Chapter 72
I really need to stop procrastinating… I was planning on starting to translate three chapters again from this week since I'm not as busy anymore, but at this rate I might start doing that from next week. Thanks for reading~
We have come near the star rabbit tribe's village.
However, without returning directly to the village, we will wait until it becomes night in the forest nearby.
I can't let them realise that I slipped out of their village and went to Buranikka.
Once it becomes night, I plan on using the underground pa.s.sage to return first.
And then, Kureha will come join me tomorrow morning as my visitor.
It seems that Kureha was quite lonely every night when I wasn't with her, so she wants me.
I'll give her plenty of love. My compatibility with Kureha's body is quite good.
It has finally become dark.
Leaving Kureha behind in a tent, I depart.
… I wonder if Setsuna and Co. are doing well?
I'm especially worried about Guren who transformed herself into me. She lives however she likes to after all.
While feeling an unpleasant premonition, I proceeded further and further inside the underground pa.s.sage from the entrance.
I come out inside the room that we are borrowing.
When I take my head out of the floor, I suddenly feel a glance.
"You finally came back. Setsuna was waiting and waiting for Kearuga-sama." (Setsuna)
While swinging her white tail, Setsuna rushed up to me.
Setsuna's ears are good. She must have noticed that I was approaching from below before anyone else.
"Sorry for being late. I took more time than expected." (Kearuga)
"No, it's okay. As long as you come back safely." (Setsuna)
Setsuna embraces me.
I strongly return the embrace.
Setsuna's wolf ears are twitching. It seems she has sensed something.
"Kearuga-sama smells like Kureha. Were you embracing each other until just before?" (Setsuna)
She's sharp.
As expected of the ice wolf tribe. They are sensitive to these sorts of things.
"That's right. I was embracing Kureha until just earlier. … I'll give you plenty of love tomorrow as well, Setsuna. I have been missing your body." (Kearuga)
"Happy. When Kearuga-sama wasn't here, it was always lonely." (Setsuna)
I rub Setsuna's b.u.t.t, and she leans her body on me.
We exchange a kiss.
She's a cute one. I'll give her plenty of love.
Everyone else realises that I've returned and come over.
"Geez, Kearuga. You made us wait too long. A lot of things happened." (Eve)
It's Eve. She spreads her black wings intimidatingly.
She is swelling her cheeks, but it seems that she can't hide her delight from my return as her mouth has become less tense.
"… Guren-chan was sulking and it was very difficult." (Freya)
Freya seems tired.
She was probably following up for Guren.
That reminds me, where is Ellen and Guren?
"Where did the remaining two go?" (Kearuga)
When I ask that, Eve opens her mouth on behalf of them.
"At the strategy meeting. The outward side one. Since they are going to start moving in two week's time, so there are a lot recently." (Eve)
"How should I put it, shouldn't you be going as well?" (Kearuga)
"It was Ellen's decision. Since it's a bit suspicious, she said that it would be better for me to stay in a safe place. In reality, making strategies and negotiating is Ellen's forte. But I also go for the important ones." (Eve)
I feel like that's the correct choice.
Eve has times when she becomes too pa.s.sionate. It's not unlikely for her to make a strange promise from the momentum at the spot.
In that case, it would be better if Ellen listens to the story once, carries it back home, tells Eve the story and let's Eve make a response after properly concluding.
"It seems Ellen has been working hard." (Kearuga)
"I'm a bit surprised. To think she was such a smart child. I understand why you made her your comrade even though she can't fight." (Eve)
"Well yeah, I made her into my comrade because she's useful." (Kearuga)
I'm pleased with Ellen's appearance and body.
It’s also exciting that she is Freya's younger sister as well.
However, I wouldn't make her into my comrade from just that.
She's a burden that holds me back in battle. I prefer not to walk around with unusable tools.
Ellen's ingenuity is useful. I don't know of anyone else who is such a tactical genius. Disadvantageous battles are exactly where Ellen's talent s.h.i.+nes.
Speak of the devil, Ellen and Guren who has transformed into me has returned.
Guren sweetly smiles, and jumps into me… it's quite disgusting to see her do that with my Kearuga appearance.
"Hey~♪ Master returned. Now I can return to my original appearance!" (Guren)
I ordered Guren to constantly stay in my appearance while I was absent, and she was bound by that order.
The order was terminated by my return.
She delightfully makes a "kon" sound, and somersaults, returning to her kitsune cub form.
She shakes her whole body, stretches, and then grooms herself.
She's fully enjoying acting like a kitsune again after several days.
Cute.
I tightly hold her in my arms.
"Uuu, it's painful. Release me. I'm going to curl up and sleep as a kitsune next." (Guren)
Guren struggles in my arms.
"Hou, is it fine to say something like that? Even though I bought a souvenir for you just as I promised." (Kearuga)
While hugging Guren, I sit down. And then, I take out a lump of meat from my bag.
That is what Guren wanted. Expensive, soft and delicious beef.
It's un.o.btainable unless the town
"Guren loves master a lot♪" (Guren)
She became quiet in the blink of an eye when I showed her the meat, and opened her mouth widely, pestering me.
"Hahaha, you cute fellow." (Kearuga)
I carry meat to the fluffy kitsune cub's mouth and stroke her. While I'm at it, I enjoy her paw as well.
I'm being healed from just doing this. Small animals are unfair.
After feeding her plenty of meat, Guren becomes full. Since I also became satisfied, I let her go.
Just as she declared, Guren curls up and starts sleeping. As Guren would say, she's sleeping as a kitsune.
Well, I should return to the real issue soon.
I need to learn about what happened in the village.
"Ellen, tell me what happened while I was away." (Kearuga)
"There was some slight trouble, but it mostly progressed as you had expected. As the first phase of the strategy, small scale uprisings will occur in places a long way off the demon capital as a diversion. In two week's time, they are planning to cause uprisings in three places." (Ellen)
The uprisings that have been leaked to the demon king's forces.
It will certainly fail.
… Before that, we need to get the jump on the star rabbits and send the snow of death to the demon capital.
"It's a good thing it proceeded with just some slight trouble. I thought Guren would have made more of a mess." (Kearuga)
"It's simple. Guren was prohibited from talking in public. If I sent a signal, she would either nod or shake her head. I didn't allow her to do anything else!" (Ellen)
She is saying some terrific things with such a happy smiling face.
… Guren must have been quite stressed.
I think these parts are what remained of princess Norn.
Princess Norn prioritized efficiency, and cut away everything else. She's the type of commander that would have military gains but is hated by the people there.
"What about the actual attack on the demon capital?" (Kearuga)
"That is going to be decided from now. … I have been delaying it with the tribes that are cooperating with me after all." (Ellen)
"Good work." (Kearuga)
Ellen was delaying the meetings so that she could gather information.
Deciding on the strategy without having all the information present is like walking on a minefield with a blindfold on.
When I told her I'm bringing Kureha along, I also said that I will bring back all the information she gathered until now.
This time, there's even data that Bullet got from thoroughly investigating.
Ellen would surely be able to use that and construct the most optimum strategy.
"Ellen, I will report to you as well. I was able to safely join up with Kureha. Tomorrow morning, she's going to come to the village. As war potential, well, I guess you could think of it as if there's another me." (Kearuga)
"That is great. In that case, the degree of freedom will increase by quite a bit. Fufu, it will be worth displaying my ability.." (Ellen)
"Also, I have a souvenir. These are doc.u.ments that the hero of the【Gun】, Bullet, made after investigating the kingdom's inside. I've already thrown it into my head. … Make sure to read this thoroughly." (Kearuga)
Ellen turns over the pages of the doc.u.ments at an extreme speed.
Once she finishes reading everything, she returns the doc.u.ments.
An instant memory ability. That is Ellen's special skill. According to her, it seems anyone would be able to do it depending on their training.
"I have remembered everything… if by any chance the demons learn of those doc.u.ments, it will be troublesome, so I recommend burning them, since I have already stored it all in my mind." (Ellen)
"In that case, I will do so." (Kearuga)
"… Fufufu, that was incredible. The amount of information, and quality. The authenticity is also quite high. There are no discrepancies in this whole volume, and it also coincides with the information I have gotten from our journey. … There are no problems with constructing a strategy based on it." (Ellen)
Ellen happily smiles.
She is smiling, but in her mind, she is drafting a strategy with tremendous momentum.
Well, I've finished hearing what I need to hear.
"Everyone, let's just slowly talk today. I've bought good alcohol after all." (Kearuga)
I smile at everyone.
Other than work reports, they probably all have things they want to tell me.
With the alcohol I bought as a souvenir in one hand, I'll restfully listen to them.
They all seem to have things to talk about, so they start opening their mouths.
Good grief, if I'm imprudent, they might even take until morning to finish.
I somehow ended the complaint tournament at a suitable time.
As I thought, they have all been tense from being in an enemy's village, and they are exhausted.
I want to quickly kill the demon king and return to our freewheeling journey.
Ellen slipped out of the complaint tournament midway and thought up countless draft strategy patterns using Bullet's doc.u.ments as a base.
… And then, with a pale face, she said "There is an unbelievable pitfall" to herself.
I will probably understand the meaning of those words soon.
We all peacefully sleep in the same room.
After waking up, I gave Setsuna and Eve plenty of love.
Since I overdid it, they both fainted.
… I had been doing it with Kureha recently, so I accidentally used her as the standard. Kureha is strong and has stamina, so we have been doing intense play, but… it was too extreme for the two.
I'm going to have to reflect.
Well, both of them fainted with a happy face, so that's my only salvation.
With bright red faces, Freya and Ellen are in a daze.
I'll make them senseless tonight.
I put on clothes and leave the residence.
Noisy. Guren, who was out on a walk accompanied me.
She excitedly scrambles up my body and gets on top of my head.
"For you to follow me on your own accord, what kind of change of mind is this." (Kearuga)
"I don't really know. I-, it's not like I'm happy I can meet my master after so long or anything!" (Guren)
I don't quite understand Guren.
Maybe, Guren is emotionally attached to me in her own way.
Just before I left, she did give me advice by just barely breaking the divine beast rule while being resolved for the risk.
Once we return, I'll brush her.
The demons start making a racket.
Well, of course they would.
After all, for a human to come to this hidden village is impossible.
The star rabbit guards surround Kureha and ready their weapons.
Well, let's go.
At this rate, it will grow into a fight.
"Everyone, calm down. She is my comrade. I thought she could become part of our fighting power for subjugating the demon king, so I called her over." (Kearuga)
Their eyes gather on me and return to Kureha once again.
The racket becomes bigger, and Carol, the star rabbit tribe's chief, comes out.
"So she was your visitor, huh… I am surprised. To think you are able to call that【Sword Saint】." (Carol)
"Do you know Kureha?" (Kearuga)
"She's a celebrity among the demons. The notorious demons that invaded the human world were dealt with one by one by her." (Carol)
The【Sword Saint】is dispatched when the Dioral Kingdom is in a predicament.
She answers to predicaments like when notorious demons are fighting.
Kureha inevitably encounters demons many times.
… I'll need to be cautious. There will probably be demons that hold resentment towards Kureha even among our allies.
"That person herself is becoming our ally. Isn't that rea.s.suring? We don't have anyone as qualified to protect Eve." (Kearuga)
Carol's expression cramped for one moment.
To him, it's basically as if Eve's a.s.sa.s.sination jumped up one level higher.
I walk towards Kureha.
"Thanks for coming,【Sword Saint】Kureha Claylet." (Kearuga)
"If it is your request, I will go anywhere, Kearuga." (Kureha)
And then, we shook hands tightly.
It's barefaced, but there's no helping it.
I can't say something like I went to meet her in my absence.
Now, our fighting power is in good order. We have also obtained information.
All that's left is for Ellen to construct a strategy that makes the best use of our powers and execute it.