119-119
2.04
Hi!
When Lelia, who has a serious, gloomy face, stands up and assures him, the bottle of soda on the table, which may have been trapped, wobbles and then falls over, scattering on the floor. At the sound of the glass shattering, Lelia gets teary-eyed and slumps her shoulders, "How am I always like this.......
Beside Serara and Lelia, who were trying to clean up the mess while comforting her, it was her sister who started to speak this time.
''Ritka and the others were living happily every day in the underground empire, but then one day, all of a sudden, bang! I heard a loud bang and the doorway collapsed. But I didn't care too much, I just lounged under the kotatsu everyday.
Underground Empire" is a fancy name, but in reality it's just a dungeon.
Incredibly, these sisters live in a dungeon called the Great Hollow of Nenokuni in the Izumo region. This has been the case since Shiroe started the Elder Tail.
I have an idea that the entrance to the dungeon has collapsed.
The Great Nenokuni Hollow was refurbished in the expansion pack, Scouts of the Dawn, and some areas of the dungeon are no longer accessible. --This is the home of the Clankotsu sisters, who were characters from the past who missed out on the wave of the expansion pack. That's why Naotsugu, Akatsuki and the other mid-level adventurers don't know her.
It's not that there aren't hard quests like Amaldor's Scales, but in recent years they have been on the decline. However, in recent years, they have been on the decline. In Elder Tail, the level cap has been raised to 90, the initially difficult quests at level 50 or so are being reworked or rebalanced, and extremely unpopular quests are being scrapped.
The same is true of the girls, who are unknown to adventurers these days.
From an adventurer's point of view, they are a sad and nostalgic (or headache-inducing, to say it in a Tetra's way) sisterhood of the ancient species, but I didn't expect them to be living deep underground without paying much attention to it.
Eat mochi! Eat oranges! Please eat oranges!" "Please eat nee-sama and stroke your ears! I was trying to be.
Ritka declares with a relaxed smile, and Naotsugu tweaks her, "New Year's Day?". I totally agree with you as Shiroe.
'When I'm full, I doze off. The mushroom gratin was delicious, but I fell asleep and fell asleep, then I felt faint...
'I'm ashamed to say that I overslept.
It's amazing how much these sisters have derailed.
Shiroe thinks about that with half an eye.
But if that's the case, then the girls had already entered a reclusive life (actually, they were locked in) by the time of the eight expansion pack?
Hey! You didn't wake me up!
That's because Ritka doesn't go to bed properly and sleeps in the cot.
Phew! Phew!
Hey, Master, Litka! Shiroe watched them frolicking with each other, while she continued to ponder the situation. But if that was the case, then the sisters had slept through the moment of the Catastrophe. If they had fallen asleep from the Sandrillon Legacy expansion pack, that would be fifty years in this world's time. That's a tremendous amount of time.
"I woke up in the dark and saw that the cave had collapsed and I was buried in it.
It seems to be that way as well.
It's like these guys are wolf tuskers, but when they get their tails up, they look like cats.
'The character is so blurry. Hmph. That's second-rate.
However, beside Shiroe's such seriousness, the guild members were relentless in their impressions.
''Somehow, I hesitate to call you Ritka-sister or Lelia-sister.
What does Toya have to say about that, Sisters?
Perhaps feeling responsible for Tetra's stern opinion, the younger male duo of Touya and Rundelhaus come to the defense...................seemingly not much of a follow-up. Still, these two have gotten along well together, Shiroe smiled a little.
Shiroe herself is aware of the fact that she's always getting help from Naotsugu, even though she's pathetic. So she was happy that these two younger people were apparently good friends.
'No, no, no, no? I'm not that much of a sleeper, you know. Litka's a decent kid when it comes down to it.
The chaotic thing is that they don't wait for me here. Naotsugu's comment, "You can't say that line yourself," was also a bit lackluster.
"Because, because. And then that big black thing came. Ritka and the rest of the underground imperial guards all fought that black thing! They were so strong......... The heroes of the Knights of the Guard, Mash, Fungi, Enoki, Borchini........ They were all wounded and fell down........
A group of knights with an extravagant name appeared, but in reality they are neutral monsters such as the Running Mushroom (Mykonid) and the Dancing Mushroom (Ngoronoki). The Underground Empire is a dungeon, and Ritka, who claims to be the Emperor of the Underground Empire, is actually a "forest spellcaster" (druid). Rather than a group of escorting knights, they were her summoned creatures, or even her henchmen, if we take it lightly.
Moreover, considering that they were all mushroom monsters, it would be more correct to interpret them as mushroom farmers rather than commanders of armies.
When I was at the Elder Tail, I was even treated to grilled mushrooms.
'Why are you fighting with just Litka! What's wrong with me, Ritka!
Nephew was drooling in his sleep.
Litka. You just sit there for a minute! I'm sitting. Shiroe thinks about it while listening to her sister and sister's tongue warfare with each other, saying that they are eating mustard.
''Is that a recent thing?''
'Yeah, I know. It hasn't been ten days.
Shiroe nodded at Ritka's words as she responded with a muggy cheek.
'And it was a massive battle (raid)?'
The monsters in the underground empire were attacking them. All the monsters in the underground empire turned on the enemy and attacked them, and Ritka and the others fought hard, but they attacked us night after night, and that's how we escaped! I fought a big one, too. It was called Ereinus.
Shiroe nodded.
It's a good thing that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about the fact that you're not going to have to worry about it. They have the ability to communicate to the extent that they can talk to each other, albeit to a different degree. It was a painful failure of the Talikutan war that this was not always possible to understand.
''What? I wasn't just running from a cliff fall!
You weren't with the entire Order, ne'er-do-well!
I didn't know that Litka had been abandoned at last...
The two sisters, who started arguing with each other, were fighting over a side dish, but by comparison, the older sister still seemed to be a little more calm.
(I can smell the hardship...)
I'm not happy about it, but my sensors, which have recently become very sensitive to spotting my peers, told Shiroe about it.
-- "You can't have a fight." "But I want fried food too! 'Ah! Ah!!!! Hey, princess.
However, when I see the two girls and the youngsters jostling each other in a lump like that, I feel like it's not the same thing to calm them down or scold them.
It's not true. It's not a child's fault. Muu.
Shiroe understood at Tetra's words, which made her cheeks puff out.
Tetra was right, they were children.
When Elder Tail was a game, their unprincipled and selfish behavior caused some of the adventurers to resent them, but now that they are in a different world, it's only natural to see them as a matter of course.
It is true that they were an ancient species, the Order of the Ismo, and although they were high level for that time, they were also young earthlings. It's not surprising that he's clumsy, noisy, and gets in the way of the adventurers.
That's why (,,,,,,,,,,,) they met Minori and the others (,,,,,,,,).
Shiroe felt a small shiver in her heart at the discovery.
He didn't know what it meant or what it was worth, but he had the realization that this realization was the true point.
'Nde. Sisters. Is that black thing coming towards us?'
It's huge!
'I don't know, but you all helped me out because I was just about exhausted after one fight.
It was her sister Lelia who answered Naotsugu's question, but the information sought was Minori's supplement to Minori's "What we found was the
The small Kananagi, which had been detected by Shiroe's slightly flickering gaze, had told me in a nutshell where they had been picked up.
The Isle of Harmocross is a sandbar in the river, near the High Coast of the Eight Canal.
The area around Akiba is arranged in a mosaic of small areas, so you have to go through quite a lot to get to it, but if you came from the west and reached the Isle of Harmocross in less than a few hours, Akiba was already in sight. Right under my nose.
So it's a reasonable expectation that it's coming our way.
Naotsugu's words were about the black and big one they were referring to, i.e. the path of Ereinus.
'There will be no other destination to aim for in this vicinity.
The words that he continues to say are valid, and I can't think of any reason or need to come all the way from the Sanyo region to a place like the Isle of Harmocross to bypass Akiba. If that was just a few days ago, then it's safe to assume that they're going to attack tonight.
''That's why Ritka and the others didn't just run away!
'Special Envoy. A secret messenger to warn you of the danger! I was never just hungry...
Goooooo.
...there's plenty more to go. For now, you should eat to build up your strength.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Nee-sama should eat this greens salad. Ritka will eat it.
'Litka! You can't eat vegetables. I've got a child's tongue.
An unknown monster of the large-scale combat class. Canonical disasters.....
At this point, Shiroe decided that.
He had seen Ritka's pride and joy, the Knights of the Underground Empire Guards, in his quest.
They were a group of level sixty-five monsters. The Adventurers, who could freely use their numerous special skills and fight with tactics, were stronger than the monsters of the same level. They could be calculated to be roughly five levels higher. The underground imperial guards of the Knights of the Underground Empire, which should have been on the scale of twenty-four (full raid), are comparable to a large scale battle (raid) group of sixty levels of adventurers.
Shiroe was relieved.
The new enemy is much lower level than the Summoned Taliktan.
The size of the raids is also about the same.
Also, this time, thanks to Lelia and the Litka sisters, we are ahead of the game in terms of information. The enemy seems to be coming towards the coast from the west.
Of course, that doesn't mean that it is possible to build an absolute defensive battle, but there will be enough room to warn the
In Elder Tail, the level difference is quite large.
A monster with a level difference of five or more would not gain experience even if it won a battle. This means that it is possible to win in battle without much effort against a level lower than five or more.
Likewise, battles against higher level opponents will have a large negative compensation for hit rate and damage. This means that you can only fight against an opponent of a higher level with a great deal of ingenuity, and if the gap between the two is five, you won't be able to deal any damage unless you have the help of a very high-level item.
The level of Lelia and Ritka, displayed by the 〈Adventurer〉 ability, was sixty-five.
The fact that the two of them were able to escape even if that companion fell, and the fact that they were able to fight and have a good match for a while, shows that the enemy's level is not too far from sixty-five.
(Highest estimate is seventy. Then....)
You don't need to rely on the Black Sword Knights, D3, or the Westwind Brigade.
This is a power gap that can be overwhelmed by level, and the adventurers of Akiba can compete with even the most junior members recruited in the square.
That's how big a gap there is between the levels of the Elder Tail. In that sense, this enemy is quite advantageous and easy to take advantage of. Compared to the approach to the Abyss, this one is dozens of times better.
"My lord, my lord.
What? The "Akatsuki
Akatsuki, who hadn't lost his shyness, called out to Shiroe in a small voice.
'Is that it? You want to keep it... to live in it?
However, seeing the way his eyes sparkle, it doesn't seem to be unpleasant. It's more of a welcoming atmosphere, but Shiroe is at a loss for words at the thought of the direction of that welcome.
'Akatsuki-chi. I didn't pick up a dog, you know.
That's right. I'm very proud of my dog.
Miss Isuzu!
The team leader's intercession was a breeze. It seems that this evening's feast is an all-out bacchanal. Including Shiroe, there are nine people in the Record Horizon. Including the two sisters, who were our guests of honor, there were also eleven. And yet, the topics of conversation at the dinner table were splashing around like pinballs, getting more and more chaotic. It's a dizzying rush, but everyone's expression is cheerful.
"Well, Shiroe, brother. I know it's short notice, but can I let you stay at my house?
Touya wished for Shiroe with a smile on his face.
''I can't let them camp out in those ruins forever. And besides........I hate to say it, but I don't think these two guys would spend it right away even if I gave them money, and I don't think they'd be able to live in the inn.......
Hearing the second half of that, Shiroe's nose turned white.
If you ask me, you're probably right, but even Touya, the person who said it, has a resigned look of resignation on his face, "I know it's a terrible thing to say, but it can't be helped. Aside from Tora Tora, Shiroe pondered for a while: "Food costs are going to explode," "I'm the only one who can be an idol," and "I'm going to lose votes.
With things being the way they are, the girls should be protected in Akiba, at least until this 'catastrophe' appears and is at least fought off once. I think I've heard a certain amount of information, but there's a good chance that something has been omitted due to their personalities.
Of course, it would be possible to have them stay at the guild hall or the inn with which they signed a contract, and it may be the right decision to do so in terms of the name value of the
I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. We even bought a futon for you," she tells him.
I want to eat a feast!
Hey! Ritka!
Yeah. The two have a troubled look on their faces as they play threateningly with each other. Minori looked troubled as the two flirted menacingly with each other. Shiroe laughed and declared to everyone.
'If there's an encounter in Akiba, the fight will surely happen within a week. First of all, let's have you stay with us until then. Right?
◆2.05
That's why it was decided that two more people would be staying in the
It was much better than having them live in the ruins, and that decision itself was agreed upon by all the guild members.
Some of the members did not have subtle expressions, but that was more because they couldn't keep up with the suddenness of the conversation.
Until the end, Tetra resisted to the point of tears, saying "If the clunker sisters come, we'll go bankrupt," but she was persuaded by Nyanta's words, "It's very important to eat a good meal together. Finally she nodded her head and said, "The nest is very important," so I guess she's okay.
Then, good night!
Mmmmmm. Mmmmmm.
Thanks for your help.
After letting them through to their immediate bedroom, Isuzu joined Rundelhaus in the hallway and headed for the dining hall. The sisters Lelia and Ritka were full and quickly became sleepy, but the time was still past twenty. It was not a sleepy time for Isuzu and the others.
The dining hall is a corner of a large atrium made up of polished wood flooring. In this large space of several dozen tatami mats with a sense of openness, a wooden table of a size not usually seen in homes is placed, and it can accommodate up to 20 people for a meal. The space was designed for that purpose when it was remodeled, but the members of Kiroku no Horizons prefer to eat on the open terrace overlooking the city in the nice weather of Akiba. The tables in this hall are only used for eating in the rain or when there are a lot of people coming.
In one corner of the space, in the shadow of the stairs leading to the indoor catwalk, was the territory of the younger group. The storage room under the stairs could hold cushions and knee pads, and the clean wooden flooring was a great space to gather and chat. Of course, Isuzu and the others had their own rooms, but all of the rooms are a bit cramped for a group of five youngsters to get together and talk. There is no reason to feel embarrassed about letting the opposite s*x into the room.
There is even a large cushion and a low table in the corner of the room, lightly shielded from view by houseplants, though it is not entirely in the shade. Twice a week or so, Isuzu and the others would have Shiroe and Nyanta examine their studies in this place.
''Full!''
Isuzu sat there, raising her voice, but still popping the cushion with a puff, and sat down there. Rundelhaus checked his surroundings with a pretentious gesture, "Touya is training with Naotugu-san? He mumbles.
Every night, Touya is under Naotsugu's tutelage on the optional activation of attack techniques. According to Naotsugu, they're just playing with each other to show off their skills, but they seem to be fulfilling each other.
''Isn't it?''
What about Miss Minori?
Hmm. What is it? ...Ah. Is it Shiroe's place?
I see.
Isuzu threw herself onto the huge cushion with a plop. When I glanced up, burying my cheeks in the soft cotton texture, I glanced down at the thick grimoire on the floor as Rundelhaus held it up on one knee.
It's probably an application of the Flash Needle spell he's been studying lately.
A sorcerer is a wielder of offensive magic. They attack their enemies with chunks of magical energy of various attributes. Most of these attribute spells can be divided into three categories: fire, cold and electric. They have to be able to use their wands and rings to increase the damage of the attribute, although learning one attribute of magic does not disable the others. Since the number of enhancement items that can be equipped is limited, it seems that a "strong attribute" is naturally created.
Rundel House has been using fire-attribute spells as its mainstay since we met.
However, if the attribute is too biased, depending on the type of monster, it may not be able to deal satisfactory damage. The flame spell is not very effective against, say, a fire lizard (salamander).
This is where you'll need to learn how to use spells with different attributes, or spells without the attributes themselves, as a restraint.
Flash Needle is an attributeless lightweight spell that Rundelhaus is trying to learn to use after consulting with Guild Master Shiroe.
(Holy crap, I've learned it too, since I'm practicing with him. Haha.
Isuzu twisted and stretched as the languid post-meal satiation commanded, and then broke free. With a sigh of satisfaction, she opens her thin eyes and looks up from floor level to see the profile of Rundelhaus with her mouth in a crooked shape. He's muttering a spell of magic activation with only his mouth.
The lights in this world are all kind.
The lights in this world are not the bleached light of fluorescent or LED lights that illuminate every corner of the room, but the orange light that dimly penetrates lampshades, or the softly pulsating lights of the Magic Light. There are various types of lights, but Cerdesia is filled with lights that capture the warmth of the people who shed them, and give a sense of warmth.
This dining hall is also tinged with amber, illuminated by the hotarubi lanterns hanging by the stairs and the Bugs Light that Minori lit at dusk.
The same goes for Rundel House.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it. It was so cool and so rich.
A peaceful time passed.
Rundelhaus tried to scratch up his bangs with his left hand and they fell hemmed in, giving him a pathetic look. He had used hair wax to raise the left side of his bangs because of the warmth, but apparently the set had come loose and fallen off because of the noisy dinner he had had.
'Mmm,'
Shit. Rudy, come on. Come here.
When Isuzu got to her knees, she tugged on Rundelhaus' sleeve and forced him to sit in front of her cushion. She inserted her fingers through her hair as she held her from behind.
Her slightly habitual golden hair slips between Isuzu's fingers.
Despite her jokingly gorgeous princely hair, Rundelhaus, who growled "mmmm" as he shrugged his shoulders, was as cute as a gentle big dog, and Isuzu laughed a little.
'I'll have to take a bath to wash it off. But it's fluffy.
'How is fluffy an expression of a gentleman's hair?
It's good. It's a compliment.
'Really? It's kind of suspicious.
With a comb from the porch, she brushes the left half of her bangs back into the air.
My usual careless hairstyle is fine, but with just a little work like that, Rundelhaus instantly becomes a nobleman.
(Huh. Was he a nobleman from the beginning?
After Isuzu was satisfied with carefully stroking her hair while misrepresenting herself in her mind like that, she pinched Rundelhaus' ears and pulled a little.
The material is so good, it doesn't matter what you do, it's going to look good.
So does Minori.
It was tiny and cute. That's why I can't help but fiddle with her hair and push her clothes against her, and bite her. There's a big difference between you and your sprawling, thin, unskilled self. If I compare myself in the earth world with my current body, my skin is stronger and more beautiful and my posture is better because of my muscle mass, but I have inherited the same weakness: my chest is so devastating that it makes me look long.
'What a disparity!'
Today's Isuzu is wearing a camisole and a floppy, dark-colored cut and sewn. I think it would look great on someone who looks good in it, but Isuzu's outfit is unfortunate in that it has no bounce to it and only shows the thin lines of her body.
'What was that? Miss Isuzu
Nothing.
It's kind of hard to get away from Rundelhaus while he's attached to his back, and Isuzu thinks it's a bit unreasonable of her, but she said, "Rudy is kind of shiny and sly.
As it is, I'll give her a munching tug on her cheek.
You can wear whatever you want.
I'm still a social allegory.
He swayed from side to side, looking down at Rundelhaus, whose words had turned into a butt-ugmented dragonfly due to holding the back of his head in place.
'You're always losing your comb, and your bedtime habits are making you spindly. If you go to a social gathering or some other amazing place like that, Rudy, you might make an embarrassing mistake?
Rude.
Rundelhaus sounded reluctant, but he still sat meekly. Soft hair swayed on the tip of her nose and Isuzu followed it with her fingertips.
'That's why I can't help but want to decorate myself with Rudy and Minori. It's so much more fun than getting dressed by yourself.
Why are you pulling on my ear like that?
Isuzu assures Rundelhaus, who doesn't resist, but expresses his regret with just his voice, with the dignity of his owner. ''It's kind of calming to touch it. Since it's a pure and unadulterated impression, Isuzu can't help but do nothing about it.
''Totally....''
'Aside from Rudy, I'm very confident in today's corset from Squadron Minori.
Isuzu broke down laughing as she remembered Minori's dinner attire for today.
The cherry-pink ascot tie is a recent hit corset. Minori thought it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. Minori, a strong-willed beautiful girl with chestnut-colored hair, wears the outfit that would be mistakenly fake if Isuzu wore it, but Minori, a strong-willed beautiful girl with chestnut-colored hair, wears it gorgeously. It was a little frustrating, but I was very satisfied with her work as a kimono dresser.
It's a crush, no matter how much of a Park Nenin Shiroe you are. Don't you think so, Rudy?
"--
But when Isuzu asked, Rundelhaus seemed to be stuck for an answer, as if he was holding something back.
''What's wrong?''
"...Miss Isuzu.
He finally opened his mouth, but there was silence between them again.
Isuzu wondered about the vivacious, light-hearted, and unusual attitude for Rundelhaus, which could be called light-hearted. Isn't this the first time he has ever stuttered like this?
What?
Rundelhaus sounded somewhat troubled, opening his mouth several times, as if to confirm, and seemed to be searching for words.
'About Miss Minori--'
Rundelhaus quietly states to Isuzu, who listens to him to see if something serious is going on.
''Can we not be too much of a jerk?''
Blinking a few times, Isuzu finally understood what Rundelhaus was trying to say.
Rundelhaus was probably worried that he was trying to get Shiroe and Minori to stick together. The guild's senior member, Akatsuki, also seems to be in love with Shiroe. That may be why.
However, it's not that Minori and Akatsuki are on the fence, and it's not that big of a deal.
It's a maiden's justice to support your friend's love life, right? So, I think the Minori team members should have more confidence in themselves.
Love is a maiden's energy, just as it is in many songs. In the first place, the reason why Minori has worked so hard and so healthy until now is absolutely because of her love for Shiroe. Isuzu knows more than anyone else the glare of her friend who is getting cuter and cuter.
'Minori is my precious friend, my pride and joy. Love, maiden! It is.
Rudy is being too serious.
Isuzu waved her index finger at him.
There was a complex color in Rundelhaus' eyes that was a bit hard for Isuzu to understand, but Isuzu thought it was a male embarrassment. And even showed it to the hard-headed Rundelhaus with a yippee frown.
On this night, Isuzu was still very young.
That was because she was ignorant compared to Isuzu's friends, but that's why her support was innocent.
◆2.06
In this season when there is no need for heating or air conditioning, the guild house in the
It took an hour to clean up from the fussed over meal, and Minori, who was helping with that, had taken a bath and prepared for tomorrow before heading here.
Peeking through the doorway, Shiroe was running a pen, looking as usual. It seemed to be a thin notebook in her hand. Minori knocked with a feeling of relief. If the note at hand was letterhead or a sheet of paper, he was going to refrain from writing a letter or other work papers.
In this medieval fantasy world of Seldesia, at least the paper situation in Yamato is not so bad. A "pen calligrapher" like Shiroe has the ability to not only depict letters and figures, but also to produce the items necessary to do so. Pen and ink, paper and notebooks, to be specific.
Parchment and other paper is often used to convey an air of authority, such as in the case of a nobleman's society, but wooden paper is not uncommon. It's a good idea to be able to have the same kind of paper that was used in the earth world for a high level "transcriber" like Shiroe. --It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market. This is the kind of memo paper Minori uses on a daily basis.
Thinking about this, Minori quietly slipped into the room and bowed her head with a pout as Shiroe looked up.
Normally she would be able to call out to him more cheerfully, but right now she could see her own expression clouding over, perhaps because she felt somewhat guilty.
'What's wrong? Minori. Have you come to visit?
No, I mean. ...I think I brought a disturbance into the mix.
Minori said with horror.
I feel like that's not the way to apologize. Is it too presumptuous, or is it too presumptuous? But it's true that I feel sorry.
I knew that Shiroe was busy, so I tried to take her back to Akiva once to see if we could do something about it ourselves, but in the end we ended up causing Shiroe and the others a lot of trouble.
It's not that we should have left the sisters (Lelia and Ritka) alone, but we could have done something more.
Shiroe rolled her eyes and looked at Minori and smiled a little annoyed. The embarrassed smile was a familiar expression to Minori, and every time she saw it, she felt relieved and wistful.
Minori thinks it's Shiroe's most typical expression.
The dignified expression during battle and the hunter-like expression when discussing the plan are both favorite, but the bashful smile that Minori shows to herself is what she likes best.
It can't be helped. And maybe he's a little taken aback.
I'm tempted to stand tall in front of Shiroe and let her see me as mature as possible. But at the same time, I'm not there yet. It makes me want to surrender to the warmth, the tickle, the comfort of being treated like a child, that this is nothing.
'I'm glad you brought me here. I've got some important information in hand. I may not be able to get a head start, but there is a big difference between having information and not having it.
Yes....right?
'It's a major battle (raid).... Yeah, let's sit down.
Yes, sir.
Minori nodded honestly and brought the round chair in front of the filing cabinet to sit down in front of Shiroe's large office desk. The blouse Isuzu had chosen for her was tied with a cherry-red tie. That lovely color pushed me back.
There is also a reception set in this room, but if I sit there, I would be too far away from Shiroe at the office desk. Of course, in that case, Shiroe would probably move to the sofa and join us for a chat, but I didn't feel comfortable letting her go that far.
Besides, Shiroe would look good sitting in front of his office desk.
Minori shifted her chair to a position where she could take Shiroe's class in her own special seat.
The first thing you need to know is that you need information to win a large scale battle (raid)," said Minori, who also participated in the Summoning Ceremony, so she knows a bit about it. The strength of the allies, their personalities including their equipment and specialties, the availability of supplies, the terrain of the battlefield, and the abilities and behavioral patterns of the enemy.
Minori recalls the fierce battle at Sibuya, the Fortress of the Call.
That time, the enemy Tariqtan had changed form twice in the course of the battle.
The first one, a large, brown old man, had a physical attack with a staff technique, a summoning of subordinate monsters, and a blitzkrieg attack that pierced the top of the Hate List.
His second form, which fell into the Great Hall and transformed, was a deformed giant. It repeatedly moved at high speeds and used both of its fists to randomly strike the top Hate Listers, disrupting their battle lines.
His final form is a terrifying figure that resembles a giant tree. Although it was rooted to the stage and no longer moved, it was able to unleash a barrage of purple gas and blasts that pierced the top of the hate list. In addition, it even mastered the use of self-healing.
Every figure had its own unique attack method, and it could be said that they were difficult enemies.
In the first place, Minori and the others had to capture that Calling Fortress in order to fight Talikutan, the target of the large scale battle (raid). At that time, Minori thought it was simply a matter of breaking through the dungeon to get to the boss's location.
However, now that he had completed the attack, he could see that he was completely wrong.
The first and greatest hurdle in fighting the Summoning Calamity was not to take on Talikutan and his followers at the same time. It is impossible to fight that difficult enemy while taking on countless monsters like cloud haze. The kiting that Shiroe used to use himself as a decoy was for the purpose of separating the Summoning Calamity from his men. The reason why they used the height of the building to move the battlefield at once is to limit the number of summoned demons, which is Talikutan's greatest weapon.
The more information we have, the closer we are to victory. In many large-scale battles (raids), the level of our level and the level of challenges we need to take on are at odds with each other, so in reality, it's not so much that we can win if we have more information, but rather that we can't win if we don't have enough information.''
Yes, sir.
Shiroe, who spun his pen around, said something like that.
It is true that that battle (Sibuya Raid) was a fierce battle. If I had made one wrong choice, there's a good chance I would have been wiped out. But even that fierce battle was based on Shiroe's plan to completely shut down the advantages of the Summoning Calamity. If they had fought in the opponent's ring, they would not have a shred of victory.
The sky was filled with countless demons.
The Summoning Calamity.
From that little bit of information, Shiroe had blocked most of his target's fighting ability before he could fight.
The importance of information trumps all money.
Minori nodded deeply.
''-- So this time, Minori's decision, Minori is not wrong. Besides,
'Uh, yeah. I wasn't thinking about them.... Minori and the others have passed level fifty, right?
Yes, sir.
It was a long time ago, and Minori and the others were no longer at the level of sixty.
But deciding that this story was part of the class, Minori took out a notepad from the pouch and started writing down Shiroe's story.
'Elder Tail, in the very beginning, the upper level was fifty,' she said. The first large scale battles (raids) in the early days were all done at level 50.
Is that so?
I asked back.
Minori and Touya hadn't been exposed to Elder Tail for a short period of time, including the experience of playing it before the Great Disaster. They had heard that it was a venerable MMO with a very long history, but when Minori and the others had touched it, the upper level was already 90. It was hard to imagine the old days.
''Yeah. So even now, large scale battles (raids) start from that level range. There are only a few raids under 50, but after 50, there are many challenges in increments of 10. These have been added every time the Elder Tail expansion pack has been released.
Yes, sir.
In the past, this world was small, with few people, and the variety of items and monsters was limited? When I thought about it, it was somewhat strange. Even when I wasn't here, this world has a history, and it was rapidly being developed.
That's why Minori and the others are at the level of debuting in large-scale combat (raids). Of course, it was partly because they were resistant to the Sleep of the Everlasting Spirit, but that's why I asked them to participate in the last mission. Level 50 also comes with a class proficiency skill.
Infinity Force and the rite of passage.
Do you use it?
'Yes. I'm getting used to it.
Infinity Force is a profound skill of the Enchanter, and the Rite of Descent is a profound skill of the Kannagi.
Normally, a class's specialties are learned at a low level, and are relearned at certain levels. For example, the damage blocking spell (Loxing Barrier), the representative of the Kannagi, is learned at level 7, and then relearned at higher levels of 17, 27 and 37. This is because the Barriers of Misuse spells learned at lower levels become less and less powerful as you advance. Almost all of the basic specialties are the same, and the same line of work that is learned at a lower level and whose usage does not change will be upgraded one by one.
The depth of skills that are learned at level 50 are different from those basic specialties.
There is no family of spells to be learned at lower levels. It is a powerful skill that can only be learned at level 50, and suddenly.
The Rite of Divine Descent is a profound spell that Minori learns from the Kannagi, in other words. During the duration of the spell's effect, the skill level of the spell is increased by one level, as if the spell were used to increase the proficiency of the technique. All of your specialties will become more powerful. However, the direction of the power differs in detail depending on the skill, making it difficult to use.
Minori would like to practice more, but a powerful special skill is worth the amount of hate it generates. The long recast time also makes it difficult to use multiple times in a single battle. In fact, even practicing to use it is difficult.
Since this type of high level ability is designed for large scale battles (raids), it is also very difficult to use it in a party expedition with Touya and his team.
The truth is, I'd like to take Minori and the others with me in a large-scale battle (raid). Elder Tail has a number of content that is affordable and provides just the right amount of items, and it's just about time to start having fun...
It's a disaster, I'm afraid.
Shiroe's shoulders slumped to the comforting Minori, and she gave him a coy smile.
He's smiling again with kind eyes, and Minori feels warm.
'Well, besides, I've been kind of busy, like I'm about to pass out.
"Mmm-hmm.
Shiroe is Minori's teacher.
Maybe that won't change.
But Minori knows that there is a tightening feeling that can't go beyond that, as well as an ugly, dark jealousy that lurks inside her.
I wish the clumsy Shiroe was more accepted by everyone. I have the urge to shout out to the streets of Akiba that my teacher is this amazing.
Nevertheless, I still feel the urge to monopolize Shiroe, and I don't want anyone to touch her.
Even if she noticed Akatsuki's gaze and pretended to give up, the longing for Shiroe in her heart wouldn't die out. That's why even Isuzu can see right through it. It's her own thing, but she can't free herself from Minori at all. She is so disgusted by her own childishness that she is out of love with him.
I want to stay with Shiroe forever.
That feeling should be simple, but it's impossible to put into words.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I didn't want to leave Minori and the others alone. I'll take you to a large scale battle (raid) after I've settled down a bit, after summer vacation.
Really?
Hmm. Yeah. Maybe. ...something. So Minori and everyone else has to be ready for this.
Oh, shit. That's it!
I'm going to get over that.
What?
Dr. Shiroe and I were on a scouting mission.
Minori summoned up a bit of courage.
'Can you tell me what you're going to buy for the massive battle (raid) of preparation, supplies and all?'
What will or won't change, I don't know.
But the desire to be with you is undeniable.
I have to make sure of that.
Not because Isuzu told me to, not because I was jealous of Akatsuki, but perhaps because my heart has grown a little. Minori thinks so.
She went around the "what Minori should do" that Touya had reminded her of, learning all sorts of things, watching, getting excited, and coming back to Shiroe's side.
I think I've become strong enough to confirm myself. I've been playing around with those feelings, which are terribly simple to put into words, without saying them outright, even to myself, but I'm sure I've gained the strength to confirm them.
Minori stepped in because she didn't want to betray her journey to Saphir.
'Minori is so eager. Yeah, I get it. I'll bring you some food, I'll bring you some food too. Let's make a schedule.
Yes!
Squeeze your hands together, because this is a fine, decisive battle (raid battle) with only Minori.