Sevens Volume 5 Chapter 64

Chapter 64 - Foe

I painfully vomited because of the ghastly scene.

I couldn't resist the welling up discomfort.

It was a scene that I had seen several times, but I was still astonished that there would be this much difference just from a change in human. I put my hand on my chest.

My gaze was turned toward a right arm still holding a rapier lying down on the floor.

The ancestors harped on calling me pathetic seeing me like this.

Not because I vomited.

……I, couldn't kill the enemy.

The Second sounded dissatisfied.

『Lyle, why do you hesitate?』

The adventurers who came to attack us had run away. Only those I defeated were still remaining.

The man named Zalsa whose hand I severed had also escaped to somewhere.

「……I couldn't do it.」

I wouldn't be troubled like this if I understood the reason. I hesitated the moment I swung down my blade to the opponent and held back slightly.

Because of that, the opponent lost his right arm but…….

The Third was exasperated.

『Lyle, you have to do it when it's time. You should know that the price for this failure will be high.』

The ancestors didn't hesitate when they decided to kill human.

Even though their sense of values and era differed from each other……it seemed they had the same conviction only in this.

The Fourth looked at the surrounding and decided what should be done after this.

『Burn their belonging, and then there is also other materials put behind at the nearby room. Let's destroy that too.』

The Fifth was composed.

『The possibility is high that they will ask for help from their comrades rather than going into frenzy and coming at us in desperation.』

The Sixth sounded bored.

『It will be easier to destroy them if they do that though.』

My comrades were all girl.

Someone like Shannon was still a child. I didn't want to show her this kind of sight.

It seemed that the ancestors also didn't want to show Shannon this sight.

The Seventh talked with a tone that made me imagined that he was surely smiling.

『They're running around inside this dungeon where monsters are crawling, without any decent equipment or supply. Now then, I wonder just how many idiots will be able to reach their comrades.』

The Fourth concluded the opinions.

『Then, let's go to their supply storage area. Fortunately it's right nearby. Porter was in the way so they couldn't take the supply in their escape, let's dispose them all.』

I wiped my mouth and got into Porter, then moved until the room where Zalsa's gang kept their supply stored.

It was really a big help that Shannon and Poyopoyo told me various information like the enemy's position and so on.

Just like the ancestors said, I didn't need any Art from the start.

I arrived at the room without any hitch and discovered the supply.

There was also no guard.

I pointed my hand toward the piled up supplies.

I created a fire ball and then fired it toward the supplies. Fire scattered and burned the supplies.

The Second was calm.

『Now then, let's go back. It will be stupid if they come attacking while you aren't there and Novem-chan and others got harmed.』

The Seventh sounded really refreshed.

『If they have the guts to come attacking then we only need to just attack them back. However, Lyle……you have to bring down the enemy's leader. It's important to destroy the head.』

I returned to Porter and returned to the location of Novem and others without being able to say anything.

──Zalsa wrapped the right hand that he lost with cloth.

He stopped the bleeding and finally returned in order to recover their supplies. But there he fell on his knees.

His left hand was holding a sword that he took away from his comrade.

In front of him, water and food──and then important supplies had been reduced to ash.

His other comrades rushed to the supplies and checked, but they only learned that there was almost nothing that was usable.

Zalsa looked at the right arm that he lost.

「That shitty brat……don't fuck with meeeee!」

Rage was welling up.

He lost the majority of his comrades. It was especially painful that his strong comrades were gone. There were only small fries and baggage carrier who were remaining.

Even if they had the fund to buy supplies and equipments to replace what they lost, it wouldn't be that easy to replace the comrades that were lost.

In addition he lost his dominant arm.

From here on it would take several years to form a party in the same scale like before if he did it in a normal way. No, it wouldn't be strange even if it took ten years.

「You……you made this me angry. I absolutely not gonna forgive you bastard!」

The blood rose to his head, but Zalsa thought about from here on.

(It's impossible to escape from the dungeon with just us. I can only ask Benir to pick us up. If we deal with that noble brat──Ludhor, we'll have some surplus money. I'll use prosthetic for my right arm, get stronger again and then next time I'll kill that shitty brat for sure.)

When he thought until that far, there was a sound of a group approaching the room.

「Monster at this kind of time?」

He held his weapon and took a stance, but he found the figure of Benir there shouldering his hammer.

「Benir! Yo, mate!」

Zalsa found hope in this situation and smiled.

Benir approached.

「Your comrade came until the floor we were at. When we came running here, we found you in a really terrible situation like this huh, Zalsa. Who the hell do you think will have to clean up after you?」

Zalsa wanted to retort back at Benir's highhanded attitude, but right now his position was overwhelmingly weaker.

「My bad, Benir. That shitty brat is unexpectedly strong.」

「I don't wanna hear any excuse.」

Benir held up the hammer he shouldered.

「Be, Benir?」

Zalsa's face cramped. Benir spoke to Zalsa's comrades that were watching from the surrounding.

「You guys, decide whether to die here or to follow me. Those who won't obey──」

Zalsa tried to run away, but he was wounded and also had no stamina left. Without even being able to run away from Benir's hammer, his head was crushed.

「You'll end like this.」

Everyone swore to follow Benir.

Benir stroked his beard.

「Zalsa, I've hated you since a long time ago. I wanted to vomit seeing your fake gentleman act.」

Benir counted Zalsa's remaining comrades.

「Only eight people huh. Well, the monsters must have cleaned up the rest, no use caring about it. You guys, from today I'm your leader.」

Benir whose number of underlings was increased stroke his beard and thought about from here on.

「Now then, Zalsa is a shitty bastard but, his strength is the real thing. For someone to defeat him, this is troublesome.」

The careful Benir also took into consideration about withdrawing for a moment. He thought to report to their client Ludhor for now──.

I met up with Novem and others. They were worried whether I was wounded.

「Lyle-sama, are you injured!? Please take off your clothes right away!」

The worried Novem came to strip off my clothes.

I didn't even have any spirit to resist, but right I wanted to be just left alone.

「I, I'm fine. I'm fine as you can see.」

「No. What are you going to do if the enemy used poison? I'll check right away.」

Poyopoyo was exasperated.

「I don't find any external wound on chicken dickwad.」

However Novem ignored her and moved to check my body.

Arisan and Sophisan were scolding me.

「You idiot!」

「Why did you go fight by yourself! Do you not believe us?」

I didn't know how to answer that, but then Novem glared at the two of them.

「Please stay quiet for now.」

The two were overwhelmed by Novem and closed their mouth. Mirandsan came bringing wet towel for me then.

「Isn't it better to let him rest for now? Besides, your usual composure cannot be seen you know──Novem.」

Novem's hand stopped.

From inside the Jewel, unreliable voices that were unlike before came.

『I wish Mirandchan will hold back a bit.』

『H~m, is this what they called a fight between women?』

『Why is my stomach getting hurt? We're just a memory right? Even though I have no body my stomach is……』

『……I think this is because Novem is too fussy.』

『I wish you guys won't talk as though everything is Mileia's great granddaughter fault.』

『……Well, it will be better for Lyle to rest for now. He is also tired after all.』

I didn't feel tired physically.

But, it was hard for my mind.

「Novem, I'm not injured so it's fine. I want to rest for now.」

Novem looked at my face and felt down.

「Is, that so. What about the meal?」

「Impossible. I don't want to eat.」

I would just vomit even if I ate.

Just what in the world this revolting feeling was?

Novem really looked worried for me. She stayed at my side until I headed to bed.

──The group that targeted Lyle.

Ludhor was sitting on the supplies that were piled up. He was looking down on trembling adventurers like they were trash.

「These trashes. Who do you think you're talking to?」

The corpses of Benir and several of his comrades were lying down ahead of his gaze.

The reason other adventurers were shaking was because Ludhor used magic.

In the first place a noble meant a magician, not just in Bahnseim Kingdom but also in other countries.

They obtained authority because they possessed the rare power that was magic. The thing called magic produced a clear difference of strength between those who had it and those who hadn't.

The corpses of Benir and others were scorched.

Even though they had more battle experience and strength than Ludhor, they were killed too quickly in front of magic. Their comrades who saw that were trembling.

This kind of real deal magician also existed among the students attending the academy.

Ludhor's friend called to him.

「What're we going to do with the rest?」

Ludhor didn't treat his friend like a trash or felt irritated to him because he was a fellow noble and magician.

「It'll be good to erase them all here, but it'll also be good to forgive them if they work for me. It's the fact that I want pawns I can use in Arumsaas.」

His other friend also agreed.

「Aah, good idea. It's inconvenient relying solely to our house after all.」

「It's also interesting to hire the surviving bunches. You guys, work like your life depends on it.」

Ludhor and his friends roared with laughter. Near them there were armed knights.

They were skilled fighters that the houses of Ludhor and his friends sent here.

But, Ludhor recalled the report from the adventurers.

「Even so, the adventurers who I heard are strong are just small fries. They got done in by mere countryside noble.」

His friends shrugged.

「You expect too much from adventurer. More importantly what now? Are we going to wait here to attack them?」

Lyle and others would surely pass through this place where they were waiting.

It would be the easiest to aim at that time.

Ludhor thought for a bit.

「……Let's see. If possible I want to watch an interesting show.」

Ludhor looked down at the trembling adventurers while smiling.

The two leaders of the malicious adventurers had died and at the end only Ludhor who was a noble remained.

Before they launched attack at Lyle's group, the adventurers were told to kill each other.

Ludhor and others looked even more sinister than the monsters crawling inside the underground dungeon──.

The night passed.

Poyopoyo who was standing guard the whole night hit a fry pan with a ladle to wake up everyone.

「It's morning. Please wake up. H~m, today the weather of the labyrinth is also really good! The weather cannot be seen at all though!」

I looked at Poyopoyo whose tension was high right from the morning and took the book that I used as pillow.

It was a book about names.

I immediately put it inside my luggage and yawned. My feeling after waking up was the worst.

I just felt bad.

I didn't understand whether I was sleeping or awake.

The feeling of my mind being churned around, and the sensation of cutting human yesterday hadn't vanished.

I hugged myself. It was then Novem approached.

「Lyle-sama, good morning. Shall I wipe your body?」

When I noticed I had been sweating a lot while sleeping.

「Yeah, please do.」

Usually the ancestors inside the Jewel would be complaining annoyingly right now, but they were silent.

Normally they would say things like 'How can you make Novem-chan do something like this~', but today they were silent from the morning.

Then, Mirandsan came to me bringing a bucket.

「Lyle, I have hot water prepared. "I" will wipe your body for you.」

It felt like she was stressing her tone when she said I, but the me right now only nodded.

I didn't feel good from the morning.

Novem looked at Miranda and she seemed like she would say something, but she stood up and smiled at me.

「Then, I will start the breakfast preparation.」

I said 「Yeah」 to the back of Novem who was leaving, then Mirandsan started wiping my body.

With a small voice,

「I woke up Shannon and asked her to check the surrounding but, it looks like there is no sign of people.」

It seemed she woke earlier than me and checked the area.

When I looked at Shannon, she looked sleepy.

「I've troubled you.」

Mirandsan laughed.

「It's no trouble. You've worked hard yesterday, and?」

Mirandsan urged me to talk. She must be asking for the information of the group that was thinking to attack us.

「They're a party that is used to attack adventurers. It looks like they still have other comrades, but they weren't at floor B27 so I think they were at the higher floor. I burned their supplies, so those who escaped might be joining up with their comrades.」

Mirandsan nodded several times.

「It'll be good if they obediently withdraw. They'll also need water and food for the people they rescued, so I think they will withdraw.」

If the number of people increased, the amount of food and water consumed would also increase by that much.

The more people they saved, the more they would constrict their own neck.

「It seemed they were targeting us. I collected their guild card, so let's check it out when returning to the surface. Our constrained living might continue for a while though.」

Mirandsan smiled.

「It can't be helped. We'll endure that if we can be safe with that. More importantly Lyle……about the next floor boss, can you leave it to me?」

Mirandsan said that and snuggled closer to me.

She might have wiped herself, I smell a faint scent of soap.

『Mirandchan, how should I say it, she's properly on the attack isn't she.』

Rather than calling her proactive, he must want to say that she was aggressive.

The Third said something like that.

Clarsan and Shannon were inside Porter.

The other got down and held up metal board.

Poyopoyo created the shields to defend against the light beam──according to Poyopoyo it was called "laser".

Sophisan held the shield and said.

「Somehow it feels unreliable.」

It was created thinly to lighten the weight. It would dent if it was hit normally. It seemed that it was painted with some kind of paint that would block the laser that was fired by the cylinder object that was the floor boss.

Poyopoyo carried two shields.

「What a rude person. In the first place against that cylinder pillar even a thick one will be pointless.」

The cylinder pillar that was as wide as two adults and three meter tall had a trait of being extremely heavy.

Such heavy boss that was called as cylinder pillar was floating unsteadily. Even adult would be crushed if they got tackled by it.

The shield would be useful enough as long as it blocked the laser that was fired from its single eye.

Arisan held a shield and looked at Mirandsan.

「You will really do it alone?」

Mirandsan showed the knives and tools hanging on her waist.

「It'll be enough with just these. Protect me if something happen okay, Lyle?」

Novem looked with cold eyes at Mirandsan who was making appeal at just me.

The Second muttered with a subdued tone.

『Somehow Novem-chan feels scary since yesterday.』

The Second, the Third, and the Fourth were kind to Novem, but the Fifth the rest were kind to Mirandsan and Shannon.

Even though normally the Fifth would be disinterested, today only he seemed to be concerned about various things.

『……Isn't Miranda better than Novem? Novem is spoiling Lyle too much.』

The Third couldn't just ignore that and objected.

『Novem-chan who sold her dowry and devoted herself to Lyle isn't worthy for him? Now I cannot just let that go.』

The opinions split inside the Jewel and a quarrel started, but I ignored them and talked to Mirandsan.

「Please don't force yourself too much.」

Mirandsan smiled and replied.

「Just watch. It's not just Aria and others who have worked hard.」

Floor B30.

We were standing by in front of the boss room and entered inside all at once.

We who were carrying shield went ahead. Mirandsan and Porter were following from behind.

Light was emitted from the single eye of the cylinder pillar.

Sophisan blocked it.

「The, the light──the laser really get stopped!?」

The shield certainly had fulfilled its role. The laser that was fired from the boss got stopped.

Mirandsan rushed out from behind Sophisan and threw something toward the boss.

Arisan ran in order to cover Mirandsan.

「Clay? What's the use of something like that?」

It was a rectangular clay the size of a palm. Its shape changed when hitting the boss and stuck on its surface.

「No, that's──」

Novem seemed to notice and she was about to say something, but Mirandsan explained first.

「That's not just a clay. If I do this──be careful to the light and sound.」

Mirandsan threw a knife that stabbed into the clay sticking on the boss.

Right after that, the clay shined and exploded.

「Heh!?」

When I noticed, the boss was rotating midair while crashing on the wall.

When it fell on the floor, Mirandsan threw a clay block once more.

「Oh, how tough. Just one won't be enough as expected. Its weak point is……here perhaps.」

She said that and threw a clay block on the boss's eye. Then she threw a knife again at it.

When the clay was stabbed, it emitted light and at the same time the smoking boss was blown away.

The explosive sound echoed inside the room. It hurt the ears.

While I was feeling astonished at the sound resounding to my body, the boss stopped moving.

Poyopoyo approached the boss.

「……It stopped functioning.」

Mirandsan turned toward us.

「This is the second time so it's easy. I thought that it would be simple to defeat it if I do this, still it's nice that it went well.」

The Sixth was dumbfounded.

『Do, don't tell me she created a bomb?』

The Seventh was fidgety.

『What power. Besides that clay! In that shape it's easy to carry it around. It cannot be compared with a toy like burst arrow!』

The Seventh who loved explosive was excited and full of interest toward the clay.

I approached Mirandsan.

「Don't tell me, Mirandsan is walking around bringing a lot of that clay? I, it won't explode or anything right?」

Mirandsan guessed my worry and showed to me her special knife.

「I made it so the explosion will occur when it's combined with this knife. Well, it's troublesome because it's handmade so I can't prepare a lot.」

It seemed she made the explosive by herself.

Thinking back, I met horrible experience because of this person's explosive.

The Seventh's excitement wouldn't stop.

『She made it herself! Magnificent. As expected from the great granddaughter of aunt!』

The Sixth sounded inarticulate. Perhaps he had complicated feeling.

『O, oi. Stop it. You make it sound like Milleia was a bombing maniac. Don't confuse her with you.』

His remark made it sounded like the Seventh was a bombing maniac, but I looked at the cylinder pillar that was a floor boss smoking inside the room.

Clarsan came down from the porter.

「Then I'll collect the magic stone and materials.」

Shannon also came down. Hesitantly, she touched the cylinder pillar that Mirandsan defeated.

「This is a strange creature. It's like it's not alive.」

Certainly the inside wasn't biological but mechanical.

It seemed that it only appeared in Arumsaas's dungeon, but still what a mysterious floor boss.

「With this I can use Arts──」

Was it alright for it to be this easy? I recalled everything until now and thought that it was unexpectedly anti-climactic. Suddenly Poyopoyo pushed me hard.

「──You, what're you doing so suddenly!」

The sight I saw when I turned around after getting pushed away was──the sight of Poyopoyo with her back turned on me getting stabbed by arrows one after another.

Right away flame burst out from the spots that were stabbed by arrow, and then ice enveloped Poyopoyo's body and it cracked. Wind and electricity blew violently, in addition magic were fired to attack me one after another.

Poyopoyo became my shield and blocked all of that.

Her usual screwing around figure wasn't there, she ignored me even when I told her to get away and stood before me.

When the incessant attacks of magic arrows and magic stopped, it became silent like it was a dream.

My comrades turned their gaze toward the entrance, but I couldn't tear off my gaze from Poyopoyo's back.

「Oi, Poyopoyo!」

I ran toward Poyopoyo. There Poyopoyo was standing with both her hands protecting her head.

「──Yo, you, why?」

Her left arm from her elbow was gone. Small electricity was crackling from her body, red liquid was flowing from her stomach, and things with polished metallic color could be seen.

She was mostly battered except the head that she protected.

Her prided twintail was also scorched and messed up. Her maid uniform that she said was the only outfit she needed was also a mere shadow of its former self.

Poyopoyo's skin was the same color like human. The liquid flowing from her body was also red, but her inner structure was undoubtedly mechanical.

She was an automaton.

If she was a human, it wouldn't be strange if she died instantly in this state.

「You──why did you protect me!」

Hearing my words, Poyopoyo's red eyes were flickering while she totteringly answered.

「What're you saying? Chicken dickwad is──my goshujin-sama. I'll protect you at the risk of my life. After all I'm……a maid.」

Poyopoyo said that and became unable to stand. She fell on her knees. I caught her body and hugged her close.

At that time, a man appeared while making applause.

「A love between automaton and human huh. Haha~, I've seen something good. This is the funniest thing I've seen recently.」

Beside the smiling man, there were two man of similar age. There were seven guards in black clothes protecting them.

And then behind them, several men dressed like adventurers were standing to block the entrance.

I was familiar with several people among them.

The bandits who tried to attack us.

The guards in black were clearly moving differently from the adventurers. They must be the elites.

Mirandsan who held her weapon in ready watched sharply.

「……Ludhor, why are you here?」

Seeing that he was Mirandsan's acquaintance, he must be an academy student or a noble──or perhaps both.

I hugged Poyopoyo who was unable to move.

The man called Ludhor looked at Mirandsan and made an ugly smile.

「Miranda, I'm really sad. If only you're a bit smarter, it would be only natural that you choose me. Both of us are fellow capital noble raised in the royal capital. Both of us aren't stranger to each other.」

Mirandsan moved her gaze and counted the enemy's number. Next, She slightly moved to protect Shannon.

Clarsan guessed that and stood in front of Shannon.

Arisan stepped forward to protect the two of them.

The surrounding adventurers were holding weapon while looking scared.

Around the young man who seemed to be a noble, a lot of arrows──magic arrows were floating.

All the arrowheads were pointed at me.

I gritted my teeth.

I recalled the words of the ancestors.

The 『price』 that the Third mentioned, I couldn't help but feel that it wasn't directed at me but my comrades.

「Why are you targeting us?」

Ludhor seemed to be lightly irritated at my words. He was scowling.

「Shut up you countryside noble. Originally I should be the one to marry Miranda. But she got taken away by a countryside noble who was chased away from his house. Do you understand my feeling? It's a really miserable feeling.」

Mirandsan instantly denied him.

「I don't have any relationship with him. At best we only talked several times in the academy. Our houses have a bit of relationship with each other but, there isn't any talk of marriage.」

The students around Ludhor who seemed to be his friends laughed.

「Ludhor, that's what she said you know?」

「What a really naïve young lady. Even though everything will be alright if you just obediently marry Ludhor.」

What were these guys saying?

Could it be, they were doing something like this from unjustified resentment?

In that case……I!

My hand that was holding Poyopoyo tensed.

The Fifth's voice came from inside the Jewel.

『Lyle, you don't need to pay them any attention. This kind of fellow is a type that is raised in misunderstanding by their house. Inside their mind the marriage is a done deal, that's all there is to it. Although, it looks like that kind of idiot was born having power.』

Perhaps because they could use magic, Ludhor and his friends didn't carry weapon.

One of them had a lot of arrows floating around him. It must be an Art.

Ludhor looked at Mirandsan and clicked his tongue.

「Getting cocky just because I'm acting kind. Even though I was considering to keep you if you become my woman even if you're a second hand.」

Arisan couldn't hold back and yelled.

「You guys are really shameless since just now looking down at us. Doing something like this because you want Miranda, you guys are the worst as man!」

Ludhor and his two friends were laughing even after hearing those words.

Only the seven men in black clothes were silent.

They didn't even say a word since the beginning.

「You're the stupid one.」

「Wha, what! I'm not stupid!」

Although Arisan refuted right away, the Second was exasperated because she was only parroting back the other's words.

『You're stupid because you're objecting like that.』

Ludhor made a vulgar smile and turned his gaze to Porter.

「Our target is that thing. Porter is it? Miranda is just an extra. You all, it looks like you don't understand what it is that you've created huh.」

I was thinking to rush out anytime.

These guys kept talking arrogantly.

「A carriage that doesn't need horse. You can find anyone who wants it anywhere. If I monopolize Porter, then a lot of money will come even if I don't do anything. It's not like I need any woman. The draw of viscount house of Circry is just a bit attractive though.」

Sophisan sent a glance at Porter.

「……Your aim from the start isn't us but Porter you said?」

Ludhor spoke as though to spit out.

「Who the hell need woman like you all! If I have money then I can obtain however many beautiful girls I like. I'm not going to get aroused by woman who become adventurer and turn into muscle demon.」

The girls were nothing but extra, his aim was Porter.

The Fourth muttered.

『Hmm, he got good eyes.』

Sophisan was shaking.

「Making fun of us……in the first place, you destroyed Poyopoyo-san just because of that!?」

The three started cackling hearing the name Poyopoyo.

「Poyopoyo she said!」

「That name doesn't has the slightest sense!」

「No, it has! We should praise the sense that is hurting our stomach so much like this!」

I got ridiculed.

It made me thought, if only I gave a more proper name.

While the three were laughing, I slowly laid down Poyopoyo on the floor. I gently placed her down so that she wouldn't be even more broken than this. Then Ludhor opened his mouth.

「Now. For the time being if we have the actual thing then we can just disassemble it later and investigate it, but torturing you all for information will also be interesting. It will be funny watching you scums crying and begging for your life.」

I really couldn't think of them as fellow human.

Or perhaps was this the standard of the nobles of Bahnseim Kingdom?

I tightly gripped my saber's handle. Poyopoyo looked at me.

「……Chicken dickwad. No, goshujin-sama. I'm glad to have met you.」

「Don't talk anymore. I'll bring you to Damian's lab right away.」

「I……at the era when I was created……I had never opened my eyes……or got activated……」

「Wait for a bit. After everything is over, we'll immediately head to the surface. I don't know if you have any stamina left but, hold out until then.」

I said that while ignoring her words that I couldn't bear to listen to. Ludhor seemed to be displeased by that and clicked his tongue.

「……You're still playing with doll even now huh. Aren't you getting a bit too cocky?」

The Jewel heated up slightly.

I was seething with anger. If it was now I got the feeling I could steel myself.

I stood up and turned my gaze to Ludhor──or rather to tall of them.

The spacious floor boss room had round shape. Ludhor and others appeared from the entrance to floor B29. The adventurers were fanning out to block the path.

However, the positioning of the adventurers was half-baked. Perhaps to them the like of adventurers were just disposable pawn.

It looked like they only thought of the scared adventurers as their meat shield.

I counted the enemy's number.

「Oi, you listening?」

I ignored Ludhor who twisted his face and counted more than forty enemies.

The three who could use magic and Arts and the seven guards in black clothes were the one who I should be on guard against.

The Second's Art made the whole room to be a territory that I could sense.

『It has been several months since the last time. Use them well.』

The Third's Art started meddling with the enemies even if only faintly.

『The task was until you defeated the floor boss. From here Lyle can do as you like.』

The Fourth's Art raised my moving speed.

『Good grief. It would be better if they went with full strength right from the start. Instead they kept prattling in front of enemy.』

The Fifth's Art taught me of the surrounding terrain.

『They picked a good timing for attacking, and yet why did they choose to let go of the advantage by themselves? I can't understand it.』

The Sixth's Art notified me of the number of enemies that were holding hostility against me. Many were only following Ludhor but didn't really want to fight.

『Let's teach reality to these idiots capital noble, Lyle.』

Right now I didn't use the Seventh's Art.

『……It's really annoying but, it's no good if you kill the enemy.』

I rolled the Jewel with my fingers. It was the signal when I was saying no. The Fifth replied.

『It's not like we're telling you that it's bad to kill human at this point. Try looking behind you.』

When I turned my focus behind using the Second's Art, Shannon who was being protected by Clarsan was shaking. She was scared at this situation and seeing Poyopoyo's state.

『You must want to cut them down right now but, Shannon will be traumatized like that. That's no good. For your own sake too──don't kill.』

I wanted to refuse, but Shannon was near her limit even at the current situation.

The ancestors were concerned of Shannon getting traumatized if she witnessed people killing each other.

Conversely speaking, there was no other reason to let these guys live except that.

I tightly grasped the Jewel that I toyed with my fingers, then it seemed Ludhor who was red faced also reached his limit.

「Enough, tore off that guy's hands and legs!」

Ludhor's friend fired the magic arrows floating around him one after another. The arrows accurately headed toward my limbs, so they were really easy to sense.

Mirandsan moved to cover me, but I moved faster than that and stepped forward.

Mirandsan who was going to cover me was surprised seeing my back.

Novem raised her wand, and Arisan was also moving.

Sophisan was lifting up her battle axe.

I didn't only use my sight and hearing──information was flowing in one after another through Arts.

「It's nostalgic to feel this.」

I recalled the sensation after few months not using the Arts while putting my left hand forward.

If the enemies were also magician, then I would also use magic. A barrier was created with mana centered on my left hand──a shield was deployed. The magic arrows and magic hit it and caused explosion on its surface.

The Seventh talked to me.

『Battle between magicians will be flashy. But, as long as there isn't a great difference in strength, it will only be flashy exchange of attack. The opponent will also deploy shield after all.』

It must be unreasonable from the perspective of the commoner.

Only magician possessed powerful magic and the method to defend against it.

Seeing their prided Art and magic blocked, Ludhor and his friends kicked the behind of the adventurers at the front.

「Go fight these small fries!」

The adventurers rushed toward me in panic.

The Sixth seemed excited.

『In the end, it will become sword fight like this! After all this is the best way to kill magician!』

If there was no difference in strength between the magicians, at the end the battle would be decided with close quarter combat.

──In that case there was no problem.

After all, I had the First's Art.

It was a simple and clear Art to strengthen the body. It increased my physical ability.

One adventurer came with a slash, so I grabbed his arm and threw him toward Ludhor and his friends.

The black clothed group that protected the three of them blocked the adventurer's body.

These guys were the most troublesome factor.

It was troublesome that I couldn't kill them.

I dodged the attack of the black clothed man who came at me, pounded my fist on his face and sent him flying. Several adventurers got hit with his body and fell.

The nearby adventurer swung down a rod that had iron ball attached on it.

I caught it with my left hand.

「Hih!」

I put strength into my left hand and snatched the weapon from the adventurer whose face was twitching.

「You, how many fellow adventurers you've killed until now?」

When I asked that, the man suddenly began to look around.

The effect of the Third's Art, Mind was to meddle with the opponent's mind. The scared adventurer was seeing the ghosts of the adventurers he had killed until now.

「N, no! I was only doing my order! That's why, it wasn't my faul──」

He was noisy so I shut him up with a kick on the stomach.

I threw the iron ball I took toward other adventurer.

The Third was laughing.

『Oh, they can't bring down Lyle, so the other adventurers are starting to hesitate.』

Just as he said, the other adventurers who were some distance away from Ludhor's group were running away from the passage.

「Wha, what the hell!」

「No moreeeeee!」

「Don't come. Don't comeeeee!」

Ludhor yelled.

「You guys, I'll kill you all if you run──」

The enemy's group was in chaos.

Mirandsan used her Art to fire strings toward the group in black clothes approaching me and captured them.

The sticky strings wrapped two people and made them unable to move.

Next, Mirandsan threw knives that stabbed the thigh of Ludhor's two friends.

「Hih! It hurt. It hurt-!」

「The blood. Blood is flowing!」

The two made pathetic voices.

When I noticed, Arisan and Sophisan were also moving.

Arisan landed a hard thrust with the butt of her spear to the stomach of the black clothed men, while Sophisan used the flat side of her battle axe to hit them flying.

Even when the remaining black clothed men moved to surround Arisan and Sophisan, Sophisan grabbed a nearby adventurer.

She swung around the adventurer who she lightened using her Art, and then she threw him to the black clothed group. It seemed the adventurer's weight returned to normal the moment she threw him, but the black clothed group dodged the thrown adventurer.

The adventurer hit another adventurer and fell on the floor before rolling around for quite far.

Arisan assaulted when the movement of the black clothed group was in disarray. She reaped their consciousness by hitting them with her spear.

The two of them weren't outdone facing against the adventurers and the black clothed group who moved skillfully.

Novem was giving support from behind.

Mirandsan was also restraining the adventurers one after another…….

Now there was nobody around Ludhor.

「You're the only one remaining.」

Ludhor who was standing rooted on the spot turned his gaze around in panic.

And then he caught sight of the shivering Shannon.

His hand turned toward Shannon, but I didn't move.

Mirandsan directed killing intent toward Ludhor.

I lifted my hand to ask her to wait.

Mirandsan twitched in reaction and stopped moving.

「Don't you dare acting leisurely bastard!」

Electricity was fired from Ludhor's hand.

The electric attack that was fired straight toward Shannon and Clara was blocked by a shield and didn't reach the two of them.

Ludhor's friends were groaning on the floor.

The black clothed group was defeated.

The adventurers had run away. It was only Ludhor who was left standing in place.

Even the magic he was proud of was blocked by Novem who was standing at the rear.

Novem opened her mouth with a staff in her hand.

「Something that weak won't be able to slip past my barrier.」

When the situation was overturned, Mirandsan bound the defeated group using string that she created with her Art.

I put my saber into its sheath in front of Ludhor.

「I, I was wrong. We, we're both noble. Look, there are various things right? Li, like getting along.」

Ludhor started buttering us up.

It was irritating listening to him. I slowly approached him.

Each time I took a step forward, Ludhor's tone would become even more over-familiar.

「I, if it's money I'll give it to you. How much do you want? I'll give you an amount that a countryside noble has never even seen. That's why, okay?」

I smiled.

「I don't need any. I can earn money myself after all.」

Ludhor's gaze wandered around. And then he saw my comrades behind and seemed to think of something.

「Then I'll prepare woman! I'll prepare whatever woman you like!」

「I don't need that.」

I only had one wish.

Ludhor's face turned into despair.

「M, my house won't stay quiet if you kill me! My house is──」

I stood in front of Ludhor and grabbed his annoying mouth with my hand.

「Hey, can you shut up? Right now I'm really in a bad mood. You understand the reason even without me saying it right?」

Ludhor pointed his hand toward my face to fire a magic.

My empty hand grabbed his arm and then I crushed it.

The sound of flesh and bone being crushed was conveyed to me through the body.

Ludhor writhed and tried to scream, but he couldn't make any voice with his mouth blocked.

Tears pooled in his eyes and he struggled violently.

I smelled ammonia.

「To be honest it will be nice to kill you here. I want to do that. But, I'm stopped from doing that.」

The inside of the Jewel was quiet.

I got the feeling they were observing my action.

「Come to think of it ……you said something really interesting.」

I let go of him and pushed him away. He fell on his butt and begged for his life while crying.

「Please forgive me. The truth is I just planned to make a bit of threat! I, it's true. But, those guys……the adventurers got carried away!」

He started saying that it was other people who were bad. It was a lie in order to survive here.

I grabbed Ludhor's hair and pushed his face on the floor.

「Torture, was it? There are also other things. What did you say you're going to do to my comrades?」

Ludhor was crying and dripping snot from the pain in his arm and fear.

「Please forgive me. I didn't say it, it was those guys who said it.」

Ludhor's betrayal caused his two friends who couldn't move to protest.

「You're selling us out huh!」

「It was you who said that you got an idea of amusing game!」

Then Mirandsan kicked the face of one person and stepped on the head of the other one.

「Can you stay silent? Do you understand the meaning of targeting me──targeting Shannon?」

Mirandsan's house was a viscount house in the capital.

It was a house with history and official post.

Briefly speaking, these guys who were attempting to murder a daughter of such house and hid the evidence inside a dungeon would only find destruction waiting for them even if they escaped to the surface.

I strongly grabbed Ludhor's hair.

Several of his hairs were uprooted but I paid it no mind.

「Hear that, what is the truth? You will tell me everything won't you?」

The Third's Art was gradually showing effect. Ludhor also stopped crying from pain, and then the focus of his eyes was gone.

And then he answered my question.

「……I thought I'd be able to make money. There was also rumor of Miranda inviting man into her house, I was irritated so I wanted to hurt her and took away Porter.」

His motive was simplistic.

He could be praised for noticing Porter's value, but it was unforgivable that he attacked us.

「Is there anyone who give you guys instruction?」

「None. When I contacted my house, they sent me money. After my house investigated I received letter that told me to send them the actual thing.」

I was exasperated.

「Did they also consider about getting into conflict with Circry House?」

Ludhor answered indifferently.

「It will be troublesome if I mentioned the name Circry House, so I hid it from my house. I thought there would be no problem if I thoroughly break Miranda so that she cannot go against me.」

The Seventh spoke briefly.

『Scum.』

I asked one more thing.

「What did you plan to do with Shannon?」

「……Blind girl is unnecessary so, I planned to leave her in the dungeon.」

Mirandsan's gaze turned stern.

I let go of Ludhor and ordered him to stand.

And then when I clapped my hand, Ludhor got liberated from Mind. His face twisted from pain and he was about to sit down on the spot.

I grabbed his collar.

「I think I'll be forgiven if I do this much.」

「──Heh?」

My face hit Ludhor's stupid face. My fist that sunk into his face broke Ludhor's front teeth and crushed his nose.

Ludhor was sent flying and then tumbled on the floor while screaming something, but Mirandsan immediately bound him.

I looked at my fist with an anger that still hadn't abated.

「Attacking us with that kind of reason」

I was furious at Ludhor who tried to kill us just because he wanted money and felt angry.

Novem spoke to me.

「Lyle-sama, Poyopoyo-san, she」

When I turned around, Novem was putting a blanket on Poyopoyo on the floor.

I rushed to them and sat down to peer on Poyopoyo's face.

「……Goshujin-sama……there's no more time. Before that can I ask you……just one thing?」

I talked to her while holding back from crying.

「Idiot. I'll bring you right away to Damian's place. And then you'll be back to normal.」

I didn't know whether Damian would be really able to fix an automaton.

But, I could only say that……I could only hold on hope.

Tears came out.

Poyopoyo wiped my tear with a halting movement using her remaining hand.

「I won't make it. Besides……with Professor Damian's skill……before that, just one thing……actually, I liked……the name Poyopoyo.」

I grabbed Poyopoyo's hand.

「I'm sorry. Actually I've been thinking for a proper name. But, I couldn't say  it……I don't want to be told again that the name is bad.」

Actually I've been thinking of a name all this time.

But, I couldn't say it until now.

Poyopoyo smiled.

「then……can I……hear that name? I've……been waiting……all this time」

The flickering light in Poyopoyo's eyes was gradually weakening.

「What's with that. Don't talk like it's a farewell.」

Arisan was silently looking down.

Sophisan was wiping her eyes.

Clarsan was looking at Poyopoyo wordlessly.

Novem sat near me and closed her eyes.

During that time, Mirandsan was watching over the enemies that were tied up. It seemed she was making time so I could focus on Poyopoyo.

Poyopoyo's voice was gradually getting harder to listen to.

「There is……no time. That's why……before that」

I wiped my tears.

And then I spoke Poyopoyo's name that I had been thinking all this time.

「Monika──it's Monika. I've been thinking it all this time but, I think this name is good.」

Poyopoyo looked happy.

「Mo……ni……ka……it's a, good……name, isn't it. I……am……hap……py.」

I talked to Monika who slowly closed her eyes.

I felt that strength suddenly left her body.

Shannon shook her head.

「Lies. This is lies! Impossible. How……this is impossible!」

Clarsan hugged the shocked Shannon and soothed her.

「Shannon-san, it's fine already. We should let her sleep. Poyopoyo-san──Moniksan, she protected Lyle-san!」

「Wrong. You're wrong!」

I could hear their voices, but I was assaulted with the feeling of lethargy from losing Monica.

「If…..if only I was more dependable」

Novem talked to me kindly.

「Lyle-sama, please don't blame yourself too much.」

「I'm……if I was more……properly」

After losing her, I realized for the first time just how much she had done for me until now.

Even though she insulted me as chicken dickwad, she prioritized me more than anything.

If only I was──kinder to her──to Moni──ka.

The inside of the Jewel was getting noisy.

『O, oi. Just now was there something sucked out?』

『Something was abruptly sucked out.』

『What could have happened just now?』

『Oi, isn't the flow of mana directed toward her?』

『To Poyopoyo? No, she is Monika right now huh.』

『……Ah!?』

The Seventh seemed to remember something. He said something that Monika previously said.

『She said it didn't she? There is a line of mana between her and Lyle, and she is obtaining energy from there. At that time, if I remember right she also said something about repair.』

I had familiarity with this sensation of strength leaving me.

When my mana was still little in capacity, my mana got taken away because of the ancestors making a ruckus inside the Jewel.

This sensation was familiar with that time.

No, my mana was being sucked even more than that.

Novem seemed to notice the abnormality.

「Lyle-sama? Err, is your complexion gradually worsening? A, are you alright?」

I looked at Monika.

Monika's eyes were closed looking like she was sleeping peacefully──it was only her mouth that was moving.

「Body repair finished. Carrying out optimization of data and body. Starting the restart.」

Arisan was surprised hearing her saying that with a monotone voice.

「She talked!?」

She and Sophisan stiffened in a strange pose from the surprise.

「Co, could it be she is coming back to life?」

I looked at Monica.

I couldn't put strength into my body anymore.

「Yo, you……could it be」

When Monica opened her eyes, she looked at my face and smiled.

「Restart finished. Switching to normal mode from here.」

She said that and lifted her upper body and kissed me.

And then, she leaped and somersaulted midair before landing on the floor and pinched her skirt with elegant movement. She bent her knees and lowered her head.

The blanket fluttered airily.

「This Monika formerly Poyopoyo, from here on──allow me the privilege to take care of chicken dickwad forever at his side.」

It was a beautiful bow.

She also caught the falling blanket and quickly folded it.

「Yo, you……did you……trick me?」

My mouth didn't move well.

My sight was wavering. Surely it was wavering along with my body.

Novem caught me and supported me.

「Lyle-sama!? Do, don't tell me that you sucked Lyle-sama's mana!」

Monika twisted her body cutely.

「I have no memory of speaking even once that it's a farewell. Even so, I didn't know that chicken dickwad was thinking hard of a name for my sake. I anxiously thought that perhaps he actually forget to think of any name, but as expected chicken dickwad is the best goshujin-sama!」

Her scorched and messed up twintail had been fixed when I noticed. Her hair was smooth and looking soft and shiny.

Her red maid uniform also looked like new.

She also had complete hands and legs. There wasn't any wound that could be seen on her. No, in the first place could automaton get injured? Would it be better to call it damage?

My thought couldn't focus so much that I was thinking of such trivial matter.

「……no way.」

After I muttered that as my last, I entrusted my body to Novem and let go of my consciousness.

「Lyle-samaaaaa!!」

「Chicken dickwaaad!!」

I could hear Novem and Monica's voices, but I couldn't move anymore.

I was really all sorts of tired.

      

Chapter end