A little slow today.
Episode 45 — Okama and the Maritime Caravan
～ Part 2 ～
Read at
Apparently, Kaoruko had arrived at this coastline a few days ago, it was then that he was requested to guard the merchant ship, which was swallowed up in a storm and shipwrecked, until its prepare was over. Since he had a promise to meet up with Goubayashi anyway, so thinking ‘I might as well’ and accepted it.
Continental Southern Commerce Guild. The brown skin girl who named herself as Remy said that as their affiliation. En route to the Maritime United Nations Albadanba, the maritime caravan met a disaster, she said. Even though Kaoruko was close to human, he was obviously a monster at a glance, yet asking him to be a guard was only a matter of fortitude, but despite standing in front of skeleton, orc, hanuman and what not, she didn’t look fazed at all, this girl might have been surprisingly gutsy.
Only, speaking of whether the caravan members were the same as her, it didn’t seem so. Kyousuke and the others did somehow drive away the fishmen called sahagin, but the many young merchants just stood at a distance watching them as they gathered and had a discussion on the sandy beach.
The maritime caravan leader Welkano-shi, supporting himself with a cane, walked toward them and suddenly apologized.
“The Southern Commerce Guild visits countries such as the Beast Kingdom or the Merman Country so we’re relatively cool with other races but…. The ones who survived are mostly young merchants.”
“Don’t worry about it, president. Just being able to talk like this is plenty.”
“Haahaaha, we’re really saved by Okama-dono’s generosity.”
Okama-dono, the instant they heard that way of calling, everyone shrunk their neck.
Okama Kaoruko hated to death his family name. He had coerced the classmates to called him ‘Kaoruko’ and would get extremely angry quite like hellfire whenever someone called him ‘Okama’. Not that there was no exception who was allowed to called him that way, but even in those cases, his face wasn’t very pleasant.
But here, Kaoruko who was denounced as Okama, didn’t particularly appear to mind it and was just polishing his nails.
“But, Kaoru-chan, I’m glad that you’re safe…”
“That’s my words. Sachi too, you seem to have become very resolute, aren’t you?”
The handsome man incubus, the beauty succubus. Seeing them rejoicing in each other’s safety in this way, only looked as if they were dream demon siblings, but that might be something close to the truth. Kyousuke had also heard about how the two of them got along since primary school days. By the way, there was also talk about how Sakuma was under impression that Kaoru was a girl until 4th grade.
“By the way, Kaoruko.”
Hakuba was swiveling his head around.
“What are those imps and sahagins, Your menservants?”
“That way of talking, I don’t like it. I wonder what should I say? Well, I can’t deny that I used «Evil Eye of Fascination».”
“«Evil Eye of Fascination»?”
Sakuma inclined her head.
“I called it that but…. Well, there may be other proper name. So like this, if I stare at the other party…. I can make them listen. The effect is temporary, so I have to educate them during that time though…. Sachi, you can’t use it?”
∗Furufuru∗, Sakuma shook her head.
Probably a kind of brainwashing ability. Certainly, it could be said as a naturally usable ability for a dream demon. Was this a racial ability, or was it something extended by Phase 2, Kyousuke didn’t know. Judging by appearance, there were both males and females among the imps, so when thinking that Kaoru was able to charm the other party by crossing over species and gender, it might be the later.
Only, the fact that Sakuma, a succubus, couldn’t use any succubus-like ability so far, was a bothering Kyousuke. If speaking of whether they wanted her to actively use it, the consensus of the boys in the class was that, ‘I don’t really want her to use it’.
Possibly, Sakuma still hasn’t come to terms with her inner face that was reincarnated as a succubus, has she? Kyousuke was thinking such a thing. Since she didn’t want to admit that she was a succubus, she couldn’t use any succubus’ ability. It was a very simple story.
“Well–, anyway, I’ve been wanting to talk to everyone in the class for quite a while. Although I said so, I’m a guard right now so I can’t move. Has Gen-chan returned?”
“He returned. We will bring him along. Akai and Ryuzaki too.”
Kyousuke answered. Sakuma took over the conclusion of his words.
“This one month, various things have happened, various things we came to know so….”
Never was it mean to be only pleasant, that probably had transmitted to Kaoru as well. He warped his handsome face ever so slightly, said shortly «really», and nodded.
“That’s right. There’s something we want to discuss with Welkano-san.”
“Fumu?”
Welkano-shi who was watching the trend of the story so far, incline his head while holding his cane.
“We are also planning to cross the sea after this.”
Sakuma brought up the story.
“Fumu…”
“If possible, we want to go together, but…”
“It’s fairly difficult matter.”
When Welkano responded unfavorably, Kaoru surprisedly lifted his eyebrows.
“Strange. Didn’t you say you want to request me to escort you until you cross the sea?”
“Certainly. But that was because it was just Okama-dono alone. We’re calmly talking in this way, but a situation where skeleton, orc can speak human language and join forces beyond the species barrier was originally something abnormal for us.”
A very reasonable thing they were told. When recalling the first time they met Selena, she had looked at them, toppled over and fainted. Thinking about it now, Kyousuke understood that the merchants gazing at this eerie gathering from a distance was a more normal reaction, and the cordial welcome they got at that Knight Kingdom was actually nothing other than good luck.
But precisely because of this that he still wanted to establish cooperation with these humans no matter what. For 2nd year class 4 who were all but monsters, sailing to the Maritime United Nations Albadanba was a dangerous act, even assuming that Albadanba wasn’t under the Empire’s influence.
“Of course, we too want escorts. There’s no guarantee that you guys won’t attack us and snatch away our merchandise, but well, such guarantee has already flow to the sea together with the escort adventurers.”
What you called adventurers were mercenaries managed by the Adventurer Guild. He had read a little about it in the documents.
Apparently, this situation was that Welkano-shi felt grateful for this proposal but still turning a skeptical gaze at them. He was weighing between the risk of crossing the sea without any escort and the risk of employing an unknown monster corps as escorts.
Since he doesn’t intend to completely rejected this, well, let us try to make some concession as well. But as expected, if we’re to discuss anymore than this, we should bring along Ryuzaki or Akai, Kyousuke thought and looked at Sakuma. Did Sakuma guessed Kyousuke’s idea? She looked over here and nodded.
The situation was already different from Selena’s time. There would be obstacles to talk about their circumstances and everything they knew. Including those, it would be necessary for the representatives to negotiate as expected.
“Then, we will return to the ship once and bring along our representative.”
“Representative,…. If you could teach us what kind monster are they, we will be able to prepare mentally.”
“Dragonewt. Dragonkin. Dragon-face species.”
The fact that she had expressly say dragon-face species was because this world also had dragonewt species that had appearance close to that of human’s. Kyousuke still didn’t read much of Selena’s documents. He was made to realize his lack of study.
Welkano-shi closed his eyes slightly and nodded.
“Understood. I said this just now, but we too want escorts. Let’s pray that we can negotiate well with that dragonewt representative.”
“Thank you.”
Saying so, Sakuma stood up.
“Ah, Sachi, you’re going back?”
“Yeah…. I’m going to call Ryuzaki-kun and Asuka-chan.”
“Really. I’ll be waiting.”
Kaoru laughed, showing his white teeth.
Everyone in this place bowed to Welkano and Remy, then left behind this beach where their ship anchored. They still didn’t know what to do after this, but rather than thinking, it was better to bring back the bright news. The ones who felt relieved wasn’t just Kyousuke alone.
On the way back, Sakuma poked poked Kyousuke’s shoulder.
“Nee, Utsurogi-kun…”
“What’s the matter, Sakuma.”
“I also want a technique’s name…”
“Ha, yes?”
She must want to discuss about the maritime caravan, Kyousuke was thinking, so he unintentionally asked again in a stupid voice.
“Umm, when borrowing Utsurogi-kun’s power, and shoot that amazing magic…. That is, like Hino-kun or Himemizu-san…. A little, cooler…”
Seeing that her downcast face was turning red, she was probably shy. Kyousuke scratched his head.
“I don’t think there’s any problem about naming, but I don’t have any naming sense…”
“Then I have a suggestion.”
Hakuba who was walking a bit ahead, turned back only his neck and grinningly showed his teeth.
“How about Big Burst? It’s perfect for Saa-chan.”
“Big Burst?”
“Yes. If it’s «Evil Flare», then Evil Flare · Big Burst. If it’s «Blow Ash», then Blow Ash · Big Burst, going with that tune…”
“I see…. Maybe cool!”
Sakuma said so with a full face smile, but there was a part in Kyousuke that was a little unconvinced.
No, the part about giving a name was fine. Since it was easy to yell, trying it out and you could bring out quite some spirit. Saying something like «There are many enemies so let’s mow them down with Big Burst» might transmit better than saying «Let’s strengthen magic with Characteristics Amplification» so that was okay.
That was okay, but,
Kyousuke looked at Sakuma who was happily bouncing, then after glancing at a certain place that he usually made sure not to look too much, he timidly started to say:
“How about a bit more … different?”
“Then XL Burst, Giga Burst…”
“No…. As before is fine, Big Burst.”
Was it fortunate that Sakuma hadn’t noticed the hidden meaning Hakuba secretly put in?
Comments
Post a Comment