Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN) Chapter 391

Arifureta After IV Tortus Travel Journal ㉑

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Author note: People of Narou, long time no see. I’m resuming the update, so best regards. I’m thinking to continue Tortus travel journal for a while from this chapter. I hope the story can become a good way for you readers to kill time.

Also, I have uploaded Tortus Travel Journal⑳ Revised Version before this chapter. The reason is because at the extra story of volume 11 of this work’s light novel, I wrote the story of the village falling into a great pandemonium that is even more chaotic due to Tio when she returned home before the final battle. Even so the revision is only at the end of the chapter, so there won’t be any problem even if you don’t read it. Just in case I’m also keeping the original ⑳. Best regards.

「S-saaay, Adol-san? Are you alright? You aren’t forcing yourself?」

「If you like, you can punch our son? We won’t mind even if you mount him and rain down punches on his face you know? You don’t need to hold back on our account.」

At the depth of the northern mountain region. The slight scent of lake could be felt in their nose.

The group of Hajime and co were on the top of a mountain that was 3000 meters above the sea. If they pa.s.sed the mountain range with the height of 5000 meter before their eyes, they would be able to see the northern ocean.

Also, although they were at the top of the mountain, of course their feet weren’t touching the ground. They were on the deck of Fernier that was currently pa.s.sing above the mountain.

Their destination was the mountain range area at the other side, the coastline that was facing the northern sea, but they didn’t teleport directly there because of the request of the parents to watch the grand and magnificent mountain range――that was the excuse they used to buy a little time.

Yes, it was for the tranquility of Adol-ojiichan’s heart who just fainted after seeing the shocking recording of pile bunker in the a.s.s.

As the parents of the culprit, Shuu and Sumire’s way of being considerate wasn’t just half-baked thing. They were interacting with Adol as though they were handling a gla.s.s craftwork that could easily break if it was touched.

「I’m thankful for your consideration, Shuu-dono, Sumire-dono.」

Adol smiled wryly on the deck while the wind that was adjusted to become a pleasant breeze when going through the deck was making his hair flutter.

「But, I’m fine. Rather it was truly pathetic of me to faint like that even after all the grandstanding I had shown. I thought that I have managed to build up resistance to Tio’s state before the final battle but……I ended up bothering everyone instead. My apologies.」

「Don’t say that it’s a bother. The granddaughter who you cherished got soiled like that, so you can be angrier……」

「It’s just as Shuu said. Now, our son has also resolved himself. Please beat him up however much you like until his head swelled up like a Buddha head.」

Adol slowly shook his head. His expression was the very picture of conflicted where he couldn’t find any words to say.

「I don’t know what do you mean by Buddha head but……surely even Hajime-kun never even expected in his wildest dream that Tio is……how should I say it, a pervert――cough, an owner of such unique disposition. I can’t find it in me to blame him because it was something unavoidable. Rather I’m the one who should apologize for my granddaughter’s behavior.」

「No no no, please raise your head Adol-san! Doing something like that is just impossible no matter how high her defense is. I’m his mother and even I is creeped out by that! Everything is Hajime’s fault! I’m really sorry! Right dear!?」

「Exactly-. Furthermore, even after she begged him to stop, he continued to keep grinding like that……I’m really sorry that my son is a s.a.d.i.s.t!」

「If you say that, then I have to apologize for my granddaughter being such a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t-」

I’m sorry-, I’m sorry! My son is a s.a.d.i.s.t! My granddaughter is a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t! A thousand apologies!

Nagumo spouses and grandpa Adol were bowing to each other humbly in a way that rivaled j.a.pan’s salary man.

The gazes of Yue and others naturally turned toward the s.a.d.i.s.t son and m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t granddaughter.

「Tio, the sky is really blue.」

「Truly. What a refres.h.i.+ng sky it is.」

I don’t hear anything. The two were saying that with their back while harmoniously looking at the sky side by side. Their eyes were looking at a really far distance.

In a sense, they were inside their own world right now. It could also be called escaping from reality.

Similar like Adol and others, s.h.i.+zuku and Kaori, and also Liliana who saw the beginning of Hajime and Tio’s love for the first time were also still blus.h.i.+ng slightly while conversing with each others.

「How should I say it, it’s the joining of two bad dispositions but, I also got the feeling……that both Tio and Hajime were fated to meet.」

「Y-yep. Even though the two of them shouldn’t have that kind of interest at the start……it wasn’t just Tio who was awakened, but Hajime-kun too. That’s the impression that I got.」

「……S-say, s.h.i.+zuku, Kaori. Does Hajime-san……has preference for b.u.t.t?」

Liliana was fidgeting while her cheeks were blus.h.i.+ng bright red as though to ask 「Is it better if I also resolve myself for something in that direction!?」.

It was a mistaken resolve, so s.h.i.+zuku and Kaori gave all their effort to pull Liliana back to sanity.

Kaori’s papa Tomoichi glanced at his daughter who was doing that before he pa.s.sionately wrote something into his notebook. His wife Kaoruko peered into it.

「Dear? What are you writing?」

「It’s the plan for the betterment of Hajime-kun’s fetish. If I don’t rehabilitate him-」

It seemed that Hajime was an owner of hopelessly abnormal fetish in Tomoichi’s eyes. His air was like a warrior who had obtained a mission.

Hajime’s shoulders jerked in reaction.

「That’s surprising Tomoichi-kun. If it’s you then I thought that you would start saying things like 『As I thought he isn’t worthy for my daughter! I’ll separate them!』 or something……」

s.h.i.+zuku’s grandpa Shuuzou raised one eyebrow while looking at Tomoichi in surprise. Tomoichi’s expression changed as though he was going to cry tears of blood.

「I don’t want to be told 『I hate someone like Otou-san!』 anymore-」

He exposed his emotion while looking like he was going to vomit blood for real.

「I see. Certainly trying out “correcting the son-in-law” will be better than that. Yosh, Tomoichi, I’ll also help out! I’ll prepare a place for us men to talk with each other.」

s.h.i.+zuku’s papa Koichi clenched his fist with burning spirit. As expected, even a clan of ninja (till the end this was just a t.i.tle from other people, the people in question themselves were denying it) couldn’t shut their eyes from the possibility of their daughter turning like Tio.

Hajime’s shoulders jerked once more in respond.

The implicit determination of the fathers 『There is no way we are going to let our daughters become like that perverted dragon!』 also made Tio jerked hard while breathing ‘haa haa’.

「Oh my, really dear, you are blind to your own shortcoming――」

「Kirino, let’s have a little talk later.」

Yukino’s gaze snapped toward Yukino-okaasan. She was looking at her husband in amus.e.m.e.nt with her hand touching her cheek while chuckling 「Fufufu」.

s.h.i.+zuku’s gaze snapped toward Koichi-otousan. Koichi-otousan averted his gaze so fast it might have left an afterimage.

The night activity of her parents that she didn’t want to know about.

s.h.i.+zuku covered her face with both hands and crouched down. Kaori and Liliana did everything they could to console her although their cheeks were slightly red.

While the topic of b.u.t.t was spreading, Myuu was raising her voice in bewilderment at the corner of the deck.

「M-mama? Myuu want you to let go already nano……」

Quick and decisive. The instant the disquieting and abnormal topic was spreading, Remia mama swiftly led her daughter to some distance. Even now at this moment she was blocking Myuu’s ears with her hands.

「It looks like Myuu will be able to go through this without learning anything that you don’t need to know. You can endure it a bit more right?」

「Ah, yes.」

Mama’s smile would accept no argument. Myuu said 「T-there is something like this in this world nano?」when she saw the shocking recording of the a.s.s pile bunker. Even the fact that Myuu had such encounter with the unknown was already something that Remia mama regretted a little.

Mama will protect Myuu’s wholesome mind! Because, the source of the bad influence is the papa! I won’t let my daughter step any further into that world! Her determination was firm like rock.

Fernier was crossing the last mountain range while the atmosphere was getting somewhat chaotic like that.

From the scattered gaps in the cloud spreading below them, they could see gra.s.slands and several crawling rivers.

The s.h.i.+p’s alt.i.tude was lowering along the mountain’s slope.

And then when they got out under the cloud, the ocean entered their sight with even more clarity. From the foot of the mountain, they could see the jagged coast for around twenty kilometers ahead. To the east and west there were also rocky area and gra.s.sland stretching out along this innermost area of the mountain range.

「However, why is it at the backwoods like this again……」

Shuu paused the apology contest for the time being and looked puzzled.

Sumire and others understood what he wanted to say and question mark floated above their head too.

「Right. Isn’t this place a bit too inconvenient as the new village of the dragon race?」

「Well, as expected the impression of a hidden village is really striking if it’s this place.」

Aiko’s mother――Akiko looked at the many layers of mountain range area behind them and spoke out, while Aiko also nodded while also turning a gaze that seemed to be filled with consideration toward Tio.

Why was Venri coming to inspect this kind of place that was like a remote region among remote region while she was searching for lands with prospect to be the new village of the dragon race in this continent?

Certainly it was only natural for them to have such question.

Tio spoke the answer to that question with a gentle voice. However there was a loneliness seeping out from her voice.

「About that, Akiko-dono. It’s because this place is where the country of the dragon race was once located at the past.」

Akiko gasped with a taken aback look. She wasn’t the only one. Other than Hajime and others who had been told beforehand, all the parents were staring fixedly at Tio and Adol.

「It was five hundred years ago. This might sound like singing our own praise but, in the past there was a beautiful capital of water and greenery here.」

Adol said that a little bashfully.

They looked down toward the ground once more. There wasn’t any sign that in the past there was a kingdom here that was ruled by Clarus family.

Surely everything had been intentionally erased so that there wasn’t even a fragment of it that remained.

And then, the traces of destruction that overturned even the ground with them were already covered by lush greenery due to the pa.s.sing of time. They had been changed into rivers and springs that drew a different tracks compared to the past.

「Well, this is simply one of the proposed sites. Though in my personal opinion, we finally obtained a chance for a fresh start, so building the village in a completely different place will also be fine……」

「I agree with Jii-sama. Even so, as expected among the people who hath lived for long there are those who are feeling nostalgia. It’s understandable that they proposed this site as one of the prospects.」

「Indeed. By the way, Venri is also one of those people. She volunteered herself to investigate this place. It seems that occasionally the descendant of the servant lineage can have more attachment to this land than the lineage of the master they served.」

「I couldst understand that feeling a little.」

Hajime and others couldn’t interrupt the conversation between grandfather and granddaughter.

They couldn’t imagine how they must be feeling when they regained their authority after their homeland was unreasonably stolen and so many years had pa.s.sed. It was hard to even measure it.

But then it seemed they noticed the atmosphere of Hajime and others. Tio who was in a slightly solemn mood intentionally showed a bright smile.

「Well, it’s not mine business though. I’ll simply look forward which site everyone art going to choose and what kind of village they wouldst create there.」

「Then, how about we also invite the people of the village to j.a.pan in the near future? They must be curious of the place where their princess married into, and perhaps they will be able to use the place as reference for their new village.」

Hajime also mentioned 「Hauria too is also waiting impatiently last time they said something like『Boss, is the trip to j.a.pan still not yet? Should we all wait in standby naked?』」 while smiling wryly. s.h.i.+a’s gaze turned distant hearing that while Tio showed a joyful expression.

And then, she snuggled close toward Hajime with a very natural movement. Hajime’s hand also reached out without any prompting to caress Tio’s head. Then right at that timing.

「That invitation is naturally also extended to me right, Hajime-sama?」

Hajime’s arm was tightly grasped. By a hand that reached out abruptly from the side.

At the same time, a face was also abruptly drawing real close. Between Hajime and Tio. As though to interrupt between the two.

Hajime pulled back his hand without showing any particular surprise because he had noticed the person’s approach. And then he called the name of the aging woman who forcefully wedged herself between Tio and him.

「Of course you are also invited, Venri-san.」

「Very good. This Venri will pro~~~perly ascertain whether the princess is managing to live well and whether Hajime-dono has done anything disrespectful or not to the princess over there!」

The one who made her entrance with both hands placed on her waist while huffing harshly was Tio’s wet nurse and servant Venri.

She had azure hair and wearing a beautiful kimono of the same color. Her back was standing so straight one would wonder whether there was a rod placed inside there. Her appearance had gone past middle aged, but there was a fullness in her vigor, and her looks was youthful compared to her actual age. In addition, a refinement of a lady could be somehow felt from her.

She intentionally landed on Fernier’s deck while the s.h.i.+p was in the middle of descending to land on the ground. Her gaze went around to the wryly smiling Adol and Yue and others, and then to Shuu and others who were looking at her dumbfounded. Then,

「Pardon me for my disturbance, everyone. I am princess Tio’s servant, Venri Corte. My deepest apologies for my late greeting to everyone who have been a great help for princess all this time.」

She said that and then bowed with a beautiful movement. Then right after that her gaze moved especially toward Shuu and Sumire. Her mouth made a broad smile and she said 「It’s my pleasure to be able to meet everyone」.

Shuu and others returned the greeting while having a realization. It seemed she was only strict toward Hajime. It stood to reason. Well, her precious princess got turned to be like this! Of course the way she see him become harsh like this! They thought.

Tio spoke to Shuu and Sumire with her head held high in pride.

「She called herself a servant but Venri art mine wet nurse. I think of her as mine second mother. I hath been wanting to introduce her to Chichiue-dono and Hahaue-donohonorable father and honorable mother all this time.」

「Princess……those words are wasted on me. This Venri is feeling extremely moved.」

Venri elegantly used the sleeve of her kimono to wipe her emotional tear. A glimpse of the deep bond between the two could be seen from there. The expression of Shuu and others also naturally turned gentle.

Adol smiled while asking Venri.

「Venri, I’m thinking to introduce everyone to the village after this. Perhaps you are still in the middle of investigating this place but, how about you also come together with us?」

「But of course Adol-sama.」

Fernier was just landing at that timing. As expected the distance would be too far away until the hidden village at the solitary island, so they would move there using Crystal Key.

Because of that Hajime and others got off Fernier first in order to store the s.h.i.+p into the treasure warehouse.

It would take time to walk through the s.h.i.+p to go down on the ground, so Yue used gravity magic to make everyone floated to the ground……while that was going on,

「Putting that aside, Yue-sama, it has been a long time.」

「……Nn. L-long time no see.」

For some reason Venri moved to Yue’s side. She greeted Yue while staring at her fixedly with her dragon eyes. Then for some reason Yue was showing a slightly faltering behavior in respond.

「How is princess doing in j.a.pan? Has her bad habit of going ‘haa haa’ has been cured?」

「……A, a little bit by bit?」

「Why are you lying?」

「……!? I-I’m not lying or anything……」

「Before everyone went home to j.a.pan, didn’t I pleaded at Yue-sama to such degree. That I hope Yue-sama can rehabilitate the princess even if just for a bit. Yue-sama, didn’t you promise me that you will put every effort for that?」

Tio made a tsukkomi 「Eh!? There was such promise between both of thee!? Or rather what is the meaning of this “rehabilitation”!?」, but Venri-san ignored her and pressed harder on Yue.

「……I, I’m doing my best.」

「You are lying again aren’t you? Do you think that you will be able to trick me? Though I look like this I have lived three times longer than Yue-sama you know? Yue-sama is really underestimating me.」

「……I, I don’t have such intention!」

「Yue-sama. You are the first wife in your husband’s house. To manage the concubines and to remonstrate them at times, those are the duty of Yue-sama as the first wife. Am I wrong?」

「……You aren’t wrong……」

「I don’t want to think of this but, it’s not the case that Yue-sama is ahead of the other wives in living a disorderly private life isn’t it?」

「……I’m living properly.」

「Have you been staying late at night? Are you lying around idly for the whole day just because there is holiday?」

「……I, I’m not?」

Venri-san’s eyes were silently narrowing down. As expected, it seemed the eyes of a dragon who had lived for long couldn’t be deceived.

In reality, Yue often spent her time reading shoujo manga until late at night, or immersing herself in fiction world for the whole day when it was holiday while equipping herself with potato chips and carbonated drink.

It was also the traditional way of everyone in Nagumo family to spend their time, so not only Hajime, even Shuu and Sumire were averting their eyes while feeling like they wanted to leave this place.

「What about food? Have you eaten three times a day properly with a balanced menu? Even if Yue-sama is a vampire with immortal body, a healthy life can only be created with healthy heart and body. You are living in a completely different world right now, so I can understand that there might be some aspect in it that you haven’t familiarized yourself with, but you haven’t been snacking recklessly because of stress right? How is your state of health?」

「……I-it’s fine! Everything is finee!」

At first Venri was repet.i.tively finding fault at Yue with great length, but before they realized it her words had changed to become words that were worried for Yue’s condition.

Actually, in the days after the final battle and before the return to j.a.pan, knowing that her princess had become a concubine, Venri-san came to talk to Yue and continued telling her about how the first wife should be and what had to be done to live a healthy life, etc, etc. But she didn’t stop there, before anyone realized it she had had done the offense (?) of taking care of Yue’s everyday necessities completely.

Her appearance was completely like a mother who was being too meddlesome and helpful with her daughter……

Perhaps it was because of her inherent disposition as a servant or because she had the personality of extremely liking to help other people, her attention was locked-on at the first wifeYue for the sake of her princess too in the future.

Yue didn’t have the memory of a “mother-like mother”. Her biological mother and father were already transformed into fanatic when she became aware of her surrounding as a child.

Her parents would grant all of Yue’s wish, and they never scolded her. They weren’t looking at her as their daughter but as “priestess” of their G.o.d. Their emotion toward her was closer to being a wors.h.i.+p. It wasn’t an emotion that a mother should hold toward her daughter by any means.

And so for Yue it felt really itchy, or perhaps bewildering that someone was scolding and taking care of her to this degree like a mother. Putting everything together, she found it hard to deal with Venri……

The unvarnished truth was, Venri had somehow become someone who she couldn’t argue against.

And that wasn’t just limited to Yue.

「Hajime-sama.」

「Geh」

Her attention was also turned toward Hajime. Did he get immersed in his research too much and neglected his private life, did he forget to eat and sleep. Did he do anything abnormal with princess. Had he dirtied his hand with crooked business transaction, etc.

In Hajime’s case, ninety percent of her words were more an expression of her worry rather than fault-finding.

Her biological mother Sumire had the principle of laissez-faire. She didn’t take care of every single thing for him, and she also didn’t scold him about this or that.

Of course she would scold him when it was really necessary, and she would immediately notice if something was worrying Hajime. She also wouldn’t spare any effort to help him.

But anyway, Venri was also diligently being helpful to Hajime during the one month after the final battle before they returned home to earth. As expected he became overwhelmed by the fierce a.s.sault of “nosy mom” that he wasn’t used to.

Because of that, Hajime was also unable to strongly argue when he was against Venri.

「Now now Venri. I’m sure you have a lot of thing that you want to talk about with them, but that should be enough for now. You can continue it again after we arrive to the village right?」

「Hah!? M-my apologies Adol-sama. I forgot myself.」

Everyone had landed on the ground since a long time ago. Fernier was already stored away too. What was left was only to teleport, so Venri awkwardly backed off when Adol interrupted her.

Adol kindly smiled toward such Venri.

「Fufu, I understand. For you Tio is already like your own daughter. In that case Yue-dono and the other people there are also like your own daughter now that Tio has wedded into their family. A helpful person like you naturally can’t just leave them alone. You also have been looking really lonely since Tio departed.」

「……I understand, that I’m being unable to let go of my child but……I have acted unsightly just now.」

The way she hid her blus.h.i.+ng face with the sleeve of her kimono looked really adorable despite her past middle-aged appearance.

「Yue-sama, Hajime-sama. My apologies for nagging the two of you like that as soon as I arrived.」

「……Nn, it’s fine. ……I don’t really, hate that side of Venri.」

Yue averted her eyes while blus.h.i.+ng slightly. That gesture looked slightly tsundere.

「So thy understand it, Yue. I too was often at the end of Venri’s nagging since I was little. There were also times when I found it annoying and ran away but……when that nagging was gone from mine life, it made me felt like there was something lacking and lonely. 」

「Princess. I also have something to talk with you as soon as we arrive at the village. I won’t allow you to run away! Don’t think that you will always be able to go ‘haa haa’ forever!」

「D-did I stir the hornet nest……however, this is mine characteristic. Accept the reality already!」

「Impossible!」

「Impossible!?」

「Even if Adol-sama and everyone in the village accept it! Even if the whole world acknowledge it! This Venri alone won’t acknowledge it! I shall beat up the way a lady should behave once more into you!」

「A determination of steel!? Thou art horrible! Venri thou blockhead! Lonely spinster!」

「……What did you say?」

Dragon scale formed on the neck of Venri-okaasan! The pupil in dragon eyes were turning into sharp slit!

Tio screamed 「Hyaa~~~」 while evacuating to behind Adol. And then her head peeked out from there while using her grandfather’s body as a s.h.i.+eld.

It was an exchange that had been repeated often since Tio was a child. Adol laughed cheerfully seeing that.

Shuu and Sumire and the others were watching that scene with amused chuckle.

「Oh my Tio-chan, she look really childish like this.」

「She is a habitual criminal who is always going ‘haa haa’, but she never showed that kind of childish att.i.tude even at home.」

Surely this exchange between master and servant who were also mother and daughter were a salvation to the heart of the dragon race when they were still enduring the pain after their country was destroyed.

There was no basis for that, but Hajime and others were convinced inside their heart that must be the case.

That these master and servant who both had lost a lot had been leaning and supporting each other like this for more than five hundred years and cheered the other dragon race with that.

Perhaps that was why, Sumire naturally opened her mouth.

「Venri-san, if you like……」

「Princess, reflect on yourself over there――ah yes. What is it, Sumire-sama?」

「How about living together with us at j.a.pan?」

Venri who turned around toward Sumire showed an astonished face. But, that only lasted for a moment. She displayed a smile and shook her head.

「I’m thankful for your consideration Sumire-sama. However, I’ll accept just your feeling.」

「You don’t need to feel reserved you know?」

「U-umu. I also think that it wouldst not be so bad if Venri live together with us……」

Tio peeked out from above Adol’s shoulder.

Venri looked happy to hear that, but her expression turned a bit troubled.

「Thank you very much princess. I’m extremely happy with your feeling.」

「Then――」

「But, I’m already at this age. It will be a bit too difficult for me to learn about another culture in a new world from zero again.」

Venri wanted to be helpful for other people, she didn’t want to be a burden for other people. She had her pride as a servant.

A considerable effort would be needed for her to be able to accomplish her duty as a servant at earth. And then during that time she would be at the side who needed the help of other people.

That would be slightly too harsh for Venri who came from a family of servant for generations. In addition it seemed that Venri had lived in this world for too long to be able to burn with desire for a new life in a new world.

「Princess has embarked on your own journey. You have grown up……to be a little bit problematic though.」

「Thy should omit the little bit at the end there.」

Tio’s shoulders dropped in dejection. Venri chuckled and,

「Then, as expected I’m thinking to give all me efforts in creating a new homeland. So that one day when princess has a child of your own, you can say “this is our homeland” to that child.」

「Venri……」

「You have a place to return to. No matter what happen in the future from here on, that will become a large support for princess’s heart.」

Gazes quietly turned toward Hajime. There was a man in front of their eyes who had turned many impossible things to be possibly with only one thought in his heart, returning home. Indeed, they could only agree with what Venri said.

「I’m feeling a bit lonely that I can’t stay at princess’s side as your servant but, this must be the right time. I’m thinking to retire and quietly spend the rest of my life after we finished building our homeland.」

「Don’t say……」

Something like that…..those words melted and vanished inside Tio’s mouth.

The inside of her chest became filled with loneliness seeing the peaceful and calm expression of Venri because she had finished her role. However, Tio also had the feeling of wanting to rea.s.sure her second mother who had gone through many troubles for her so that she could think 「The princess will be fine」.

Tio held her tongue with a conflicted expression. Venri intentionally acted lively and hugged such Tio with affection seeping out from her whole being.

「It’s disappointing but, it can’t be helped……」

「Yeah. Her pride as a servant is making her to do that.」

Shuu and Sumire were also looking disappointed while guessing what was going in Venri’s heart just like Tio.

Then, at that time,

「Hajime-san? What’s the matter?」

Liliana asked with a puzzled look. It was because Hajime was staring fixedly at her with a pondering face.

Yue and others also looked toward Hajime when they heard that, but Hajime himself didn’t say anything. He only moved his gaze quietly toward Tio next before falling into his thought again. And then at the end he began to stare at Venri.

*Jii~*. He was staring still *jii~* as though to bore a hole into what he was looking at with a pondering expression. He put his hand on his chin and carefully considered something.

「Err, Hajime-sama? As I thought, I really have displeased you with my nagging before this haven’t I?」

「? No, Venri-san hasn’t done anything displeasing you know?」

It seemed that Venri thought Hajime was feeling offended by her nagging before this, but from the way Hajime replied indifferently to her, it seemed he really wasn’t offended.

Then why was he staring so intensely at Venri like that?

He was staring thoroughly at her from up to down.

A strange atmosphere filled the area. Venri was gradually starting to fidget. Her cheeks were blus.h.i.+ng slightly.

「W-wait a second Hajime-san! It’s rude to stare at a lady like that!」

「Hajime, just what’s up with you?」

「Hajime-kun?」

s.h.i.+a, s.h.i.+zuku, and Kaori were talking to him warningly but……

Hajime ignored even they and nodded 「Fumu」 as though he was convinced of something.

「Venri-san.」

「Y-yes?」

「I have something I need to talk with you for a bit, so can you stay behind?」

「A, talk?」

Hajime said such thing while immediately opening a gate. It was already the hidden village at the solitary island at the other side of the s.h.i.+ning membrane.

It seemed Hajime was saying for the others to go ahead while asking Venri to remain behind alone.

「Goshujin-sama. It’s not like we are in a hurry, so if thy hath something to talk how about doing it with everyone at the village?」

「No, I want to talk alone with Venri-san.」

Venri looked bewildered, even so she asked 「Is this about the princess?」 with a slightly worried look. If it was a talk that Hajime didn’t want for others to hear, then the only thing she could think about was that it was a matter that was related with Tio.

「No, it’s not related to Tio. I just have a suggestion about what Venri-san want to do in the future.」

「M-my future, is it?」

There Tomoichi gasped in surprise, however he immediately looked aghast and muttered.

「D-don’t tell me Hajime-kun, you-. What are you thinking! Venri-san is like Tio-san’s own mother! F-furthermore……you-, there is a limit in how wide your strike zone can be!」

「? ……!? –!?」

Eh, no way right!? Gazes that were asking that gathered on Hajime. Especially Venri-san, her shock made her speechless.

「What are you talking about Tomoichi-san? That’s upsetting. What kind of person do you think I am?」

「A savage b.a.s.t.a.r.d who will lay his hand on anything within your reach indiscriminately.」

「……Let’s have a talk later. It can be a talk about rehabilitation or anything, but let’s have a talk later man to man. A proper talk.」

「That’s just what I want.」

Hajime ignored Tomoichi papa’s wild imagination and urged everyone to enter the gate.

「We’ll only talk for about five minutes. We will catch up immediately, so come on, go over there already everyone.」

「……Muu, Hajime. You’re keeping it a secret even from me?」

Yue pouted and sent Hajime a protesting gaze. But, Hajime was unwavering.

「It’s not really anything so significant to be called a secret, but there is this plan that I’m working on with just h.e.l.lina.」

「Please wait a second Hajime-san. I don’t know anything about that though!?」

「It’s nothing that Lily need to know about. For now that is.」

「Even though I’m a princess!? Furthermore even though I’m h.e.l.lina’s master!?」

Hajime brushed away even Liliana’s protest and sent her off to the other side of the gate by pus.h.i.+ng her back.

Seeing Venri who was still bewildered and standing still without knowing what she should do, Tio sent Hajime an intense blank stare.

「I don’t want to think this but, Goshujin-sama, thou art really not planning to lay thy hand on Venri right?」

Venri cleared her throat before Hajime could answer.

「Princess, there is no way that’s the case.」

She looked calm in a glance, but the way she restlessly fixed the collar of her kimono was displaying the slight discomposure that she was feeling. That was how it looked like.

「Please think of my age. In the first place, Hajime-sama isn’t an outrageous person who would whimsically lay his hand on his wife’s relative correct?」

「Umu. Well, that’s true.」

Tio nodded in understanding while guessing that Hajime surely must be planning to ask for Venri’s help with work for the various plans that he was working on. With that Tio pa.s.sed through the gate too.

Like that, Yue and others also stepped through the gate even while they were making a slightly suspecting gaze to come out at the village’s square,

「Oo! Chief! There is also the princess and everyone else!」

「Welcome home chief, princess! There are a lot of guests with you!」

「Could it be, those people are from Nagumo family?」

The dragon race people said those things while gathering, but then Tio made a gesture of putting her index finger over her mouth and said 「Shh~~」.

The dragon people who were immediately told to be quiet as soon as they appeared held their tongue despite their bewilderment.

And then Yue and Tio activated wind magic. They sent wind through the gate to try to listen to the two’s conversation.

As expected, they were curious of what kind of talk the two were having!

Even so, there was the gate between them and the indirect method they were using, so they could only hear bit and piece of the conversation……

『……Eh? …………then, in other words?』

『Yeah. Because of that I’m……and, ……I need your help for that.』

「「「「「!?」」」」」

The mark “!?” floated above the head of Yue and others. They approached the gate even closer. Shuu and others were also deeply interested, and even Adol got very curious. The dragon people also looked at each other and approached closer in unison.

『B-but I’m…………just now…………so』

『I understand that. However fundamentally if Venri-san…………do that. In other words a local…………that’s how. I think there won’t be a problem with that.』

There Tomoichi opened his eyes wide and his 「Don’t tell me, he is planning to make her his local wife!? There is nothing but problem with that!」. Kaoruko slapped her husband’s head and scolded him 「Don’t talk about wild guess like that!」.

Certainly that was true……Tomoichi reflected. Yue and others smiled wryly thinking there was no way that was the case.

『…………No, as I thought I’m……besides I’m princess’s…………』

『But, you are…………correct? This is a duty of a lifetime…………』

Yue and others looked at each other. 「What does that mean, duty of a lifetime!?」 Their gaze asked.

『Besides I’m Tio’s…………if you consider that then there shouldn’t be any problem. How about it? To simply spend your remaining life…………it will be too much of a waste.』

「「「「「Too much of a waste!?」」」」」

『Hajime-sama, you are going that far……』

「「「「「Going that far!?」」」」」

What, really what were they talking about! Was it really true, Hajime was really making advances on Venri!? No, there was no way that……

Even if, by any chance that was really the case, there was no way Venri would……

『By the way, if you agree with this…………then anything you want to…………』

『What did you say? Tell me more about it.』

「Venri!? Why art thou getting into it like that!?」

The commotion was spreading through the village of the dragon race. The people at the back who couldn’t hear what they were talking about asked the people in front of them and so the story was getting subtly distorted as it pa.s.sed from mouth to mouth.

And so the story ended up as, That demon king, the spouse of the princess is seducing that Venri-san!

Yes, that Venri-san who only has the princess in her eyes, that iron wall and princess loveee Venri-san who despite all the marriage talks that were brought to her, all her engagement ended up getting called off!

「Adol-san, please don’t stop me! As a mother I have to punish the idiot son who is trying to seduce his wife’s mother!」

「Now now, don’t rush into conclusion like that Sumire-dono. It’s still not certain that it’s really like that……」

Seeing Adol’s composure, Sumire and also Yue and the others regained their calm saying 「W-well, certainly, it’s hard to believe that Hajime would suddenly woo someone like that……」――

『What do you think? Surely it’s not just j.a.panese clothes…………will also look good on you.』

『T-that’s……no need to flatter me like that……』

『It’s not flatter……anyway, can you consider it? Don’t say anything about your remaining years…………yes, a new second life……together』

『……That’s, it’s troubling…………that strongly』

「「「「「It only sounds like a seduction-」」」」」

There was no limit in how big the commotion in the village was growing! Venri-san’s age was almost the same like Adol. Even from Tio’s perspective, Venri was from the generation of her grandfather and grandmother.

The demon king’s strike zone was too wide! A feeling of awe in a different meaning was spreading.

And then Kaoruko, Kirino, and Akiko, even the three of them felt their heart was beating slightly faster from listening to the pa.s.sionate (?) wooing that was directed toward someone whose appearance was even older than them! s.h.i.+rasaki papa and Yaegas.h.i.+ papa were dumbfounded!

『I don’t mind if Venri-san give me your answer after the new homeland is finished. Even if…………I’ll keep the seat for your open forever.』

『You are going that far for me……』

『Rather than saying that you will spend your remaining years quietly…………I think. Surely Tio will also be happy.』

「There is no way I wouldst be happy from knowing that mine mother is seduced!?」

『……Geez, Hajime-sama is really a smooth talker.』

「V-Venri!? Aren’t thee sounding a bit eager there? It feels like there art bashfulness mixed within thy voice though!?」

It was like Tio’s heart was crying 「Tell me that it’s a lie!」, but

『Understood. This Venri has definitely accepted Hajime-sama’s feeling. Please allow me to think about it very carefully before giving my answer.』

「Venrii~」

Tio-san crouched on the ground while holding her head. Her second mother accepted the advances of her husband……how should she react here as a wife, and then as a daughter?

Shuu and Sumire were also holding their head at their wits’ end.

The wive~s were also all twitching in their expression without exception. However, they were all battle ready to have a TALK with their husband.

The village was already in a great uproar by the fall (?) of that iron wall Venri with her excessive loveee for the princess that made her completely single for her whole life.

There Hajime and Venri who had finished talking pa.s.sed through the gate. What awaited them was naturally,

「Uoh, what’s up with you all?」

「E-everyone? Just what’s the matter?」

The mood of the place was extremely bizarre with chilled atmosphere and enthusiastic atmosphere getting jumbled up together and flooding the place. In addition there were the wive~s with their fully reproachful gaze, the parent~s with their total exasperation, and then the enthusiastic dragon people.

「Goshujin-sama, Venri-! Just what in the world both of thee art planningggggggg!!」

With that scream of Tio as the beginning, questioning voices and congratulating voices, or perhaps envying voices and scolding voices and so on were breaking out. The whole village was flooded with great uproar.

After that, Venri learned that the perception of her getting wooed and caving in had spread throughout the village. She went around to solve the misunderstanding in great panic. Although she couldn’t tell them the detail, she explained that she only accepted a job offer for someone at their old age. With that the commotion was more or less quieted down.

And so, once again the group received the welcome of the dragon people and the tour of the hidden village began, though Tio and the others were still looking with slight suspicion at Hajime.

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.

I didn’t plan it but, somehow it feels like Tortus Travel Journal is turning into something like a travel to gather the members of the Fleur Knight……