Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Volume 3.
Extra Chapter: A Very Dramatic Before and After.
The whole world was dyed red.
The fading sunset illuminated a grisly sight. Flames burned throughout the city. Blood splattered the walls and clogged the gutters. A massive magic circle hung in the sky, eclipsing the tragedy below.
“This… This can’t…” A young girl’s voice echoed through the silence.
She had beautiful black hair and piercing golden eyes. And she couldn’t have been more than ten. Reflected in her eyes was her hometown, embroiled in a swathe of flames. She stood atop a small observation platform, her long hair and kimono swaying in the warm breeze.
She gripped the wooden guardrails so hard her knuckles went white. They creaked ominously under the force of her grip.
That wasn’t the strength a little girl should possess. But then, she wasn’t any ordinary girl. She was a member of the dragonman clan. And through her veins flowed royal blood.
She had watched as the world’s most beautiful capital, her hometown, was invaded and razed to the ground. The city of verdant trees and crystal waters had been unable to withstand such an overwhelming onslaught. Why did this have to happen? Until recently, the different races had lived together in peace. There had been no discrimination, no persecution.
She gazed, dumbfounded, as the flames raged through the city.
“Princess…it’s not safe here. You must escape.” The girl’s attendant urged her to flee. However, the young girl shook her head without taking her eyes off the city.
“Princess…”
“Venri. I am the princess of Klarus. My father, and my countrymen are still fighting down there. Yet you would have me flee? If there is a place I should be… it is down there.”
She pointed to the battle still raging below. Her attendant, Venri, ran up to her.
“You mustn’t, Princess!”
“I know. Even if I were to go, I would only be a hindrance. Never have I cursed my youth and inexperience so.”
A thin trail of blood ran down her mouth. She’d bit her lip so hard it bled. It took every ounce of her willpower not to rush down and aid the army below.
Her country had been razed and her people slaughtered. Now, her family was on the verge of being killed. And she was powerless to stop it. She hated her own weakness more than she despised her enemies.
It was then that the person whose safety she feared for the most appeared.
“Tio, I told you to head inside the barrier!” “Father!”
The girl’s, Tio’s father was a giant of a man. Massive scaled wings sprouted from either side of his back. This was the man Tio respected more than anyone, the king of the dragonmen, Kharga Klarus.
Kharga was in bad shape. His combat kimono, which was made out of monster hide and sturdier than most armor, was tattered and filled with burn holes. His body was crisscrossed with cuts and burns. The massive gash across his stomach was still bleeding.
Kharga was the sturdiest black dragon in existence. On top of that, he was one of the few skilled enough to be able to only partially transform himself. Even attacks capable of pierce his kimono would still be stopped by his impenetrable scales.
His penchant for charging headfirst into the enemy lines while stopping everything they threw at him had earned him the nickname “Mobile Fortress.”
And so Tio was shocked speechless when she saw how wounded he was. Kharga smiled bitterly and knelt down in front of his daughter.
“Tio. As you can see, we have lost. Though we tried everything we could, we were unable to fight against the changing times. I am sorry I could not at least leave you behind a home to live in.”
“That, that cannot be. How could you say that, Father! For the dragonmen to perish at the hands of something so insignificant… It cannot be! Tell me it can’t!”
“We have become the enemies of the entire world… Tio, do you remember what I told you? The one thing you can never do is avert your eyes from reality.”
“Father.”
That one word was filled with unimaginable pain and sorrow. Tio hugged her father, heedless of the grime and blood that smeared onto her kimono.
It just couldn’t be. Dragonmen were supposed to be the guardians of this world. They had built a place where people of any nationality, any race were accepted. A place where people helped each other and worked together. A place of peace. Every country, every species, had been indebted to the dragonmen in some way.
And yet, in just a few years it had all fallen apart. In the span of a few seasons, everything changed.
Dragonmen were monsters. Dragonmen were oppressing the different races. Dragonmen were prone to going berserk. Dragonmen had turned against the gods. Dragonmen were… heretics. How did it come to this? Tio thought.
Dragonmen’s ability to transform certainly was fearsome. It was magic no other creature, sentient or monster, possessed. But that was precisely why Dragonmen had strove to be nobler than anyone else. To turn that fear into awe, and then into respect.
They had disciplined themselves rigorously. At all times they were ready to help others, a paragon of bravery, and both the sword and the shield of all people.
As a result, they had managed to create a mortal paradise. Though it had taken centuries, they had created a kingdom where all races were accepted. Not only that, but they had created a global alliance, so that all people, everywhere, would help each other in times of need.
—Guardians of the world. —Protectors of peace. —Kings among kings. That was how the people had seen dragonmen.
But now those same people were killing her countrymen, spewing vile insults at them as they destroyed her home.
It felt unreal, like a nightmare. Over the course of a few years, everyone had come to despise and fear dragonmen. And now an alliance composed of every other race was burning her city. She still couldn’t believe it. This couldn’t be real, it had to be a dream. All she wanted was to wake up from this nightmare.
Wake up and go back to a world where her friends and family were still alive. Where the lush trees and sparkling rivers of her hometown were still there. Where people still lived happily together, regardless of race or nationality.
“Tio! Get a hold of yourself! The future of the Klarus dynasty rests with you!”
“Father…”
Her father’s stern voice brought her back to reality. She wiped away her tears and looked up at her father. She couldn’t just cry forever, and wallowing in pleasant daydreams would achieve nothing.
Kharga gazed down at her, his eyes full of love. Without a word, he swept Tio up into a hug. He held her tight, savoring her warmth. As if this was the last time he would ever get to hold his daughter. Tio coughed and tried to loosen his grip. It was tight enough that she couldn’t breathe.
But then she stopped. Over her father’s shoulders, she had caught sight of Venri’s expression. And she could tell from the strength of her father’s hug that something was wrong. Suspicion welled up within her. Why had father left the battlefield to come to her?
“As you can see, we have lost.” She recalled her father’s words. Though she was still young, Tio was wise beyond her years. She put together all the puzzle pieces, then came to a bone-chilling realization. She realized what her father meant to do, and stared at him in shock.
“Father… this cannot be true. Please, tell me it’s not.”
“Heh. You really are sharp. I guess you inherited both Orna’s looks and brains.”
His wry smile confirmed Tio’s suspicions. It appeared this was, in fact, the last time she would ever talk to him.
She didn’t know how to put her thoughts into words, but she knew she had to say something. But before she could, there was a thunderous roar and a massive shockwave spread out from the capital’s center. It was strong enough to shake even the faraway observation platform Tio stood on. She unconsciously covered her face and shrank back.
Silence followed in its wake. Tio and Kharga both looked grimly at the city.
“H-How could they…”
“……”
Tio sounded almost hysterical.
There was nothing left at the site of the explosion. It was just an empty crater. But that was not what Tio was referring to. One after another, pillars of wood started rising up from the ashes. On each of them was a crucified dragonman.
One in particular caught her attention. No matter how far away she was, she’d never be able to mistake that figure.
It was Orna, her mother. Her pale green hair and golden eyes made her recognizable from even a mile away. Normally she was a gentle person, full of smiles. But when she went into battle she turned into a gale. She tore through enemy ranks faster than the wind, leaving trails of destruction in her wake. Tio loved her more than anyone.
And now she was staring at her crucified corpse. With how badly wounded her body was, it was clear that she’d struggled until the very end. But now she was strung up as an example of what happened to those who resist.
A cold, dark fire burned in Tio’s eyes. Her jet-black mana usually looked more majestic than fearsome, but right now the ripples of black that emanated from her body resembled the very depths of hell. Anger and hatred welled up within her, and she began transforming.
“Tio.” “Fa…ther.”
Her body was covered in a raging whirlpool of mana, and she could barely speak through her anger. Before she could give in to her rage, her father knelt down and hugged her again.
Tio’s golden eyes glowed with fury. Why aren’t you trying to avenge her? Why aren’t you trying to kill these bastards who slaughtered her people? Why are you so calm even though Mother was just killed? Her accusatory glare bore into Kharga.
Still hugging his daughter, Kharga spoke in a quiet but firm voice.
“We know not our purpose for being.” Kharga silently urged his daughter to continue the mantra. Her anger still burning, Tio repeated the words she was taught since birth.
“Is this body beast, or human? If there is meaning to everything in this world, then where does our meaning lie?”
Kharga hugged Tio tighter and joined in the chant.
“For no matter how long we search, we can find no answer. And so whether we are beast or human, we bare our souls and thus swear.”
This was the vow with the world the dragonmen clan had made ages ago.
“Our eyes exist to pierce through falsehoods and see the truth.”
Both father and daughter’s voices melded together, forming a single whole. The strength drained from Tio’s body as she gradually calmed down.
“Our claws exist to tear down walls, and destroy the malice within.” Kharga let go of his daughter and gazed into her eyes. This was important. It was the last lesson he would ever teach his daughter. The power of their words calmed Tio’s anger, and she slowly regained the solemnity dragonmen prided themselves on.
“Our fangs exist to bite through our weakness, our anger and our hate.” More blood dripped from Tio’s mouth. She bit through her lip again to remind her of who she was.
“For when we forget our compassion, we are no more than beasts. But so long as we wield the sword of reason—” Kharga lightly touched the blood on Tio’s lips. The blood she’d shed were the tears of her heart. Gently, Kharga wiped them away.
Tears welled up in Tio’s eyes. But she didn’t let them spill. Hatred and anger eroded one’s heart. To give in to such impulses was to be weak. She turned her negative emotions into tears, but she didn’t let them fall. To do so would be betraying her pride as a dragonman.
Dragonmen were strong, kind, and above all, noble.
Now of all times, she couldn’t forget those words. Not when her father was in front of her. Not when her people, when her mother had fought to the death to defend their pride as dragonmen.
Tio sucked in a deep breath, and nodded to her father. These were the words her mother, her father, and all of her people had lived by. The words they’d taught her.
“We are dragonmen!” She shouted that at the top of her lungs. Kharga hugged his daughter again. This time he knew it truly was the last time. However he had nothing to worry about anymore. Tio had grown into a splendid woman.
“Tio, listen well.” “What is it, Father?”
She knew their time together was coming to an end. She desperately held back her tears and looked up at her father resolutely.
“Our true enemy, this world’s true enemy aren’t the people attacking us right now.”
“…Our true enemies are the ‘gods’ of the church, aren’t they? They are the ones who made this world so twisted.”
“That’s right. I did everything I could to destroy them, but… I wasn’t fast enough. Because of that, we dragonmen will perish here. We have no choice. You know why, don’t you?”
“I do. Because if we do not, the people of this world will remain twisted. The only way to end this war is for our race to vanish.”
Her heart sank as she spoke those words. Kharga nodded solemnly.
“The gods are not only powerful, but cunning as well. But they are not all-powerful. And evil will never reign forever. One day, eventually, someone will appear who can strike them down. Of that I am certain. Tio.”
“Yes, Father?”
Kharga gave Tio his last order, both as a king and as a father. “Live.”
“But… Father. You said we—”
Her father had just impressed upon her how important it was that the dragonmen race perish. Kharga smiled triumphantly. It was an expression Tio had rarely seen.
“I’m no fool. I knew with how powerful my enemy was that I would need a backup plan. Dragonmen will indeed perish tonight… in the eyes of the world at least. Far from the continent, I’ve created a hidden village. Along with a secret path the gods will never discover. My father, along with a few chosen people area living there already. Until the time finally comes that we can overthrow the gods, they will stay hidden there.”
“Grandfather’s over there!? But Father, you said Grandfather had died… Ah, I understand now.”
Adul Klarus, the previous king, and Kharga had been aware of the enemy ever since the world had begun to change. They had made sure to take various precautions in case the worst happened. But most of them had been undone. At first glance it seemed simple coincidence, but they soon realized that the gods’ meddling was behind everything. Soon after, Tio’s grandfather, the strongest red dragonman alive, supposedly died in battle against an unknown threat without even leaving a corpse behind.
However in reality he had feigned his death, and headed to this hidden village. That had been Kharga and Adul’s final ploy, the last card they could play to make sure dragonmen never truly vanished from the world. And by feigning his death, he made sure no one would be looking for him.
Tio was glad her beloved grandfather was still alive, but at the same time sad because she knew what this meant for her father.
“Father… you’re not coming, are you?”
“I can’t. I’m the current king. Without my death, this war will never end. And besides…”
“Besides?”
“I could never leave Orna all alone on the battlefield.”
Tio smiled weakly at that. Kharga tenderly stroked her hair and spoke his parting words.
“Tio, you are the pride and joy of Klarus line. You inherited my black scales, your mother’s wings, and your grandfather’s fire breath. Live strong my daughter. You have your own black flames, and the fierce flames of the Klarus family to protect you.”
“I will. I promise, Father.”
Having passed on his wife’s dying message, Kharga handed Tio over to Venri and flew off toward his final battlefield. Venri had been briefed on the plan ahead of time, and led Tio down the secret path. Just before she vanished inside, Tio looked back for one last time.
She saw a majestic black dragon tearing through the battlefield, his flaming breath so powerful it sundered the earth below.
Throughout the battle, the dragonmen had taken great pains to avoid killing the invaders. Though most of the world had turned against them, a few members of each race had believed in the dragonmen, and stayed behind. Kharga and the few remaining dragons fought only to give those people enough time to escape.
They refused to give the gods the satisfaction of watching people of the same race kill each other. Even on the verge of annihilation, they protected their citizens. No matter how painful their despair, they refused to give in to anger and hate.
Kharga’s breath parted his enemies and his defiant roar rang out through the heavens. It was a challenge to the gods sneering down from up high, a resolute cry that their pride as dragonmen would never be sullied.
“Mmmgh.” A faint groan could be heard from inside one of the rooms of an eastern-style wooden house. A beautiful young woman, the person who had emitted the previous groan, rolled over in her sleep. Had anyone seen her in that moment, they would have been instantly smitten.
Her disheveled black hair and exposed cleavage made her look bewitchingly seductive. On top of that, her exposed legs and plump butt were sexy enough to blow away any man’s self-control.
She must have been seeing a nightmare, as her body was covered in sweat. However, that only made her more alluring. A sheen of it covered her breasts and thighs, enticing the viewer.
“Hmph. I have not had that dream in a long time. Five hundred years later and still I see them in my dreams. It seems I have yet to truly grow up.” Tio heaved a sigh as she straightened out her crumpled clothes. Then, ignoring her gloomy thoughts, she threw open the door. Sunlight flooded the room. A bright blast like that was powerful enough to wash away even the worst nightmares.
Tio looked out at her village. In the past 500 years, it hadn’t changed at all. Kharga had chosen to put it on a bountiful island far off the continent’s coast. The soil was well-suited to farming, and the island was populated by wyverns and wild animals. The dragonmen that had survived the tragedy and their offspring had lived peacefully here for the past five centuries.
It was a far cry from her old home, but it was good enough to house the few hundred dragonmen that lived here. Tio stepped onto her porch and heard a voice call out to her.
“Good morning, princess. Were you having a nightmare?”
“Mm, good morning. It was a dream about the past. I have not had a dream like that in ten years. Perhaps it was a message from my mother and father from the other world. A reminder not to forget them.”
Venri, who looked to be rather old now, gave Tio a concerned look. However, Tio just winked playfully at her. Enough time had passed that she could joke about their deaths now.
Venri smiled awkwardly. She had intended to comfort Tio, but it looked as though that was unnecessary.
At first she had followed Tio around as her bodyguard, but now it was Tio who usually looked after her. On top of that, Tio’s strength had far surpassed her own. In both physical and mental strength she was unparalleled. Only Adul, the village chief, could hold a candle to her anymore.
Had the dragonmen kingdom not been destroyed, Tio probably would have gone down in history as one of their greatest queens. That she never became one was one of Venri’s greatest regrets. She put such gloomy thoughts aside and changed the subject.
“Would you like to have breakfast? I could get you something if you wish.”
“Hmmm… Breakfast does sound good… Hm? Where’s Grandfather? I do not sense his presence in the house…”
“Ah, Kartos-sama called for him earlier this morning. He has yet to return.”
“What? Old man Kar called for him? This early in the morning?”
Old man Kar, as Tio called him, was one of the village elders, and as old as Adul. He had the rare job “Observer” and was skilled at detecting the flow of mana. Of course even for someone like him it wasn’t easy to track mana somewhere as far as the mainland. Unless the usage of mana was so massive that its repercussions could be felt even on the island, it drained months of mana to scry mana usage across the continent. The scheduled scrying was only a month ago. Which means whatever old man Kar sensed was massive enough that it could be felt even here. Tio felt a, not exactly ominous
premonition. It was more as if she could sense a change was coming. She said goodbye to Venri and ran off to Kartos’ house.
When she arrived, she saw a few of the other elders were also there. There was a tension in the air, and Tio’s heart began to race.
“You came too, Tio?”
“Indeed, Grandfather. I had this vague feeling that something was off. And judging from everyone’s expressions… something has happened on the continent?”
Adul smiled wryly and nodded at his granddaughter’s astute deduction. He had a thick mane of red hair and looked far too young to be called “grandfather” by anyone.
“It would seem the Holy Church, or rather the gods have summoned forth some truly odd guests. Quite a few of them too. One of them possesses a great strength. According to Kartos’ divination, he holds the job, ‘Hero.’”
“Hero…”
Divination was one of Kartos’ job’s skills. It allowed him to discern the job of anyone he specified. Tio narrowed her eyes and mulled the word over. Hero was a job she had never heard of.
“This is a turn of events we cannot ignore. This must be investigated. I was thinking we should send Aroyce out again to—”
“I will go.”
Aroyce was skilled in covert action, and blended easily into crowds.
For better or worse, Tio stood out. Her looks were of course conspicuous, but she also carried herself like royalty. Both her mannerisms and her speech were a dead giveaway. She could hardly pass for an average citizen. Hence why others more suited to the task had gone on previous scouting missions. Until now, Tio had been content to hear their reports.
Until the time was right, the world was not to learn of their existence… That was the village’s most important rule. If the humans ever learned dragonmen still lived, they wouldn’t rest until the clan was wiped out for good. For all those reasons, it was unwise for Tio to go to the mainland.
Though the kingdom of Klarus was no more, the villagers still called Tio “princess.” Tio understood very well her influence in the town. Which was why she had taken the law very seriously. For her comrades, her parents, and the world, she couldn’t let the dragonmen be destroyed. She hadn’t left, despite how much the village had bored her.
And yet, now she stated that she wanted to go. The elders all stared at Tio in shock.
“…Tio. Do you realize what you just said?”
“Yes, Grandfather. I understand all of the risks. But I still wish to be the one to go. Let me handle this investigation.”
“Why do you wish to go so badly? Why not let someone more suited to the task handle it?”
“I have this feeling. Grandfather, this development is going to change the world. Something inside me is telling me I have to go. If you try to stop me, I will force my way through. I absolutely have to see this through.”
“……”
It was rare for Tio to be this stubborn. The elders were still staring at Tio in shock, but for a different reason this time. There was a fierce determination burning in her eyes.
Adul met her gaze, and after a long staring contest, shrugged. He nodded his assent.
“Very well. You may go, Tio. See the world for yourself. However, make sure not to draw the gods’ attention. And as the law states, you will go alone. Do you understand?”
“Completely. …Thank you, Grandfather.”
The other elders voiced their opposition, but Adul talked them down. In the end, they agreed to let Tio go.
The next morning. The sun had yet to rise. Tio was standing atop a cliff in the corner of the island.
The news that she would be going on the investigation this time had spread like wildfire. Starting with Venri, a procession of people had come to voice their protests. But in the end they were unable to change her mind, and she started packing for the trip.
The island was a fair distance from the mainland. Most dragonmen had to exhaust their entire mana supply to reach the continent. Even Tio, who had more mana than most, would have a hard time making the trip. The flight took nearly a whole day, which was why Tio had decided to leave early in the morning.
The entire village had come to see her off.
“P-Princess. Are you sure you won’t change your mind? If anything happened to you…”
“She’s right! At least take some guards with you!”
“Yeah, take me! I’ll protect you even if it costs me my life!”
Even now Venri hoped against hope that she might be able to convince Tio. Aroyce, the village’s veteran scout, offered to join Tio despite knowing the rules. Some of the other young men also offered to come along, blushing at their own boldness. Many of the other villagers tried to convince her not to go as well.
All of them cared deeply for her well-being. She was loved by the entire village.
“I understand your feelings. And I apologize for causing you such worry. But just this one, I am afraid I must have my way.”
Her determined voice quieted the protests. Tio cast her gaze over the villagers. She looked them in the eye, challenging them to test her resolve.
“Venri. I know just how much you care about me. You have been by my side even longer than Grandfather has. You are like another mother to me. I beg of you, please let me have your blessing before I depart.”
“Prin…cess…”
Tears leaked from Venri’s eyes. No words could have made her happier.
“Aroyce. Look after my grandfather while I’m gone. Fufu, of all of my suitors you were the strongest. I can count on you to handle things while I am gone, right?”
“How can you call me strong when I haven’t even been able to scratch your scales even once? However, I could never refuse the woman I love. …You never did play fair.”
Aroyce couldn’t bring himself to refuse after Tio smiled at him. Especially since she was trusting him to look after things.
Despite being over five hundred years old, Tio had never slept with a man. Most dragonmen were married long before they reached her age. However, no one had been able to clear Tio’s requirements. In order to become her husband, a prospective suitor had to— “I-I’ll beat you one day, Princess! And then I’ll finally… You have to stay safe, for me!” prove they were stronger than her by beating her in a fight. It was a simple enough requirement, but one that was nearly impossible to fulfill. For Tio’s strength had surpassed even Adul’s. Ever since the day she’d watched her parents die, Tio had devoted herself to training. At some point she’d grown so strong no one else could match her.
All of the young men who wished to wed Tio, including Ristan who was barely more than a boy, tearfully tried to stop her from going.
Tio was strong, kind, and noble. On top of that, she was beautiful and wise. Over the centuries every young dragonman had tried to win her hand in marriage. But none of them had managed to so much as scratch her scales. Tio was so tough that she had long since forgotten how pain felt.
“Seriously, what a bunch of hopeless men. I appreciate your concern, but… words can no longer stop me. Feelings alone are not enough. Strength alone can achieve nothing. You need both, or you can never hope to change my mind. I am going. And if you wish to stop me then prove you have the strength to drag me back. Maybe someday… one of you will be able to do manage that. Fufufu.” Tio chuckled and brushed off the men who were trying to stop her. After being told all that, there was nothing they could say back.
“My comrades. My beloved people. Watch me.” Everyone’s gaze focused on Tio. She addressed the village with all the solemnity and majesty of a real queen.
“I do not know what awaits me on the continent. Nor do I know what the future holds. However, the winds of change are blowing. Something big is happening. And I know that I must confront this change directly. But fear not. Believe in me. Believe in your princess.” —In the strongest dragonman alive, Tio Klarus. Everyone unconsciously took a step back. The force of her determination had cowed the crowd. No one uttered any more words of complaint. As one, they villagers bowed their heads. They had decided to put their trust in Tio.
Her eyes full of tenderness, Tio nodded to the crowd. She waved one last time to Adul, transformed into a jet-black dragon, and leaped off the cliff.
Sandwiched by the white clouds and sparkling ocean, Tio cut through the wind. She was finally on her way to an unfamiliar land.
Nothing had changed for the past five hundred years. As her father had commanded the day he died, she had stayed alive. However, she was done with just living. Like her parents had done before her, Tio was ready to stake her life for a cause. That was the kind of life Tio Klarus wanted to live.
She could feel that something was changing. The dream she’d had the other day must have been a sign.
Her gaze pointed forward, Tio said with conviction, “Something is going to change… I can feel it.”
“I can feel it, Maaaaster~”
“Quit moaning all the damn time, you pervert!”
Hajime held Tio up with his artificial limb. Every time he squeezed her face, she writhed in pleasure. They had stopped in a small town for dinner, but their meal was all but forgotten. The other customers were edging away from Hajime, while Yue and Shea had already moved to a different table. They were doing their best to pretend they didn’t know Hajime.
Twitching, Tio feebly tapped on Hajime’s arm. He would have let go at that point, but when he saw what she was holding in her hand, he started squeezing even harder. A vein pulsed in his forehead as he slowly put more force into his grip.
“No moooooooore! I’m dyiing! The ecstasy is killing meeeeeeeeee!”
“If you don’t want to die, how about letting go of that thing in your hand?”
“Nnngh. This is a misunderstanding. I swear I’m not lying. Please believe me.”
In her hand was a pair of Hajime’s underwear. When she’d gone to wipe her mouth during dinner she’d pulled that out of her pocket by mistake. He gave her a piercing glare and snatched his underwear back from Tio’s hand.
Released from his iron grip, she fell limply to the floor.
“Th-That was wonderful… Haah… Haah,” she panted, a vulgar smile on her face.
“Alright, so what’s your excuse for pulling this out of your pocket during dinner of all times? Well, you perverted dragon lady?”
“P-Perverted dragon lady…For me, the proud daughter of the Klarus line to be called a perverted dragon lady. Haah Haah. And that scornful gaze… Excuse me, Master. But may I change my panties?”
There was a metallic clunk as Hajime pointed one of his artifacts at Tio. “Three, two…” he started counting down. Tio hurriedly starting explaining herself.
“This is a misunderstanding! I happened to find your underwear lying on the floor of your room and thought to return it to you! However…”
“However, what?” Hajime lowered his weapon. So far, Tio had a surprisingly valid reason for carrying his underwear around.
“I realized depending on how I used it, I could get you to punish me—”
Hajime snapped. Tio was unaware of the sudden change and was cupping her flushed cheeks and preparing her next words.
“Oh, Master, what kind of embarrassing things are you making me say?”
“Hm? What is it, Master? Your expression suddenly turned kind—” His expression certainly did look gentle. Then, without warning, Hajime pulled Tio forward so she was on all fours. Confused, Tio looked up at him as he circled around to her back.
“So in the end, you’re just a pervert.”
He pulled out Donner and fired a full round into her ass.
“Ahiiiiiiiiiiiii! My arse! Oh my arse! Thank you so much, Master!” Sadly all that earned Hajime was Tio’s gratitude. She really was tough. There was no lasting damage on her butt.
Thanks to their antics, the group was kicked out of the restaurant. For some reason, Yue and Shea both gave him exasperated stares as they left. Depressed, Hajime dragged Tio behind him as they looked for somewhere else to eat.
For most of the journey she was just panting heavily, scaring off nearby passerby. However for a few seconds, she looked up at Hajime with a serious expression on her face and muttered,
“Grandfather, everyone. I do not think I can return anymore… Haah… Haah…”
Whether she meant to her village, or to being the princess everyone knew, only she knew.
It’s possible she may have meant something else entirely.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
Bonus Short Stories.
Arifureta Magic School.
“Eighty-six destroyed desks and chairs. One hundred-and-thirty- seven shattered windows. Eight classrooms with their roofs blown off. Seven more with crumbling walls or destroyed floors. A total of one hundred-and-ninety-nine other destroyed objects… Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?”
The Chairwoman of this magic school, Tio Clarence, rested her elbows on the thick wooden desk. Her golden eyes glowed ominously as she stared down at the arrivals, her fingers interlaced in front of her face. The dim light of the setting sun illuminated the room.
Sitting opposite her were the school’s problem children and problem teacher, Professor Yue, Shea, Kaori, and Hajime. The three girls wrecked the school four to five times each week in their pitched battles for Hajime. They’d been called into the Chairwoman’s office today for the same reason. Sadly, it was clear that calling them to the office every time they destroyed the school had done nothing to rectify their rowdy behavior. In fact, even now they showed no remorse.
“How unfortunate. It’s clear to me the builders cut corners in their work. You should sue whoever you contracted for the construction job.”
“This is all your fault, Yue-sensei, Kaori-san. I only break things Hajime-san can fix!”
“That’s not what’s important here. I demand that you fire Yue-sensei at once. A teacher that would dare to make advances on her student cannot be allowed to teach here!”
It was obvious they hadn’t reflected on their actions. Professor Yue was ready to sue over the destruction she herself had caused, Shea was convinced she was the only one exempt from punishment because she’d been slightly more considerate, while Kaori had boldly stated the school’s destruction “wasn’t important.” A vein bulged on Tio’s forehead.
“You brats! Will you not reflect on your actions even a little? Yue- sensei, I cannot believe even you would stoop this low. You are a teacher! You are supposed to guide the students and set an example, yet here I find you inciting this delinquent behavior!”
“I incited nothing. I was simply swatting away the flies buzzing around my Hajime. It’s not my fault the buildings were too weak to handle that.”
“What do you mean, not your fault!? In the first place—” “I’m not a fly! If anything, you’re the fly, Yue-sensei!”
“Could you please not refer to him as ‘my’ Hajime? Please? Or I’ll have to shut your mouth for good.”
“That’s enough out of all of you! I am the Chairwoman! The person running this school! I will not be ignored!” However, no matter what she said, Professor Yue and the two students ignored the Chairwoman. Realizing her words would never get through to them, Tio sighed and turned to Hajime. He had so far been ignoring the proceedings and was staring wistfully at the sunset.
“Mas— I mean, Hajime. This involves you too, you know? The reason these girls are fighting is because of you.”
“There’s nothing I can do about that, Chairwoman. I already told them all, you know? The only one I love is Yue-sensei, so there’s no reason for all this pointless fighting. And yet…”
Hajime looked over at his companions. Yue was blushing happily, while Shea’s bunny ears were pressed flat against her head, and Kaori had stuck her fingers in her ears. There seemed to be some kind of evil specter rising behind Kaori as she glared hatefully at Yue. Tio sighed again. She assigned them all three of them a hundred written apologies to be handed in by the next day, hoping that spartan punishments would work where lectures had failed. Yue and the others complained of course, but when Tio threatened further disciplinary action, including expulsion, they reluctantly relented and agreed to write the apologies. Finally, they were released from their lecture and turned to go home.
“Mas— I mean, Hajime. Could you stay behind? I know you repair the school each time, but a few problems have started to occur.”
“Huh? I’m pretty sure I restored it perfectly…”
“You did indeed. Your Transmutation skills truly are impressive. However, there are times things aren’t simply destroyed, but completely obliterated. I was hoping to talk to you about that.”
“Well, I’ll hear you out at least.” Tio nodded in satisfaction. Suddenly, chills ran down her spine. She looked over and saw Professor Yue, Shea, and Kaori all glaring daggers at her from the doorway.
“Wh-What is it, you three? I have nothing more to say to you, go home! You have your apologies to be writing! No skipping class to write them, either! Now go home and get to work!” Tio walked out from behind her desk and pushed the three of them out of their room. They didn’t stop glaring at her, but they couldn’t argue with her logic. Tio slammed the door shut behind them once they were out.
“My my, those three really are a handful. Now then, Hajime, take a seat on that sofa over there.”
Hajime eased himself into the nearby leather sofa. Tio casually sat down next to him, almost as if it was the natural thing to do. She purposely pulled back her kimono and crossed her legs, revealing her plump thighs. At the same time, she loosened her collar, giving an obviously transparent excuse.
“I worked up a sweat with all that yelling.”
“So, what did you want to talk about, Chairwoman?” “There is no need to stand on ceremony. Just call me Tio.” “So what did you want to talk about, Chairwoman?”
“I’m being ignored again… Haah… Haaah… Ahem… Where was I… Oh, yes. Earlier, Mas— Ahem… I mean, Hajime, you beat me to a pulp, kicked me about like I was trash, and then did unspeakable things to my arse.”
“Hey, Chairwoman. I can’t deny it since it’s the truth, but you don’t have to put it like that, do you? You’re making me out to be some kind of terrible thug. Not only had I never seen you in your dragon form before, but you’re the one who got carried away and said you wanted to see my full strength, remember?”
Some time ago, Hajime had gone up to the mine in the mountains in order to gather materials to transmute. There, he’d encountered the chairwoman in her transformed state. Tio had just felt like going out for a short flight to relax a little, but when she saw Hajime she decided to test his skills. She’d been hearing lots of rumors about him, and wanted to see how powerful this student really was. As a result, Hajime had, without hesitation, mercilessly set about destroying Tio as efficiently as possible. By the time she’d reverted to her original form, she’d already suffered an attack that had changed her forever.
“I-I do. For that, I am sorry. Still, that does not excuse sticking such a b-big, thick, thing up my arse.”
“What’d you expect? Your scales were too tough to pierce, so striking your weak point was the obvious solution.”
“However, you did not stop even after I revealed who I was to you. You continued drilling that… thing inside me. Thanks to that, my precious backside was damaged beyond repair.” Tio sidled closer to Hajime with tears in her eyes. One hand was tenderly rubbing her butt. Though he’d done it only to get answers out of her, Hajime had to admit he may have gone too far. Seeing him at a loss for words, Tio saw her chance and scooted even closer to him.
“Ever since then my arse has felt strange. You have to take responsibility for this.”
“R-Responsibility?”
“Yes. Take responsibility… and violate my arse once more!” Chairwoman Tio leaped at Hajime after letting out those words. Her eyes had gone from teary to bloodshot in the span of a few seconds. Hajime reflexively slapped her away, which made Tio let out an enraptured moan as she was flung back.
Crap, now I’ve really done it, Hajime thought, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. Then, he caught sight of Tio’s expression as she cupped her cheek, and his worries vanished. They were replaced by an intense feeling of contempt. He glared down at Tio, but that only made her tremble in pleasure.
“M-Master, thank you so much for that wonderful reward… Haah… Haah…”
“I’m not spending another second with you, you pervert! I’m going home!” Hajime bolted for the door. However, Tio crawled after him in a rather disturbing manner with surprising speed. She caught Hajime’s leg and clung to it for dear life.
“Master! More, please!”
“I’m not your master, you damn pervert! I can’t believe you lectured Yue-sensei when you’re like this! You’re worse than all of them! Gah, let me go! Quit clinging to me!” Hajime’s fight with the chairwoman had opened a forbidden door. Tio clung to Hajime with all the strength of a dragonman, savoring every insult Hajime threw at her.
Maybe I should just beat her up so bad that she can’t stand, then dump her on the mountain somewhere. As always, Hajime had no mercy.
“Get off of Hajime, you perverted chairwoman.” The wallpaper peeled away, revealing Yue, who’d been standing behind it.
“I thought something like this might happen! I can’t ever let my guard down around you!” Shea dropped down from the ceiling.
“Did you really think you could fool me? Did you?” Kaori slid out from under the sofa.
“What is this!?” Tio screamed in shock.
“You’re safe now that I’m here,” the three girls said in unison.
“The three of you are just as scary,” Hajime replied bluntly. He loved Yue, but this was still a little much.
“I could have sworn the three of you had left… but it seems you just hid your presences. I was careless! However, I shall not let anyone interfere with my time with Master, not even you three! Draconify!”
“Hmph. That’s my line. Tonight, I’ll be making dragon steak for dinner— Draconic Thunder!” “I can’t believe you spent so long lecturing us only to try and steal Hajime-san for yourself… Today’s the day you die! Drucken, standby! I’m gonna blow you to the moon!”
“Wait for me, Hajime-kun. I’ll do my best to stop them! I promise I’ll capture them all for you!”
The chairwoman’s room was destroyed that day. Students and teachers alike watched as a jet-black dragon did battle with a crackling golden dragon. In the middle of it all, a bunny-eared girl sent the black dragon flying with a blow from her warhammer. Then, both the vampire professor and the bunny girl were bound by ethereal chains that flung them to the ends of the earth. The fierce battle raged on for several hours. Once it was finally over, a good forty percent of the school was in ruins.
“Maybe I should run away with Yue-sensei and hide somewhere deep in the countryside,” Hajime muttered to himself, as he wearily set about repairing the academy. Those who heard him replied in a simple, heartfelt manner.
“Yes, please!”
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
Catfight.
“Alright, here I come!” “Whenever you are ready!”
Shea leaped off the ground with enough force to leave a small crater in her wake. She hurtled toward Tio, who was waiting in a defensive stance.
“Hiyaaah!”
“Nnngh. That was a splendid blow! I could feel the weight behind it.”
Shea let out a cute yell as she tackled Tio, who grunted as she took it head-on. She’d strengthened her body enough to handle most attacks, but Shea’s tackle still pushed her back a few centimeters. Similarly, Shea had strengthened herself enough for a decently powerful tackle. Though she hadn’t gone all out, she was still surprised Tio had managed to withstand most of the force. However, Shea wasn’t done yet. She’d been trained thoroughly by Yue and Hajime, so she had a few more tricks up her sleeve. While their bodies were still pressed together, Shea made a fist and stomped forward. She then twisted her legs and hips, transferring all of that energy into her fist, and punched Tio in the flank from point blank range.
Tio gasped in pain, but managed to back away a little. Shea pursued relentlessly, pulled back her arm, and went for an elbow strike. Tio doubled over in pain, and Shea followed up with a palm strike to the jaw. Her head snapped back, and she groaned again. Though this groan sounded a little more like a moan of pleasure. Shea grounded herself firmly and finished with a double palm strike to Tio’s now exposed stomach. Tio was blown back by Shea’s combo finisher.
However, she remained standing. Though she left furrows in the ground as she slid back, Tio refused to fall.
“Wh-What a fearsome series of attacks… Those queer movements of yours make defending exceedingly difficult. Each one of your blows pinpointed a gap in my defenses. Haah… Haaah… Splendid.”
“But you still look fine. And is it just me, or are you getting happier every time I hit you?”
“It’s just you! Now come at me, I shall take each and every one of your blows!”
“I’m kinda getting less motivated the more we do this…” Shea looked down dejectedly. It was obvious her blows weren’t doing any lasting damage, and while she knew Tio’s impressive defense had a lot to do with that, she couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated.
“It looks like I need Drucken to break through your defenses after all, Tio-san…. No, I know there has to be a way to do this barehanded!” Shea rushed forward again. This time, her tackle was a lot more straightforward. She ducked at the last second, then used the force of her charge to try and lift Tio off her feet. Unused to such an unorthodox move, Tio couldn’t prevent Shea from tackling her to the ground. Without giving her even a second to recover, Shea attempted to put Tio in an armlock. However, because of the position she was attempting it in, Tio’s arm ended up squished between Shea’s breasts. And, at the same time, Shea’s feet pressed down on Tio’s twin mounds.
“A joint lock? You truly have an interesting array of close-combat skills at your disposal! Still, us dragonmen aren’t so weak that a simple joint lock will stop us!” Tio twisted her hips and bucked hard. Shea’s hold loosened for a split second, but that was all Tio needed to break free. She counterattacked before Shea could get her footing again. Leaping at her from behind, Tio grabbed Shea’s boobs and pinned her down. A cute squeal of surprise slipped from Shea’s mouth.
“Pathetic! Is that all you can do?”
“Fwah… Do not grab me there! And stop squeezing! Hmph, in that case, take this!”
“Hyaaaahn!? Hey, where do you think you’re pinching!? Hah, payback!”
“Ahiii! It’s slipping… It’s slipping off! I cannot show such a shameful sight to Master! Take that, you shameless vixen!”
“D-Don’t touch me there! Only Hajime-san can touch me thereeeeeeeee~”
Tio and Shea continued grappling with each other, neither letting the other stand up. The two of them had decided to have a practice bout while they stopped for a break, but this didn’t look anything like a fight anymore. They were dripping with sweat, their limbs were tangled with each other, and they were panting heavily. Honestly, it looked more like…
“Hajime-dono. I finally think there was value in me, Will Cudeta, surviving that horrible trip up the mountain.”
“I see. I’m glad you realized so soon.”
The two girls doggedly continued fighting, even after being stripped half-naked. Will cried tears of happiness as he watched. The sight had truly moved him. Hajime agreed wholeheartedly, but he couldn’t let those feelings show on his face. After all…
“……”
He could feel Yue’s gaze drilling into him from behind. When he turned around, he saw her sitting as still as a doll, staring intently at him with cold eyes.
“That truly is a sight for sore eyes, isn’t it, Hajime-dono?”
“Could you just shut up for a bit?” Hajime started plotting different ways he could beat these memories out of Will.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
A Store Owner Like This… Might Really Exist.
The TSUTAYA video store, a bustling chain that boasted a large selection of movies, books, some other merchandise, and the ever present UFO catcher games. Every weekend people flooded the store looking for new releases or old classics. One particular store had an abnormally large amount of visitors. As many as you’d expect to see in a theme park during a parade. TSUTAYA may have been a convenience store, but this was clearly irregular. Furthermore, almost all of the customers were men, and they weren’t just standing around the books, reading like usual, they were actually sifting through the merchandise.
By their demeanor, one would be justified in thinking they might be thieves. In fact, it wouldn’t have been surprising if one of the store clerks walked up to them and gave them a stern warning. However, the workers at this particular store were used to this behavior, and they carried on like usual. “Haaa, you know…” One of the part- timers, Hajime Nagumo, looked down at his wristwatch with a sigh. He wasn’t counting down the minutes until he was off the clock, but rather waiting for a specific event to occur.
Just then, the door to the staff room began creaking open. Everyone in the store started talking noisily. Their attention was focused entirely on that door. Some of the guys were even panting heavily with perverted expressions on their faces. When the door was finally fully free, the customers…
“The manager’s here!” “S-She’s so hot…”
“Apparently she’s over twenty. Can you believe it…it’s like some kind of miracle.”
The crowd was going wild, as if they’d just met their favorite idol.
The person who’d came out of the staff room wearing TSUTAYA’s trademark uniform and apron was none other than Yue, the manager of this store. She looked like a perfectly crafted doll brought to life. With her small frame, tottering steps, and lustrous golden hair the word cute didn’t do her justice. Despite her lack of expression and breasts, there was an undeniable sexiness to her. She was the intimidating, aloof queen of TSUTAYA.
“Hajime, Shea, have you finished stocking the shelves?” “Ah, yeah. We finished this morning, Manager.”
“Aye aye, ma’am! We are ready for battle!”
Today was the day a famous author’s new book went on sale. Hajime, and his fellow part-timer Shea, had spent all morning stocking the exclusive corner with said book. Yue nodded with a satisfied “Good,” and turned to face the members of her fan club that had gathered. Like trained soldiers, they fell into a neat single- file line in front of the exclusive corner. They had likely trained for this moment. They stood at attention, waiting for Queen Yue’s words.
“…Mmm, go forth and buy.”
“Yes ma’am!” They did as their queen commanded. It was a bit questionable whether someone in the service industry should have been ordering her customers around like that, but at this point no one said anything about it. The new part-timer, Hajime, muttered something about it under his breath, but that was all. The queen’s faithful servants all grabbed copies of the new book and rushed to the register. As the first customer arrived, their queen spoke once more.
“Hm? Just a single copy?” Yue tilted her head. “You’re only buying one thing?” her gaze clearly said. What a cunning move. Nothing was off limits for her, as long as it improved sales.
“O-Of course not. Let me buy one, no two more copies. One to give away, one to keep in my collection, and one to read!”
“I recommend this book too.”
“I’ll buy it! Three copies of that too!”
She really was merciless when it came to business. Yue smiled faintly as the first customer ended up buying six books. Everyone else waiting in line gulped and she tilted their heads at them too. “Won’t you buy that many too?” her gaze seemed to implore. The results were instantaneous.
“Manager! I’ll buy 5! Please just give me your phone—”
“Bastard, you think that’s enough!? Manager, sell me the most expensive thing you have!”
“Hah, fools. It’s not about the price. You’re all buying the newest stuff, but it’s obvious the manager will appreciate you even more for getting stuff that doesn’t sell well! Manager, do you still have that box set of Chupacabra? By the way, would you like to go out for dinner—”
“Manager, can I take a picture of you!?”
In a desperate effort to win her smile, the customers bought more and more items. Hajime stood in front of Yue, protecting her from the mob of jostling customers.
“Please don’t push! Line up in an orderly fashion, please!”
“My apologies, but please refrain from asking the manager for her personal information!”
“Both the box set and the revised edition of Chupacabra are unfortunately sold out!”
“No pictures, please! This store has a no picture policy!”
“Please stop trying to touch the manager, dear customer. If you do that again, I’ll beat the shit out of you!”
“Give it a rest, you bastards! Quit trying to get close to the manager!”
Hajime grew less polite as the requests continued. By the end he was a grinning demon, disposing of rowdy customers. Shea, who was almost as popular as Yue, handled the ones he couldn’t with her toy hammer. Many of the customers bopped by it came away grinning. The remaining clerks worked furiously to handle the waves of customers. Finally, the daily event that started with Yue’s appearance drew to a close. Mixed among the dwindling sea of male customers was a black haired beauty, who muttered some words.
“I wonder if Hajime-kun’s working here today too?” As Hajime was still busy handling customers, he didn’t even notice her. However, Yue swooped down in a Char mask and intimidated her.
“Our store is now closed. We are looking forward to never having your patronage again. Kindly get out.” And thus, Kaori was evicted from TSUTAYA.
“Haaa it’s finally over. I feel like I say this every time, but the manager’s ability to attract people is ridiculous. Our sales are on a completely different level from the other TSUTAYAs. Probably for the wrong reasons, though.”
Hajime was taking a break in the staff room after the storm had passed. Everyone took their breaks in turns, so he was the only one free at the moment. However, a few minutes later, Yue came in with some drinks. It seemed they were for him. She passed him a can and Hajime gave her his thanks. It was the little things like this that made her loved and respected not just among the customers, but by the staff as well, which was why Hajime didn’t complain even when he looked down and noticed the label on the can read “Ambrosia.”
“Thanks for the drink, Manager.”
“Mhm… Thank you for protecting me back there. You were cool.”
“Ah, that was nothing… Anyway, it’s dangerous to keep going out like that, so I’d prefer if you stopped.”
“It’s to increase sales. I won’t stop until we’re the best selling TSUTAYA in the country.” Yue puffed her chest out proudly. Hajime smiled wryly. This was why he could never quit, despite the crazy rush hours and all the extra work he had to put in. The manager was just too lovable.
As Hajime sipped on his Ambrosia, Yue pulled out a light novel and proffered it to him. It looked like she’d pulled it out of her bra, but Hajime was a gentleman, so he made no comment. Her body heat still lingered on the cover, but he pretended not to notice that, too.
“Um, Manager, what is this?”
“Our next big hit. You should read it.”
“You want me to read it? Am I gonna be writing a review on it or something?” He looked quizzically down at the cover, then noticed something strange.
“Hey, Manager… The girl on the cover, the one who looks like the main heroine… look a lot like you, doesn’t she?”
“Mhm… By the way, the protagonist looks like you, Hajime.” “Why are you licking your lips like that?”
Shivers ran down Hajime’s spine. He found himself unable to meet Yue’s gaze, and stared down at the book instead. According to the summary it was about how a kind, normal boy got summoned to another world. Thanks to the harsh experiences he faced there, he changed into a completely different person, and went on adventures with a vampire princess that he met along the way. As he flipped through the pages, he noticed the main heroine got naked an awful lot. She was naked when the protagonist first met her, again after their first big battle together, and then again when she visited him in the bath and pushed him down.
What kind of surreal situation is this!? Hajime was staring at naked pictures of a girl who looked just like Yue, as the real Yue watched him rifle through the pages.
“Read it. In fact, make it your bible. It’s got the greatest heroine you’ll ever see.”
“Y-Yes, ma’am.” Hajime started stuttering as Yue leaned in close. The title of the light novel she had given him was—
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
Shea’s Cooking Lesson.
A slender finger traced its way down a ripe red fruit. The egg-shaped fruit suddenly split into round slices. It was then assailed by a sharp wind and minced into fine pieces. Unlike most fruit, its center was hollow. The relentless wind pounded the pieces of fruit until they were nothing more than fine powder. A beautiful girl, Yue, nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the powdered fruit. She scooped up the powder and stealthily walked over to a simmering pot. With a faint smile, she made to dump the powder into the pot, but before she could—
“What do you think you’re doing, Yue-san?”
“Huh!?” Someone grabbed her arm. Trembling, she looked up at the owner of the hand that had grabbed her.
“S-Shea…”
“That’s right, it’s Shea. And I’m getting very tired of you trying to add the poison you call ‘originality’ to our food, Yue-san.” Normally she was the helpless, worthless rabbit, but at present Shea’s face was a mask of anger. Yue whimpered softly, looking anywhere but at Shea, and started explaining herself.
“C-Calling it poison is a bit much. I’m sure this will make the dish taste even better—”
“How many times have you said that now? And how many times have your ideas ruined my food? There’s nothing more dangerous than a beginner experimenting with recipes!”
As she’d been royalty, Yue had no idea how to cook. Because of that, she’d started taking lessons from Shea, who was skilled in all sorts of housework. However, her attempts at adding a twist to Shea’s dishes had all ended in failure. At first, Shea had put up with Yue’s antics. She’d guessed Yue just wanted to impress Hajime with something she’d made and let it slide. However, Yue’s constant attempts to make something new and her complete disregard for the basics had turned Shea from a worthless rabbit into a wrathful rabbit. That was why Shea’s ears twitched angrily as she looked at Yue.
“But I’m sure it’ll work this time. I’m pretty sure Hajime will love this taste.”
“Pretty sure doesn’t cut it! Besides, it’s obvious that won’t do anything to improve the dish’s taste! That’s devilclaw fruit! One pinch of it is enough to ruin the taste of most dishes! Do you understand now!?”
“But Hajime’s the one who’s going to eat it. And he likes spicy food… He’s even had demon meat before, so he’ll probably like something more stimulating.”
“I just said probablys and pretty sures don’t cut it when it comes to cooking!” Shea forcibly wrenched Yue’s hand open and tried to throw Yue’s powdered devilclaw fruit into one of her spice bags. However, Yue resisted with all her might. Shea started pinching Yue’s cheeks with her free hand, trying to get Yue to let go, and yet the overpowered rabbit’s cheat-level strength was too much to fight against, and eventually she let go. However, Shea had put too much force into her hand.
“Nuwaaah!? The spice really lives up to its name! My eyes, my nose—” Shea rolled on the ground as she clawed at her face. Yue looked down nervously as she watched Shea writhe in pain. Normally, devilclaw fruit needed extensive preparation before it could be used in anything, so just touching it was enough to burn people’s skin. However, Yue’s automatic regeneration ability had allowed to her to handle it raw without much discomfort, which was why she hadn’t realized just how potent a fruit it was. All she’d read was that properly prepared devilclaw fruit was the most exquisite spicy seasoning that could be added to a dish.
“S-Shea? Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m not okaaaaaaaaay! Water! Wash away the residue with water, pleaseeeee!”
“Okay.” Yue cast a spell and a massive torrent of water appeared out of nowhere. Any normal person would have been crushed to death by the force of what was a veritable waterfall, but Shea knelt above the oncoming deluge, arms spread wide. She looked like a devout pilgrim seeking salvation. The water hit her with the force of a cannonball. Ten seconds passed, then twenty. Finally, the water stopped. A crater had formed where it had slammed into the ground, and its center was Shea, still kneeling in the same pose as before.
She wasn’t moving.
“Shea? Hello? Earth to Shea-san?” Yue timidly called out to her. Shea’s drenched rabbit ears twitched a little, then flopped straight up, shaking all the water off. Shea slowly got to her feet. Then, still dripping, she briskly walked up to Yue and firmly grabbed her by the shoulders. Yue shrank back from the intensity of her gaze. After all, Shea’s face was so close to Yue that their noses were practically touching.
“Y-u-e-s-a-n!”
“S-Shea, calm down. Your face is—”
“S-h-u-t-u-p”
“O-Okay.” Yue’s expression stiffened as her facial muscles cramped up. Shea’s face was a complete mess. Her eyes were red and swollen, and drool, tears, water, and snot dripped from every orifice. Her lips were swollen, and flecks of red dotted her pale skin. To top it all off, her voice was raspy. All of that just gave her rage an even sharper edge. Her expression was positively demonic, as her swollen eyes promised death. It seemed that her anger had long since boiled over and shot up to the stratosphere.
Cold sweat poured down Yue’s back and she gulped audibly. Shea stared Yue in the eyes and rasped out a few words.
“Respect your food.”
Yue nodded.
“The basics… of cooking… are important.” More nodding.
Shea pushed down on Yue’s shoulders so hard that she was kneeling. Yue continued nodding as if her life depended on it, but there was no way the demonic rabbit was going to let Yue off with just that. Yue cast her gaze about, looking for someone to save her, and spotted her beloved lover, watching the proceedings from a few meters away. She begged to be rescued, but… Hajime averted his gaze. She looked at him in shock. Never had she expected that Hajime would abandon her in a time of need, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it.
“Don’t look away.” Shea rasped out. The wrathful rabbit’s punishment was inescapable. Yue’s shoulders drooped, and she spent the next few hours listening to Shea’s lecture. Seeing Yue in tears for the first time actually turned Hajime on a little, but that was a secret he would take to the grave.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
A Wise Woman’s Dream.
Is that… Kaori? And is that… Nagumo-kun with her? Shizuku hazily caught sight of her best friend and her secret crush. For some reason, Hajime looked dim and somehow transparent to her, as if he were obscured by a fog. However, she knew it was Hajime because he was the only person Kaori would run so wholeheartedly run toward. Kaori stopped in front of Hajime and started talking. Shizuku was standing too far away to make out what they were saying, but after a few seconds, Kaori leaped into Hajime’s arms and started weeping tears of joy. Whatever it was they had been talking about, it had clearly made Kaori happy.
Good for you, Kaori… Shizuku was glad to see her best friend find happiness. She decided it wouldn’t be very nice of her to ruin her best friend’s moment, and was about to turn to leave when…
Hm? Who’s that? And they finally got to enjoy their reunion, too… Is that a friend of Nagumo-kun’s?
Two unfamiliar girls walked up to Hajime. Like him, they were covered by this fog and their outlines were hazy, but she could tell one of them was a small girl with beautiful golden-blonde hair. There was something almost bewitching about her as she walked up to Hajime and pulled on his collar from behind, separating him from Kaori. Then, to add insult to injury, she drew Hajime into her bosom.
Wh-Whaaaaat? What’s going on!? What the heck is this!? Amazed by this soap opera-esque development, Shizuku hurriedly looked over at her best friend.
Hiiii!? She summoned a demon behind her! A demon with a grinning theater mask appeared behind Kaori like a stand. It tapped its sword menacingly on its shoulder as Kaori walked up to the blonde girl.
Run! I don’t know who you are, but run if you value your life! Shizuku tried to call out to the girl, but for some reason her voice wouldn’t come out. Realizing it was up to her, Shizuku ran forward. She needed to stop her best friend before she became a murderer. However, before she managed to reach them—
What the!? Something just came out of the little girl too! What is that!? Some kind of golden dragon!? A golden dragon erupted from the golden-blonde haired girl’s back, coiling itself around her. Dark clouds billowed around it, lightning occasionally flickering from inside them. It looked just as ominous as Kaori’s demon.
“Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!” “Hissssssssssssssssssss!”
The dragon let out a thunderous roar, while the demon raised its sword above its head and hissed threateningly. For some reason, the two girls were posing in front of each other.
Just what the heck is going on here!? Shizuku, the spectator, was far more confused at what was happening than the parties involved. An overwhelming pressure, so powerful it was tangible, pressed down on Shizuku. She could feel her sanity slowly being eroded away. If this were an RPG, Shizuku’s mental hit points would already have been in the red. She was almost out of sanity points. The final blow to her psyche was when the golden dragon charged at the demon.
The dragon roared with the force of all the world’s storms. Lightning bolts rained from the sky in a nnever-ending barrage, but the demon cut down every bolt with its precise swordsmanship. Then, with a slash sharp enough to rend the universe in two, the demon sliced the dragon in half.
However, a rain of lightning fell on the dragon, fusing it back together. It then fired a beam of lightning from its mouth. The force of its attack was so great the the very atmosphere was carbonized, but before the light of destruction could reach the demon, it deflected it with its sword. It flew into the sky, drilling a hole in the dark clouds above. The earth shattered, the skies wept, and the atmosphere burned.
It was as if the final judgment had come. Shizuku trembled like a newborn fawn in a tiny corner of the crumbling world. Any desire to stop them was gone. She just wanted to run away. She turned to flee, but her decision had come a moment too late. The demon’s slash and the dragon’s breath collided, and were deflected straight toward Shizuku.
Wait, no… Aaaaaaaaaaah!
“Aaaaaaaaaaah! Oh, it was just a dream!?” The light of despair filled Shizuku’s vision, and she awoke with a bloodcurling scream. It really was just a dream. She wiped sweat off her chin as she recalled what a terrifying dream it had been. Then, she sighed with relief.
“Thank god it was only a dream.” She looked over at her best friend. Surprisingly, her scream hadn’t woken Kaori.
“Haha, there’s no way Kaori’d be like that, right?” For some reason, chills ran down her spine, and she shivered. Was it really just a dream, or perhaps a premonition…
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
Valentine’s Day in a Parallel World.
In a certain small town, the atmosphere was currently very lively. Hajime, Yue, and Shea had stopped for a short rest, and were curious about the sweet, somewhat excited mood that filled the town.
“Hey, is there a festival or something today?’
“Hm? You don’t know? Today’s Fris day. Come on, you’ve got to know what it is. You even have two lovely ladies following you around.’
The person Hajime had asked was a bald, macho, flower salesman. It appeared today was a celebration most people knew about. When he pressed for details, Hajime learned that Fris day was a day for people to confess to their crushes. The reason it was called Fris day was because of the abundance of white fris flowers everywhere. It was said that if someone confessed with a fris flower and the other person accepted, the couple would be together forever. As Hajime looked around, he noticed there were a lot of people selling white flowers, and plenty of young guys and girls were gathering around them.
“I see. While it’s not exactly the same, it’s basically like Valentine’s…’ “Hm? Valentine’s?’
“What’s that?’
Yue and Shea spoke up. Reminiscing about his home world, Hajime explained Valentine’s Day to the two of them.
Valentine’s Day, a time where warriors go forth to do battle. The hot guy sorcerers usually dominate that day. For Hajime, it had been a day he’d spent running away last year. Had he been caught, he knew what hell awaited him in school.
“Hm… So Hajime, there was a girl who confessed to you that day. What was her name and what did she look like? Go on, tell me.’
“Eeeeeh you have another lover, Hajime-san? How many dozens of women came before me, I wonder?’
“Can you two at least watch your mouth in public?’ Hajime backed away as the seductive vampire princess and the crying worthless rabbit bore down on him. Phrases like, “How many dozens of women came before me,’ would definitely get misunderstood.
“Oh my, what a wonderful battlefield of love.’
“It looks like that guy over there’s a real playboy.’
“He just toys with girls’ feelings and throws them away when he’s done with them! What a heartless brute!’
“Don’t meet his gaze! You’ll get pregnant!’
The onlookers all started voicing their opinions. His mouth twitching, Hajime hurriedly tried to flee to somewhere more private. He picked Yue and Shea up, then carried them to the closest inn.
That evening, the three of them had split up to get their shopping done. Once they’d gotten everything they came for, they rendezvoused at the inn to get dinner. Hajime was sitting at a table by the window, his chin resting in his hands. Yue sat next to him. Shea had insisted on cooking dinner for him today, and was currently borrowing the inn’s kitchen.
“Sorry for the wait~ Here’s Shea’s ultimate special~’
“Ultimate special? What on earth did you make… Wait, this is.’
“That’s right, it’s a meat and potato stew. Well, I don’t know what potatoes are supposed to taste like, so it’s just my imitation of it.’
Hajime had told Shea all about the food he used to eat in Japan. Considering how many of the fruits and vegetables in this world resembled fruits and vegetables from his own, he’d thought it might be possible to recreate the same dishes. After a lot of trial and error, Shea had managed to replicate the stew decently enough with her stellar cooking skills. Hajime tentatively lifted a spoonful to his mouth.
“Wow!’ Hajime exclaimed. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it was about as close as it could get.
“But why’d you decide to make this again today?’
“Ehehe… Because today’s Fris Day. You said people give gifts for that Valentine’s Day or whatever, right? I thought the best present I could give you was food from your hometown, Hajime-san.’
“I see. Well, thanks. This is really good.’
Shea’s rabbit ears flopped around happily. Then, Yue gently tugged on Hajime’s sleeve, so he turned to face her, and she pointed out the window. He looked outside quizzically, spotting speckles of white falling from the night sky.
“Is that… snow?’
“Mhm… Snow doesn’t fall on the northern continent, but you said it snowed in your hometown around Valentine’s Day, so I made it snow with magic.’
Both Yue and Shea had worked hard to give Hajime a Valentine’s/Fris Day present. They both knew how badly Hajime wanted to go back, and this was the closest thing to home they could have given him. Hajime smiled gently at the two girls. Such a tender smile was rare for him.
“These are the best presents I could ever ask for. Thank you.’
“Mhm…’
“You’re welcome!’
While people outside frolicked in the snow that was neither cold nor wet, the three adventurers spent Fris Day with each other.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
