Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN) Chapter 286

Arifureta After III s.h.i.+a Arc Lovely Base Search

Clear cloudless sky. Hot weather. Trees growing abundantly that it should be expressed as a dense forest. The large light brown river that was winding between it like a snake.

At a certain place in a certain country, along the river, two foreigners, a male and a female were traveling by foot on a path without pavement that was created by the pa.s.sing of long year.

「Coming to this kind of place right from the middle of j.a.pan's city make it feels like returning to Tortus isn't it? Well, this side is lovelier though simply with the lack of heavy mist covering it like in the sea of trees.」

「It more or less feels hotter than Haltina see of trees though.」

The two people walking the previously mentioned long road that perhaps would make one to express it as an "endless road" with light steps were s.h.i.+a and Hajime.

s.h.i.+a was unusually wearing her light blue white hair into a ponytail that was tied with a largish ribbon. Her lively footsteps made her hair and the rabbit ears that could only be seen by Hajime to prance around *pyon pyon* energetically. (The ribbon was an artifact, which made ordinary people unable to recognize the rabbit ears.)

s.h.i.+a was wearing a plain cutter s.h.i.+rt with its sleeves rolled up, a short pants with short length, and short boots, while there was a large bag on her back. The rucksack had a mark of winking bunny on it seemed to make appeal that「This is s.h.i.+a's property desu」.

Hajime was also dressed with a white simple cutter s.h.i.+rt and jeans. As expected, he was also carrying a large bag on his back.

「Hey, s.h.i.+a. Is it no good if I take out Schutaif?」

Hajime suddenly asked. His gaze was directed to the sun blazing down on them, while his hand was wiping the faint sweat trickling on his forehead using the wristband on his wrist. The emotion of 「I don't want to walk anymore, troublesome!」 was oozing out together with the sweat.

Hajime suggested to move using a bike, however, s.h.i.+a made an X -mark using her hands full of energy to show her rejection.

「No! We are rarely traveling just the two of us like this! Advancing so quickly like that is no good.」

「Even if you say that……」

「Geez. This act of meaningless walk, and also this surrounding with unchanging scenery of only dense forest and river, how can Hajime-san not enjoy them.」

「Because it's meaningless walk and the unchanging scenery that I want to ride on Schuteif……」

「Hajime-san you bean sprout kid! A travel is something done with public transportation or by your own feet!」

「Don't you say things like Aby――like Endo.」

Even though Hajime let out a long sigh 'haa', he raised both his hands in expression of surrender in roder to respond to s.h.i.+a's wish.

In the first place, why was these two here at this kind of foreign land at the backwoods overflowing with nature that was unrelated with civilization.

「In the first place, if we are just going to search prospective land for Hauria clan's earth settlement, we can just find the optimum place using the Compa.s.s and teleport there using Crystal Key. Convenient tool is fundamentally forbidden in our travel this time desu! After all this is a date under the guise of searching prospective land!」

「I get it, I get it. After all it has been really long since it was just the two of us alone. This time I'll go along fully with your demand.」

In other words, it was like that.

Hauria clan who remained behind in Tortus was in the middle of steadily expanding in power even now. Taking down the empire, liberating slaves, heroic achievement in the legendary decisive battle……through all that, Hauria clan was abusing their name as the clan that was recognized by everyone as the strongest among the beastman.

Admiration, sympathy, flattery. There were various reasons, but naturally at present a lot of rabbit man clans were merging with Hauria clan. There were also a great number of people who while being of other race and yet they went down on their knees wanting to become Hauria clan's subordinate.

Their subordinates came from the kingdom, the dukedom, also the church, not to mention the empire territory too, furthermore there were even those from the south continent.

Like that, they finally wanted to put a base on earth too and came to Hajime for a consultation.

They said that eventually they wished to raise a secret clan that would serve Nagumo family even until its descendants.

Hajime plainly replied 「Eh? No need」, but Karm and others doggedly pushed the idea. Not just them, it was already the whole clan that was doggedly begging. 「It's for the future generations! Please let our clan stay at your side! Forever and ever at your side! Bossss!」 A group of middle-aged men with rabbit ears growing on their head were wailing while clinging on Hajime like that.

As the result, Hajime compromised. Because each time he went to Tortus, they appeared every time everywhere, the middle-aged rabbit-eared men staring at him with wanting eyes, or possibly moist sad eyes……

Hajime's heart couldn't endure.

「Rather, if they are going to move to this side, they can just live normally in the city. Just live in j.a.pan directly.」

「Because there is Hauria's exclusive "gate" after all~. It doesn't matter where the base will be located, it won't be that much of a hindrance. As expected, the beastman will calm down the most in the middle of forest. Perhaps a savage land, no, that's going too far, but inside the forest in a developing country where people don't really go into will be especially good.」

「……Before long, it feels like the rabbit ear clan will get featured in TV like "Eyewitness testimony in an undeveloped land! Is it a new UMA!?".」

「Ahaha, my family isn't that soft that they can get apprehended by TV crew you know~」

s.h.i.+a cackled while holding her stomach, but Hajime wondered about it.

The guts of TV crew couldn't be underestimated. If it was for the sake of increasing audience rate, then they would go anywhere as far as their budget would allow.

And then, what was especially terrifying was the cameraman. They were shouldering their camera while closely following star or professional right at beside them whether they were going to a savage land, dangerous region, or climbing highest mountain in the world.

Even in a situation where a star would whine 「No more!」 looking like they were really at their limit, where the viewers would unconsciously go 「Do your best!」 in front of their television, the cameraman would merely staying silent, recording that image perfectly to send it to the viewer's living room.

Frankly speaking, every time Hajime watched that kind of program, he wondered if the profession of cameraman could only be done by superhuman. He thought of things like perhaps if a guy with vocation "cameraman" on his status plate appeared at Tortus, wouldn't that guy be the strongest?

「Well, they can do as the please if they won't reap the head of every fellow they encountered.」

「How rude! What does Hajime-san think my family is! Even if TV people come, such thing……such thing……won't happen, you know?」

「Stop it, don't speak in question. As the daughter of the clan head declare it clearly there.」

s.h.i.+a insisted that "They aren't a savage clan desuu!', but midway it seemed she lost her confidence. At the end of her sentence her voice was vanis.h.i.+ng. Hajime was half-joking, but he shuddered because it might become reality. Perhaps an education would be needed before they moved to this side.

By the way, at their travel this time, it was Yue's suggestion that he went with only s.h.i.+a. It seemed she guessed the inside of s.h.i.+a's heart 「I want to go to a date of just the two of us sometime desuu」. Yue encouraged the two of them to 'It's a nice timing that you accept the proposal of Karm and others, so how about going traveling while searching for prospective land?'.

What first wife power it was. It went without saying that for a while s.h.i.+a hugged Yue tightly and didn't let go.

Like that, it was a travel to search for a base at earth with environment that resembled the sea of trees for Hauria clan――that was the cover. s.h.i.+a's rabbit ears were suddenly twitching in reaction while they were leisurely enjoying the oversea travel of just the two of them.

「Mu? Hajime-san, there is human presence. It's far but……it looks like there is quite a commotion.」

「Commotion? Is it something troublesome?」

「No, if I have to say it feels like cheers.」

「Hmm? Is it a festival or something?」

Hajime tilted his head. s.h.i.+a tilted her rabbit ears while saying 「I don't know about that」.

The footpath in front of them bent greatly. The dense forest obstructed their sight ahead. However, there wasn't any other path that seemed like a path, so Hajime and s.h.i.+a nodded to each other and advanced forward just like that.

Before long, even Hajime's ears started to caught the cheering sound and from there they advanced through the path as though circling around the dense forest for five minutes.

The two finally discovered the source of the cheers.

「Woow! It's a village inside this dense forest. What's more, it's really a festival just like we thought so it's lucky desuu!」

「Festival? Is that a festival?」

An unforeseen encounter in the middle of travel! Beside s.h.i.+a whose tension was rising like that, Hajime had 「?」 mark floating over his head.

「I saw it in TV before this, but it seems in this world there is also a festival with main event of jabbing at each other like a fight festival. This village is also the same!」

Just as s.h.i.+a said, a stage like a boxing ring was created in the village, two burly young men were standing on it while punching each other. The villagers were gathered around the ring while clamoring hectically.

Hajime looked doubtful because the young men looked quite b.l.o.o.d.y, he thought whether it was too stimulating for a festival's side show, but watching carefully, everyone looked like they were having fun, a lot of food and drink were also prepared. It didn't seem mistaken that it was a festival.

「Come on Hajime-san! Let's try going there too!」

「You are high-tensioned huh. I get it so don't pull my hand.」

s.h.i.+a hopped around like a child while pulling Hajime's hand. Her rabbit ears were also moving wildly with unruly high tension, expressing the inside of s.h.i.+a's heart really clearly.

Hajime's mouth couldn't stop loosening into a smile seeing such s.h.i.+a. He let his hand got pulled by s.h.i.+a. The emotion residing inside his eyes were extraordinarily gentle.

On the other hand, the villagers also noticed Hajime and s.h.i.+a.

They had darkish skin and black hair with finely chiseled features. From a glance their appearance was different from Hajime and s.h.i.+a. Also, their clothing, they weren't a tribe of an undeveloped land, so they were wearing familiar things like T-s.h.i.+rt, short pants, and so on. But the appearance of Hajime and s.h.i.+a who were in the middle traveling made it quickly clear that the two of them were foreign traveler.

That must be why. The villagers who noticed them expressed shock with their eyes turning round and they immediately raised their voice toward the people around them. The people who noticed had their eyes similarly opened wide when they saw Hajime and s.h.i.+a and they were pointing their finger.

「Nice to meet you! You can call me s.h.i.+a! Everyone, is it okay for us to watch the festival too?」

Full liveliness. s.h.i.+a who said such thing with a wide affable smile caused the eyes of the villagers turned even rounder with shock.

The choker around s.h.i.+a's neck was instilled with "Language Comprehension". The thing called language barrier didn't exist.

Nevertheless, from the point of view of the local who didn't know about such outrageous circ.u.mstance, it looked like a young girl who was obviously a foreigner was fluently talking in their own language. It was only natural that they were surprised.

But, their expression burst into smile without even any cautiousness.

「What a rare guest! Of course it's fine! Come over here!」

「My my, it must be hard to come until this kind of place. Now, please drink this.」

「Uwaa, somehow there is foreigner here!」

「You've got a good timing coming in this fighting festival day.」

They talked to s.h.i.+a one after another. The children of the village were also shuffling to gather toward the foreigner that was unusual to be here.

As expected, s.h.i.+a's smile and affable atmosphere seemed to be the greatest magic to dispel everybody's vigilance. The innocent rabbit who was sparkling with curiosity invited smiling face from the villagers.

「Fighting festival? Is it a festival for fighting?」

「That's right. Once a year we decide the strongest person in the village. The family of the winner can receive favorable treatment for a year. They will receive bigger share from the hunting and fis.h.i.+ng, and they will get more share from the things we bartered at the city.」

「Most of all, the champion will be respected. It's about honor. That's why, the young men of the village are trained since they were little, they were told that they absolutely have to become a champion once in their life.」

「Hoe~」

s.h.i.+a looked at above the ring with expression of admiration and understanding. The two young men there kept concentrating and punching at each other regardless of the sudden appearance of the foreigners. Although it was a festival, it was certain that it was also a serious battle that concerned their honor.

「Somehow, their move resembled Muay Thai. Looks like they have the proper form, it's different from just simply punching each other. It must have a long history.」

「Oo, you get it?」

Hajime was slurping a sweet juice that he received from the village's grandma while muttering. Hearing that, a muscular middle-aged man made an admiring expression.

「Long ago in the past, in order to hunt and fight other village, the men of the village learned various martial art, and it kept being handed down even now. It's called Uga.」

「Of course, right now it's only used at the festival.」

「But, in order to win that festival, as expected it's necessary to learn Uga, so the men of the village all learned it from their father.」

Right now they normally used tool both in hunting and fis.h.i.+ng after all. The village's men laughed while explaining.

「And, why are you two here? You two are really fluent in our tongue, but you aren't someone from around here right?」

「Yeah. We're only traveling where it struck our fancy. Looking at the map, it seems there is quite a big city at the upper stream of this river, so for now we are going that way.」

「Aah, Puhang city. That place is nearby the place where the branch streams are merging, and there are also a lot of restaurant with delicious food there. However, if you are going there by foot right now the sun will set for sure before you arrive there you know?」

「Well, at that time we're going to camp out.」

Hajime shrugged. To which the uncles frowned. Their gaze was directed at s.h.i.+a who was swinging up her fist while cheering 「Gooo desuu! There desuu! Aa, do your best! Stand up-, stand up Joeeee!」 together with the grandmas. (TN: Reference to As.h.i.+ta no Joe)

By the way, the name of the downed young man was Urt. The grandma beside s.h.i.+a gave straight man retort of 「My kid's name is Urt you know! Who is Joe!?」.

「Oi oi. You said you're going to make that cute girl to sleep at the open? Around this area isn't that particularly dangerous, but it's not safe by any means you know?」

「Yeah. I heard that recently delinquents from other village are loitering around. Naturally there are also animals.」

The village uncles seemed to worry from the bottom of their heart, they were good people. Even while saying thanks to them Hajime was,

「It's fine. We are used to traveling, and, we are strong.」

The village uncles were getting increasingly worried, thinking that it might be the excessive confidence of a foreign traveler. They unanimously suggested that the two of them should stay in the village for today. One reason they were doing this was because they could understand each other's words, but they were also really good people.

Amidst that, s.h.i.+a who were together with the villagers, no, rather she was taking position at the center of the villagers when Hajime noticed, she was doing shadow boxing perhaps because she got heated up from watching while saying out advice-like things.

「Mister, what are you doing! Please look carefully at your opponent! He has habit in his movement! See through it and then gouge him out!」

*shu-shu-shu-shu-shu-shu-BAM!* Consecutive punches that shook the air were unleashed. From s.h.i.+a.

Those deft punches that looked like they were generating afterimage caused the people around to feel shocked「uwah」 while taking distance from her.

「Oo! Just now looks like a technique! Make the one-two into decoy and then a combination with the elbow! Like this is it!」

One-, Two-, elbow strike! s.h.i.+a-chan was perfectly tracing and stealing the technique that downed the opponent on the ring just now.

Different from boxing, it seemed there wasn't any countdown even when one side had fallen onto his knee. The downed young man rose up with guts while launching a sweeping kick. In addition, right after that kick was evaded a roundhouse kick from the opposite leg came!

「Splendid combo from kneeling! Like this is it!」

s.h.i.+a-chan perfectly traced it as expected. No, rather no matter from where anyone looked, s.h.i.+a's movement was clearly sharper than the two fighters on the ring. It was an adroit movement. The moment s.h.i.+a launched a kick, *GOU-* the wind groaned!

Gazes were gradually gathering on s.h.i.+a rather than on the ring.

The girl of foreign country who perfectly traced and absorbed the martial art handed down in their village just from watching the motion of two people fighting……it was understandable that it gathered more interest than the important fight.

「Hajime-san, Hajime-san! It really make the blood boil isn't it!」

「Right, I guess.」

The disappointment rabbit that once said 「I'm no good at fighting desuu」 didn't exist anymore. In her place there was only a superhuman rabbit whose blood would seethe and her flesh dance if there was a hand-to-hand fighting, the incarnation of bug character, the martial arts mania who would beat to death even G.o.d's apostle.

Thinking back of the past s.h.i.+a who would blunder every time she was doing something, Hajime couldn't help but get a distant look.

But, at that time, the fight on the right was finally settled. It seemed the next fight would be the final. The young man who won would fight the last year's champion.

However……

「Aa, looks like this will be a bit harsh for Urt.」

「He looks like just standing is all he can do.」

Urt-kun who managed to advance to the final seemed like he would have to withdraw from the fight.

「Oh my~. It was a good match so I looked forward to the final too though……it's unfortunate.」

「Well, even if you say that, with the current Urt he is still not a match against Bantas.」

s.h.i.+a tilted her head toward the villager who spoke with a wry smile.

「That's the strongest man in this village currently. He has been hogging the champion t.i.tle for nearly fifteen years already. He is really strong. It's to the degree that recently rather than the champions.h.i.+p, defeating Bantas is the real honor!, people said.」

「Hoe~. So there is the absolute champion here.」

Lookin closer, Bantas who earned the champions.h.i.+p because the opponent withdrew was being congratulated by the whole village. Different from Urt-kun, there was only some hit mark on his body without looking like he was really wounded. He was a huge man whose age was around forty. He really had the appearance of the fighting festival champion that would make anyone nodded in understanding of his status.

Bantas climbed on the ring and put on a show by lifting up the champion trophy that looked aged. The villagers sent him applause and cheer. Hajime and s.h.i.+a also sent him applause together.

There, Bantas suddenly turned his gaze to Hajime and s.h.i.+a.

「This is a rare chance. If you like, how about partic.i.p.ating in the fighting festival?」

Above the ring, Bantas was gesturing with his hand in an inviting motion. It was clear that it was an invitation to try fighting him. His gaze was turned once at s.h.i.+a before turning to Hajime in amus.e.m.e.nt. From there it was clear that he was referring to Hajime.

「Of course, I won't fight seriously. I'll go easy on you, but this is a rare chance so you can show off to your girlfriend――」

「It's really okay!? I really, really wish to be allowed to partic.i.p.ate desuu!」

「Eh?」

Bantas-san's eyes turned into dot. The villagers' eyes also turned into dot.

At the same time, s.h.i.+a hopped *pyon* lightly and jumped on the ring. She rotated her wrist around and turned around her ankle. She jerked around her neck to warm up.

「What a fortuitous thing to be able to directly experience the unique martial arts that is handed down in this village deep inside the forest! I'm grateful of your hospitality desuu!」

「Eh?」

「No need for holding back any, please come at me seriously desuu!」

「Eh?」

「Now, come at me yaah! Desuu!」

*BAAM-* The sound of the air rupturing resounded. It was the sound of s.h.i.+a-chan hitting her fists to each other. For such sound to resound when it wasn't expressly a clap to make loud sound was because there was shockwave generated from that gesture……

「Wa, wait you! Is it okay that you don't stop your girlfriend!?」

「If it's Bantas then he will surely go easy on her skillfully, but there is a lot of dangerous technique in Uga you know!」

The villagers spoke up worriedly. Above the ring Bantas also couldn't hide his bewilderment.

「No, rather from my point of view, it's that girl who looks like she is too high-spirited that I'm worried about the opponent instead though……. I won't say anything bad. Just stop fighting s.h.i.+a.」

On the other hand, 「If you're going to fight, remember to hold back okay, s.h.i.+a! End it in a good vibe, don't forget!」 Hajime urged caution to the high-tensioned s.h.i.+a who he worried that she would overdo it.

Doing something like beating up the leading part of the festival of the village who were welcoming them was something that would make the later development to be the most awkward it could be. Hajime-san was staring worriedly at the unruly rabbit ears.

Hajime's words that weren't to stop his lover, they weren't even saying 'I'll fight in her place!', rather those words were worrying for the absolute reigning champion Bantas. The villagers were bewildered by that and they got tongue-tied.

But, Bantas was instead coming out of his bewilderment. For someone to think that it was only natural for a young girl to go easy on him……his pride as the absolute champion was stimulated.

Something like the fist of a girl wouldn't even be an itch against his trained body no matter how hard it hit. Then, he would at least let himself got hit and showed an imperturbable presence despite that, then at the end he would get serious and then stopping just an inch before his fist hit, which would open the eye of these foreigner travelers. His fighting spirit overflowed with that decision.

「Good grief, making his own lover fight, as a man your boyfriend is really unbecoming.」

「Here I comeee!」

s.h.i.+a-chan who wasn't listening at all.

Bantas shrugged his shoulders in exasperation, he imagined the light slap of a girl while spreading his hands in a pose of 「Come at me from anywhere」.

Like that, when he looked closer at s.h.i.+a who was mimicking the Uga stance, he noticed she was making a shockingly beautiful face. Honestly, she must be the most beautiful female he had ever seen until now. In a sense, to be able to spend a playful time with this kind of super first cla.s.s beautiful girl……, Bantas's face almost broke into a grin thinking it like that……

「SHAORAAAAAAA-!!」

「Eh?」

A war cry exploded. An impact sound from a step forward that was like cannon exploding.

Within an instant. s.h.i.+a's figure was right before Bantas's eyes. Without even any time to become conscious of it, a twisting BODY BLOW! generated an impact sound that was also like a fired cannon!

「GOHOOH!?」

The grinning face distorted grandly from the impact and shock and light panic. But, the rabbit with sky high tension was swinging her fist with cheerful smiling face.

「If I remember right, it's like this!」

Traditional martial art's hidden technique (imitation)! The copied technique a.s.saulted Bantas!

「Oy, wai-, gefuu!?」

「Ora ora ora ora ora ora-! Desuu!」

Left then right, Bantas-san continued to get toyed with. The villagers got into uproar!

Seeing s.h.i.+a who was absorbed with testing the technique that she newly acquired, Hajime covered his face with his hand saying 「So it's just as I thought」. For now, if this continued then the absolute champion's heart would break, so Hajime put a stop to s.h.i.+a with a telepathy that was in the level of a sound explosion.

s.h.i.+a went 'hah' in surprise and stopped moving.

「Qyu, qyuite something, a, aren't you……」

The absolute champion who was already dead on his feet was desperately keeping his pride. It really looked as though he wanted to say 「Just now I purposefully got hit without fighting back you know? It's true you know? There is no damage at all from your attack. I'm not lying okay」.

The villagers were deathly quiet.

As expected, s.h.i.+a too seemed to realize that she got too carried away. She smiled to varnish over the awkwardness and,

「As, as expected from the champion. I don't get the feeling that I'll be able to win no matter what.」

The absolute champion looked like he was going to faint anytime.

Hajime sighed. He secretly sent out a spider-shaped living golem "Arachne" under Bantas. Arachne's leg struck a needle *pshew* into Bantas's ankle.

Bantas didn't notice at all because of the pain all over his upper body. Far from noticing, damage was leaving from him rapidly and he was staring in wonder at his own body.

「Wha, what? The pain is suddenly receding……. Ah, no, it's not like I'm pained or anything from the start. My body feels light somehow but……hah, don't tell me, did I receive G.o.d's divine protection?」

It seemed they also had their own faith. The mysterious experience was thanks to G.o.d.

Actually it was the apology of the demon king, but he surely couldn't even imagine that.

'I can fight like this! This beautiful girl in front of me too, I'm not thinking of her as a normal girl anymore!' Bantas-san thought and he stepped forward.

「UOOOOOOOH」

「Nice spirit! Please show me your technique desuu!」

A clash. The fist, leg, elbow strike from both sides collided into each other like surging waves, a terrific exchange of offense was unfolding.

「As I thought my body is light! Strength is welling up! Oh G.o.d! My grat.i.tude to you! Right now I will display the greatest battle that will ever exist!」

Bantas-san's tension was rising. Though it wasn't G.o.d's divine protection, but just a doping……

「HAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」

「Urya-rya-rya-rya-rya-rya! Desuu!」

A terrific kind of fight that was never seen before!

Even the villagers who fell deathly silent finally returned to their senses from witnessing that heated fight, they began raising their cheer with a mentality of 「Who cares about the trivial detail anymore huh!」.

「Keep going, missy! That's absurd, oi!」

「Bantas! Get a hold of yourself! Don't lose to a girl younger than you!」

「O, oi! That girl, did she use the hidden technique just now!?」

「Thi, this is a great match that happen only once a century!」

The fierce fight between the absolute champion who got doping of demon king's specially made medicine unknowingly, and the bug rabbit who outdone even the G.o.d's apostle (body strengthening level I) became a hectic great furor in the village.

After that, the battle between the two ended up in a draw with nice feeling (s.h.i.+a fixed the match properly). Bantas smiled wryly while taking s.h.i.+a's hand and lifted it up high to the sky. Then a grand applause echoed in respond to it.

s.h.i.+a who got down of the ring was crowded by the villagers, especially the children. They bombarded her with question like how could she become that strong, and just who in the world she was.

Hajime also went through the same thing. He was given a storm of questioning and praise like 'Just what in the world your lover is?' while his shoulder and back kept getting clapped.

In the end, even when the sun had set the atmosphere didn't show any sign of cooling down, they ate and drank while s.h.i.+a was exhibiting other martial arts like karate or eight extremities fist or capoera and so on, and the place got even more heated up. At the end she held a bout with Hajime 「Even the boyfriend is strong!?」 which shocked the villagers to their heart's content.

「Ahahaa~, it was really fun. Getting heated up with the locals that you accidentally meet. This is exactly the real pleasure of a travel!」

s.h.i.+a was in an extremely good mood. Hajime was making the bed (complete removal of dust and mite using Arachne) while smiling back 「You're right」.

The party broke up after a fas.h.i.+on and right now they were staying at a house of a certain husband and wife. They were lent a room because the villagers wished for them to stay no matter what as their thanks for showing a magnificent fight.

s.h.i.+a sat down with a plop on the bed that had been cleaned while her rabbit ears were swinging *piko piko*.

「Incidentally Hajime-san. I have a bit of rabbit good news.」(TN: This is a play of words using the kanji. There is a word 'mimiyori' which mean welcome news. The 'mimi' means ear, and s.h.i.+a add the word rabbit before it.)

「What do you mean rabbit good news? You can just say good news normally right……and, what is it?」

「I heard from the villagers, it looks like there is a ruin deep at the back regions far away upstream where no one is living.」

「Ruin?」

s.h.i.+a who was lying upside-down with her legs and rabbit tail kicking around nodded.

「Yes. It's really old and the local doesn't really go near it. They said it's cursed or something……」

「So to speak it's like a horror spot huh……. And?」

Hajime also sat on the bed while asking. s.h.i.+a rolled around and put her head on Hajime's lap. She rubbed her cheek on Hajime's thigh.

「It seemed that this country's investigation team and foreign research team once went there to investigate, but in the end they didn't find anything and from the style of the ruin, they concluded that most likely in the past it was used as dwelling of people. It's not really recognized as historically valuable. Even us can enter if we go there you know?」

「In other words, you want to try seeing it?」

「Yes desu.」

Hajime patted her rabbit ears. Hajime's hand was loving the rabbit ears in an subconscious level. s.h.i.+a's body was shuddering pleasantly. Her eyes were getting slightly moist.

「Well, isn't that fine? The more unexplored and inhabited the area is the better it is for Hauria's earth base right? Let's set the backwoods area further than the ruin as our target, we're going to look there while we're at it. If people don't go near it, then that ruin might become one kind of boundary line to push away people.」

「Nh. Going deeper from the ruin, nn~, it feels like there will be a dense forest that is really untouched by human hand, fuwaa」

*Pat pat*. *Pat pat*. s.h.i.+a's voice was starting to get mixed with sweetness even while they were talking. Even while having lap pillow, s.h.i.+a's hands were going around Hajime's waist and began to hug tightly.

「I see. Then tomorrow we will go to Puhang only to have a meal and resupply there, after that we will aim to that ruin.」

「Yeees, desuu~. By, by the way, Hajime-saaan」

「Hm?」

s.h.i.+a spoke with sweet voice and melting expression that was dripping with bewitchment.

「Errr, the ba, barrier……the wall look thin so……」

「It's okay. Don't worry.」

Hajime got it even without s.h.i.+a finis.h.i.+ng her sentence. He already finished laying countermeasure. The group of Arachne-san had finished deploying barrier with each of them as the starting point.

The light inside the room vanished.

Under the moonlight s.h.i.+ning in from the window, the shadow of the two slowly became one as though it was only natural.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

It's s.h.i.+a arc, but it won't be a long arc (in the plan)

For s.h.i.+a's long arc, I'm planning it to be the teleport incident from Akihabara.

But that story will not involve the other members at that time……

At the After Story there isn't a single chapter where s.h.i.+a is the main, so I wanted to write a story for her where it's just her with Hajime.

PS

This story became ranking 2.

Thank you very much for the many congratulatory comments!

Please take care of [Arifure] from here on too!