Losing Interest in the Otherworld Hobby - Chapter 19

All in order to give her a recovery potion. As an emergency measure, I take out the liquid from the medicine item, wrap it in the paper and compress it into a capsule shape, and keep it in my mouth. I give it to the maid by mouth. In addition, this medicine is mixed with sweet syrup so that even children can take it, as I have a sweet tooth. It’s just the best of both worlds.

Since I can’t transfer the medicine in a soft state where our lips only touch each other, I pry open his mouth with my tongue and force the medicine into the back of his throat by evolving into a deep kissing state.

It would be troublesome if he resists in your mouth, but you are lucky that he is in a relaxed and relaxed state.

“-……!　…?　────?

The maid was shaking and trembling in response to my tongue. Unfortunately, I am not a technician. Soft contact gives me mental satisfaction, but not physical satisfaction. This is to be expected since we are only touching on the surface. On the other hand, deep contact is more physically pleasurable. Perhaps it is because of the stirring and writhing inside the body, or perhaps it is because of the sense of unholy immorality, that it provides a strong stimulation.

This is especially true for those who are experiencing it for the first time. Well, this is just my opinion.

I don’t want to tell you that I moved the maid’s body around a lot because I enjoyed her reaction.

I think the reactions are a little too big. ……. Well, you know, I’m a 25-year-old adult, right?

A cold sweat runs down my cheeks. The fever that had been aroused by the alcohol cools down quickly, but that’s what I call the aftermath. ……Yeah, I’ll pretend I didn’t notice!

“Pfft… What the h**l do you think you’re doing?

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

When I released the restraining spell and moved away, the maid glared at me. Her face was slightly flushed, and there were tears in the corners of her eyes. Watching her face, a mixture of guilt and satisfaction surged through me. You know, the magic of alcohol is scary, isn’t it?

“…… is this recovery magic?”

The maid checked her condition and muttered to herself in a daze. I injected her with a mix of medicine that restores her strength and magic to the maximum. The effects should be felt immediately.

“Recovery of physical and magical power at the same time?　How in the world did you do that? ……”

It’s my special magic. I’m glad to hear it worked.”

Good, it seems to have recovered properly. There’s no excuse for failure.

“…… was it necessary to make mouth-to-mouth contact?”

“It has to be poured directly into the body for it to work. It’s a special kind of magic.”

This is a rather bitter defense, but it is hard to deny since it actually works.

“Was it necessary to restrain him?”

“You wouldn’t have believed me if I told you beforehand, would you?”

“That,…… may be true, but…”

“Just out of curiosity, would you have refused my magic even if you knew it would work beforehand?”

“…… No, it’s an emergency. If you can recover, I’m willing to overlook most things.

Good!　We got consent!　Now we can’t sue them!

“However, I would like to hear more about whether it was really necessary to go to such lengths later.”

Yeah, I guess it’s not so easy to fool around. If I’m about to be chastised, I’ll show you my second traditional trick. We won’t have a chance to see each other in this ninja outfit anyhow.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

The maid, who had regained her composure, asked in a somewhat more relaxed tone. There had been some misunderstandings, but she seemed to recognize me as an ally. No one is stupid enough to heal their enemies.

Now we can finally proceed.

“I’ll take over here. You guys take shelter deeper into the forest.

Are you sure you don’t want me to fight with you?

“I’m good at stalling. Your job is to keep your daughter safe. You should mind your own business.

Pointing to the young lady, he informs her of the policy. The maid has no choice but to obey.

The young lady, who has remained silent for a long time, is standing there in a state of love. The lady seems to have been stimulated too much.

I could give her the same experience, but I will not do so because it would be too much trouble for the daughter of a lord.

“…… I will take your word for it and do so. I wish you good luck.

Thank you. You can hide in the cave up ahead. I’ll join you after I get rid of them and check on the safety of the other guards. In the meantime, you take care of the little girl.

“Yes, sir.”

The maid nodded deeply and proceeded to pull the still dazed young lady along.

The rest would be left to her high level of skill. We would shut out the pursuers here, but there was no guarantee that we would not encounter any demons along the way. I’ll keep an eye on them with the grant paper, just in case.

 

I guess we can rest easy now. ……Next, let’s see…

“Sorry to keep you waiting, bandits?”

When I turned around, the bandit who had been hiding behind the trees and watching me suddenly reassumed his posture. I’m really sorry to keep you waiting.

“Thanks for your patience. I’ll give you three options. The first is to fight and die. The second is to escape and die. The third is to confess to the mastermind and live. Yes, there are always three options.”

Well, I guess they were just watching because they were having a hard time dealing with me, the weird guy who suddenly appeared out of the sky in all black and had a kissing scene with me. I must be very suspicious.

“Now… choose. You’ll pay for interrupting my fun, and you’ll taste the consequences.”

It’s a perfectly villainous line, but so be it. Even justice is incompatible with another justice. Then it doesn’t matter if the enemy of evil is also evil.

“””…………”””

Unfortunately, no one seems to be willing to surrender at this point. Yeah, it’s a real shame…

“Don’t be so easily broken, okay?”

And so my gloom and doom began.

 

They, like professional killers, were slow to confess, even when I showed them the difference in power.

I take the opportunity to test the efficacy of the recovery item. They are sold at a high price, and even a human body that was damaged by a wrong move can be restored in an instant. Depending on the rank, it seems to be recoverable except for instant death.

After repeated destruction and restoration, some of them talk frankly to me, so I use a paper to stop them from talking, and then release them. Those who resisted to the end and died were erased from the world by Anko’s dark magic to hide the evidence. Terrifyingly, it is said that even Anko herself does not know the destination of the objects swallowed by the darkness. I’m afraid that even I would be obliterated by a single blow if I were to be hit by a surprise attack.

 

Next, the witch girl eliminates the pursuers of the lord who had stopped her. The result is the same.

Lastly, the rescue of the guards of the lord’s family is not going well.

It seems that the family of the lord had run out of strength in the early stages of the attack, walling themselves in to buy time for the lord and his family to escape. By the time I arrived on the scene, half of the men were already dead, but the other half were still breathing, though seriously wounded. The bandits’ only objective was the lord’s family, and it was probably a good thing that I gave priority to the pursuit instead of stopping the guards.

Those who were still alive were given restoratives and sleeping pills and thrown into a nearby cave. We do not want them to wake up and make a fuss, so let them sleep until the morning. The dead are left as they are, as I hesitate to touch them without permission. I will leave them to the reinforcements that will arrive in the morning.

I guess we can’t just go to …… and call it a day.

All the bandits have been eliminated, but we cannot be sure that new enemies will not appear. We should keep an eye on them until Grandpa Wal and the others arrive, just in case. We were supposed to meet up with the maid. We can let them join the lords, but we should avoid talking to grown men as much as possible. There is a guard made of grant paper and the meeting can wait until dawn.

Tonight, as a reward for this special business trip, we will enjoy our first close encounter of the third kind with a real lady and her maid.

 

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

 

Who are you?

It’s me, it’s me, it’s me.

“…………,…… are you done already?”

The maid, who had been hiding in the cave as instructed, seems to have sensed my approaching presence.

I greeted her with a wave of my hand, in a cheerful mood after finishing my work, and she asked me in a wary and suspicious tone of voice. It would have been better if I had a kitchen knife and a pair of scrubs in my hands instead of a dagger.

It had been about two hours since I had left them. And I’ve had enough of calling them “I’m a dancer,” so I’m going to stop.

“Yeah, they were naughty and mischievous, but they went home happy when I gave them sweets.”

“………… I see.”

The maid has a complicated expression on her face. I wonder if she wants sweets too.

“So, what happened to the guards?

the young lady, who has regained her composure, asks a question with biting force. I’ve already got someone to bite. It’s good that she’s in good spirits, but this girl seems to be a bit pushy and I don’t like her.

“…… half of them were too late. The other half have been treated and evacuated to a nearby cave. They’ll live.”

“………… yeah.”

The young lady’s eyes were downcast as she muttered in a trembling voice. Even if it is the mission of a bodyguard, it is a life offered to save her master. As the daughter of a lord, she must be offering a silent prayer of sorrow.

“The wreckage is left untouched. Reinforcements will be coming tomorrow, so please mourn with us.”

Some of them might have been saved if the guards had been prioritized over the lords’ houses, but the goal this time was to rescue the lords. If we had given our all, even at …… our best, it might have been a different story.

“The difference in strength was obvious. It would have been fortuitous if only half of them had been saved.”

The maid takes care of me. She has a cold expression on her face, but maybe she is kinder than she seems.

At any rate, we have achieved our initial goal. Now all that’s left is to keep watch until morning and bring the lords and their reinforcements together, and then my work is done.

Yes, I’ll do what I can. That’s what I promised Grandpa Wal.

 

After a short period of silence, I took a moment to observe the girls and noticed their outfits.

They were covered in mud and their clothes were in tatters from running around in the forest while fighting the war. Their beautiful dresses and maids’ uniforms were ruined and they smelled a little of ammonia. Perhaps, the young lady has been so frightened that she has gone a little bit short. She is slightly distancing herself from me and fidgeting.

“There’s nothing to do anyway.　I just have a lot of women’s clothes.”

“……I would love to ask you what kind of situations you carry women’s clothing with you?”

Oh, you’re going to ask that?　That’s my maid. You’re relentless.

“There’s a saying in my hometown that goes, ‘Be prepared and you’ll be glad. We always have clothes for men and women, young and old, so that we can deal with them anytime, anywhere.”

“……”

The dumbfounded look in his eyes hurts. Funny, this is actually useful.

“I’ll get you something in your size, and you can change into whatever you like.

He takes a goza from his pocket and lays it out on the ground, then lays out the clothes he bought at Tokaichi, water, and a towel on top of it.

“…… usually put your valuables in the rare items for storage?”

The maid follows in a tone of exasperation, but I pretend I didn’t hear her.

“I’ll be outside, call me when you’re done changing.”

I’m sweating too, so I’ll change outside the cave. I’ll check on the situation while I’m at it.

<<How are things going over there? >>

<<Everything is fine here, Master. There seems to be no one else in the forest.

<<But there are a lot of demons wandering around. The highest rank is 6.

<…… master, no sign of humans around the forest either>

<<< Okay, Kiiko and Anko, stay alert until the morning. Enko, keep the demons away from the cave. But don’t use fire!

<You don’t have to say it again.

The crisis should now be completely over.

However, I feel that this incident has proved that the witch girl is not useless. But the fact that she still can’t shake off the impression that she’s a clunker must be because of her bad behavior. You should reflect on your behavior.

……After about 30 minutes, the women who had changed their clothes gave us permission to go back to the cave.

The young lady was dressed in a common clothes that were easy to move around in. This is probably the best choice under the circumstances, but it is a little unfortunate that the young lady looks so good in casual clothes.

The maid was also dressed in a maid’s uniform. It was a good thing that I had found a clothing shop in Tokaichi that sells unique clothes, and had bought a variety of them. The maid said to me, “Why do you even have a maid’s uniform? I’m not worried about it. If a maid takes off her maid’s uniform, she becomes just a housekeeper, so a maid’s uniform is a must.

I can’t think of any witty lines to say, so I’ll refrain from praising their clothes. Come to think of it, have I ever praised a woman’s clothes in my life? I think back seriously and feel seriously depressed.

Anyway, I feel more relaxed and at peace when I get dressed up, both mentally and physically.

“…… can I rest easy now?”

“Yes, my lady. But although there is no sign of bandits from nearby, there are some higher-ranked monsters in these woods. Let’s hide until morning and then make our move.

 

The young lady seemed relieved to have the maid’s approval.

This time, I, a sloppy person, worked hard and was mentally exhausted. I guess sexual harassment is tiring for the harasser, too. I didn’t know that.

Just when I was thinking that I should have a meal and take a rest….

“Then we can have a nice talk from now on, can’t we, Mr. Assistant?”

I guess I’ve been holding out for too long. The young lady said, her eyes shining brightly, like a hunter who has found a rare animal that can be sold for a high price. Is it any wonder? A mysterious third party interrupting a life-or-death situation would make anyone wonder about her true identity.

“…… I’m going to take a look around.”

Eleele!

“Yes, sir.”

When the lady saw me trying to escape, she quickly instructed the maid to block the exit.

I don’t think I would have needed help if I could have been that fast.

“…… I think we need to keep a lookout in case the bandits attack again, don’t you?”

“You said yourself that the bandit was convinced and left.”

That’s a figure of speech.

“…… If you don’t need a lookout, I’m old and tired and could use a nap.”

“Why don’t you just use your own restorative magic on yourself?”

I never thought that the sexual harassment of that time would come back to me like this. I guess it’s just another case of karma and retribution.

Ah, I feel like there’s nothing more I can say.

“Okay, okay. I won’t run and hide, so ask me anything.”

I got into trouble and threw my hands up in the air in surrender. Whether or not I would answer properly was another story.

“Oh, by the way, I haven’t said hello yet. Thank you very much for your help. My name is Somali. I am the eldest daughter of the house of the Lord of Oxard. This is Eleret, my bodyguard.

Please, I’d be happy to help you.

They bow together. I’m not used to being thanked. Especially if they are of high rank. It makes me feel uncomfortable, as if I am being accused of some mischievous prank.

“So, tell me again about the circumstances and your helper.

Despite my feelings, the young lady, with a smile on her face, began to ask questions, as if she was done explaining herself, after giving a formal thank-you. What an impatient, self-satisfied girl.

“…… I am an adventurer of the stream and my name is Krosuke. I was camping out and heard some noises, so I went looking around and happened to run into a lord. He asked me to help you.”

I’ll give you a proper, unimpressive alias. Let’s keep the background as simple and safe as possible.

“By chance, you know. I guess we should be grateful for the coincidence.

You’re right, they’re very lucky. It’s a good thing I was in Oxnard today, because if I had gone to another city, there was no chance of me coming here.

“Did your helper know your father?”

“I’ve never met him in person before, but he’s famous and I know his face.”

“Hmm, I see. By the way, where are you from?

It’s a secret hideaway deep in the mountains in the middle of nowhere.”

As I feared, the questions are uninhibited. It seems that you have a good personality, despite appearances.

“How did you turn the bandits away?”

“I asked him sincerely, and he changed his mind and left.”

“How did you restrain Herrere?”

“When a woman looks directly into my eyes, she’s mesmerized and can’t move.”

“How did you like the feel of Eleele’s lips on yours?”

“It was nice to see you in a new light!”

When I think back to that moment, I feel so happy. After all, maids are the ones who give us happiness.

“…………”

“…………”

What is it, the other day?

“How are you doing, miss?”

“Except for what your father asked you and the last question, you’re lying.”

“…… I see.”

The lady shook her head and the maid glared at me as we exchanged such words.

I wondered if I had been caught in a lie.

“I’ve never lied in my entire life, is there something wrong with my answer?”

“Yes, it’s sad, Mr. Helpful. I can’t believe you won’t tell me the truth.”

“…… Perhaps your daughter can discern the truth of a word?”

“Hmmm, yes. My skill is that I can see through lies!”

Damn, I didn’t know you had such a useful skill. The smug look on your daughter’s face is annoying.

I was in a hurry when we first met, so I didn’t have a detailed evaluation. It’s a little late for that, but let’s take a look at the magic and skills she has.

 

Name: Somali

Magic: None

Skill: “Curiosity 3

 

What’s this skill?

I thought a skill was a quantified skill or knowledge, but does it also include conceptual qualities?　I’ve peeked into many people’s statuses in my life, but I’ve never seen such a weird skill set.

…… No, I think Hannah, the first person I met, also had unusual skills.

 

If this is an ability that can be contained within an individual frame, fine, but if it is a conceptual ability that even affects events, it is out of my hands, as I only have the physical ability.

“My skill is <<curiosity>. Curiosity is the fundamental mind that searches for the truth of things. To pursue the truth, you need to know what is true and what is false. That’s why I can tell when someone is lying, even if it’s only vaguely.”

The young lady who proudly divulges secrets without asking. My hidden mean skills tingle, and I feel the urge to splash cold water on her good looks.

It’s a truly terrible skill. If it were just a “true/false” skill, I could deal with it, but the problem is that the ability to determine true/false is a byproduct of the “curiosity” skill. In other words, any event related to “curiosity” has a possibility of triggering the “true/false” judgment.

I thought curiosity is a poison that destroys you, but if it can drink up even poison, it could be a natural enemy for me, a unique being in this world.

“…… I’m afraid. You must have some interesting skills.”

“It’s not that useful. It’s hard to use it in normal conversation, because I have to consciously use it on something I have a strong interest in for it to be effective.”

…… helped. If he/she is that aware, he/she can’t do much. At least, not at the moment. The best thing to do is to stay away as much as possible while praying that the young lady doesn’t wake up.

Hm?　Wait a minute. If you are capable of such a thing, you should have believed me right away when I first offered you my support, right?”

“Oh, it’s just that ……, I wasn’t sure, or it was too suspicious for me to believe …….”

“…………”

Am I that much of a suspicious old man? I should have sexually harassed the young lady too, if I was going to be treated like this.

“Well, instead of talking like that, Mr. Helpful, why don’t you tell us the truth?”

She is a troubled young lady, with her skills and all. She has failed to take into account the danger that a lie she has detected will turn into a spear through her. <Curiosity kills cats>, as the saying goes. But of course…it’s another world.

There are many unfortunate legends about cats. Then she is the fourth cat that brings bad luck. It seems cats and I don’t go well together.

Hey, what a helper!

If you keep up with the young lady’s pace, you might accidentally slip up. I don’t think she’ll give up even if we keep silent. It seems that a very troublesome young lady has caught my attention.

She is now a cat in a state of frenzy, intoxicated by the matatavi of mystery. We just have to guide her well.

“…… you know, miss.”

I begin to speak in a relaxed manner, as if I am telling a naughty child off.

“There’s a saying in my hometown. Do you know what it means?

“No, I’ve never heard that before.”

A Buddha is like a god. It means that even the all-powerful and kind God gets angry if you misbehave three times.

“That’s an interesting analogy. …… so?”

The young lady, intrigued by the new mystery, urges me on. It’s a good trend.

“The gross disrespect for God may also include the undisciplined desires of the greedy.”

“…… I think you might be right.”

“Even God is limited to two degrees. So an ordinary man like me can only wish once.”

“…………”

“In short, only one. I’ll answer any question seriously if you only give me one.”

Decide whether or not. In the first place, I have no right to be a party to your selfishness, young lady. We have made a concession, so don’t complain any more.

“……I see, I understand what you are trying to say.”

“Well, you understand.”

“Yes, we can’t help it if we are the ones who were saved. Of course, you can ask me and Erelle separate questions, right?

“…… I guess so.”

I thought you were a good listener, but I didn’t expect you to extract a concession from me. It seems that he has a cunning and cunning personality in addition to his impulsive nature. But now I have your word!

“There’s still time before morning. Take your time to think about the questions you want to ask.”

Yes, I will.

I’m going to go eat some food while I’m at it.”

“…… what?”

Ignoring the young lady’s question mark, he lays out the dishes on the goza. Sushi, unaju, fried rice, shrimp chili, ramen, pizza, and so on, a parade of dishes that would not be found anywhere else in this world.

What is this food?

I had prepared an emergency ration just in case something like this happened. Well, this is just what I needed!”

“…………”

“…………”

The two ladies stare at the food in silence. Even if you are not a lady, your curiosity is tingling at the sight of these unusual dishes for the first time.

“Oh, um, Mr. Helpful?　Can we have some of this sumptuous food?”

“Yes, of course. I told you I’d only grant you one wish.

“!!!?”

Yes, that’s my plan. I put restrictions on their requests and then guide them.

The girls have been running around without eating or drinking, and their hunger as well as fatigue must be at their limit.

“Come on, eat as much as you want. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

“Ugh. ……”

A moan escaped from the young lady’s mouth. She seems to be chagrined to find out what I’m up to.

“My Lady, I have no particular questions I wish to ask you…”

“No, no, Eleret! I’ll prepare all the sweets you want when we get back to the house!

The maid tries to leave her behind easily, but the young lady tries her best to hold her back. These two have a pretty frank relationship, don’t they? But it was a gaffe to divulge the maid’s favorite food, miss.

“Of course we have something sweet. The standard cream strawberry-strawberry cake, chocolate with almonds, pudding mixed with milk and eggs, sponge cake made with honey, you name it!”

“What?　Wait a minute…

 

“Amu amu.”

This time, before the lady could stop her, the maid had started eating before she knew it. I can’t believe how fast she did it.

“Amuamu…… this!　Amuamu…… I see!　Amuamu…… such a trick!”

The maid is busy eating and being surprised. Her face is slightly slackening, as is her usual clear face. It’s so cute when a calm and collected person shows her real face once in a while. I want to feed them and take them home.

The maid keeps eating dessert without paying attention to the main dish. She is sitting on her knees, eating elegantly with both hands, but her speed is unbelievable. When she runs out of sweets, she looks at me with sad eyes, so I can’t help but offer her a refill.

I wonder if it is like this to feed a prideful cat. Then Miss is the fourth cat and the maid is the fifth cat. Am I cursed to be entangled with cats?

“Well, well… the young lady doesn’t seem to be hungry, does she?”

The only target left is the young lady. Let’s take this opportunity to stir things up.

“Ngggghh ……”

The young lady is biting her lip in frustration, her shock at being betrayed by her trusted subordinate combined with a hunger that is pushing her to her limits. She is a delightful young lady who looks like a beaten character.

Well, I’m almost done.

“Well, you don’t have to eat it. I’ll eat it first since it won’t taste good when it’s cold.”

Oh, well…

“Mmmmmm. What kind of pastry is this, Mr. Kroske?”

“Mont Blanc. It’s a cake made with the finest chestnut paste, whose sweetness and flavor are enhanced by the difference in temperature between morning and evening.”

“Amu amu. What’s this?

“Limited time only chiffon cake. The noble, sweet and sour aroma of rum raisins is very popular.”

“Amu amu. What’s this?”

Caramelized baumkuchen. Made by a madam in Osaka. It’s the most popular cake in town. …… and let me try some.”

So many questions, so little time for me. The seemingly indifferent maid had an unparalleled sweet tooth.

The young lady, on the other hand, was shivering and glaring at the squire who continued to eat without restraint and the culprit’s dish. The maid in the corner of her eye is ignoring her master as if he were nothing compared to the sweetness of the food.

It’s a very nice master-servant relationship. Well, I guess I’ll follow her lead.

“Yum!　Ramen and fried rice are the best!”

“Amu amu.”

“I love the sweet and spicy and plump texture of shrimp chili!”

“Amuamu.”

“Pizza is not only delicious, but also exciting to eat!”

“Amuamu.”

Like a judge in a cooking cartoon, he agitates the young lady with his over-the-top reactions.

“Oh, yes. I forgot to mention that these are dishes made in my hometown. I forgot to mention that these are regional specialties that are not sold even in King’s Landing. Maybe you won’t get a chance to try them again?”

“What?

The rarity of the dish is also emphasized to further arouse the young lady’s curiosity. It’s working! It’s working!

“Oh, we’re running out of food, aren’t we?

“Hugs!

And finally, if you emphasize the time limit… there you go, checkmate.

“Wow…”

“Well, I guess this is the last dish.”

“Let me eat it too!

The ex-lady, who shouted out loudly, jumped on the food and started eating at a great speed, and continued to eat. And again, she keeps eating. And then she kept eating. The following is omitted.

“What is this food, how is it eaten, why is it so soft, why does it smell so good, why is it so delicious, who made it, how is it cooked, why is it seasoned, what are the ingredients, what meat, what fish, what vegetable, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it? ……”

It’s as if his skills have gone out of control, as if his accumulated patience has taken a toll on him.

“What is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it ……”

Perhaps he is being pushed around by his too-strong skills, which he cannot control?

“Nggggh!

The lady continued to eat for a while, then choked and looked distressed, so I gently handed her some water and she gulped it down with gusto, gasping for air and saying, “I thought I was going to die!” He declared.

“What?　…………!”

Then, he moved his head with a giggle, and his eyes met mine, which had been warmly watching him, and he stiffened.

I smile at the girl who is making a hundred faces at me, and finish her off.

“I’m glad your wish came true, aren’t you?”

“────,…… gush,………… ugh!”

The young lady, sitting on her knees, cries as if she had just been weighed down.

She must be shocked at losing her right to ask questions. She must be shocked at having lost her appetite for food after looking so smug. She is probably shocked to be abandoned by the squire she trusted. She is probably shocked that the old man has talked her out of it. You are shocked in so many ways.

I guess I’ve proved that too much curiosity can destroy you.

Yeah, not bad. Tears falling from a strong woman are very beautiful. It’s almost habit-forming.

“…… Mr. Kroske, please, around.”

The maid, who had eaten all the sweets, gave me a warning as if she couldn’t stand to see me now.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, it will take effect soon.

 

“?”

“……,…………,swoon”

“Miss?”

The young lady cannot respond to the maid’s call. She has departed to the land of dreams.

“I put a sleeping potion in the last water I gave you. It will quiet her down, just enough.”

“…… a little too much, don’t you think?”

“It’s time for the kids to go to bed. There’s a lot of backstory in the world that’s better left unknown.”

If you know the other side of the story, you might be erased by bad adults.

“You’re a delightful young lady. She’s worth teasing.”

That’s my business. Please refrain from doing that, gentlemen.”

The maid seems to get the joke. The young lady said she was the eldest daughter, so the maid must be like an older sister to her.

“Why didn’t you drug me?”

The maid, who is also a professional fighter, asks me with a tense look on her face.

“I have a favor to ask you.”

“…………”

Yes, in fact, there is one more thing left to do. For that, I need a maid.

“……I see. ……Yes, I know. Of course I am not against it.

“Well, thank you for talking so quickly.”

That’s what I’m talking about. A maid with a reputation for versatility. You’re very perceptive.

I’m not used to it, so please lead the way.

Then she sat upright, clenched her fists on her knees, and pouted her lips while closing her eyes.

“…………………………”

“…………………………?”

Silence reigns over everything.

What do you mean?

“Ngh!”

The maid holds her head and gives me a sad look as she catches my chop.

“Um, Mr. Kurosuke, I’d like you to be nice to me at first, okay?”

“So why the h**l not!”

“Oh!”

Another chop. I, who pretend to be a feminist, was not expecting a series of chops.

“So, why are you acting like I’m asking you for your body?

“………… what?”

Don’t look so surprised.

“Now that the disturbers are asleep, you want my body in exchange for your rescue, don’t you?”

You’re treating your employer’s daughter like she’s an obstacle!

That’s not true!　Why do you say that like it’s a matter of course?

“Oh!”

Third chop. This maid, she looks calm and collected, but she’s a natural.

“I just want to ask you something. I’m a gentleman, why would I make such a vulgar request?”

“……I was forced to take your lips from you when we first met?”

“…………”

That’s right, I had a record!　…… That’s right, you’d be misunderstood.

“Oh, I will be paid by my lord, so there’s no need to worry. Besides, at that time, it was more of an emergency, or a drunken …… moment.”

“────”

Don’t glare at me!

I’ve got more important things to do right now. The mastermind behind the bandit.

“!!!?　…… Okay. Let’s hear what he has to say.”

The maid, who had finally cleared up the misunderstanding, adjusted her posture and nodded her head. Now we can get down to business.

“Please tell me about your drunkenness later.

“…… yes.”

In many ways, I won’t sleep tonight.

 

“First, tell me what happened. Briefly.”

Yes. The lord has been ill for the past few years and has refrained from going out, but he recovered the other day and attended the meeting in the capital yesterday. This is probably the result of the enemy, impatient with his unexpected recovery, who saw tonight as an opportunity to leave the city and travel with a small group of people.

It is consistent with Grandpa Wohl’s story. The family of the lords in this case can be regarded as the pure victims.

And now it is confirmed. The reason for this is the recovery of the lords. It all started with a drug I sold them.

It seems that I was involved in the right way.

<<They say that mercy is not good for the soul, but this is what I got back. I believe in my motto, “A good man is a good horse,” and I have high expectations for the future.

 

Under such circumstances, even if they survive this attack, the same mistakes will be repeated. I think it would be better to thoroughly clean up this case until the very end.

Do you have any idea who attacked you?

“Probably because they are the ones who are after the interests of the city of Oxard. When a lord’s family dies, a new lord is sent from the capital. One of the candidates is likely to be the culprit.

“Do you think the DeFrate family is among the candidates?”

“…… Yes. The best candidate.”

Bingo. For an aristocratic society infested with privilege, the intrigue is simple and straightforward.

Where did you get that name?

I heard from the bandit who just came in.

I see.

The maid muttered in a cold voice. The air around us seems to grow colder. Scary, scary.

Anyway, now we know what we’re here for.

“What do you intend to do, Mr. Kurosuke?”

“In any way?”

“……, is that so?”

An exaggerated shrug. The maid looks at me, her cheeks slightly puffed out in discontent. It’s a gesture I don’t think is appropriate for her age, but I guess it doesn’t matter because she’s cute.

“By the way, what kind of people are the Defleites?”

“…… They are a powerful aristocracy in King’s Landing, but they are a bunch of scum who think only of their own interests.”

The maid answered without hiding her disgust. That’s why I’m scared.

“─ ─ If they disappear, what would be the effect?”

“It is ……, no, yes, many of the oppressed will rejoice.”

“And those who grieve?”

Only their minions can take advantage of them.

The fewer people who look back on this in retrospect, the better. Even if there were more, they would still do what they do.

“But if they are attacked, won’t the guards of the oxherd lords be suspected?”

“……Yes, sir. Some will suspect this as retaliation.”

“But what if it was the same time the Oxard lords were attacked, i.e., today?”

“!!!?”

“Perhaps the world will think it was the work of a rebel group that targeted a powerful nobleman?”

“Certainly, I think that’s a strong possibility, but ……”

The maid stares at us as if she has seen something terrible. As someone who prides myself on my gentle personality, I am not at all happy about this.

“Well, it’s all hypothetical.”

“────.”

The maid looked like she wanted to say something, but swallowed hard.

Good girl. From this point on, as a relative of the lord, she is not allowed to get involved in this area.

…… I stand up slowly and turn my head.

I look out of the cave and see the moon shining in the night sky through the trees.

It is a beautiful full moon.

It would be a shame to fall asleep so soon on such a night. Let’s go for a little midnight stroll.

“Well, I’m going for a little walk. You’ll look after him?”

“………… Yes. Good luck.

“Thank you.”

The first time you saw me off, you said the same thing. “Fortune,” huh? That’s a good word for luck.

Now let’s go take care of one last little business.

 

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

 

“Wait, wait!　Who do you think you are?

“You!　Do you think you can be so rude to me, a noble man?

I will pay you any amount of money!　So please help me at least!”

How could you come up with such a simple line? In a way, I’m impressed.

They are cornered and they make a fuss over and over again. They don’t care about our situation.

That’s fine. I’m not here to talk.

What is about to take place is at best retaliation, at worst just a distraction.

…… a short time ago.

I find the house of the House of Defray with an item of identification, gather all those who were sleeping soundly in a good mood in one place, and restrain them with magic. Children and women are excluded. Even if the children are the ringleaders, the parents should take the responsibility, and I’m afraid that I’ll be cursed if I kill the women.

I don’t have the skills or items to detect lies like the lady does, but I’m sure they are guilty from their arrogant answers to my questions. They have little sense of guilt and no desire to deceive.

I guess I still have a guilty conscience that makes me look for something wrong with them.

But it doesn’t matter. The best human ability is “habituation”. With repeated experiences like this, you will soon get used to it, for better or worse, and you will be able to put your hands down without any sentimentality.

 

“Well, now that you’ve spewed your last will and testament, can we say goodbye now?”

I close their mouths with a magic string. Unfortunately, I am not in the mood to enjoy the sight of their demise.

At best, I want them to be miserable, and I want the horror to be burned into their faces. I hope you will tell your family and the other nobles with your own life so that they will not be tempted to repeat the same mistakes.

……Thinking back, I think today was the first time I stopped killing people, including the bandits I put away earlier.

“I didn’t know. Killing someone is easier than killing a mosquito.

I was thinking of all the things I could do to help…

“Good-bye. I hate ghosts, so don’t hate me.

Oh, I need a drink.

 

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

 

Who the h**l are you?

It’s me, it’s me, it’s me.

Once again, we were greeted with full alertness by a fighting maid.

Inside the cave, we can see a sleeping young lady with a smirk on her face. Eating, crying, moaning, and sleeping…how childish of her. Apparently, nothing went wrong during her absence.

“……, it’s been less than two hours since you went for a walk?”

“He has a temper. I’m not good at fishing or anything.”

“…………”

Realizing that there was no point in questioning her, the maid sighed quietly.

“Everything is finished, isn’t it?”

“Yes. …… Just so you know, don’t say anything else.”

Yes, sir. It’s our secret, isn’t it?

The maid nods her head with her cheeks slightly relaxed. No, no, I don’t think that’s the right nuance.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Then, after looking at me for a while, he bowed deeply.

“…… Oh, I’m home.”

Is that your wife?　Or are you on your way back from jail?　Either way, it was a nice irony.

“Hmm?”

The maid does not put back her lowered head. Is something wrong?

“Thank you very much for your help.”

“Ah, ah.”

The maid suddenly changes her mood and becomes awe-struck, and I can’t help but respond in a live voice.

“…… No, wait. I told you that you don’t need to thank me because I’ll get it from the lord.

“It is our duty as guards to protect the lords and their families. Not only did you force us to do so, but you even saved our guards. As one of the guards, I cannot help but return the favor.”

Well, this sounds seriously serious. I don’t like to talk about serious things outside of work.

Besides, I don’t think there is any righteousness, not even a debt of gratitude.

No, that’s why…

“To be honest, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you in my debt. I can’t leave Master Kroske until I’ve repaid my debt.”

“…………”

I didn’t know she was such a clingy type. I’m already overloaded with characterizations just by being a beautiful, dark-haired, ruthless, fighting maid.

Or does she know that I’m going to hide in the clouds as soon as tomorrow comes?

But what do I really want?

“I guess I’d better take it off.”

“Hey! Nn! And! I’m not! Yo!!!!”

“Nngh!”

I gave a chop to the head of the maid who was really trying to take off her clothes. It was an educational instruction. I’m becoming less and less hesitant to violate the blurry maid.

It’s funny, I’m supposed to be the one who’s the boss. I’m supposed to be the boss, but when she’s my partner, I get out of control.

“…… give me some time. I’ll think about it.”

“Yes.”

I’m going to have to ask for a favor or I’m not going to be able to get it done. But I don’t want to be told on short notice. I’m not good at improvising, and most things can be covered with the magic and items I have on hand.

To be honest, if it’s really anything at all, I’d like to ask her to do the night game for me, as if she’s mistaken. However, since I have already turned down the woman’s offer once, it’s hard for me to ask her to do it again.

“Are you sure there is nothing, Mr. Kurosuke?”

“Oh, uh, yeah… ……”

I continue to think about it, chewing on my sorrow that I can’t think of anything I want in a woman except for her body.

…… Well, let me take advantage of her position as a maid of the lord’s house.

“Will you give me some information?　Let me know when there are major changes in this world, including Oxard. Of course, I will exclude any information that is not good for the lords and ladies.

Are you sure you want to do that?

“Yes, it’s important to me. I’m not good at gathering information.

 

I am not good at chatting with people because I don’t have much to say. He is really an uninteresting adult.

“…………”

The maid seems to be examining our proposal. I think it’s a good compromise with less disadvantage and less hassle, although we have to be careful in our position.

“Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

“Well, you’ll take care of it.”

It appears that they are settling for a reasonable price. I don’t know how she made that decision in her mind, but I guess she is satisfied because she is smiling faintly.

“I guess that settles it.”

“Yes. …… So, how can we get in touch with you?”

“Oh, …….”

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I was going to run away tomorrow and never see him again.

I’m afraid we’re going to have to cancel our meeting.

“No, thank you.”

“…………”

Maid?

I refuse to accept your offer.

The maid stubbornly refuses to accept the information, wondering what she likes about it.

“Huh. ……”

It can’t be helped. It was my idea. I’ll just swallow it, thinking it’s just another chance for us to be together.

I reach into my pocket and pull out a ring-shaped communication item.

It’s a communication item. Those who wear the ring can communicate with each other at any time.

“…… yes.”

“Again, only major events should be reported. Only really, really big events, okay?”

Yes, sir.

I’m concerned that he’s being so straightforward. Please plan your visits carefully and only on rare occasions. Please don’t call me for work when I’m in another world.

“What’s up?　Take it.”

I hold out the palm of my hand with the ring on it, but the maid refuses to accept it. Something is bothering her.

“Um, could you please put it on?”

“What, ……?”

She raises her left hand in front of me with an air of tension.

My sleepy eyelids gradually open.

In this world, too, there is a bad custom of men paying tribute to women, but rings should not have had any special meaning. And moreover, it is a ring of an item. When worn, it is an object that cannot be seen except by the wearer himself.

“…………”

So it’s nothing. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s not supposed to.

…… Still, the act of putting a ring on a grown woman is a hurdle for a single man who is old enough to know better. I thought I had no desire to get married.

“Ring finger, please.”

Please don’t push me.

“Why on the ring finger of your left hand?”

“In my family, we have a tradition of having a gift ring worn on the ring finger of the left hand for generations. …… Unfortunately, the reason for this has not been passed down.”

Was there anyone other than me on earth before by any chance? No, it would not be surprising if there were other places with similar customs by chance.

Whatever it is, if it has no special meaning, don’t worry about it.

“…… is this okay?”

Still, I’m a lazy guy, and after a few moments of hesitation, I put the ring on with a trembling hand.

“──── yes.”

She looked at the ring shining on the ring finger of her left hand and smiled softly, as if she was satisfied.

“I will treasure it.”

“……Yeah, three months’ salary worth of luxury goods. Pawn shops are not the way to go.”

What am I saying? That’s really an engagement ring.

It seems that you’re upset because of the smile on the face of a strange woman.

“…………”

“…………”

Suddenly feeling somewhat embarrassed, I turn around.

There is a full moon.

The moon is at its brightest on this night, a gentle breeze is blowing, and the situation is …… too good to be true, deep in a quiet forest.

Maybe that’s why. I was carried away by the atmosphere. ………….

I look up at the moon while thinking of such an escape route.

“Tonight, the moon is ────

“…………”

Still intoxicated by the atmosphere, my brain comes up with a line of dialogue that is appropriate for this scene.

<──The moon is round, isn’t it?

<……Yes, it’s a full moon, isn’t it? >>

 

I was afraid of what would happen if I heard those words back, so I swallowed hard.

 

After that, I wanted to continue the tsukimi-zake, so I took over the all-night watch.

There would be no visitors now, so there would be no problem if I drank. I can’t stay sober.

At the entrance of the cave, we sip our drinks and snacks.

The fantastic atmosphere of the forest in the middle of the night makes the drinks taste better than usual.

The maid sits next to me and joins me in the tsukimizake.

When I finish my sake, she pours it for me.

I never thought that the day would come when I would be served by a maid.

She refuses to drink because she is at work, so I give her a cup of warm milk tea to help her sleep. In addition, she keeps eating cookies as a snack. I am glad to hear that she is in good health.

The night goes on like this, without any particular conversation.

 

The night went by without any conversation.

 

“Forget it!”

The next morning, when she woke up and saw me, she opened her mouth.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m asking you to forget what happened last night!”

It’s not a request, it’s an order. I guess she’s feeling awkward because she cried and moaned in front of me.

“I’m sorry, but your one and only request came true yesterday, didn’t it?”

“What?　…… giggle.”

Ha ha. The young lady who was beaten by me is gritting her teeth in frustration.

She’s a wonderful resource for stirring up the spirit of mischievous mischief. I’m sorry to say goodbye to her today.

“Mr. Kurosuke! The sun has just risen, so I think it’s time for us to go, don’t you?”

The maid, who was not reproachful of my enjoying the lady’s teasing, and who was acting normal, urged me to escape.

“Well, the reinforcements are on their way. Shall we meet up with the lord first?

“Yes. Miss, can you run?”

“…… I’m back to full strength, but my feet hurt.”

“You’ve had a good workout since you don’t get enough exercise.”

“It’s too tight!”

The young lady seems to have a sore leg, but it is probably only a minor injury if she can tell back the maid’s joke.

“Well, I’ll carry her. Or should I ask you for a recovery spell?

She approaches the young lady, wriggling her hands and licking her tongue.

“No, no, thank you.

“…… I’ll carry you on my back, miss.”

The young lady hides behind the maid to escape from the pervert. It is a pity, because this was an opportunity for irresistible sexual harassment.

“Well then, follow me.”

He runs toward the cave where the lord is hiding and leads the way.

The maids are of a high level and are quite fast even with their baggage. The young lady seems to be enjoying herself as if she were in an attraction. These two really get along well with each other.

 

The second day of the tour progresses in this relaxed manner, and we first meet up with the lords.

A touching father-son reunion scene was about to start, but I warned her not to let her guard down until she meets the reinforcements and cut the scene. The third person is left out of the inside story, so please do it when you get back to the house.

After that, I lead them out of the forest.

The lord is running with his wife on his back. He’s showing off for a single man!

As we pass through the woods, we see reinforcements in the direction of Oxnard, led by Grandfather Wol.

I breathe a sigh of relief. Now I am truly relieved of my duties.

It would be troublesome if we had to face Grandpa Wol, so let’s get out of here.

“When the reinforcements arrive, search the remaining guards in the forest. Well then, I’ll leave you to it!”

Finally, we bid farewell to the pseudo-fake ninja.

“Oh, hey, ……!”

“────”

He returns to the forest and disappears, leaving the lords’ family hurriedly trying to keep him back and the maid bowing in silence.

Now work time is over. I’m free. Let’s go home.

<Master, shouldn’t we be done by now? >>

<Yes, how long will you keep Enko and the others waiting! >>

<…… Master will not forget Anko and his friends>

“…………”

It was a nice finale, so I thought I would just leave my baggage and go home, but it seems that the wholesalers would not let me do so. I thought I would just drop off my baggage and go home, but it seems that the wholesaler would not let me do so.

Well, this time I feel like I’ve been of some help, even if only a little, and I’ll take them home with me.

<This special trip is over. Let’s get the h**l out of here.

Uny!””””””

I’m so worried that I wasn’t watching her properly that she appears in an instant, and I’m transferred to the city of Oxard while fretting over the insatiable witch girl who is asking me for praise, candy, and stroking in return for my labor.

 

I’d like to take a hot bath, but I’ve got Colt waiting, so let’s head for Grandpa Wal’s store.

 

“Hey, buddy!　How’d it go?

It was early in the morning, but Colt was still awake. She, too, had done her job as a store keeper.

“I heard that the lords and their family were rescued safely. They will be back this evening.

“I see!　Good for you!”

The smile of an innocent girl is a beautiful thing. This is the best reward.

“Colt’s not sleeping, is he?　I’ll take care of the rest of the store, you just rest until old Wal comes back.”

“…… Anchan, aren’t you up all night too?”

I’ve been running around all night too, trying to get help from some adventurers I know.

“Yes, yes, I’m tired from running around too. Then let’s sleep together.

“Why don’t you just put up with the sleepiness and watch the store with me?”

That’s a good point. When Colt gets mad at me, I realize that normalcy has returned.

I have no choice but to kill some time by eating and playing to wake myself up from sleep.

Colt likes to play cards, so I don’t have to wait too long. I was not lucky enough to win, but I lost a lot of games due to sleepiness.

……And as the night was drawing to a close, the door to the store was opened.

“I’m back. …… thanks for taking care of me.”

A stern-looking Dwarf enters, looking as if nothing has happened, but with a slightly tired face.

“Welcome back, old man!　I hope you got everyone to safety!”

“……Yes, they are safe. They should be back at the house by now.

A strong-faced, tough-looking former adventurer glared at us and answered, “I’m sorry.

I love laziness, but for once, I’ve done my best, and I’ve been treated badly.

I tried to respond to his expectations for my various items to the best of my ability,…… but perhaps I overdid it. It’s true that I may have been too brave to kill the mastermind, let alone the bandit.

But you know, it’s important to go with the flow of the moment, right?

“- Colt and the kid, I owe you this one. Let me know if you need any help.”

I don’t know what kind of conclusion he came to at the end of the conflict, but Grandpa Wol thanked me in such a twisted and twisted way. Maybe he was just trying to accommodate my twisted nature.

“Yes, please don’t hesitate to do so.

I could have said no, but I accepted it anyway.

Old Wal seemed to want to do the same.

 

After I was released, I invited a sleepy Colt to sleep with me in my room.

For once, I feel like I can sleep well with someone next to me. Love thy neighbor.

Oh, the fluffy bed and the warm real pillow feel so good.

The hair of the cats that are always sneaking under the covers is a bit annoying, but I’ll tolerate it for once.

And so my otherworldly special business trip comes to a successful end.