Ikana Village
Chopping down trees, transporting them, and assembling them. It sounds so simple when you say it, but once you actually start, it’s far from easy. First, I realize just how amazing the house I used to live in was. I’m grateful to be in Ikana Village, where my father and the villagers are helping me decide the layout of our new home.
“Is it alright if the bedroom is for two people together?”
“Yeah, we always sleep together anyway.”
“In your case, since you won’t be having children, let’s assume it’s just the two of you living here, so the layout should be…”
“Huh? We’re married now, so we’ll definitely have kids, right?”
My father froze in place. My mother, the village chief, and Mr. Bongo from the neighboring house, who had come over to tease us, all wore very serious expressions. Did I say something strange?
“Lua, children can’t be born from two girls, you know?”
“Eh?! W-Why not?!”
“Why not, you ask… Hey, you.”
“Don’t look at me for answers… I’m sorry, I didn’t educate her properly.”
Only Kurinka and I were left in confusion. My parents fell silent, clearly awkward about the whole situation. The fact that children can’t be born from two girls hit me hard. Now that I think about it, how did my mother give birth to me?
“I’m so glad you two have made it this far…”
My father firmly grasped my and Kurinka’s shoulders. It felt odd for him to say something like that now. The villagers gathered around us looked at us with pitying eyes, which was a bit frightening.
“Kurinka, you can’t have kids?”
“Of course we can! If we try hard enough, we definitely can!”
“Right! We managed to conquer the Abyss Cave because we never gave up! We can have kids too!”
“Alright, alright, that’s enough of that. Let’s focus on the layout…”
I had left my father behind as he tried to concentrate on the house design. While Kurinka discussed the layout with him, I began processing the wood I had been asked to work on. Most houses in Ikana Village are log cabin types, built by combining logs. So, I shaped the logs as instructed. Perhaps because I was using Disballade for this, a faint Dark Aura began to emanate from the sword, but I suppressed it with sheer force. I reminded it, “You belong to me, so obey.” The Demon Sword twisted its aura as if to show its rebellious attitude, but then it quieted down.
It was originally crafted by the Demon Race, so it probably doesn’t want to be used for something like this. But since it chose me as its master, it has to comply. As Hans would say, if a weapon starts to look down on you, it’s all over.
“Alright, it looks nice now.”
“Wow! As expected of Lua-chan!”
“Indeed, normally this would take several days to complete. It’s not something I should mention now, but to think you’ve grown this much during the ten-year gap we didn’t know about…”
My father stroked the log in admiration. Compared to monsters, logs are fragile enough that I have to be careful not to break them. The length hasn’t been decided yet, but this should make the work much easier.
“The air is nice here; living in nature is the best.”
“The Royal Capital has delicious shops and is convenient too, right? Lua-chan?”
“…Speaking of the Royal Capital, I wonder what’s happened since then.”
What’s more serious than the damage to buildings is the state of everyone’s hearts. Even after Vandalsia’s death, the fear hasn’t disappeared, and when I try to explain it, they don’t believe me. Some even get angry, which makes it difficult. Everyone keeps calling Vandalsia “the great Lord Vandalsia,” and just when I was at a loss, a savior appeared.
“If it weren’t for the aid from the Kingdom of Metallica, this country might have been on the path to ruin.”
“They provided not only food and supplies but also quickly set up the necessary facilities for living. Normally, it would take years to repair buildings, but they fixed everything in no time with strange machines…”
“There was nothing we could do.”
Genia has been leading the charge, working tirelessly for the reconstruction. I couldn’t believe it when I heard that the Ballad Continent, which had been devastated by the beasts from the Garden of Beasts, had already been fully restored. But seeing it with my own eyes confirmed it wasn’t a lie.
“But you know, doesn’t it seem like the timing is just too perfect? Those people are gathering information from all over the world using the ALEX system, right? It’s almost as if they waited until everything was over to show up…”
“You’re overthinking it. Genia was really kind, and she’s not thinking anything strange.”
It’s true that if those people had been around, we could have reclaimed the Royal Capital from Vandalsia much sooner. But if they smiled and said we couldn’t sort out the domestic chaos, what could I do? I don’t want to think that the Kingdom of Metallica is plotting something. Even Noibranz, which is a major power, has stopped its war and retreated quietly. After the weakened King managed to recover enough to stand, the King of Noibranz formally declared his surrender in front of the leaders of the occupied nations, Negesta and Normitz.
“I can’t believe that the almost isolationist Nation of Noibranz attended the five-nation conference and even admitted defeat…”
“Hmm, they must have been really scared of Rulud.”
Seeing a disaster incarnate like that would make anyone tremble in fear. But where has Rulud gone since then? There’s been no information at all. While I feel relieved, it’s also unsettling.
“I hear that as an apology, the Nation of Noibranz is cooperating with the reconstruction.”
“Really?! Is that true?”
“Of course, they haven’t brought in any weapons or Servants, and it seems to be quite helpful. They were just attacking us until recently, but it seems like the Kingdom of Metallica can’t handle everything on its own…”
“…More importantly, that king should be helping his own country.”
I want to say that, but I can’t just butt into a meeting between nations. If Kurinka hadn’t been there, I would have barged in and said it myself. I was scolded quite seriously for almost causing an international incident because of Lua-chan. I couldn’t say anything because it was too true, and more than anything, I was sad to be scolded by Kurinka, which made me shed a few tears.
“Technically, the Nation of Noibranz is treated as a defeated nation, so the King of Kashiram boasted that he slapped plenty of favorable conditions on us during the conference. Plus, the king is going to personally step into the country and get involved in politics.”
“So that means?”
“It means he’s going to reform the chaotic politics of that king.”
“Is that even possible?!”
“I don’t know if it’s possible, but there are many historical examples of it happening.”
“As expected of the Battle King…”
I want to apologize for laughing at the class name “Battle King.” The Battle King is the epitome of a Battle King. I’ll make sure to apologize next time.
“By the way, Lua, what’s your class name?”
“Huh? I’m a Swordfighter.”
“…What an incredible Swordfighter you are.”
“I’m a Priest!”
“That’s right. Just like Kurinka-chan became a Priest, you should aim to become a Sword Master at the training center. That way, your Adventurer Card will look much better, you know?”
When I looked at my card again, the word “Swordfighter” did stand out awkwardly. Ord is a High Lancer, Gantetsu is a Warrior, and Seigel is a Dragon Hunter. There are also Sky Hunters and Assassins, all of which sound so cool. I feel like I’m the only one who sounds lame.
“If you reach S-rank, you can officially choose any class name you want. For you two, the country would probably come begging to you.”
“But if I have to listen to everything the country says, then I wouldn’t be able to stay in Ikana Village… I want to live here with Kurinka. Just the two of us, without anyone bothering us.”
“Right?”
“…Speaking of which, the S-rank slots are already filled. It might be a different story for a major power like the Nation of Noibranz, though.”
Just as we bumped our heads together, my father let out an exaggerated sigh. What’s with that? He does this with my mother all the time.
“Lunch is ready!”
“Oh, it’s already lunchtime. It’s your mother’s special lunch, you two.”
“Don’t be shy! We’ll join you! I’ve prepared plenty myself!”
“I’ve got the drinks ready too!”
“Village chief and Mr. Bongo…”
That’s right, this is the scenery of Ikana Village. We eat lunch together without holding back, then get back to work, and at night, my father, a little tipsy, sings his off-key songs. I sleep in a warm bed and wake up to a refreshing morning. Kurinka is here, and I wonder if there’s any happiness greater than this.
“I’ve got food for Nemea too. Come here, sweetie.”
“Mom, did you give the Blast Chimera a name?”
“It would be cruel to keep such a dangerous name forever. Besides, this little one has a different personality for each head. The left one is grumpy, the middle one is always sniffing around, and the right one is very clingy. Look.”
“I… I never thought it would get attached…”
“Isn’t it a lovely name, Nemea? Lua, you take forever to name things…”
“It’s named after the legendary lion monster said to have battled the Divine Being. Good choice, as expected of Mom.”
I never imagined it would bond with anyone other than us. To think it could be tamed so well while we left it in the village. It had shown its fangs to the Beastkin, after all.
“I want to take this little one to town, but that might be a bit much…”
“Oh, but Kiki has a giant bird with her, right? The Kaiser Eagle, was it?”
“I heard she went through a lot of trouble to get permission from the Kingdom and the Adventurer’s Guild. Once things settle down in the Royal Capital, should we try it too?”
“Oh, today’s lunch looks extravagant!”
Ikana Village has a river, and if we venture into the mountains, we can gather wild vegetables. If it comes down to it, we can hunt for game too, so food is never a problem. I’ve come to realize that my father and the others didn’t just move to this remote area without thought. After parting ways with the Demon Lord, they carefully chose this spot to build a village—somewhere hidden yet perfect for living. This was that place.
There’s no way lunch made in such a location wouldn’t be delicious. I have to secure my share in advance, or else Kurinka will eat it all.
“Kurinka! No!”
“Yikes! I never thought the day would come when Lua-chan would say ‘no’ to me…”
I successfully defended my Gougou Bird’s salt-steamed roast. It’s scary to think this isn’t even intentional on her part. She claims she wouldn’t do it to anyone else, which makes it even scarier. Maybe it’s because of the Dragon’s cells, but she seems to be eating even more than usual lately.
“Ahahaha! What a perfect day for drinking, eh, Juke?”
“Bongo, you’re definitely overdoing it…”
“You’re just like Gantetsu…”
“Ahaha! Ah… haha…”
“See? I told you…”
Bongo, sitting cross-legged, suddenly lies down. It’s not unusual for him to pass out from drinking too much.
“Well then, time for another job… but I’ve been feeling sluggish lately…”
“Oh dear, could it be an illness?”
“If it is, that would be troublesome… Haha, ha…”
As my father tries to stand, he loses his balance and falls. I rush to support him just in time, but something feels off. His entire body is burning hot, and upon closer inspection, his breathing is ragged.
“Father?! You’re burning up?”
“Haha, it seems I might have a cold… I’m sorry, but today’s work ends here…”
“Father!”
My father completely loses consciousness, and the suddenness of it makes my arms go weak. The village chief and my mother rush to help him, but sweat beads are forming on his forehead, and it’s alarming.
“What should we do? Kurinka…”
“Um… I don’t think it’s just a cold…”
“But it doesn’t seem like a cold… Kurinka?”
“I’m sorry, I feel kind of… suddenly…”
As I catch Kurinka, who has also fainted, I realize she’s burning up just like my father. This can’t be happening. Why is this happening?
“Village chief! What on earth is going on?!”
“Let’s carry him home for now.”
“Right, and we should take Bongo too… Bongo?”
“Ugh… it hurts…”
He’s not just drunk from the alcohol. He’s suffering from a high fever like my father and Kurinka. I’m at a loss for what to do. Even if we carry them home, will they get better? What is happening to my father, Kurinka, Bongo, and everyone else?
“Kurinka, you can heal them with the Power of Regeneration, right?”
“It… doesn’t seem like it… cough, cough, cough!”
“Ugh! No! Don’t die! Not you, Father! Not Bongo!”
“Calm down…! It’s times like this when we must remain composed…”
“But the village chief looks pale too?!”
“I’m fine, I’m fine…”
His words fall flat as the village chief collapses to his knees. My mind is starting to go blank.
“Stay calm! First, we need to warn the villagers not to eat anything else!”
“Shin! Right…”
I look for those working in the fields and the children playing outside. I try to gather everyone who’s safe. But upon closer inspection, I realize there’s no one left. There should still be people working at this hour.
“Could it be…?”
“Stay calm. We need to head to the Royal Capital. The people of Metallica must know something.”
“Why can’t I use healing magic…?”
“Stop with the whining for now. If Kurinka’s Power of Regeneration can’t help, then we need to act even more urgently.”
It’s not just whining; tears are already spilling. I’ve never felt this shaken before. Anxiety breeds more anxiety, and my heart races uncontrollably. I need to calm down first. After that, I’ll ride Nemea to the Royal Capital. I can’t tell if running or riding Nemea would be faster. Either way, I’m sure Genia will find a way to help us.
“Shin, let’s go.”
Yes, Lord Hast should still be in the Royal Capital. I wonder if Lord Daigami has already returned to Azuma.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Don’t panic, don’t panic.
In times like this, I’m glad to have Shin around, so later I can reflect on this strategy.
These experiences make me appreciate Shin even more.
Hehe.
Suddenly, my body feels heavy, and I think I might have a slight fever.
I’ll take a little nap.