Airi and Lisa―― Earth History September, 2618 ――
― A certain room in the Stania Empire ―
– Dating back 1/2 a year ago.
3 men and one woman were talking in that room in the Stania Empire.
However, only one person was not sitting in a chair.
That man stands as an escort behind another man that was wearing a number of decorative items.
The overly gaudy looking decorated man floated a repulsive smile.
「His Majesty, the Emperor is likely to extend his reach to the Midogal Kingdom soon.」
The woman, who had the sense of an adventurer, replied to the man’s comment.
「Well, that’s right.」
The other man that had the same sense as the woman, opened his mouth to speak.
「His Majesty is currently ambitious.」
「That’s why I brought you a request. It may not be soon but perhaps Midogal will be covered in conflict. Before that, I would like to obtain a sublime sub-human female as my slave. I want to add a slave to my collection that has good features such as being beautiful, has unusual skills and is strong. My slaves have been tormented recently and some have died and the number has decreased. 」
「As per usual, Toran-sama has excellent hobbies.」
「Really? 」
The three of them displayed vulgar smiles.
「The better the slave that you bring me the better the request fee? The deadline is 1 year at longest and the more slaves you bring the better. Of course, I trust you…… So, I will ask you in confidence? Though I have no problem with enslaving slaves, it is illegal as expected is it not? I think the Emperor is aware of it but because he imposes the supremacy of humans, slave hunting is prohibited on the only on the surface only to project a good image of the Empire. I’ll give you 10 platinum coins as an advanced payment. After that… I will a.s.sess each slave I’d be buying and pay the appropriate amount then. 」
The overly gaudy decorated man pet.i.tioned the adventurers.
「Slave hunting as the first request, huh. is more challenging and inconvenient but still worthwhile.
Well, we are S rank adventurers, so it seems that we have to earn money by crossing dangerous bridges. 」
The S rank adventurer man accepted Toran’s request while flashing a faint smile.
「My hobby is a big part of what I am. I like the desperate face of an opponent that is caught in my trap. The feeling of hopelessness of the opponent when the slavery collar is fitted … … It’s the best ever. Of course, I also like money, because I want to buy a magic tool after this job…… 」
The woman floated a more disgusting smile that the S ranked adventurer man while showing madness in her eyes.
「Is it OK to think that you would receive it? 」
「「Of Course (yes) 」」
They agree with Toran with a vulgar smile.
「Then I will pa.s.s you the collars of subjugation, if it is just this, it should be enough.」
So, Toran handed over 20 collars of subjugation.
The 4 people left the room in secret afterwards. ――
――Earth history January, 2619 ――
――Midoria・Lisa and Airi’s residence――
―― It was a month and a half ago when Louis captured the Time of mourning Labyrinth.
I, Airi is relaxing while drinking tea at home as the adventurer work today is finished.
It has been 1 year and 6 months since I have left and been apart from Louis-sama.
The s.p.a.ce-time room that Chronos made was said to make the body grow at 10 times the speed.
If you are still in that s.p.a.ce now, will you be 20 years old?
While I was thinking about that, Lisa-san, who was at the bar today, came home.
You seem to have brought someone along with you?
Even though no one else has ever been in this house……It is unusual.
「Airiー. I have returned. We have a visitor today. 」
When I heard Lisa-san, I looked over and noticed a pair, a man and a woman behind Lisa-san.
The man has a muscular body.
Is he an adventurer?
He had a neutral face with short, flaxen hair.
Is he not a little handsome?
Although I’m not very interested.
The woman was beautiful with a slender body.
Unfortunately, this place is not very presentable for a meeting.
Her hair dropped down to her waist and like the man, has flaxen hair.
I think she looks like a man somehow.
The male greeted me with a friendly smile.
「Good evening. My name is Cross. Nice to meet you. 」
The woman also greeted me with a smile like a sunflower.
「Good evening. I am Asha. Cross and I are brother and sister, nice to meet you. 」
「Nice to meet you, I am Airi. I live here with Lisa-san and adventure together. 」
「I was drinking with Lisa until a while ago, I heard at that time, did you become a C ranked adventurer one year after registering? And you are close to B rank too, isn’t it a promising future? 」
「No, it is mostly thanks to Lisa-san」
I was praised by Cross-san but in fact, it was because of Lisa-san’s ability.
「What are you talking about, you guys are not S ranked are you not?」
I was surprised to hear that these 2 were S ranks.
S rank adventurers do not appear very often in Midoria.
Having just a few S ranked adventurers…… is quite strong.
Speaking of which, recently Lisa-san will not party with anyone else but me.
So, my friendship group has been getting very narrow recently.
I can’t speak for other people though……
I’m worried about Lisa-san’s current state.
If these 2 people become friends with Lisa-san, will the current situation change? I tried to imagine it.
After that, I went to bed after a while, but the 3-people seemed to continue be drinking at home and making noise throughout the night.
It is pleasant because I can hear happy voices from my bedroom.
―― Earth History February, 2619――
―― Midoria outskirts ――
I have trained Airi as an adventurer and made a party with her.
I took quite a bit of a safety margin when doing requests, so I never partied with other people.
I have received a lot of party invitations.
However, I’m an elf who is said to be excellent in appearance and in saying that, I did not want to be invited to a party due to that.
Also, apart from the I have a party with Airi, some people have also invited me to a party of only A ranks.
I felt tired of receiving party invitations.
With such a feeling, a man and woman approached me while I was drinking at the bar and that frustrated me.
That was the brother and sister pair, Cross and Asha.
After finding a kindred spirit in the two people at the bar, and having invited them to a house, I made friends smoothly.
It has been 20 days from that day when I also found kindred spirits in the two.
Now, I am in a party with Airi, Cross and Asha, I am in a captured dungeon near Midoria to improve the cooperation of all four people and train Airi.
I have seen parties with Cross and Asha several times.
As a result, I feel that it is OK for these two parties to organize as a party.
「Airi, suppress the Ogre ahead 」
「Airi, they are not moving while being suppressed, it is dangerous, is there a trap? 」
As expected of two people that are S ranked, the advice is reliable and accurate.
Even so…… Fufu this reminds me of when I was in a party with Sarah, Dan and Garuwin.
「Lisaaa, stop grinning to yourself and help meee」
「Ara, how thoughtless of me, I’m sorry. I will help immediately. 」
I finished the request today in this way.
In that way, on the way back, Cross looked at me in earnest and spoke to me.
Airi was talking to Asha.
「Hey, Lisa, is it OK if I ask you a question for a moment? 」
「What? What’s the matter? 」
For the past 20 days, Airi has been in the favour of Cross.
If it is not something extraordinary, what kind of request do you have?
「Actually…… all four of us have been active in the party…… 」
Cross has never been in a party of 4 people before.
「Amongst the party members that we are formally organising, we have Elves and Humans. This time, decided to diversify ourselves a little more, but I took unilateral action to go to a dungeon with a reasonably hard difficulty…… 」
Cross joined up with the elf in front of me.
When I look at Cross’ face, he was inarticulate in his speech and has an apologetic look on his face.
「Taking separate action, what’s the matter? 」
I felt a little uncomfortable but I urged Cross the continue.
「Well it seems that 2 people got a little injured in the dungeon. And it seems that bandits attacked on their way back from the dungeon. A human named Orion managed to run off somehow, and an elf thing…… named Lara got caught by the bandits. 」
I feel for my Fellow Elf that has been caught by bandits…… I feel bad.
「So, it seems that Lara has ended up as a plaything for the bandits! Orion seems to somehow managed to get some information. And with that information, Orion came to us the day before yesterday. We want to help Lara the Elf! But maybe there are too many bandits? I think it is bad of me but I want to borrow Lisa’s and Airi’s strength. I will not force too much on Airi logistical support is enough. 」
「Whereabouts are the bandits?」
I can’t confirm that we will go without the location.
I would like to help and really want to hear more about the request.
「The bandits are in the Stania Empire near the border of the Midogal Kingdom and the Stania Empire. Though I was hoping that the guards in the Stania Empire would move on them, it seems that they will not bother if it is for elves. 」
Certainly, listening to the rumours about the Stania Empire, it does not seem like they will rescue elves.
I pondered while listening to Cross’ story.
Because I’ve been waiting for Louis in Midoria, I can’t leave Midoria till then.
However, there is an innocent elf that is a plaything for bandits.
I can’t leave this alone……
But because Airi is involved too, I have to consult her too before deciding.
「Please give me a day to decide, I will have to discuss this with Airi first just not here. I’d like to go if possible. 」
I spoke to Airi when I returned home.
As a result of discussion, of course, Louis is a matter of concern, but we decided to ourselves that we are not going to forsake an elf woman in trouble.
I told that to Cross and Asha the next day.
Then, it seems to take about 10 days to prepare, and we were asked to prepare for the trip as well.
So, until the day before departure, I continued doing requests nearby with Airi.
Then, when it was decided that we would depart the next day, I headed to the guild with Airi to accompany her to her B rank examination.
Due to Cross and Asha, I was able to do quite a lot of requests, so the Airi’s ranking points were raised and points needed to qualify for the exams were acc.u.mulated at once.
――Earth History March, 2619――
――Midoria Adventurer Guild――
「What sort of business do you have with Lisa and Airi?! 」
When I entered the guild to take the B rank exam, I heard Cross-san yell from inside.
Though I did not see the reason why Cross-san should yell at me, I also I don’t see any reason for anyone to be rude.
Lisa and I looked at each other in surprise then approached Cross-san with quick steps.
Next to Cross-san, there was a man and a beastman girl.
The human man who was shouted at by Cross-san opened his eyes wide.
It is as if he was surprised to see Lisa-san and I.
From that person.
I got an impression of a nostalgic atmosphere.
But, first, I’ll ask Cross-san about what happened.
「Cross-san, why are you yelling for? 」