Episode 81: Unexpected Potential

“Haa…”

At a certain magic training center within the Demon Tribe Nation, Ota sighed with melancholy.

“In times like these, shouldn’t a beautiful girl magician be my teacher? Or maybe a loli old hag who ends every sentence with ‘no ja’?”

Ota was agonizing over the most trivial things imaginable.

And that reached the ears of the instructor currently teaching Ota magic.

“Am I not satisfactory?”

The instructor was apparently a soldier. Being a magic user, he didn’t have the muscle-bound physique of a Human Tribe soldier, but he had an intimidating presence befitting someone who had lived on the battlefield for many years.

To put it bluntly, he was a very scary-looking middle-aged man.

“A-ah, no! That’s not what I meant! You know, in stories and stuff, romance sometimes blossoms with the teacher who’s guiding you at times like these…”

Hearing those words, the instructor let out a deep sigh.

“What do you think training is? Even if the instructor were a woman, something like that wouldn’t happen.”

The instructor intended to lecture him on his attitude toward training, but Ota took it another way.

“Eh!? There’s a female instructor!?”

Whether he didn’t understand the words that followed or deliberately ignored them, Ota reacted strongly to the fact that there was a woman.

The instructor felt anger rising to the point where veins popped on his forehead at that reaction.

However, it was Snail, a close aide to the Demon Tribe Nation King, who had requested that he teach magic to this Ota.

He had to avoid yelling at this frivolous man here and having him get sulky and refuse to undergo magic training.

But he couldn’t consider making a woman the instructor for that reason.

If a woman were the instructor, Ota would undoubtedly lose focus on the training and devote his energy to getting on good terms with the instructor.

(He’s truly a frivolous guy. Why did Snail-sama order me to guide someone like this…)

While feeling anger at Ota’s frivolous words and actions, the instructor somehow suppressed his anger and faced Ota.

“Even if there is, I’m the one who’s been entrusted with your training this time. There will be no change.”
“Ah, is that so…”

The instructor, overcome with exasperation rather than anger at Ota, who was visibly crestfallen before his eyes, resumed training with Ota while letting out another deep sigh.

“How is his training progressing?”

Several days after starting Ota’s training, the instructor was summoned to Snail’s office to confirm the progress of Ota’s training.

Receiving that question, the instructor reported the progress to Snail with a complicated expression.

“Honestly, his magic improvement speed is extraordinary. His Magic Power is unbelievably high as well. If he didn’t have that personality, I’d want to scout him for the military. What is he? Who is he?”

In other words, he was saying that because of his personality, he was not fit for the military.

Receiving the instructor’s report, Snail also gave a wry smile and answered the instructor’s question.

“He’s a Summoner from another world summoned by the Human Tribe. It’s only natural that he has a lot of Magic Power.”

Hearing that, the instructor’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

“A Su-Summoner!? That’s! Isn’t that the archenemy of us Demon Tribe!!? Why are you trying to train such a fellow!?”

For a Demon Tribe member who didn’t know the circumstances, it was unthinkable to train a Summoner, the archenemy of the Demon Tribe.

The instructor, wondering if he had been saddled with such a job, Snail told him the circumstances.

“Don’t make such a face. Our archenemy is, first and foremost, the Previous Summoner, Kenta Maya. And then, the one who was summoned after him… what was his name again?”
“Mitsuhiko Nara.”
“That’s right, that’s him. But, he’s a Summoner who was summoned together with Nara, but he was abandoned by the Human Tribe as useless. At least, he hasn’t caused any damage to us yet.”
“…A Summoner, with that much Magic Power, and useless?”

The instructor, who knew the reality of Ota, was greatly perplexed because he couldn’t understand the situation.

With that amount of Magic Power, he could rise to the top even in the Demon Tribe Nation.

Ota had that much potential.

“The Intelligence Unit’s report seems to be accurate. He was banished from the Royal Castle, couldn’t become an explorer, and was even kicked out of Admos after causing trouble with a clinic in town.”

Hearing Snail’s words, the instructor had a rough idea.

Ota was banished, couldn’t gain companions, and was kicked out because of his delusional tendencies and womanizing personality.

“Having been with him for a few days, I think you’ve realized that he’s quite the womanizer.”
“That’s… yes.”
“So, I gave him some bait.”
“Bait?”

Snail was wondering whether to tell this story to the instructor or not.

However, the instructor seemed to have doubts about giving Ota magic training.

In order to dispel that, he judged that it was necessary to reveal the truth here as well, and decided to reveal it this time.

“Actually… it seems that Princess Meileen is alive.”
“Eh!? Pri-Princess Meileen is!?”

At the shocking truth that jumped out of Snail’s mouth, the instructor’s eyes widened even more than before.

While harboring irrelevant thoughts such as, “His eyeballs are about to pop out,” Snail continued to explain.

“That’s right. And, it seems that dissatisfaction among the nobles towards His Majesty Mekido has been increasing recently. Support from the military is still high as ever, but… I don’t think His Majesty, who is ignorant of politics, can prevent the nobles from ousting him from the Throne if they get serious.”
“H-haa…”

Even after hearing that much, the instructor still tilted his head, not understanding the meaning.

“This information about Princess Meileen’s survival is, for the time being, being suppressed only by His Majesty and those around him, but it’s certain that it will leak from somewhere. Perhaps it has already reached the ears of the nobles.”
“! I-in that case, isn’t it inevitable that the nobles who want to overthrow His Majesty will move to secure Princess Meileen!!”
“That’s right. That’s why we want to secure Princess Meileen before that. That’s what Ota is for.”

He understood the background of why Snail was trying to train Ota, but the instructor didn’t understand why he chose Ota for that.

“But, why him? Certainly, he learns magic quickly because of his high Magic Power, but… honestly, I don’t think he’s necessary to secure Princess Meileen…”
“That’s the thing.”

After saying that, Snail let out a small breath and said as if spitting it out.

“The Princess seems to be with the Previous Summoner, Kenta Maya.”
“!!?”

The moment he heard those words, the instructor felt a chill run down his spine.

Kenta, the greatest enemy of the Demon Tribe, who had defeated all of the Demon Tribe’s elite and even the strongest king of the previous generation, was sheltering Meileen.

That meant that securing Meileen was the most difficult mission.

“…A-and that’s why Ota…”

To the instructor who finally understood, Snail gave a small smile.

“I’ve asked Ota to rescue the imprisoned princess. He’s dreamy and loves women, so he must have imagined a romance with the rescued princess, and he accepted the request immediately.”
“Hahaha…”

The instructor, who had judged Ota to be a womanizer with delusional tendencies after spending the last few days with him, despised Ota again, realizing that Snail had the same impression.

“With the potential of a Summoner, he might be able to beat Kenta Maya. Even if he loses, he’s neither Human Tribe nor Demon Tribe, so no one will grieve even if he dies. Besides, he’s from the same hometown as Kenta Maya. Maybe he can negotiate well and secure Princess Meileen?”

Hearing those words, the instructor was impressed by Snail’s multiple layers of strategy.

“I see. Understood. Then, I’ll train Ota at all costs and make him strong enough to beat Kenta Maya!”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

Hearing Snail’s words, the instructor saluted and left the room.

Seeing him off, Snail remembered that there was something he hadn’t told the instructor.

“Come to think of it, I forgot to tell him that Princess Meileen may already have a child with Kenta Maya.”

A faint smile floated on Snail’s face as he said that.