Manowa Chapter 256

◎ Hyvern Dukedom, Dragon Claw Highway

「Heeh, it's a tranquil-looking village, isn't it.」

Kazane opened the carriage window and looked down the road ahead. Three days after leaving Deer South, Jinrai's hometown Sorae Village had finally come into sight.

「That's right. It's a quiet and empty place, but... it really hasn't changed at all.」

Jinrai smiled fondly and spoke nostalgically. For Jinrai, it was a homecoming after a long absence. He likely had things to think about.

「I've come to see granny Chloe several times.」

And inside the carriage, Emily was looking at the approaching village nostalgically. Emily and Lyle visited this village several times as children. Cindy was also close to Jinrai's older sister, Chloe, and they visited each other at the capital and village many times. Though Chloe often came to the capital for shopping, so Emily and the others hadn't come to this village in the last decade.

「Nee-san?」

And as soon as Chloe's name came out, Jinrai's eyes changed into something that was subtly different from simple nostalgia. If pushed to say, it seemed more like a cold sweat. After seeing that, Louise grinned.

「Jinrai-kun isn't good with Chloe.」

『That's right. Even though Chloe is a good woman.』

Jinrai groaned「Muu」after Louise and Mefirus spoke from inside the carriage. Then Louise's gaze turned to Mefirus.

「Which reminds me, Mefirus, didn't Chloe beat the h.e.l.l out of you when you made a pa.s.s at her?」

『Such places are also cute, though.』

「That was far beyond the level that could be called cute, don't you think?」

Rarely, Jinrai reb.u.t.ted what Mefirus said.

「Was it that bad?」

Kazane asked, and Jinrai replied bitterly.

「At that time, our departure from the village was delayed by two weeks due to nursing Mefirus-sama.」

「...... Yikes.」

Kazane had a slightly shocked expression.

「Nee-san is unusually strong. Both in physical strength and Magic Power, so if she had become an adventurer, she probably would have been very successful.」

「Heeh」

Kazane and Yumika beside her made surprised expressions.

「Of course, even though I say she's strong, she's amateur level... hmm, yes, I'd say she's a person who would be able to kill a bear with her bare hands.」

「Master, I think that's not amateur level.」

A girl who exterminated 200 forest animals so objected.

「Well, I don't think anyone beyond Jinrai-kun will be on the receiving end of that bear killing fist, so it'll be fine.」

Louise said. Jinrai said「I don't want to be on the receiving end either,」but he was ignored. It seemed that was a decided matter.

◎ Sorae Village, Tinoa Inn

The party shortly thereafter arrived at Sorae Village. As usual, Hippomaru-kun and the Thunder Chariot attracted notice, and since they were called out to by an innkeeper on the way, they  decided to stay at the inn. That being said, there was only one inn in this village, so if they didn't stay there, their only option would be preparing the Cottage.

(Ah, so if there's only one inn, then it was here? This is the inn where that Mabel-san person was the proprietress?)

(That's right)

In the middle of being guided to their room by the innkeeper's daughter, Kazane questioned Louise in a whisper, and Louise smiled and nodded. For no special reason, Louise had also visited this village back when the innkeeper was a baby, so she had known about him since then.

Jinrai's childhood friend Mirua, the already deceased Mabel, and Louise had spent a night with Jinrai together, and she had treated them like friends since then. They asked Louise not to tell Jinrai about that matter, so she wouldn't say anything even now.

It isn't that rare a story for a village girl to get pregnant from a pa.s.sing traveler and raise the child without knowing who the father is.... when the two heard about the engagement with Cindy, they said that and locked away their feelings.

(However, even though Jinrai-kun is a man who doesn't miss when it counts, who would have thought he would do it to two people at the same time. As expected, right?)

Before the confession from Cindy that she was pregnant, he casually stopped by the village and casually had intimate night practice with everyone, and those single shots were hits. He was a fearsome man.

Jinrai received education in good taste from Cindy after they were married, which put a stop to it, but the possibility of results sprouting from his mischief until then couldn't be denied. And Jinrai, whose modus operandi had been to never chase but to also never refuse, didn't understand that at all.

From the start, Jinrai had never approached a woman of his own accord in his life. A solitary natural Riajuu, he had no obsession with women and didn't remember who he'd had night practice with at all.

That Jinrai had a docile expression as he left the inn with Louise and Mefirus. Jinrai was like a cat being lifted by the scruff of his neck. Kazane's group were told that they were going to meet Chloe, his older sister, who was also the mayor of this village.

They said they would introduce Kazane and the others later, so the youngsters meekly waited at the inn.

「So then, Jinrai-san and the others have left, but shall we decide our future plans?」

So saying, Kazane spread a map of Hyvern Dukedom on the table of the inn room. This town was no more than a detour; Kazane and the other's objective was the floating island. And surrounding the map were Tatsuo, Yumika, Naoki, Lyle, Emily, and Tiara.

「You mean when we go to the floating island, right? I think it was called Elsta Floating Kingdom?」

Kazane nodded after Yumika's question.

「Yeah. It seems it's not completely unexplored territory, but you can't get there unless you're a free Dragon Knight or ride a Wyvern. There are also Griffons and Wyverns surrounding it, so even then, approaching is difficult. It seems the Dragon Knights went on an expedition there a long time ago, but they had a painful experience, and the army hasn't tried to go there since then.」

Lyle and Emily nodded after Kazane's words. Elsta Floating Kingdom was an island everyone in Hyvern knew about, so Lyle and Emily had also heard those anecdotes while they were growing up.

「The story is that strong dragons are guarding the island. It's also said that the expeditionary force was destroyed by them.」

Emily nodded after Lyle's words. That expedition was conducted about 200 years ago by order of the archduke at the time. It was said that 100 Dragon Knights were sent to the island, and they came scurrying back.

「I asked Husband. There might also be strong dragons there that aren't properly known about, but more importantly, it seems there are quite a lot of Dragon Eaters.」

Yumika and the others were astir after they heard that. That amazement was understandable, given the battle at the East Dragon Village. They could easily imagine that Dragon Knights in particular would have the worst compatibility against that enemy.

「Is that true?」

Naoki said with a frown, and Kazane replied「It's information from Husband, so it's certain.」

「That's why the Dragon Knights couldn't do a thing. It seems that the island is also off limits to the dragons.」

「Umm, then isn't it dangerous for me, you, and Tatsuo-kun?」

Yumika raised her hand and asked, and Kazane replied「We'll be fine there.」

「Dragon Eaters distinguish between dragons that have already been parasitized by their same smell, so with my『Dragon Pheromone』I can oppose it, and someone human size holding a Dragon Eater Tree like the ones we obtained from the Dragon Eaters won't be attacked. Dragons are too big, so it's impossible for them, but Dragonoids have actually tested it, and it seems from past results that it's safe.」

「Is that so. Honestly, the idea of becoming a plant zombie is horrifying.」

Yumika remembered the parasitized dragons and spoke with a disgusted expression.

「Of course, I'm not planning to let me or Tatsuo go through such an experience either.」

『If Mother is there, nothing is scary!!』

「No, there are quite a lot of things you should still be afraid of even if I am there, so please properly observe and judge for yourself, Tatsuo.」

『Yes, Mother!!』

Tatsuo immediately replied vigorously to Kazane's rebuke. Being obedient was good, but she wanted him to reconsider properly when he should reconsider. Kazane was somewhat anxious about Tatsuo's mother absolutism.

「Also, I don't know if they're still there, but Birdmen might be living there, so don't thoughtlessly attack everything.」

「Birdmen are that race that are like winged angels, right?」

Kazane nodded after Yumika's words. Although they were a race on the verge of extinction within Zexiaharts, it seemed they were currently still witnessed occasionally, so Kazane thought it was possible that there were survivors on the island.

「That's right. If I remember correctly, they're supposed to be a race that is peerlessly superior with bows.」

「I've heard fairy tales about a winged race existing, but they're bow users?」

Emily asked Kazane with great interest.

「Yeah. They should be. It might be informative for Emily.」

After those words, Emily said「I hope so.」

Studying the bow from a phantom race on a floating island. Emily's expectations for the place she had longed for since she was a child grew further.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 33

Health: 135

Magic Power: 260+420

Strength: 57+20

Agility: 52+14

Endurance: 33

Wisdom : 65

Dexterity : 41

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』

Yumika:「Doesn't that innkeeper somehow resemble master?」

Kazane:「Well, they're from the same village, so there might be some kind of relation, right? I saw another similar person earlier.」

Yumika:「Mmm, is that so?」

Kazane:「.............」