The review meeting, masquerading as a banquet, continued late into the night, fueled by alcohol and a pleasant atmosphere.
The minors, who were already scheduled to stay over, went to bed in the nap room before the date changed.
Suella, being pregnant, also went to sleep early, accompanied by Himik.
Among the remaining members, alcohol flowed, one by one they succumbed, and the one left to handle the light cleanup was…
“You’ve grown quite a bit, haven’t you?”
“Is that so? I suppose the shape has changed.”
“I’ve lived longer than you, but I’ve never seen a Ore Tree grow this much.”
It was an unusual combination: me and Keiri-san.
We cleared the plates, tidied the table to make space, and Keiri-san watched intently as I carried on with the work I had intended to do until sleepiness set in.
When it’s just the two of us, you’d expect some awareness of the opposite sex, but I deliberately maintained a distance as a normal colleague, feeling that she, by her species, lacked such emotions.
In such a private setting, and at night, it seemed like it would be a conversation among three – Vampire Memoria, myself, and Keiri-san, as the other three had already retired. However, unfortunately, she has a low tolerance for alcohol and had actually passed out before the minors.
As for the remaining members, Kaido had collapsed on the sofa from self-destructive drinking and forced high spirits, mixing Japanese and otherworldly sake. Minami and Kitamiya, for some reason, started a drinking contest and both passed out simultaneously, now sleeping close to each other as if their usual animosity were a lie.
That left me, with a liver honed by an Oni, and Keiri-san, who had maintained a moderate pace.
At this stage, I didn’t try to keep her there and said it was time to break up.
Even if we both felt nothing, I thought it would be problematic for two people not in a relationship to be together so late at night.
However, I didn’t go to sleep right away.
Feeling I hadn’t had enough to drink and that my eyes were a bit too wide open, I decided to have a late-night drink alone. I brought out a bottle of slightly sweet and sour fruit wine, favored by Dark Elves, which Suella had recommended and I had started drinking myself. As a snack, I prepared some of the leftover banquet food made by Himik and Katsu. I thought I might as well tend to my Ore Tree.
Surprisingly, Keiri-san decided to join me in this endeavor.
However, she didn’t intend to tend to any weapons herself. She expressed a personal interest in seeing my weapon and, while leisurely savoring the wine and snacks I had prepared, holding her own glass, she watched me work.
“Initially, it was just a weapon crudely shaped like a sword, but now it clearly looks like a katana. That moniker, ‘Blacksmith’s Bane,’ isn’t for nothing.”
It hadn’t been long enough to feel nostalgic, but enough time had passed for me to grow an attachment to my companion, whose appearance had changed remarkably, surprising even me, its wielder.
The initial semblance of my companion had vanished completely, and what I held in my hand was a magnificent Great Sword.
The blade, which had initially only gleamed dully, now had the polish of a mirror. I wondered how many people would believe me if I told them this had once been a weapon that looked like a mere iron plate shaped into a sword.
I polished its surface with a maintenance cloth, being careful not to cut my fingers.
A growing sword… or rather, looking at its form, a katana would be the accurate description.
This companion had a game-like setting.
Furthermore, it came with a gamble element, where it was said that one couldn’t know if it would grow well until many years had passed.
I thought I had acquired a rather peculiar weapon, but now I could confidently say that choosing this weapon was not a mistake.
While meticulously polishing my companion’s blade with my tools, I conversed with Keiri-san.
“So? Is there something you wanted to tell me?”
No, rather than a conversation, it would be more accurate to say it was a confirmation of information to be conveyed.
My words, posed without turning to face Keiri-san, who was giving off an air of wanting to say something, and without stopping my polishing, were directed to her while my gaze remained on the Ore Tree.
“What are you talking about?”
Keiri-san’s words, initially trying to play dumb, interrupted me.
“It’s disingenuous to deliberately adjust your alcohol intake to be alone with me. If you have nothing to say, it’s fine, but my gut tells me you want to hear something here, so if possible, I’d like to know.”
However, contrary to her words, Keiri-san’s actions themselves indicated that there was something.
That being said, her poker face wasn’t bad.
She wasn’t not enjoying the banquet.
She wasn’t out of touch with the atmosphere or disconnected from the surroundings.
It was just that my instincts, honed by the instructors, had detected a slight anomaly, and I had kept it at the back of my mind. If it turned out to be nothing, all the better.
I was used to worrying for nothing, so such an effort was not wasted.
And it seemed my instincts were functioning correctly again today.
After taking a gulp of the reserved wine, she smiled brightly and began to speak.
Her smile was perfect, but if I were to describe its color, it would undoubtedly be black, not white.
“Shall we start with the bad news or the slightly bad news?”
As expected, my instincts were not mistaken, and the words she uttered were by no means good news.
“What kind of unreasonable choice is that? And you can’t even opt out of hearing it.”
“Ehh, I’m only telling you because you, Jiro-, wanted to hear it.”
“Don’t put on such an act. Most men might be fooled by that, but don’t think it’ll work on me, who’s seen through it. I could even run away at full speed right now if I wanted to.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll hear everything at full attention.”
“The fact that you’re showing me you intend to use force doesn’t make me feel at ease at all.”
Sensing that she intended to resolve this not through verbal discussion but through physical means, I decided to listen obediently.
And though I had brought up the topic myself, I felt a slight despair at the lack of good news in her response. Resigned, I continued polishing the blade, signaling for her to continue without a word, my mind now too accustomed to such situations to even need a headache pill.
“I’m sorry, but I have to tell you because Lady Evia would get angry if I didn’t.”
“The fact that it’s bad news from a superior has already turned a bad premonition into an alarm. What is it? Am I being singled out for layoffs?”
“Hahaha, we would never let go of talent like you.”
“I appreciate you saying that, but knowing there’s bad news coming after this makes me unable to appreciate it genuinely.”
Given that it wasn’t a dismissal, which would be the worst in modern society, what else could it be?
It was something I couldn’t easily imagine even based on my own experiences.
“So, which news do you want to hear first?”
“Then, the bad news.”
I decided to hear the bad news first, thinking that the slightly bad news would at least be better than what I’d already heard, and thus mitigating some of the mental damage.
“You’ll have to take on a somewhat troublesome job, is that okay?”
“Somewhat troublesome? How troublesome is it?”
“You’re not going to back down?”
“Is it troublesome enough to make me want to back down?”
“You’re not going to run away?”
“Is it enough to make me want to run away?”
“You’re not going to face reality?”
“…Is it that bad?”
“Yes. When I heard this, I genuinely felt sorry for you, Jiro.”
The smiling expression she had worn until now seemed to vanish just as she was about to deliver the main point, perhaps to hide her sympathy. Her expression shifted to one often seen in individuals who suppress their emotions to perform their duties—a face of someone in control of their personal self.
“Well, you know, a certain incident resulted in the death of the Insect King, right?”
“Ah.”
Even though she skirted around the details of “a certain incident,” it was the very incident where I was almost preyed upon. As someone directly involved, I remembered it vividly, so much so that I couldn’t erase it from my memory even if I wanted to. Honestly, if there was someone who could easily forget being almost eaten, I’d like to meet them.
“And so, one of the seats among the Seven Generals became vacant. Naturally, we’ve been flooded with recommendation letters from various nobles to fill that position. Normally, we’d reject them, but the vacant seat is problematic, and the Demon Lord’s Army can’t afford a vacancy.”
“Understandably. It’s like saying our main forces are insufficient.”
“So, the decision was made to appoint a new General, but the Demon Lord’s Army operates on meritocracy, doesn’t it? Furthermore, those with great power have high pride. In such a situation, choosing just one person is not an easy task.”
“Indeed.”
A General in this Demon Lord’s Army is considered one of the primary powerhouses. Deploying them alone is enough to sway the tide of battle, and they are entrusted with the responsibility of managing a Dungeon. On top of that, they gain immense power. Many covet such an important position, so it’s understandable that choosing isn’t simple.
“It’s not that strength alone is enough, but you can’t become a General without being strong, can you?”
“Mhm.”
“So, the decision was made to appoint the strongest being, the one whom everyone would silently acknowledge. As a result, the Finance Department got excited about generating revenue, and the Planning Department racked their brains to organize a tournament, and you, Jiro, were entered.”
“Wait! The story jumped too far! How did that happen?”
Although I have the title of Chief, I’m practically at the bottom of the ranks. My position holds barely more authority than a regular employee. How is it that I have to participate in a contest to decide a General, a position earned by climbing from the top?
“It’s a recommendation from the Oni King and the Undead King.”
“I understand, I sort of figured. By any chance, how strong are the participants?”
The moment Keiri-san mentioned the instructors’ names, I realized those two wouldn’t miss out on such a grand spectacle.
“Those designated as favorites to win can supposedly fight the Oni King.”
“Are you telling me to die?”
“Tell that to the Oni King and the others. I’m just the messenger.”
It was clear that those two were acting out of amusement. However, this amusement wasn’t born from malicious pranks, but rather from a genuine sense of possibility. The instructors didn’t have a hobby of watching matches where the outcome of defeat was predictable. Perhaps, with my current strength, there was at least a slim, realistic chance of winning. Judging by the actions of the instructors who trained me through grueling sessions, this assessment might not be entirely off the mark. A martial arts tournament—a dangerous event by its very name. Suddenly finding myself entered into an event filled with contenders vying for supremacy made me want to cry. Indeed, as Keiri-san said, this was bad news for me. Thanks to the red letter of recommendation from the instructors, I had virtually no right to refuse. In modern society, even my ultimate trump card, boycotting, wouldn’t be usable in this situation.
“Haa, I’ll just try my best not to get injured.”
“The only thing I can say to you is this: Don’t make Suella a widow.”
“I’d rather not die without meeting my unborn child’s face.”
If I could declare my intention to win, that would be ideal, but such a naive assumption was impossible. A battle against unknown enemies, beings with intelligence far beyond that of mere monsters. I felt uneasy, wondering if I could avoid being overwhelmed, but decided there was no point in dwelling on it now. Swallowing my sigh, I prepared to hear the other piece of news.
“So? What’s this ‘slightly bad news’? If you told me Keiri-san was getting married before me, that would be good news, but oh—”
“I’ll hit you.”
“Don’t say it after hitting me. That was sarcasm for bringing up the previous topic. Please take it as a joke.”
“Then why are you taking it seriously? That wasn’t funny enough to be a joke.”
I thought I might have gone a bit too far with the dark humor and lowered my right hand, which had blocked what felt like a knockout punch, realizing that a single molar might have been broken had I not.
“Honestly, don’t tease me.”
“My apologies, but let’s get back to it. What is this ‘slightly bad news’?”
“You know there are several weapon shops in the underground facility, right?”
“Ah.”
“And you know they deal in magic swords, of course?”
“Those weapons with insane performance.”
Their effects were considerable, living up to their name as magic swords. However, the price was substantial. I had seen a sword that would turn a swordsman into a master, but at the cost of their sanity. Any person with common sense would lose the desire to use it upon hearing the price. The being who created it, and anyone who might use it—I couldn’t comprehend their minds.
“Yes, that magic sword. Apparently, one of them has gone missing.”
“Missing?”
“Yes. When we were taking inventory, the shopkeeper hid the fact that he had lost a magic sword. Because of what it is, it hasn’t been made public, but everyone is searching for it quite rigorously. If you see it, don’t touch it, and contact us immediately.”
It was certainly a slightly bad piece of news. Well, it was more of a warning than bad news.
“Is that magic sword dangerous?”
“Yes, it’s quite dangerous.”
Hearing that something dangerous was circulating, it’s natural to be curious about what it is. When I asked Keiri-san about the magic sword’s nature.
“It drastically weakens its presence, making assassination a breeze. A magic sword for assassination.”
“Hey, what’s with that convenient assassination starter pack of a magic sword? We’re supposed to be aiming to clear Dungeons here, aren’t we?”
“Don’t tell me. The Giants created it, thinking some people might want to clear Dungeons safely. Well, the drawback is that it also dilutes the user’s memories, making them unrecognized and forgotten by those around them. That’s why we don’t even know who stole it.”
“How did it get discovered then? If their presence becomes diluted, wouldn’t they not even notice the magic sword was gone?”
“Ah, don’t worry about that. The information about the magic sword remains intact. Only the user’s presence becomes diluted.”
“What an unbalanced magic sword.”
If I saw someone using that magic sword in action, would it look like it was floating in mid-air on its own? It was unsettling that a weapon with such potential for misuse was missing, but there was nothing I could do about it now.
“By the way, why did you tell me first?”
“Because you seem to be loved by trouble.”
Hearing the reason for being confided in, I could only offer a bitter smile at the undeniable excuse that my tendency to attract trouble was due to having too many recent incidents.
Today’s saying: Being recognized for one’s abilities is generally a good thing… but it can also lead to more work.
That’s all for this installment.
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