A False Flag
It was a day close to the approaching Therese graduation day.
The weather becomes warmer as spring approaches. On such continuing fine days, Renya party keeps on endeavoring with their jobs uncared for these small changes.
Renya party keeps on without any restrain undertake any job available there is. But they also make it clear that their main job will be that of monster subjugation mission. If asked why it was because the balance of income and expenditure in that job is better than any other job available.
If it was a normal wanderer or someone from the warrior guild who are a normal human, then they will definitely have large expenses if they went to a monster subjugation job. Those expenses are usually revolves around medicines, traveling means, camping equipment, foodstuff, and many other necessity.
To add to that, if their weapon and armor get damaged, then repair cost will also add to the expenses. It was not as easy as in a game where such kind of expenses got ignored to a certain extent and hunting monster would give a large sum of reward.
But for Renya and his party, hunting monster is even easier than in game.
Their equipment doesn’t wear out from being used and they won’t get hurt by those kinds of small fry even if they take a hit so medicine is also unneeded. In the first place, even with just a bit of ingredients, they can create many medicines without regarding the law of equivalent exchange. The expense that they should cover is for the camping purposes only.
Even for that only expenses, Renya who have become the jack of all trades in the capital and build up many achievement, will got a great deal of discount if they shop in place that have received help from them. That is literally almost every shop in the capital. Their expenses when doing monster subjugation jobs are far lower than that of a normal human so of course they earn a lot from it.
And so today, Renya and Floria are doing a monster subjugation job in a forest near the capital. They have already slain the target monster and are on their way home by walking on the highway. Eventhough they just finished a monster subjugation job, their appearance are very clean without even a speck of dust. The monster part that is used as the proof that they have done their job is placed inside a leather bag but they don’t bother carrying it all the way home. They can just store it in their divine s.p.a.ce while walking then take it out again when they get close to the city. And of course, when no one is watching.
The target today is the monster that runs rampant in that forest and devastates it, a Sirkabear. Just like its name, it was a bear-type monster.
Sirkabear appearance is that off a bear with a much enlarged body but the thing that differ it from normal bear that Renya knows is their long sharp claw that can even cut steel. Those Sirkabear have just awoken from their long hibernation in this season and because of that, they are abnormally ferocious from their hunger. If those bear number don’t get reduced fast, it will devastates the forest and will give serious impact to those who make a living from it like the hunters and the woodcutter. So they submit a subjugation job for controlling their population.
And just like the job order, Renya had subjugates five Sirkabear with ease. The two walks back to the capital with light step.
“N~, With this we got 8000 en eh? Quite a nice job isn’t it?”
“That is because of the urgency and danger level is quite high so they also reward handsomely”
Renya just whisper to himself (Well, the reward should be high enough to balance the risk anyway so that’s about right)
By the way, this work can be taken by many, but each party / group won’t get extra reward if they subjugate more targets. It was to aim opportunity equality among the job taker so the reward don’t go gather one-sidedly just to a bunch of people. If asked why that is because this kind of job affects greatly to the influx of wanderer and traveler coming to this city. Those kinds of people who have skill definitely won’t stay long in a city that doesn’t have any job available for them.
This kind of rule applied systemically everywhere in this world, be it a major city or a small village. Because it was already proved fact that places with high amount of people coming and going will have its economy grow faster.
The two also abide by that rule, defeat the necessary number only, and leave the forest just like that.
On their way back, they sometime come across parties that is fully equipped with heavy armaments. From their look, they must also take the subjugation job and is now heading to that forest. Because of that, Renya and Floria feel that even if they don’t work hard, the peace in the forest will eventually come and it won’t take that long.
The two walks in a leisure pace. With their walk speed, they will reach the capital by dusk. They can just fly back home instead of walking and get home faster but because of a word from Floria, they decide to just walk home.
“I’ve been lacking Renyanimin nowadays! Let me replenish it!”
“What the heck is Renyanimin anyway? A kind of vitamin?”
“It was a mystery nutrition that a main character of a romcom gives to the heroines!”
“Is that something you have to say yourself oi? Haah, well let’s just hear how you want to replenish that ‘mystery nutrition’”
“I will say it straight out! Let’s do romantic love love things!”
“Okay! I will take you on that!”
And that is the cause.
Even if Renya interacts with Floria with a slight of annoyed expression, He is very lenient when it was about Floria. It was maybe because they have known each other for almost a century but the number one reason is that, they are on the same wavelength when it was for doing mischief or to just simply having fun.
Even if that’s not the case, Renya can’t remember the last time he and Floria have this kind of quiet time with just the two of them together so he just let Floria do what she wants while leisurely walking the highway.
“Therese and her friends will have their graduation ceremony soon, talk about fast right?”
“It’s been a while since we arrived to this world eh”
“Isn’t it only just been around two months? Oh but doesn’t this continent winter a bit warm? I don’t even see any snow”
“This place seems to have temperate climate with no step change in the temperature”
“I kinda wanted to see the scene in this other world while the landscape is covered by snow. But well we will get to see it someday anyway.”
They talk nonchalantly while walking together. Floria keeps on hugging Renya’s arm along the way. They don’t come across many people on the road and the weather is fine, it was a perfect chance for a date while walking out like this.
It’s been a while since they get together just the two of them like this so the talk between them just keeps on great.
“U~n……”
“What’s the matter Floria?”
“No, well, it’s just that Renya’s body has become… more… G.o.d-like……”
Floria whispers that line while rubbing her cheek against Renya’s arm with an ecstatic expression in her face. That action made Renya feel taken aback a little.
“What the heck did you say? that kinda creeps me out you know?”
“Sorry sorry just kidding. What I mean is this reconstructed body of yours has becoming more and more like those of a G.o.d”
“Well I don’t feel anything bad from it so I don’t really mind it much but really things change as time pa.s.ses right?”
“That might also be right but, I think the number one cause is because we already have done ecchi things”
“Is that so? So the more I do ecchi things with you the more I become a complete G.o.d? That sounds interesting”
“I feel happy yet I also feel sad because Renya now can express ecchi things openly like this. But that aside, the reason your body become more G.o.d-like in a fast pace like this is because the pure divine attributes from me, a purebred G.o.ddess, flow out to you after we made a ‘connection’ that night. Oh, and don’t worry about your attributes flow out to me and makes my purebred impure because as a being, I am still ranked above you and things always flow from higher place right?”
“So in short I am steadily evolve into a G.o.d right? or should I say G.o.d-volve?”
“It can also be said as an adaptation. Because when a soul of a G.o.d resides in a body of a man, that body will naturally try to keep up with the soul”
“And the conclusion is that in order for me to completely become a G.o.d so I can use my divine power in maximum capacity, doing lots of ecchi things with Floria is a good way to achieve it right?”
“Hey! I didn’t say anything like that”
“Fu fu fu, you don’t need to say everything my dearest, I know. I never know that you try that far only to get my attention like this”
“Don’t get too full of yourself you jerk”
Floria pulls Renya arm that she hugs while saying it. Because of that action, Renya’s right arm gets buried on the valley of Floria’s rich twin mountain. Of course it was just their usual joke and Floria doesn’t really mad or anything. And Floria also purposely pulls Renya arm to give ‘service’ to him. Not stopping at that, she also made it so Renya can feel her easily by moving right and left alternatively. This G.o.ddess is a skillful one.
“Well, increasing the number of harem is a good thing but please don’t forget to take care of me too- kind of appeal? I-it’s not like I want you to do ecchi things with me, don’t be misunderstand okay!?”
“Why suddenly tsundere mode?”
“Well it just that unexpectedly Brenda doesn’t have any tsundere side on her so I kinda want some tsundere action now and then”
“That really came out of nowhere. Anyway you just fine being yourself you know?”
“Nyufufu~ so you like me best when I’m being myself? Renya is such a ladykiller”
“Hey! I didn’t say anything like that”
“So did you say you don’t like this feeling in your hand!?”
Renya’s sense of touch in his right hand is under control from a sensation which seems to gives out sound effects ‘boing boing’.
That shangri-la was a place that can only be experienced by someone known as a riajuu in his previous world.
“No, it’s the best! Do more”
And Renya who were not included in that riajuu circle in his past life would never think of letting go such a delicious moment.
“Okay~ as exchange, I will stick even closer~~”
It is unclear whether Floria tries to her breast to Renya or trying to hug him but in that awkward position they continue walking forward. If that happened inside the city then lots of single man will definitely look at Renya with jealousy and envy.
But suddenly the two hears something that broke their pink moment.
“…… I can hear sound of someone fighting just a bit further ahead”
“And I can only hear metallic sound…… the enemy seems to be bandit or the likes”
“Eventhough this is the outskirt the one who attacked have such boldness to attack here where it was close to the capital. Let’s go Floria, it will feel bad if we just ignore them”
“Roger~~”
As soon as they finish talking, they ran through the highway with an unbelievable speed. Even if it was called a highway, the road was built by only clearing the trees along the way so the road is surrounded by forest. The forest isn’t that dense so the road isn’t dark but it still obstructs the view.
The two managed to get close the source of the sound they heard without anyone witnessing them. To understand the situation more they conceal themselves behind a tree and hide their presence.
A canopied cart is being surrounded by people that wear dirty hood and leather armor. They use sword and axe as their weapon. And a few people that seemed like the cart escort confronted them.
No matter how you look at it, it can only be interpreted as bandit attacks but Renya had his eyes on the escort’s equipment.
Their armor, sword, and shield are made from fine steel. Those equipments are that of the best quality even in the capital.
In addition to that, the escort skill is also trained well. There are only four of them but they still can manage to keep on defending the cart from the bandit attacks which numbered two times from them with clever tactics and cooperation.
Not stopping at that, the one who seems to be their commander, a hooded knight, display an amazing feat with his command. When he see chances he goes to the attack, when the situation is getting bad he draws back quickly. Each and every order he make is an excellent one. He don’t wildly swing his weapon nor hiding behind his shield all the time like a turtle. Instead he splendidly divides attack and defense proportionally so he can overturn their outnumbered situation.
“They don’t seem to need any help but……”
“But they will take some time to finish it right? If the battle gets dragged on then there might be casualties”
“That’s right. And it also feels bad just looking at them like this. Besides……”
“Besides?”
“That cart, it might seems modest but the quality is high. This might be a chance to raise a flag with a n.o.ble that we had longed for since we first come to this world!”
“Ah, that standard flag of helping a n.o.ble? Really, Renya can’t be helped with this kind of thing”
“Well, I consider that as one of the romance from doing a trip on a different world. Anyway, we have come this far to check them, might as well help too”
“Haha that’s true. So let’s go!”
“Ou! Let’s mop them up fast. Floria, you go from the right side. I will beat those three in the front”
“Roger~”
With a simple battle tactic, Renya and Floria plunge into the battle.
The only one who realizes their approach from the back is the hooded knight.
“Who are you!?”
“It seems not needed but we come to help!”
Because of Renya sudden appearance, the hooded knight becomes careless with the bandit in front of him and about to get hit by them. But then Renya slips through the crowd and stand in front of the hooded knight in order to protect him. With divine sword Vansurb in his hand, he brandishes a horizontal slash. With that brilliant one slash from him, the bandit’s sword alongside with its owner and two other bandits got cleanly cut into two. Three bandits dies instantly from his one strike.
(To know the reason why they attacks then sparring one person is enough)
With that in mind, Renya then notices a bandit that seems to be giving the other bandit orders from a behind. That guy must be this bandit group leader.
The bandit that is bewildered because three of them got instantly killed by an unknown person get even more shocked when realizes that Floria had also beat two other of their member. With that, the conclusion of this battle has decided.
Rather than doubting the people who give them support, the hooded knight chooses to finish the battle first. He commanded the other escort to go on an all out attack. With that all out attack, the bandits completely lose their fighting spirit.
“Ceh, I don’t know who you are but how dare you disturb us!”
“Thanks for that very standard line”
In the moment when that bandit boss draws his short sword, Renya quickly cut it in a flash. With a dull metallic sound, the short sword blade parts got cleanly cut, leaving only the grip which is still inside the bandit boss hand. The bandit boss who can only look dumfounded at his ‘used to be’ short sword then receives a sweep from Renya and get held down in place.
Renya doesn’t really need to pull out a divine sword in such conditions but he thinks that going on such a scuffle with bare hand would attracts too much attention so he used Vansurb. But because of how fast he wrap the fight up, the escort still amazed by him and their gazes are focused to him. In the end he still attracts too much attention.
After that, the escort ties up the bandit boss that was held down by Renya and they also buried the bandit corpses. After they done with the cleaning up, they start introducing themselves to the other party.
“To be frank…… we don’t really want the ident.i.ty of the person escorted here to be leaked out“
Renya who was in cloud nine for knowing that the person inside is someone high ranked indeed made a guts pose inside his head. But after hearing that line from the escort he immediately gets dejected. The flag won’t rise this way! Well in the end it was only in fiction where things can go smoothly like that. He can only give up his dream.
The sudden change in his emotions doesn’t show up in his expression. From the escort point of view, Renya talks to them in the totally normal way.
“I understand. It is already good to know that there are no casualties in your side”
“Is that so? Thank you for your understanding. It really helped us a lot. Expect to be rewarded soon in the future from the ‘back channel’…”
Suddenly the hooded knight who kept silent until this point scolds the escort who was talking with Renya.
“Oi what’s with that ‘don’t ask for details’ and giving them their reward from the back channel? Isn’t that rude toward these saviors who give us help on such a dire moment?”
“Y-yes indeed, but”
“In the first place you guys fails when it comes to information gathering. Don’t you realize anything when they introduce themselves?”
“N-no…… nothing especially……”
With that response from the escort which made the hooded knight angry, he ordered that escort to stand back. Then the hooded knight moves forward.
“You say that your name is Renya right? Aren’t you the wanderer who instantly solves the raid case from that lunatic group called Ordough sect toward the academy?”
“Yeah that would be me…… Is there anything about it?”
“Just as I expected. I thought that you are someone really skilled but looking at your G.o.d-like swordsmanship earlier, I realize it was just the tip of the iceberg. You can’t fool my eyes you know?”*
Because of the hood, his expression is hard to read but looking at his smile under the hood, Renya knows that he feels happy now.
And then after thinking for a while, the hooded knight opens up his hood and shows his face to Renya. He is a blonde haired handsome young man with a n.o.ble looks. Even Renya can’t help recognizes his handsome face.
His almond shaped eyes gives a big impression to Renya but what he said next gave an even bigger impression.
“My name is Gerard Von Sirkaberia, this country first prince. I have big expectation to your skill and I would like to ask you to give me a hand for some matter. Would you like to hear it?”
The escort soldier does a facepalm while heaving a sigh. This prince seems to be that sort of troublemaker from how the soldier reacts but to Renya and Floria, they got a different reaction toward this happening.
((Why it’s not a princess!?))
The flag of meeting a person from a high cla.s.s had risen but they didn’t expect the gender to be swapped like this. What a confusing false flag.