Four Guys’ Subjugation Journey ①
The Mazan Mountain Range Area.
It’s the small region nestled between Mazan Mountain Range A, the wall of high peaks spreading behind Hydrangea, and Mazan Mountain Range B, another wall of high peaks extending into the neighboring country.
This area is a permanent neutral zone, a harsh environment, and also a treasure trove of Monsters.
Mazan Mountain Range Area. Kurutta Plateau.
At first glance, it looks like a peaceful plateau with beautiful views of the mountains.
“There it is! Ax!”
Hoss shouted.
Ahead of me, a three-eyed rabbit about the size of a dog, with horns sprouting from its head, glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
It bared its fang-like double teeth at me.
Getting bitten by that thing would be worse than just a fatal wound.
“Yeah.”
I replied curtly and readied my sword. Its name is Standard.
And its appearance was indeed, quite standard.
A wooden hilt, rare these days, with a straight, square wooden sword guard.
The blade was a straight, double-edged type. My favorite sword, a typical longsword.
The rabbit, known as a Mud Edge—a Copper Rank middle tier Monster—leapt.
It opened its mouth wide, baring its double teeth, aiming to bite me.
“Give me a break.”
I gave a wry smile and smoothly sliced the Mud Edge diagonally from below.
I felt a slight sensation as the blade hit the flesh of the Mud Edge’s underbelly, cutting it down cleanly.
“Whew, can you even eat something like this?”
I had no desire to eat a three-eyed rabbit.
Behind me, Rell was perched on a slightly protruding rock.
He was picking off the Mud Edges on the slope below, one by one, with his arrows. Cool as ever.
“Hey. Hoss. Where’s Mr. Agaro?”
“Agaro? He charged right into a herd of giant four-eyed bulls, y’know.”
“You mean Hellhorns?”
If I recall, those were Silver Rank middle tier Monsters possessing the [ Hardening ] Relic.
What’s more, they were about the size of a small hut.
Charging into a herd of those? Does he have a death wish?
Just as I thought that, an intense pillar of fire erupted. I knew whose work that was.
Hoss gazed at it and said.
“Reckon Hellhorns are edible?”
“I don’t want to eat some four-eyed bull.”
I said, exasperated.
The Monsters around here have horns and multiple eyes. And they’re ferocious and strong.
Rell returned to our side. Looking at the pillar of fire, he commented.
“He certainly doesn’t hold back. By the way, my tenth sister once devoured an entire bull.”
“That ain’t just big eating, that’s a whole other level.”
“She apparently gnawed and ate them down to the bone.”
“Even the bones?”
“Sure, if you boil ’em down they get soft enough to eat, but still, eating all the bones of a bull is nuts.”
“Speaking of which, do you know the proverb that says if you sleep right after eating, you’ll turn into a cow?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that.”
“Yeah, ‘eat ‘n sleep right away, turn inta a cow,’ we had that back home too. What about it?”
“I realized that must be why my ninth sister, who’s always sleeping, has a chest like a cow.”
“That’s totally wrong!”
“Besides, don’t compare your own sister’s chest to a cow’s.”
Hmph. Rell said nothing, just pushed his glasses up. Sheesh.
Still, his sisters are as amusing as ever.
And I want absolutely nothing to do with them.
“Yooo! You guys!”
“Mr. Agaro.”
Agaro was heading towards us, carrying an enormous, gleaming black horn on his back.
A Hellhorn horn? What’s he planning to do with that?
Well, anyway, Agaro has that Legendary [ Storage Pouch ].
He’ll probably just put it in there.
It’s our eighth day since entering the Mazan Mountain Range Area.
There was the Guild request for Dungeon Exploration, and then the subjugation related to the Dungeon incident we got caught up in various ways.
From these experiences, we keenly felt the need to become stronger to achieve our goals.
So, swallowing my pride, I tried asking The Witch for help.
In response, The Witch introduced me to Agaro.
At first, Agaro was drunk and looked at us like we were a bother.
But after we shared drinks and spoke passionately about our ambitions, Agaro readily agreed to help.
Agaro was strong. The three of us together were no match for him.
What’s more, he never once used a Relic.
As expected of the Tier II Seeker known as “Ruinblade,” qualified to take the First Class exam.
He’s one of the figures whose strength we aspire to reach.
The request Agaro accepted for our sake.
That’s this current mission: the subjugation of the Great Magic Sword Rhino lurking in the Misty Valley of the Mazan Mountain Range Area.
Great Magic Sword Rhino.
A large rhino whose head horn has become a gigantic blade.
Furthermore, that blade is an OOPArts. And of course, it’s adapted to it.
A Gold Rank middle tier Monster.
Incidentally, there are also Lesser Magic Sword Rhinos and Middle Magic Sword Rhinos.
Those are Silver Rank lower and upper tier Monsters, respectively.
The Middle Magic Sword Rhino is a size smaller than the Great Magic Sword, and the Lesser Magic Sword is even smaller.
A Gold Rank middle tier Monster, huh… If it were just us, it’d be absolutely impossible.
Right now, a Silver Rank upper tier Monster is probably the best we can handle. I think even a Gold Rank lower tier would be difficult.
“Alright. Let’s camp around here for today.”
Agaro declared, standing directly beneath a giant rock on the Kurutta Plateau.
The rock was enormous, large enough to make you crane your neck back. We’d been catching glimpses of it ever since entering the plateau.
We set up the barrier stones Agaro provided at the four cardinal points, pitched large and small tents, and prepared a campfire.
Then Agaro took out log chairs and two square white stones from his pouch and arranged them.
“Whoa, Agaro’s Storage Pouch really is somethin’ else.”
The pouch at Agaro’s waist is a Legendary storage-type item.
According to him, it can hold about as much as a warehouse.
He also says it’s almost entirely filled with booze.
“You guys can get one too once you reach Tier III, or around my level.”
Agaro was already drinking.
Hoss was using one of the white stones as a makeshift kitchen counter, preparing food.
He arranged ingredients in a deep frying pan, added water, put a lid on it, and placed it over the campfire.
“Take the lid off once it boils.”
“What kind of dish is it?”
“Steamed dish.”
“Steaming… that reminds me.”
“Sisters again?”
“Which sister is it this time?”
Rell pushed his glasses up with a ‘quip’.
“My third sister was worried about her skin, you see. She heard from our twelfth sister, who knows about such things, that steam is good for the skin. So, she immediately built a campfire and stuck her face right into the smoke, choking violently. It seems she thought steam and smoke were the same thing.”
“Just clumsy, ain’t she?”
“It’s kind of endearing clumsiness, though.”
“Indeed, my third sister often trips, often trips, often overturns buckets and gets soaked, falls into ponds, and falls into pit traps in the catacombs.”
“Catacombs?”
“What’s with these pit traps?”
“It’s my thirteenth sister’s private room. She’s been holed up forever in the venerable catacombs passed down through our family. Sometimes, the other sisters and I go to check on her. My third and fifth sisters often fall victim to the traps set up for those occasions.”
“Are the traps… safe?”
“Before that, I’m more concerned about the catacombs being her room.”
“The traps are non-lethal, mostly pit traps. She’s placed thick cushions at the bottom so no one gets hurt. A kind sister, wouldn’t you say?”
“Then what’s the point of the traps?”
“Less ‘kind’ and more… kinda weird, y’know? Your sisters. Especially the one holing up in the catacombs.”
Seriously, what kind of sister is that?
“Gahahahahaha! Rell’s sisters are hilarious!”
Agaro laughed boisterously. They certainly are interesting, but right.
This is a good chance. Might as well ask.
“Hey, Rell. Among your sisters, who’s the scariest… or rather, the most terrifying?”
“Hmm. Let me see. That would be my first sister.”
“She’s the next Marquis, right?”
“Yes, she’s currently the acting lord.”
“So that’s why she’s the most terrifying? Strict, severe, and serious, wasn’t she?”
She must be the picture of a terrifying noblewoman. However, Rell gave a small shake of his head.
“No. The truly terrifying one is my first sister after she’s been drinking.”
“You mean she gets nasty when drunk, something like that?”
“It’s not on that level.”
“Her personality changes, that kinda thing?”
“Yes, exactly. When my first sister drinks… she becomes a Holy Mother.”
“Huh?”
“Um, is your eldest sister married?”
“No. She’s thirty-three and still single, why?”
“What’s that supposed ta mean?”
“Wait, she’s over thirty?”
“She shows absolutely no sign of wanting to marry, though?”
“Same as my big sis. Though she’s thirty.”
Agaro muttered quietly. Well, that sounds like Arifa-san.
“Once, at a banquet where all the sisters were gathered, she became a Holy Mother. Ever since then, none of the sisters dare to defy her. At that time, my fourth sister, seventh sister, and thirteenth sister were foaming at the mouth and had fainted.”
“What in the world could make that happen?”
“Is that really a ‘Holy Mother’?”
“Somehow… that’s terrifying.”
Mr. Agaro muttered. It certainly sounds terrifying.
But, I always wonder, what is Rell’s family actually like?
There’s politeness even among friends, so while I’m curious, I haven’t asked anything.
Part of it is also knowing it wouldn’t lead to anything good, so I haven’t asked.
And then, the food was ready. It was steamed fish. It was truly delicious.
We’d been eating nothing but meat lately, so the fish was a welcome change.
When we finished eating, Hoss started cleaning up.
Rell built a makeshift watchtower a short distance away and stood guard, bow in hand.
Mr. Agaro and I were drinking slowly across the campfire from each other.
It was unusual for Mr. Agaro, who usually preferred drinking contests, I thought.
“Speaking of which, how’s your ofukuro-san doing?”
“…She’s doing well. By any chance, Mr. Agaro… do you know her?”
“Yeah, she helped me out back when I was just starting.”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it…”
“Many Seekers were helped by Emi-san. My older sister too. I’m grateful.”
“…Um, there’s something that’s been bothering me. Why is Ofukuro… why is Kaasan still Tier II? She should easily be capable of reaching First Class by now.”
“About that… I asked her when I met her before. She said it’s a self-imposed penance.”
“Penance…”
“—She said she couldn’t face something important to her and ran away. As penance for that, she’ll remain Tier II forever.”
“………”
“Well, you should ask her directly for the details. You’re her son, after all.”
“Yes… I definitely will when I see her.”
“Do that. Well, there’s that debt of gratitude, but the biggest reason is your guys’ spirit. Aiming for the top even without Relics. Isn’t that interesting? Makes me want to support you. And… I also felt envious.”
“Envious?”
What did he mean?
Mr. Agaro poured more alcohol into his cup and spoke while gazing into it.
“It’s not like I hate who I am now or anything. But I just thought. Just like you guys can’t possess Relics, I can’t lose mine either. So I can’t take on a challenge like yours. Thinking about that a little, I felt envious.”
So that’s another way to look at it.
Now that he mentioned it, it’s true that as far as I know, you can’t lose a Relic.
So you can’t become Relic-less. I never even considered that.
Well, that makes sense. Normally, nobody would think about wanting to get rid of their Relic.
This was getting interesting somehow. In that case, let’s add more.
“Mr. Agaro. I’ll tell you something that’ll make you even more envious.”
“What is it?”
“Do you know about Relic Plates?”
“…You…”
“Someone found one and gave it to me, saying I could use it. But I refused.”
“What, you refused…!? You. Really? Relic Plates are incredibly rare…! Don’t you guys want Relics?”
“Not at all. Being Relic-less is our pride right now.”
I could say that with confidence. I really like who I am right now. I really do.
Hearing that, Mr. Agaro downed the alcohol in the cup he’d been swirling and staring at in one go.
“Gulp… Phaah! I give up. Ax. Just like you said… I’m seriously even more envious of you guys now…!”
Saying that, Mr. Agaro drank more alcohol and grinned.
I suddenly looked up at the sky. The stars were sparkling so brightly it felt like they could fall down at any moment.
Ofukuro. No, Kaasan.
I like the me I am right now, the me without a Relic.