Chapter 177: Onto the Empire
Translator Note:
Finally I am back! In the truest sense of the form!
As some may know, my computer was busted so I was unable to get to translating instantly. It was a complete chore trying to get the computer together, but I will save you from all that boring stuff.
Enjoy more Tsuki ga Michibiku! It is great to read all your comments again!
There’s a clear weight felt on my hand.
I am in the Adventurer Guild of Rotsgard.
“This is heavy.” (Makoto)
“Your only thoughts are its weight?”
“Even if you say ‘only’… the other would be that it is smaller than I originally thought.” (Makoto)
“The number of hyumans that have seen this can be counted with the fingers of one’s hands you know. A rare egg of a superior dragon. A scholar specialized in dragons would kill its own parents to obtain this you know.”
I look at the egg that’s the size of a rugby ball.
“Ah, now that you mention it…” (Makoto)
“Are you feeling how mystical it is?”
“I thought that Mio might want to give it a taste, so I have to be careful.” (Makoto)
“…”
The one that is sitting opposite of me with a table in between, is the head of the whole Adventurer Guild.
A handsome boy with androgynous appearance and a mysterious atmosphere; name’s Falz. Though that’s his fake identity he uses in society.
His real identity is that of the dragon standing on top of all superior dragons; the Illusory Dragon, Root.
A person that created the Adventurer Guild because of his preferences, and a pervert in the truest sense of the word who goes for both sexes. I don’t know if it’s for hundreds of years or thousands of years, but he is good at feigning innocence.
In other words, a person I don’t want to get too close to.
Well, right now he doesn’t have his usual poker face he can control at will. In front of me, he is showing a shocked face, or maybe it is a troubled face, with a smile on it.
“Well, more importantly, I just have to deliver this to Grount-san who is at the territory of the Empire in the Vanilla Desert, right?” (Makoto)
“Yeah. If possible I want you to experience the dragon society as well. Beginning from that boy there, Lancer. I do feel sorry for having you do this. Of course, I promise you that I will be giving you a proper reward, including the matter of Kaleneon.” (Root)
The expression of Root changes into the usual handsome smile.
The Dragon Slayer adventurer named Sofia Bruga is related to the violence caused towards the superior dragons.
This bisexual dragon easily told me that Sofia possessed the same blood as him, but he didn’t delve deeper into the matter.
He said he would tell me when the time comes, but who knows if that’s true.
The things he told me regarding the request are also not that many.
Currently, the number of superior dragons in good health are only 3; the others have turned into dragon eggs.
The eggs will be entrusted to their dragon brethrens located in various places, and others will be entrusted to believers. They will be told to wait for their eventual return.
And so, I have been given the location of those people and their information, and I have also been asked the delivery of those eggs.
The reward Root has pointed out is not something with form. It is the supply of information that only he knows of, the country that exists inside the territory of the demon race, and things like providing assistance to Kaleneon.
Even if it is an important item, the reward for the delivery of it is quite extraordinary.
“I am looking forward to it. In any case, I was planning on going to Gritonia, so I can do it while I’m at it.” (Makoto)
“Fufufu, Princess Lily huh. The invitation was not only from her, but also the intentions of the hero as well. She is not someone that would open her heart to Makoto-kun, but she won’t suddenly take you and eat you. Go ahead and tour the Empire while being somewhat cautious.
…Hah… I wanted to go as well” (Root)
“Tour the Empire huh. After that, I am going to Limia Kingdom as well so I don’t feel like touring though. Well, I will go have fun.” (Makoto)
After senpai asked me to contact Prince Joshua, I of course tried to immediately contact him-I mean, her… Ah geez! This is also troublesome!
I will just leave it as Joshua-san.
At the beginning, while I was talking with Joshua-san, it ended up that I will be going to the Kingdom in a near future.
On the other hand, Princess Lily enquired about this and that, and it turned into a mood where I had to go to the Empire.
It is not like I was being played with or coerced into doing anything, but… it kinda didn’t feel right.
“Limia Kingdom. Ah, in this side there’s Prince Joshua and the hero Hibiki huh. Well well, you have totally become a popular one.” (Root)
“And you say it with so much fun. Geez.” (Makoto)
“I am actually having fun, so it can’t be helped. If you need my help, don’t hesitate to tell me anytime. Just the simple action of relying on me would make me happy after all.” (Root)
“When I feel like I need your help, I will be counting on you at that time.” (Makoto)
“… I will be waiting. Also, leaving aside the Kingdom and Empire, if you plan on going ‘further north’…” (Root)
Further north.
He is referring to the Demon race huh.
“… What?” (Makoto)
“I have an egg for it, so come to the guild, ok?” (Root)
“I see. Got it.” (Makoto)
Now that he mentions it, there’s also a delivery point for the demon race territory.
So I will be carrying the eggs of superior dragons while going around greeting the several forces that are in war huh.
From up close, it would look like really suspicious behavior.
I will at least try to be docile in my actions.
… As far as I am able to.
“Your entourage will be Tomoe and Shiki, right? The Empire’s hero, Tomoki, is infatuated with Tomoe. Be careful.” (Root)
“Thanks for the warning.” (Makoto)
“If the one going wasn’t you, I would also be cautioning about Tomoki’s Walkure, but it seems there’s no worries on that part.” (Root)
Walkure?
This is the first time I hear of this name.
Aside from the fact that the Empire is researching on guns, I have not gathered much information on them.
Just as Root said, it might be necessary to use this chance to look around.
“Walkure? What is this about worries?” (Makoto)
“The girls that are entranced with Tomoki-is how you should think of it. What you should be worried about is… well, you don’t even yield to me, so I am just saying that there’s no worries that you will be falling for any half-assed seduction.” (Root)
“… Yielding to you, you say.” (Makoto)
You are both sexes you know?
The only ones who would accept this when in the know would be people of real valour.
“Even the secretary waiting outside has completely fallen—” (Root)
“I have certainly received the eggs. Well then, see ya, pervert Root.” (Makoto)
“… I feel like you called me in a really rude way, but oh well. See ya later, Makoto-kun.” (Root)
The morning I depart to the Empire.
It was supposed to be a serious scene where I accept the request of a superior dragon, and yet, I was strangely tired.
Gritonia huh.
It is the first time I visit that country, but I wonder what kind of place it is.
I am actually not that good at dealing with Princess Lily.
It would be nice if it’s at least a comfortable place.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
“T-This is impressive snow. The latitude shouldn’t be that much different from the Kingdom, so what’s with this difference?” (Makoto)
I heard that Limia Kingdom is a country with abundant green.
I did hear from rumors and manuscripts that Gritonia Empire is a land of intense cold, but when seeing it in person, it is at a shocking level.
They should be practically lined up left and right according to the map after all.
“Gritonia is a land with many mountains after all. Depending on the place, it is said that the snow can reach several meters.” (Shiki)
“Experiencing the climate of another country is also one of the enjoyments of travelling.” (Tomoe)
Even when walking on the Golden Highway, it still looks so different.
At the Golden Highway I saw from Tsige, I only felt as if it was a path that simply stretched far into the distance.
While I was in admiration, Tomoe and Shiki gave their impressions and information about it.
“I wonder how it is further north, at the country of the demon race where there’s also a lot of mountains. I can’t imagine it.” (Makoto)
“I would call the place where the demon race lives as an ice field. Of course, it has a lot more snow than here, and the level of wind and cold is remarkably different.” (Tomoe)
“For hyumans, no, for living beings, it is a harsh environment.” (Shiki)
The two of them know that place huh.
For living beings…
I feel like I want to visit it, and I also feel like I just want to snuggle in my bedroom.
A while after entering the Empire’s territory, the snow immediately increased in thickness, and I learned that the tools to protect us against the cold that we got on Rotsgard were not exaggerated.
While gazing at the features of the snow country, I first head towards a town named Robin.
There was the talk that I would be allowed to use the teleporting formation that leads to the capital, and I was advised to take the teleportation from that town.
It would be quite painful to walk infinitely in this place, so it would be a great help.
“If we weren’t walking the Golden Highway, I am confident of ending stranded here.” (Makoto)
“… I wonder why. Even when I hear the word stranded from Waka, I don’t feel a single shred of crisis from it.” (Tomoe)
“I am sorry but, I feel the same way.” (Shiki)
My followers are cruel.
I can hold on without eating for several days, and even when I say cold, aside from the snow, the temperature itself doesn’t feel that cold. If I don’t know the directions, I can just return to Asora.
…
Eh? The crisis in the word stranded is slowly fading away.
“To-Tomoe! Now that I think about it, I heard you are acquainted with the hero? Didn’t you say you didn’t like him that much? In that case, it would have been fine to leave it to Shiki alone, or substituting you for Lime was also fine.” (Makoto)
“At first, I intended to do that, but I had Lime head to Lorel. Hibiki’s memories were not on the level of Waka, but it was incredibly interesting, so just in case, that ‘thing’ in the Empire might also know some interesting things. That time when I discarded him was a slightly thoughtless play of my part.” (Tomoe)
“Hmph, well, Tomoki-kun is also a Japanese person, so I think he knows things I don’t know of. If you don’t want to do it, I will ask Shiki, so tell me without hesitation.” (Makoto)
…Eh?
“… Uhm, Waka. It is something trivial, but at that time, wouldn’t it have been better for me to tell Tomoe that she can ask me without hesitation?” (Shiki)
Ah!!
“Wait a bit, Tomoe.” (Makoto)
“What is it?” (Tomoe)
“What was that about Lime being in Lorel?!” (Makoto)
What is she saying all nonchalantly?!
I am glad I didn’t let it slip by!
Hm, I feel like Shiki also said something too…
Tte, for now I will leave that for later.
“Well, Hibiki seems to be interested in us. I have already given her a formal warning, but just in case, I had Lime survey her. It is only that. No need to fret.” (Tomoe)
‘No need to fret’, yeah right!
What’s that about a warning?!
“A formal warning you say. Just what did you tell her?” (Makoto)
“That curiosity killed the cat. That she is free to peek at whatever she wants, but the consequences of it are her own responsibility-ja to. Well, instead of a normal warning, it is more like cautioning. Whether it is the Empire, Kingdom, Kaleneon, or the demon race, it would be a pain to have her sniffing around when we are moving around busily doing all this.” (Tomoe)
… Next time I see her, I will tell her sorry for scaring her.
It seems Tomoe is kind of cautious of senpai huh.
I think she was taking the company- no -me into consideration when she did this.
In that case, maybe I am the one that is way too defenseless when with senpai?
But… she is Japanese and a senpai from the same school. Of course, she wasn’t a bad person.
Do I have to be cautious of someone like that too?
It is true that I felt an uncomfortable feeling from senpai. I can’t say for sure what it was, but she might not be exactly the same senpai I know of.
It is necessary to doubt her. I kind of don’t like that.
An uncomfortable feeling.
When I learn the identity… the reason for it… I will leave the thinking when that time comes.
Yeah.
I have just created a connection with one of the heroes. It is not something I have to urgently inquire about anyways.