H29.6.9 Mistake Correction
① “Even though her fur isn’t as good as Sierra’s or Fleur’s, I wonder if I can at least make a scarf?” -> “Even though her fur isn’t as good as Shera’s…
2020.5.25 Mistake Correction
① However, on this trip, Alicia, a proper noble of the Espana Imperial Kingdom, who has been granted the title of Viscountess, is accompanying us, and I myself have obtained the title of First-Class Quasi-Noble. -> …proper noble…
The group led by myself, Hal Harem Von Raymond, is currently in the middle of their Second Expedition Trip, moving from the Former Yver Duchy Territory, Sophie’s homeland, to the Former Yangas Kingdom Territory, Liliana’s homeland, but we still haven’t managed to leave the Former Yver Duchy Territory.
This is because the Yver Duchy, although a small country, had a long, narrow territory, and we had been traveling along it.
We are currently staying in a town called Suzomon, where a regular market is being held.
Yesterday, after arriving in town, we allowed everyone to explore freely as a reward, and in the Blue Sky Slave Market, where Shera, who was left out of the group, went to sightsee, we bid for Fleur, a beautiful girl from the Fox Beastkin tribe.
Fleur was a girl who had been kidnapped and subsequently fell into slavery, and the machinations of powerful individuals were evident behind her.
We decided to punish the impudent individuals responsible.
If it were just a matter of having princesses or imperial princesses as party members, like before, we probably wouldn’t have been able to cross such dangerous bridges.
However, on this trip, Alicia, a proper noble of the Espana Imperial Kingdom, who has been granted the title of Viscountess, is accompanying us, and I myself have obtained the title of First-Class Quasi-Noble.
Moreover, if it came down to it, Swan Hilda could contact “Bess-chan,” Princess Elizabeth of the Espana Imperial Kingdom, via Sky-soaring.
With that much insurance, we could probably push through most unreasonable situations.
When we checked into the inn, “Princess Knight’s Longing,” there were 14 of us, but by the time we checked out, Fleur had joined us, making it 15.
However, the party members of “Princess Harem” wear hooded robes and masks modeled after Valkyries as their uniforms, as a trading group for adventurers, making it difficult to distinguish between them.
Normally, we would be considered suspicious individuals.
Adventurers are considered eccentrics and outlaws by society, but by presenting their Adventurer’s Certificate to prove their identity, they can stay without any problems.
At checkout, as long as I, the representative, and Freya, the accountant, were present, our movements were not checked in detail, and Fleur’s free lodging was overlooked.
Of course, looking at the other guests, there were some bold individuals who were checking out after their business with street women they bought last night, and paying for only one person’s lodging.
If that’s the case, perhaps there was no need for Fleur to wear a spare hooded robe and a Valkyrie mask.
“Hal… look!”
After settling the bill at “Princess Knight’s Longing,” we were heading to the stables to get into the carriage we had stored when Mai approached me, pointed forward, and whispered.
Feigning nonchalance, I glanced in the direction Mai indicated and saw several suspicious individuals watching us.
Ah, those… are probably the slave traders of the Fox Beastkin tribe, named Shotta, who reluctantly sold Fleur to us yesterday?
According to Fleur, she was put on display at the Blue Sky Slave Market because they assumed she wouldn’t be bid on.
Perhaps they are now in a panic because I bid for Fleur when they were only trying to make a small profit?
From the looks of it, they seem to be gathering henchmen to recapture Fleur.
According to Fleur, the original buyer was supposed to be a cunning merchant named Harald Hatthan…
Perhaps some helpers from Harald are also among them.
“Shera! Once we get in the carriage, transform into Shera-nee-san or Sierra. I suspect that the slave trader named Shotta, who carelessly let go of Fleur himself, might attack us on the way.”
“O-okay… I will.”
Shera, who boarded the carriage with me and Fleur, transformed into Sierra, who is skilled in magic attacks.
Fleur, in the passenger carriage, trembled and shrank when she heard that an attack might occur.
Meanwhile, Sierra appears to be meditating quietly, holding the Himorogi staff I lent her from my item box, in preparation for battle.
“Sierra, that’s quite a grand staff, but they’re just thugs, and if we kill them in town, it’ll be a big problem, so try not to kill them if possible.”
“I understand. Don’t worry, Hal. I’m using this not to increase its power, but to improve the accuracy of my magic. Of course, Elise knows this too.”
The Himorogi staff was a gift from the Earth Mother Goddess, Dentemetina, for contributing to the strengthening of a certain barrier when we traveled to the Former Kingdom of Portland, Elise’s homeland, during the First Expedition Trip.
Elise also received a similar staff and is apparently waiting in standby in another carriage.
What do Sierra and Elise intend to do?
Thanks to Mai’s quick thinking, we calmly drove the carriages at a walk after preparing for combat.
Our destination is the shop run by Harald Hatthan, who was supposed to be Fleur’s original buyer.
In the leading carriage, which I am driving, are Fleur, Sierra, Dietlinde, Ly, Liliana, and Tirna. Dietlinde is in the passenger seat of the driver’s compartment.
Freya is holding the reins of the carriage behind, with Mai sitting beside her.
Therefore, the carriage behind contains Alicia, Elise, Swan Hilda, Kirika, Edele and Eria.
Shotta, the petty slave trader of the Fox Beastkin tribe, might have assumed that this carriage belonged to the Raymond Trading Company, a major slave trading firm, and that I, a dissolute son, was playing adventurer with a retinue of girls.
Although they appear to be easy to deal with at first glance, they will suffer if they try to lay hands on us.
“Now then, Hal-sama. I am—*thump-thump*—feeling anxious.”
“Dietlinde, are you nervous?”
“It’s not that. My spirit magic is bloodthirsty.”
“No killing, remember.”
“I’ll strip them naked in front of everyone. Sierra and Elise will do the same!”
“I see…”
For this defensive battle, we plan to intercept them smartly with offensive magic as the main strategy.
The main fighting force will be Dietlinde, Sierra, and Elise, with Mai responsible for apprehending Shotta, the slave trader of the Fox Beastkin tribe.
Meanwhile, Swan Hilda doesn’t seem interested in dealing with mere thugs, and Eria, who recently gained the ability to use magic, would lack the skill.
Of course, Ly and Edele are wielding short swords and twin swords respectively, ready to attack at any time.
To be honest, Kirika and I, masters of Mimic Slime Mimi No. 1 and Mimi No. 2, who were recently freed and took on the form of Sophie’s limbs, wanted to participate, but we had to swallow our disappointment and be reserve forces this time.
After all, we had the firepower to easily dispatch town thugs.
“Hold it right there, you brat! If you’re going through here, you’ll pay the toll!!”
As the carriage entered a narrow street in the lower town, we were surrounded and stopped by six thugs in suspicious attire.
“…Brat? Are you referring to me!?”
“Yeah, you. Hand over the Fox Beastkin girls in the carriage. Let me tell you, both of them!!”
To be honest, the situation was as expected up to a point, but they asked to hand over Sierra in addition to Fleur.
What greedy bastards!
Dietlinde next to me is itching to attack, and my plan is for Sierra and Elise to join in when she makes the first move.
However, Shotta was not among the six men surrounding us.
*Thump, shush, sasa-sa*
At that moment, Mai leaped lightly from the driver’s seat of the carriage behind us, spotted Shotta hiding in the shadows of a nearby mansion, and subdued him by placing a short sword at his neck.
As usual, it was a skillful move.
“Dietlinde, commence attack!”
“Understood.”
At my command, Dietlinde used Fire Spirit Magic.
However, considering that the battleground was within the town, flashy offensive magic was prohibited this time.
Next, I could sense Sierra and Elise also using fire-attribute magic.
This attack acted deeply and quietly.
Of the six men surrounding the carriage, three had small flames, like fireflies, appear on their clothing, moving freely over their attire.
“You guys will suffer if you don’t hand them over obediently!”
“W-what’s wrong!? What’s happening? Are fireflies on my bro’s clothes?”
*Fasa, shara, basa-basa*
“My bro’s clothes disintegrated!?”
“Huh!? They’re naked now. D-don’t look!!”
“Hah! Hahaha! My bro’s stomach—*pupu-pupu-pu*”
“W-what the hell!? There’s a weird face drawn on my stomach!”
First, Dietlinde’s Fire Spirit Magic turned the clothes of the man who had been threatening me into rags.
This time, perhaps because she wasn’t helping with undressing, the rags that fell to the ground burned up and turned to ash.
Furthermore, on the ample stomach of the naked man, a part of his skin reddened, and a face was drawn in a humorous single stroke.
It seemed to have been drawn by slightly scorching the skin, causing a welt.
Dietlinde seems to have improved her Fire Spirit Magic skills in the short time I haven’t seen her.
“Ah, it’s hot, it’s hot!? W-what is this?!”
“It’s spreading to my clothes. Dammit, it’s on my back. Someone put it out!!”
“Don’t burn my best outfit!”
After a while, the six men were completely naked, walking bow-legged and skillfully hiding their private parts as they scattered in all directions.
All that remained was Shotta, who was subdued by Mai.
“Y-you guys don’t think you can get away with this to me, do you? Behind me is—”
Subdued by Mai, Shotta’s outer garment was stripped off, revealing him to be of the Fox Beastkin tribe.
Shotta’s fur stood on end, perhaps from fear, and it was the same russet color as Fleur’s.
Though Shotta’s words were defiant, his fox ears drooped –*petan*– and his fluffy fox tail hung limply.
“Hal-sama, as punishment for attacking us, how about cutting off his fox tail at the root? Shotta, this is the end for you.”
Sierra, who had come down from the carriage while shielding Fleur behind her, advised cutting off Shotta’s fox tail.
From what I heard from Shera before, the state of being “tailed” is the most humiliating for them.
“Y-you! How can you say such a thing! Isn’t it natural to help a fellow clansman!”
Shotta’s face turned bright red as he became enraged.
However, Mai’s short sword was pressed against his neck, and it was clear that we held the power of life and death.
“Shotta, was it… You tried to sell me too, didn’t you?”
“I… I was just looking!”
“You’re persistent. Fleur, what should we do with this man?”
“Shotta is also a stray, but he’s our kin… please don’t take his life…”
“So, cutting off his fox tail is acceptable then.”
“Sierra, I’ll help you.”
Tirna interrupted the exchange between Shotta and Sierra.
She held a large pair of scissors in her hand, occasionally opening and closing the two blades with a *shaki, shaki* sound.
“Even though her fur isn’t as good as Sierra’s or Fleur’s, I wonder if I can at least make a scarf?”
Shotta’s fox tail was sandwiched between the blades of the scissors in Tirna’s hand.
Now she could cut it at any moment.
Looking at Shotta’s face, it was contorted with fear.
“Don’t, stop it!!”
Unable to bear the terror, Shotta screamed and fainted ignominiously, tears and snot streaming down his face.
We bound Shotta, tossed him in the corner of the carriage, and began to move.
Thank you for reading.
episode33-8 The Arrogant Heretics Do Not Last Long ② will be reserved for posting at 0:00 on June 10th.
