Arc 10
Origin: Lazy9
Translator: 9
Editors: IcedTea, rrelentless
Original Link: Arc 10
Ep 56. Wizard Kingdom: Part 1
◆Hariart Continent: Prattz Harbour◆
「Well, it’s all thanks to you that we were able to reach the harbour safely. Thank you very much.」
「Please, don’t worry about it. We couldn’t just abandon our fellow men.」
Following the captain’s words of thanks, Zienia’s formal reply seemed to be just for appearance’s sake in my mind.
Originally, on this occasion, they were supposed to kidnap me, and yet, they failed. But regardless, without these people, we would never have reached the harbour so quickly.
A monster attacked us on the way, but by the time I went from my room to the deck, everything was taken care of. They were probably pierced by that pillar of light.
Appearing at the scene of the battle with my weapon in hand, I saw Zienia standing there waving his hand, telling me not to worry. It felt nice hearing him say ‘don’t worry’.
He says, “Don’t worry,” a lot. Is it his favorite phrase?
「Well then, there is still the return voyage to make, so today, we will be resting at an inn. We’re still in an tense/excited state from the fighting, but when it is time to rest, we must properly rest.
Everyone from the State of Metalika, please be well.」
「Yes, you’re definitely right. I need to stop staying up late as well. It’s just that, when research is progressing, stopping is hard…. oops, I need to stop rambling on, don’t I. Well then, be well.」
When we reached our destination, the passengers descended the ship one by one. Bortom and the other two allowed themselves a full stretch. They gave off the feeling that they could finally get some rest. Then, upon seeing me, Silva stopped what he was doing and walked towards me.
「You’ve helped us out a lot. If you hadn’t been there before that warship showed up, we might have already sank. Sorry for such a pitiful display. We will be more diligent now.」
「Umu, thanks. Once again with this incident, I was able to open my eyes. I don’t know what I should do to make up for it, but right now, I can’t do anything but keep doing what I can.」
「My skills in magic have rusted as well. When I was young, I used to be more diligent…… But, looking at you, somehow, I feel young once more.」
Silva, Bortom, and Zizina each gave their own words of thanks. I wonder if these three will once again guard the ship? It may have been just two boring days on a ship, but even thinking about it tires me out.
It was my first time on a ship, but in my opinion, it was too boring.
If I said that out loud, I might get scolded, but still, if those monsters hadn’t shown up when they did, I might have died of boredom.
「Ah, was it that girl? Thank you, thank you very much for protecting the ship.」
「As expected of the Tournament Champion! I was enchanted!」
Before I noticed it, the passengers besides Bortom and the other 2 had also gathered. Regardless of their thanks, I felt bad for letting them experience that danger.
If I had defeated Doridon faster, they would’ve been able to relax sooner.
If I had to make an excuse, it would be that I’m not used to underwater fights, but looking ahead, I doubt all opponents will attack us in convenient ways.
Just like getting used to the the darkness in the Caves of Hell, I have to get used to that environment.
It was only luck that there were no casualties. While I was being slow, the ship might have capsized. It was a situation where that could have easily happened.
Because of that, if the State of Metalika hadn’t come, it might have been a bit dangerous.
Yet, while I was thinking that, I ended up surrounded by adults, kids, and old people as well.
「Y-yeah. Then, we will be going now.」
During our first quest together, thinking that we had stolen the achievement from others, Gantetsu had scolded me.
Yet, now it’s the opposite, and for some reason, all this praise leaves me confused.
「Roel-oneechan, thank you!」
「You too, Rumi-chan. Be well, okay?」
It was the girl that Roel had become friends with, and standing right behind her was her mother.
Are they here for a trip? Or something else? If it’s like that, even though it was supposed to be a fun trip, they ended up experiencing something dangerous.
I’m glad they’re safe.
「Thank you, Roel-san, for accompanying this girl.」
「It’s all right. Seeing three family members with such a good relationship, I sorta wanted to be a part of it…..」
「Hai?」
“Teehee,” Roel was acting silly, but the mother had a surprised face.
Did Roel do something strange? If so, then does Roel need to say sorry for being rude? Right now, I have no plans to say she’s weird, but ever since I first met Roel, I feel like she has often been told that.
「Three family members?」
「Yes, the one behind you smiling is the father……wait, he’s gone?」
「We are going to see my husband right now. From the west of here there is a town: he has been working away from home. However, it seems that getting money there is easier, so I thought that it would be better to move home closer to him…..」
「…..I’m sorry, I misunderstood.」
「No, it was that guy, right? I thought certain he was Roel-san’s acquaintance. Because that guy was always looking at Roel….」(9: stalker alert!! stalker alert!! Roel call the police!!)
At that moment, we looked at our surroundings. It wasn’t just a misunderstanding.
Roel was being watched. At those words, I completely believed that he was here. The people going back and forth in the harbor, the road going to the market place, the shadow of the warehouse.
We searched everywhere, but that guy was nowhere to be found.
If that guy was someone I know, then there could only be one person. That guy had been on the same ship as us. He saw us fighting. If he wanted to do it, he would’ve been able to attack us while we were asleep.
But of course, in the Caves of Hell, I had experienced this sort of thing quite a few times, so I have confidence that I won’t let him succeed.
Of the few Twelve Demon Generals we have fought, the one I haven’t defeated is Juo.
The one who tried to kidnap Roel, the necromancer who revived the dead, and that ghost ship — it might have been him who called that ship as well. He was near us, and yet I didn’t notice him at all. How shameful.
「Ryua-chan….」
「It’s alright. As long as I’m here, I won’t let that guy come near you.」
I embraced Roel’s shoulder to try and make her feel better, but it might also have been for me, who hadn’t noticed him. That said, I know that that guy can disguise himself as another person.
From now on, every person we meet and the people around us….I need to be careful of them. I don’t know what that guy is planning, but if his goal is Roel, then there will be no mercy from me.
「Juo, I won’t be thinking of you as a human anymore.」
To the enemy that I had no way of knowing whether he was truly there, I directed my exclamation.
And for some reason, while looking into the distance, I saw Pratyu running towards us.
Just when I thought she might have actual business with us, she embraced me again.
Burying her face in my chest and sniffing me *sunsunsun* just like a dog.
「Yo, you are still here!?」
「The smell is also normal, a normal girl.」
「Geez! The day is already over, so we have to go to an inn! You two should stop worrying Zienia-san.」
「Ryua, you absolutely must come to the State of Metalika. Ab. So. Lutely.」
「Okay, okay. Just get off me!」
Saying that, she let go of me. And then, she once again tilted her head.
Really, what a weird girl. From her appearance, she is much older than Mi, but I think they’re not that different.
Rather, thanks to her two sisters’ education, that girl is much more mature, I think.
Now that I’m think about it, I wonder how those three sisters are doing now?
「Pratyu, it’s about time to depart.」
Zienia appeared and took Pratyu’s hand. I still can’t believ that they would do so much just for one girl — that they would come to where I was to meet me. That girl….is S rank.
Seeing her holding hands while walking, watching their backs, I saw them as parent and child.
「Ah, that’s right. You said that tomorrow, you’d go to the Wizard Kingdom, but currently, I think it’s impossible.」
Zienia looked back and said those ominous words. What does he mean by impossible?
I have a bad feeling this.
「It seems that right now, the Wizard Kingdom is being attacked and is under strict surveillance.
So until things calm down, I don’t think they will let travelers in.」
「Wh-why!? We already journeyed here…..and more over, being attacked by what?」
「Who knows? For the precise details—of course, if you want to know….. fufufu. 」
That malicious smile is the same as Pratyu’s. When I thought about that, both of them were looking at me while smiling. An evil grin, I must say It’s a really hateful face, and it had some affinity with those scornful eyes. I cannot help but be irritated.
It somehow feels like they are looking down at me from above….it’s that arrogant look in their eyes. Those reproachful eyes.
「If you want to know, then you will always be welcomed.」
Turning around, he flicked his hand, and then, Zienia returned to that ship.
If you think about itnormally, it would be better to go with that person as compared to the Wizard Kingdom that you can’t get into.
But, leaving it to them, it somehow feels like I lost to something. I wonder what Roel thinks about military rule.
「For now, let’s go to an inn.」
She didn’t even mind those people. We can’t go to the Wizard kingdom.
I wonder what should we do with this serious problem. Even though, I wanted to consult her about it…..
*******************
<Prattz Harbour>
Safely getting a room at an inn, we immediately dived onto the bed.
It’s simpler compared to the inn at Avangard, and in the walls. there is something like a stain.
But still, the scenery from the window is nice. We can view the harbour covered in darkness to some extent.
「According to the employee here, it seems that the Wizard Kingdom is being attacked by monsters….I wonder what we should do?」
「If that’s the case, then if I defeat that monster, won’t they let us come in? I’ll do something about it.」
「But we don’t even know what kind of monster it is, you know?」
「Let’s check up on it at the guild in the harbour. There might be a subjugation quest for it.」
「Fue~, Ryua-chan, you sure have gotten strong. Compared to when we first met, you are totally different.」
Roel is grinning. It was as if I was a kid. They were those kind of eyes.
And then she suddenly jumped onto my bed and hugged me. (9: sir! our yuri sensor has detected something! It’s a surprise hug! Sir, it’s immense!!!!!! We need back up!!)
「Eii!」
「Fuuah!? Just what are you doing!?」
「Mimicking that girl.」
「That girl, you mean Pratyu? You don’t have to do it, something like that.」
「But…but….」
Just like that, Roel was lost for words. I was pushed down. In this state, there was silence, and then Roel suddenly separated from me. (9: sensing! i am sensing it!! UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!)
「Ryua-chan, you need to go to the bath.」
「Ah, now that you mention it, I swam in the sea, so I wonder if I stink.」
「Then let’s go.」
Entering together….she couldn’t be saying that the both of us should enter at the same time, could she?! I saw it earlier, but the tub was not that wide.
She forcibly pulled me into the bathroom. Being pulled by the flow, I took off my clothes and bathed in the hot water.
My back, washed by Roel, is strangely ticklish. Just what is with her today?
She can be said to be in a good mood, but more than that, she somehow seems like she’s desperate.
Roel’s hand on my back had stretched to my armpits and even reached to my front. Scrubbing and washing it. (9: *nosebleed* roel is being bold today)
It’s good that she properly washed from my chest to my stomach, but somehow, it feels weird. I don’t know what kind of weird it is, but it’s embarrassing, and at the same time, I feel impatient.
「G-eez that’s fine already. I can wash myself?」(9:nooooooooo, you should have just let her continue and then go to the next stage!!)
「Ah….you’re right. Sorry.」
Coming back to her senses, Roel was visibly feeling down. I kinda felt guilty, so this time I washed Roel’s back.
「Ryua-chan……」
「Yeah?」
「Nothing. Tomorrow, let’s do our best, okay. I heard you can go to the Wizard Kingdom by just taking the highway. We shouldn’t get lost. Can’t you see the castle on top of that tall mountain? That is the Wizard Kingdom.」
Looking that way….A fortress on a mountain. No, to be exact, it might be a castle.
It’s a high place that you can even see from here, so it stands out.
I heard that it was attacked, but if it’s like that, isn’t it because of its appearance? Even more important…who would attack it?
「Ryua-chan, that tickles.」
「Ah, sorry.」
Before I noticed it, I had absentmindedly washed Roel’s back. Was it really that ticklish, Roel’s face was flushed red?
Getting out of bath, it seems that the exhaustion had piled up, so tonight, without eating anything, we slept soundly.
****************
<Prattz Harbour>
「Excuse me, is this machine broken?」
Roel asked the guild employee a lot of times.
Surely, as even I can’t believe it, but Roal and I formed a party, and the fights up until now…the enemies that I have defeated seemed to be quite strong, so this might not be a strange thing.
「This is not broken. Well then, I am busy, so…」
In a hurry, the guild employee left us, but he was obviously surprised by our levels.
Now that I think about it, I wonder when the last time we checked our levels was. Many things happened….I have forgotten when.
「Oh! So both of you came here too! What a coincidence.」
Saying that from a nearby machine, Bortom appeared.
「We too seemed to be trained by that life and death struggle! I increased my level by 1 ! Hahahahahahaha!」
【Bortom Lv: 31 Class: Heavy Lancer A class】
【Silva Lv: 25 Class: Archer B class】
【Zizinia Lv: 26 Class: Wizard B class】
「Uumu, recently the young ones sure are amazing. We will slowly be overtaken.」
「As the era advances, the generations change too. Someone with inborn talent is natural. We can’t do anything about it. Beside it’s not like we’re always fighting.」
These people, who had the air of being veterans, before I was even born, they had been adventurers.
Thinking like that, they should know many things that I don’t know. It’s the same with Gantetsu-san too, but someday I’d like to listen to them chat leisurely. Somehow there is still so many things that I don’t know.
「Un? Now that I think about it, how high are your levels?」
「I am getting curious too, with that much strength, you both probably have high levels. If you can do it, would you show it to us?」
With the piercing interest of the three, we showed them our adventurer cards, and I noticed that their expressions had frozen over with envy.
Not being able to accept reality, they didn’t know how to react.
Towards the three, we too also don’t know how to react.
But even I can’t believe Roel’s level.
No, I know that I’m not in a position to say that to her.
【Ryua Lv: 999 Class: Fighter B class】
【Roel Lv: 51 Class: Healer B class】
「Ha-haha…..Just as I thought, the recent young ones really are skillful…..」
Of the three of them, I didn’t know which said that. It was that much of a silent whisper.
Now then, let’s carry out our goal here.
Ep 57
Wizard Kingdom: Part 2
◆Hariart Continent: Road to the Wizard Kingdom◆
It appears that the Wizard Kingdom is on top of a mountain. As such, it looks like we won’t be able to avoid climbing.
After passing through this flat highway, we have to go up a steep slope.
The highway was lined with rows of trees, so we weren’t able to see other people passing through. Of course, it has to be like that: the Wizard Kingdom is on high alert, so no one’s able to get in or out.
We searched around to see if there was a subjugation quest for the guy who attacked the Wizard Kingdom, but there weren’t any we could see.
It seems that the Wizard Kingdom has put up some restrictions on the information. If they are in trouble, they could’ve just asked an adventure to deal with it…I wonder why they didn’t?
However, I already know what kind of person the guy from the information we gathered is.
「I wonder if a golem is big?」
The ones that attacked the Wizard Kingdom seem to be a group of monsters called Golems.
Stone puppet, rock man — the descriptions from each person who saw it are different.
「Who knows, but it looks like neither magic nor weapons have an effect on it. From what I’ve heard, they are quite the tough enemy. I think it’s similar to the floor monster that Ritta defeated in the Mithril Mines.」
We were stretching out our imaginations over our unknown enemies.
But more than that, we have a much more serious problem — can we get in the Wizard Kingdom or not?
We don’t have any info, and even if we had some, we wouldn’t have any ways of get inside either.
But still, we have come this far, so I have no thoughts of giving up.
(f they don’t let us in, then we can just beg to be let in.
I don’t know why they won’t ask for help from other adventurers, but if I tell them with all my heart that I will cooperate in the golem subjugation, I’m sure they will understand.
「If I one-sidedly beat those golems up, the Wizard Kingdom will be relieved, right?」
「But we don’t know how many they are. Plus, doesn’t the boss needs to be defeated? Or else it wont work, right?」
The boss, that person with a stone arm. We only had one witness, so we don’t know where this guy might be.
We only heard that he saw that guy in the middle of the army of golems.
「Maybe it’s another one of the 12 Demon Generals.」
「If so, I won’t forgive him. Really, what do those Demonlord Army bastards even plan to do…」
「We don’t really know anything, do we?…….the King of Avangard and everyone won’t tell us anything.」
「That person, Sage Hust, might be able to tell us.」
「But before that, I wonder if we can even get inside the Wizard Kingdom……」
「If they don’t let us in, I will forcefully enter.」
「Eeh….」
Roel was lost for words. Half of it was just a joke though….it seems she took it seriously. But still, the enemies are golems, and we are human.
Even so, are we really not allowed to get in? If we explained to them our situation, they should understand?
And besides, Tolppo should be in there. She is sure to know about us, so she can explain it to everyone.
「I wonder how Tolppo is doing? Even though not many days have passed, I kinda miss her.」
「Me too. If it’s her, then we will be able to get in.」
From what we heard, it would take one day to reach Wizard Kingdom from the Prattz harbor.
Also, if we just went straight along this road through the mountains, we shouldn’t get lost.
Prattz and the Wizard Kingdom have a trade relationship which they had maintained beforehand….or so Bortom told us.
After passing through the flat high road, we will have to go up a steep slope next.
The highway lined with trees — we aren’t able to see other people passing through.
「Roel, I wonder how long this road will continue…」
「Wizard Kingdom is on top of that mountain, so if we reached the foot of the mountains, then it’s pretty close.」
After passing through the flat high road, we will have to go up a steep slope next.
The highway lined with trees — we aren’t able to see other people passing through.
「We’ve walked quite a bit, right?」
「Shouldn’t it take only one more hour?」
「Even so I don’t feel like we were nearing that mountain at all.」
「Geez, stop whining and walk.」
「Yes ma’am.」
I was scolded, so I had no choice but to shut up.
After passing through the flat high road, we will have to go up a steep slope next.
The highway lined with trees — we aren’t able to see other people passing through.
「Roel, isn’t this obviously weird?」
「Even if you complain it-」
「But that tree with a broken branch — it was there last time too, you know. Having said that, isn’t this the 4th time already?」
「Isn’t it just a coincidence?」
「There aren’t a lot of trees that has the same broken spot, you know. Roel, can you ride on my back for a bit?」
「Wh-why?」
「Just do it.」
I carried Roel, who had relucantly held onto my back, and instantly dashed towards the mountain.
We really are going forward, but despite passing through the trees, the wind doesn’t make them sway, and the leaves won’t scatter. It’s strange.
「Ryua-chan, why are you hurrying that much!?」
「Even though I ran this much, the distance towards the mountains is not shrinking at all! It’s really strange!」
「N-now that you say it….」
「Damn it, I made a mistake — why didn’t I notice it! Roel, hold on tighter!」
Now matter how much I ran, I couldn’t get close to the mountain on the way to Wizard Kingdom. It’s as if I am running towards a painting.
And then suddenly, the mountain blurred and disappeared like a fog, and bit by bit, as if the scenery was being repainted, the Prattz Harbor appeared before our eyes.
For me, whose jaw was hanging open, the harbor entrance seemed like it was welcoming me. “Welcome back”……as if it were inviting me home.
「Eh eh eeh eeeeh!? Why? Why did we go back?!」
「Yeah, we have not gone forward at all. And more than that, we had been forced to run in circles.」
「W-what do you mean?」
「The path we walked through was just an illusion, and that illusion makes it so that we continue to stray away from the path. And little by little, it make us curve while we think we are walking straight, toward the Wizard Kingdom that just disappeared.」
「U-umm. Then..we were caught in the illusion of the Wizard Kingdom and walked on a fake road? Then that Prattz Harbor we are seeing is because we made a u-turn? …But still, I wonder why the illusion of the fake Wizard Kingdom…..the illusion disappeared?」
「I think that they are saying to us that no matter how much we walk, it’s a waste of time, so give up.」
I don’t know why they did that. Illusion magic…..I haven’t seen it since leaving the Caves of Hell…..I was completely careless. I wonder where the monster was when it used it back then. I think that it was fairly close.
I put down Roel and drew my sword.
If he doesn’t come out, then I will attack randomly. First of all, I will appeal to that person.
The real Prattz Harbor in front, and behind me, the Wizard Kingdom on the top of the mountain.
I went silent for a while, but no one came out.
The caster is still inside the illusion. If possible, I don’t want to do something rough.
「I don’t know who you are, but please cancel the magic! Why are you doing this!?」
My voice resounded through the plains: no one replied. Somehow it’s kinda irritating me. Maybe it’s the reborn Demonlord Army. If then it is, then there is no need for mercy. I clenched the sword grip tightly and stood in a posture that allows me to fire a Sonic Ripper at any time.
First, I need to have Roel stay close beside me. Right now, the Sonic Ripper I am going to use is circular. There weren’t any oppurtunity for me to use before since it might hit unrelated people, but in the current surroundings, there is no one here.
That’s right, there is no one, so no matter what I do, there will be no problems.
Sonic Ripper is a skill that I made by myself to fight opponents that are trouble fighting at close range and also trouble trying to get close to them to take the advantage.
The skill was an immediate success, but its power was weaker than a usual slash, so I had my hardships at the start.
And thanks to those hardships, right now, it’s power doesn’t differ from when fighting melee. But still that Vandarushia’s “Catastrophe” was able to erase it.
「Since there is no one there, I will attack, okay? Since there is no one there!」
Just in case, I shouted to check, but there are no reactions at all. It’s quite a stubborn opponent.
Since I am curious as to what kind of person it is, let’s hold back so that we won’t kill it.
I set my sword horizontally and bent my hip: the stance for the rotation is ready.
【Ryua used Sonic Ripper!】
The slash cut down the surrounding row of trees.
The severed trees had leaned over and fell to the ground with the sounds of breaking branches. However, it was only that. This is fine.
「Just now, I held back considerably, okay! If you don’t come out now, then the next one will be for real! I can easily make it so that it’s power reachs the harbor, you know!」
This is my final warning. If it doesn’t come out then, then no matter who it is, I plan to seriously shoot it.
I can’t allow any more setbacks. But still I’d prefer to end it peacefully, so I had to do it in such a roundabout way.
It doesn’t matter if that person was a monster or a human, I don’t have plans to have mercy.
I was irritated to that extent right now.
「Ah, Ryua-chan look!」
It looks like he had listened to my warnings, since the surrounding scenery turned into particles, like sands in the air which scattered away. It was at that moment that the scenery that had covered the place disappeared. Just as I thought, the harbor is the real thing while the rest was all just an illusion…but even then, what we thought was real began to fade too.
Little by little, it all started to turn into sand and disappeared. The only real thing were the trees that I had just cut down.
In a direction that we hadn’t noticed was the real way towards the mountain where the Wizard Kingdom lay. We finally saw the real way towards the Wizard Kingdom.
I thought that the path from the harbor was just a straight walk, but in reality, it curved little to the right.
「Waah, it really was an illusion…..」
「Thanks for cancelling it.」
i said it to the person who timidly appeared from behind a real tree.
It was a boy who was wearing a pointy hat, same as Tolppo, with brown hair and very conspicuous freckles around the nose. And a muffler with a weird pattern was coiled around his neck. Light clothes and short pants that reached his legs.
It was the same type I was wearing.
He looks about the same age as Pratyu — compared to us, he looks a bit younger.
The boy had a scared expression while leaving a distance between us.
We never thought that our opponent was such a small kid, so both Roel and I were confused about what to say for a while.
「Are you the one that created that illusion?」
「…..What’s so bad about it.」
“It’ bad, you know” — I was holding back my desire to say that. It seemed that he still has some fear of me…you can see him shaking a bit.
「Why in the world are you doing this?」
「Ryua, he is still a kid, you know. Hello, what’s your name?」
「Lars…….umm….that is…」
It seems that there is something he wants — he is fidgeting and twirling his his fingers.
And then as if he had resolved himself, he kneeled down on the ground (dogeza).
「I have estimated big bro and sis’ abilites, and I have a request! Please save the Wizard Kingdom!」
「Are you a child from Wizard Kingdom? To save it, you mean that…」
「Umm, I don’t really know what to say, but I’ll apologize about the illusion! After all, the king and the adults — everyone said that they shouldn’t involve the people from other countries!
But I, I can’t just sit still, and I did something like this………and then Sage-sama said that it’s fine to take them with conditions…」
He was so agitated that I can’t really understand what he is saying, but Roel calmed him down and properly put things in order.
This kid is a wizard from Wizard Kingdom. And everyone in the Country won’t borrow help from anyone, but the damage from the golems keep spreading one-sidedly.
But Sage Hust told this kid to scout out people who are skilled enough, and with one condition, he allowed him to leave.
The condition was to find people who are good enough to see through Lars’s Illusion.
Going to the the harbor was fine and all; however, he can’t just talk to them and then test, so he ran out of methods.
Then we, who nonchalantly were headed to the Wizard Kingdom appeared. Something like that.
Nonchalantly….that part seems a bit cheeky, but I’ll ignore that for now.
「But, but…..Sage-sama gave me a condition……that, Onii-chan over there can defeat golems, right? Those bastards, most of my illusions and other magics didn’t work. And thanks to that, the castle walls and the magic barriers broke down.」
「Okay, that seems to be troublesome….eh, Onii-chan?」
「Lars-kun, Ryua-chan is a girl, you know…?」
「E-eh? But she has no boobs? His clothes are just like that of a guy…..」
To be insulted this much…this might be the first time ever since I was born.
But this one is still a kid, Roel said, so I’ll forgive him.
It’s because I am an onee-chan, after all. An adult, after all.
