Episode 12 Lovely Princess Descent
“…He died”
Tengai informed me about that fact with a monotonous tone.
“Yes, that’s true. Oh, Joey, you were showing off until the bitter end… you have mistaken being heroic and showing off. You’re a small fry like all the others, and now you know how it turns out when you try to act cool-”
I spontaneously spilled my grumbling. Then, suddenly I realized that Tengai and I are looking at the same person.
“Tengai, you unexpectedly care about Joey huh?”
“…It’s not like I care about him or anything, it’s just that I happened to see him after that foul mouth had been with the princess for several days.”
Uwaah, what’s with this tsundere?!
“Be that as it may, it appears the battle has started to favor the monster’s side.”
“Yes, it has.”
It can be said the human side is almost routed.
Around the headquarters, elite adventurers and the army were somehow holding them at a stalemate, but they were outnumbered after all. Once they get surrounded, that will be the end.
The way I see it, I can now roughly understand the strength of human being adventurers and monsters in this land (If this was Eternal Horizon Online, at best they would be at the strength of the monsters at the second town area where players arrived after they finished the tutorial).
There were almost none of the necessary things here, so I thought…
But why is it that, inside of my chest, there is a swirling of mist?
I don’t think it’s that I want to help human beings because I was originally a human.
In the first place, my impression of the monsters that I have met ever since I resurrected here was that their behaviors are all similar to human beings, if I leave out their brutish appearances. There’s no need for me to distinguish them.
That is like one having a height of 3m, green skin, 8 eyes, 3 fangs in its mouth which breaths fire, and having 7 arms in total. You will realize they are different when seeing them for a bit ―By the way, the time when I unexpectedly met him on my way back returning from the restroom at midnight, I made a soundless scream. “~~~~~~?!?” I think I would have completely wet myself if I had met him before I got to the bathroom ―But, they show anger, they show laughter, they grieve, and they show their actions, the like of which humans keep a secret since they tie it very to profit and loss. The monsters are very honest, and I like that.
Therefore the scene below, for me, it’s like watching a war in a distant country.
…However, something is making me not fully satisfied.
“By the way princess, it’s just my personal opinion but―”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Is that fine with you, not bringing the monsters in this land as followers of our ‘Imperial Crimson’?”
Hearing those words, the hazy mist in my chest burst open.
“―Now that you mention it, that’s right. I have done nothing but a.s.sert one side, not a.s.serting the other side would be unfair right? Good work for pointing that out. Then, Tengai, could you send a message telepathically to bring 2-3 helpers from the castle?”
“Affirmative.”
And then, I again glance at the small corpse which lies down at the corner of the battlefield.
“…And I still haven’t handed you your quest reward either.”
It can be said that the battle outcome was already decided.
In front of the injured people who were being carried one by one, Gald was fretting about what he was going to do. Should he retreat from here? Or should he bank everything on one kamikaze attack against the ogre king who hadn’t yet released his entire battle strength?
“Vice Guild Leader Gald!”
The call which contained a bit of panic from his subordinate could be heard there.
“Mia? You’re still in a place like this!? Shouldn’t you take the injured and quickly take refuge behind here!?”
“Umm… Joey-kun is.. Joey-kun is not with the injured people, did he come through here?!”
In a desperate state, she grabs Gald’s chest, even so Gald shakes his head.
“No, after he went to the front lines, I never saw him.”
“Is…that so.”
That alone made Mia understand the boy’s condition; she tightly bit her lips. Suddenly a person came towards them, leaning on his companion’s shoulder. Mia opened her eyes wide confirming it was really him.
“Guild Leader! You were safe!!?”
Gald also became disgruntled from hearing that; he rushed over to that person, Collard.
“Ou, you made it out alive!”
“…Yeah, thanks to my devil’s luck.”
Nonetheless, his magical power was used up completely, and he was unable to walk from total exhaustion.
“Still, you came with quite good timing. ―Mia, please take the guild leader and withdraw behind here. Guild Leader, sorry, but when you have regained a bit of your strength, please take over command for me.”
“You…what are you going to do?”
“Well, though I know how far I can go, I shall help out with the last struggle in vain.”
“….”
In contrast with Gald who grinning fiercely, Collard along with Mia realized the meaning of his words and downcast their eyes in silence.
Then―
“W-what is that….!?!”
“…An Ancient Dragon?!”
“No, that’s not it! I never heard of an Ancient Dragon which is that huge!!”
At the place where the three of them directed their gaze within the surrounding uproar, there was a huge dragon s.h.i.+ning in gold. It had a wingspan of 200m and the length from the tip of the head to its tail was about the same. There was no doubt it was currently descending from heaven.
But, what made those 3 people direct their gazes wasn’t because of that, it was the one who stood proudly on the dragon’s head. A very tiny figure compared to the dragon’s large size, and yet it was someone who gave out the presence that was no less than the dragon. The girl who wore a dress colored jet black with red roses.
Joey’s body became comfortably warm, it was a nice sensation like getting into lukewarm water. Slowly he opened his eyelids.
“Yo, Joey. How is your body’s condition?”
Joey tried to raise his body that was lying on the ground and sat in a half raised position. He turned toward the palm of a hand which faintly s.h.i.+ned; there Hiyuki was smiling care-freely. Joey suspected that this was heaven, and the one before him was certainty a G.o.ddess.
“You…why…wasn’t I dead…”
“Yes, you were dead. I didn’t know if resurrection in this world was usable, so I just abruptly performed it. Looks like it works. You had a good luck eh.”
“Resurrection…? What’s that?”
(TL/ED Note: She said resurrection in English)
“Oh, it’s my skill. Come think of it, I haven’t told you my occupation. To tell you the truth, I have two. I have obtained both the highest peak of swordsmen ‘Sword Master’ and the highest peak of priesthood ‘Saint’.
Don’t you think its quite interesting? A vampire princess who got into the highest peak of the darkness family has two jobs after all, and the one I chose was ‘Saint’. I was called ‘Race cheater’ and ‘Dark cheater’. Really, how rude of them.”
Hiyuki said that in a huff. Feeling like it was the ordinary Hiyuki, Joey laughs.
“Haha, I don’t know what you’re talking about. But, you sure an amazing person.”
“Though you only say ‘amazing’… I also believe I’m a big-shot though. Putting that aside, I have a reason to bring you back from the underworld. If you remember, I still haven’t paid the quest reward to you right? That’s why, well… the money is more like a mere fare of the Styx River carriage, but I believe I shall pay you here.”
Saying so, Hiyuki brought out the continent’s common silver coin from her back pocket.
“If I am not mistaken, the average payment was 2 silver coins and 8 copper? Then with the overdue fee, I’ll leave it out as 3 silver coins.”
Getting presented with silver coins in her small hand before his eyes, Joey sank into silence with a bewildered expression.
Behind these two (More accurately with Ten’gai in his dragon form displaying his glare to those surrounding), within ma.s.ses of human beings who were viewing the situation from a distance, 2 people, no… one more who was being carried behind a hugely built man, the three people jump in with a great haste.
“Joey-kun!”
“Joey, you are safe?!”
“Why is this young lady here…?”
“My, everyone was safe. Unfortunately this is none of your business, so could you all calm down a little?”
Her plain words made the 3 people who were approaching suddenly stop.
“Well now, Joey. Since after this I have other business, I wonder if you would accept this?”
“………no”
“Hmm? Are you discontent with the amount of money?”
“That’s not it. I’m receiving a fee when I didn’t work for it after all. That’s why I won’t accept it.”
“Nah, I believe that as a client I am already satisfied with the result. ―Hey, what should be done in a case like this, Mia-san?”
Mia-san’s mind went blank for a moment, getting put on the spot all of sudden, but she pulled herself together and replied.
“Concerning dealing with a case like this, and on top of that without a prior contract with a clear doc.u.ment, it is left to the discussion between the adventurer and the client.”
“Hmm, then, in the end you won’t say yes. I wonder what would make you agree.”
Hearing that Joey thought about it with several breaths.
“That’s precisely why you should allow me to guide you around the town. After I’ve done that, I would accept the payment.” He said it clearly.
“…Nah, even though you say that you’ll guide me around, the town is in such a bad condition. I also plan to go to my next destination.”
“Then, when you have free time, it’s okay if I guide you around right?”
“I don’t know when I’ll have that time you see?”
“Any time is fine with me. In the first place, didn’t you say yourself that ‘the quest’s period isn’t fixed’? If that’s the case, then no matter how many years pa.s.s, there won’t be a problem with the contract right?”
That speech made Hiyuki open her eyes and mouth wide dumbfounded. Joey who was previously always getting told, was finally able to make Hiyuki speechless and he smiled like a brat.
“…I give up, that’s true I said that before. Then it can’t be helped, the contract will be continued until next time I come. ―Then, I have to do something so that the town would be safe until I finish sight seeing right? Good grief, a natural airhead jumped over logical reasoning eh.”
Hiyuki shrugged her shoulders and muttered to herself. Hearing that, Collard and Gald look at each other’s faces with a surprised expression.
“Then, I have to clear up this other business, so it’s time for me to go.”
Joey got up and faced Hiyuki, and had only just stood up straight, he asked her lonesomely,
“―Will you come again?”
“I already said it before, right? Until you become full-fledged, my money is in custody, so I will come back at the time you become full-fledged.”
“Ah yes. Then, I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah, stay well.” Then she proceeded to address the 3 people who stood completely still behind him. “Also you guys too. ―Mia-san, even I though I said it like that he’s still not hearing me, that’s why you had better keep a leash on him. Vice Guild Leader Gald, keep mastering your body rather than your head with the same training. Guild Leader Collard, I think you have a problem as someone who is in a top position, but as a person, you are a fine man.”
In the end Hiyuki said that and waved her hand, turning around. Even toward the awaiting monsters lead by the ogre king, she walked relaxingly.
Joey once again gave a farewell “Goodbye, Hiyuki.”, and the remaining 3 people gave their salutes behind her back.
(Episode 12 end)