagiri said with the face of a warrior who had gone through many life-and-death situations.
ā Hellshaft toys with humansā hearts. I donāt know the details, but Iām sure Akirkun was completely manipulated by the Demon Kingās tricks. Me tooāā
Asagiri, who held her tongue, bit her lips tightly.
No way, Asagiri ā¦ do you really remember? She received Ecstas from me and suffered erotic attacks.
ā I can never forgive someone who tramples and treats people like toys. I donāt know what the real identity of the Demon King is or what it points to, but if itās someone whoās not an NPC, then Iā¦
My back and armpits were sweating like crazy. My heart sounded like an alarm bell. Shit, calm down, heart. Calm down, me. So Asagiri actually remembers? She by no means could tell anyone, so she just pretended to not remember.
As I felt before, Asagiriās killing intent towards Hellshaft is strange. But if she remembers about the Ecstas thing, then that convinces me.
It was a big mistake, thinking I could easily break Asagiriās heart.
I may have created the worst troubling enemy.
Anyway,
As long as Asagiri doesnāt realize.
If she were to notice, then at that momentāā
Asagiriās hand was pushed out before me.
ā āā!?
A silver glitter tears to pieces in front of me.
ā Uaah!
I jumped back in a big way. I hit the sofa behind me and made a loud noise.
ā W-whatās wrong?
Asagiri looks at me with a surprised face.
ā Ehā¦ ah.
Asagiriās hand was holding a key with a room number tag. I rapidly straightened myself and scratched my head and apologized.
ā Sorryā¦ I was immersed in my own thoughtsā¦. I didnāt hear you.
Asagiri laughed in a way like it couldnāt be helped and handed the key to me.
ā Maybe you ran after us, exhausting yourself? Which means youāre tired, arenāt you? Take a rest. Your room is on the back of the third floor.
ā I, I seeā¦ thank you.
I took the key into my hand and went up the stairs as if escaping from there.
Damn, I was nervous. I feel that my nerves have worn down as well as my stamina. I want to stay in the room quickly and take a rest alone.
I went up the third floor and walked down the corridor. The number engraved on the tag is 301. I go all the way down the corridor, my room was there. As the key is thrust into the keyhole, making clattering noises, the door in front of my room opened.
ā Ara, who do we have here? If it isnāt the missing stray dog.
I could tell without turning around.
āāShizukuishi Non. In a sense, the person of 2A Guild I must be the most cautious about. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. I mean, I just didnāt want to face her. Now that my nerves are tired, I donāt have any confidence to argue with this person.
ā Excuse me, Shizukuishi-san? Could you at least call me a lone wolf?
As I turned around, a woman with a terrible look in her eyes stood there.
ā Show me your fangs if you want to be called a wolf. Dog.
You bastard, did you really call me a dog just now?
ā Ah, forget it. Iāll correct itā¦ mongrel?
Aaah fuck! I feel like I understand the feeling of Grasha being ridiculed by Adra!
ā Stop talking about dogs. Iām tired. Iāll take a rest.
ā Ah, wait. Stay.
ā You were told to be away from dogs, werenāt you!?
ā Iāll give you a reward. Iāll let youāll talk especially to me. Come here.
Isnāt it too early to say āto have a conversationā? Why is she this bothersome? However, even if itās more or less a joke, Iām a man, arenāt I? Inviting a man into her room at night ā¦ what on earth does she want to talk about?
Fear and a sliver of hope come and go to my heart.
No! That canāt be. Such fantasy is impossible. Rather, I should admonish myself and abandon all hope once I go through this gate.
I enter Shizukuishiās room with utmost determination and close the door behind me. Shizukuishi sits down on the bed, she doesnāt even offer me a seat.
I roughly confirmed the inside of the room. Itās about eight tatami mats wide and has a bed, a table and two chairs. I havenāt seen my room yet so I canāt compare them, but it probably has the same layout.
Itās a hotel room we just took today, so they arenāt the rooms were we live. However, while itās no more than the room assigned to Shizukuishi, why does it look different from a manās room? She planned to give me a warning? When I think that itās just the two of us in a hotel room, my heart gets excited contrary to reason. Shizukuishi seems to be a little restless, she let her fingertips loiter on the bed.ā In this quest, weāll get a very important item.
ā Yeah, thatās right.
ā ā¦ Do you think Hellshaft-sama will come?
Sama?
Shizukuishi asked in a fidgety manner, thatās what I got from her looks.
ā ā¦ You want to see him? That Hellshaft.
With her cheeks a bit reddened, Shizukuishi put on a displeasured face.
ā Thatās right. I want to see him.
What the hellā¦.
ā Well, why canāt you see him? Donāt you want to see him?
ā Thatās impossible?
ā Eh? W-why?
Shizukuishi folded her arms as if to say āI donāt knowā.
ā You see, Hellshaft-sama isnāt cheap enough to appear just because I want to see him. Please donāt look down on him.
Ohā¦ then what should I do?
ā Think over it well. The item weāll get this time is the Holy Grave. Naturally, it comes with conditions attached, and yet, itās a weapon that has the potential for killing him with a single hit, right? Will he let this pass before his eyes?
I canāt reply that I wonāt miss it, can I?
ā Who knows? But itās not necessary for him to come here by himself. Isnāt it normal for him to deal with us using his minions the Hellzekter and using local monsters?
Without knowing the answer that Shizukuishi wants, I replied sloppily without thinking. Shizukuishi deepened the wrinkles of her middle forehead, but showed a smile on her mouth.
ā Really? You speak like you knew.
Huh? Is she delighted? At any rate, letās end the conversation fast. Continuous conversations about Hellshaft increase my chances of being found out.
Contrary to my feelings, Shizukuishi bends herself forward as if to not let me get away and asks without stopping.
ā Hey, if you were Hellshaft-sama, what would you do if we got Holy Grave?
ā What? Even if you tell me thatā¦ Iām not Hellshaft.
ā Of course you arenāt. Donāt say such a disgusting thing.
Dammitā¦ this woman.Ā Shall I reveal my identity and crush her illusions!? I canāt, I canāt, if I were to do so, itād be the end. In many ways. I mean, itās a topic far from an exciting and thrilling situation in which a man and a woman are alone in a hotel at night. Isnāt this like an offline meeting of persons related to Hellshaft somehow?
Shizukuishi quickly stood up and approached the table and chairs by the wall. Then dragged a simple chair made of wood to the center of the room.
Then returned to where she was before and sat down on the bed.
ā¦ Eh? This is so that I can sit downā¦?
I looked at Shizukuishi with a gaze as if asking that question, and pointed at the chair with her chin, looking bothered.
T-this girlā¦.
I reluctantly sat down on the chair. A girl allowed me to enter her room, sit down and reduce our distance, but there was no such atmosphere at all. If anything, I feel like Iām being called a gora (ććŠćć), because sheās genuinely interrogating me.
*TN: That āfaceā is the only reference to gora and Iām not entirely sure about its meaning.
ā W-wellā¦ Holy Grave, rightā¦? He would try to take it backā¦ if we try to look for what his āreal identityā is, heāll try to stop us?
I said muttering as if speaking to myself while being vague. Then she leans forward, maybe she was irritated because it was difficult for her to catch my words. Uh, the distance is surprisingly short.
ā Or he has already taken measures? Actually, thereās an item that protects him against Holy Grave. Maybe he has thought of ways to not make physical contact with it.
ā I- I seeā¦
ā If it were a real threat, thereās no way that a person like Hellshaft-sama would leave it as is. Probably he must have some sort of plan. Something that makes the sword meaninglessā¦
Certainly, now that she mentions it, I havenāt searched for an item that could be used as a countermeasure. I shall make investigations about it once I return to the castle. And āmaking the sword meaninglessā huhā¦.
ā For example, making the wrong information about his identity circulate.
With shining eyes, Shizukuishi suddenly pointed at me.
ā More or less right. Information warfare is something I havenāt thought until nowā¦ Hellshaft-sama would surely execute such stratagem without batting an eyelid. As soon as we have gotten something on someone, we will be just dancing in the palm of Hellshaft-sama. But then weāll draw near Hellshaft-sama with the few clues we haveā¦
Before I knew, the pupils of Shizukuishi were unusual, her looks turned into like a girl dreaming of her prince. My heart stretched greatly with her glittering and shining pupils. The spellbound and wet eyes pointed straight at me. But her eyes stare at Hellshaft that isnāt here and some day that isnāt the present. Iām not reflected in the eyes of Shizukuishi. She was a really cute and beautiful girl when the harsh look was removed from her face.
Why is she so delighted with Hellshaftā¦?
I stood up quietly so as not to make noise, and turned my back on Shizukuishi.
ā Iāll try thinking about it for a moment. Shizukuishi too, tell me if you have noticed something about Hellshaft.
ā Eh? Ah, wait, our conversation isnāt over yāā
I turned the handle of the door and came out to the corridor to cover the voice of Shizukuishi who tried to stop me. Then I insert the key into the keyhole in the room opposite to hers. This time, I easily opened it. I enter the room, close the door and lock it immediately. I feel relieved at last.
āĀ *Exhale*ā¦ yare yare.
The room layout was the same as Shizukuishiās room facing mine, as expected. I went to bed with a staggered manner of walking and collapsed into it right away. I shall take a nap for now. Just when I thought so, the door of my room is knocked.
Eh? To think you would run after me! Pardon me the after party!
I stood up wildly as if displaying my irritation and approached the door, making loud footsteps. I said as I opened the door.
ā Hey, Shizukuishi, please pardon me for today. Iāll think about it proāāehā¦?
ā ā¦ Sorry, Iām not Shizukuishi-san.
The one standing behind the door is the fallen hero. It was Ichinomiya Akari, the former leader of 2A Guild who reigned at the top of the school caste.
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ā What kind ofā¦ relationship do youā¦ have with Shizukuishi-san? You said to pardon you for todayā¦ and think about something properly?
Ichinomiya asked while watching the food being brought.
ā Thereās nothingā¦ thereās nothing between us. She just insistently makes fun of me. And the āthink about itā thing ā¦ itās about tomorrowās quests and the Demon King subjugation.
This guy also thinks Iām on good terms with Shizukuishi? Even if the way he asked were a bit reservedā¦ I mean, this guy ask questions looking straight in the eye.
ā I see ā¦ Shizukuishi-san is seriously thinking about escaping from this world.
Ichinomiya nodded as if convinced.
ā Soā¦ whatās this āconversationā? A normie like you inviting someone like me.
ā Iād like hear your opinion.
Ichinomiya stabbed the sausage sunk in the soup with a fork and cut it in half on a plate. Then juice overflowed from its inside, raising steam. The white fumes became a delicious scent and stimulated our appetite.
ā I think the word ānormieā doesnāt make much sense for meā¦ now that Iām too distanced from everyone. I meanā¦ what should I say after all?
I also cut the thick steak served in front of me. The iron plate still emits a high heat, continuously repelling the fat overflowing from the meat with the heat. Everything seems to be the meat of a monster called Rummel Pig that lives in this field, but to speak clearly, itās delicious. Itās really tasty.
ā Ichinomiya, a green loner, wants to seek knowledge from an experienced loner?
The light joke made with a mix of sarcasm and masochism goes well with the delicious food. Ichinomiya also spurted involuntarilyā¦huh? Really?
Rather than being displeasured by my sarcasm, he laughed, looking amused.
ā Thatās how it is. Youāre sharp, Doumeguri. Youāre good at reading the situation, at guessing it I mean, you have that kind of ability.
Moreover, I was praised.
ā Not only that, you also are good at telling jokes.
I feel like I was able to show off my tolerance. Rather, Iām not that interested.
ā ā¦ Well, itād be great if I could do that. But probably I canāt.
ā Here you have a second round of drinks āŖ.
A waitress with ears and a tail and dressed in something similar to the national costume of Germany came with beer mugs in her hands. They had no alcohol, but they did have a layer of white foam, a foam that rises above the amber-colored liquid. No matter how one looked at it, it was beer.
Weāre in the beer hall which is about 5 minutes away from the hotel where my room was. Although itās a wooden house, itās surprisingly large inside and the ceiling is high. The lined up tables, which were more than 30, were occupied 80% of the time; the human-beasts and dwarves enjoyed themselves while laughing loudly, probably to recover from the dayās work.
Itās hard to talk to him at the hotel where everyone is, so I guess he brought me to this shop not so far from there.
At any rate, Iām surprised that Ichinomiya himself is asking me for advice.
ā So, the Ichinomiystyle, how has it gone actually? Has solo play been that bad? Until now, youāve never been without your friends, right? Isnāt it refreshing?
Ichinomiya sighed and muttered, tending to self-deprecation.
ā By distancing myself from everyone, I realized for the first time that loneliness was the answer. I admire Doumeguriās mental strength because youāre so calm.
Is that so? On the contrary, I think itās comfortable.
ā Iāve never done this, so I devoted myself to earn experience alone to gloss over the pain. Thanks to that, I was able to level up in a short time.
What? Iām rather worried about that.
ā How much did you level up? Like, whatās your level?
ā Iām level 22.
Tweā¦ twenty two!? You were about 18 or 19 not long ago, werenāt you!? Oh crap, you not only overcame the death penalty, but also leveled up? Ā This quest has a recommended level of 23. This guy is bad news.
ā Thatāsā¦ amazing. But shouldnāt it be better to have some more mental space? It would be very bad if you brood over it and get mentally ill. It may be tiring than healing your body.
Ichinomiya, who suddenly let leak a smile, turned a smile without wariness towards me.
ā I want to regain everyoneās trust.
His eyes fixedly stared at me, there should be nothing in them, but his eyes felt as if bringing something to my attention, like āitās your responsibilityā, so I casted my gaze to the meat at hand as if wishing for refuge.
ā Solo play isnāt for me. Besides, Iām pleased with my circumstances, my previous daily life. I wasnāt that conscious about it, but I became aware of it only after losing it.
ā ā¦ I more or less heard about this before. Before I returned to the guild hall, I was killed by an invading monsterā¦ hey, can I ask how did that happen?
Ichinomiya took a sip of the beer-like drink contained in the beer mug.
ā I donāt understand it, no matter how much I think about it. I donāt know at all what I ended up doing when I was attacked by the succubi. My head was blank, I could only think of the women in front of me. Like I was being manipulated by someone.
Ichinomiya once again tried the beer mug, adding that it might be the power of the licentious demon succubus.
Certainly, it seemed to be easier for Ichinomiya to level up when he was by himself. However, the limits of solo play should be there somewhere. And no matter how much he leveled up, he was no enemy for even one Hellzekter. I collected my thoughts in a short amount of time and told Ichinomiya.
ā Youāll show your power to everyone again in this quest. You donāt need to instruct everyone or act like a leader. You only have to take the initiative and kill your enemies. In other words, your power will twist their arms. Youāll make them believe that Ichinomiya Akira is indeed the one they expected you to be and their memories of your past failure will be conveniently overwritten.
However, Ichinomiya couldnāt agree and muttered, sounding worried.
ā But can I regain everyoneās trust doing so? Doesnāt it sound too simple? Wonāt they feel that Iām like a guy good at fighting and fear me because of that? It does feel different from human trust.
I swallowed the meat I put in my mouth and sneered.
ā Nah, weāre simple. When I became a high school student, the basics remained the same as when I was in elementary school. Those who have some extraordinary power are acknowledged, be it being fast, have lots of toys, or having a broad knowledge of cars and manga. Now, Ichinomiya, you have many weapons. What is the strongest one in this world?
Ichinomiya mumbled at the sudden question.
ā Spirit of cooperation, communication skillsā¦ I donāt want to talk about it too much, but my family is wealthy, so economic strengthā¦ no, I actually have no money, so itās not that?
I waved the knife in my hand to the left and right.
ā Itās violence. Violence is your greatest weapon. Especially in this world.
Ichinomiya looked at me like he was surprised.
ā Indeed, in our original world, the combined power of your face, body build, sports, and grades on top of the economic strength and status of your parents means everything. But those usually create jealousy and prejudice as well. Especially having good looks and money. But our original world has order. Everyone prostrates before the height of your status. But this is, in a manner of speaking, a different world. It has no system based on the rule of law and thereās no police either. You can be a player killer which you canāt be in the original world. You can beat a person you dislike to death if you have the chance. Itās not completely unnatural to think so.
ā Thatās not true. I donāt think everyone in the class will do something like that. Iāve never actually gone through such a thing.
I guess so. Although I was almost killed by Shizukuishi.
ā You have violence, the ultimate weapon. No one is a match for your combat abilities. In this world, if someone complains to you, thereās no use in arguing about it because one can be cut down, thereās no point in resisting.
ā Iām not going to do that!
Ichinomiya placed the beer mug, making a loud sound.
ā I know that. Because your power always goes outward. Youāre doing well. But the rest of them think from the bottom of their hearts. āWhat will happen if that power is turned towards us?ā Thatās why and with that in mind, they follow your lead.
ā I donāt want toā¦ think like that.
Ichinomiya bent himself backward and folded his arms.
ā Doumeguri basically thinks that the rest of the people are bad people?
ā I havenāt said that you have to agree with me at all. Youāre you. But the rest of your groupā¦ arenāt as good as you.
Ichinomiyaās face was subtly distorted.
ā Iām not like thatā¦ either.
ā But you made a mistake. And you lost. Thatās not a good thing. This isnāt limited to you, but if someone you think is strong loses, the ones around them become selfish, and despite they havenāt particularly surpassed their true strength, they start to look down on the person who thought they were strong and afraid of.
The fingers of Ichinomiya that grasp the fork are filled with strength.
ā Itās not like Iām telling you to intimidate the rest of our group or be oppressive. Just show off, killing the enemies. Donāt care about cooperation, itās not a problem if you are impertinent. If you do so, they should automatically get a better opinion of you.
Ichinomiya no longer objected. He stared at the bubbles rising up in the beer mug.
ā Iāll prepare for that.
Ichinomiya raised his face with those words.
ā ā¦ Sorry.
ā Donāt worry about it.
Ichinomiya slowly stood up and headed to the counter with the table number tag put on the table.
I stare at his back and chuckle to myself.
Ichinomiya, you sure are an amazing guy. I canāt beat you in anything, be it looks, studies or sports. Nevertheless, you have the tolerance to lend an ear to my words, an honest personality and a good heart.
That much is easy to handle.
Donāt feel bad, Ichinomiya. I didnāt tell you a lie. However, in order to reduce the power of 2A, itās necessary to scatter and destroy its teamwork. This is for the sake of saving us all.
One more month until SantaāāX is applied. Be patient until then. As long as it goes through, everything will be settled. If that happens, then after thatā¦
āāResent me and settle things peacefully with me.