by Aneko Yusagi
“Little Raphtalia’s father didn’t want to take over as the head of the family. He eloped with little Raphtalia’s mother. I went with them and we left the country.”
Hmm . . . So Raphtalia’s parents had been selfish. Or not, depending on how you looked at it. I wondered if there was some special reason they had come to Melromarc, seeing as how the country heavily discriminated against demi-humans.
“I lost a lot by leaving, but I gained even more. I don’t regret the decision.”
“Between her father’s lineage and the heroes, which would rank higher?”
“Raphtalia’s father would have been more important in the region we came from.”
“More than the holy heroes?”
“The legend of the heroes doesn’t exist there. Although, there are records of heroes visiting the region. But personally, I think they were just referred to by a different name.”
What kind of region was it? And referred to by a different name? Like . . . “holders of the holy weapons,” maybe? Either way, I had a feeling I was starting to understand what kind of family Raphtalia had come from. She was the descendant of a family line that was worshipped in some country because it was thought to trace back to the gods or something.
I decided to see if I could reason it out using what I already knew. There was the name and characteristics of the special finishing move that Raphtalia had created herself. And then there was the way Sadeena’s demi-human form looked. Both of those had a Japanese feel to them. That reminded me of what the old guy at the weapon shop had said about some place to the east.
“Does the country Raphtalia’s father was born in have a policy of isolation?”
Japan was like that a long time ago. It wasn’t like that made me special or anything, but being Japanese would make it easier to understand how a country might develop differently due to the effects of such a policy. Also, I’d heard that the country where the Spirit Tortoise had been sealed away had also been closed off. Perhaps there were more isolationist countries than I would have thought.
“Wow, you really are impressive, little Naofumi. That’s exactly right. It’s been that way since ancient times. There are a lot of countries like that, but ours is one of the most exclusionary of them.”
“Are you worried about the country trying something?”
It was an isolationist country in the east. So it was a country kind of like Japan, and Raphtalia was a descendant of an ancient and dignified bloodline there. If they found out about her, they might send someone to try to take her back or something. Maybe that was it.
“That’s part of it, but it wouldn’t really be an issue if that’s all it was. I guess you could say that Raphtalia’s happiness is what really concerns me.”
“Ugh . . .” Raphtalia moaned.
Sadeena wet a piece of cloth with cool water and placed it on Raphtalia’s forehead.
“She’ll be waking up soon. Is there anything else you wanted to ask?”
“Why don’t you tell Raphtalia any of this?”
“Her father didn’t want her to know.”
The last thing I wanted was to get dragged into some kind of family feud with Raphtalia’s relatives. People could waste time on that kind of thing once the world was at peace. The same went for the whole Church of the Three Heroes mess and the trouble with the nobility. That power struggle stuff was a real pain in the ass.
“Is this going to be a problem?”
“Probably not. They’ll probably stay away as long as we don’t do anything to upset them—something like you and little Raphtalia getting intimate.”
“Do you mean because that would cause internal family issues?”
Sadeena nodded silently. So that was it, after all. Hypothetically, let’s say I slept with Raphtalia and she got pregnant. I was worshipped as a god in another country, and Raphtalia would be pregnant with my child. Those relatives might suspect that Raphtalia was trying to take control of the family, which could prompt them to take action. And Sadeena was worried about that possibility.
“If you decide that you really want to have a child with little Raphtalia, do it after you crush that country and quash those family issues. Promise me.”
“Aren’t you a bit too worried?”
I couldn’t imagine that the country knew everything that was going on. Of course, it never hurt to be careful, but still . . .
“You’re probably right. But that country is full of miko priestesses and people that can use unique abilities. You shouldn’t underestimate them. Just imagine a bunch of people like me coming to try to kill little Raphtalia.”
“. . .”
A country full of Sadeenas . . . Why didn’t we just have them save the world? Still, Raphtalia was incredibly strong, so it wouldn’t be easy to kill her. That didn’t mean I was going to do anything irresponsible, of course.
“The truth is, it’s really up to you, little Naofumi. I just don’t want you to do anything that would make a little girl cry. But I’m an adult, and not a little girl, so I can handle it.”
“After all of those excuses, you go there?”
“Oh, stop it! You’re making me blush!”
Of course, lineage and all of that was probably an issue too, but Sadeena really just wanted to ask about my feelings for Raphtalia. That was clear now.
“Ugh . . . Mr. Naofumi?”
Raphtalia regained consciousness and sat up.
“You okay?”
“Umm, yes. I feel oddly refreshed.”
I demanded a lot of her. She might have been stressed about things too. In that respect, drinking might not actually be a bad way to blow off some steam.
“That’s good,” Sadeena said.
“Did anything happen while I was passed out?” Raphtalia asked.
“Nah . . .” I replied.
I was sure Sadeena would rather I didn’t tell the truth. There was no need to stir up any trouble. I’d just pretend I hadn’t heard any of it.
“Not really. I was just telling Sadeena about how you’re like a daughter to me.”
“What?!”
Raphtalia shouted out in surprise and her voice cracked. We went back and forth for a bit and she forgot about her initial question.
So I should be prepared to commit if I wanted to pursue a serious relationship with Raphtalia, huh? What a bunch of trouble. I wasn’t going to settle down in this world. I didn’t intend to, at least.
“Alright then. That’s enough drinking. Let’s head back and get some sleep,” I said.
“Aww . . .”
“He’s right, Sadeena. You’ve had more than enough.”
“Hm? Did I fall asleep?”
Gaelion finally woke up.
“Fill me up,” he said.
“Oh! I like that attitude, little Gaelion! How about you and I have a drinking contest?”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Were these two going to be drinking buddies now? Gaelion was hungover the next day. I guess I’d just have to warn him not to drink too much next time.
Chapter Fifteen: Form is Emptiness
It had been two days since my talk with Sadeena. I’d finished breakfast and was in the middle of training when I heard the clunking sounds of a carriage. A completely unexpected visitor rolled up into the village.
“Hmm? Oh, hey!” I called out.
The old guy from the weapon shop was sitting in the carriage. It looked like he’d grabbed a ride on a carriage transporting ore and other materials.
“Yo! I came to take a look at this village you’ve been building, kid.”
The old guy was looking around at the village.
“You sure have given the place a unique feel, haven’t you?”
That was his comment after catching sight of the bioplant field, the camping plant buildings, and the monster stable.
“There’s absolutely no denying that,” Raphtalia agreed.
I sensed a hint of bitterness in her voice.
“That’s jus
t a reflection of Mr. Naofumi! You need to learn to accept that already, Raphtalia!” Atla retorted.
“I’m not so sure about that. But why are you always so eager to pick a fight, Atla?” I asked.
Hearing the old guy’s comment and taking a look around, I couldn’t deny that the village was turning out to look pretty strange. The bioplant field and the camping plant buildings were only a couple of the many oddities. The camping plant buildings, in particular, were a real one-of-a-kind. That was undeniable. No matter how you looked at it, the place stuck out among the other towns and villages in Melromarc. I was fully aware that I had some pretty crazy stuff going on there, and having it pointed out by the old guy didn’t make me feel any better about it.
“Did you just stop by while you were you out gathering ore or something?”
“There is that, but I have another reason for coming too.”
The old guy reached into a bag sitting on the carriage and pulled out an outfit. He handed it to Raphtalia. I immediately understood what it was. Even I knew that my eyes were twinkling as I stared at the outfit.
“Why do you look so excited?!” Raphtalia snapped.
She was standing there holding the clothes with an annoyed look on her face.
“Oh?”
I checked the stats on the miko outfit in Raphtalia’s hands.
White Tiger Miko Outfit (crude)
defense up, impact resistance (small), power of the four holy beasts, magic defense processing
Crude? What was that all about? But actually, I hadn’t even been able to use my appraisal skill on the outfit before now.
“Hmm, the stats seem a bit low,” Raphtalia said.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry about that. This was the best I could manage,” said the old guy.
“Not at all. I think you did a good job, actually,” I replied.
“I’m perfectly happy with more normal armor,” Raphtalia said.
The old guy had humored my request and supposedly went through a lot of trial-and-error to make the outfit. There weren’t very many people in this world looking into how to raise the defenses of cloth, unlike in Kizuna’s world. The old guy had incorporated some exotic techniques and managed to pull it off to a certain degree, I guess.
“There’s a girl in your village that’s good with sewing equipment, right? She gave me a hand, and that made a big difference.”
Did he mean S’yne? I didn’t recall introducing her to the old guy. But then I remembered she was keeping an eye on me. Her vassal weapon was basically a sewing set. She probably shared some techniques from other worlds that helped the old guy out too.
“I see. Alright, Raphtalia, make sure you wear that from now on, starting today.”
“I don’t know why you feel so strongly about these clothes.”
A big grin crept across my face.
“Because they look so good on you. I’m sure the villagers will agree when they see you in them.”
“I didn’t want to hear that. Oh, whatever. The stats aren’t much different than those of the armor I’m wearing now, so it’s not like I’m against wearing them.”
“I’m prepared to give my full support to any ongoing research in this area, you know. Is there anything else you might need?”
I nudged the old guy to continue with his miko outfit research and development.
“Mr. Naofumi? Are you listening to me?”
Raphtalia tried to protest. She still had the miko outfit in her hands.
“I hear you. Anyway, go put that on and show the villagers.”
“You don’t have to sound so pushy.”
“I sure wish Mr. Naofumi would buy me clothes. I’m jealous!” Atla exclaimed.
I could feel some kind of intense aura of envy slowly emanating from her body.
“I’ll take those if you don’t want them,” she continued.
“They wouldn’t even fit you!” Raphtalia snapped.
“That doesn’t matter. I’ll wear them anyway and steal Mr. Naofumi’s heart.”
“What the hell are you even saying?”
Sometimes Atla’s enthusiasm was just a bit too much.
“Ugh . . . Fine. Understood. I’ll go put it on.”
Raphtalia gave up and went to change into the outfit. Several minutes later, she returned with the miko outfit on.
“Oh . . .”
The old guy and all of the villagers were staring at her. She was looking down at the ground and holding her katana sheath in her hands, clearly embarrassed.
“Now that’s really something. I see what you mean, kid.”
“Wow, Raphtalia! You look even cooler than usual!” Keel exclaimed.
She was staring at Raphtalia too. Right? Right?? I knew it. Raphtalia really did look best in a miko outfit!
“Cool?”
“She means cute, I’m sure. But wow!”
Everyone was staring at Raphtalia in awe, and her face just kept getting redder. Was she really embarrassed? She didn’t seem bothered at all when she wore the outfit back in Kizuna’s world.
“Now that is a sight for sore eyes,” I said.
I felt like a father seeing his precious, young daughter all dressed up in nice clothes for the first time. Okay, maybe that was going a bit too far, but Raphtalia really did look amazingly good in a miko outfit. I’d also seen her in a kimono and a hakama while we were in Kizuna’s world, but nothing could beat the miko outfit. It was uncanny. It’s like the clothes were made for her. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle. It made the more European-style leather armor she usually wore just look strange on her.
“Well, that settles that. We’re sticking with the miko outfit for you, Raphtalia.”
“I don’t get why you’re so set on having it that way, but fine. Understood.”
Raphtalia sighed faintly when she replied.
“What else do you have planned today? If you came to ask for the lumos’ help, I’d be happy to send them along with you,” I told the old guy.
“Oh, yeah? In that case, I guess I’ll take you up on your offer,” he replied.
And so, with Raphtalia wearing her new miko outfit, we got back to training and taking care of our business for the day. Other than that, Eclair started moaning about her duties as governor and requested my help, so I went over and spent some time in the neighboring town to give her a hand.
The old guy decided to stay the night in the village and agreed to do some maintenance work on the armor that the slaves had been using while he was there. He really was a generous guy. I could never thank him enough.
The sun set and it was almost time for dinner.
“Little Naofumi! I’m back!”
Sadeena had just gotten back to the village. I’d asked her to go do some salvaging in the nearby ocean, along with some fishing to help reinforce our food supplies. She must have made quite the catch, because the basket on her back was packed full of fish.
“I brought you your fish. We’re going to have a feast tonight!”
“Yeah, fine. Whatever. For now, I’ll just grill—”
I started talking to myself about how I should prepare the fish that Sadeena had caught.
“Oh hey, Sadeena. Welcome ba—”
Before Raphtalia could finish her sentence, Sadeena dropped the basket of fish on the ground with a loud thud.
“Hey, don’t drop that there!”
Sadeena completely ignored me and stumbled over to Raphtalia. She reached out and started trying to pull Raphtalia’s clothes off.
“Wh . . . what are you doing, Sadeena?!”
“What’s the idea, you drunkard?!”
“Little Naofumi! We have to get these clothes off of her immediately!”
“Stop screwing around! Why would she need to get undressed?!”
I’d had that miko outfit made specially just for her. Why did she need to take it off now? Raphtalia and Sadeena were struggling with each other and the slaves started making a co
mmotion.
“Umm, Naofumi, is everything okay? Should we stop them?” Ren asked.
He looked alarmed.
“I guess so. We can’t have this screwball undressing Raphtalia in front of everyone. We’ll just have to put her down.”
I was starting to get angry when I noticed the look of urgency on Sadeena’s face.
“Hey, what are you so flustered about? Explain yourself.”
“Little Naofumi, don’t you remember what I said? About being prepared?”
Huh? The night before last, Sadeena had told me I should be prepared to commit if I wanted to marry Raphtalia—how it would likely cause some kind of family feud or something.
“What about it?”
“It’s related to that. We need to get these clothes off of her now!”
“Wh . . . what are you two talking about?!” Raphtalia asked.
She’d been passed out drunk at the time. It made sense that she wouldn’t know. But what did Raphtalia wearing a miko outfit have to do with any of that?
“Okay, fine. Raphtalia, go change your clothes. This drunkard is going to keep trying to undress you otherwise.”
“U . . . understood.”
Raphtalia went to change again. After that, Sadeena finally calmed down. She was staring at the house that Raphtalia had gone inside of to change.
“Seriously, what’s going on?”
“Listen, little Naofumi. Do you have any idea what having little Raphtalia wear that outfit means?”
“Hell if I know. It’s just a really nice piece of equipment that we brought back from the other world and had repaired.”
Sadeena acted like I’d stepped on a land mine, but how should I have known what the problem was? No one had told me anything about something like that! Sadeena covered her face with her hand, like she was getting frustrated. It was unlike her to be visibly irritated like this.
“Okay, little Naofumi, I’m going to explain. Having her wear that outfit has far greater significance than even what we talked about the other day. In that country, it signifies a right to the thro—”
All of a sudden, Sadeena took off running. Several seconds later, a column of flames suddenly shot up out of the house that Raphtalia had gone in to change clothes.
