(098) On top of the Wyvern
Translator: Tseirp
“ … Suzuki, can’t you fly lower?”
Five people were riding on the Wyvern.
The Wyvern had an extremely wide wingspan but small body. There were only 3 stable positions, on top of its head, neck and the center of its back. With Suzuki sitting on the neck while Haru and I sat atop the center of its back, we were already over capacity.
Of course, even the place we were on was not that s.p.a.cious either so Haru had to cling to me. I could feel 2 mounds on my back. It was a sensation of 2 bulges that would have been a lot more enjoyable we were not at our current location.
In that situation, there wasn’t any s.p.a.ce for the others to seat. Thus, Carol had to sit on my shoulders.
I imagined that it would be quite frightening sitting on someone’s shoulder while riding on a Wyvern but Carol apparently had complete faith in me and in fact, she looked like she was having fun being so high up. Maybe she enjoys being high up because she always has to view objects from a lower position?
It’s the second time I’ve given Carol a shoulder ride but it was still quite amazing. It might even become a habit.
There’s probably no better position to feel the sensation of a girl’s thighs.
Despite that, I was giving her a shoulder ride while seated in an unsteady position. It took my all just to maintain my posture.
Incidentally, Marina was at the precarious position further away near the tail but due to the characteristics of a Street Performer, she apparently won’t fall no matter how bad the balance was.
Even though everyone could get on, just by looking at the situation, it was clear that we were over-capacity. I worried if we would fall from the skies.
I actually said that I would go alone but Haru said that she’ll go too and Carol also said that her ability might come in use like just now so she also wanted to follow. On the other hand, Marina said some incomprehensible words like “My blood yearns for battle.”.
Well, I decided that it would be more convenient if we are all together as we can hole up in My World when the need arises so this arrangement was better.
“Don’t worry, this Wyvern has already eaten 7 Rare Medals and is my excellent partner. I met it immediately after coming to this world so it’s already been a year.”
“You encountered a Wyvern immediately after arriving at this world!? I’m surprised you survived.”
Incidentally, the first monster I met was a rabbit.
The body tackle from the rabbit was quite painful. After that, there was even the incident where I was almost killed by Kobolds.
If my first encounter was a Wyvern, I would have probably grumbled “What’s with this s.h.i.tty game.” and died.
Just as I was beginning to have some respect for Suzuki,
“No, this one was still an egg when I met it. I believe it registered me as its parent due to the imprinting phenomenon.
He corrected me.
I see, so that was what happened.
Then, I looked below.
It was about 200 meters up?
We’ll probably die if we fall.
No, If we fall, I’ll cast My World and I’ll be able to save everyone except Suzuki by transporting them to my world.
“Nevertheless, have you always been doing things like these?”(Ichino)
“Things like these?”
“To be honest, you don’t have any obligation to help Ferruit right? It’s not like I’m one to speak but I only partic.i.p.ated in the fight after we had secured a 100% safety margin fighting method but it doesn’t look like you have such means?”
“Certainly … it’s not a 100% safe fight. But the fights I’ve been dragged into have only been dangerous ones.”
Suzuki said like he was mocking himself.
“But it’s because this is what I ended up wishing for.”
“What you ended up wishing for?”
I would understand if he said it’s what he wished for. It would mean that he himself wished to live that lifestyle.
But, ended up wishing for … I replied with a question to the strange phrasing he used.
“I’m saying that my blessing is Protagonist Correction.”
“ … Ha?”
“It’s quite common right? Action movie protagonists where all the bullets shot by enemies miss them or detective novel protagonists where they stumble onto cases one after another no matter where they go. Where the women they encounter are all beauties, mysterious helpers would come to their aid when they are about to be killed or where the enemy’s footing crumbles at the critical moment. That’s the Protagonist Correction. That is the ability I received from G.o.ddess-sama.”
Suzuki laughed while saying,
“In fact, when you asked me to compete with rock, paper and scissors, I didn’t really mind not because of my luck stat but because I could depend on my Protagonist Correction.
He explained.
Protagonist Correction huh?
Certainly, unlike me who only spent interesting moments with girls, listening to Suzuki, he really sounds like he’s been living the life of a novel protagonist who encounters nothing but adventures.
Hn? Does that mean, in other words,
“Protagonist Correction, in other words, it doesn’t mean that only good things will happen to you right?”
“Yeah. Like I said earlier? Like how the protagonist of a mystery novel gets embroiled in various incidents wherever he goes, that is also due to Protagonist Correction. I’m not bragging but whenever I stop at whichever town, there has not been a case where nothing happens in 3 days.”
Uwah, that’s a seriously miserable blessing. So there’s also a predisposition to getting tangled up in issues.
If we’re comparing the degree of how miserable it is, it could compete well with Marina’s Street Performer job release blessing. No, even the Street Performer can have 100% accuracy and become a person famous with the bow like shown before so it might actually be even more pitiable than that.
Well, it did let him pick up a Wyvern egg the instant he came to this world.
“Hah, I’m glad I’m not a protagonist.”
“Yes, Ichino-sama is not a protagonist but our master.”
Carol who was seated above my head said.
What a wonderful thing she said.
Eh, no, it’s not really that great?
Kusunoki-kun, try looking below.”
Suzuki seated at the Wyvern’s neck said to me.
“Oi, there’s no way I can look down while giving someone a shoulder ride! Describe to me what you see!”
“Ah, that’s true. Sorry. There’s a herd of monsters below. They are headed to Ferruit.”
“Then we’ll have to quickly exterminate them.”
Let’s land somewhere and I’ll be able to reconsider our seating arrangement.
Or so I thought but Suzuki shook his head.
“Even though Marina-san is shooting her magic bow at the monster crowd below right now, we’re on our way to confront the mastermind so we shouldn’t stop here. Why don’t we leave these monsters to my companions?”
“… Ah, understood. Marina, try to reduce the number of the monsters as much as possible.”
“I know even if you don’t say it. Ichino, I leveled up.”
Hearing Marina’s reply, I was slightly relieved.
【Ichinojo Leveled up】
… Ah, I leveled up too. It seems like my Magician level went up.
I see, of the experience points from the monsters Marina defeated, ½ went to Marina while the remaining ½ was divided by 4. In other words, Marina got 5/8 while me, Haru and Carol got 1/8 of the experience each.
Yup, it sure is great to take it easy.
Eh … wait, what a waste!
Among my jobs, 2 of the 4 were already at counter stop.
What a waste of experience points.
For now, I’ll a.s.sign Fire Magician and Earth Magician.
Since even though it’s just 1/8 of the experience points, I have the special characteristic of only requiring 1/20 of the experience points to level up.
My levels should go up with this setting.
Neither Fire Magician nor Earth Magician at their respective level 1 was stronger than my counter stop Apprentice Magician and Apprentice Pract.i.tioner but when comparing against their level 1, they boasted close to double the stats.
Since it would be better the greater my MP was.
There aren’t any disadvantages to leveling up these jobs.
“I can see it! There!”
Suzuki yelled there ― but where is there?
I already said I can’t look down.
“We’ll be plunging in. Prepare for battle.”
Plunging in!? Eh, seriously what’s the situation below?
I could tell that we were lowering our alt.i.tude.
But, immediately after, I was rocked by a large impact and when I looked around ― we were in the middle of a monster herd.
I seriously thought that I want to go shut myself in right now.