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Chapter 341: Takatsuki Makoto heads to the remote village (2nd Part)
Chapter 341: Takatsuki Makoto heads to the remote village (2nd Part)
Chapter 341: Takatsuki Makoto heads to the remote village (2nd Part)
*Chirp Chirp*
I woke up to the chirping of birds.
“…Zzz.”
I heard someone sleeping at my side.
It is Lucy wrapped up in a thin blanket.
Maybe because Lucy is not wearing anything, I could clearly see the contours of her body from on top of the blanket.
“……!”
The memories from last night play back in my mind.
(Last night, with Lucy and Sa-san…) (Makoto)
I coughed from remembering that.
“Ah! So you woke up, Takatsuki-kun. Good morning~.” (Aya)
Sa-san spoke to me while I was in my thoughts.
“G-Good morning, Sa-san. You woke up ear—” (Makoto)
You woke up early, is what I was about to say, but choked on my words.
“What’s the matter, Takatsuki-kun?” (Aya)
Sa-san was smiling in her usual apron attire.
But something is different from usual.
It is as if she is not wearing anything aside from the apron…
She must have noticed my gaze.
Sa-san’s smile turned into a teasing grin.
“What’s the matter, Takatsuki-kun, who was that intense last night~?” (Aya)
“Eh…?” (Makoto)
“So you were a wolf on the bed, Takatsuki-kun.” (Aya)
“W-Was I?” (Makoto)
Honestly speaking, I wasn’t really calm at that time, so I don’t remember it much.
Sa-san laughed with a ‘fufufu~’ and didn’t answer.
“Fuwaah…” (Lucy)
Lucy woke up to our voices.
“…Good morning, Makoto…Aya…” (Lucy)
Lucy seems to still be half-asleep here.
Lucy was going ‘hngh’ and stretching…while obviously naked.
I hurriedly looked away.
“Geez, Lu-chan, you are as weak to mornings as always. Come on, go take a shower!” (Aya)
Sa-san pushes Lucy to the shower room.
Not long after, sounds of water rang.
“…Aya, let’s go in together~. Wash my body~.” (Lucy)
“Hey! Lu-chan, I have taken a bath already!” (Aya)
“Just take another one. Come on, take it off, take it off.” (Lucy)
“Hey, don’t undress me~! Don’t touch weird places.” (Aya)
I could hear the lively voices of Lucy and Sa-san.
I finished preparing the table that Sa-san left halfway done with the cheery and noisy voices as BGM.
I should clean my body and clothes too.
—Water Magic: [Washing].
I create foggy water and wash away the dirt off my body and clothes.
It saves time going to the bath, and it is a good spell that allows me to concentrate in training, but it is not popular with the girls.
It wasn’t seen that favorably by Lucy, Sa-san, and even Anna-san and Momo 1,000 years ago.
Johnny-san praised it saying ‘it is a convenient spell’.
“Fuuh, sorry for the wait, Makoto.” (Lucy)
“Takatsuki-kun, you helped out with the preparations?! Thanks!” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san came back from the shower room with their bodies letting out steam.
“Time to dig in~.” (Lucy)
“You eat too, Takatsuki-kun.” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san sat as if sandwiching me.
And then, the two of them began eating breakfast.
But I didn’t move.
“…Uhm…Lucy, Sa-san?” (Makoto)
“What’s the matter, Makoto?” (Lucy)
“Not having an appetite?” (Aya)
The both of them were directing worried gazes at me, but that’s not it.
“Do you not have clothes?” (Makoto)
Lucy and Sa-san came out from the bath with only towels wrapped around their bodies.
““?””
The two look at me, who is all stiffened, in wonder.
No, why are you two so nonchalant looking like that?!
(No, why is it that you are not okay with it, Mako-kun? You are not a virgin anymore.)
A baffled voice rang in my head.
This voice is…
(Eir-sama?) (Makoto)
(You had fun last night, right??) (Eir)
She said something outrageous.
(Y-You were watching?!) (Makoto)
(I wasn’t watching because I wanted to. I had to because of the orders of Althena-neesama. Aah, I’m so sleepy.) (Eir)
(Please don’t watch!) (Makoto)
Such a breach in privacy!
(Ahaha~. More importantly, you bed two girls in one night, and yet, you are still so innocent. You are so cute, Mako-kun?.) (Eir)
(Isn’t that fine?! More importantly, stop peeking!) (Makoto)
I complained to Eir-sama.
(Aah, I still have more work to do. So busy~. Can’t someone help me out~?) (Eir)
The thought transmission of Eir-sama was cut off with those last words of hers.
Ugh…so what happened yesterday was seen, huh.
“Makoto, hey~, are you listening?” (Lucy)
“Who are you talking to, Takatsuki-kun?” (Aya)
The two noticed that I was talking to Eir-sama.
I didn’t do anything bad though.
“No, it is nothing. Let’s eat.” (Makoto)
I eat the salad, ham, egg, and slices of bread toasted with a magic cooking tool.
They were all a delight.
I finished eating in a heartbeat and moisten my throat with cold milk.
‘Fuuuh’ -I sighed.
“Now then, for today…uhm, Lucy? Sa-san?” (Makoto)
By the time I noticed, the two of them had grabbed my arms tightly and were not letting go.
“Hey, Makoto, work begins tonight, right?” (Lucy)
“There’s still time, right, Takatsuki-kun?” (Aya)
“Uuh…and what if there’s time…?” (Makoto)
There’s no response.
I was once again pushed down by Lucy and Sa-san whose eyes had a glare in them.
My lips were stolen by the two of them just like that.
It was a continuation of last night.
(Eir-sama might be watching us again…) (Makoto)
I got uneasy about it, but I soon stopped caring.
Sa-san and Lucy were too cute.
…Is it really okay to lead such a debauched life?
?Evening that day?
*Don! Don! Don!*
~? ~? ~?
*Talking crowd*
I can hear the sound of the village festival from afar.
They are all excited and they look like they are having fun.
I was checking the state of the village with Farsight from the small island at the Shimei Lake.
“Makoto, you want to participate?” (Lucy)
Lucy asked.
“I won’t. We have work to do.” (Makoto)
I responded with a bitter smile.
I am interested in the festival, but outsiders like us participating would only make us stick out.
Most of all, I have been keeping company with Lucy and Sa-san since last night and this morning, so I am terribly sleepy.
I still need sleep even when I have become a God, huh.
“But the festival will go on for a few days, right? Wouldn’t the sacrifice be brought out on the last day?” (Aya)
“Well, that would normally be the case. But we have come to keep them in check, so I don’t think they will be so open about it.” (Lucy)
“Then, we have to keep watch.” (Aya)
Sa-san and Lucy were talking to each other as if used to this.
These two who have plentiful experience as adventurers really are reliable.
My adventures 1,000 years ago were pretty rough too, but rather than calling it an adventure, it was more like a survival against Demon Lords.
We kept a lookout in shifts and observed the state of the village from our tents.
Nothing happened in that while, and night passed.
At the time when the day was about to change…
“There’s movement!” (Lucy)
Lucy let out a sharp voice.
The village’s festival has gotten pretty quiet now.
It was right at the time when our guards had lowered a bit.
“…A small boat is heading deep into the Shimei Lake. There’s 3 adults and 1 child riding the boat. The child is probably the sacrifice.” (Aya)
Sa-san, whose eyes are sharp even at night, told us this.
“What should we do? Stop them?” (Makoto)
“No, I think they will just try to wriggle out of it.” (Lucy)
“Then, we should catch them red-handed.” (Makoto)
“Right!” (Lucy)
“Then, let’s go!” (Aya)
We 3 nodded and began moving.
—[Stealth].
Lucy, Sa-san, and I walk on the surface of the lake while using the God Rank Stealth skill.
Walking on the surface of water is easy with water magic.
The boat arrived at one of the bigger small islands around the Shimei Lake.
There’s a small forest at the center of the island.
They got down from the boat and disappeared into the forest.
Our vision was blocked and we couldn’t tell what was going on anymore.
{What do we do? If the monster called Water God-sama is in that forest…} (Makoto)
{It is okay, Makoto. There’s no presence of monsters on that small island.} (Lucy)
{But I am worried about the child. Let’s approach slowly.} (Aya)
Lucy and I nodded at what Sa-san said.
We approached that small island while taking a long turn from the boat they used.
{Ah, look! They are coming out.} (Lucy)
{The child that was with them is not there anymore!} (Aya)
{Did they leave him as a sacrifice…?} (Makoto)
It unfortunately seems like the rumors are true.
Sacrificing people is against the law in the Water Country.
But we are not the police, so we can’t apprehend the villagers.
That’s the duty of the Templars.
The 3 adults on the boat slowly got further and further away from the small island.
At the same time as they did, we disembarked on the small island while still keeping the Stealth.
The small island that’s around 100 meters in diameter had trees growing thickly at its center.
We head deeper in while pushing our way through.
There’s a small altar at the center of the forest.
There’s a single torch placed at the garden lantern, and there’s a child tied up with ropes at the side of it.
It seems like he has lost consciousness.
“This is bad!” (Aya)
“Let’s help him out!” (Lucy)
Lucy and Sa-san jump out faster than me.
‘Sha!’ -Sa-san shouted as she cut the rope with a knife hand.
Lucy had the child drink a potion.
“……Hn.”
The child woke up.
“Hiiih!!”
The child screamed the moment he saw us.
“It is okay! We are your allies.” (Lucy)
“We have come here to save you on the request of Princess Sofia.” (Aya)
“Sofia-sama…?”
The child was scared at first, but after looking at both Lucy and Sa-san’s faces, he made a questioning look.
And then, he looked at me.
“We came here after hearing that this village has a tradition of sacrificing humans. We assure your safety. That’s why, can you please tell us?” (Makoto)
“……Okay.”
When I asked this, the child began talking with a grim face.
??
According to the child:
-He is without doubt a sacrifice.
-His parents died due to an epidemic, and ended up living in the house of an influential person of the village.
-They apparently sacrifice children with no relatives like him to the Water God-sama every few years.
-It is true that there’s a Water God-sama religion in the village, but it is mainly in order to reduce the mouths to feed.
“I see… Thanks for telling us such a painful story.” (Makoto)
I thanked the child and stopped him from saying anything more.
It is unfortunate, but it seems like the tradition of sacrificing humans still remains.
Moreover, the monster that’s being hailed as Water God-sama exists, and it is certainly protecting the village.
When monsters attacked the village in the past, there have been cases where the Water God-sama has defeated them.
And the identity of this monster called Water God-sama is apparently…an Ancient Dragon.
An Ancient Dragon with beautiful watercolor scales.
“An Ancient Dragon, huh…” (Makoto)
It is one of the strongest types of monsters in the West Continent.
A remote village probably wouldn’t be able to do a thing to it.
“Makoto, what should we do from now on?” (Lucy)
“It would be better to have this child take refuge somewhere safe…” (Makoto)
“You must not! If I am gone, the Water God-sama won’t appear! And then, the next candidate to be sacrificed will be brought here… Even if I were saved, the next child would be…”
What a kind child.
Even though he has been chosen as a sacrifice, he is worrying about the other ones.
“Got it. Then, let’s wait for the Water God-sama here.” (Makoto)
The moment I said that…the surroundings suddenly got darker.
I noticed soon after that it was because a giant creature was right closeby, blocking the light of the stars.
“Makoto!” (Lucy)
“Takatsuki-kun!” (Aya)
—Destiny Magic: [Mind Accel].
I activate the spell as soon as Lucy and Sa-san let out hurried voices.
I directed my gaze up, and an Ancient Dragon with beautiful water color scales was looking down at us at some point in time.
If it managed to get this close to us without me, Lucy, or Sa-san noticing, it means that it must have used some high ranked spell.
Also, judging from the story of the child about it demanding sacrifices as a price for helping them, it must have intelligence.
It is not like it is threatening the villagers.
It showed that it can protect the village, and created a tradition of human sacrifice.
I think that’s pretty sly.
It took around 0.1 seconds to think all that.
I should be able to call a Great Water Spirit and hit it with a preemptive attack with a big water spell.
But I hesitated in doing it.
The alarm of my Detection hasn’t been going off from this Ancient Dragon for a while now.
In other words, there’s no killing intent.
(Should I try talking with it?) (Makoto)
It is still in a way the guardian deity that protected the village in exchange for sacrifices.
I am a bit against subjugating it no questions asked.
I undo the Mind Accel.
The Ancient Dragon is not attacking as I thought.
“Wait, Lucy, Sa-san.” (Makoto)
I stopped the two who were about to attack the Ancient Dragon.
“…Eh?” (Lucy)
“But…” (Aya)
I stopped the two confused girls with my hand, and approach the Ancient Dragon.
Now then, what should I say? -is what I was thinking, but…
“Eh? Ain’t that Makoto-san-ssu ka?!! It has been a while-ssu!!”
An unbelievable light tone came out from that splendorous Ancient Dragon.
??
“…And so, is this Ancient Dragon an acquaintance of yours, Makoto?” (Lucy)
“Takatsuki-kun~, introduce us~.” (Aya)
“I am the young Ancient Dragon, Lukich. Since the day I was frozen in Laberintos 1,000 years ago by Makoto-san, I have been unable to go against Makoto-san-ssu.” (Lukich)
““……””
It was such a light tone that it flustered Lucy and Sa-san.
By the way, the child had lost consciousness after seeing the Ancient Dragon.
Sa-san had caught him before he fell and was nursing him.
I pull out my memories from 1,000 years ago.
If I remember correctly, he was…
“I remember now. If I remember correctly, you are the Ancient Dragon that was at the deepest floor of Laberintos the first time I went with Anna-san and Momo, right?” (Makoto)
“That’s right-ssu!! You remember now?! I was hiding in the shadows of everyone at that time, but I was frozen together with everyone by the Undines of Makoto-san.” (Lukich)
‘Hahaha’ -Lukich laughs as if nostalgic about it.
I felt the same way, but this isn’t the time to be all chummy.
There’s an important talk here after all.
“Lukich-kun, I have come here on the request of the Rozes princess in order to investigate whether there is still a human sacrifice tradition left here. Is there no doubt that you are receiving sacrifices from the village?” (Makoto)
I asked in a serious tone.
““……””
Lucy and Sa-san are listening in silence.
Now then, what is his answer?
He may be a nostalgic acquaintance of mine, but if he is eating residents of the Water Country as sacrifices, I can’t just laugh it off…
“That’s right-ssu yo!! It is getting really packed-su yo. Please come.” (Lukich)
He didn’t notice my serious tone, the tone of the Ancient Dragon was the same.
“Troubled?” (Makoto)
“The villages around here are giving me sacrifices at fixed times, but what do I even do by getting those? That’s why I try to return them to the village, but the children of the villages would say they don’t want to return because there’s no place for them there anymore. It couldn’t be helped, so I took care of them until they grew up and could be independent, but it is pretty rough, you see… Well, the children that I took care of would at times come back to greet me and show how outstanding they have become, so there’s some fun in that, but…what should I do about this-ssu ka ne?” (Lukich)
“““……Eh?”””
The words of the Ancient Dragon not only made me let out my voice in surprise but also Lucy and Sa-san.
“You are…looking after the children that were offered as sacrifices?” (Makoto)
Why?
“Obviously-ssu yo. Didn’t you and the Mother Dragon-sama say 1,000 years ago-ssu ka? You said that, from now on, Ancient Dragons and humans will be getting along in the West Continent.” (Lukich)
“Y-Yeah…I did say that.” (Makoto)
The Mother Dragon-sama is Mel-san.
She was the lord of Laberintos at that time.
“Ancient Dragons hold their pride in keeping their promises after all! I swear on the Destiny Goddess-sama that I have not attacked humans once in 1,000 years-ssu yo!” (Lukich)
Lukich-kun puffs his chest out.
Lucy, Sa-san, and I look at each other’s faces.
{Makoto, is what this Ancient Dragon saying true?} (Lucy)
{It is true that we did make that promise 1,000 years ago. But whether they kept it or not…} (Makoto)
{Then, can’t we just have him let us meet the children he is looking after?} (Aya)
{Right, Sa-san. Let’s do that.} (Makoto)
“Lukich-kun, can you let us meet the humans you have been looking after?” (Makoto)
“Okay-ssu yo. Wanna get on?” (Lukich)
We decided to accept the offer of the Ancient Dragon and rode on his back.
??
“We are here-ssu.” (Lukich)
Lukich-kun guided us to his dwelling.
Practically in the middle of the Shimei Lake, a big island was hidden by barrier magic.
A big residence stands there on that island.
Lukich-kun transformed into a human after he let us down.
A tall young man with looks like that of a model.
He is more than 2 meters tall.
It seems like Ancient Dragons end up tall when they transform into humans, including the White Dragon-san.
“The Water God-sama.”
“Welcome back.”
People came out from the residence one after the other.
From what I can see, it is a young group of children with some being in their teens.
“Who are they?”
“New sacrifices?”
“Their outfits are really nice even though they are sacrifices.”
“From today on, you people will also be the family of the Water God-sama!”
“““……”””
We fell silent at their words.
Yeah, no need to even ask.
Lukich-kun took care of the Water Country children that were offered as sacrifices.
Even so, there’s a lot!!
Looks like it wasn’t only the village we went to. He was also taking sacrifices from other villages.
The darkness of the Water Country is showing here…
“Thanks, Lukich-kun. For keeping your promise with me…no, for doing even more than that.” (Makoto)
“What are you saying-ssu ka?! You are the Legendary Hero that defeated the Great Demon Lord-ssu yo! What I am doing can’t even compare.” (Lukich)
Lukich-kun did a hearty laugh.
By the way, the Great Demon Lord he is speaking of referred to the one 1,000 years ago.
As for the one of the present day, it seems like he wasn’t too aware of it.
“What should we do, Makoto?” (Lucy)
“Wouldn’t it be better to consult with Sofi-chan?” (Aya)
“Yeah, you are right.” (Makoto)
I look around at the Ancient Dragon and the children.
Lukich-kun is loved by the children.
And they probably don’t want to return to the villages that offered them as sacrifices.
(The investigation is over, but it seems like it will take time for this to be solved…) (Makoto)
I felt bad for the hardships Princess Sofia will have to pass later.
??
“Makoto, Aya and I will be returning to the capital of the Water Country. We will explain the situation to Sofia at that time, and confirm the next action to take.” (Lucy)
“This child said she will come with us to serve as a witness.” (Aya)
“I-I will be in your care!”
The one holding hands with Sa-san is the oldest within the residence of the Ancient Dragon.
She had been offered as a sacrifice before, and has been living here since then.
“And so, since I can’t Teleport with too many people, the limit I can bring is 2 people. Can you wait here, Makoto?” (Lucy)
“I don’t mind staying here too, Lu-chan.” (Aya)
“If I do, you would put a hand on Makoto, so no.” (Lucy)
“Stingy. Isn’t that fine?” (Aya)
“I won’t forgive any getting ahead. Then, let’s go!” (Lucy)
“Eh, already?! Takatsuki, we will be goi—” (Aya)
The three of them disappeared.
Looks like they teleported.
I was left there.
I suddenly got sleepy now that I am alone.
“Can I rest somewhere?” (Makoto)
I asked the owner of the residence, Lukich-kun.
“Of course-ssu yo! The rooms in the residence that don’t have a name plate are open rooms, so you can use them as you please-ssu.” (Lukich)
“Thanks.” (Makoto)
I thanked him and entered the house.
When I went up to the 2nd floor, there were a number of open rooms there.
There was a simple bed in the room and I laid there.
I was assailed by drowsiness the moment I closed my eyes.
??
The next moment, I entered the land of dreams.
(I fell asleep so fast!!) (Makoto)
I was surprised by my own speed of falling asleep, but now that I think about it, I barely slept a wink last night.
And then, I once again observe the dream world.
Looks like this isn’t your regular dream.
When I looked around, there was a sight before me as if I had entered a fairy-tale. A pink carpet and a whole lot of dolls were busily working.
But it is actually a black company that runs 24/7.
I am all too familiar with this place.
—The space of the Destiny Goddess, Ira-sama.
“Oh? Takatsuki Makoto?” (Ira)
Ira-sama, who was writing with her pen at her office desk, looked at me.
“Did you need anything from me, Ira-sama?” (Makoto)
“Need you for anything, you ask…?” (Ira)
She sighed heavily as if she were baffled by my question.
Hm?
Did I make an appointment with Ira-sama?
“No, not me, but your Chief God.” (Ira)
“What about Noah-sama?” (Makoto)
I went to greet her around 1 week ago.
I heard that she is normally with the Water Goddess after the seal was broken.
I tilted my head and Ira-sama continued speaking.
“She seemed to be in a bad mood.” (Ira)
“Eh?” (Makoto)
Noah-sama is a whimsical person, but she rarely shows her bad mood to the front.
She might have been trying to look good in front of her believer though.
“Listen here. Go show your face to Noah already, okay? This is a divine order.” (Ira)
“Eeh. But I am currently looking after—” (Makoto)
“Go at once! You are a God and the lowest one!” (Ira)
“Tyrannic!!” (Makoto)
I tried, but it was pointless.
I can’t oppose Ira-sama due to the hierarchy of Gods.
Ira-sama is the only one who blatantly abuses her power on me though.
And so, my next divine order is to meet Noah-sama who is in a bad mood.
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?Comment Response:
]Aaaah! The chastity of Makoto…lol.
?There were also a lot of other comments about the virginity of Makoto.
I had to make him a ‘man’ already, so it can’t be helped.