Can a Mob Highschooler be a Normie: Chapter 139

Mob Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #139

Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain

 Translator(s) note: This was supposed to be uploaded a few days ago, but why is time moving so fast... It's the new year already... We're sorry for the inconsistencies of the upload here. May the new year be better and kinder to us. Happy New Year!!

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 139: Base

 

 

 

 

 

 

　After securing permission to relocate from Yujin-san, I began working on establishing a base. 

 

　First, I collaborated with Yujin-san and the other local residents to eliminate the remaining monsters on the island. 

 

　Using Mea's Legion Summoning and the Equipping Skill of Dress and the others, we eradicated them all with overwhelming firepower and sheer numbers. 

 

　While this was partly to earn goodwill from the islanders, it also served as a demonstration of power.

 

　As outsiders, we might face the same kind of harassment the migrants had, so I demonstrated our strength to some extent to prevent that.

 

 　Even if they couldn't grasp the specific combat power or skills of my cards, the sheer quality and quantity of the summoned legion—including B-ranks—surely made an impression (as evidenced by the expressions on Yujin-san and the others' faces, which were completely stiff).

 

　The next day, we began constructing houses for the refugees.

 

　The area allotted to us contained a total of five abandoned villages. Among them, the northern port village and the eastern village near a stream retained their original structures relatively well, as the last residents had left only about twenty years ago. We decided to use these two as our initial bases.

 

　Even though they ‘retained their original structures relatively well’, they were far from livable. However, we had Audrey's Advanced Housekeeping Magic.

 

　Even decrepit homes that could never be renovated on a show like ‘DRAMATIC Before & After!¹’ were restored to as good as new—a truly magical sight.

 

　When structures were being restored with Housekeeping Magic, if the damage was too great, materials would be needed. We supplied these materials by having spirit-type cards like the Dryad² and by cutting down trees in the surrounding area, which also served the purpose of expanding the village.

 

 　In total, we were able to repair about one hundred houses this way. Unfortunately, the rest couldn't be repaired even with Housekeeping Magic (might be because the damage rate was over 50%), so they were dismantled and used as materials.

 

　One hundred homes, even if shared among four or five people, should be enough for everyone.

 

　During this time, I also spoke with Victor-san about whether we should banish the people confined in the Winchester House.

 

　Since there was no danger from monsters on this island, banishing them would not be a death sentence. Personally, I was fed up with looking after people who betrayed the kindness of others, so I wanted to kick them out, but ultimately, the decision was put on hold. 

 

　The reason was, Would releasing troublemakers immediately after moving in not cause trouble for the islanders?

 

　It was decided that we should monitor and manage them closely until we settled in on the island.

 

　Well, the absence of monster threat on this island changes the meaning of confinement in the Winchester House.

 

　The difficulty in dealing with the ‘prisoners’ before was that confinement did not properly function as punishment.

 

　In a world overrun by monsters where even daily meals would be a struggle, spending time in a safe, cross-space card with three meals a day was not punishment, but simply protection.

 

　However, on this island, confinement in the Winchester House would take on a punitive aspect.

 

　While other people live safely under the sun, enjoying sports and various forms of entertainment, they would be confined to a gloomy, eerie haunted house with no recreation…

 

　That should be enough to make them regret their mistakes.

 

　Of course, if their crimes had been murder or something similar, we would have needed a different solution... But considering that those currently confined in the Winchester House were all first-time offenders, we decided that if they showed genuine remorse, they could be released.

 

　Ideally, the duration of imprisonment should be determined based on the severity of their crimes... but such decisions wouldn't be simple, and frankly, I wanted move forward as quickly as possible rather than spending time on that.

 

　There was also the pressing need to develop the villages and ports, as well as cultivate farmland...  that meant we would likely face a labor shortage.

 

　Thus, it was decided that those confined in Winchester House would be would be monitored for a while, put to work, and once deemed to have been thoroughly rehabilitated, they would be released.

 

 

 

　――――Three days after the second Day of Rest.

 

　Having spent two full days repairing the houses, I visited Hermes's domain.

 

　I was there to pay for the things I had ordered.

 

　By repairing the abandoned houses, we had solved the shelter issue. However, the houses were originally abandoned, so they had no furniture or anything else, not even a futon for the refugees to sleep on.

 

　Since they couldn't possibly move in even though we had gone to the trouble of fixing up the houses, I had placed an order with Hermes for enough bedding for everyone.

 

　Today was the day for that payment. ...Or rather, today was one of those days.

 

"Alright, confirmed. Well then, I'll return this to you now."

 

　Maenad said, handing me a Magic Stone Pouch after I paid using energy from my Irregular Encounter Magic Stone.

 

　This was the Magic Stone reserve Pouch I had entrusted to her as collateral for the payment of the bedding.

 

　When ordering the bedding from the Maenad, I had worried about the payment.

 

　If I were to order enough bedding for all the refugees, the cost would easily exceed the energy of the Irregular Encounter Magic Stone, and I'd have to cover the difference from my regular Magic Stone reserves.

 

　But I wanted to avoid touching that reserve if possible.

 

　Initially, I thought about buying the bedding in installments using the daily energy of the Irregular Encounter Magic Stone, but having seen the repaired houses, the refugees were eager to move in right away.

 

　Therefore, I came up with the idea of 'deposit the reserve Magic Stones as collateral and pay the bill in installments using the Irregular Encounter Magic Stone'.

 

　This method allowed me to make a large purchase that exceeded the Irregular Encounter Magic Stone's daily energy without me having to dip into my regular Magic Stone reserve.

 

　The Maenad accepted the proposal, given that the payment was secured upfront.

 

　However, due to the increased effort compared to a normal purchase, we agreed on a handling fee of ‘days for installment payment ×1%’.

 

　In other words, if I finished the payment in two days, the price would increase by 2%. If it took 10 days, it would be 10% more, and if it took 100 days, it would be 100%—or double the original price.

 

　Still, even with the added fee, this was a small price to pay if it allowed me to make a large purchase without reducing my regular Magic Stone reserve.

 

"By the way, is there anything else you want? Now that the payment is settled, why not buy something else?"

 

　I gave a wry smile at the Maenad, who immediately started pushing sales the moment the payment was complete, even though she hadn't said a thing during the installment period. A thought occurred to me, and I asked,

 

"Speaking of which, do you also buy magic items or cards here?"

 

If they buy cards, it might be more cost-effective to use D-rank cards for payment instead of Magic Stones in some cases.

 

　When I posed the question, the Maenad folded her arms and groaned with a difficult expression.

 

"Hmm, magic items aside… cards are useless to us monsters right now, and there's no demand. And even if we bought magic items, I think they'd be cheap." 

 

So that’s how it is...

 

　I had a slight hope that the Hermes here might be different.

 

　Regular deities of commerce couldn't trade in cards or magic items, but the Hermes here possibly could do it because of his True Skill evolution.

 

　Still, even if this Hermes alone could do the trade, there would be little point in him acquiring cards or magic items if his main suppliers — the 'past deities of commerce’ — couldn't trade in them.

 

"I think we'll start buying them once we get more human customers, and demand is created,"

 

"Are there no customers besides me?"

 

The Hachiōji Guild is nearby.

 

　Because I had already reported the existence of the domain and Hermes through Shigeno-san, I thought it wouldn't be strange for someone from the Guild to show up...

 

"They came on the last Day of Rest, but they just took a quick peek and left without even meeting Hermes-sama."

 

Hmm, so they just sent a scout, huh?

 

　As a large organization, they were cautious, or rather, their movements were generally slow.

 

"So, you're our only special customer right now, Big Bro. You buy a ton of stuff every time, and thanks to that, I think Hermes-sama's first impression of you, which was the absolute worst, is slowly improving."

 

So, the first impression was the absolute worst after all.

 

　I thought, smiling wryly, when my Card Gear received an incoming call from Victor-san.

 

"Hello?"

 

『Ah, Leader? Are you free right now?』

 

"Yes, is something wrong?"

 

『There is a visitor for you, Leader...』

 

"A visitor?"

 

Is it Yujin-san?

 

　I wondered when Victor-san added,

 

『It's a guy in a red-and-black two-tone outfit, and he speaks with a Kansai dialect.』

　

　

 

　Upon receiving the call from Victor-san, I teleported to the entrance of the village by the port. There, accompanied by several attendants, was Solomon.

 

　They all had cards with them, and next to Solomon, a demon with the head of an owl stood watch, as if protecting him.

 

Is that... Pruflas, maybe?

 

　Pruflas was a famous C-rank card infamous for being a 72 Pillars of Solomon impostor.

 

　The 72 Pillars of Solomon listed in the ‘Goetia’ and the ‘Pseudomonarchia Daemonum’³ were slightly different, and the 72 Pillars of Solomon that appeared in Japan were those from the ‘Goetia’.

 

　Pruflas was listed in 'Pseudomonarchia Daemonum' but not in 'Goetia'. Because of this, it was placed at C-rank, one level lower than the 72 Pillars of Solomon, and was sadly treated as a 72 Pillars of Solomon knockoff. 

 

That must be the C+ Card rumored to be able to transform into a 72 Pillars of Solomon.

 

　I thought like that as I addressed them,

 

"Hello, Solomon-san."

 

　Solomon, noticing my arrival, momentarily wore a puzzled expression—"Hmm?"—but quickly replaced it with a friendly smile and greeted me,

 

"Ah, are you Kitagawa-kun's elder brother? I'm Soromon, an acquaintance of Kitagawa-kun. I heard he is nearby, so I thought I'd drop by to say hello."

 

"No, I'm Utamaro Kitagawa. It's been a while, hasn't it? It's been since the race."

 

"Kitagawa-kun? Eh, that's a lie, isn't it?"

 

　Solomon asked back, looking genuinely surprised.

 

Hmm...?

 

"Well, a lot has happened. ...Didn't Minamisawa-san tell you anything?"

 

"Minamisawa?"

 

　When I asked this, Soromon's expression suddenly turned stern, and a tense atmosphere began to radiate from the few people accompanying him. 

 

...What's going on? 

 

"Did you meet Emi-chan?"

 

"Yes, the day before yesterday, with Yujin-san."

 

"With Yujin, too... I see. How did Emi-chan seem? How did you part ways?

 

　The tone of his questions felt like an interrogation. I was now certain that something had happened, so I asked,

 

"Did something happen to Minamisawa-san?"

 

"...She went missing after going over to Yujin's place, the day before yesterday."

 

Missing...?

 

"Minamisawa-san was with her companions, but what about them?"

 

"They're also missing, same with her,"

 

　Solomon replied, shaking his head.

 

　I immediately called out to Suzuka, who was standing behind me, via our Link.

 

『Suzuka?』

 

『Mmm, there's no sign of lies or acting... But...』

 

『But?』

 

『Something feels off... I had the same feeling yesterday when I met that guy named Yujin, too...』

 

『With Yujin-san too?』

 

『Yeah, there's no sign of faking it or deception, but...』

 

Hmm, no reaction to [Deceit Detection], but there's a feeling of something being off...

 

"If you might know anything, I hope you could tell me..."

 

　As I found myself pondering, Solomon looked at me with a conspicuously probing gaze.

 

"Yes, I understand."

 

　I nodded and briefly explained the circumstances leading up to my arrival here, my reunion with Yujin-san, and the sequence of events up until Minamisawa arrived and left. 

 

"Gatekeepers and other areas... No, that doesn't matter right now. A Lie-Detection magic item, huh? I just want to confirm, it's definitely the real thing, and it's with Yujin right now?"

 

"Yes... Is something wrong with that?"

 

"No... If that's true, then I think the culprit wants us to turn on each other."

 

"Turn on each other..."

 

　He was right. The Lie-Detection magic item was a key item that could solve the tangled situation on this island in one fell swoop. 

 

　If Minamisawa had returned safely to her comrades and informed them about the magic item, the situation would have rapidly moved toward resolution. 

 

　However, her and her friends' disappearance only deepened the suspicion.

 

　The Solomon side would naturally suspect Yujin-san's side since her group went to visit them and never came back, and Yujin-san's side would think Solomon's side got rid of them because they had become an inconvenience.

 

　Additionally, within both camps, there would undoubtedly be those who began to suspect their own allies. 

 

　A situation where you can't even trust the allies standing next to you, let alone the enemy.

 

　Rather than moving toward a resolution, the situation would become even more chaotic.

 

Of course, even in this state, if both sides can talk to each other rationally, they could still use the Lie-Detection magic item to solve the situation...

 

　Just then, I received a call from Yujin-san on my Card Gear.

 

　I felt a bad premonition because of the too-perfect—no, terrible—timing. After excusing myself to Solomon, I answered the call.

 

『Ah, Kitagawa?』

 

"Yes, is something the matter?" 

 

『Uh, how should I put it... I’m sorry! The Lie-Detection magic item you gave me was stolen!』

 

I knew it...

 

　I sighed inwardly. 

 

　There was no way the culprit would leave the only means to resolve this situation—the Lie-Detection magic item—untouched.

 

"Stolen... you say. When did this happen?"

 

『I noticed it just now. I gathered everyone to prove our innocence, starting with our own people, and that's when I realized it was gone.』

 

"I don't want to pry too much, but was it not put away in your Card Holde? Also, when was the last time you took it out?"

 

『...You probably won't believe me, but of course I had put it away in my Card Holder. Yet it's gone. Please believe me. I haven't taken the card out even once since I received it from you.』

 

So it hasn't been seen since the day before yesterday.

 

This means there's a high possibility that even the Sanmyō no Tsurugi's power to see the past can't be useful...

 

　I thought like this――and as I expected, the power couldn't show me the moment when theft was taking place――so I replied to Yujin-san,

 

"...I understand. For now, I'm heading over there."

 

『Got it. I'm truly sorry.』

 

　As the call with Yujin-san ended, Solomon, who had listened to everything, spoke with a sneer,

 

"The Lie-Detection magic item was stolen, he said?"

 

"Yes..."

 

"And according to him, it was in his Card Holder?"

 

"That's right, yes."

 

"Doesn't that pretty much confirm the culprit?"

 

　Solomon spoke, concealing a clear rage behind his cold smile.

 

　His entourage also looked murderously angry, going beyond simple fury.

 

　Indeed, the fact that a cardified item disappeared from a Card Holder—which can't be accessed by anyone but the owner—made the situation points almost entirely toward the owner being the culprit…

 

"So, what are you going to do now, Kitagawa-kun?"

 

"I intend to head over to Yujin-san's place for now."

 

"That's not what I mean... I mean, whose side are you taking?"

 

　Solomon glared at me with sharp eyes.

 

"Are you going to side with us, who have suffered the loss, or are you going to side with them even at this stage... "

 

"Oh, that's what you mean."

 

　I nodded and, speaking as if it were a casual matter, stated

 

"I'm not taking either side of you."

 

　At my answer, Solomon's eyebrows twitched.

 

"...Do you mean to maintain neutrality?"

 

"Rather than neutral, I'm simply not involved."

 

"Are you saying that fully aware that innocent women have been sacrificed?"

 

".................."

 

　Gazing at Solomon, who was intimidating me with genuine rage, a feeling suddenly swelled up in my chest: Envy.

 

Ah... this island truly was peaceful.

 

　Having traversed countless areas and seen an innumerable amount of corpses, I had become completely accustomed to human death.

 

　In the areas I passed through, the living were the overwhelming minority, and the dead were the norm.

 

　Among the deceased, there were bodies that had clearly been attacked by other humans――――some with obvious signs of sexual assault.

 

　Seeing all of this, I had gradually reached a point where seeing a corpse no longer stirred any emotion in me.

 

　To the extent that even if the refugees I protected suffered casualties, I could probably just dismiss it as them 'being unlucky'.

 

　From my perspective, the people of this island, who could still be genuinely angry over a few victims—aside from them being young women—seemed painfully radiant.

 

　The people on this island were still living in the world ‘before Angolmois’. 

 

　That fact, filled me with heartfelt envy…

 

"Ugh...!"

 

　As I looked at Solomon and his group with eyes full of envy, they inexplicably flinched and backed away with expressions of fear.

 

　Their accompanying cards reacted the same way, with only Pruflas watching me with a look of amusement.

 

　As I tilted my head in confusion, Solomon cleared his throat as if to cover up his reaction.

 

"...W-well, if you're neutral, that's fine."

 

"L-Leader, but—!"

 

"I told you to shut up! You guys saw what happened the day before yesterday, didn't you?!"

 

　Solomon snapped at one of his companions, who had tried to protest.

 

The day before yesterday... Ah, the mass extermination of the island's monsters.

 

I see, after seeing that, the Solomon faction came here specifically so their leader could visit in person, either to win me over to their side or, at the very least, ensure that I remain neutral.

 

"...Well then, we're leaving. Let's try to get along as fellow outsiders."

 

　—"Within the bounds of neutrality," he added as if to make a point and a subtle threat before turning to leave. As Solomon and his companions started to walk away, I asked one last question,

 

"Solomon-san, what does your Spiritual Recurrence card transform into?"

 

“...I'm certainly not going to tell that to someone who isn't even an ally.”

 

　With that retort, Solomon and his group finally left for good.

 

"Was that okay?"

 

　Even after they left, I remained there for a while, lost in thought, when Renge spoke to me.

 

"Yeah, it's best not to get involved in things like this."

 

My absolute highest priority is to return to Tachikawa.

 

　The moment I secured a residence for the refugees—the load on my journey—my objective on this island was accomplished.

 

　Unless I knew the truth of the incident and could easily solve it, sticking my neck into this conflict would be a complete detour.

 

I don't have time to play detective as I did with the Hound-Master――which was truly worthy of being called ‘playing detective’. 

 

　As long as this remained a conflict between humans, I had no intention of getting involved.

 

　Even if the result was the defeat of Yujin-san, my acquaintance...

 

 

 

 

　――――Two days later, Minamisawa's body was found, greatly disfigured, in a vacant house belonging to the local residents' side, and the armed conflict between the Solomon faction and the Yujin faction erupted.

 

 

 

 

[Tips] Authority of the Deity of Commerce

 

　The Authority of the Deity of Commerce enables commercial transactions with the commercial deity of the present and the past.

 

　Even if an item is not currently on the stock list, an order can be sent to a past commercial deity, and if that deity is able to obtain the item in their era, it is instantly reflected on the current stock list.

 

　The exchange rate cannot be arbitrarily decided by the commercial deities; rather, ‘the perception of the inhabitants of the buying side's era’ determines the price.

 

　For this reason, the price of the same item can be vastly different before and after Angolmois.

 

　The goods that can be traded are limited to those derived from nature or those created by human hands. Magic items from the dungeons cannot be traded (though Magic Stones and ores produced in the dungeon can be traded).

 

　Artificial magic items can be traded, but things that are merely processed dungeon magic items (such as potions with altered ingredients) cannot.

 

　Note that Holy Silver weapons and armor processed by production-type cards like Dwarves from Holy Silver dropped by monsters is considered to be within the scope of ‘items made by human hands’ (as the card is simply performing a task that a human hand could also perform).

 

　The Authority of the Deity of Commerce, when evolved into a True Skill, allows for the trade in cards and magic items (though this is limited between commercial deities who also possess the True Skill).

 

 

***

 Notes:

1  Based on a Japanese TV program about renovating homes called 大改造!!劇的ビフォーアフター (Makeover!! That'S a DRAMATIC CHANGE!)^↩

2  Tree spirit in Greek myth ^↩

3  ‘Goetia’ and the ‘Pseudomonarchia Daemonum’ are both grimoires ^↩

 

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