CHAPTER 60: SOME PEOPLES’ PERSONALITIES JUST CHANGE WHEN THEY PICK UP THE TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE
So Masaki and 2 of the other gamers are going to be coming to Nyl City within the next week.
Is that really going to be ok?
It’s wyvern migration season, isn’t it?
… Or like, they let you come here in the middle of all that, Seimei-san?
So I was thinking, but it appears that the gamers had already cleared the path through sourthern Carnus, so Seimei-san was able to travel without fear of wyvern attacks.
… The Japanese gamers are way too powerful.
“I need to drop by Sir Ilyos’ house to formally greet his family this morning, and then I’d like to get acquainted with the city before those guys get here. However, I don’t really have much of a plan, really…”
“I see… then should we just take a tour around the city to begin with? Nyl City is more an industrial city than an Adventurer’s city, so I think of there’s any kind manufacturing that Sir Bar – , er, Seimei-sama is interested in, it would be well-worth the efforts to be acquainted with the Craftsmen in this city.”
I’m kind of impressed that Ragnall can talk so casually to someone who could kill him just by standing next to him.
“If it’s possible, I would like to spend some time at the glass manufactory, but I can just as easily do that tomorrow morning, Seimei-san.”
I might be over-stepping my bounds as his escort by saying that, but it will be beneficial for Seimei-san as well.
Ragnall chuckled.
“On second thought, since you’re well-acquainted with Jun, you might already be in the good graces of most of the Craftsmen…”
“It’s not like I know … everyone…?”
“Nono, that shouldn’t come out in question form, right?”
Seimei-san laughs as he watches the two of us discussing things, saying.
“I would still like to make connections with my own abilities. As a former employee in sales, if I can’t do this much and have to rely on Jun-kun, I would be ashamed of myself.”
“Is that really, an issue, I wonder…”
As we talk idly, the 3 of us have walked up the street towards Sir Knight Captain’s residence.
◇◇◇
It’s a big house even from far away, but looking at it up close, Sir Knight Captain’s mansion is definitely a size bigger than the other houses. At the same time, I wonder if it would be considered very big in, say, the Carnus capital.
It’s maybe double the size of an average Japanese townhouse, with 3 stories, but it’s probably on the small size for a Noble-sama’s house.
There are 2 gate guards who salute Seimei-san by smartly placing their open hands on their sternum and immediately stand to the side at attention to let him pass.
Ragnall casually says “Yo” and raises a hand to the one on the left as he passes by, so I guess he knows some of these guards. They have a friendlier atmosphere than Seimei-san’s guards, probably from having lived in this town for so long.
“Greetings, Sir Baronet. I am Filessa, the daughter of the Knight Captain and his Lady. Sir and Lady Ilyos are currently having a remote conference with Duke and Duchess Martineq, so forgive them the discourtesy of not being able to greet you immediately.”
Ah, we’re being received by the loli-hime.
Somehow, she has a different feeling to her. Instead of the tomboy-ish pants and armor, she has on a baroque-like mini-dress that trails to the ground in the back. Underneath she’s wearing trousers. Although I don’t know how people are in other cities, at least in Nyl City, trousers and pants aren’t limited to men’s wear, and even among Noble women, they prefer to wear trousers underneath their ornamented skirts, that are shortened to avoid getting caught on the uneven paving.
Other than the ornamentation, there’s really not much difference in the dress between men and women when you’re talking about commoners. The men will sometimes wear plain skirt-like things in hot working conditions as well. They’re kind of like … what are they called … kilts?
Anyway, I don’t think that it’s just her dress and done-up hair giving the loli-hime a different atmosphere. There’s something else… like her entire aura is different.
Ah, while I’m at it …
◤
NAME: Filessa Ilyos
TYPE: Human – Female – 130 Moons (conversion: 10 Years)
ANALYSIS: The daughter of a Noble stationed in Nyl City. The current holder of the Lance of Unrestraint.
ATTEMPTING TITLE ANALYSIS
Daughter of Knight Captain Ilyos of Carnus
Citizen of Carnus
Student of the Jr Magic Academy of Carnus
◣
Fumu. I see. It’s like Seimei-san said. The only titles that show up are those that are registered in the citizenship through the City and Country Cores. No wonder I hadn’t seen anyone with titles before now. Unaffiliateds only register with the Guild and aren’t tied down to an area or country.
Seimei-san is also correct in saying the rest of the analysis is pretty worthless. Analyze(iv) is basically the investigative skill everyone got in the game. Although Seimei-san doesn’t know why it has a iv after it now that we’re in another world.
It was mostly used to determine how to use quest items, or how to treat quest NPCs. The information given feels kind of random, and Seimei-san said that it used to only give information relevant to the quests. I wonder what kind of criteria it uses now to determine what to say … When used on other players, it would give back the titles they had active. But there aren’t any stats or anything …
It is an inferior version of the popular otherworld cheat from light novels … haa…
By the way, apparently if I do a Trait Analysis, it only lists the traits the subject has and none of the passives or skills. Still, it could be helpful when I’m facing enemies, so maybe I should start getting used to triggering Analyze(iv) with the Trait Analysis too…
“Is Sir Knight Captain discussing the specifics of bringing other people from my house into Nyl City?”
“… I believe so.”
“Yes, he is. Greetings, Sir Baronet. I am Lady Henrietta Ilyos.”
“Greetings. It appears the young people of my house are troubling you.”
“Fufufu, not at all. This is the duty of my husband, after all. Ara, look at me, I’ve already forgotten what I was sent to do. The Duke would like you to join my husband in discussing the arrangements, Sir Baronet.”
A very serene, polite woman came down the curved staircase, speaking with Seimei-san. She had dark hair all pulled back, and was wearing a knee-length dress with a large slit up to the waist. Of course she’s wearing pants underneath. She was wearing a heavily, though tastefully, decorated blazer-like coat over the dress, which accentuates her figure.
Semei-san bowed his head lightly. It’s not as deep as a Japanese bow, but the people I’ve met so far don’t have a habit of bowing towards others, so I wonder if it’s just a habit he can’t get rid of from doing sales. Well, even I unconsciously lower my head a bit sometimes when greeting people on the street.
“Then, if you will excuse me…”
After standing to one side to allow Lady Henrietta to descend, Seimei-san heads up the stairs. Ragnall follows him after nodding his head towards Lady Henrietta, and then again at the loli-hime while he placed his hand on his sternum. It’s not snapped as smartly as the guards’ salute, but in this world, you mimic the salute of the country the Noble came from to show respect, especially if you’re an Unaffiliated. If you’re a citizen of a different country, accidentally using your own country’s salute is generally over-looked, but, maa, it can be a sensitive subject depending on who and to whom the saluting is done.
I also do it, nodding at both of the women, and am about to follow Seimei-san and Ragnall, when suddenly Lady Henrietta grabs my arm.
“Oh, Sir Baronet, can we borrow your cute guard?”
Ue? Me?! Wait a sec, Seimei-saaaan!
Seimei-san thinks for a second, then nods.
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“I don’t believe the security of Sir Ilyos’ house should be questioned, so if it’s alright with Jun-kun, then go ahead. It might be better to accommodate the ladies of this house than appear in front of the Duke for an Unaffiliated?”
… Ah, he emphasizes the last part kind of strongly. Nn, that’s right, Seimei-san would prefer me to not appear before high-ranked nobility … and though I don’t remember if “Duke” is koushaku with “ruler” or koushaku with “public”, and nor do I remember which one ranks higher, I’m pretty sure “Duke” is a ranking almost directly underneath beneath the King.
“… Understood.”
Although I’m saying that, as I’m being dragged away by an oddly excited Lady Henrietta and the loli-hime scowling with about the same intensity, I can’t help but look, somewhat distressed, at Seimei-san, who’s placing his hands together and *peko* lowering his head slightly as if to appease me. Ragnall is … oi, you bastard. What’s with that huge grin? Tch. I’ve never seen someone so obviously taking joy in someone else’s discomfort.
Ah, it could be because he doesn’t have to deal with the loli-hime’s tantrums today. This guy … if it’s too bothersome and he’s not paid for it, he’ll happily leave the trouble to someone else, huh?
“Oh my~, I forgot to prepare the tea… Filessa, mother will leave the guest to you for a moment.”
Eh-! They had only just led me to a sitting room before Lady Henrietta suddenly said that and wafted out of the room in a cloud of some flowery fragrance.
… Being left in the room with just the loli-hime is really awkward.
“Uh … do you not have servants to help with this sort of situation?”
“As if we have the room to hire live-in servants.”
“Ah… is that so?”
“Father’s garrison lives here, so of course.”
“I see…”
Eh. So the reason this house is so big is because the Carnus militia under Sir Knight Captain lives here too. That’s kind of unexpected, that the Lady of the house would be ok with doing all the odds and ends of the housework … ah, but there’s a chef, so maybe they hire people from the city who come in at certain set times, like a janitorial service.
Silence falls in the room. I was never good at small talk … And why did they capture me anyway?! For girls’ talk? I don’t know how to do that, you know? Um …
“W-would it have been better if Ragnall was here instead…?”
Uwaah. The loli-hime shoots me an icy cold glare.
“Why are you asking something like that?”
“Ah, no, well, you seem to be more attached to Ragnall…?”
“Even if that’s true, I’m not stupid. Even if you didn’t directly fight the Crystal Python, just because you came out of that fight without a scratch, I get that you’re strong and stuff… so even though I hate it, it’s not like I can do anything about the fact that you guys match up better … even though I hate it.”
… A-are? Something about that statement kind of …
“Um … Oujo – er, Lady Filessa, what exactly do you think is the relationship between me and Ragnall?”
The loli-hime made a distinct *tsk* sound with her tongue and scowled, saying,
“The two of you are together, right?”
And exactly what do you mean by “together”?! Without even minding my blank look, she continued with,
“But just because you work well together doesn’t mean you’ll be a good couple forever, so …”
Nononono!
“Hold on a minute, Ojou-san! I think you’re mistaking something! Our relationship is nothing like that, you know? Or like, it’s not really something you can call a relationship?”
If you had to say it’s something, it’s like a normal relationship between men? Even though I’m a woman now, it’s not like we have to have some sort of illicit relationship to be friendly, right?
The loli-hime is staring, wide-eyed, as I deny it. Her mouth is opening and closing wordlessly. As the blood rushes to her face, I say,
“What on earth made you think that we were together?”
“B-because you two are strong, and strong people suit each other…”
“But didn’t you just say it’s not like people who work well together will be a good couple?”
Oya, the loli-hime is bright red now.
“L-like I know! Stupid!”
Ahaha, now she’s acting like a normal kid. That’s a lot cuter than when she tries to act like how she thinks an adult should. I’ve always been the type of person who thinks kids should be kids as long as possible.
“What do you like about Ragnall, anyway?”
“That’s Ragnall-SAMA to you! He’s strong, and doesn’t treat me like just a kid, and he’s handsome.”
“… So that’s handsome, huh…”
No, well, he’s got a pretty normal looking face. It’s not just because I used to be a guy. If I had to say, Jericho gives off a more handsome look, or if you were into the ikemen look, it would probably be Lor, since he’s half-elven? Nn… maybe I still don’t have an eye for men. I’m mostly judging their faces by whether or not certain girls in the naginata club back in school would like them…
… that quite a few of them were “rotten” doesn’t really help me here, either.
-tte, this really puts the perspective on why they kept dragging me to participate in their club…
The loli-hime gives me a full-face pout and declares,
“Someone who doesn’t get Ragnall-sama’s charms doesn’t deserve to be with him, so break up!”
“I’m not with him though!?”
Anyway, Ragnall’s looking for other … charms in women. Both the loli-hime and I don’t make the cut.
“A-aren’t you a little young for Ragnall …sama?”
“It’s only a difference of under 10 years, isn’t it? Noble girls are married off around my age to men 2 or even 3 times their age, so it’s fine?”
Uwaa…
“I-I see… you’re ok with that?”
The loli-hime scowls.
“Whether I’m ok with it … I don’t want to just be some ornament that other minor Nobles or merchant families try to use to sneak into my father’s house’s good graces. But even so, I don’t have the abilities to command like father, nor do I have the magic abilities like mother. The only thing I can do is marry someone who won’t bring shame to our house.”
… I see…
“So that someone is Ragnall?”
“Because he’s strong and isn’t easily swayed!”
“I don’t think he’s someone who’d like to be involved in politics, though…”
“And that’s why I have to use that lance to show him I’m strong enough to be his companion, capture his heart, and then convince him to take over the family house!”
… What do I comment on first?
Ragnall is definitely someone who will avoid being involved with Noble politics with all his might. No, before that, I can see him running from the prospect of becoming a citizen with any country.
And even if a 10 year gap isn’t taboo in this society, she’s at least 5 years too early to try to seduce the oppai-lover, Ragnall. Or like, he’s so busy with doing commissions, I haven’t seen him do anything more than ogle a woman’s assets.
Even though I let him know the queen of oppai, Erina-sama, said she wouldn’t mind treating him for half-price… He just laughed and said if he had money and time left over at the end of the month. Just what is he buying that drains his money like that?
But the thing I’m most bothered with is,
“Use that lance? Ah … the Lance of Unrestraint, was it?”
Oh, oops. The words slipped out of my mouth since I was interested, but technically, I’m not supposed to know about that since I only found out with Analyze(iv).
“So you noticed after all.”
…Heh? I’m not sure what conclusion she came to, but the fact that I knew about her lance was wonderfully overlooked.
“It’s a magic weapon that lets me surpass my limits and makes me stronger and faster than I actually am. And more confident, too. I’m able to say whatever is on my mind without worries, so I can fl-flirt with Ragnall-sama better.”
She blushes when she says the word “flirt”. That behavior I saw before was flirting? It just made me think of a child trying to horde her toy for herself, though… but I don’t really understand that kind of thing anyway.
I’m more interested in the lance, to be honest.
“I did think it was strange you could carry it so easily… It makes you stronger and more confident, huh? Exactly how? Any demerits? How does it feel as a weapon?”
The loli-hime pulls back a little, but she tries to answer my rapid-fired questions.
“Um… I’m able to swing the heavy lance like it’s nothing as long as I’m carrying it, and I don’t feel like it’s necessary to watch my behavior? But when I let go of it, especially the next day, I hurt a lot all over, so I can’t go into the Labyrinth with Ragnall-sama more than once a week…”
From the beginning, something bothered me about that lance, how she said it worked…
“You hurt … how. Is it just muscle aches?”
“N-no, sometimes it just hurts… like… “
“Sharp stabbing pains?”
“Y-yes… just sometimes…”
No doubt about it. That lance is bad news.
Oi, whoever made that lance, are you kidding!? That’s not something that lets you surpass your limits, that’s something that completely removes your self-control!
“Do not use that lance again. That’s not something anyone should be using-!”
I say that really angrily, and I think I shocked the loli-hime.
For a second, she’s speechless, but then she grits her teeth and says,
“Not all of us can be like you! You’re strong, powerful with magic, and pretty, and then you’re a master smith too! Some of us, some of us just don’t have anything at all!”
Ah, she’s about to cry.
It’s something that’s bothering her so much, huh? But she’s missing the danger, completely, so I allow myself to speak more aggressively.
“I don’t care about that. Or like, if you think you’re completely helpless, I think you’re wrong, but right now, that’s not the problem. It’s that lance. If you continue to use that lance, you will truly be left with nothing.”
The loli-hime is shocked into silence again, but this time she’s not aggressively biting back after a few seconds. Good. I continue.
“That lance doesn’t increase your limits, it removes your ability to feel restraints. It’s a very dangerous trait. Ojou-san, do you know why you can feel pain?”
The loli-hime shook her head without a fuss, despite me addressing her incorrectly.
“It’s to tell you when your body is going to break. To disregard it and continue to move past your limits, I think you’ve only been lucky that you haven’t gotten injured to a point where you won’t be able to move normally again.”
Ah, she’s turning pale now.
“Wh-what do you mean…”
“If it was only to the degree where your muscles ache, it would be fine. But you are moving until you have sharp pains – that could be a sign that you’re tearing your muscles. For a weapon to completely dull the pain as well as your restraint in even behavioral matters … I can only say that is a dangerous weapon to the wielder.”
As for how the weapon can do such a thing… I already have my suspicions. Using magic to dull pain like an anesthetic, causing a hazy trance-like state …
Although I haven’t determined a way to make healing magic work like in manga, using magic like a drug … that is something I’ve accidentally discovered. Luckily I only made Lor quite drunk, but I’ve been forbidden to help him with his medicinal research… Even though I didn’t think his hangover was THAT bad…
However, this lance … it’s not just a medicine-like drug. For some reason, even though it’s just based on instinct, I think this lance is like a dangerous stimulant in modern day Japan. I hope I’m wrong and it just boosts adrenaline or something, but I just have this really bad feeling…
“How long have you been using that lance?”
“A-a month.”
“How do you feel when you use it?”
“I feel really good, and I get really happy to go into the Labyrinth…”
“And when you stop using it?”
“… I don’t like to stop, but I don’t want Ragnall-sama to hate me if I go over our time …”
It doesn’t seem too addicting, but it is, if only a little bit.
“… It’s not too late then.”
“Too late?”
“I would have to examine the lance to be sure, but I’m worried about Ojou-san’s health. It’s almost as if that lance was given to you so you would wreck your body and mind, and slowly become more and more dependent on it.”
“Is that true?”
Oh, that startled me. Lady Henrietta has come back in, holding a tray of teacups. She’s standing there, a fearsomely stern look on her face. It’s a complete 180 from her bubbly attitude from earlier.
… Actually, she’s kind of terrifying …
“U-um, well, I’m about 90% sure…!”
With a *kon*, Lady Henrietta placed the try on the desk a bit roughly. I won’t deny I jumped a little.
“That man was suspicious after all…”
Although Lady Henrietta muttered it under her breath, I caught it with Augmented Body. They had their suspicions? Then why let your daughter use such a suspicious item!
“Filessa, you are not to use that lance further until it is appraised, do you understand? This has turned into a far more serious matter than I imagined.”
The loli-hime nods, pale-faced, as her mother gnawed on her lower lip pensively.