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Volume 3, Chapter 26

 

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Translator: Manga0205

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「U, um. Well then, please come this way.」

「Ahh, don’t mind me. I’ll wait around over there.」

　Saying that to the employee and waving her hand, Rokuna went out of the 『Tianot Company』.

　The midday main street was bustling with a lot of people, and silly conversations and gossip could be heard from here and there.

　Although it looked peaceful at a glance, various feelings towards the war could be felt from the all of the conversations.

　Excitement, fear, delight, disgust──the reactions of the people varied.

　When Rokuna surveyed the area while concentrating her focus on the clusters of voices, suddenly, something red entered the edge of her field of view.

　Thinking that the one called Seira had already come back, she turned her eyes towards that direction……and was startled.

「What is that……」

　Wearing full-bodied armor and carrying a gigantic battleaxe, it was a man that was bright red from top to bottom.

　He had bristled up red hair, and red eyes with an appropriately intense look.

　His sharp and well-ordered features strengthened his aggressive impression even more.

　There were fiendish looking thorns found here and there on his red full-body armor, and it looked like one could expect considerable damage with just a ramming attack.

　What was even more surprising was that all of that armor had powerful magical power dwelling within it.

 

　There were several ranks to typical equipment.

　The lowest rank was for goods that could be made with the standard technique, 「Common」.

　They were goods that could be normally purchased at the local weapons store and were the goods that were in circulation the most.

　The next rank is 「Famed」.

　They were things that possessed performance higher than Common, and were created with special manufacturing methods. Things like arms used as Magic Swords would also be categorized in this rank.

　Those that surpassed Famed were part of the highest rank, 「Signature」.

　Things classified into this rank are not arms that have an established manufacturing method. They were super first-class goods that capable blacksmiths would miraculously produce, and they would attach their signature to those goods.

　Now then, in that case, what category would the things that this red man have fall under?

　With Rokuna’s diagnosis, they were most likely Signature.

　The strength of the magical power kept within the equipment wasn’t normal, and was most likely on a level that would be a match for the the Northern General Altejio’s Light Burying Sword Auraal.

　The problem was whether or not the man’s abilities corresponded to his equipment, but……Rokuna couldn’t really tell that.

　Just as it was possible to conceal it or disguise it with regards to a 『Reveal Crystal』, it was possible to deceive Rokuna’s Magical Power Perception as well.

　She couldn’t feel that much magical power from the man, but it was also possible that the man was suppressing his strength.

　At any rate, from the point of view of the ordinary people, it could only be described as 「arms of bad taste」.

「Oi, what’re you looking at.」

　As Rokuna was thoroughly looking at his armor, maybe because he noticed her gaze, the red man approached making a *zun zun* sound.

　Rokuna, not looking at the displeased man himself, noticed that the red color of the man’s armor wasn’t a coating but the color of the metal itself, and raised a voice of admiration.

　If, for example, it were with Blood Metal which was a local specialty of the Dark Continent then this color would be possible, but that was still at the stage of being taken into consideration for exportation to the Jiol Forest Kingdom, and it shouldn’t be appearing on the market in mankind’s territory.

　Going “however”, Rokuna started thinking.

　If Blood Metal arms were mixed in among the items that the Hero’s group brought back during Demon King Gramfia’s era, it wouldn’t be strange for it to exist here as well.

　Since quite a bit of property that was in the Demon King Castle during that time was stolen, there might have been some Blood Metal equipment among those as well.

「……Oi, are you listening?」

「Ah? What. Don’t get in the way of my noble thinking time.」

「Getting in the way you say……You were the one that was rudely staring at my great self.」

「Haa? What’re you saying when you have equipment that just insists “I want to stand out” from your whole body. You couldn’t possibly think that you’re dressed plainly, could you?」

　Maybe because he had a bit of self-awareness of that, the red man went *guh* and was at a loss for words.

　After Rokuna breathed a bored sounding sigh, she looked up at the red man who was far bigger than her.

「So you really are self-aware of it.」

「Sh, shut up! It’s not like my great self is loitering around this place because I want to!」

　After the red man shouted while turning red even in the face, he cleared his throat and looked around.

「Hey, oi.」

「Don’t wanna.」

「I haven’t even said anything yet!」

「I won’t listen to the request of an idiot that picked a fight with me.」

　After the man, who tightly clenched his fists and was trembling, repeatedly took some deep breaths, he formed a smile while his shapely face was twitching.

「Guu……S, sorry. I apologize, so I’d like it if you listened to me for a bit.」

「Noー way. Why don’t you ask someone else.」

「Guh……Whenever my great self goes to someone, everyone just runs away! They won’t even talk with me!」

　Hearing the red man’s words, Rokuna reflexively burst into laughter.

　That was only natural. Just who in the world would approach a thorny, fiendish-looking man like this by choice.

　Getting into a bit of a better mood, Rokuna changed her mind and decided to listen to the man for a little bit.

「Okay, okay, this kind and beautiful woman will be someone you can talk to. So? What is it?」

「……There are all sorts of things I want to say about that, but whatever. I’m searching for someone. Around here, it’s kind of, purple……they’re more likeー, a fluffy, small kid.……Well, I’d say they’re a bit smaller than you? Have you seen anyone like that?」

「I’m not exactly sure how I should reply to that kind of vague description.……」

　Although she was fed up with it, Rokuna thought back on the places she had walked to today.

　However, she had no recollection of seeing a child that would be classified as being 「purple」.

「I haven’t seen any. They your family?」

「No, ahー……Well, it’s fine. Thanks.」

「I haven’t done anything though. I’ll at least pray that you find them.」

　After sinking into a bit of silence looking like he was troubled as to how to respond, the red man opened his mouth.

「……I’m Olred. My great self will also pray for whatever it is that you are looking to do for as much as you have prayed.」

　Seeing the response of the red man called Olred, this time Rokuna was surprised.

　Just when she thought that he was a rough man, it seemed that he strangely had some sensitive parts to him.

「Really? Then we’re even in this.」

「Ou, that’s true.」

　Seeing Olred heartily laugh, Rokuna giggled as if she were lured into it.

「It’s Rokuna.」

「Nn?」

「It’s because you one-sidedly told me your name. With this, the debts for you from me have decreased by one.」

　Hearing those words, Olred tilted his head.

「I had a conversation with you who was being avoided, right?」

「……Oi oi……」

「What. It seems that conversing with a beautiful woman would cost money in society, you know?」

「No, well……I guess it’s fine. Well then, my great self will be going.」

　Saying that, Olred lightly waved his hand and turned around.

　While looking at his back, Rokuna thought back on the person that he was searching for.

　The fact that they were in this town, they were probably Human but……just what kind of person were they.

　Equipment with that much magical power kept within it wasn’t something that someone on the level of the punks that attacked Rokuna today could prepare.

　In that case, they might be a person with a certain amount of status.

「Well, I suppose that doesn’t really matter right now.」

　Once her investigation on Summon Magic was finished, he should be someone that she would never meet again.

　It would probably be enough to command the Intelligence Group to perform a follow-up survey or something in the distant future.

　As she thought about that, since there was a voice calling out to her from behind, Rokuna turned around.

「Ro, Rokuna-san! Sorry to keep you waiting!」

「Yes, yes, I wasn’t really waiting for long anyway.」

　Seeing the figures of Sharon and Ein running over, Rokuna expressed an apathetic smile.

　Just as she was thinking “that was an unexpected way to kill time”, she noticed that Kain and Seria weren’t there.

「They’re not here, are they. Those two, did they go past adolescence and elope or something?」

「E, elope!? That’s not it! They went to get Kain’s equipment!」

「……Just the two of them?」

「U, uu……I also wanted to go, but I also didn’t have my equipment.」

「Hーn.」

　After Rokuna replied sounding disinterested, Sharon trudgingly went into the 『Tianot Company』.

　Rokuna gazed at Ein who stayed behind, and talked to her with a tone as if she were talking gossip or something.

「Be sure to do things in moderation, okay? The one who will be in pain afterwards is you.」

「……I understand that.」

「Really? Then it’s fine.」

　Hearing Rokuna’s words, Ein nodded.

　That’s right, she understood.

　Kain and Sharon and the others were Human, and Ein was a Mazoku.

　No matter how well they got along, that was only because Kain and the others were under the impression that Ein was Human.

　……If they were to learn that Ein was a Mazoku, just what kind of reaction would Kain’s group make?

　Thinking that, Ein trembled a bit.

　Just as Rokuna said, Ein had gotten too close to Kain’s group.

　Even if there were a lot of useful things in the information obtained through that, Ein had crossed over the line that she should have drawn as a spy.

「……Ein.」

「Yes.」

「You are probably, trying to go down a similar path that person had taken. That is why I will tell you this now. What lies down that path……is nothing but despair.」

　That person──was the great Demon King Vermudol.

　The Demon King that felt despair with mankind, gave up on the best conclusion, and yet continued walking as he pursued the optimal future.

　Being reminded of that figure, Ein closed her eyes.

「……I understand. However, there is no way I can run away when that person didn’t run away. That is why, even you are in this place, isn’t it?」

　Hearing that, Rokuna made a wry smile.

　Having been told that, this time was where Rokuna should pull back.

　Ein’s loyalty had not changed and was still with Vermudol.

　And since Ein herself had reconfirmed that, she could only go with it.

 

　It was right at that time that Seira and Kain had come along.

「Thanks for waitingー, wait. Huh? Is Sharon not ready yet? Maybe we should just go already……」

「Hold on, Seira. The one who was asked to do things was me after all!」

　Adding in Sharon who hurriedly came out, everyone was finally present.

「Well then, let’s go. Erm, which way was the gate again?」

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