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Volume 1 Chapter 4-1: Hotaru

「Well we should get to sleep soon.」

We stayed up way later than expected thanks to this sudden turn of events. I didn’t really have any way of telling the time, but that’s how I felt.

We would be getting back on the shaking carriage and continuing on our journey in the morning. It would be best for us to rest since we had the opportunity, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to last.

「Alright. Well then Master please go into the carriage and rest. I will keep watch tonight.」
「Eh!? Ahh right. We need to keep watch…then I can keep watch while you go take a rest Sistina.」

There was almost no chance I could sleep soundly while I left a girl alone outside to keep watch for danger. Even if we agreed to take turns on watch I suspected that if Sistina had the first shift she would be careful not to wake me and would just continue watching. If we were taking turns then I should be the first.

「Soujirou. I shall keep watch. It would be best if you rested tonight ja. I believe that you are far more tired than you think noja. You can stay with the girl too. After all, I do not especially need to sleep.」
「I see…I’d definitely be at ease if Hotaru-san kept watch for us. Well, I’ll just accept your good will and take a break.」

Truthfully I was very grateful for Hotaru-san’s proposal. In actuality my body felt heavy.

In this world with lower gravity than what I was used to, I suspected this meant I was quite close to my limits at the moment.

「Master I have something to say if I may?」
「What is it Sistina? If it’s about keeping watch then Hotaru-san has already offered to do so, we can head off and rest.」

I stifled a yawn as I began heading towards the carriage when Sistina looked at me oddly.

「Master…I know today was our first meeting but I’ve seen you talk every now and then…I have to wonder, where is this Hotaru you speak of?」
「Huh?」

What the heck was Sistina saying? Hotaru-san has always been right here on my hip….

Oh…wait. Was she thinking that a Katana would be unable to speak so she thought it was something audible yet invisible?

「Ahh sorry about all that. I haven’t introduced you. The oodachi on my hip is named Hotarumaru. I call her Hotaru-san. Then this kodachi over here is Sakura-chan. They’re kind of like my family.」
「….alright. I can understand that. But I can’t really agree when you say they will take care of the watch for tonight…」

Eh…w-wait a minute. Could it be….?

「Can it be that…you can’t hear Hotaru-san’s voice Sistina?」
「Umm…weapons don’t talk I’m fairly sure…」
「Hotaru-san! You hear this!?」
「Nn, I heard. Hm? It seems like the only one who can hear my voice is you ja.」
「Why do you think?」
「I cannot be entirely certain. But I believe if this girl who knows most things about this world is saying such a thing, then the reason would most probably be from the only other thing she said she had no knowledge of. Your skills and your job ja.」
「I see…『Emerge』」

I took out my status window to check it once more.

『Fujinomiya Soujirou Lvl 3
Age: 17 Job: Magic Swordsman
Skills: Language Reading Comprehension
Basic Appraisal Arms Appraisal Repair
Extra Refining Spirit Training
Special Skill: Magic Transformation』

We had a preliminary understanding of Language and Reading Comprehension. Next was 『Basic Appraisal』…I felt like I needed to designate a target for it. For now I’ll select 『Carriage』

『Towed Vehicle Capacity: 8 people Durability: 34』

I see…it didn’t produce a window but instead appeared directly in my mind? It had also put the ‘carriage’ into a broader classification of ‘Towed Vehicles’.

Then next I’ll try it on Hotaru-san. 『Basic Appraisal』『Hotarumaru』

『Hotarumaru Rank: S+』

As I thought Hotaru-san is amazing! S+ rank! I don’t know about the classifications but I think it’s really high.

「Umm…Master? Why did you suddenly take out your status?」
「Ahh sorry. Basically even though you can’t hear it, I am able to converse with Hotaru-san. I was wondering if it might due to the effect of one of my skills.」
「It’s talking? Your weapon?」

Sistina brought her hand to her chin as she pondered.

「…I cannot say it is an impossibility. Magic Swordsmaster…Magic-Sword-Master are the root words…Normally it would be Magic-Swords-Man. A magical swordsman who can utilize a mixture of magic and sword arts….Master’s skills seem more suited towards a smith-type job and is similar to the name of a swordsmith.」
「Yeah! I got that impression a bit too. The Refining and Appraisal match it pretty well.」
「Master have you attempted Arms Appraisal yet?」
「Not yet. I’ve only done Basic Appraisal.」
「Then please do so. If my hypothesis is sound then I believe we can solve some mysteries.」
「Roger that.」

Un, Sistina’s reliable. Actually with such high spec people like Hotaru-san and Sistina around I’m feeling a bit commonplace. It’s a bit depressing.

『Arms Appraisal』『Hotarumaru』

『Hotarumaru Rank: S+
Refining Lvl: (Maximum) Essence Lvl: 0
Abilities: Empathy Communication Personification
Sense Presence Sense Killing Intent Swordarts
Body Strengthening (Human Form) Arms Repair
Light Magic』

「Ah!」
「Sorry, but could you tell me what it says?」

I started reading the results of the appraisal aloud since Sistina couldn’t see it.

All things considered, Hotaru-san’s specs are crazy~! She can even use magic?

「S+…Sacred Treasure Class? Furthermore the Book of Wisdom has no response…It’s never appeared in the world before? …let’s leave that aside for right now. Master’s Arms Appraisal has further confirmed my suspicion…your job seems to be able to communicate with special weapons and further strengthen those weapons.」

Oho…that truly sounds like the most perfect job for me. It’s just as god had said.

While we’re at it…

『Arms Appraisal』『Sakura』

『Sakura Rank: D+
Refining Lvl: 33 Essence Lvl: 47

Abilities: Empathy Sense Presence Agility Correction
Accuracy Correction Magic Correction』

Un, Sakura-chan is also pretty impressive. Her skills and ability corrections probably mean she has excellent ease-of-use. But it looks like she still doesn’t have Communication…that’s why I can’t speak with her properly yet…what a shame.

「Magic Swordsmaster should be a job that allows the person in question to communicate with weapons that have the 『Empathy』 and 『Communication』 abilities.」

I could sense a certain excitement inside Sistina’s words. Most likely her 『Book of Wisdom』 had allowed her to know almost everything she needed to since it was invoked. She had lost the opportunity to obtain ‘new’ knowledge.

I’m sure she was happy being able to learn something new for the first time in a while. I think that hidden beneath the surface, she had wanted to contract with me for another reason. Because she had finally found someone who could intrigue her and allow her to learn something new.

Then for both of our sake we should continue pursuing greater knowledge…but this was a double edged sword.

I was about to take a gamble…if by some miracle I was wrong I had no confidence in being able to keep my sanity. But in order for my great ambition I had to take this risk.

「Hotaru-san. Within your abilities is one called 『Personification』…could you please attempt to use it?」
「Hou, is that so? You believe it would give me a human form?」
「P…probably.」

I said it! I’m fairly confident that I was able to keep my mood, tone, and expression fairly calm…but if the personified Hotaru-san ended up being an ancient old guy or a 700 year old grandma…I don’t know if my love for Hotaru-san could remain the same…

「In short I should do it like you produced those windows Soujirou? I should focus inside myself and chant the phrase? Soujirou, take me out of my sheath and place me over there.」

Ah, that’s right. If I had her do it while she was still sheathed on my hip there was no knowing what could happen.

「Alright. Here we go…『Personification』」

Gulp….I couldn’t help but make that noise out of sheer nervousness. Sistina was also staring over with extreme interest.

Then in an instant I saw Hotarumaru’s form waver and warp before suddenly Hotaru-san stood before me.

「Hohoo…this is interesting. This is a human form?」

Hotaru moved their fingers open and shut, touched their face and body before moving their feet. As they did so, pure black long hair that fell down to their hips swayed in the air.

Even more amazing…two hills on her chest jiggled and shook as she moved….and my gaze moved slightly downward to the forbidden region!

PICTURE

「YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!!! I WON THE BET! I WONNNN!!!」

I cheered and screamed as I did a celebratory pose. With this I would have no trouble continuing to love Hotaru-san for the rest of my days!