Mob Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni
Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #145
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
"O-Onii-chan...?"
"……………………"
Standing before the gaping
crater where the school used to be, I gripped Ai's hand in silence, my mind
racing with thoughts of what could have happened to the school.
As of yesterday, Anna and the
others were safe, and likely, nothing happened to the school either.
Considering the time difference, if something did happen to the school, it must
have been within the last few minutes.
What
is ‘something’ that can obliterate the school without a trace in an instant?
A
horde of B-rank monsters? A powerful A-rank monster? An Irregular Encounter?
...Or maybe, an attack by humans?
In an instant, various
possibilities and their outcomes flashed through my mind.
Is Mom
okay? And Anna and the others? What about Shinomiya-san, Higashino, Nishida—is
everyone safe? Wait, no, calm down.
My boiling brain…… I
readjusted it.
『Audrey.』
『Yes.』
My composure restored, I shared
Audrey’s vision through the Link.
When I overlaid her vision,
which had a cross-space perspective, with mine, there it was. The Garden of the
Hesperides and the school building, not harmed.
So
they just evacuated the school into the Hesperides after all. Thank goodness...
Thinking calmly, it was highly
unlikely for the situation to change so drastically that the school building
vanished in just a matter of minutes. And even if something big had happened to
the school during this past month, Anna would surely have mentioned it.
The fact that she hadn't made
it clear that the building was safe.
Though I don't know the
specifics of how they managed it, they probably used some kind of Cardification
magic item to evacuate the entire building into Hesperides.
"Ai,
it's okay. The school is safe."
"R-really?
Is Mom also okay?"
"Yeah."
I had no concrete proof, but I
nodded, trusting absolutely that she was fine.
Just as I was about to step
inside the Hesperides, I halted.
"Oops...
hold on."
I pulled out a small vial from
my pocket, gave Mea a meaningful glance, and conspicuously drank from it.
The moment I did, my
appearance reverted to my original, youthful age.
"Eh!?"
I said to Ai, whose eyes
widened in surprise,
"It's
a rejuvenation potion I got along the way. ...I didn't want to worry Mom
looking like that."
Ai nodded, convinced, but the
truth was a little different.
What I just drank was just a
simple potion, and I had already been rejuvenated yesterday thanks to Renge's
True Amrita.
Mea had simply activated her skill
to 'paste' my older appearance on me until now.
The people at school weren't
supposed to know my older appearance, and frankly, I wanted to go back to my
normal self now.
When I returned to the island,
I planned to say I'd rejuvenated using potion, just as I told Ai.
Since I had acquired a fair
amount of rejuvenation items during my journey, it was a perfectly plausible
excuse.
"Alright,
let's go."
Through Audrey, we entered the
Hesperides.
Just as we were about to head
straight toward the school building, I sensed several rapid presences
approaching.
I waited right there, and—
"Who
are you!?"
It was a group of about five
figures riding Pegasi and equipped with Dullahan cards.
They surrounded us, on high
alert――
"...Huh,
Maro?!"
They quickly recognized me.
The man at the front, who
seemed to be the one in command, removed his helmet. The face revealed beneath
was one I knew well.
"Higashino!!"
"You’re
safe after all! Welcome back, man...!"
Higashino dismounted, and we
slapped each other on the shoulder, relieved to see each other safe.
Higashino, whom I hadn't seen
in a month, looked somehow more serious than I remembered.
"Where's
my mother? Do you know where she is?"
After a moment of celebrating
our reunion, that was the first thing I asked.
Higashino glanced at Ai, then
scratched his head apologetically...
"Sorry,
Auntie's location is top-secret. I don't know either."
"I
see..."
My mom, as the master of
Hesperides, would be the lifeline for everyone here.
Anna must have hidden her away
to prevent any possible attack.
"Just
guide me to Anna then."
"Got
it. I'll escort Maro to Her Excellency. You
guys keep patrolling."
""Understood.""
Her
Excellency?
I tilted my head, questioning
this. But the other members flew off without another word.
"Let's
go then."
"Yeah."
I had things I wanted to ask,
but for now, I swallowed my questions and started walking beside Higashino.
"A
lot has happened since you've been away, you know."
I bet.
I thought, nodding.
Just
as a lot happened on my end, a lot must have happened here, too.
However, I was confident that
no matter what I was told, I wouldn't be shaken by much now.
After
all, my mind is no longer quite human...
"Like,
that Nishida bastard, he lost his virginity..."
WH—WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!?!?!?!?!?!
Nishida!?
Lost his virginity!? With that lolita beautiful girl!?
BAM!!! The shock hit me like a blow to
the head with a hammer, and I nearly collapsed to my knees.
Tha-that
bastard! While I was walking the path of hell, that bastard was--! He climbed the
stairs to adulthood ahead of me!? In this crisis? Is it that the crisis
heightened his survival instinct?! F-don't mess with me! What utter injustice!
How can this be allowed...!?
N-no,
calm down. Nishida cheered me on when I became an adventurer, didn't he? What
kind of friend am I if I can't be happy for my friend's happiness? Calm down,
calm down.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………。
NI.
SHI. DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Damn
it, I just can't help but feel jealous…!
Desperately suppressing the
burning rage, jealousy, and impatience that consumed me, I somehow managed to
say something,
"...Hmph,
that Nishida, huh. Good for him, I guess."
Exerting all my mental strength,
I feigned a calm and composed attitude on the surface. Higashino shot me a look
of suspicion and doubt,
"What's
with that relaxed reaction...? Don't tell me, YOU—!"
"Heh..."
I deliberately said nothing, and
just gave a meaningful chuckle.
"A
bluff? No, but with Maro, there's no shortage of partners... DAMMIT!"
As I basked in a hollow sense
of superiority over Higashino, who clenched his fist in frustration, I keenly
felt the intense stares from my cards behind me. Their gazes seemed to say, "Why
bother with such a pointless display of vanity..."
Hmph, women
wouldn't understand. The feelings of a boy during adolescence...
"Haa...
Well, whatever about that Nishida. Other things happened too, like a bunch of
B-rank monsters invaded, a super-beautiful girl who is Kannadzuki's younger
sister appeared, and the Tachikawa Guild interfered with us. A lot of stuff
went down while you were gone, Maro."
Higashino rattled off a list
of events of the past month... but sorry, none of it was registering in my
brain. The impact of Nishida graduating from virginity was too overwhelming.
Like,
what kind of situation did it happen in? Who initiated it? If Nishida invited
her, how did he do it? What was the first time like?
I had a mountain of questions
for the sake of future knowledge, but Higashino probably didn't know the
details, and besides, with my little sister right behind me, these weren't
exactly questions I could ask.
Ahh, I
want a girlfriend too. Why can't I get a girlfriend? I'm not even trying to
guard my chastity, yet I have zero luck with those kinds of events.
It's
almost as if some great power is interfering...
Lost in such thoughts as I
walked, we arrived in front of the school building before I knew it
The illuminated school
building stood on a hill with an excellent view, overlooking the entire Garden
of Hesperides.
In the center, away from the
school, there was a giant, dimly glowing Golden Apple Tree, and guarding it was
the massive, strange form of a hundred-headed dragon—Ladon.
The Golden Apples growing in
the Garden of the Hesperides possessed a potent, irresistible alluring effect
that drew monsters.
Even B-rank monsters cannot
resist it, and any intruders will find themselves fighting Ladon, who guards
the Golden Apples.
This magnificent guardian
dragon had protected the Hesperides and everyone at the school while I was
away.
"Oi,
Maro?"
"Onii-chan?"
I had been staring at Ladon
and the Golden Apple Tree for a while, feeling the refreshing breeze on my
skin, but I was called by Higashino and Ai, and we entered the school building.
"Ah,
you can leave your shoes on."
Higashino told me this just as
I was about to change into my indoor shoes
at the familiar shoe-locker entrance.
Looking around, I saw that the
fluorescent-lit corridor was quite dirty with mud.
Naturally, the adult evacuees
wouldn't have indoor shoes, and they probably made it possible to walk around
in outdoor shoes so they could escape quickly in case of an emergency.
"But,
you should only summon one card at a time. The evacuees unaccustomed to
monsters might get scared."
"Only
one is okay?"
"Yeah.
It's also an issue with barriers and stuff. Technically, it's supposed to be
'summoning any monster card is forbidden’, but we, the Adventurers' Club, have
been made an exception because we're involved in defense."
"...Humm,
got it."
I nodded and returned all my
cards to their card forms, except for Dress, who had the Equipping skill. Ai
hadn't summoned anyone other than Amalthea anyway, so she was fine
Sending the cards back
significantly cleared up the space.
Though in reality, the four
with [Hide and Seek] skill—Renge, Suzuka, Audrey, and Morrigan—only pretended
to return. They remained nearby in an invisible state.
If the
concern is about scaring the evacuees unfamiliar with monsters, then as long as
they aren't seen, it should be fine.
Well,
the real reason is probably less about consideration for the evacuees and more
about preventing people from fighting each other using cards...
Even
if the people aren't used to monsters, a month has passed since Angolmois. They
should have gotten used to the existence of cards and monsters, whether they
liked it or not.
Despite this, the continued
prohibition of summoning cards other than for the Adventurers' Club members
could only mean there were other motives at play.
"You
decided to keep her instead of Renge-chan?"
Higashino asked, looking
puzzled that I had kept Dress instead of Renge.
I briefly answered while
pointing to Dress with my thumb,
"She
has the Equipping skill."
"Ah,
I see."
Higashino nodded in
understanding and stared intently at Dress.
Higashino observed Dress from
head to toe and muttered,
"Judging
by this pressure, she's definitely B-rank. And since she has the Equipping
Skill... is she Nemain?"
"Ooh!?
You got that right!"
"Heh
heh, I've been studying cards and monsters a lot lately."
When I expressed surprise that
he'd guessed Dress's race right, Higashino rubbed under his nose, looking a
little bashful.
"But
seriously, this card included, all the cards you brought looked really strong,
Maro. My squad members were all intimidated by the pressure. ...Guess that
means your journey was really tough, huh?"
"Well,
yeah."
"I
see... I'm really glad you made it back."
Higashino patted my shoulder
lightly and started walking.
I was grateful for Higashino's
attitude of not prying too deeply in moments like this.
Only the hard sound of our
shoes echoed in the silent night corridor.
There was hardly any sign of
people inside the school.
Well,
it is nighttime. Still, I feel there are too few people...
I thought like that while
glancing around.
"There's
hardly anyone around, right?"
Higashino said, noticing my
reaction.
"Everyone's
holed up in places like the Mayoiga. ...Until recently, it was lively even at
night, with people in the manga cafe and watching movies in the audio-visual
room."
"Did
something happen?"
When I asked, Higashino
briefly hesitated, showing a slight reluctance to speak. But when I prompted
him with my gaze, he sighed softly and answered,
"I
mentioned a B-rank monsters invaded earlier, right? Well, during that, stray
fire hit the school building directly. ...A few people died.”
Hearing that, I observed the surroundings
and noticed a section of the corridor that was suspiciously pristine and looked
brand new.
At first glance, it looked
flawless, but it had actually been repaired.
Higashino then leaned close to
my ear, whispering so Ai couldn't hear,
"...Some
people are saying that if you had been here, there wouldn't have been any casualties.
It's just a few people, though."
"I,
see..."
I understood why Higashino had
hesitated earlier, and I nodded.
Well,
if I hadn't been there during a crucial time, those kinds of voices would
surface, I guess.
Truthfully, if I'd been
present, it's highly likely I could have prevented those casualties.
Athena's pseudo-safe zone
could easily cover this entire school.
But,
since the school people don't know that, it's just scapegoating... but I can't
blame them for thinking that.
After
all, we ourselves acted in a way that made people believe, "He could
have done something."
Excessive
trust instantly turns into distrust the moment a flaw appears.
The
deserted feel of this place might be a reflection of their deep-seated doubt in
our Adventurers' Club.
As we climbed the stairs
talking such things, I saw an armored angel ahead—Anna's Dunamis.
Standing nearly three meters
tall, the Dunamis stood guard before the club room like a gatekeeper, looking
slightly cramped with its head scraping the ceiling.
"Alright,
I'm off to continue my patrol. Let's chat more later."
"Yeah,
later then."
I waved goodbye to Higashino
as he left, and just as I was about to speak to Dunamis, the gatekeeper—
"――――Senpai
!?"
Anna burst through the door
with a bang.
Without pausing, she threw
herself into a strong hug with me.
"Welcome
back!"
I smelled a faint, pleasant
citrus scent. Her body was warm. Plus, I felt a voluminous, soft sensation
against my abdomen.
And that smile as she looked
up at me, eyes glistening with tears, made my heart skip a beat.
"Wahh!
I'm so relieved you're safe... I was worried, you know!"
"A-Anna..."
Just as I unconsciously moved
to hug her back, all expression suddenly drained from Anna's face, and she quickly
pulled away.
H-huh...!?
As I stood there confused,
Anna took a step back and scrutinized me from head to toe before muttering,
"Senpai,
that appearance..."
Ah,
ah... I see, so that's what it was.
I understood what she was
wondering about and nodded.
"I'll
explain that later. Don't worry, it's really me. More importantly, where's my
mother?"
Anna glanced at Ai, who was grinning at us like the Cheshire Cat, and then
turned to look behind her at Tanya.
It was only after Tanya, who
had [Deceit Detection] skill, gave a firm nod that Anna's smile returned.
"Your
mother is this way.”
We were led into the club
room, and Anna pointed to a corner of the room.
"Oh,
Kochū no Ten?"
When I overlaid Audrey's vision
with my own, I saw a large Chinese-style jar there.
"I'm
going to see my mother first. Sorry, but we'll talk in detail later."
"Yes.
Please take your time, and don't worry about us."
Anna smiled as she saw me off,
and I entered the Kochū no Ten with Ai.
"――――You
must be Master's family. We have been expecting you."
Upon entering, we were
immediately greeted by the old man who was the core of the Kochū no Ten.
"Where's
Mom?"
"Right
this way."
The old man led us to the
front door, which opened onto a bedroom where Mom lay asleep on the bed.
Ai and I leaned over to look
at her sleeping face.
"...Mom,
have gotten so thin," Ai whispered.
"Yeah..."
My mom, whom I hadn't seen in
a month, looked more haggard than I remembered and even seemed to have aged a
few years.
Noticing the presence, my
mom's eyelids slowly fluttered open.
"……Utamaro,
Ai?"
"Mom!"
"We're
home."
With a start, her eyes snapped
open, and she pulled us both into her arms.
"Utamaro!
Ai!"
"Mommyyyy...!"
Hugging my mom and Ai, who
were quietly crying, I finally savored the joy of having fulfilled one of my
duties.
***
Translator(s) note: In case some of you miss it, there's also a translated bonus chapter that can be accessed by free and paid members on our patreon. Here is the link~
[ANNOUNCEMENT]
We decided to have
a GOAL starting now:
IF WE
EARN $225/month for AT LEAST 3 MONTHS STRAIGHT from Patreon membership, WE
WILL ADD ANOTHER ADVANCED CHAPTER ON EACH TIER on our Patreon!
The advanced chapters are
based on the original schedule, and we make sure we stick to it on
Patreon, so you might get MORE than that! Please check our Patreon!
We set the “earning
visibility” public so you can always see it.
More people joining means
more advanced chapters for you Patreon members!
Previous chapter | Novel page | Next chapter
Please help
us out and get Advanced Chapters on our Patreon!
Or you can
keep our spirit up by buying us Coffee (人ゝω・）
