Chapter 15: Encounter 01
We arrived at the border with Oz and the Mecalinan checkpoint fortress in just one day.
After camping near the fortress, I showed the pass I had received from the Marquis to the soldiers the next morning, and we were able to pass through the checkpoint without any trouble.
Before us lay the formidable mountains, so imposing they looked like a wall. This was the mountain range known as the “Demon’s Teeth,” which stretched across the border between Mecalinan and Oz.
Following the only narrow path carved through the mountains, we crossed a steep pass, and below us, we could see the checkpoint fortress on the Oz side. Beyond it, vast farmlands spread out across the plains.
At the Oz checkpoint, simply stating my name allowed us to pass through almost effortlessly. It seemed that word of my arrival had already reached them.
As I stepped through the gate into Oz, I was surprised to find all the members of “Soul’s Guidance” waiting for me. The high-speed carriage we had used was parked nearby, indicating they had arrived by that means.
“Soushi-sama!”
The first to leap into my arms was Freinir. She wrapped her arms around me, clinging tightly with almost all her strength. Her face buried in my chest trembled, likely from tears.
“Soushi-sama, Soushi-sama, I’m so glad you’re safe… Please, don’t ever leave me again. I beg you, Soushi-sama…”
“I’m sorry for making you worry. As you can see, I’m fine. Did you manage to stay healthy, Frei?”
As I gently stroked her golden silk-like hair and rubbed her back, I could feel the strength of Freinir’s embrace gradually easing.
“Yes, Soushi-sama, but my heart has been so heavy… I couldn’t sleep.”
“I see. From today onward, you can sleep soundly, so don’t worry.”
“Yes, Soushi-sama, yes…”
Given Freinir’s “Dependency” skill, I knew she must have suffered the most during my absence. It seemed likely that we would be sleeping together for a while.
“Welcome back, Soushi! I was worried about you!”
Next to hug me was Larni. I hadn’t been overly concerned about her, but it seemed she had been keeping an eye on me more than I realized. She squeezed me tightly before burying her face in my chest, sniffing my scent, and then pulling away.
“I believed you’d come back, but I was still anxious.”
As she spoke, Sfenia leaned against me as well. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, but she was so delicate that I felt like I could break her with just a touch. She looked up at me with her beautiful face, and I found myself at a loss for words.
“I’ve already heard about your exploits, Soushi-san. Please tell me more about it later.”
Mariane’s tone was as usual, but she leaned against me, suggesting she had her own feelings about my return. Despite her usual expressionless demeanor, I had come to understand that she was quite an emotional woman.
“Soushi-dono! I’m so glad you came back!”
Finally, it was Shizuna, who had been holding back tears while waiting for me. She hugged me with such force that her horns nearly jabbed into my chest, but thankfully, my “Tough Body” skill activated just in time. As I rubbed her back like I had with Freinir, she gradually calmed down and released her hold.
Once the round of reunions was over, Sfenia took my hand.
“We have much to discuss, but first, let’s board the carriage and head to the capital. It seems the High Priestess has a reward in store for you.”
“Understood. Frei, let’s go.”
I urged Freinir, who was still clinging to my arm, and we began walking toward the carriage.
Inside the carriage, I decided to exchange information with the members.
However, Freinir remained half-asleep, still clinging to my arm. For some reason, the other girls also stayed close to me, refusing to let go. While I was pleased to be relied upon as their leader, having these young women clinging to me was both a joy and a source of trouble.
“Actually, we couldn’t sit still, so we decided to enter a dungeon by ourselves,” Larni said, sniffing my shoulder.
“How did it go?”
“It was fine up to Class D, so there were no issues. But without Soushi, we felt unstable, and our strength was noticeably diminished.”
“Soushi-san’s ‘Vessel of the Commander’ skill seems to have a significant effect. It’s clear that ‘Soul’s Guidance’ revolves around you, Soushi-san,” Sfenia added, with Mariane and Shizuna nodding in agreement.
“I led another party in Mecalinan once, and it seems they also experienced the effects. As Mariane said, ‘Vessel of the Commander’ appears to influence many.”
However, it seemed that the common soldiers of the Marquis’s army had not seen much combat, so the effects were unclear there. In a way, that was a relief.
“Just as the records of the ancient heroes say… Soushi-san, we must report this to the Grand Master.”
“I’ll leave that to you. It seems the Marquis of Mecalinan has already caught wind of it, so there’s no hiding it.”
“Understood. By the way, is that Marquis the one known as Marquis Lagantz?”
“He’s quite sharp. I was impressed.”
“I want to hear more about what happened in Mecalinan. It concerns Oz as well. Of course, I want to know about what happened inside the ‘Gate to Another World’ too.”
In response to Shizuna’s words, I recounted everything I had experienced.
The “Other World,” the “Demon,” carrying the boy Ryusha, participating in the Marquis’s army to capture the Royal Capital, and the mysterious mage-like figure Isunani who summoned the “Lich Legion” and the “Candlestick of the Netherworld.” When I laid it all out, it felt like a flood of information.
Everyone listened with a mix of understanding, surprise, and disbelief, but when I finished, they all sighed in unison.
“I figured you’d be up to all sorts of things, but this has exceeded my expectations,” Larni said, sounding exasperated, and Sfenia nodded deeply.
“Indeed. The situation in the ‘Other World’ is fascinating, but to think you’ve become a hero in Mecalinan as well. I can’t help but say, as Frei would, that it’s impressive.”
“But I wish I could have been there. It would have been amusing to see the soldiers surrender at the sight of Soushi.”
“It wasn’t that fun. It was a battlefield, and everyone was desperate. But I do think I went a bit overboard this time. If word of this gets out, it could lead to quite a bit of trouble. Mariane, is there any issue with having participated in the civil war?”
“It doesn’t violate the guild’s regulations, and from what I’ve heard, it seems you helped the Master of the Mecalinan branch, so the guild will likely have to reward you. However, your involvement in the change of the throne in Mecalinan and breaking down the Royal Capital’s walls alone could raise suspicions among the nobility and the royal family.”
“It might be best to keep a low profile for a while.”
“That’s unlikely. Once we return to Gal-Oz, the recent ‘Demon’ incident will likely lead to ‘Soul’s Guidance’ being praised widely. After all, it was the work of the ‘Messenger of the Spirit Queen.'”
“Ah, I suppose that’s unavoidable…”
As long as the rewards were monetary or in the form of medals, that would be fine, but if they started talking about titles or lands, it would become a hassle to refuse. I wasn’t even sure if I could refuse, but I was determined to continue being an adventurer.
“…Umm, Soushi-sama…”
Freinir tightened her grip on my arm and mumbled in her sleep. I gently stroked her head while glancing at Sfenia and Mariane.
“By the way, do you know anything about the ‘Candlestick of the Netherworld’ that I mentioned earlier?”
“No, I’ve never heard of it.”
“I don’t have knowledge beyond that of a guild master. I will report to the Grand Master, so perhaps we can learn more then.”
“I see. While it’s good that Mecalinan is changing, I feel like more troubles are piling up.”
As I sighed, Mariane seemed to share the sentiment and nodded deeply.
“Indeed. With the ‘Demon,’ the ‘Kin of Twilight,’ and the increase in monster appearances in the ‘Wandering Dungeon,’ there are multiple unsettling issues arising, and now we have the matter of the ‘Candlestick of the Netherworld.’ If this information spreads, the Grand Master and the leaders of various countries might become quite restless.”
“That seems likely.”
When I laid it all out again, I couldn’t help but feel anxious about the state of this continent. Moreover, since we were involved in all of it, we, “Soul’s Guidance,” couldn’t remain uninvolved either. The only thing we could do now was to grow stronger.
…I felt like I hadn’t reached this conclusion in a while. It reminded me of when I first became an adventurer.
As I reminisced for a moment, Larni sniffed my shoulder again.
“By the way, I can still smell a woman’s scent coming from you, Soushi. And it smells like a woman in heat. What’s going on?”
Her sudden comment made the atmosphere inside the carriage tense up immediately. Freinir woke up, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop as the other four girls turned their gazes toward me.
However, I was the most surprised. I hadn’t expected anyone to pick up on the scent from two days ago. Still, calling it “a woman in heat” felt rather rude.
“Ah, that’s probably from the Marquis… maybe.”
“The Marquis? You mean to say that Marquis Lagantz is a woman?”
Sfenia leaned in closer, her expressionless face somehow making her look intimidating.
“That’s right. Actually…”
Fearing that hiding the truth would lead to losing the trust of my party members, I recounted everything that had happened two nights ago. However, I refrained from mentioning the part where she said, “I wouldn’t mind being a concubine,” as that would be disrespectful to the Marquis.
It seemed they were at least somewhat satisfied with my explanation, and the tense atmosphere relaxed a bit.
Sfenia’s expression also softened.
“I see. The Marquis may have had the intention of keeping you close, Soushi-san.”
“That’s what I think, but…”
Still, considering that she had said she wouldn’t mind being a concubine, it felt like there were emotional reasons behind her actions as well. It seemed unlikely for a noble to have a concubine, but… asking about it could lead to trouble.
“As long as you declined, it should be fine. You have no intention of pursuing that, right, Soushi-san?”
“I have no plans to stop being an adventurer for a while, and I’m not considering marrying anyone at this point.”
When I stated this firmly, Larni leaned in closer.
“That’s good to hear. Soushi is very important to us, so please don’t make such decisions on your own.”
“Yeah, as I said before, I consider the party to be family. I wouldn’t decide something like that without telling everyone.”
At that moment, Freinir, who had been gazing up at me, spoke softly.
“I will follow you, no matter what, Soushi-sama. Even if you tell me I’m unwanted, I will still stay by your side.”
“Don’t worry. I would never say I don’t want you, Frei. So just relax.”
As I stroked her head, Freinir seemed to relax and snuggled back into my arm, falling asleep once more.
After that, until the carriage took a short break, the party members remained close to me, refusing to let go. While Mariane was an exception, the others were still at an age that could be considered underage in Japan, so it was understandable. While I was happy to be relied upon, as an older man, I felt an increasing need to be cautious.