Of All Things, I Became a Crow: Chapter #88

 

Of All Things, I Became a Crow: Chapter #88

Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain

 

 

*Rainelle’s POV

Seeing Aria blushing at Namuel's smile, I grinned inside.

I'm so glad it worked out as planned.

I remembered Aria's negative thoughts about whether Namuel would talk to her. So I couldn't help but think like this inside:

Look! Isn’t it like I said? Namuel unexpectedly likes crows!

Not to mention about Aria, I had noticed that Namuel doesn’t dislike animals.

Then the solution is simple! Wouldn’t it become surprisingly easy for a man and woman to have a conversation if you give them something in common? Besides, Aria knows how to attack Namuel, so if we let go of his cold reaction in the beginning...

The rest is a breeze! As expected, I'm a smart crow!!

---It seems that I’m gradually losing my human identity... Should I give it up? After all, my body is that of a crow.

…If I give up my human identity, won’t I mate with a crow---?!

What!! That's not allowed!! I hate that!! Argh! I have to suppress the crow instincts from now on!!

I shook my head and looked at the two people. It seemed that their conversation slowly came to an end.

"Well then, I have a lot of work to do, so I'll excuse myself."

"I'm sorry. I might have held you back."

"No, no. Then---"

Perhaps busy with work, Namuel went away quickly. As I stared at him, I felt a hand grabbing my torso.

"Rainelle-!"

...well, it's burdensome. That expression, that gaze is burdensome!  Don't make a face that like you're touched with your eyes twinkling like that! It's burdensome! It's burdensome!

"Rainelle is really an angel---!! The most difficult thing about attacking Namuel is to get him to talk, and just now, it's so easy to get through that---!! Hehehe, an angel, an angel---!! The black angel is here It's---!!"

I had to struggle with my feet, groaning at Aria's act of rubbing her face against my torso.

Ahhh! Feathers! My feathers!! My feathers are going to get messy!!

Fortunately, Aria soon released me. I started tidying my feathers then.

Hmph! I know how you feel, but if you rush in and rub me like this, you will ruin my feathers! Seriously---!!

"Thank you so much! Haa, as I said, the most difficult part of attacking Namuel is talking to him... Besides, I think we can talk with Rainelle as the topic."

"...Huh? Really?"

"Yeah! I felt it when I was talking to Namuel earlier, but it seems he really cares about Rainelle."

"Well... that's probably because I’m a crow that ate a Crobanlock."

"...Eh?! What do you mean?"

"Ah, I forgot to tell you about it, but I was able to transform into a human after eating a Crobanlock,"

"OMG."

Aria, who looked at me with a shocked gaze, then nodded her head slightly and muttered,

"Well, if you don't die after eating Crobanlock, you'll get powers..."

"...but I didn't mean to eat it."

"Wow, but how did you take the gamble with 50:50 odds?"

"Hmm... it kinda just happened."

It's a bit more complicated to explain in detail, but let's not talk about it because it doesn't matter.

When she nodded her head with force, Aria gave me a look of admiration.

"It shouldn't have been easy to gamble with your life... You’re amazing."

"It wasn't my will."

"Anyway, that’s cool---!! As expected, crows are great---!!"

"It has nothing to do with that, does it?"

"There is no limit to being a fanatic, right?"

"...let's not talk about that."

What should I do with that fandom(?) ? I’ll just let it be.

Thinking so, I shook my head and asked a question that came to my mind,

"By the way, do you think things will work out just by being able to talk? I mean, with Namuel."

"Oh, that? Ummm... I'm honestly not sure if it's going to work out or not."

"Why?"

"That's... When you played the game, you were given a choice, right? There was a system in which the favorability was differentiated depending on which option you chose... Because this is reality, I have to say things that are appropriate for each situation. At least the same part as the game is that I can't check the favorability with my eyes."

Aria's complexion darkened as she said that. I nodded my head.

Yes, how much did the difficulty of a game increase just by not being able to check the favorability? Oh, now it's not a game, it's reality.

“But, now it’s a reality.”

"That’s why I'm worried... But there’s something different from the game, right?"

I was appalled by Aria who stared at me with a bright smile.

"...Me?"

"Of course! The crow that ate a Crobanlock!

You say that Namuel is interested because of that, right? But that somehow become a common interest between us, isn’t it? Hum, hum. With Rainelle, it's easier to get a topic for the conversation."

As she said that, her smile seemed somewhat dark, so I felt a chill running down my spine. Whoa, I'm scared! It's like a beast looking for food!!

"I know very well what Namuel likes. I’ve got Rainelle and crow's habits and--- heh heh heh heh... It's good with Rainelle here, heh heh heh..."

---I don't know what it is, but it looked like a switch had been flicked, so I slid back.

If something looks dangerous, get ready...

"Oh, Rainelle!"

"Yes?!"

"Can you help me more often in the future? I think it would be smoother to talk to Namuel if I have Rainelle..."

Hearing that, I nodded vigorously.

Rather, that's what I was hoping for!

"Okay! I'll help you as much as I can."

"Really?! Uhuhu---!! Rainelle is a real angel---!!"

"...But don't hug me too much! I've to rearrange my feathers whenever you do that!"

"...Che. But it’s so wonderful to have the silky soft feathers rubbing with my cheeks."

"You are selfish!!"

"It's a lie if I say I'm not selfish! I'm a blessed person who can be faithfully rewarded for my virtues, so I will express my self-interest to my heart's content!"

"How can you say that so confidently?!"

"There's no reason not to be confident! It's a problem because Rainelle doesn't know her charms!

"Then why are you slowly approaching me?!"

"Fufufu, I won’t hurt you. So, you’re going back to your crow form, right? Hahahaha---!! Let me enjoy the softness, no, the feathers, the feathers---!!"

"Mr. Police! There's a pervert here!!"

"This is a world without police!"

"Ahhhhh! How can there be no handcuffs on you?!! Anyone, there’s a bird molester here!!"

"Crow is love!"

"I don't need that love!!"

"I deny that denial!!"

Tired of her tenacity, which was even disgusting, I turned into a crow and flew away.

--- Even so, I felt like cold sweat was flowing behind my back as I looked at Aria who was blinking and kept looking at me.

Whoa, is this how celebrities are treated by their big fans? No, is that analogy correct? Rather than that, why do I have to worry about something like this---!!

After a moment of useless thought, I got Aria to surrender by pretending to fly farther from her.

"Oh, come on! Don't let that sting your heart!"

"I will go away again!"

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again!"

Arya's attitude of apologizing immediately made me feel strange, but I tried to ignore it.

"Oh, that's right. Actually, I have a suggestion."

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's the most convenient for me to invite Aria to the Imperial Palace... But in a way, this is also something that could bring trouble, right? What would other noble ladies think?"

At those words, Aria exclaimed, “Ah, that’s true.”

I summoned Aria to share some of the world's secrets(?) with me, but it was obvious that it didn’t seem like that to others.

I think there's going to be rumors that I took a liking to Aria or something like that.

Maybe Arya also thought of it, because she muttered as her face wrinkled,

"Oh, damn powerful people."

"...it's going to be complicated, very."

"The worldview of the game itself is made in the Middle Ages, we have to be careful."

"So... that's why I’m the one who will come to you..."

“Is Rainelle visiting my house?!”

"Uh, huh. But not formally. That's not good in many ways too..."

Before I finish my words. Aria had clenched her fists and gave a silent cheer as if she had acquired the world.

As I gazed silently at her glowing figure for a moment --the only expression that comes to my mind is: Joyful.

"-Hmm, are you going to sneak out or are you going to tell Karmeut?"

Aria, who was delighted, asked a question that made me blink my eyes.

"Um, well. I haven't thought about that. Going out secretly seems like it's going to be exciting and thrilling."

"I'm going with Rainelle’s decision."

‘So Rainelle decides!’. She didn’t say that, but I feel like I could hear it.

Let's think about it for a second. Of course, it doesn't matter if I go out without Karmeut's permission. Because I have the right to do as I please. I'm not trapped in a cage, and I’m flying with my wings. Then with a ‘swish-‘ I can come back. He won't know what I've been doing…?

...but if he came to know, then Karmeut will be worried... Like when that damn bastard Luwellin kidnapped me, Karmeut came to rescue me. But Karmeut now has so many things that he has to do as an emperor...

After thinking for a while, the conclusion was simple.

"I’ll talk to him first before going. Otherwise, I'll make him worried."

"Because you don’t know when you’ll be attacked or something? Like by Luwellin?"

"Yeah. Of course Luwellin is dead, but Karmeut is the emperor. Wouldn't there be any possibility that a secret force is aiming for me?"

"Um- Was there one? I don't think it appeared in the game... Well, this is not a game anymore, so it's not bad to be careful."

"Right? So, I think it's good in many ways to tell Karmeut."

"That's right. Would you like to come to the Count’s manor later?"

"Um- I need to get permission first. I'll let you know by letter later."

"Okay. Then I'll go back today. I think you'll have a lot to talk about with Karmeut."

Aria winked playfully while saying that, and I smiled and nodded my head.

Since she’s going home, I’m going to be kind and bid her farewell in the form of a crow.

...Of course, I was grabbed and hugged by Aria...

Aish, really! I have to tidy my feathers again!!

I grumbled at the fact that I had to rearrange my feathers again, but I didn't feel too bad. Despite this and that, Aria's touch was caring.

It was like the touch of a woman who knows how to make one feels better.

Did she have experience raising birds before she possessed the original Adriana?

She hugged me tightly and I struggled, but when I thought of her exquisite power control so that it never puts too much strain on my body... that possibility seemed high.

Anyway, I'll have to convince Karmeut!

Going out of the Imperial Palace and fly outside! I've never been outside other than going to the market with Namuel, so I'm excited! I wish he will permit me---

***

"You want to go to Count Gwynell’s residence?”

"Yeah. I want to go in the form of a crow… Can I?"

Karmeut kept quiet as he couldn't decide easily. When he stretched out his hand and stroked my head, I swallowed my saliva as I waited for his answer.

"Isn't it a little... dangerous? The Imperial Palace is guaranteed to be safe, but it's hard to guarantee safety if you leave the palace. Besides, you said you're going to go in the form of a crow? Cats might attack you."

Ugh, that’s true... But I still can't give up! I need to connect Aria and Namuel!

"I can protect myself with spirit. If I fly high, the cats won't be able to attack me. Besides, if I protect myself with the spirit, I can easily defeat wild animals."

"..."

"I might get stones thrown at me or something... But even a low-level spirit can easily block that sort of thing. I mean, isn’t that right?"

Karmeut gave me a complex look.

...Okay! In terms of safety, it's safer to be in the Imperial Palace, but I have two wings! I have the right to go anywhere freely! Besides, people can't fly, right? If they want to catch a flying bird, they have to shoot a bow or cast a spell. If they can do it easily and accurately, won’t it be easy to hunt a dragon? It is just a metaphor? Anyway!

"Karmeut... I'm begging you, hm?"

I hugged his arm with the most pitiful expression on my face.

So, what’s your answer?

When I looked up with my heart full of that, Karmeut let out a long sigh.

"...you want to go so much?"

"Yeah! I want to go!! And if I call Young Lady Gwynell to the Imperial Palace too much, other ladies will not like it."

"...Ah, yeah, that might be so."

“So, it’s also a little secret from them, okay?”

"Do you like Young Lady Gwynell that much?"

When he said that, Karmeut's expression was different from usual. Was it an illusion that he looked anxious for some reason?

 

***

 

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[Teaser] DCO Chapter 8 Part 16

         

 TEASER CHAPTER 8 PART 16

"Fuh~..."

 

While the women's group was in a strange atmosphere, Nozomu was maintaining his posture in front of his opponent, who was falling to the ground.

There was no problem with his consumption of Qi or physical strength. The stares of spectators around him were somewhat unnerving, but when the fight was underway, they did not bother him at all.

It seemed as if he could go a few more rounds at this point.

As he continued to maintain his stance, Nozomu was aware of his surroundings.

He was looking for the presence of something distinctly different from the human presence he had felt before while feeling the multiple stares and the heat of the combat training on his skin.

The presence of wind on the training ground, the scent of earth slightly tickling his nose, and the presence of the spirits he had felt that night.

He needed to be able to sense the power of the spirits and control it as soon as possible.

Despite his determination, the spirits' presence was as vague as ever, and he could not perceive their presence.

This fact agitated Nozomu's frustration.

But the fact that a mere human being was able to sense the spirits is in itself a miraculous progress...

 

"~!"

 

The next split second, a fist thrust into Nozomu's back along with a powerful Qi.

Nozomu reflexively swung his katana, parried the fist, and moved away from the attacker who had taken him by surprise.

 

"Kevin huh..."

 

There he was, a schoolmate who belonged to the Silver Wolf clan.

He stared at Nozomu with his fists ready, making no attempt to hide his seething hostility.

 

"Your next opponent will be me. Get ready."

 

Kevin brought the left half of his body forward and took a stance.

As if encouraged, Nozomu also raised his katana to his right shoulder.

Nozomu's body and thoughts, which had been in standby mode, instantly turned into battle mode.

At the same time that Nozomu took up his stance, Kevin immediately moved.

 

"~!"

 

He instantly closed the distance and launched a single strike with his fist. The target was the center of Nozomu's body, the solar plexus.

Nozomu calmly aligned his katana with the thrusting fist.

With a deafening sound, the Qi which was enveloped to the back of Kevin's hand began to disperse.

Nozomu and Kevin crossed and passed each other as they swapped their standing positions, then turned around to face each other again.

 

"Tch~ ..."

 

Kevin involuntarily clicked his tongue.

If one were to look closely, one could see a small scratch on the back of the gauntlet that he had just thrust into. It was a sign that Nozomu's Qi blade had penetrated Kevin's Qi.

Kevin Ardinal is a proud beastman with a lot of pride in his veins, and his A-ranked prowess is no joke.

The martial techniques and combat experience he had acquired, and above all, his instincts as a Silver Wolf clan member, kept ringing alarm bells against Nozomu, whom he was facing.

He had seen with his own eyes the entirety of the combat training that Nozomu and Jihad did in their joint class.

He no longer harbored any feelings of contempt for Nozomu Bountis.

But instead, what dominated his mind was the emotion that he didn't particularly like the man in front of him.

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Dragon Chain Ori : Ch 8 Part 15

            

Chapter 8 Part 15

Translator : PolterGlast

The Opening Festival.

It is both the open campus of Solminati Academy and a popular event for the students.

The school opens its doors to the public during the daytime, and a variety of people from inside and outside the school come to visit.

The students were also more determined than usual to use this opportunity to show off their abilities in their classes.

At each of the training grounds set up in the school, a total of about 50 students were gathered in groups, and joint classes were open to the public.

Since it was in the midst of the opening festival, there were not only ordinary visitors but also well-dressed dignitaries in the vicinity of the training grounds.

The spectators pointed and sometimes cheered as they watched the students in their training, which they could not usually see.

At other training grounds adjacent to the center, several groups were also training under the same attentive gaze of the visitors.

In one of such training grounds. Among the students from three different years participating in the training, there was one who stood out from the crowd.

Her name is Lisa Hounds.

She is a red-haired girl who is a top-class student among the third-year students, and is skilled in the use of twin swords and flame magic with outstanding power.

She is currently engaged in combat training against five students from the third year.

 

"Te~i!"

"Fuh~!"

"Uwa!"

 

Lisa easily brushed aside a student's long sword that was slashing at her from the side with the sword in her right hand.

The sword strike was so powerful that it was unimaginable from her slender, feminine arm.

Her physical ability, drastically enhanced by the [Niveei's Magic Manipulation] ability, gives her the physical strength of a Cyclops.

However, her opponents did not just end up being defeated.

As soon as Lisa swung her saber, the student who had been waiting behind her fired dozens of magic bullets at her.

The number of magic bullets was too many for a single person to defend against. However, Lisa held up the dagger in her left hand and created a huge fireball. She then launched it at the oncoming swarm of magic bullets.

The fireball exploded, swallowing the numerous magic bullets that were coming toward it. The released shock waves blew away the students who had been standing behind it.

The students who were flung through the air were slammed to the ground a few seconds later and let out a cry of anguish.

It was too one-sided a development.

It was not that the third-year students were weak.

They had trained at the academy and were among the top scorers during the special general training.

However, because this girl's ability was so outstanding, they were unable to subdue her at all.

 

"What's the matter? Is it over already?"

 

Lisa's mouth was full of a smile as she played with the twin swords she held in her hands.

When the incident of Ken's assault became public, she was so tormented by her own guilt and mistakes that she was as worn out as a withered tree.

Lisa had lost sight of herself for a while, but now she no longer showed the slightest sign of weakness.

She was like a young bud that had just sprouted, full of life and vigor.

 

"U-, uu……"

 

On the other hand, the students who had been Lisa's opponents all looked impatient. The difference in ability was so great that they were discouraged.

 

"If you're going to be discouraged by this, you're not going to make it down the road."

"Lisa, you're overdoing it. Everyone is completely overwhelmed."

 

Camilla, who had been standing behind Lisa, was sighing.

Camilla had been standing by to protect her partner's back, ready to cast a spell at any time, but she had nothing to do as Lisa showed an overwhelming amount of energy and laid waste to her opponents.　

 

"Even if it's just combat training, it doesn't mean we should go easy on them. The real battle will be more than this."

"But it's still too much. Even if it's the day of the opening festival, it's still too much to go all out from the beginning using [Niveei's Magic Manipulation] ......."

 

To begin with, Lisa's physical and magical capabilities were sufficient to maintain her superiority over several students of higher ranks.

On the other hand, [Niveei's Magic Manipulation], which multiplies the efficiency of magic, has restrictions on the number of times it can be used and the duration of its cooldown time, and is originally intended to be used when the right time comes.

Therefore, until now, Lisa's basic tactic has been to use her superior capabilities to maintain her superiority, seizing an opportunity to use [Niveei's Magic Manipulation], and then laying waste to her opponents in one fell swoop with a powerful offensive attack.

Now, however, she did not consider her own remaining strength or what would come later, and she was going all out to take down her opponent from the very beginning.

Camilla knew that Lisa had made up with Nozomu and was working hard on her studies and training with a fresh start, but she was also becoming a little worried about her.

 

"It doesn't matter whether it's an opening festival or not. I just want to thoroughly push my limits while I still can. If I don't do it now, while I can still fail, it will be an absolute waste."

 

On the other hand, Lisa, who was bitterly disappointed, dismissed Camilla's concerns in a light tone.

For that matter, she wanted to push her own limits as much as possible while she was still able to. For this reason, she was giving it her all, no matter what kind of training or combat training she was engaged in.

Especially, Lisa focused on the training of her ability, [Niveei's Magic Manipulation].

[Niveei's Magic Manipulation], depending on how it was used, had the potential to deal a sufficient blow to an opponent of higher rank.

This could be seen from the fact that [Niveei's Magic Manipulation] served as the final blow to stop Nozomu, who had gone out of control during the incident involving the attack by Azel.

And because she saw the possibility that she could become even stronger, Lisa was actively using this [Niveei's Magic Manipulation] to train herself once again.

Sometimes she failed, sometimes she ran out of magic power, and sometimes she fainted from the backlash, but even so, she did not try to stop. Even if she fainted, she could receive adequate treatment in the academy.

An environment where she could try again, even if she failed, was invaluable. And now that she was in an environment where failure was allowed, it was only natural that she would be more determined.

 

"I don't want to have any more regrets, so I'm going to run past the limits of what I can do now with all my might. That's the adventure I'm going through right now."

 

More than anything, what was inspiring Lisa was the reminder that she did not want to repeat the two years she had spent standing still in her escape.

She also did not want to waste Nozomu's feelings, who had shown her the way, swallowing his bitterness and hatred to the very end.

In order to do so, she determined to once again strengthen her "core". With this goal in mind, she swung the twin swords in her hands.

The passion that drives her today is her passion.

A smile spread across Lisa's face as she spoke of her desire to push herself to her limits, and there was not a hint of the depression that had once been in her face.

Her smile was as bright and cheerful as a sunny sky, and not only Camilla, but also the disheartened students of the third year, as well as the visitors to the training grounds, couldn't help but admire her smile.

 

"So, who's next?"

"Then, how about us?"

 

Third-party voices echoed through the training grounds.

A girl from the Wildcat Race, belonging to the second class, answered Lisa's words, who had changed her bright smile into a challenging one.

Next to her, there was also an elf with a mysterious expression on her face.

 

"Mimuru-san, and Shina-san..."

"I don't doubt Red-Haired Princess's ability, but if you're not careful, you'll get a smack in the face, you know."

"There's no way I'd let my guard down, is there? Rather, there's no shortage of them."

"That's the way it should be!"

 

Mimuru smiled warily at Lisa while spinning her dagger.

At the same time, Lisa also raised her twin swords as if to respond to Mimuru's wariness.

The instructor in charge of the training raised his hand, signaling the start of the battle.

 

"Fuh~!"

 

Mimuru took the initiative.

She quickly strengthened her body with Qi and activated her instantaneous movement. Using the agility unique to beastmen as a weapon, she tried to close the gap between herself and Lisa at once.

However, Lisa also reacted swiftly.

She raised her left hand which was holding the saber, completed her chanting, and created a fireball. Then, she shot out the fireball toward Mimuru, who was coming at her like a leopard.

The fireball that was released accurately caught Mimuru.

Furthermore, Lisa used [Niveei's Magic Manipulation]. The fireball, which was only the size of the palm of her hand, swelled up to the size of her head at once.

Mimuru, on the other hand, pushed forward without paying any attention to the approaching fireball.

The fact that Lisa was using [Niveei's Magic Manipulation] would make the fireball's power powerful enough, but Mimuru understood that this level of power would be handled without any problem by her best friend who was standing behind her.

 

"Shina, I leave it to you!"

 

As if in response to Mimuru's shout, Shina, who had been standing behind her, shot an arrow filled with magic power.

The arrow flew through the air, leaving a trail of blue magic light in its wake, and pierced the center of the fireball that was approaching Mimuru.

Mimuru knew better than anyone how good Shina was with a bow. The power of the arrow, strengthened by magic power, has the power to penetrate even a steel shield.

No matter how much the fireball's power was doubled by [Niveei's Magic Manipulation], it was still possible to unilaterally shatter the fireball that was just a feint ...... at least, it was supposed to be that way.

 

"Eh?"

"What?"

 

The arrow that pierced the fireball burned up in a flash like a withered grass, and the fireball hit Mimuru, who was advancing straight toward it, and then exploded.　

 

"Ukyaaa~!"

 

Mimuru screamed as she was hit by the hot air released at close range.

The fire that soared up further caught fire on her hair, causing it to burst into flames. Shina, Lisa, and Camilla all rushed over and began hitting Mimuru's hair to douse the fire.

Fortunately, the fire that had caught in her hair was quickly extinguished, but Mimuru's hair turned into a mess like roasted chestnuts.

 

"Ueee~, my hair~..."

"U-, umm, I'm sorry. I think I made a slight mistake.."

 

Camilla performed healing magic on Mimuru, who was lamenting over her hair that had partially turned to ashes.

As expected, the burned hair that had turned to ashes could not be restored, but the burns on Mimuru's face soon disappeared without a trace.

It was fortunate that the fireball was only a feint, even though it had been enhanced in power.　

 

"What's the hell just happened~? Didn't you say that with your bow, such magic won't be a problem at all~!"

"That's right. Her aim was accurate and the arrow was aimed firmly at the center of my fireball... Are you not feeling well?"

"Umm……"

 

Mimuru, feeling depressed about her charred hair, voiced her doubts, while Lisa raised a question.

Shina, on the other hand, seemed to be at a loss for words and glanced at them, her gaze swimming in the air.

Shina's eyes drifted in the air, a gesture that clearly indicated she was in a state of disbelief.

 

"Now that you mention it, I smelled blood on Shina's body the other day... Ah, I know~!"

"Uu……"

 

Mimuru hit her hand as if she had an idea.

Shina's body trembled.

If this fun-loving Mimuru were to know that she had signed a blood covenant with Nozomu, she would happily spread the information all over the school.

If this were to happen, of course, Nozomu would hear about it too.

Shina, who did not want Nozomu to know the meaning of the blood covenant ritual, was in a very bad situation.

 

"Shina, why didn't you tell me about this? If I had known, I wouldn't have forced you to do this..."

 

However, contrary to Shina's concern, Mimuru put her hands on both of Shina's shoulders with a serious expression on her face.

Shina gulped ...... at the gentle atmosphere of concern from her best friend, which was a hundred and eighty degrees different from her usual goofy character.

 

"You were having a girl's day, weren't you!?"

"Wrong!"

"Gyaa~!"

 

Then, she screamed without a pause.

When Mimuru raised her voice, Shina spontaneously raised her hand and smacked Mimuru on the head. It was inevitable.

Shina herself was troubled with a sense of guilt and remorse toward Nozomu, and when she was hit with such an outrageous remark, one or two hands were bound to come out.

 

"I thought it was ..."

"No, you're wrong! How could you assume so!? I mean, never talk about such things out loud!"

 

Shina and Mimuru were attracting quite a few stares, but some of the stares were not only from students but also from the visitors.

Some of them were whispering and chuckling.

Shina's face was stained with embarrassment when she noticed the stares around her.

It was only natural that she would be the center of attention if she talked about something peculiar to girls in the presence of such a group of school students.

 

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm being stared at like this..."

"By the way, Shina's loud voice is also the cause of the stares ...... ada-da-da!"

"S-h-u-t, u-p!"

 

Shina gently pinched Mimuru's ear, her white, fair skin turning bright red with embarrassment.

As Mimuru said, Shina's yelling was also a factor that drew attention from the surroundings, but it made her feel even more embarrassed.

 

"Even though it's the day of the opening festival, it's still pretty lively."

"Mimuru is causing too much trouble for her. Good grief, what a troublemaker."

"I don't know. I think they make a good partner for each other."

 

Camilla, who had been standing back and watching Mimuru and Shina, smiled in amusement.

Shina, noticing Mimuru's innocent expression, said "Hmph!" in exasperation, and put more pressure on the finger that was pinching Mimuru's ear before finally releasing her.

Mimuru's ears were painfully swollen, and she was rubbing her pinched ears with teary eyes.

Nevertheless, Shina herself was not pleased with Camilla's words.

Mimuru, on the other hand, pouted as if to say, "You don't have to go this far!"

Yet, there was not a hint of the gloomy atmosphere that lingered between the two of them.

Camilla's smile deepened at the somewhat friendly atmosphere.

 

"Hey, don't you think so too, Lisa?"

"...Eh, what?"

 

Camilla asked Lisa whether she agreed, but Lisa was somewhat absent-minded, staring at the training ground next door.

 

"Lisa, what's wro~ ... Oh~, I see."

"W-, what is it..."

 

Beyond her line of sight, there was a figure of Nozomu in combat training in the training ground next door.

More than a dozen students were clashing their wooden swords in a melee training exercise.

Among them, Nozomu's presence was exceptional.

There were five students surrounding him. Strangely enough, the number of students surrounding him was the same as that of Lisa's opponent earlier.

Nozomu handled all of the slashes that these five students threw at him.

There was no delay in his movements, and he continued to draw fluid slashes as he became one with the wooden katana he carried in his hand.

He deflected a frontal attack to the side and struck another attack that was coming from the side with the wooden sword he had just parried.

He then quickly moved behind the opponent in front of him and used his Qi-jutsu [Cannon] to blow them both away.

He also intercepted the other three, who had leaped at him as if to surround him, by utilizing the recoil of the shockwave he had released, and quickly turned himself around to intercept them.

With the wooden katana that he had swung, he cut down all of the wooden swords that were being simultaneously swung down at him.

The sight of this made not only the students he was fighting, but also the spectators, who were watching from afar, involuntarily froze in their seats.

 

"What a nonsensical thing he did as usual... Just how dense was his Qi-blade? How could he cut his opponents' swords with just a wooden katana as if he were using an iron sword?"

"He's fundamentally destroying the meaning of the wooden katana~."

 

Camilla and Mimuru let out a voice of admiration and dismay.

Lisa, on the other hand, stared at Nozomu with a mysterious expression on her face.

 

"Hmm? What's wrong, Lisa? You're looking at him with such an expression on your face."

"Um, well, I kind of have a weird feeling about it..."

 

With crisp words, Lisa put her hand over her mouth and shut up.

However, Mimuru, who had no idea of what Lisa felt was wrong about Nozomu, tilted her head.

 

"Weird? Well, sure, Nozomu's swordsmanship is kind of weird."

"I don't mean it like that, I just have this kind of uneasy feeling about it ... How do you feel about it, Shina-san?"

 

Unable to express the feeling of discomfort that was tugging at the depths of her heart, Lisa unintentionally called out to Shina, who was standing by her side.

Shina, however, did not hear Lisa's words and kept staring at her hand.

Her slender white fingers were covered with a single lumpy reddish-black pressure ulcer. It was a scar that had formed when she and Nozomu had exchanged a blood covenant the other day.

 

"... Shina-san?"

"... Eh? W-, what is it?"

"What's wrong Shina, you're kind of staring at your hand in a daze... Did you hurt your hand?"

"N, no, it's nothing. More importantly, what's wrong?"

 

Mimuru, who had noticed the scar, leaned closer to Shina, but the elf girl, seemingly agitated, put her hands behind her back and responded with an astonished look on her face.

 

"What's wrong? Did you hurt your finger?"

"Y-, yeah. I had a little bit of a snag in my finger from the jagged arrow during the combat training earlier..."

"But you already have the pressure ulcer even before the combat training, don't you?"

"W-, well, umm ..."

 

*Stareee----*

Mimuru stared at Shina with her face so close that she could almost hear the sound of an onomatopoeic noise.

Shina involuntarily backed away as she was met with a probing and intense gaze.

 

"W-, what is it?..."

"As I thought, you have been acting strange since last night. Shina, you would usually come to me with an iron claw to crush my skull, but you only pinched my ear just now. Come to think of it, the last time we stayed at Irisdina's mansion, I smelled blood on your body when you came back to your room late at night."

 

Mimuru clapped her hands as if she had just remembered something.

 

"I see. So that's it. Sorry, Shina. That makes you physically uncomfortable, doesn't it?"

"Wha~. What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"

"Is your body okay? Has the bleeding stopped? Do you have trouble walking? Sorry I pushed you too hard."

"You're being so nice all of a sudden, it's weird. Are you sure you're not making another weird misunderstanding?"

"Today we're going to eat red rice!"

"Red rice? What's that?"

"In the East, they dye rice, a type of grain, red and eat it on celebratory occasions. I don't know anything about rice, but you can substitute flour for the grain, right?

"Celebration of what?"

"Of course, Shina and Nozomu-kun committed adultery ...... ada-da-da!"

"W-e, d-i-d, n-o-t, d-o, t-h-a-t!"

"Shina, my-, my ears. They are going to be torn to shreds~!"

 

Shina twisted the cat beastman's ears as hard as she could with the intention of tearing them off, after she once again made an outrageous remark.

However, Shina's face couldn't have been more vermilion as she pinched her best friend's ear.

She was even more embarrassed than before because she had made a contract with Nozomu that was more intimate than a physical relationship, if not more so.

 

"By the way, what do you use for dyeing?"

 

Lisa murmured so as she watched the exchange between these two best friends.

In response to Lisa's question, Mimuru dexterously let her gaze wander in the air while her ears were being pinched.

 

"... Chili pepper?"

"Are you really going to eat something that looks like a punishment for a celebration?"

"Well, umm ..."

 

Apparently, Mimuru was also not familiar with the culture regarding red rice in the East.

Shina looked at Mimuru in dismay, wondering if she had said such a random thing without knowing much about it.

At that moment, an ashen-haired female student approached from the edge of the training ground.

 

"Everyone, there you are."

"Ah, Irisdina. Were you also having combat training?"

"Yeah, with students from the fourth grade. What about Nozomu?....."

 

Irisdina had just participated in the same training as Lisa and the others.

Her hair had turned gray due to excessive use of magic power, and at one time she did not participate much in practical exercises such as these combat training due to concerns about her health.

However, today was the opening day of the festival, so she participated in the practical exercise class.

 

"I was fighting against five opponents just now. Now I'm up against the other five."

"I see……"

 

Beyond her line of sight, she saw Nozomu slashing through his opponent's weapons, just as he had done earlier.

Apparently, with [Phantom] still enveloping his katana, he leaped towards his remaining opponent.

In response to the unexpected sight of a wooden katana capable of cutting like iron, Nozomu's opponents were being overwhelmed left and right. Without being able to control the situation, they were one-sidedly overwhelmed.

Moreover, Nozomu hardly showed any signs of being exhausted.

He kept activating his [Phantom] on his katana and strengthened his body only to the minimum.

By showing the unexpected, he incited agitation and swept everything away before his opponents could regain their composure.

Moreover, he carefully maneuvered his opponent's position to create a one-on-one situation at all times.

Although it may be partly due to the fact that they were caught up in a strategy that could be called a model for actual combat, it was a scene that made the spectators feel sorry for the students who were forced to deal with such a non-standard opponent.

 

"As we knew, Nozomu is getting quite a lot of attention."

"Hmm?"

 

To Mimuru, who tilted her head, Irisdina pointed to a section of the training ground with her chin.

There were well-dressed dignitaries from various countries.

The dignitaries were observing Nozomu's every move as he stood there with a lingering impression while having small conversations with their attendants.

The people observing Nozomu were dressed in a variety of different outfits, from a man wearing a cape-like headdress to a female knight in valiant knightly armor, and even a beast in a tuxedo and tie. It could be said that Nozomu had attracted the attention of so many people, regardless of country or race.

 

"From the looks of it, there are people related to the Adventurers' Guild, people from the Imperial Knights of Cremazzone, merchants affiliated with the Sumahya Union, and many others."

"Uwa ... It would be a pain in the ass to deal with that many scouts..."

"Mimuru, you don't need to put it like that. It's necessary for Nozomu. Besides, the scouts are here for him. There aren't that many people for Mimuru to deal with this time."

 

Shina complained to Mimuru, who was hanging her head down with a frown on her face.

 

"I know. That being said, what about you, Shina?"

"I am, umm ..."

"What's wrong?"

 

When Shina's gaze landed on one of the dignitaries, her expression somehow turned cloudy.

Mimuru and the others, who were standing beside her, followed Shina's gaze to see what she had seen, and there they saw a pair of suspicious-looking men completely concealed by hoods and coats.

 

"Who are those suspicious people?..."

"Probably one of the elven elders and his companion."

"What? Are they after you, Shina?"

"Maybe"

 

Due to their rather reclusive nature, elves rarely associate with other races.

There were also few stories of elves being seen in Arcazam, and naturally, there was no record of them participating in this opening festival.

 

"Shina, you don't look so happy?"

"Well, umm, now is a bit..."

 

Shina's expression remained cloudy even though she had seen a relative for the first time in a long time.

Shina had fallen silent as if she had something difficult to say, and Lisa and the others were unable to say anything.

As if to change the subject, Irisdina opened her mouth.

 

"By the way, Shina-kun and Mimuru-kun seemed to be making a fuss earlier, did something happens?

"Un, actually, it was about Shina's marriage..."

"... Marriage?"

 

Irisdina's voice was tinged with doubt.

Her graceful eyes were naturally dilated, and her tone was somewhat questioning.

 

"No, it's wrong! Mimuru, please, stop it already!"

"Eeh? I don't think it's wrong tho~~"

 

Naturally, Shina and Irisdina's gazes intersected.

Both of them were carrying a sense of guilt toward each other through a certain person. They naturally looked away from each other, perhaps feeling an inexpressible awkwardness.

Mimuru and the others who were watching Irisdina and Shina on their side could only tilt their heads.

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