Chapter 383.1

“Let’s check out the situation in front of us for the time being.”

“Roger, I’ll go ahead then.”

“Yep, Luciel and Bucchi are going to wait here with Mie-san. And, Professor Domidon, you stay here as well, of course.”

“Leader, please be careful.”

“It’ll be alright. I’m Sarah Florayd, am I not?”

“You got a point.”

Those are the voices Sarah and Red Tiger Storm! How nostalgic…

While spontaneously cracking a smile, I look at Rollodeen who’s accompanying me. My partner is tilting her head, meowing something along the lines of 『Are these possibly ~nya…?』

In the meantime, I erase Baldok from my right hand.

“Yep, it’s Sarah and her gang.”

“Nn, nya～”

“Haha, you’re so impatient, Rollo.” At that point, I look towards Helme with her extended <Lapis Lazuli Flower> strings and everyone else. “Helme, Puyuyu, acquaintances of us are in the nearby forest, so we’ll go meet them. Quema, Solobo, that’s fine with you as well, right?”

“Okay!” “Puyu?”

“Understood, but we’ll remain bound?”

“…Affirmative.”

“You’ll be okay as long as it’s Helme’s strings.”

After informing them, I ran ahead with Rollo accompanying me.

It’s not my trump card, but! I use Magic Combat Style at full throttle, and while at it, also add <Blood Acceleration> of <Blood Path – Open Third Gate> on top of it. Advancing in a slouch as if trampling the fallen trees with my feet, I leave bloody footprints with Arzen’s Boots on the ground and trees.

While running, “Rollo, I’m racing ahead――”

I leave her in the lurch, weaving my way through the gaps between the cluster of thickly growing trees. Soon, I spot two women in front of me who are carefully making their way through the forest with lowered, combat-ready stances.

――That appearance…red hair, and a scarlet muffler! It’s Sarah, the leader of Red Tiger Storm! Bellize, the elf with the enormous boobs, is with her as well!

“A-Aaaaaahh!”

“Eh?”

Sarah and Bellize lower their weapons in surprise.

“Yo, as always you two beauties are a sight for sore eyes, aren’t you?” I greet while raising a hand.

“――S-Shuuya! Is that you, Shuuya!?” Sarah runs up to me with her long hair fluttering.

Arriving in front of me, she brings her small face close as if to check whether it’s truly me. Her cat ears look the way they used to look as well. Her eyes, combining red and light brown colors, are trembling. And then tears run down from them.

“…Right, it’s me. I’m glad to see that you’re doing fine, Sarah. You being in the middle of the Sea of Trees means you’re working on a request?”

“Yep. Oh, is that black panther Rollo-chan by chance? There’s also a small bear cub with her I’ve never seen before.”

“Nnn～”

Rollodeen bumps her head several times against Sarah’s leg. Next, she moves it up and down, rubbing her whiskers against Sarah’s shin, though I don’t know whether she’s trying to mark the leg with her scent or fawning on Sarah.

“Ahahaha, even while having become big, you’re still the same old Rollo-chan!”

Sarah’s shin is covered by a protective gaiter reaching up to the knee. It’s a piece of equipment I haven’t seen on her before.

Then Sarah hugs Rollo, “How fluffy! Hehe～ You’ve grown up as well, haven’t you Rollo-chan?”

“Nn, nya～”

“――Hyauuh!”

Rollo has licked Sarah’s cheek.

“Puyuyu～”

“Mmh? Nice to meet you as well, bear cub…”

“Puyu! Puyuyu～?”

“Nn～”

Seemingly curious about Sarah’s cat ears, Puyuyu tries to poke them with the tip of its staff, but Rollodeen extends a tentacle, flicking away the wand.

“Puyu!”

“N, nya.”

Puyuyu’s wand stabs the ground after being repelled. Probably wondering what the deal is, Puyuyu nimbly climbs on top of the wand and screams out a tirade. Adopting a “Greek Pose,” it looks up to the sky above the forest.

…I really don’t get it. Is it praying to its god?

“Not in my wildest dreams had I expected to run into you this deep in the Sea of Trees, Shuuya…” Bellize comments, her long, blond hair swaying.

She’s a pretty, big-boobed elf with the atmosphere of a big sister. At the banquet she wore a “fabulous,” gorgeous dress. Now she holds her small lips with trembling fingers. Even she, who’s always acting like a confident big sister…has started to cry after tears collected in her quivering eyes.

Bellize…

“Aahh! Shuuya-san!”

“C-Come again!?”

“What’s going on? A friend of yours?”

Luciel, Bucchi, and an unknown, old dwarf with close-cropped hair were present as well. The dwarf’s long beard is very typical for his race.

Luciel has put on even more of her Egyptian make-up compared to before, giving her a mysterious look. A new hair ornament is stuck in her hair with its blue, close to navy blue, color.

Bucchi is carrying someone. All of them have run up to us.

“Yo, everyone. Long time no see.”

“Your Excellency, who might these people be?” Helme asks me while floating in the air.

Quema and Solobo, who are bound by her strings, are smiling…for some reason.

“There’s a nice fragrance coming from those strings.”

“An aroma I’ve never smelled before…are we in paradise?”

Previously Solobo had been looking rather grim, but now he seemed as if he had ascended to heaven. I don’t really want to stare too much, but now I’ve ended up doing so. I thought about taking a peek at Quema as well, but I must give Helme an explanation first.

“…Yeah, they’re members of an adventurer clan called Red Tiger Storm. Just like with Quiche, I met them when I was working as an adventurer in Hekatrail. We’re comrade-in-arms who have completed an emergency request and the Evil Dragon King subjugation request together.”

“Comrades-in-arm…isn’t it wonderful to be called something so great…?”

“Bucchi, I’m also happy to see you in good health.”

“Shuuya-san! I wanted to see you again!” Luciel exclaims, grabbing my arm.

The soft sensation of her boobs is something I couldn’t forget. Surprisingly, she’s got quite a rack. I can also sense her styling sense from the trimmed forelocks. The gem circlet visible in-between those forelocks is something she wore before, too. The new hair ornament, which is connected to her earrings through a chain, has a color that fits with her overall style.

“――Luciel!” Sarah roars at Luciel in anger after pulling away from Rollodeen.

“Of course, I missed you as well…” The one grabbing my left arm with that passionate confession is Bellize.

Her tits are as enormous as ever. The softness, which exceeds marshmallows, applied to my arm…is very dangerous. Superb…

And on top of that, her nostalgic, sweet, citrus-based perfume…

“Aaahhh! Bellize! What are you touching there!?”

“Aww, leader, your ears are bright red, you know? Does it really matter? Not like I’m losing anything by holding his arm like this.”

“She’s totally right!”

“What’s with that cheeky cockiness of yours!?”

Didn’t such an exchange somehow take place in the past as well? When I looked at Helme while pondering that question in my mind, her eyes were somewhat narrowed down.

“…You’re acting awfully intimate with His Excellency, aren’t you…? But, I’ve deemed all of you to be excellent women. That means, we’ll secure new personnel! And, sooner or later, new bloodkin!”

She’s left out Bucchi though…

After nodding in satisfaction, Helme throws her right arm into the air as if to make a triumphant pose. Hanging at her strings, the two orcs are also dragged into it.

Rather than some silly jealousy, the idea of a new, epic, different world simulation game “Helme’s Ambitions,” or rather, “Mahaheim’s Ambitions” seems to be of more importance to Helme.

“Seeing how she’s calling you Excellency, have you become a noble, Shuuya?” Sarah asks while pulling on Luciel’s hand.

“Well, he’s managed to kill the Evil Dragon King all by himself, so it’s quite possible.”

“He’s the adventurer who slaughtered an ancient dragon. Not only Oseberia, but also Zamalia, Radford, the Far Eastern Relic, and the island nations should have been interested in inviting him over as soldier.” Sarah comments with a nod.

At the same time, she tears Bellize off me.

“Wait a moment. It’s only Spirit Helme who calls me Excellency. Well, I’ve become the guildmaster or president of a dark guild, but basically I remain an adventurer. I turned down all invitations from countries.” I concisely explain with a casual tone.

“Eh? Spirit? That means you’ve employed her?”

“There are orcs dangling underneath Spirit-sama, though…”

Just as Bucchi, who’s carrying a female dwarf on his back, has pointed out, Quema and Solobo are completely under the influence of <Lapis Lazuli Flower>’s effect as they’re hanging in midair. They are motionless while pulling weird faces. You could describe it as them looking like they’re walking through paradise…or maybe, like they’re on a trip.

Given that Quema-san is a beauty, I’d love to carefully observe her while next to her in bed, but Solobo…

“A Spirit…-sama…and the guildmaster of a dark guild!?”

“I’m also surprised about him being a dark guild’s master, but for such a pretty Spirit-sama…”

“That’s not at the level of surprise anymore! A live spirit! Is the black-haired human over there employing a spirit with a will!? Maybe it’s an enslavement based on him having understood ancient magic books?”

Everyone was surprised in their own way. The old dwarf has become exceedingly excited, though. He’s wearing brigandine armor. Various things are affixed to his thick waist leather belt. There’s also a bundle of books that contain mana. What also stands out are quills, glass poles and a saw, but…the group of bound books – maybe the same as Kisara’s favorite grimoire – looks more valuable than any of the other items.

I shift my eyes from the dwarf to Bucchi.

“…Bucchi, is the dwarf girl on your back injured? Is she alright?”

I can use healing magic, and I also got some healing potions with me. I stare at the woman, willing to cooperate if it’s curable. I also checked out the woman’s knapsack. It’s a model I haven’t seen that often yet. Countless small pouches and metal harnesses are attached to it.

That and her cotton-based outfit make for a somewhat refined outfit… Is she possibly some kind of specialist?

“It’s okay. Mie-san is just sleeping.” Bucchi answers with a somber tone while inclining his head, seemingly looking lovingly at Mie-san who’s placed her cheek on his shoulder.

It looks like he’s a different man when compared to the time when he was head over heels for Sarah as a boorish guy.

“…I see.? Does that mean the sleeping Mie-san and the old dwarf are your clients?” I ask despite being able to guess myself more or less.

“Correct. My name is Domidon. I’m the leader of the ruin exploration party! Moreover, I’m an underground ruin researcher and a B-Rank adventurer. At some point I even defeated several dozen guefin in a row!” Mr. Domidon proudly brags.

This geezer is the Domidon Exploration Party’s…

Moga and Nemus mentioned that they lost sight of his party.

“Yep, it’s a request to explore an unknown ruin and at the same time escort Professor Domidon. As the request exceeds A-Rank in difficulty, it was a super hard request which ought to be carried out with several clans and parties. The professor’s assistant ended up getting injured, and we didn’t manage to get our hands on the professor’s desired rock letter carving, so I guess the request is a failure this time. Still, those humanoid, dragonfly-rabbit-hybrid monsters were awfully powerful…” Sarah admits full of regret.

“Leader, just the group of dragonfly-rabbit-hybrids was already a big issue, but since swarms of new species crawled out of the cave, it was inevitable for us to flee.”

“Yep. The cave’s appearance was scary as well. I might not be very good with that place.”

“I agree with Luciel. That sickening gate was shaped like a sculpture…the dragonflies with legs and the huge frogs were quite severe as well… Though I took down a few of them with <Strong Severing Arrow> though.”

“At any rate, it’s fine like that since Mie-san was saved by it.”

“Indeed. By the way…Shuuya, are you doing some special request so deep in the Sea of Trees while having a Spirit and the cute, grown Rollo-chan with you, and having taken orcs as prisoners?”

“Well, let’s leave the details for later. For now…”

I shift my eyes to Rollo who’s playing around with the butterfly magic released from Puyuyu’s wand.

“Rollo, we’re returning to the village, so please turn into a divine beast.”

“Nnn――”

Rollodeen immediately turns huge with a poof. Now she looks almost like a dragon.

Of course, the members of Red Tiger Storm and the old dwarf scream while rooted to their spots out of fear. Taking all of them along after they calmed down, we headed straight for Cydale on Rollodeen.

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———— End of Part 1 ————