Sasaki and Peeps - Volume 1 - Chapter 4

<Otherworld Battlefield>

Setting aside my encounters with the homeless magical girl and my neighbor, I resumed my everyday activities.

First, I had a little meeting with Peeps in the tiny ten-square-meter space that was my apartment. Like the previous day, we’d be going to the otherworld to trade. I couldn’t afford to miss even one of my daily visits, considering one day here was equal to a month there.

Before leaving for the front, the viscount had told me the supplies could be delivered in two or three weeks. In other words, given a month, a messenger on horseback might have gotten the initial word back to Baytrium about whether they’d arrived.

Plastic bags from the neighborhood superstore hung from both my hands, with the products for our trip stuffed haphazardly inside.

“You have less today.”

“If I buy too much, the section chief will catch on.”

“You refer to the man who planted the…surveillance cameras, they were called?”

“He didn’t do it personally, but he did give the order, so yeah.”

If worse came to worst, it might be a good idea to rely on the Charm spell, as long as it stopped with the section chief. Since we worked in the same building, we’d probably be meeting at least once a month, and I could reapply Charm each time.

That said, considering his social status, even one Charm spell meant I would have to keep it up for the rest of my life. It wasn’t a choice I could make lightly. Better to think of it as a last resort.

“Is he a troublesome opponent?”

“He has authority, that’s for sure.”

A section chief in a regular company was only slightly higher than an average employee. It wasn’t much different even at large corporations. But a section chief in the Cabinet Office was a government official. If he’d gotten promoted to the position at such a young age, he was sure to climb even higher in the future.

The presence of supernatural powers made it all seem a little less real, but if he was progressing along a proper career path, it wouldn’t take all that long to happen. I couldn’t afford to get on his bad side. I wanted him as an ally, even if I had to lick his boots to make it happen.

He was the sort of guy who could control the lives and careers of others without even dirtying his hands.

“All right, you’re up, Peeps.”

“Yes.”

As Peeps nodded, a magic circle appeared at our feet. Weightlessness washed over me—I was still getting used to that part.

Now in the otherworld, we headed straight for the Hermann Trading Company.

The same clerk as always stood guard at the door. When I asked for Mr. Marc, he hastily rushed me into the reception room. The items I brought were barely glanced at before I was shown through.

Has something happened? I wondered as I walked to the reception room where I met the vice manager. It had been a month since my last visit.

His face looked like the world was ending. He looked like Mr. Yamazaki had—a temporary worker from several years ago who had been fired just before the three-year rule would have made him permanent. That was a terrible one—even for our company.

“Mr. Marc, are you all right? You look unwell.”

“No, no, there’s no problem with my health.”

“Oh?”

“It’s just that—how do I put this…?”

“Has something happened to the Hermann Trading Company?”

“No, not with the company.”

“Is it a personal issue? If so, then I apologize for being nosy.”

“……”

Despite my repeated questions, the vice manager’s miserable expression remained. He wasn’t giving me a clear answer.

His behavior was all the more peculiar since I knew him so well. This was very inappropriate for a place of business. It made me very curious to know what was going on.

Hearing the next thing out of his mouth, though, it all made sense.

“…Mr. Sasaki, Viscount Müller has been slain.”

“What…?”

That was the last thing I’d expected.

It took me a moment to respond.

When I tried to speak, I couldn’t find the right words, so then I’d try to say something simple like “Oh” and stumble over that, too. Eventually, I managed to squeeze out a remark that meant nothing in particular.

“That is, um, wow…”

Hadn’t his sole responsibility been resupplying the rear and constructing bases? I recalled him taking very few soldiers. How could that have led to his death? Was this country at such a disadvantage that even they were suffering losses even behind the lines?

On my shoulder, I felt Peeps give a brief start.

Mr. Marc filled me in on the details regarding Viscount Müller.

It seemed I’d been right—the war was proving to be a one-sided affair and remained firmly in the Ohgen Empire’s hands. Enemy soldiers had been allowed to advance all the way to the rear, where the viscount had been providing support.

The vice manager had apparently just gotten word a few days ago. They hadn’t found his remains, but his chances of survival were, as he put it, hopeless. Incidentally, this news had come from an agent of the Hermann Trading Company who had infiltrated the rear lines. He’d barely escaped with his life on a swift steed.

“This could spell disaster for the future…”

“It is as you say—the town will be thrown into chaos.”

It seemed news of the viscount’s death was still being kept from the townspeople. Only the family had been informed. Still, if both the front and rear lines had collapsed, it was only a matter of time before word got out. Other groups were probably reacting much the same as the vice manager.

“How are things at the castle?”

“If you can believe it, despite everything, they’re arguing over the succession.”

“In this situation?”

“Yes. I suppose it’s what you’d expect from the Kingdom of Herz…”

“……”

The vice manager looked apologetic. Viscount Müller had been a man of outstanding character, but apparently, that didn’t extend to his family. Or maybe something had occurred that was forcing the situation. Whatever the cause, it was clear his house was in disarray.

This meant the town’s future was bleak.

I was worried about Peeps; I wanted to get some private time and strategize with him right away. I wasn’t that close to the viscount, so it wasn’t a huge shock for me—but I didn’t know how Peeps felt about it. The way the bird talked about him implied that they had been at least on friendly terms.

“I’m sorry, but could I have a few moments alone?”

“Unfortunately, we’ve actually been summoned to the castle…”

“Wait, including me?”

“The summons is from Viscount Müller’s butler; he was begging us to come.”

“…All right, then.”

I couldn’t afford to make trouble for the vice manager after everything he’d done for me. With no other option, I ended up heading to the castle.

A few rattles of the carriage later, and we’d arrived at the viscount’s castle. We were shown to the reception room I remembered from past visits.

Opposite us, on the sofa, sat a girl who looked thirteen or fourteen. She had charming pale skin, blue eyes, and very pretty features. What stood out more to me, though, was her blond hair, which sat like a mountain atop her head.

In Japan’s recent history, there had been a time when hostess bar culture had broken into mainstream fashion. This girl’s hair rivaled even the tallest bump hairstyles that were all the rage back then. As a middle-aged man worried about his own hair, it was an enviable display.

To put it simply, she gave off serious street fashion vibes.

Behind the pile-hair princess sitting on the sofa was an old man who looked to be in his sixties, standing at attention. Probably Viscount Müller’s butler, who contacted the vice manager. Despite his age, he was quite tall—and muscular at that.

“…You seek our protection?”

“I apologize for making this request of someone from outside the family, but I respectfully ask that you hear us out. The other day, a conflict began regarding who would succeed the master of the house. Its effects are wide-reaching enough that they might extend to the young lady, who has nothing to do with the succession.”

“I believe this is our first time meeting, young lady…?”

It was mainly Mr. Marc dealing with the situation. Peeps and I sat next to him, observing the conversation, not saying anything ourselves. The topic was complicated, so an outsider like me with little knowledge of this world’s customs was better off not speaking.

“Say hello to the man from Hermann Trading Company, madam.”

“…Hmph.”

At the butler’s urging, the princess gave an uninterested snort. She didn’t seem to be in a good mood. As her head tilted, it caused the ornaments in her hair to sway to and fro. Her locks stretched tall above her forehead, and the summit shook at even the slightest neck movement. Those of us watching were on pins and needles expecting an adornment to fall off at any moment.

“Why should I have to give my name to some commoner?”

“It is for your own safety, madam. You should stay with the Hermann Trading Company until things settle down at home. Have you forgotten the poison snuck into your food the other day?”

The girl was caught out. It seemed like she was in a pretty difficult spot. Poison in your food? That would traumatize me, no questions asked. An anisakis parasite in my sashimi one time put me off raw fish for months. Whenever I ordered raw squid after that, I always made them use the frozen stuff, since I’d learned there was a greater chance of running into the little guys the fresher it was.

“…You may call me Elsa Müller.”

“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Elsa. My name is Marc, vice manager of the Hermann Trading Company. The man sitting next to me is another frequent visitor to the castle—he is the merchant Sasaki.”

“Pleased to meet you. As he says, my name is Sasaki.”

“……”

The pile-hair princess just stared at us, looking bored. She didn’t seem especially interested in any of this. The fact that we were commoners and she was a noble was probably part of it.

“Because Lady Elsa is quite close to the eldest son, Lord Maximilian, she has been targeted by the second son, Lord Kai, who is vying with him for the inheritance. Each has a faction of nobles supporting them, placing us in a very difficult situation.”

That was a slew of new names. Since her brothers weren’t here, I’d probably forget them right away. I might have been able to imagine the characters had they been Japanese, but western names were more difficult. For now, I’d try to remember that the longer name was the elder brother and the shorter name the younger.

“Then the madam’s presence is influencing the succession dispute?” asked Mr. Marc.

“Lady Elsa and Lord Kai have been on bad terms since childhood, which may be partly to blame. Many in the estate favor Lady Elsa, which doesn’t help our cause. We must also consider that everyone’s nerves are frayed as a result of the dispute.”

“Kai’s a fool. If he was to inherit the estate, it would fall apart.”

“We shouldn’t speak like that in front of guests, madam…”

“But it’s true!”

“Why not ask others in the house for assistance? Our trading company certainly has what’s needed for the task, but we are still only commoners. It seems to me that you would have more reliable protection if you asked other nobles.”

“It is, in truth, quite complicated. We do not know how far anyone from House Müller can be trusted. Even one such as I, who has been serving the family for many years, cannot judge too carefully when it comes to the current dispute.”

“I see.”

Were she not directly involved in the succession conflict, it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to help her. The Hermann Trading Company would probably be able to secure a tightly guarded facility. The power of their amassed wealth made it difficult for the average noble to intervene.

What’s more, safely completing this task would put the Müller family greatly in their debt.

The vice manager seemed to have the same thing in mind, and his next words were amicable.

“I understand. We have always benefited from Viscount Müller’s favor. Should we have it in our capacity to provide even a modicum of assistance during your family’s crisis, we will gladly do so. Though it may be less convenient than your lives here, you are more than welcome to come to us.”

“Thank you very much. Madam, express your gratitude as well.”

“…Thanks.”

The pile-hair princess, with her brusque demeanor and apparent middle school age, came off exactly like a young lady in the middle of adolescence. It would have sounded totally normal to hear her say something like “Don’t you dare wash my clothes in the same load as Papa’s underwear.”

“I will have someone from our store secure a place for you to stay at once,” continued the vice manager plainly, still smiling.

He seemed pretty used to dealing with nobles. This must not have been the first time he’d been faced with the child of someone with influence, either. I didn’t know how social rank played into things, but it seemed the power balance—including economic influence—put them on surprisingly even terms.

“I apologize, but I had one more request.”

“What would that be?”

“I have heard Lord Sasaki deals in some very unusual wares. According to a conversation I had previously with the master, he carries tools that enable people to converse over long distances, as well as ones that allow a person to see far into the distance.”

Suddenly, the butler had turned to me. This was probably why the vice manager had brought me along.

I replaced Mr. Marc in his role of question-answerer. “Yes, I do have devices like that.”

“I would like one of each of these things.”

After my honest answer, the butler immediately put in an order. What did he plan on using it for?

“One of them is a very limited product…”

“I am aware. It seems the tool for speaking over long distances has a limit on how far away it can be utilized. And it requires a special metal to fuel it, which is very expensive.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Would you still sell one to me?”

“…Let’s see.” Considering he was Viscount Müller’s butler, it seemed safe enough. He’d only ordered one, after all.

“I understand, sir. I will stock one in the near future.”

“Thank you ever so much. I greatly appreciate it.”

With that, our exchange in the viscount’s castle came to an end.

After we had finished our conversation at the Müller residence, the vice manager immediately headed off. He mentioned something about preparing living quarters for the pile-hair princess. The butler, too, had requested it be done as soon as possible. Naturally, Mr. Marc had no time for chitchat. He might even have to pull an all-nighter.

And so, as usual, we went out to practice magic. Like before, I was still endeavoring to learn new intermediate spells. I’d learned both intermediate healing and barrier magic for defense, so next up, I wanted to get my hands on some new offensive spells. The only intermediate spell I could use to attack was the one that shot lightning. It was an extremely directional spell, so right now I was working to supplement it with more wide-ranged magic. Peeps had taught me several incantations, which I was repeating over and over.

After some practice, I heard Peeps mutter softly beside me.

“…To think that he would be killed.”

He wasn’t on my shoulder right now but atop my backpack, which I’d placed on the ground. Perched there, he was watching over this guy in his late thirties trying to practice magic. A sparrow who was both adorable and reliable.

“Were you friends with Viscount Müller?”

“Not friends, exactly, but I do remember having drinks with him several times.”

“…Oh.”

Ever since we’d gotten the news of his death from the vice manager, I’d had the feeling that Peeps was depressed. To him, the man was probably like a colleague who worked in the same company.

“I thought he’d live just a little while longer.”

“……”

Having only met Peeps recently, I couldn’t think of the right words. Instead, I just stopped practicing and studied him.

Keeping quiet for so long was making things awkward, though, so I took advantage of my otherworld freshmen status to make an appropriate interjection.

“Is there any magic in this world that can bring a person back to life?”

“Not strictly. However, there is a method that can accomplish something similar.”

“Wait, really?”

“Unfortunately, it hinges on many conditions being met and would not put everything back the way it was. At minimum, the person would have to give up on their past life and deeds as a human. The technique is abhorred as heretical by society.”

“…I see.”

“Does a method exist in your world?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think we have any technology that could help…”

“No, you need not apologize. To live is one day to die. Many other people perished along with him. Caring for each and every one would destroy a person.”

If Viscount Müller’s words were to be believed, this Java sparrow was surrounded by a society of outrageously corrupt nobles and yet remained a heroic character who worked for the sake of the nation. The sound of resignation in his voice, combined with everything he’d revealed to me when we first met, gave his words an incredible gravity.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

For my beloved pet, I was prepared to take on some risk. I also wanted to repay him for all his goodwill in the past.

“After all, I’m an owner who cares for his pet.”

“Heh. You are gifted with words for one who makes so little money.”

“Look, I’ll try my best!”

“…Yes. I will look forward to it.”

Considering how quickly he stopped fussing about it, Peeps must have mentally already taken a step back from this world. I got the sense it wouldn’t be right for me to move ahead of him and act on my own, so instead, I turned my attention back to my magic.

Unfortunately, despite practicing for a few more days, I wasn’t able to learn any new spells. Maybe it was because everything on my mind was muddling my concentration. Mental image was everything when it came to using magic, after all.

With my magic practice dragging, I decided it was time for a change of pace. So we headed over to the Hermann Trading Company.

My idea was to check in on how Viscount Müller’s daughter was doing and to have a light chat with the vice manager. We, too, would probably be better off knowing her current situation. Given that we’d already met the butler, I didn’t want to be caught unaware and have to make up pathetic excuses if something happened.

If I was able to see the young lady, maybe I could ask what her interests and favorite foods were. It’d be a personal test—paying a courtesy call to the pile-hair princess. She was about middle-school age, so if I bought her a cake or something from a famous shop, that might make her happy.

What I really hoped was that my talking with her might lighten Peeps’s spirits a little. He hadn’t said much in detail, but he seemed to have been on friendly terms with the viscount.

For those reasons, we paid a visit to the vice manager.

When we did, he gave his usual bright smile and showed us to where the princess was—on the upper floor of the Hermann Trading Company’s main building. After much consideration, they’d decided their headquarters was the safest, most comfortable place for her.

It felt…kind of like the top floor of a high-rise apartment building.

Given this was the Hermann Trading Company’s main branch, there would always be guards posted, even in the middle of the night. After hearing that, I decided they were right—there would be no better hideout than this. They’d also be increasing the amount of security for the princess, including plenty of armed guards.

Her living space was very extravagant. It must have been about thirty square meters, and I could see a canopy bed and a luxurious sofa set inside. Did those furnishings belong to the company, or had they brought them here from the estate? Each piece struck me as having cost a lot of money.

“Hello again.”

“…What?”

I’d figured I would give a nice, breezy greeting, but her response was harsh.

She sat on her bed, glaring at me.

Had the vice manager been with us, perhaps he could have handled the situation more deftly. Unfortunately, he was busy again today, so it was just Peeps and me. He probably had a lot on his plate now with the viscount’s defeat.

“I just wanted to stop by and say hello.”

“Yeah, well, just so you know, you won’t find me very useful. My brothers are in charge of everything back home, so doing something to me would bring you no benefit at all. The most I could possibly do is ask for an extra helping of dinner.”

“I see. Are you something of a gourmet, Lady Elsa?”

“…Are you making fun of me?”

“Oh, no, not at all. I know someone who runs a ritzy restaurant in town. I figured I would ask if you wanted a little diversion. But if it’s too much trouble to go about outside, I could have some food brought to you.”

I was sure a brief escape would be fine as long as Peeps was with us. According to what Viscount Müller had told me, the Starsage was the most powerful magician in the land. He was probably enough to protect a single person. But if it still seemed like a concern, I had the option of asking the vice manager to lend us a bodyguard or two.

In my opinion, staying shut up for long stretches was bad for your mental health. I once holed up in my room for an entire month. It very quickly messed up my autonomic nerves, gave me heart palpitations, and caused me trouble sleeping even when I was tired. Tiny things concerned me, and I was racked with a strange sense of anxiety.

After that, I made sure to wake up when the sun was out, immediately take a hot shower, and get sufficient sunlight in my field of vision. Repeating that process for a few days finally led to my recovery. Human bodies weren’t made to stay cooped up in dimly lit places—this I knew personally.

“What do you think, madam?”

“…What is the restaurant called?”

“It’s…”

Crap. I didn’t actually know the name of Mr. French’s shop. Now what? This was yet another side effect of pushing all the work into his hands.

“Its name isn’t well-known, my lady. It’s in the best part of the shopping district—it has benches out front, and customers will even reserve those. Does that spark your interest?”

“Are you talking about French’s place?”

I tried for a minute to describe it, and she seemed to know the place—and the name of the store manager. “Ah yes, most likely.”

“You know the manager?”

“Is this manager’s name French?”

“Yes, it is. The restaurant is famous for its sweets and amazing food.”

“That’s definitely the one, then, madam.”

“And it doesn’t have a name, either…”

“It doesn’t?”

Thank goodness. Managed to get through that one in one piece. Actually, I was surprised the place was doing such good business without a name. The rules here weren’t as strict as modern Japan’s, but it was still impressive. How did the customers who went there talk about it?

“I ask all the time, but they keep saying they haven’t decided. Everyone who goes there just calls it French’s restaurant. That’s basically become the name at this point, really.”

“Ah.” I hadn’t realized it was like that. Still, I was saved. Thank you, Mr. French—truly. “What do you think, then, madam? I could get you something to eat from there within the day without having to go through any of that troublesome reservation business. Are you interested? I was thinking I could procure something to your taste, if you like.”

“Why are you trying to put me in a good mood? Papa isn’t around anymore.”

“I have no ulterior motives, I promise. I just hoped it would be a welcome diversion.”

“……”

“Or would you rather it be a different restaurant?”

This was the daughter of someone Peeps thought of as important to him, if even only a little. I wanted to make things better, as much as I could. An owner always shared in his pet’s sadness.

“That restaurant treats everyone equally—they don’t even let nobles barge in on reservations. I heard it’s caused a bunch of issues in the past, but the Hermann Trading Company sponsors them, so nobody can really say much.”

“It will work out, madam. I give you my word.”

Wow, was Mr. French’s shop really that amazing? I was technically going there every day, but Peeps and I always went in through the kitchen door and ate in a private room in the back. Because of that, I never had the chance to gauge what others thought of the place.

“…Well, if you really insist, I can do you the favor of going with you.”

“Thank you, madam.”

We always ate in a separate room anyway. It probably wouldn’t be a huge issue if we brought one extra person along.

With the princess’s approval, we headed straight for Mr. French’s shop. Mr. Marc had prepared a carriage for us—and a number of bodyguards from the company for our defense. They surrounded us in the carriage, making the riding conditions a little cramped.

Not long after the carriage got moving, we arrived at our destination. As always, we went in through the kitchen door and were met by the manager.

“Sir! You’re earlier than usual today!”

“Sorry for coming so suddenly. I have one extra with me today. Would that be all right?”

“A guest? Of course! Please come right this way.”

“Thank you.”

“No, I should be thanking you! Take your time and relax.”

After a reverent bow of the head, Mr. French took us into the private room in the back. It was where Peeps and I always ate, so no other patrons would come here. It was a nice little isolated space.

The princess, after seeing our brief exchange, regarded me in shock. Though I’m not proud of it, it kind of made me feel good.

From there, we ate our food together and talked. She seemed to really like the cuisine here, and eventually, she was in a better mood than when I had first met her.

“This curry dish is superb. I could eat it all day.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

She spoke eagerly as she lifted the soup curry to her mouth. It seemed to be a popular menu item. If this kept up, I’d have to give Mr. French a recipe for curry and rice in the near future. Personally, soup curry was okay, but what I really liked was pouring the thick roux over rice, Japanese style—especially with something fried on top.

Peeps, who had jumped down from my shoulder, was enjoying his own meal on the table. Seeing him peck away at the tiny cuts of meat on the flat plate—prepared just for him—was such a lovely sight. I was filled with the urge to take an HD video of it.

Perhaps realizing what I was looking at, the princess said, “By the way, that familiar of yours is very cute, isn’t it?”

“Yes, madam. He’s very precious to me.”

“Let me pet him.”

“……”

A rather abrupt request. Was Peeps okay with that? In fact, I couldn’t remember ever really petting him myself. Curious, I looked over. He gave an energetic response and pointed his beak away from the meat-filled plate and toward the girl.

“Pii! Pii!”

Knowing who he really was, I felt a little apologetic. Still, getting a cute girl to pet you was basically the desire of every man, wasn’t it? When I was a kid, I remember one of my classmates, a girl, petting the crew cut of a boy on the baseball team, going on about the texture. It had made me really jealous.

Peeps hopped across the table. When he got to her, she brought her arm out. Scooping him up, she gently lifted him, then used her other hand to pet the tiny sparrow’s head, stroking it softly.

“Hee-hee. He’s really cute.”

“Pii! Pii! Pii!”

“He feels really nice and fluffy when you pet him.”

“Pii.”

His tweeting sounded somehow comfortable to me. Should I be petting him like this on a daily basis? Come to think of it, Mr. Yamada at the pet shop said it was important to touch your pets to build a relationship of trust. Still, no matter how adorable he was, he was the Starsage on the inside.

“He’s really used to people. Is that because he’s a familiar?”

“Pii! Pii!”

“One day, I want a pet bird that’s this friendly.”

“Pii! Pii! …Ow—”

“Huh?!”

“……”

Peeps, I don’t think that was a good idea.

The princess’s nail must have hit his eye as she was petting his head. It looked like it really hurt. I didn’t blame him for crying out. All creatures, no matter how well they trained their bodies, were always vulnerable in their softer spots. Thanks to that, his yelp sounded very human.

“What…what was that…?”

“……”

“…It sounded like he just said something.”

“Pii! Pii! Pii!”

Peeps was desperately trying to pretend to be a normal sparrow. I found the sight of him, admirably struggling, also quite charming.

But deceiving the princess now would be difficult. The hand she was using to pet him had frozen. Her eyes were open wide in surprise as they stared directly at the bird she was holding. I could see the words written in them—Is this really a bird?

“He definitely talked just now, didn’t he?”

“P— …Pii!! Pii!! Pii!!”

It looked like small birds understanding human speech was an exceptional occurrence even in this world. Peeps was doing his absolute darnedest to make bird noises. I could almost feel the desperate abandon drifting from him, and it was adorable. He may have been idolized as the Lord Starsage or whatever, but his unexpectedly human qualities engendered a feeling of kinship in me. I wanted to tell him to calm down a little bit so he wouldn’t hurt his throat.

“You, um, heard that just now, didn’t you?”

“Heard what, madam?”

“When my fingertip hit his eye, he cried out, and…”

The princess stared down at the bird in her hands suspiciously. Slowly and deliberately, her fingertips reached for his eyes. Was she seriously going to poke him again to test the reaction? That was a bit too much for this poor animal, wasn’t it?

“?!”

Sensing the danger, Peeps flapped his wings and fluttered into the air, landing back on my shoulder.

“Ah…”

“Please don’t tease him too much.”

“…I wasn’t teasing him.”

I had thought letting her touch an adorable sparrow would be a bit cathartic after her father’s passing, but now Peeps was taking damage instead. I’d have to set aside a little time to use my healing magic.

We continued our meal together for a while. Suddenly, the door flew open. I turned, wondering what business could be so urgent, and saw Hermann’s vice manager at the door. He was out of breath as he looked into the room. As soon as he spotted the princess at the table, he cried out to her.

“Lady Elsa, it’s terrible! Your brothers have passed away!”

“Huh…?”

“I’m terribly sorry, but you need to return home at once!”

The reports of their deaths came out of nowhere. I almost cried out “What the hell?!”

It seemed her two brothers, who had been fighting over the family inheritance, had taken each other out.

In this world, the succession of noble titles generally fell to men. While conflicts over succession between an eldest son and a second son were nothing unusual, it was rare for the eldest daughter or anyone else born a girl to get involved. However, depending on the circumstances, there were times when a woman would succeed.

The princess’s current situation, for example.

“I… I can’t take over the title…”

“But there are no others who suit the role.”

“……”

In the reception room of Viscount Müller’s home, aside from the princess, were the butler, the vice manager, Peeps, and me. We had rushed via carriage from Mr. French’s shop to the castle and been directed here.

Right then, everyone was sitting on the sofas in the middle of a heated conversation.

“Madam, please!”

“But I…”

The butler was the main one addressing her. He was beside the sofa set, the only one standing. The vice manager and I were facing them from the other side. I couldn’t help but wonder if outsiders like us should be privy to such an involved discussion. It would be rude to just leave, though, so I sat in silence and watched.

For the vice manager, this was a golden business opportunity. From what he’d told me on the way here, a woman’s succession was a temporary thing, and it was the norm for the estate to be given to whomever she married in the future. Still, however temporary the situation, she would still be the leader of the viscount’s family. Choosing a marriage partner would probably take quite a bit of time anyway.

Being in the position of guardian for someone like that must have seemed too good to be true.

“If nobody succeeds, the family will fall to ruin.”

“……”

Incidentally, her brothers had died when each claimant had poisoned the other, sending both on a journey with no return. This was something we’d heard from the butler immediately after our arrival.

The culprits were the other nobles supporting the two brothers, making it a very unfortunate situation. The siblings had apparently not been on unfriendly terms—as the butler explained, they had likely just been dragged into a fight among greedy relatives. In that sense, the biggest victims were the departed brothers themselves.

“If you do not succeed, madam, a great many people shall lose their livelihoods.”

“Even so, I don’t have what it takes!”

“We shall fully support you in your role. So won’t you please succeed the family, if only in name? We will treat you well and take over all business aspects of the position.”

“……”

“Please, madam. I, Sebastian, do solemnly swear to support you to the best of my ability.”

The butler dipped his head, bowing deeply.

When she saw that, she nodded reluctantly. “…Fine.”

“Thank you so much, my lady.”

From today, it seemed this castle would belong to the pile-hair princess.

This also automatically made her my business partner. Of course, as the butler said, she wouldn’t be bearing the brunt of the job. I didn’t mind that. Still, I had doubts as to whether she’d be able to properly control those who led all the different departments she’d just inherited.

Naturally, any deals I had with Viscount Müller would be dissolved. For the time being, I couldn’t say one way or another if I’d be able to continue making the same sort of clean, straightforward deals I had up to now. Depending on the situation, I might have to contend with nobles who didn’t like to listen to other people.

The situation was making me increasingly anxious.

Once he’d gotten the girl to acquiesce, the butler rushed out of the reception room. He must have had a lot of formalities to go through and groundwork to lay.

The only ones left in the room were Peeps and me, plus the princess and the vice manager. We were still sitting on the sofas, glancing at each other, wondering what to do next. It was suffocating.

“…Why did it have to come to this?” The girl muttered to no one in particular. Her voice was weak, like she was about to fall to pieces.

The vice manager responded with a question.

“Is inheriting the family a burden?”

“Of course it is.”

“But Viscount Müller loved this house.”

“And that’s why it’ll be so hard to watch it fall apart as I make one mistake after another! Even my father found it difficult, you know. How can I be expected to take control and do a good job?!”

“You don’t know that…”

“Yes, I do! It would have been better for Kai to inherit than me!”

The words flooded out of her pretty mouth; she must have finally reached the limit of her patience. I’d heard she wasn’t on good terms with her brother Kai. If she suggested he would be better, how little confidence did she have in herself? Her insistence gave a glimpse into what seemed to be a complex.

“I’m not smart like they are, and I don’t have any martial or magical talent! I’m just average! So average it hurts! No matter how hard I try, I’ll never catch up to the ones with talent! I’m just mediocre!”

“……”

The vice manager, too, took on a troubled expression at this.

In direct contrast to her piles of hair, her self-confidence was modest, to say the least. Having lived around so many exceptional people must have affected her poorly. Her father, Viscount Müller, for example, was remembered by such a pillar of the nation as the Starsage.

It made me think—she probably hadn’t had many satisfying brushes with success in her life.

“The only thing anyone ever compliments me on is my appearance, which I got from my mother and father. I always thought that, to be of some use to my father, my purpose was to marry into a high-ranking family. How did I end up inheriting this one…?”

She seemed like she had so much pride, but she spoke so fervently to us—commoners. Her lack of talent must have been undeniable.

Personally, I thought she was on the wrong track. Having excellent looks essentially made you the most powerful of all. Intelligence, martial prowess, magical talent—they were all merely icing on the cake. It was just how the world worked: As long as you were attractive, most things in life would work out somehow. Especially given how young she was.

Before I knew it, my mouth was moving.

“In that case, you already have a weapon of your own, my lady.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Good looks are the single most important thing when it comes to positions of power. Being smart or having martial or magical talents aren’t actually that necessary when it comes to taking control of a town as its lord or lady.”

“Are you trying to insult my father and brothers?”

“Of course not. I’m only stating a fact.”

“It’s not a fact; it was an insult!”

“Are there any bards in this town?”

“What? Of course! There’s, like, a million of them!”

“All the popular bards are attractive, aren’t they?”

“…So what?”

“People, in general, aren’t very smart. They have their hands full keeping themselves alive day to day. They don’t have time to learn refinement or patience. They need someone to make it easy for them—something to indicate where they should throw their support.”

“S-Sir Sasaki…” Next to me, the vice manager was growing uncomfortable.

Peeps, on the other hand, remained silent.

Trusting that all was fine, this busybody of a guest continued his argument. If she didn’t succeed her inheritance more optimistically, it would cause trouble not just for her house but for everyone in town. I couldn’t bear to watch if those other nobles—the ones who could just poison acquaintances—were to show up.

“When the masses see someone as beautiful as yourself doing her best to wrestle with town administration, they will give you their support, and that will give you more strength than anything else. It doesn’t matter who’s actually doing the work. They’ll be taken with you, so they’ll help and cheer you on.”

“…This is ridiculous.”

“In my homeland, a bard will occasionally end up leading the city government, put there by support from the masses, in a vote where they defeated those who studied economics, law, and education.”

“Leaving a town in the hands of a mere bard?! Why the hell would anyone do that?!”

The princess’s retort was perfectly understandable. But this was the truth, and that was that.

“As I’m sure you know, my lady, gaining the support of the masses is the most important consideration when running a town or city. If a bard is beloved by the masses, don’t you think having one in that position would be extremely efficient? They could just let other talented people do the real work.”

“…Should I not be acting as a representative of the people, then?”

I thought she’d come at me angrily, asking if I intended equate her with some lowly bard, but she was clearly more intelligent than I’d guessed. That made things very easy for me. Doing so might have been rude, but it was time to give her the final push.

After all, this was the daughter of Peeps’s acquaintance we were talking about. I, too, was invested in her fate.

“If a peaceful reign is the goal, the situation is rare when the representative of the people can act as such. I think your father, Viscount Müller, was one of those rare exceptions. But people like him almost never appear. As such, my opinion is that you should divide the work and delegate it.”

“But I…”

“If a leader can’t do that, and instead overworks themselves, wouldn’t that lead to bad government? You seem to have a firm grasp on what you can and can’t do, and I think that’s wonderful.”

“……”

She may have had a bad temper, but deep down, she seemed like an honest, straightforward girl. Thus, it was probably best for us to sway her before every single noble with a connection to her family tried to abduct her. We should do enough, at least, so that if something happened in the future, she’d listen to our advice. Otherwise, our own standing would become quite precarious.

“You see, my lady? You already have more than enough to inherit the family. You need never look down on yourself. If you hold your father dear to your heart and remain sincere when dealing with others, I’m sure those around you will choose to follow you.”

Other than the vice manager’s face turning white as a sheet, I believed everything would be fine and waited for her response.

And after a few moments, she gave me one.

“…I understand.”

“Truly, my lady?”

“And out of respect for your lecture, I will forgive your rudeness.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“However, I will not tolerate such behavior in the future. Normally, a commoner talking down to a member of the nobility warrants a beheading. No—they deserve to be burned at the stake in public. I hope you’re thankful for how magnanimous I’m being right now.”

“I am, my lady.”

And then, finally, I realized why she had kept all that gorgeous hair growing for so long.

Aside from her appearance, she wasn’t proud of a single thing about herself.

For a few days, the house of Viscount Müller was in an uproar.

After a short while, the news of the viscount’s death in battle and his replacement was announced to the domain. When the townspeople heard of it, they seemed to become restless and uneasy. Here and there, I even saw some of the more impatient among them leaving town in large, two-wheeled wagons.

What wouldn’t wait around was the war with the Empire. Now that the front line had collapsed, the Kingdom of Herz had been placed in a very dangerous position, and the repercussions had finally pressed down on Baytrium, where we were making our home.

“What? A Hermann carriage was attacked by enemy soldiers?”

Several days after the princess inherited the family, we were in the Hermann Trading Company’s reception room having a conversation with the vice manager. I had been getting ready to go out and practice magic when a messenger from the company contacted me.

“Yes. It seems they’re becoming active in this area.”

“I see.”

This town appeared to be the Empire’s next target. That wasn’t to say it had been directly attacked; the enemy probably didn’t have the troops to spare for an invasion. Apparently, they were planting vanguards on main roads in the vicinity and having them disrupt our supply routes.

They were like a group of thieves made up of regular soldiers. The vice manager said their goal was probably to exhaust the town before their main force came in and took over. With that happening, we’d need to decide our next move.

“What will you do, Mr. Sasaki?”

“Hmm…”

“I am considering leaving for the capital as early as next week.”

“What about Viscount Müller’s daughter?”

“We plan to have her accompany us,” he said completely seriously, staring me dead in the eye. He must have decided this town was a lost cause.

“Would you like to come as well, Mr. Sasaki? We already have skilled bodyguards for the trip. Even if we encounter the Empire’s regular troops, if it’s only ten or twenty of them, we should be able to hold out just fine.”

That said, I’d already talked this over with Peeps—and I couldn’t go with him.

“I’m very happy you wanted to invite me along, but I still have a bit more to do here. I am well aware of your concerns, but I’m going to stay a while longer.”

“…Is that so…?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no, don’t be. But if you do change your mind, come to the store again. We’re making preparations to send as much of our stock to the next town over as time permits. If you were to go with them, you should be able to get travel somewhat more safely.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I’d be saying my farewell to the vice manager, too, for a while.

After parting with Mr. Marc, we headed straight back to the lodgings we used as a base of operations—the affluent inn that cost one gold piece for a one-night, two-day stay. The place: the living room area with a sofa set. I was sitting on the sofa, and Peeps was standing on the low table across from me. Each of us faced the other with a serious expression.

“I apologize, but can I count on you?”

“I’d do anything my adorable little pet asked.”

“…Thanks.”

“No, thank you. You’ve been the one helping me this whole time.”

“So you say, but if you had never met me, you would have had no struggles.”

“In my opinion, what you’ve done for me outweighs my own hardships. It’s fine.”

“……”

Peeps wanted two things: to preserve the town that Viscount Müller had presided over and for the young lady he had left behind to survive. It seemed like their friendship had been far from shallow—enough to change the mind of Peeps, who had once determined to leave this world behind.

Considering his strong feelings, I wanted to help him that much more—as his owner.

“When will we be leaving?”

“As soon as tonight, if possible.”

“Will we be walking or using the usual spell?”

“Flying, I believe, this time. Without knowing how close the enemy forces have gotten, being spotted by anyone at our destination would be troublesome. I would like to start and finish this task without being noticed, if possible.”

“But, Peeps, I don’t have wings like you.”

Come to think of it, how far could Java sparrows fly anyway? He fluttered around very gracefully indoors, but he’d never had a chance to fly for very long outside. I’d heard some birds, like pigeons, were relatively powerful and could easily fly dozens of kilometers.

“You have misunderstood. We shall fly using magic.”

“Wait, what? That’s amazing.”

The hope for such a spell had always been hanging out in the back of my mind. Being told it was real started getting me excited. I’d wanted to do something like this ever since I was a kid. I couldn’t even count how many dreams I’d had of flying. The closer you get to waking up, the less you’re able to fly.

“Oh. I have not told you about this, have I?”

“Won’t you please teach me, Peeps?”

“Depending on your mental image, you can fly around at a considerable speed. I’d been holding it back until you’d at least learned intermediate-level healing magic. Inexperienced casters will often fall—or run into trees. If they cannot heal their own wounds, they die.”

“…I see.”

“In addition, you will need to use a barrier spell simultaneously if you want to go over a certain speed. When you fly fast enough, even collisions with insects or birds can bring grave injury. This magic cannot be used as if you are carelessly rushing about on the ground. You will need to practice beforehand.”

Peeps had a point. Basically, it was like a Birdman Rally. Depending on where you got hit by something, you could die before even being able to cast healing magic on yourself. If a beginner was to learn it right off the bat, they would have a terrible time, just as he said.

“Thus, I will be the one to use it this time. I will teach you at a later date.”

“I can’t wait.”

If that was how things were, I’d listen to what my master said without argument.

Those words of the great Starsage, after all.

That night, we arrived close to the national border with the Ohgen Empire.

To get there, we had used magic to fly, just as Peeps had suggested, and our airborne trip through the dark of night had taken a little under an hour. We had traveled at a tremendous speed; we could have been going faster than a bullet train given how quickly the ground zipped by far below us.

Oh, Peeps. Despite your cute face, you’re a real speed demon. Regardless, I had felt almost no air resistance since he was using a barrier spell—nor any shortness of breath or chill. I was extremely comfortable for the entire trip.

That made it all the more terrifying to think about what would happen if you hit something without a barrier. It felt to me like zooming down a highway or a bypass on a motorcycle wearing a half helmet. A pebble that bounced off a car in front of me could spell instant death.

“There they are.”

“Oh, you’re right…”

Far into the distance, all the way to the horizon, was a stretch of grasslands called the Rectan Plains. Right in the middle of it, you could see a mass of people gathered in something like a campground. From a few kilometers away, it was difficult to even tell they were people, yet we ascertained it was a cluster of soldiers. They appeared to wriggle and writhe, surrounding some temporary facilities that looked to be movable.

Peeps and I were flying pretty high in the air. With the night’s darkness at our backs, they wouldn’t be able to notice us. We, on the other hand, could clearly make out the lights illuminating the camp. It was an intimidating sight, with over ten thousand soldiers.

“What should we do?”

“Let us blow them all away.”

“……”

Man, sometimes Peeps suddenly blurts out really scary stuff.

But I agreed that would probably be the safest option.

“If they lose this many troops, they should behave themselves for a time. Even if they do launch a new offensive, they will be more careful out of fear of similar retribution. In the meantime, Herz can rebuild its national power. I suppose I have no way to prove the latter will happen, though.”

“You’re gonna use one of those advanced spells you told me about before?”

“Categorywise, it is a step above that. It is possible to deal with them using advanced magic, but against so many, it is possible I might miss some. No, I want to end them all with one powerful attack. It will also bring them the least suffering.”

“Oh.”

“Now watch closely. The day may come when you learn this magic.”

As he spoke, a magic circle emerged in front of him. It was more complex than any thus far. It was big, too—it must have been three meters across. Since he was perched on my shoulder, I got a direct look at the thing, too. My ears picked up a long string of words—the incantation, no doubt. Though I listened closely at first, it ended up being extremely lengthy, so I gave up on memorizing it partway through.

So I waited for a while.

Then Peeps spoke.

He opened his cute little beak wide and said, “It is ready.” At the same time, the magic circle gave off a radiant shine.

A moment later, an immense light shot forth.

It stretched far away from us as we floated in the air, rushing toward the Ohgen Empire’s forces below. As it traveled, it fanned out to the left and right, widening its range. By the time it had finally reached the ground, it had grown large enough to engulf the entire area.

The light pierced an area of the plains several kilometers square. Everything lit up like it was day.

A low, pulsating sound shook the atmosphere, almost causing me to recoil. I couldn’t understand the details, but I could sense that an incredible, massive phenomenon had just occurred. It didn’t feel like something caused by a single person but more like a typhoon or some other natural disaster.

“Peeps, uh, to be honest, I have no idea what is happening.”

“Understandable.”

“It’s like, uh, a beam cannon or something…?”

“Think of it as something similar.”

Peeps immediately understood what I meant by beam cannon. Must have been yet another result of his studies on the internet. The other day, I had looked through my computer’s browser history—Peeps was going through internet dictionaries at an enormous speed. What a diligent sparrow. That said, regrettably, he hadn’t looked at any adult sites. I wondered if he had lost his sex drive after becoming a bird.

After another twenty or thirty seconds, the light faded.

The blinding illumination was replaced once again by darkness. Immediately after, by the last remnants of the flash, I was able to make out a fearsome gouge cut into the entire area, as though it had been dug out by a giant excavator. It was so deep I couldn’t see the bottom.

“…Peeps, that was very scary.”

“One can also focus its area of effect. Surprisingly, it is quite versatile.”

“……”

If he had fired that in Tokyo, in one of the smaller areas like Chiyoda, or Chuo, or Minato, it would have wiped out everything in a single hit, right down to the metro lines running underground. Perhaps even more force than the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“You would do well to learn it as another option for your defense.”

“…Yeah.”

When I thought about over ten thousand people dying from that one attack, I felt a sense of desolation. That said, there wasn’t much guilt, really. Of course, Peeps was the culprit here, and I was only watching. More than that, though, none of this felt real. It was more like I was watching a movie.

“In any event, let us ret—”

Just then, a glimmer of light shone from one corner of the gaping hole. Not a moment later, a magic circle emerged in front of us.

“Ngh…”

At the same time, from the point that had produced the flash, a ray of light came shooting up at us from the ground this time—like a beam cannon. When it struck the magic circle in front of us, the impact sent our bodies reeling backward.

“What…?”

“Urgh…”

The familiar sensation of Peeps’s claws on my shoulder, pinching through my suit jacket, had vanished. I immediately scanned the area for him, finding the bird a few meters in front of me. The way he was frantically flapping his wings was quite unlike a Starsage—and very striking.

I noticed an unknown figure rapidly approaching Peeps from below.

“That spell seemed kind of familiar.”

“No… It’s you…,” came a voice I had no recollection of.

Like Peeps, the figure was floating in the air using flight magic. From their silhouette, our assailant seemed human—or at least a humanoid creature. I could see their clothes flapping in the wind, too. For whatever reason, their skin was purple. However, in the darkness of the night, I couldn’t discern their gender or age.

Heck, I didn’t have time to try because my body had begun plummeting toward the ground.

The next thing I knew, I’d already fallen a dozen or so meters. The impact seemed to have broken Peeps’s flight spell. I gazed up at the super sparrow overhead in prayer—only to see him locked in battle with the figure who had just appeared. It didn’t look like he had time to help.

“Are you kidding me…?”

He hadn’t taught me the flying spell yet. In less than a few minutes, I’d crash into the ground.

Unlike the plains, where the enemy soldiers had been staying, I could see a dense forest covering the area below me—a wooded region bordering the grasslands. If I could get the tree branches to cushion my fall… No. I could see no way I was going to survive this.

I needed to be more proactive.

“…Oh, I got it.”

I had that spell to shoot water from my hand. What if I fired it out at full force? No, there was no time to wonder about it. I had to use it now. The spell was just for making drinking water, but this time, I conjured the image of a fire truck hose and released it. Without a chant.

Then, a few dozen meters above the ground, all the water came rushing out. As it met the ground, the speed of my descent dropped significantly. I could feel my organs shifting upward.

Pressure slammed into me as though I were riding a roller coaster. For a moment, I thought I’d pass out. But I endured, continuing to fire the waterspout downward. To anyone witnessing the spectacle, I would probably have looked like a rocket launching in reverse.

After a few moments, I was soaked as my body caught up with the water. With a splosh, I sank in, and a moment later, my feet touched the ground. It seemed the trees had been toppled by the stream; my body hadn’t gotten caught on any leaves or branches.

Presently, the water withdrew. With the sensation of my weight settling onto my feet, my vision opened up.

“I thought I was dead…”

It looked as though I’d been able to land without injury. My entire body was soaking wet, but well, that was one thing I couldn’t do much about. I was happy just to have my life. It was a good thing we’d been flying so high—otherwise, I wouldn’t have had time to use magic before crashing.

As I shook myself off, I heard a burst from overhead. It was a low booming sound that resonated in the pit of my stomach.

“……”

When I looked into the sky, I saw flames blooming across it. They were like clouds—expanding, red-colored fire. The scene was overwhelming. It made me anxious—if any of that hot stuff fell, I’d be dead. Fortunately, the flames scattered and vanished without scorching the surface.

Had a fight broken out between Peeps and the person targeting us? If someone as strong as Peeps didn’t have time to help me out, whoever it was must have been a whole heap of trouble.

What should I do? I really wanted to help Peeps, but I had no way of getting aloft. Besides, if I marched in recklessly, I could end up getting in his way.

As I continued to fret, I suddenly heard someone call my name.

“Is that you there, Sir Sasaki?”

“What?”

I gave a start; that wasn’t something I’d been expecting. I whipped around as if I’d been scalded and directed my attention to the voice I’d just heard. When I did, I saw him among the trees, staring out at me: Viscount Müller.

All around me were fallen trees from the water-producing spell I’d fired. The view was fairly clear for several meters around. That must have made it easy for him to spot me even in the dim light.

“Viscount Müller. What a coincidence that we should meet in a place like this.”

“What are you doing here…?”

“Well, I’ve been wrapped up in something ever so slightly troubling,” I said, obviously unable to give him an honest explanation.

This was huge news. Wasn’t the viscount dead? The vice manager had told me he was. When I looked at him, I saw bloodstains speckling his body here and there, and he was altogether covered in wounds—but he was still on his own two feet.

Next to him stood a young man in his mid-to-late teens.

“Viscount Müller, who is this?”

The armor he wore looked even more expensive than the viscount’s.

He was just as beaten and bloodied as the viscount, too. His armor was flecked with dirt and grime, with some parts broken entirely. Especially bad was the area around his stomach; dried black blood covered his gut.

It must have been too hard for him to walk as he was barely standing, leaning on Viscount Müller. His expression was pained. His face was a constant grimace and had lost a lot of its color. It seemed evident that he’d suffered a grave injury.

“The second prince of the Kingdom of Herz—Adonis.”

“A prince?”

I hadn’t expected royalty. No wonder the viscount was trying so hard to hold the man up.

“Viscount Müller, who is this man?”

“A foreign merchant who has been doing business in my territory.”

“What is a merchant doing all the way out here? And why is everything wet?” asked the prince, surveying our soaked surroundings.

“…I apologize, Your Royal Highness, but I am having difficulty understanding, myself.”

“……”

I had to say, this was a really suspicious place to show up. Soldiers from an enemy nation were massing just outside the forest. I wouldn’t blame them if they suspected me of being a spy. From their point of view, just approaching me like this was putting their lives on the line.

However, facing this dodgy middle-aged man, Viscount Müller continued speaking.

“One thing is certain: He is not our enemy.”

“…Is this true?”

“Yes.”

He had spoken without a hint of hesitation.

I hadn’t expected he’d trust me even at rock bottom. It filled me with happiness. I didn’t remember talking with him that much, but the way he looked at me now was no different from our prior encounters.

Perhaps that was why I was able to continue the conversation without much thought.

“Viscount Müller, would you let me check on His Highness’s condition? I actually have some knowledge of magic and may be able to help him.”

“You? You can use magic, Sir Sasaki?”

“Not very much, but yes, sir.”

“In that case, yes, please do!”

With Viscount Müller’s approval, I tried out my intermediate healing spell. I’d learned how to cast the beginner version without an incantation just the other day, but for this one, I needed to chant. As I brought my hands closer to the prince, I murmured the longish string of words.

A magic circle appeared at the target’s feet. As light rose from it, the prince’s expression changed completely.

“I… The pain is leaving me…”

The magic circle was up for a dozen seconds or so. Based on my experience practicing on wild mice and such, I decided on an appropriate duration and lowered my arms. With that, the magic circle that had appeared on the ground vanished, and the light subsided.

“How do you feel, sir?”

“…Such wondrous skills. Those wounds were grave, and in the blink of an eye, they are gone.”

“Does it hurt anywhere?”

“No, I appear to be fully healed. I think I’ll be able to keep walking now.”

The prince replied energetically, checking himself.

His shirt flicked up, and underneath, I saw lean muscle. Not only were his features attractive, but he was blessed physically, too. It was envy-inducing. Based on his physique, I could clearly tell that he trained on a daily.

“Still, I had not expected you to use healing magic at such a level…”

“I’m honored, sir.”

“Would you please heal Viscount Müller as well? He is wounded.”

“Yes, sir.”

At the prince’s instruction, I used the healing spell again, this time with the viscount as the target. The places I could see, like his face and fingers, healed immediately. I didn’t want to leave anything amiss under the skin, though, like broken bones, so I kept it up for a dozen or so seconds to give it enough time, just as I had with the prince.

After a moment, the viscount called out to me.

“That should be enough.”

“My lord? All right.”

In accordance with his self-assessment, I ceased casting my healing spell.

Spurred on, no doubt, by this exchange, the prince’s face had become somewhat more peaceful compared to the scowl he’d worn when we first encountered each other. I figured I could probably have a calm conversation with them now.

“Your name was Sasaki, yes? You’ve saved us. I give you my thanks.”

“No, the honor was all mine, Your Royal Highness.”

“And I will refrain from prying too deeply into why we met you in a forest so close to the battlefield. I’m sure you have your own work. In exchange, might you be able to assist us in escaping from this place?”

Having lost Peeps, I was in a pickle myself. Now that it would be difficult to meet back up with him, working with the prince and the viscount to escape danger instead was an extremely attractive option. There could always be remnants of the obliterated enemy forces hiding nearby.

“Understood. I would be glad to accompany you, sirs.”

And that was how I formed a party with two very good-looking guys.

Viscount Müller, Prince Adonis, and I were headed back to the Kingdom of Herz through the nighttime forest.

They explained that the prince had been targeted by an enemy soldier on the battlefield, and stepping in to his defense, the viscount had become separated from the main force. The situation at the time had been desperate, and the Hermann Trading Company’s messenger simply assumed the viscount was dead.

But they had miraculously survived and had been trying to get back to town ever since. For me, having already been informed of the viscount’s death, it was a joyful reunion.

The area we were in was called the Niekam Forest. It was adjacent to the Rectan Plains, where the Empire’s troops had been stationed, and moving away from the plains and through the forest would bring you to the town of Baytrium.

“By the way, Sasaki, it seems there is some kind of magician’s conflict occurring above us…”

Prince Adonis appeared concerned about what was happening in the sky as well. He kept glancing overhead.

Sparks were still flying between Peeps and the unknown magician. The intermittent bursting noises made us feel like we were in danger even on the ground. I was extremely worried about stray shots reaching us.

“It seems that way, Your Highness.”

“Do you know anything about it?”

“I’m sorry, but that is truly beyond my comprehension.”

“…I see.”

I couldn’t exactly answer honestly, of course, so I ended up feigning ignorance.

Peeps had just obliterated an innumerable amount of Ohgen Empire soldiers in an instant. If someone was taking this much of his time to deal with, then if we ran into them, they’d kill us in seconds.

What frustrated me most was my distance from Peeps. As his assistant, without me there, Peeps couldn’t use magic above a certain level—the world-hopping spell, for example. But if I tried to get closer to their battle, I’d probably get in his way. The surprise attack had stolen the initiative from us, and it was having a huge effect.

“If they can use such large-scale magic in quick succession, then if we do happen to encounter them, we wouldn’t stand a chance. I appreciate your concern, but I believe we should focus on getting out of this forest and back to Herz.”

“Duly noted.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Incidentally, this prince was quite convivial despite his title. I was a complete stranger, yet he spoke to me as an equal. Interparty communication was going better than I’d ever hoped it would. I was hugely grateful for it.

“Your Royal Highness, Sir Sasaki, please stop for a moment.”

“…An enemy?”

“It seems that way, sir.”

Meanwhile, the viscount had announced an enemy encounter.

He stared through the trees, his expression harsh. He then pulled his sword from his hip and took up a combat posture.

It wasn’t clear what the enemy was armed with, but regular soldiers would at least have bows and arrows, right? I used the intermediate barrier spell, and it unfolded around us, including not only me but the viscount and prince as well.

A moment later, arrows were raining down on us from the side.

Several struck the barrier and fell to the ground harmlessly.

“Sasaki, you can not only use healing magic but barrier magic as well?”

“I was blessed with a talented teacher.”

“I see. They must be very skilled, indeed.”

Not a moment after his eyes had opened wide with surprise at the arrows, they shifted to me, and his expression switched to one of admiration. Being able to use both healing magic and intermediate magic at this level seemed quite valuable. I couldn’t thank Peeps enough.

“Sir Sasaki, how long will this magic hold?”

“A while, I believe, but did you have some sort of plan, my lord?”

“Our situation will get worse and worse this way. I’d like to take the initiative, cutting into their forces.”

“Isn’t that a bit dangerous?”

“Do you have any other ideas?”

“I can fire magic at them from here.”

“You can use attack magic as well?”

“Not very many kinds, but yes.”

“In that case, please go right ahead.”

Similar to when I had aimed at the invisible psychic in the bowling alley the other day, I fired the lightning magic toward the source of the arrows. I had some apprehensions that it would start a fire, but I didn’t have the luxury of that concern right now.

I omitted the chant, and the bolt zapped forth without an incantation. A moment later, we heard several screams from what must have been enemy soldiers. Something told me I’d hit the mark.

At the same time, there was a change up ahead. Men with swords at the ready rushed out at us from between the trees. They’d probably realized their opponent was a magician and decided to close the distance. That put me, someone absurdly weak at melee combat, in a bad position.

“Leave this to me!”

Perhaps catching on to my hesitation, Viscount Müller leaped forward. Crossing the barrier, he charged the enemy soldiers.

And then, against a group of swordsmen, he plunged into a straight-up sword fight. This seemed to be his specialty. Despite being outnumbered, he showed no fear. Within moments, he’d already cut down his first.

Wow! Viscount Müller is super strong. Well, I can’t just stand around watching, either.

Firing another lightning spell, I brought down more of the soldiers still at a distance from the viscount. I focused especially on bow- and staff-wielders for my shots. Since there could have been troops lying in ambush in the trees, I also spread my shots toward the vicinity of where our assailants had emerged.

The struggle lasted a few minutes or so. With Viscount Müller’s swordplay and my sorcery, we safely defeated the enemy.

“Sir Sasaki, I am incredibly impressed that you can cast intermediate magic without an incantation.”

The blood-drenched viscount returned to us, smiling. That’s a little scary.

“It is your skill with the sword, my lord, that deserves special mention here.”

“There are plenty of others more talented than I.”

Prince Adonis seemed a little more resigned.

“You both did wonderfully. I find myself frustrated at my own powerlessness.”

He’d watched the fight go by without any real chance to participate. His disappointment was clear as he stared at his feet. Given how attractive he was, it painted a pretty picture. I wished I’d been born with those kinds of looks.

“You have a more important role to fill than fights such as these, do you not, Your Highness?”

“Even so, there is no better leader than a strong one.”

“Well, you still have plenty of time to learn and practice, sir. Your Royal Highness is yet young and can recover from anything. The true path of the sword begins only when you have passed twenty and your body has matured fully. It is nothing to be worried about.”

“Really?”

“I made little progress at your age as well, sir.”

“…I see.”

Seeing the prince talk with Viscount Müller, who was just as attractive, was like a scene out of a movie. It seemed like a sin to involve myself, so I naturally hesitated.

“Sir Sasaki, your magic has saved us.”

“I am honored I was able to be of some help, my lord.”

“You are quite skilled to have noticed their men lying in ambush. It is thanks to you I could move about freely. The most fearsome thing in melees like these is the presence of archers and magicians. Both can completely tip the balance of power in one direction.”

“I see, my lord.”

From how Viscount Müller was talking, it seemed safe to assume the threat had passed. I, too, felt like myself again.

“Sir, we need to move before beasts or monsters are lured here by the scent of blood. I know you are tired, but we should get moving. We’re covered in blood, so I’d like to do so as soon as possible.”

“We will do as the viscount says. Please lead the way.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Sensing that Peeps, too, was doing his best up above us, we resumed our march.

How long had we walked? The sky was slowly whitening. It seemed daybreak was near.

I hadn’t kept track of the time, but my body was saying we’d been trekking through the forest for three or four hours. Because of that, I’d naturally stopped talking as much, but even the locals, Viscount Müller and Prince Adonis, had grown quiet as well.

Yet it still didn’t appear we’d be getting out of the Niekam Forest soon.

According to the viscount, we’d reach the nearest village before too long. Right now, I walked in silence, trusting in those words. Fortunately, we didn’t have to worry about drinkable water. I could make as much as we needed using magic.

Meanwhile, as for what was happening in the sky, we could still hear plenty of thumping and booming noises. Peeps was still holding out. I couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of opponent he was up against who would take that much time, even if the sparrow had been separated from me.

Our formation as we proceeded through the woods consisted of the viscount in front, me at the rear, and Prince Adonis between us. The viscount had said he’d trade his own life to protect the prince’s.

“Your Royal Highness, are your legs doing well?”

“What I lack in martial talent I think I more than make up for in stamina.”

Viscount Müller asked the question of the prince out of consideration. How many times did that make it?

“I am pleased to hear it, sir.”

“More importantly, Sasaki, are you all right? This must be difficult on a magician.”

Whoa. The royal just asked me a considerate question. Getting that kind of attention from someone in a high position made me 30 percent happier than normal.

“I can lighten my exhaustion with magic, sir, so I’m still doing fine.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Your healing magic,” interjected the viscount, “must be quite powerful to cure even exhaustion.”

The two of them had strong, healthy legs, so I’d been using magic here and there to help my own in order to keep up with them. For a modern man used to trains and automobiles, hiking like this was unimaginably taxing. Without the healing spell, I’d already have collapsed.

Thanks to that, though, I’d managed to abbreviate the incantation a bit when I used it.

“We will arrive at the settlement shortly,” said Viscount Müller, encouraging us from ahead. “I recall visiting this area on an orc hunt once, so I have some sense of the terrain. Your Royal Highness, Sir Sasaki, this is the last spurt. Let’s all stay alert and—”

It happened just then. From behind us, we heard a long, ragged roar.

I couldn’t imagine that voice coming from a human. Actually, I wasn’t even sure whether to call it a voice at all.

“Viscount Müller,” noted the prince, “I just heard something that sounded dangerous.”

“…That was an orc’s cry, sir.”

“An orc…”

“One may have been whipped up due to the Empire’s advance.”

“Would that not mean the nearby village is in danger as well?”

“It is as you say, sir.”

The prince and Viscount Müller shared a disquieting exchange.

I’d heard several times from Peeps that this world was home to creatures that were called monsters. They spanned every sort you could imagine—from weak ones the size of the sparrow itself to huge ones the size of a large whale.

“Viscount Müller, Sasaki, given the situation, I apologize for asking you this, but can we not go and check on the village? If they have sustained damage, I would like to bring the information back and dispatch a team of knights.”

“Understood, sir.”

The viscount agreed to the prince’s request immediately. That meant there was no way I could refuse.

Personally, I wanted to strongly insist on a detour. Peeps was still battling up there in the air, and I believed it would be best to get out of the forest as soon as we could. However, with the two of them acting like Braveheart, I didn’t have the gall to say no.

Besides, if I was to refuse, they’d probably go on their own. If I truly wanted them to stay safe, they’d need my healing and barrier magic. For now, I’d strive to continue my role as their mysterious magician.

“I would be honored to come along as well, sir.”

“I’m sorry for putting you through this, Sasaki. I promise to make up for it.”

“No, sir, you don’t need to bother yourself with me.”

And so we rushed straight toward the source of the roar.

Ultimately, there was a monster in the forest. Many of them, in fact.

Plus, they were in the middle of an all-out attack against the village Viscount Müller had mentioned.

As has been explained to me, they were creatures called orcs. They were anywhere from two to three meters tall with muscle-bound bodies. They seemed somewhat intelligent, and they gripped weapons in their hands, swinging them as they rampaged. They looked pretty much like what you would get by searching orc on the internet. It was all very overwhelming for this otherworld freshman.

“Well, they are quite fearsome creatures,” I noted.

“Is this your first time seeing an orc, Sir Sasaki?”

“Yes, my lord, it is.”

“Then be careful. Most knights and adventurers tend to treat them lightly, but in force, they are very troublesome to deal with. And when they’ve formed a band like this, we must tread very carefully.”

“Ah.”

Right now, we were a short distance from the village, looking out from a vantage point hidden in the foliage. On the other side of a small fence, we could see the villagers running about, trying to escape. It was a gruesome sight, the orcs killing and violating the townspeople as they wished. Most of those being assaulted in the latter sense were women, but here and there, a man could be spotted.

“Viscount Müller, there are more orcs than we anticipated. The village will be wiped out before the knights can be dispatched. I am once again sorry to ask this of you, but is there no way to save the town?”

“…Hmm.”

I couldn’t believe it— In a situation like this, the prince was thinking of the village. Not only that, but Viscount Müller was also entertaining the idea. Such a sense of justice flowed from these two men!

“With Sir Sasaki’s backup, perhaps.”

“Truly?!”

The next thing I knew, they were looking at me. Not only the viscount but the prince as well—and there was fire in their eyes.

“Sasaki, would you please assist us? If we are able to return to the castle safely, I will guarantee a proper reward. I do not wish to forsake this village. I’m begging you—please help us.”

“……”

“I have seen the Ohgen Empire’s forces on the battlefield. This nation will one day be invaded and destroyed. I, too, am fated to die on the guillotine in the near future.”

The Kingdom of Herz was heavily deteriorating, but it seemed the second prince, at least, was an exception. The earnestness with which he looked at me made his sincere care and concern for the villagers quite evident. Much of it was probably due to feeling his own death near at hand.

And with the viscount’s attention on me, they were really making it hard to refuse.

Perhaps he harbored the same feelings as the prince. When a person became aware of their own mortality, they tended to want to leave something behind—like a reason for having been born or a legacy.

“Umm…”

After thinking about it carefully, however, their proposal wasn’t all bad. We had walked a long distance, so in terms of securing a place to sleep for a while, this village was very important. We also had the food problem to deal with. Water I could summon with magic, but we needed to acquire food through some other means.

There was a lot to be gained from saving this place.

“I understand, sir. Please allow me to help.”

“Thank you so much, Sasaki. You are a dependable man.”

“After seeing your spirit, I feel my own energy welling up within me.”

In any case, I may as well put them as far in my debt as possible.

After a firm nod, we began our orc hunt.

Our strategy for fighting the orcs would be the same as when we drove off the Ohgen Empire soldiers the night before. Viscount Müller took the front while I took the rear.

This time, though, Prince Adonis would be involved. Positionwise, he was at the fore.

As the one tasked with healing and defense, this made me very anxious. If the worst happened and he was wounded, what would other big shots say about it? I could fix him up with my healing magic, but the thought was enough to put me in a cold sweat. If he died or something… Well, I couldn’t bear to think about that.

Therefore, our advance saw me pouring a significant amount of mana into my defensive magic, hardening our defenses as we went. The others were concerned about my mana running out, but I told them not to worry. I couldn’t afford to be stingy on this.

No sooner had we set foot in the village than an orc attacked us.

A significant number of them seemed to have been hiding indoors. At a glance, there must have been close to twenty of the things swarming around. When my lightning magic hit their group, they all showed the same reaction—one after another, they swarmed us at the village’s entrance.

For a moment, it was my time to shine. I continuously shot off lightning spells at the orcs that entered my range, whittling down their numbers. Peeps had told me this magic was one of the lower-level intermediate spells, but it sure packed a punch. One hit to the head or chest basically killed them. Even when my aim was a bit off, they collapsed to the ground with wails and moans.

Not long after the battle began, I’d successfully taken out about ten of them. A few, however, made it past my attacks—and it was those that the viscount and prince engaged.

The two of them, swords in hands, worked together to send the orcs to their graves. As always, the viscount was a powerhouse. It was no different from when he’d fought people—he would calmly and accurately pierce their vital points. The way he dodged by a hair the axes they were flailing about was incredibly cool to watch.

In his wake, His Royal Highness was embroiled in a struggle of his own. That said, in terms of his skill… Well, he definitely got points for effort. More than once, I glimpsed a scene that sent a chill down my spine, but we managed to hold out with the viscount’s blade and my barrier magic to support him.

“Sir Sasaki, over there— It has a bow!”

“Understood, my lord.”

Following Viscount Müller’s warning, I aimed around the corner of a house and fired a lightning bolt. One seemed to have been targeting us from a hiding place behind the building.

As the viscount had advised earlier, orcs did indeed seem to be very difficult monsters to deal with when in a horde. The bows and arrows they held were far bigger than the ones humans used, too. One clean hit, and it would open a huge hole in any of our human bodies.

Without my Peeps-approved magic, we never would have stood a chance.

Between my attacks, I also cast healing magic on any villagers lying in my range of sight. Even if we took down the orcs, I couldn’t let the village be wiped out—that would be too sad. I needed to do everything I could.

“…Sir, these orcs are behaving oddly.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hordes of orcs are usually smaller in number,” advised the viscount. He must have caught on to something abnormal.

“Normally, orcs live in groups of about ten, led by a single boss orc. There are over twenty-four in this village—actually, with just the ones I can see, they number over thirty.”

“Is that right?”

“They may currently be led by a much higher-ranking orc…”

Gazing at the monsters, Viscount Müller was just forming his next word when it happened.

We heard a long, loud roar from somewhere.

It was the cry of an orc, which we’d been hearing incessantly throughout the fight. However, compared to the others, this one sounded several times more powerful. Its boom shook me, causing my stomach to vibrate.

“This is bad!”

Viscount Müller’s face changed. His confidence was gone.

“Viscount Müller, was that bellow an orc?!”

“Without a doubt, sir, but it is most likely an elite. I have no way of knowing how powerful it is, but given the size of this horde, it must be suitably strong.”

“I’ve heard of this, too. When one is born with the blessing of mana or coincidentally acquires it, it will live longer than others, and we refer to them as elites. I recall a lecture from the Lord Starsage on the topic.”

“That is correct, sir. Unfortunately, I am going to have to ask you, as well as Sir Sasaki, to withdraw. If this is an elite orc, it will be a very difficult opponent. It may not even be possible for us to kill it alone.”

“I’ve been curious about this—is it different from a high orc?”

“They are orcs as well but a different species than normal orcs, like the ones active here. Elite versions of high orcs exist just as they do for orcs. Humans would need an entire military force to fight an elite high orc.”

“I see. Ever the wellspring of information, Viscount Müller.”

“Sir, I know of it only because of the Lord Starsage’s lectures myself.”

In response to the viscount’s words, the prince withdrew to my position. He had cuts and scrapes here and there, so I used my healing magic to cure him. I couldn’t remove the blood stuck to his skin and clothing, but the wounds underneath vanished within a few seconds.

“Thank you, Sasaki. You’ve saved me.”

“Sir, it is an honor.”

“With any luck, we will be able to fell the fiend painlessly…”

After making sure Prince Adonis was physically fine, I turned my attention back to the village.

Our immediate surroundings were much calmer now, after I’d fired lightning magic at each and every orc I saw. They’d kept appearing from farther into the village, but it seemed like we were finally getting somewhere.

Orc remains lay scattered among those of the villagers. I couldn’t see any of them moving.

At this point, the issue was the elite whatever the viscount had mentioned. With a nervous stance that belied the reverence with which he’d spoken of the creature, he faced the direction from which we’d heard its cry.

With nothing else to do, I continued imbuing healing magic to the villagers from the rear. Couldn’t do anything about the ones already dead. The intermediate-level healing spell was kind of amazing, though—as long as they were alive, they were able to recover.

“Viscount Müller, Sasaki, over there!”

Meanwhile, the prince gave a shout. I turned to where they were looking to see an orc thumping along the village road, running at us. It must have been hiding in the forest on the other side of the settlement.

And this was an awfully large orc we were talking about. It was close to twice the size of the others—far bigger than the houses it passed along the road. How the hell had something like that kept hidden?

Witnessing the thing had nearly left Viscount Müller dumbstruck.

“Wha…? How—how is it that big…?”

“Viscount Müller, I’m going to head it off with magic!”

“Do it, Sir Sasaki!”

As one of those standing in the way of its approach, I was trembling. I couldn’t bear the thought of this thing getting anywhere near me. Squeezing out all the magic power I could, I fired my lightning spell.

Faster than the eye could see, a burst of electricity rushed forth. The end of it was aimed directly at the orc’s gut. With a brilliant crack, the bolt struck. A moment later, the orc fell to the ground headfirst.

This happened a dozen or so meters in front of us. I watched the fallen orc, praying it wouldn’t get back up.

Unfortunately, praying didn’t help.

“Grooooohhhhhhhh!”

With an earsplitting roar, the orc picked itself up.

The monster had taken the lightning bolt to the stomach, and the burn mark was clearly visible. The wound was not fatal, however, and the orc rose its feet. It seemed to have lost none of its fighting spirit as it proceeded to glare at me.

It was livid.

“……”

Peeps, my ray of hope, was still devoting all his attention to his business up in the sky. Perhaps death had finally come.

What were my options? The designated magic user of the party was at a loss as to his next move.

In the meantime, Viscount Müller sprinted toward the orc, raising his sword vigorously in a bold and daring charge.

It was a frightening scene, like watching a small sedan attempt to run a fully loaded ten-ton runaway truck off the road. The taller the creature, the stronger its muscles, and this monster was so big, its finger was as thick as a human limb.

“Hrrrrgh…”

The orc swung down its fist.

Dodging past this peril, the viscount laid into the orc with his sword. His strike went for the blood vessel in the monster’s wrist. However, he must not have gotten deep enough—or maybe he didn’t have enough oomph in his downswing—because it only made a shallow slice on the skin.

A moment later, the orc’s leg moved. Its foot whipped upward, aiming for the viscount. The thing was nimbler than I’d thought.

“Gah…”

The viscount attempted to launch himself backward to slip out of the way. Unfortunately, he was unable to escape his opponent’s incredible reach. The orc kicked him away, and his body flew in an arc through the air until it finally landed at our side.

“Gack…”

As his back hit the ground, blood spurted from his mouth.

It must have connected with his internal organs. That was not good.

“Viscount Müller, I’ll heal you right away!”

In a panic, I started to chant the healing spell. However, our opponent wasn’t going to let me do that. Feet thumping along the ground, it bore down on us. For a giant, a dozen meters or so could be covered in a few seconds. Must be nice to have such long legs.

“Sir, take care of the viscount!”

“Will do!”

With that, I directed the prince to drag the viscount into the magic barrier.

I had to hurry. Otherwise, the orc would flatten all three of us.

I canceled the healing spell. Instead, I poured my mana into the barrier spell encircling us. I didn’t know how effective it would be, but it was better than doing nothing. It was a good thing I’d kept it active—I had zero time to chant anything.

“Groooohhhh!”

A moment later, the orc’s fist hit the barrier. A bright, loud thwack echoed around us.

I had thought we’d be on our way to the next life after that one, but the barrier managed to bear the orc’s strike. Being within its protection, we were safe as well—physically anyway. Mentally, maybe not so much. I actually pissed myself a little. I mean, a giant orc fist was literally right in front of me!

“Sasaki!”

“Please calm down, sir. I need to heal the viscount first.”

I glanced the prince’s way—and saw he’d soiled himself as well. He had it much worse than me, though. It was like a flood. So nice not to be alone. I was weirdly relieved to have a companion in this, but in the meantime, I used my healing spell on Viscount Müller.

Outside the barrier, the orc was in a rage-fueled frenzy. He punched and kicked at the semitranslucent wall, over and over and over again. It was so scary I almost fudged up the incantation. It was nerve-racking as hell.

Peeps would have been able to cast all this without chanting at all.

“Guh… Thank…you, Sir Sasaki.”

“Please save your thanks, my lord.”

The viscount was breathing properly again now that he’d been healed. I happened to glance at his pants—and he, too, had wet himself. I’d seen stats released by the military once that said about half of all soldiers who experienced a fierce battle soiled themselves. I thought we should be proud there weren’t more potent scents drifting through the air at the moment.

But what would we do now?

“Taking on this orc will be difficult with only us…”

“Yes—we lack an offense.”

Inside the barrier, the “we pissed ourselves” gang of three held a strategy meeting.

In the present situation, the lightning spell was our most powerful weapon. Not only had the orc already taken a hit of this head-on, though, but Viscount Müller could only make shallow slices in the beast’s skin with his sword. We were running out of options to take this orc down.

“I am sorry, Sasaki. It is my fault for proposing something so unorthodox.”

“We haven’t lost just yet, sir.”

“But…”

I knew now that my intermediate-level barrier spell was effective against an elite orc. We had enough in the way of defense, at least. Which meant that, in the worst case, I could lob a few dozen or a few hundred lightning attacks at it.

Fortunately, I had plenty of energy—mana—left in reserve, probably because Peeps had so willingly given me so much of it. Apparently, when your mana supply started to run dry, you’d feel increasingly sluggish.

During the course of my practice sessions in the past, I’d fired spells several dozen times in a short period, but I’d never experienced anything like that. It was safe to assume that while the monster had the strengths of an orc, we had an advantage over it in at least one way.

That said, watching it pound away at the barrier was bad for my heart. I had apprehensions—what if, in the next moment, my spell broke and the creature punched us with a fist the size of an excavator’s shovel?

Just to be sure, I decided to erect a second barrier inside the first. After running it past the prince and viscount, I set up an inner layer to serve as backup. Unsure of the magic’s durability, I decided to use this two-layered construction for the time being.

“Sir Sasaki, you have the use of very solid barrier magic.”

“Perhaps, but I’m still worried about how long it will last.”

“It’s already impressive that you’ve been able to stop an elite enemy for this long—and on your own, without even combining efforts with other magicians. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if you said you were a court magician.”

“Magicians cast spells in groups, my lord?”

I’d spotted a bit of information in the viscount’s compliment. Peeps hadn’t told me about this, either.

“I have heard that magicians will form groups to cast spells of intermediate level and above. When it comes to advanced spells, there are only so many who can cast them on their own. Which is why I’ve been helplessly curious about what’s still happening above us.”

“Ah, I see what you mean.”

“No matter how I look at it, those spells must be in the high-intermediate range—no, that must be advanced magic.”

“……”

I got the feeling there was a vast ocean between the ABCs of magic as taught by Peeps and the world’s general impression of magicians as told by Viscount Müller. Going by the former, you weren’t even a full-fledged magician until you had learned intermediate-level barrier magic.

“I would like to whittle down his stamina using my lightning magic, my lord. Do you mind?”

“No, go right ahead. It frustrates me to say, but my blade will not be enough to slay him.”

“Understood, my lord.”

“But I want you to be cautious as well, Sir Sasaki. It may be an orc, but at this massive size, it would be above even a high orc. Elite monsters with many years behind them can even exceed higher creatures within the same species.”

“I understand, my lord.”

The monster hadn’t emerged totally unscathed from the first shot I’d fired. You could still see the burn mark on the surface of its skin. If I added to that, it was likely I’d be able to weaken it quite a bit. It would then be possible to defeat it with Viscount Müller’s help.

“Well, then…”

I aimed my magic at all the parts where my target’s skin seemed thin—its eyes, its leg joints, and its crotch. Finally, I sharpened my awareness and prepared to fire—and then it happened.

All of a sudden, a humanoid figure fell from the sky and hit the orc dead-on.

With a loud thud, the giant creature toppled backward.

The collision seemed to have a ton of momentum behind it, and the fallen orc’s body broke the stone pavement and ended up half buried in the ground. It was almost like it had been hit by a meteorite. The whole thing took no longer than a moment.

Having seen this collision up close, we were utterly shocked. I thought I might soil myself again. The prince had—a lot. The stains were growing.

“Wh-what is it this time?!” cried out Prince Adonis in total panic, his voice reverberating around us.

The falling object had crashed down into the supersize orc, inflicting a one-hit KO.

My attention shifted skyward. A natural reaction, given the series of events leading up to this. Until just now, the heavens had been alive, as though burning with fireworks. Viscount Müller and Prince Adonis were craning their necks upward, too.

What greeted us was a cute little bird descending from the firmament.

“My apologies. I was delayed in coming to your aid.”

It was Peeps. He fluttered through the air and landed on my shoulder. He looked the same as always, perched in his usual spot.

For some reason, this calmed me down a lot despite the two of us having only been together a few weeks at this point.

“Peeps, something, uh, fell from the sky…”

“Yes, it took longer than I anticipated. And I am deeply sorry for abandoning you in the air like that. You could have died. All fault lies with me, and I truly apologize.”

Peeps went so far as to lower his little head as he spoke. It was just too cute, seeing a sparrow bow to me.

I did still worry about the viscount and prince watching us talk to each other like this, but something else was bothering me more: the reddish fluid stuck to the bird’s body. Blood?

“Wait, are you injured? Are you okay?”

As his owner, I was beside myself with worry. He was a small Java sparrow on the outside, so even a little cut would make me uneasy. Mr. Yamada at the pet shop had told me that bird wings were extremely delicate, and even a tiny wound could render them unable to fly. Peeps could use healing magic, so he was probably just fine, but I was still concerned.

“It is nothing. Most of this blood is not mine.”

“If you say so…”

“I apologize if I soil your clothing.”

“Aw, don’t be. The health of my pet is more important.”

“And your health concerns me. Were you injured by the fall?”

“I managed with one of the spells you taught me.”

“Yes? I see. Good…,” he said, relieved—another emotion that looked adorable on him.

I was so happy to be able to talk to him like this that the conversation just kept going. Peeps really was a balm for the soul.

In the meantime, the fallen orc began to stir—it seemed to have regained consciousness. It propped up one hand on the ground, slowly standing. With its other hand, it plucked the fallen object off its body and flung it aside like a piece of trash.

I caught a glimpse of the meteor’s skin, and it was the same purple I had noted on Peeps’s opponent in the sky.

Whoever had attacked Peeps was not normal.

“An elite orc?” observed Peeps, staring at the giant creature now on its feet. Was this thing strong enough that even he would struggle against it?

I only had a moment to consider the possibility before my lovely little sparrow’s wings moved.

From right to left, a whooshing flash of light.

The orc’s head slid off its neck, sending massive amounts of blood spewing everywhere. Its body remained upright for a few scant seconds before crashing to the ground once more.

This time, it was facedown. It didn’t move so much as a muscle after that.

Peeps, you’re crazy strong! Our own fierce battle had been totally upstaged.

“The creatures of this world, through various means, can sometimes gain magic, which grants them a longer life span and allows them to grow into much more capable members of their species. We call such specimens elite.”

“Ah.”

Viscount Müller had taught me the same thing. For now, though, I’d just nod. It was very much like Peeps to start a lecture like this right after a real-life experience— I loved it.

“Such individuals come in all strengths. For example, an average orc, if it has acquired magic powers and lived a long life, may even exceed the abilities of a high orc—the next-strongest order of orc. In fact, the one lying there was likely more powerful than a high orc.”

The viscount had said something similar, too. He said he’d heard it from the Starsage, so he’d probably learned it the exact same way I was now. Given that Peeps had been the original source of the information, his explanation was more detailed.

“And this phenomenon can also occur among humans.”

“Wait, really?”

This was the first time hearing that tidbit. Apparently, the rule applied to more than just monsters.

“In that sense, ones such as you and I are elite humans.”

“…Oh.”

Without knowing it, I’d apparently taken a step beyond the realm of humanity.

Now I was scared of my next checkup. What if I suddenly got taller? The health exam at the bureau hadn’t revealed anything in particular, but who knew what would happen in the future? I’d welcome some nice, thick hair—come to think of it, I hoped that would happen.

“Still, an elite creature can be very weak or very strong. Should you ever find yourself in a fight with another, be wary of this point. There are elite orcs with power greater than a dragon’s.”

“I heard you mention dragons before, too. Are they just, like, commonplace around here?”

“Yes, they exist, and certain areas are home to a great many of them.”

“If it can happen to humans, does that mean it could happen to livestock or pests, too?”

“It does, indeed. The phenomenon is not limited to animals and can even manifest in plants.”

Now, I didn’t know whether cockroaches, centipedes, or spider crickets existed in this world. That said, creatures like them could, depending on the situation, suddenly get gigantic and threaten humans. Elite creatures seemed quite the force to be reckoned with.

“Thanks for the information, Peeps. It was helpful.”

“Still, I do seem to have wasted all the effort you have expended thus far…,” said Peeps, glancing over at the viscount and the prince.

Naturally, they’d heard everything we’d just said. I also knew from the viscount’s daughter that a small bird being able to understand human speech wasn’t typical. Plus, this sparrow had just sliced the orc’s head off in one breath. They must have had questions.

Nevertheless, without Peeps’s help, we would have been hard-pressed to take that enemy down. Nobody could argue that point. Peeps understood this as well as anyone, which was why he’d come to our rescue, even if it meant speaking in front of others.

I was overcome with joy at being able to rejoin Peeps here. Judging by his explanation about elite creatures, his sudden appearance must have been out of concern for us. Peeps was the one who would be most inconvenienced if anyone discovered his identity. Our current situation notwithstanding, there was no doubt he, himself, would have been the one who most wanted to keep it concealed.

“Sir Sasaki, what…is that bird?”

The question came from Viscount Müller. Next to him, Prince Adonis seemed primed to ask the same thing.

“This would be my master of magic.”

“What?! Ah, so this is Sir Sasaki’s master!”

Now that we’d already shown them all this magic, I decided to explain the bare minimum. The viscount, at least, seemed earnest and tight-lipped. Given his position, he was the perfect person with whom to share a secret—that was the optimistic way I wanted to think about it, at least. I still had my concerns about the prince, but there wasn’t much I could do about that.

“I apologize for my sudden arrival and late introduction.”

“N-no, I don’t mind that at all; it’s just…”

Viscount Müller fumbled for words after the Java sparrow spoke to him. He and Prince Adonis were both glancing back and forth between Peeps, the orc, and whoever it was who’d crashed into the beast.

As for the last one, I was extremely curious myself. It was probably the person Peeps had been fighting until just a moment ago.

From the looks of the fallen enemy, they didn’t seem human. They were humanoid, with arms, legs, and a head coming out of a torso, and their features were much the same as ours. They wore expensive-looking clothes, indicating a cultural level not far from our own.

That said, their skin was purple. They also had sheeplike horns coming out of their head.

“As you can see, it appears that demonfolk have infiltrated the Empire,” Peeps remarked offhandedly.

“Wh-what?!” cried Viscount Müller.

Demon was a new term for me. Though similar, it sounded like something separate from monsters.

“Peeps, what are demons?”

“The demonfolk are a race of people with appearances akin to that of the one you see lying there. Just as we humans are considered our own race, these people are considered to be of the demon race. They possess superior magic power, physical abilities, and life spans compared to our own.”

“Ah, I see.”

It would probably be enough to keep in mind that such creatures existed. I wouldn’t want to disrupt the flow of conversation by asking this and that. Having to wait for an otherworld freshman like me to understand everything would be an inconvenience. After all, Viscount Müller and Prince Adonis were here, too.

“Ordinarily, they live in the northern continent, where they have their own nation. However, some do come south to meddle in the business of others. This one, in particular, frequently causes riots involving the affairs of man. I know her personally.”

As Peeps spoke, he gazed at the purple-skinned demon lying on the ground next to the orc. Her limbs were twitching, so she didn’t seem dead.

“Wait, you do?”

“Yes, though I believe the name people generally refer to her by is the Blood Witch.”

“The Blood Witch?! You don’t mean one of the seven great war criminals?!”

Viscount Müller was all but flabbergasted. Next to him, Prince Adonis’s eyes widened in shock as well. This woman must have been pretty famous.

“She must have grown too fond of her diversions in the world of man. Demonfolk are normally more self-disciplined creatures, but once one gets a taste for the easy life, they can lapse into indolence. She is likely involved in some way with the current disturbance.”

“How could this have…?”

If I thought about her from a modern perspective, she seemed comparable to a soccer player or professional entertainer. It was no wonder Peeps, who fit into that same frame of “celebrity,” had trouble with her.

“She, incidentally, is an elite of the demonfolk.”

“It’s starting to feel like there are elites all over the place.”

“It is because of their superior abilities that they are more often in the public eye. When you look at an entire species, certainly not many exist—hence the struggle to deal with them when you meet one by chance. The orc there surprised you, too, did it not?”

“You’re right—I was shocked.”

“Among humans, some have been giving names and ranks to elite creatures such as these to do biological research on them. For especially violent individuals, encountering one is, many times, equivalent to a natural disaster. If this interests you, you would do well to research them.”

I had been making light of this world a little bit, just because it was some fantastic place of swords and sorcery. But it seemed that people in this world, too, were devising cultural structures at all levels. Peeps might have already been categorized, for all I knew.

Something like Starsage, rank A.

“Sir Sasaki, may we have a word?”

While I was thinking, Viscount Müller piped up—probably because I was hogging Peeps all to myself.

“Oh, uh, yes, my lord. I’m sorry for getting so involved in the conversation.”

“No, I don’t mind that; it’s just…,” continued the viscount, seemingly struggling to choose his words. I purposely waited in silence for him to continue.

“The other month, when you procured those supplies—which I apologize for putting you through, by the way. Could your indecision at the time possibly have been due to needing your master’s assistance?”

That was another question it would be difficult to answer.

Viscount Müller probably thought this cute little sparrow perching on my shoulder was somehow related to my having filled that gymnasium-size storehouse in just a few days—and to the teleportation magic used to accomplish that feat. And he was 100 percent correct.

Had I been able to use teleportation magic myself, we wouldn’t have had to make such a difficult trek through the forest. I would have just warped the viscount, the prince, and myself back to town.

But I hadn’t—so his hunch had become a near conviction. Were our positions reversed, that would have been my very first question. He, however, had kept quiet on that point until now. And even when he had asked, he’d phrased the question indirectly so as not to break his promise.

I’d said it before, and I’d say it again: This was truly a man of outstanding character.

“Yes, that’s correct, my lord. I’m sorry for hiding it.”

“Don’t be. I apologize for sticking my nose in this business.”

“If possible, my lord, I would prefer if you kept it a secret, along with my master’s existence itself.”

“Of course. You have my word. Your Royal Highness, might you be able to give yours as well?”

“You have all saved my life. I will speak of it to no one.”

“Thank you, sir.”

And with that, via Viscount Müller, I’d silenced Prince Adonis as well.

I didn’t know how far I’d be able to trust the prince. That said, just from having traveled with him, he seemed to be a pretty earnest guy. The image of him bravely rushing to save the village from orcs was still fresh in my memory.

Not to mention, he, too, was a very important person within the Kingdom of Herz. He was a prince, after all. Royalty seemed to be higher than nobility. I wanted to avoid making a big deal out of this and that and ruining his impression of me. Probably best to make this my only request.

“But there is one last thing I wish to confirm,” continued Viscount Müller, his eyes on the lovely little sparrow on my shoulder.

“What is it?”

“Could you possibly be the Lord Starsage?”

“……”

Uh-oh. I’d let my guard down, and he’d gone right for the jugular.

From a modern perspective, a person turning into a bird would have been an unimaginable concept.

However, in this world—where magic was a recognized phenomenon—perhaps it was the kind of idea that would just pop into your head. Viscount Müller’s expression was incredibly serious as he stared at the sparrow perched on its disciple’s shoulder.

This didn’t seem to be a situation where we could joke around or deflect. It wasn’t the same as when he’d accidentally said something in front of the viscount’s daughter. No. This time, even Peeps wouldn’t be able to get out of it just by chirping—though I admit that personally I really wanted to see him make the attempt.

Evidently gauging the atmosphere, the revered sparrow gave a deep and solemn nod.

“What made you think that?”

“The way you speak—I remember it.”

Well, he did have a peculiar way of talking.

And it must have been my imagination how he’d given that little chirp before speaking. For the sake of the Lord Starsage’s dignity, I’d pretend I hadn’t heard that.

“……”

“It is exactly the same as the one whom I respect above all others,” the viscount said, his eyes clinging to hope. It was the first time I’d ever seen him make a face like that.

“Am I correct?”

While Peeps waxed on about this and that after arriving, Viscount Müller must have sensed in him the shadow of the Starsage. There must have been quite a lot in common between the two.

Hearing the viscount speak to him in that imploring tone, Peeps responded.

“It has been a long time, Julius.”

“Ah…”

The viscount’s expression immediately broke.

It looked like he might burst out weeping at any moment. Given his handsome features, it was like a scene out of a movie. His long blond hair, parted down the middle and subtly swaying, completed the picture.

Julius, incidentally, was Viscount Müller’s first name. It seemed as though the viscount had borne much deeper affection toward the Starsage than I’d thought. As I looked at his face, pregnant with emotion, I started feeling guilty about lying to him all this time about Peeps being my familiar.

“I am sorry for taking so long to contact you.”

“No, there is no need for you to feel that way, Lord Starsage. It was all the fault of the nobility of our kingdom. And all I could do was watch—I am just as guilty. I am unworthy of such kind words.”

“You needn’t say such things—as you can see, I am safe.”

“…You honor me more than I deserve.”

Tears forming in the corners of his eyes, the viscount knelt on the ground and hung his head.

His attitude toward the Starsage seemed to carry even greater reverence than he showed Prince Adonis. His intensity was such that, if we let him continue, he’d keep bowing for an entire night or two.

It had been no mere whim or fancy that had prompted Peeps to choose Viscount Müller’s town for my first steps in this world, back when I was just a sullen, almost-forty office worker at a midsize company. I now understood the strong feelings that had underpinned his decision.

“What’s more, I am now no more than this man’s pet.”

“…A pet?”

“The Starsage has died. For now, I would like to rest—and live at ease.”

“……”

“Again, there is no need for formality. Stand, Julius.”

The viscount’s face took on a tinge of sorrow as he looked up at Peeps and let his words sink in. Peeps must have been even more amazing in his prime than I imagined.

Meanwhile, Prince Adonis asked a question of his own.

“But why is your body like that, Sir Starsage…?”

A reasonable inquiry.

“I will spare the minor details, but circumstances led me to cross over into another world. I was forced to take on this flesh as a vessel. To my great fortune, however, once there, I chanced to meet a like-minded collaborator, and now I am able to live without hardship.”

“Are you referring to your pupil?”

“Yes, something like that.”

Even the prince spoke respectfully to Peeps. The Starsage’s influence was pretty incredible.

I understood a little how the nobles who had plotted to kill him must have felt. Though he was the most steadfast and reliable of allies, if interests were reversed, just having him nearby would have been a source of constant anxiety.

Maybe it would be best if I spoke to him a little more formally, too. Our interactions being what they were, bit by bit, I’d been losing all sense of distance when talking with him.

“Lord Starsage, would you return to our nation?”

“I would like to spend my time in leisure for a while. I have recently acquired the means to travel between worlds. For now, I desire to use it to study more about other ones. The universe is much, much larger than we ever could have imagined, Adonis.”

“I see…”

Unlike Viscount Müller, who was genuinely happy to have reunited with Peeps, the prince seemed a little disappointed. Now that I thought of it, we never explained to them about the annihilation of the Empire’s soldiers. As a member of the royalty tasked with ensuring the future of his native country, he must have wanted the Starsage’s assistance.

After hearing Prince Adonis’s words, the viscount quickly interrupted.

“Your Royal Highness, I fear it may be inappropriate for us to entreat the Starsage like this.”

“I am well aware of that. Still, when I think about the people of this land…”

“Shall we discuss that formally upon our return instead, sir? I have no intention of giving up on the people, either. If you would be able to honor me with your assistance, I believe we could save many more.”

“Truly, Viscount Müller?”

“Yes, sir. I promise it.”

“That is reassuring to hear. Yes, in that case, please call upon me.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The viscount must have been referring to the plan about switching sides, which we had heard alongside the vice manager some time ago.

With the second prince on his side, his options would expand considerably. In the worst case, they could secure the Ohgen Empire’s backing to stage a coup d’état and set up a puppet government. In that scenario, at least, they’d have a future—better than simply being overtaken and robbed of their land.

“Viscount Müller, regarding that, I’d ask that you please wait.”

“Why is that, Sir Sasaki?”

Peeps had just done so much for them, I couldn’t have the viscount rushing things. No—I needed to share a tiny bit of information with him right now.

“I have reason to believe that relations between the Kingdom of Herz and the Ohgen Empire will improve after a short while, my lord. I believe you will be informed of the details by the soldiers from the front lines, so I would beg you to please refrain from making a move until then.”

“Improve…?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“But that’s—the Lord Starsage, he…”

The viscount, seeming to suddenly realize something, stared at Peeps.

The bird had no answer for him. He simply sat perched on his disciple’s shoulder, looking quietly into the sky. Looking pretty cool there for a sparrow, eh?

Of course, with that face, he was probably just wondering what to ask for at dinner tonight. Recently, I’d been getting to know his various expressions.

“Viscount Müller, Prince Adonis, I know it’s rude of me to ask something like this, but could I possibly request that you keep the Starsage’s survival a secret? He strongly wishes for that as well.”

“Yes, I understand. I swear to tell no one.”

“Considering what was done to him, I fully understand…”

Viscount Müller happily obliged. The prince nodded and similarly agreed without argument.

For a while, that would be enough to safeguard our peace and quiet. Now we just had to get these two safely back to town, and we’d be able to close the book on all this war business. Perhaps this was just the beginning of the true battle for the politicians—the royalty and nobility—but that had nothing to do with Peeps or me.

“Shall we be getting back to town, then?” suggested Peeps, sounding a little tired.

Tonight, I’d have to ask Mr. French for something really extravagant.