Atelier Tanaka Volume 3 Chapter 2 part5

"…I was sure I was going to die."

After having seemingly endless waves of light bullets sent after me, I finally managed to clear the last of them up.

I had cleared the stage.

When I gazed toward the group of robed men, I could see most of them doubled over with their hands on their knees. I guess they're running low on MP. There are countless empty potion bottles littering the ground beneath their feet.

They went all out on that attack and have nothing left.

"That long-haired guy. I'll make sure he regrets abandoning me."

Once I've drunk the elixir of youth, I'll take Drill-chan for myself.

There's no better love than a forbidden love.

I'll make him a cuckold.

"Tanaka, are you all right?"

A voice called out to me from below.

I looked down to see Gonzalez looking up at me with a worried expression while knocking enemies aside with his axe. He really is a good guy. The wounds to my heart caused by the long-haired man's betrayal were instantly healed.

"Thankfully, I managed to survive somehow."

I continued firing off healing waves as I responded.

"You really are an amazing mage! No human would be capable of using recovery magic in that situation! Now I absolutely have to have you join my clan and I won't take no for an answer."

"If there's ever a time where I have nowhere else to go, I'll gladly join."

"I'll be waiting! I'll keep waiting until the day I die!"

He's as lively as ever. Thanks to his leadership and efforts, our army is still fighting with the same ferocity they had at the start. Actually, it seems like they may be fighting even more intensely after witnessing me clear all of the light bullets.

Perhaps due to this, the next development in the battle happened.

A voice rang out from above me.

"Oi! A letter on an arrow arrived from the Pussy Republic."

The noble mage had finished his break and returned to the sky.

"Have they finally understood our intentions?"

"Yes, it seems like they understand at least that much."

"That's what's most important."

The message I've been waiting for has finally arrived.

The strange situation happening on the frontlines had finally been conveyed back to the higher-ups. Or maybe, after seeing their ultimate seven-coloured magic be defeated, they're ready to surrender. Well, either way is fine.

I'm happy that we'll finally be able to end this conflict.

"I can't afford to leave this place. I'm sorry that I have to trouble you with this Fahren-san but will you take Ester-san and the Ahan Baroness with you to meet with the enemy?"

"You can count on me."

Everything will be okay now.

It's best if a noble lord goes to negotiate with them. I've already witnessed Ester-chan and Drill-chan's negotiating skills first hand, so I know I have nothing to worry about there. And the noble mage will accompany them in case the enemy is planning anything.

This situation reminds me of when we had an audience with the King back in Kalis. At that time, the King seemed to have complete trust in the noble mage, and I've seen no reason to doubt either his combat or political abilities.

"I'm sorry for the trouble but I know I can count on you."

"It's no trouble considering how important this is to the country. There's no need for you to apologize."

"It's because of words like that that I feel confident sending you."

"Y-You don't need to say anything like that."

“Of course. And, if I can ask you to please look after Ester-san."

"If you're the one asking, I don't have much choice. It's rare for noble families to interfere with matters concerning another house. Even if a relative belongs to another noble family, it's considered inappropriate for you to interfere. I'll make an exception this time and protect Richard's daughter."

"Thank you. I'll be sure to repay the favour someday."

"Really? You shouldn't say something like that if you're not willing to follow through."

"I'm serious. You've helped me out in many ways before as well."

"…hmm. Then, I'll be sure to think of something fitting when this is all over."

"I understand."

He helped with the dragon extermination party, allowed me to enter the academy, and even know he's been aiding me. I feel like I owe him more than just a single favour. Every good relationship between two people must have equal amounts of give and take.

And I personally believe that I truly owe him a great deal.

"All right then, I'll be leaving."

"Thank you. I'll be counting on you."

"Who do you think you're talking to? When I'm involved, you can count on a positive result."

"Of course. I believe in you, Fahren-san."

"Haha, of course."

With a smile on his face, the noble mage turned and flew away.

It's annoying how cool he can look considering we're near the same age.

Why couldn't I have been reborn as a cool middle-aged man?

No matter how much I regret it, there's nothing I can do to change it.

The only thing left for me to do was continue healing all of the soldiers below me. If nothing changes, I'll be able to keep the Twilight Company's casualties in the single digits.

"All right…."

Let's buckle down and finish this up.

I'm ready.

After everyone's hard work, this meadow will finally be able to see peace.

***

It was the next day, and we had now left the battlefield and returned to Tricklis.

Christina challenged me to another race on the way back to Tricklis. The result didn't change at all. There was no wager this time but that didn't stop her from going all out. I was more than happy to enjoy the view of the Dragon's panties as I flew behind her.

In the middle of the flight, Ester-chan puked and it flew back and hit Sophichan in the face. On the carriage, it took a full day to travel to the meadow from Tricklis, but the Dragon super express only took one hour. The intense ride sacrificed the health and dignity of her passengers.

It was now the middle of the afternoon, and I was on my knees in the throne room of the castle in Tricklis.

"Your efforts on this occasion were truly remarkable."

This is the third time I'll be receiving a reward in this place. The red carpet I was on stretched all the way back to the grand double doors I entered through. Above me, on the throne, sat the blonde loli bitch.

The balding man had presided over my previous two audiences here but this time it was only Ester-chan.

Even if she had as little hair as him, she'd still be a beautiful girl.

She's a beautiful girl and there's a high possibility of me seeing up her skirt from this angle.

The number of nobles and officials gathered in the hall couldn't be compared to my previous two meetings here. There were many pushing against each other trying to get the best view.

In the midst of these nobles, this soy sauce face was kneeling on the floor.

Next to me, Sophichan in her maid outfit was also kneeling.

Her entire body was visibly trembling and I could see tears forming at the corners of her eyes. As usual, she gets easily stressed out. I still want to taste her. I want to see Sophichan lose control of her bladder under the disdainful looks of the gathered nobles.

"In honour of your great service, you will receive a deserving reward."

"Yes!"

"Now, raise your head."

I raised my head as instructed. The leader of the macho men, Gonzalez, was also kneeling with us. There were many members of the Twilight Company that played large roles in our success, but Gonzalez was elected to come as a representative of their entire company.

And so, the three of us were kneeling before Ester-chan.

"You look good in formal clothes…."

"What?"

"N-Nothing!"

The loli bitch was wearing her normal male clothing.

I wonder if she just prefers wearing clothing like that.

It's cute though. It suits her.

I noticed a shadowy figure standing behind her. When I turned my attention to it, I could see the noble mage standing in a corner not far behind the throne. He's as popular as ever. There were dozens of female nobles lined up to greet him.

He may even be more popular than Ester-chan.

But he seemed more annoyed to be dealing with them than anything.

The nobles gathered to speak with the noble mage were all women. They were all wearing gorgeous dresses that exposed a good amount of skin. There were even some in their mid-teens. All of them were clearly trying to entice the noble mage into entering their beds. How unfair can life get?

He was doing his best to keep the crowd's attention focused on Ester-chan. The conversations he had with the nobles were quiet and I couldn't hear a single word. It reminded me of a student whispering to his friend during the opening ceremony while trying not to get noticed by the principal.

Many of them had low-cut dresses that exposed their large chests. I strained my neck to get a good view but couldn't see much. Damn it, damn it. The noble mage is forming a harem right before my eyes.

He's over the age of forty and teenage girls are throwing themselves at him.

It was as I was cursing the noble mage that Ester-chan spoke.

"Adventurer Tanaka, not only did you take command over our army, you also managed to fend off a superior force that held more than twice your own numbers. On top of this, you also managed to keep the number of casualties in the single digits. As a reward for your service, I will increase your rank to that of Second Lieutenant."

My rank has increased again.

Is it okay to keep increasing my rank like this?

"S-Second Lieutenant!?" "Wait a moment! Many nobles never even reach that rank!" "Well, if everything he's supposedly done is true, it seems deserving." "How can a commoner like him be permitted to hold such a prestigious title!?" "Even if he was already a warrant officer, this promotion seems too excessive!" "Look at his flat face! No human from this country would look like that!" "The colour of his skin is strange too! He looks like one of the lizard men!" "An adventurer promoted to Second Lieutenant!? What a disgrace!"

Several objections were shouted at once.

I guess that rank is too great for a commoner like me.

I remember Gonzalez telling me after the battle that it was likely that my rank would increase once more. But it seems to have raised to a point where, no matter what my achievements, I won't be accepted.

And don't say I look like a lizard man. I don't want to be insulted by being compared to something I've never even seen.

"Silence!"

Ester-chan silenced the roar of the crowd with a single word.

With the crowd of nobles solely focused on her, she remained composed.

"I understand after hearing your complaints. As everyone knows, the rank of Second Lieutenant is reserved almost exclusively for the nobility. Therefore, I will instead reward him with a title deserving of his achievements. I will give him the position of baron."

After hearing Ester-chan's remarks, the reactions of the nobles didn't change much.

"B-Baron!?" "Is she thinking of making this adventurer into a noble!?" "S-She must have just misspoken." "Has Lady FitzClarence gone mad!?" "What a stupid thing to say!" "Only the king is capable of granting such a title…." "No matter how great the FitzClarence name is, she can't grant him that title." "A commoner given a noble position, how ridiculous!" "He's not even from this country!" "Impossible! This will never be allowed!"

It seems like this was equally enraging to the nobles.

They may have been even louder this time.

The keyword they're focusing on appears to be 'baron.'

According to Allen's words, the difference between the lowest ranked nobles and the highest ranked commoners is extraordinary.

They might as well be two separate worlds.

In this fantasy world of swords and magic, if you're a nobleman, you'd be able to freely have sex with anyone you wished as long as they were a commoner.

And the clamour of the crowd seemed to confirm this fact.

It's not a title easily given.

If I were given this title, I'd be able to take any woman I wished off the street and force her to come with me to an inn. She wouldn't be able to object.

How wonderful.

Nobility is the best.

"Be quiet!"

Ester-chan demanded silence once more.

The nobles listened and the hall returned to silence.

Even though she's a young girl, she still belongs to the FitzClarence house.

The power her family holds is vast.

"I wish to give this adventurer a reward deserving of his achievements. It certainly is impossible for me to grant him the rank of baron with my own power. However, what this man has done is deserving of such a reward. I will make an appeal to His Majesty to grant him this rank."

Ester-chan spoke in a dignified manner.

For this reason, the nobles were unsure if they should object.

"How can I be called lord of this territory if I cannot properly reward someone who has done so much for us? I will make this declaration. If granting this man rank of baron is an impossible request, I will cede control over this territory to His Majesty and renounce the name of FitzClarence!"

Chapter end