novelTrying Out Meeting the Feudal Lord - (6)
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Part 8
The border of Faltra City's Southern District and Western District──
Emil's Adventurer comrades restrained the four attackers.
They also secured the carriage that the attackers prepared and were now preparing to escort them.
Whether it be how his comrades were close by or the restraining tools and skills, it were as if they had come prepared to arrest someone.
Diablo asked a question to Emil.
「You were lucky to have passed by, weren't you? Was it a coincidence? 」
「It wasn't a coincidence, my close friend. I know the whereabouts of women in trouble by smell!」
Rem and Shera took about three steps away from him.
Only Alicia expressed a smile, though she did line up with Diablo.
Diablo breathed a sigh.
「Don't do anything that will make you get arrested by the State Knights, got it?」
「O, of course, that was a joke! The truth is, I heard that a bounty was placed on Shera-chan by Prince Kiira at the Adventurer's Guild. 」
「He really did something foolish. 」
「Something like kidnapping is a felony but...... The bounty is one hundred million F. It's an outrageous amount of money. And so, thinking that this would lead to trouble, I searched for Shera-chan together with my companions. 」
「Hohou? In other words...... You're also aiming for Shera's bounty, is that it?」
「There's no way I would do that! I am the ally of women. I absolutely won't allow something that would make Shera-chan sad! It was to protect Shera-chan from the idiotic fools!」
So that was the reason.
Concerning Emil, it would probably be alright to trust him.
He was a guy that could prioritize protecting women over his own life.
Diablo nodded.
「That was superb work. 」
「Fufu...... For me, I was trying to do this as thanks for your assistance the other day. That potion was amazing. After all, on top of healing all of my wounds then and there, I had enough energy to make me not feel sleepy for three days and three nights. 」
What Diablo gave to Emil was one of the highest grade potions that would invalidate Bad Statuses for a fixed amount of time in addition to fully recovering HP and increasing parameters.
How he was fine without sleeping was probably because, in the game, 《Sleep》 was one of the Bad Statuses.
Though, he felt that stay up all night for three days and three nights was conversely not good for the body.
Also, it seemed that the fixed amount of time in this world was much longer than in the game.
In the case of the potion that he gave to Emil, at most, it should have been effective for about three minutes. To think that it continued on for three days.
──When compared to the game, it seems that this world has a lot more trouble collecting ingredients. Is it balancing things out by making the effects that much bigger?
There was a need to verify this.
One of Emil's companions reported that they finished the preparations for the escort. It seemed to be a young boy wearing a white robe.
「I guess it's about time to take those guys away. 」
「What do you plan to do with those guys? Although it was only an attempt, it was kidnapping. There is a State Knight right here, you know?」
Alicia nodded.
Emil shook his head left and right.
「People won't change with a fine and labor. Just leave those guys to me. People that make women cry need to disappear from this world. 」
「Are you going to kill them?」
「You sure do say some dreadful things, don't you...... In regards to how women should be treated with care, I will strictly put those teachings into them until they understand it from the bottom of their hearts! Until they become good citizens that would never make the mistake of kidnapping women ever again!」
「Hmph...... In that case, it will be even worse torture than being burned by the flames of purgatory. I shall allow it, execute them as you please. 」
「Though it's not execution, it's teaching them about love! Well then, I'll be going but...... These guys aren't necessarily the only ones dazzled by the bounty. Be careful on your journey. 」
Shera rushed over to him.
「Emil, thank you!」
「It's fine, I'm glad that you're safe. And please don't misunderstand, the Adventurers of this town are your allies, okay?」
「Yeah, to everyone also, thank you!」
Rem bowed.
「...... Including how you protected me from the Demonic Being the other day...... I misunderstood some things about you, Emil. 」
Alicia made a salute.
「The target that I was supposed to guard was almost kidnapped. I am truly thankful. 」
Emil smiled showing his white teeth.
「Fufu, there's no need for thanks! Good grief, it would seem that I've captivated women once again! I'm also quite a sinful man!」
While making a loud laughter, he headed towards his companions.
How Rem and the others' facial expressions dimmed from his final words is a fact that he didn't know of.
Shera slightly tilted her head.
「Although I do think that Emil is a good person, I wasn't captivated, you know? Did anyone else?」
「...... He isn't a bad person but...... if possible, he's a person that I don't want to get too deeply involved with. 」
Rem breathed a sigh.
Alicia muttered.
「Haa...... This is why men are so...... 」
That was a pretty harsh evaluation.
──Well, something like a girl falling for you just because you saved them a little is just an illusion.
He thought that a girl in love is something that only existed in games and anime. He had never seen one in real life.
Going "oh, that's right", Diablo called Shera over.
「What is it, Diablo?」
「Don't separate from me. Stay beside me. 」
「Eh? Is that alright?」
「It would be a pain if you were kidnapped again. 」
「Hand...... Your hand...... 」
「Nn?」
「Is it alright...... if I, hold your hand?」
「I see. Even if a crowd of people, if we are like that, it will be hard to aim for you. Though, there is a possibility of being targeted by an opponent that would try to cut my arm off in a single stroke...... 」
「Hii!?」
Shera closely hugged his left arm.
*Gyuu gyuu*, her breast pressed against him.
Diablo's tough arm was buried in between her two soft bulges. Her body temperature was transmitted to him.
「Uu...... 」
「U, um...... I'm thankful, for how you saved me before, you know?」
「The one that saved you was Emil, wasn't it. 」
「But, the one that beat those people's companions was Diablo, right? Also, you were just about to catch up to us. Although I was really scared...... I thought "Ahh, if it's this person, I'll definitely be saved" and was able to feel relieved. 」
「...... Don't feel relieved before you get saved. You are much too optimistic. 」
「Ehehe...... 」
*Gui gui*, Shera pressed her breast even more.
「It's hard to walk. 」
「I mean, it'll be dangerous if we get separated, right~?」
「But still...... 」
His real thoughts were 『Please stop inserting my arm into those oversized breasts. My sense of reason feels like it's going to break. 』.
As they walked, they looked like they gradually strayed to the right side.
At that right side──
This time, Rem came close to his shoulder.
Though, since he held the 《Trial-Make Great War Scythe》 in his right hand, she didn't try to wrap around his arm.
His shoulder was touched.
*Jii*, she stared at him with upturned eyes.
「...... I was surprised. So you were really that fast. 」
「Nn? Ahh, something like that is only natural. 」
「...... Although I thought that the Adventurers that attacked were quite experienced, you overwhelmed them in both physical strength and speed...... To have such strength even without using magic...... As expected of you. 」
「I am not a Magician, but a Demon King after all. 」
「...... Yes. 」
Rem gazed at him with eyes that seemed to sparkle.
It looked like she trusted him.
Since he would be just like Emil if he got carried away and did something that would make him say to himself "You went and raised your majesty as a Demon King, didn't you!", Diablo kept his mouth shut.
──It's not like it has anything to do with being a Demon King after all.
It was simply the result of their difference in level.
If he were to have a contest of strength with a Warrior-type of the same level, he couldn't win no matter what he did.
To begin with, a Demon's STR was low. Their AGI was also low.
With the considerably rare and high powered equipment known as the 《Hollow of Jet Black》, his parameters were raised, but even so, it was only about equal to that of a level 60 Warrior.
Going by the outward appearance of Emil's new armor and weapon, he remembered their performances. When he did the calculations, they were about the same. If they had 《Martial Arts》 in proportion to that, the opponent might actually have the advantage.
──Also, there's the difference in experience with personal battles.
One can't win just by having high abilities. Surely, if it were against an opponent that trained their Player Skills, there was the possibility that it would have been a closer fight.
If an opponent of that degree were to appear, he should probably use magic. It would be foolish of him if he were to lose from holding back.
To the right side of Rem, Alicia lined up with them. Since the pedestrian traffic had been greatly reduced, they had enough space to walk in a row.
「Diablo-sama...... I am really sorry about before...... To allow an attack from behind despite acting as the rear guard...... Just how should I apologise...... 」
「You are misunderstanding something. 」
「Eh?」
「Don't get conceited and think that everyone seek your ability from you. I am the Demon King Diablo...... Not once have I thought that I wanted your aid. 」
In reality, if it weren't for Alicia's quick wittedness, the Dwarf and the Pantherian attackers might have gotten away.
Going by that movement of hers, he could tell that the sword at her waist wasn't just for decoration.
However, if she persists in "trying to be useful" too much, he would get tired.
"Hard workers" were the natural enemies of "lazy people". His own self-loathing would get stimulated, and his energy was steadily reduced.
It would be fine if she obediently recognised him like Rem did, or if she relied on him like Shera did, but when he would be told 「I'll work even harder」 by Alicia, he would want to leave everything to her and sleep at home.
Alicia, who most likely had nothing but owners of such back turning, no good mentalities around her up until now, made a bewildered face.
「...... In...... In that case, just what should I do in order to be of use to you, Diablo-sama?」
「Are you, one of those people? Are you the type that thinks that people of no use should die?」
「Eh!? Th, that isn't...... that isn't true at all!」
Unexpectedly, she strongly denied it.
It was probably natural since protecting the weak was a duty of the State Knights.
「In that case...... Even if you yourself are of no use, you should forgive yourself...... If you wish to accompany us, do as you like. If you do, you don't have to try to bear results either. 」
「R, right...... 」
He said that hoping that Alicia's shoulders would relax, but since he was a poor talker as usual, her face became pale.
Was this too difficult for an honors student that always worked hard up until now?
However, for Diablo, since he was doing his best at his own special pace, with her working so hard that it seemed like it she was challenging the limits of humanity right beside him, being shown that was...... quite honestly, just heavy.
In order for him to maintain his concentration on this quest, he wanted to ask Alicia to have a bit more of a slow paced speech and behavior.
He didn't know if he had aptly conveyed his thoughts but......
Alicia nodded.
「I understand. I will endeavor with all my might to forgive myself even if I am of no use. 」
It was no good──
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