Log Horizon Vol 5 Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Part 1
The chilly autumn air gave the sky a cool and refres.h.i.+ng feeling. Akiba's night sky was filled with
twinkling stars as far as the eye could see.
The stars were brighter and more numerous in the world of Elder Tales than in the original world.
Whether it was due to the clean air here or the game's aesthetic design, the nightscape of this alternate
world was aglow with stars.
On this night of the Libra Festival, Akiba was still buzzing with activity late into the evening.
As Akiba was the primary city of Adventurers, its functions were extremely specialized. Said functions
encompa.s.sed the portal system, banks, guild halls, cathedral, and the marketplace. When Elder Tales was
still a game, Adventurers only needed these five facilities to survive. In other words, Akiba had no
functions beyond these five. That was what it meant to be 'specialized.'
Before the Catastrophe, Akiba had lacked proper living quarters. While places such as taverns and inns
could be found within the city, they were mostly included for decorative purposes, to give players the
feeling of being in an alternate fantasy world — they were like stage props which were not truly usable.
But after the Catastrophe, Adventurers had set out to make the city truly livable. For this to be
accomplished, a number of facilities were required just so they could remain within the city. The thriving
restaurants were some of the earliest changes. After them, all sorts of stores, private shops, and services
had opened as well.
While some of these enterprises were run by Adventurers, most were either jointly run by Adventurers
and People of the Land or had been established by the People of the Land themselves.
There were several reasons for this, the biggest being the income gap. Compared to People of the Land,
Adventurers were capable of earning more money in a shorter period of time. Just by grinding mobs, even
a mid-level Adventurer could earn more in one day than a Person of the Land farmer could earn in a
month.
Although the disparity in production ability was not as drastic as combat ability, it was still significant. In
the eyes of Adventurers, even a Person of the Land hailed as a master of their craft would only be as
skilled as an Adventurer with a level sixty subcla.s.s.
Of course, regardless of whether you were a Chef or a Tailor, as long as you reached level twenty, the
product would be good enough for normal consumption. A Chef of this level was capable of making
fresh-baked breads, delicious soups, crispy fries, as well as chicken fried to a perfect golden-brown. A
Tailor of this level could make comfortable s.h.i.+rts, loose-fitting pants, coats dyed with bright colors, or
leather vests.
People of the Land could also create these kinds of 'generic products'. As a result, it was only natural that
Adventurers would focus on tasks that only Adventurers were capable of doing, leaving the more generic
and mundane tasks to the People of the Land.
After these changes, Akiba was incomparable to its limited 'in-game version,' and now hosted a great
mult.i.tude of shops and facilities. Naturally, the population of the People of the Land also multiplied,
increasing in a geometric manner. This resulted in shops which were run exclusively by People of the
Land opening up one after another.
There was another reason for the growth of the city's People of the Land population.
From the viewpoint of the Adventurers, this player city was just a stronghold for them. Nearly all the
Adventurers simply viewed this place as a convenient staging ground, a point of departure. But this place
held a different meaning to the People of the Land.
Adventurers were completely different beings compared to the People of the Land, having both superior
combat abilities and immortal bodies. From the viewpoint of the People of the Land, this player city was
the pioneer settlement for the Adventurers in this world.
Most of the People of the Land treated Adventurers with grat.i.tude and respect. While the large number of
Adventurers who dealt with the various wild beasts and monsters in the land of Yamato were considered
a reliable military force in this world, their strength also created a strong sense of fear in the People of
the Land. This fear was also directed towards the city which housed their revival mechanism, the
cathedral. It was possible that they were more awed by this forbidding city than by the Adventurers
themselves.
The original People of the Land who lived in Akiba were a special type, descended from ancestors who
had lived in Akiba long ago. In a sense, they were like priests or priestesses who served G.o.ds in shrines.
These special People of the Land performed various duties, such as being merchants and operating banks.
However, the age of such fear had ended.
The Adventurers used their frightening strength to defeat goblins, beastmen, and even various powerful
monsters such as dragons, saving the People of the Land's lives numerous times. Meanwhile, Adventurers
seemed to adhere to the temporary role of 'quest takers'. It was commonly thought that Adventurers could
only form superficial relations.h.i.+ps with People of the Land.
But recently, the Adventurers and the People of the Land had signed an agreement with each other.
The significance of the agreement signed between the League of Freedom Towns Eastal and the Round
Table Council was definitely not small.
It signified the declaration of the Adventurers to the People of the Land, that Adventurers were not just
'friendly pa.s.sersby' but 'a part of this world'. It also showed that the People of the Land accepted the
Adventurers as such.
Raynesia was sent to Akiba as a symbol of this agreement.
Raynesia did not just represent the n.o.bles, she was also a living example of a "People of the Land living
in the Adventurers' city" to the ma.s.ses.
Because of this reason, the population of People of the Land in Akiba increased each day.
Originally, Akiba was a city strewn with the ruins of buildings. However, after the People of the Land
were included into Akiba's society, even this streetscape started to change. The rubble was gradually
cleared away, the spooky abandoned buildings were also cleaned up.
Nearly all the Adventurers living in Akiba were j.a.panese.
In both a good and a bad sense, when these meddlesome people noticed the People of the Land were busy
clearing up the streets, they decided to help out since they were bored and had nothing better to do. While
working together, they naturally started to converse, becoming familiar with each other.
In the current Akiba, the number of Adventurers who employed People of the Land increased greatly.
Similarly, the number of People of the Land doing business with Adventurers increased more than tenfold.
— The "Linguine", a tavern run by People of the Land.
This establishment, which normally had few customers, was packed to the brim on the night of the first
day of the Libra Festival.
"This is high quality tomato stew nya."
"It's delicious!"
Within this bustling establishment, two people were seated opposite each other at the innermost table of
the restaurant. They were consultants from Log Horizon, Chief Nyanta to be exact, and the Crescent Moon
Alliance novices' caretaker, Serara, who herself was a beginner.
The place was filled with customers to the point that it was nearly overflowing. Even though it was now
October and the night air was chilly, the interior of the store felt stifling even without the use of heaters.
Over the course of the past few days, many People of the Land came to visit this city for the sake of the
festival. All accommodations within the city had been fully booked, even the temporary ones specifically
set up for the festival by the Round Table Council.
It was the same for restaurants, all of them were overflowing with customers. Small eateries within the
alleys were filled with both Adventurers and People of the Land, toasting to the success of the upcoming
celebrations which would officially start the next day.
The new cooking method publicized by the Round Table Council spread like wildfire throughout Yamato.
Despite this, not many Adventurers or People of the Land could utilize it. Due to skill restrictions, less
than ten percent of the population could be considered good at cooking. Using limited ingredients, these
people came up with new dishes daily.
Adventurers tended to try recreating normal j.a.panese food. In contrast, the People of the Land, who had
no prior experience, combed through their existing repertoire of recipes, creating dishes which struck
their fancy. Although the method of preparation could be relatively simple, some stores were extremely
popular due to the rustic flavor of their dishes.
"Linguine" was one such place.
The dish known as Kanto-style Tomato-flavored Stew was the specialty of this store. Adding the fact that
it was currently happy hour, the tavern was filled with a vulgar din. While it was rather inappropriate for
young girls to visit this sort of place, Serara was extremely pleased that she was able to have a late dinner
together with her favorite Nyanta. Even though the place was packed, the thought that their knees were
nearly touching under the table made her both happy and fl.u.s.tered at the same time.
"Is Nyanta-san tired?"
"Not at all nyan."
Although Nyanta gave such a reply, it was as though he had a superhuman performance that day. Crescent
Moon Alliance had set up several booths for the Libra Festival. It was not just for the returning
Crescent☪Moon kiosk, their Tailors' sewing department would be selling clothes and providing fitting
services, their Blacksmiths would also be selling weapons with personalized engravings.
Crescent Moon Alliance was just a small guild, the size of its departments was not more than five people.
This time, Nyanta was acting as the a.s.sistant instructor for the fitting department.
"Have I... done well?"
"You did well, Serara-cchi."
"I can't wait for tomorrow!"
"That's right nya~"
Pa.s.sing a busy day together with Nyanta in this manner, having to spend the whole day manning a booth
come daybreak, Serara was filled with antic.i.p.ation and happiness as she thought about these. Given the
circ.u.mstances, it could be said that her antic.i.p.ation came from "Being able to spend the whole day
manning a booth", or more accurately, "Being able to spend the entire day with Nyanta".
Honestly speaking, Serara was able to sympathize with Isuzu when she decided to leave Crescent Moon
Alliance. Serara adored Nyanta from the day she was rescued in Susukino. It would be a lie if she said
she had not considered doing the same to be with Nyanta.
However, Serara was in charge of looking after the beginners in Crescent Moon Alliance. Unlike Isuzu
who could start afresh after leaving Hamelin, Serara had comrades who relied on her.
Serara had already apologized to Nyanta, after declining his offer to join Log Horizon. She did not want
this resolution of hers, which she treasured, to be viewed as a hollow statement.
At that time, Nyanta only smiled and commented "Serara-cchi is an amazing child nya." Nyanta the mature
gentleman had always been a warm person, however, he became much warmer after that... even listening
attentively to everything Serara had to say. Hence Serara was extremely content despite her conflicting
interests.
The delicious stewed tomatoes with seafood and vegetables were refres.h.i.+ng yet faintly sweet. Like the
stew, the orange juice with added ice was very good. Chatting with Nyanta was also delightful. Serara
embraced these happy feelings as she had her meal.
Suddenly, the sharp noise of something breaking was heard, silencing the clamor of the store for a
moment. It seemed that a waitress had dropped a plate. The tavern's famous tomato stew was spilled onto
the floor, dyeing the stone with red geometric patterns.
A white plate lay shattered on the floor. This was a relatively common occurrence in the restaurant.
However, just as the clientele were about to resume their normal activity, they were interrupted by the
sound of violence.
Serara looked up from the table in time to witness the waitress falling to the ground. A man was towering
over her.
"Don't joke with me! How are you going to deal with this since it's been stained like this?"
The man roared indignantly.
Serara quickly checked their descriptions and noted that both of them were probably People of the Land
since their job descriptions did not match any of the Adventurer cla.s.ses. In addition, the young man wore
expensive clothes. The man who seemed to be a n.o.ble chastened the waitress for her negligence in a
disgruntled manner, remarking that a lowly waitress like her could not possibly afford to compensate him.
The silence within the establishment seemed to encourage the man. He began to criticize the tavern in a
haughty manner, commenting on how small, dirty, and noisy the place was, how this establishment lacked
taste. He scoffed at how it didn't live up to its reputation even after he had bothered to go there himself.
He went on and on about the tavern's various shortcomings in a loud and garish manner.
Serara felt a sense of distaste.
She had been enjoying her meal.
The food here was delicious. While it was indeed rather noisy, this sort of ambiance was not a bad thing.
In truth, did it not seem that everybody here enjoyed themselves? This place was simply the way it was.
Whether you liked it or not, there was no reason to disturb the dining experience of other people, Serara
thought to herself.
"Is this guy an idiot?"
Somebody whispered.
This man was mistaken. This place was not this man's—most likely a n.o.ble—usual eating place nor a
restaurant exclusive to high society. Rather, it was an "alleyway restaurant" famous for its delicious pot of
tomato stew.
He was also mistaken about another fact. The clientele was not speechless because they were intimidated
by his status or authority. They were simply stunned by the sheer foolishness of his actions.
"Who is it! Who insulted me just now!"
In response to the man's shrill cries of indignation, three Adventurers rose from their seats. Feeling
threatened, a Person of the Land warrior who looked like the man's guard also stood up. This sudden
development caused the atmosphere within the establishment to be filled with tension.
"Nyanta-san..."
Serara cried out as she huddled in her seat.
It was not out of fear. Serara had taken part in the battle at Sand Leaf peninsula and had even been
involved in its worst part, the defense of Chous.h.i.+. She was a qualified Adventurer who had also fought
against undead creatures and monsters. Hence, in terms of fighting, the level of danger at the present
moment was not frightening to her. However, the tension resulting from people's conflicting emotions and
the tension of the battlefield were two completely different things. Seeing her wish to get along with
everybody being trampled upon in this manner, Serara felt as though she was being swallowed by an
indescribable, oppressive atmosphere.
"No need to worry nya."
As Nyanta turned to leave, he grabbed the young n.o.bleman by the scruff of his neck at the same time, in
the same manner as how one would grab hold of a cat. The young man was stupefied at being held in this
manner.
"Don't cause a commotion nya. This is a place for people to enjoy dining nya."
"Shut your mouth, commoner!"
"Yours truly is an Adventurer nya."
Nyanta's response caused the man to be at a loss for words. A fl.u.s.tered look appeared on his face.
Indeed, even if the number of People of the Land had increased in the city, this was still Akiba where
more than half the residents were Adventurers.
With great difficulty, the man made a neutral expression. He had probably forgotten this fact.
"This concerns you even less in that case!"
"Ooo~"
"This is a private matter amongst People of the Land. There are differences in social status among us
People of the Land. Since this matter does not concern you Adventurers, please don't b.u.t.t in. I have no
wish to start a dispute with you people."
"Oh~ It doesn't seem that way to me."
"But you behaved in such an outrageous manner within this establishment which we frequent regularly
eh?"
The three people who had came forward from the depths of the tavern were indeed Adventurers. One of
them performed a healing spell on the young waitress.
The n.o.bleman's guard appeared uneasy. He licked his lips nervously, looking around warily.
The disparity in strength between the two groups was evident just by glancing at their equipment. This
would not have been the case if he was a member of the Knights of Izumo or a knight serving a lord or
even another high-level Adventurer. However being a guard of such a trashy n.o.ble, he was only around
level ten or so.
As far as Serara could tell, this particular guard was only good for decoration.
"Young master, it would probably be better if you..."
"This is Akiba nyan. Akiba has its own rules and regulations nya, don't cause a commotion here nya. "
Nyanta walked towards the entrance, interrupting the guard. At first, it seemed as though the young
n.o.bleman was going to throw a tantrum; however, the fact that the tall and slender Nyanta could
effortlessly carry him with one hand despite looking middle-aged caused him to open and close his mouth
wordlessly. When Nyanta reached the door, he swung the young man in front of him with ease.
"Don't worry about the bill nya! Consider it my treat this time nya. Since today's a celebration, it's better
to enjoy yourself instead of going around starting fights nya."
The guard shouted "young master, young master" repeatedly in a panicked voice as Nyanta proceeded to
throw the young n.o.bleman out the door.
The city guard of Akiba would not react over this small an incident. It was common knowledge that as
long as there were no weapons drawn or any physical injury inflicted, the guards would not treat it
seriously.
"Nyanta-san..."
"Don't worry, don't worry, just continue to enjoy your meal nya~"
Serara sighed in relief after hearing these warm words from Nyanta.
Soon, the hustle and bustle of the tavern resumed as the tense atmosphere dissipated. The waitress went
about issuing apologies to the other customers. Receiving replies such as "No need to worry" and "It
couldn't be helped", the girl's face was flushed with embarra.s.sment as she gave her thanks.
"That incident just now was certainly unexpected though."
"That's because the People of the Land have changed drastically nya. Furthermore, since today is a
festival, this city will be filled with people who are unfamiliar with it nya."
Nyanta took a finely cut piece of bread and ate it in one large bite after dipping it in tomato sauce.
"The People of the Land seem to have an aristocratic society nya, they would probably be shocked after
seeing how things are in Akiba nya."
(Why would they be shocked...) Serara was stumped.
Serara had almost never lived anywhere outside of Akiba. She had lived in Susukino for only a short
period of time and was unfamiliar with its urban atmosphere, as she had spent her time hiding in Nyanta's
residence. Therefore, she was completely ignorant of the culture and habits of People of the Land towns.
Serara felt that it would be tragic if the discrimination and abuse she saw were common practices among
their n.o.bility.
However, People of the Land were a part of this world. They had the right to freely promote their own
culture and lifestyle. Nyanta had mentioned this to Serara before. At that time she had not understood the
true significance of those words.
"However, this city is ours nya. You need to follow its customs; good food should be eaten with a smile,
the fun and entertainment of festivals should be enjoyed nya... When it looks as though conflict is
inevitable, people just need to be careful and it should be fine nya."
Serara sighed in relief after Nyanta finished speaking, nodding her head in agreement.
While this festival was for Adventurers such as Serara, it was also the first time an activity had been
organized with the People of the Land in mind. While situations such as the one before might arise in the
future, there was no reason for them to turn back, this was a necessary transition. Serara came to this
conclusion by herself.
The hustle and bustle resumed and the tavern recovered its warm ambiance once again. While this small
storm might have left an impact on people, it did not dampen the hearts of the Adventurers. If such a small
incident affected them, they would be unable to survive in this alternate world.
Akiba's Adventurers had faced many trials and tribulations over the past five months.
Hence, there shouldn't be any problems. Serara relaxed and smiled at Nyanta.
Part 2
On the same night, at a different location, a different pair was working, wallowing in dejection from the
amount of work they had to finish.
They were the beautiful duo leading the Crescent Moon Alliance, Maryele and Henrietta. They were
constantly giving instructions in preparation for the temporary shop's opening and fas.h.i.+on show the next
day.
Crescent Moon Alliance presently had sixty five members. Although the Hamelin incident increased their
numbers, it was still moderately-sized and definitely did not have the manpower to set up stands in the
same manner as the three large-scale production guilds.
Then again, it was a little-known fact that this festival was the suggestion of the medium and small guilds.
New ideas did not just come from the large guilds. As long as an artisan with enough skill had inspiration,
he or she could come up with all sorts of new products. This was the current Akiba. If such emergent
products came from the large guilds, they would be publicized and spread by these large guilds. But if the
artisan came from one of the smaller guilds, it would be harder to do the same.
Such points were given much consideration and formed the basis of this Libra Festival.
In other words, by attracting partic.i.p.ants and customers in the name of the Libra Festival, not only the
booths of the small and medium guilds, but even new products could get exposure and popularity from
both Adventurer and People of the Land merchants.
Crescent Moon Alliance had been hoping for such an outcome when they registered their booths.
However, what was truly motivating them was plain and simple enthusiasm. Both Maryele and Henrietta
worked long hours simply because they hoped to enjoy the cultural festival-like atmosphere. Even though
that was the case, they were not going to totally neglect the issue of profits while having fun.
Currently in Akiba, the small and medium guilds had an opportunity to make a fortune. The small-scale
guilds led by Crescent Moon Alliance were all looking forward to this.
Daybreak was just moments away.
The exhausted members of the Crescent Moon Alliance had probably collapsed around various parts of
the guild hall. In the center of the room which the duo were in, there was a table big enough to play pingpong
on with wooden crates piled to its side. Due to the ample s.p.a.ce of the new guild hall, it was
possible to part.i.tion the works.p.a.ce in such a manner.
After stuffing a s.h.i.+rt which had been dyed with plant dyes into a wooden crate, Maryele stretched and
took a deep breath, then began talking with Henrietta.
"I say, shall we finish up?"
"Agreed."
At the other end of the table, Henrietta was examining a modest number of doc.u.ments. After recording
figures on the tally next to her, she attached them to crates.
"Let's end here."
After hearing these words, Maryele gave a long sigh.
The grand opening of the Libra Festival was scheduled for the next day.
In Akiba, there were two main roads which ran perpendicular to each other, dividing the city into four
quarters. The liaison committee allowed stores to set up shop along these streets based on ballot results.
Crescent Moon Alliance had managed to obtain one such store. It was a small booth located at the central
junction where they planned to revive Crescent☪Moon. Returning after a long absence, Crescent Burgers
would obviously be sold at a substantial discount this time around.
"At that time, the price was akin to robbery."
"It was robbery indeed."
The two who were exhausted from packing continued their dialogue with drained expressions.
Even though "the confident, beautiful and big breasted, Kansai-ben guild leader" Maryele and "the
bespectacled, confident onee-sama who you wished would scold you" Henrietta were the pride of the
Crescent Moon Alliance, they were lazing around the office as it was just the two of them. In this manner,
they were indistinguishable from any other female Adventurer.
Henrietta felt as though she would doze off if they continued like this. She shook her partner by the
shoulders shouting "Marie, pull yourself together." But Maryele was not a disciplined person by nature
and even though she nodded repeatedly in acknowledgement, she was totally wasted.
Henrietta gave up and a.s.sisted Maryele onto the sofa. Maryele looked as though she had taken root there.
"If you feel like sleeping, go sleep on your bed." However, she insisted on wanting to take a bath first,
stretching Henrietta's patience to its limit.
"If you feel like bathing, why don't you go ahead and do so?"
"I'll rest a bit~ my HP is critical."
"Your HP bar is completely within the green safe zone. Even if it weren't, can't you just heal yourself?"
The bodies of Adventurers had excellent physical characteristics. Even for Henrietta who was a Bard, the
exertion of packing for ten hours straight was no different from light exercise. She was still far from the
point of collapse.
Even though Maryele said and looked like she was physically exhausted, Henrietta suspected that it was
just mental fatigue.
"Lemme rest a while!"
Henrietta gave a deep sigh at her shameless friend and sat beside her.
"Marie, what's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Don't try to lie to me."
Henrietta shrugged. Maryele was too cute, so she lost the motivation to make a witty comeback.
She could roughly guess the reason why Maryele was being so troublesome.
It probably had something to do with a certain topic of entertainment which had come up repeatedly over
the past month.
Henrietta accessed the in-game menu and cursor mentally.
"— Yes, it's me. Yes, that's correct... No, sorry for troubling you since it's already this late. Hence it's
been like this ever since, that's right."
Henrietta seemed to be talking to the empty air after calling someone through telepathy. As she was
receiving the other party's voice directly in her ear, it looked as though she was talking to herself.
Regardless of that, this form of magical communication could be used to communicate with faraway
friends.
Maryele was aware of this fact, so she was not worried about her friend's mental health. Instead, a look of
seriousness replaced her absentminded expression and she began to panic.
"Henrietta? Who is it? Who are you talking to?"
"Ahahaha. Indeed, indeed, it's as you say, I can't stand it, lazy to the point of being insufferable. Marie is
acting in a troublesome manner again and it's really cute--when she does that she even jiggles her
b.r.e.a.s.t.s!"
"Who is it! Who are you talking tooo~!"
"Marie, I'm talking using telepathy, can you quiet down a bit?"
"You're obviously talking about me, how do you expect me to be quiet!"
Maryele grabbed the smirking Henrietta by her shoulders and shook her. However, Henrietta was
experienced enough to deal with such a situation, having known her for such a long time. Using her pale
and slender fingers, Henrietta tickled her behind her ears, mercilessly pus.h.i.+ng her away before pinning
her to the couch.
"Yeah, that's right. The merchandise is piling up, I hope that Naotsugu-san can help out— indeed, Marie
will also be happy."
The mention of "Naotsugu" caused Maryele's body to shrink. Henrietta continued her telepathic
conversation leisurely, completely ignoring Maryele.
"Sorry to trouble you. Okay, okay... see you some other time."
Henrietta had a bright smile on her face. She noticed Maryele pouting awkwardly.
"Why is Henrietta such a bully..."
"Bully? Marie must be mistaken."
When Maryele heard these words, a hesitant expression appeared on her pouting face. Set within the
contours of her smooth, oval face, her sparkling eyes, full of expression, were extremely bewitching.
However, Henrietta had no intention of spoiling her or letting Maryele off the hook. Henrietta's hobbies
included both teasing and encouraging her.
"Are you sure it's okay to continue being like this? Naotsugu-san should be here in roughly an hour to help
out."
"He's coming over to help out even though it's so late?"
"Indeed. Since it's hard to just rely on ladies to do all the moving."
Henrietta replied without changing her tone. Maryele stood up suddenly as though she had received an
electric shock, grabbing her cardigans which lay beside her before running off, most likely to go back to
her room to shower.
"I... I'm going out to pick some flowers!"
Uttering something which was obviously an excuse, Maryele left the room in a hurry. "Try your best,"
Henrietta waved at the departing figure and proceeded to sit down on the vacated sofa.
(Marie is still as cute as ever, it looks like I won't have to worry about this for a period of time. Seriously
— this might be for the best.)
Henrietta retrieved a doc.u.ment from her bag and looked through it.
The vague details about s.h.i.+roe that Naotsugu disclosed reminded her of something which bothered her.
The doc.u.ment contained records which had been collated by the liaison committee: the guilds, businesses,
groups and individuals who had applied to set up booths. The sheer scale of this festival exceeded
expectations.
This was mainly due to the People of the Land. It wasn't just the League of Freedom Towns Eastal;
merchants and n.o.bles from the west also came to visit Akiba. Akiba's economic potential was far greater
than its population would suggest. The People of the Land were captivated by this fact and scrambled to
Akiba for profits, resulting in this grand exodus.
The members of the liaison committee led by Charasin had foreseen this. However, they realized that the
actual figures exceeded their estimates by a wide margin. Everyone would be in for a shock come the next
day's festival, especially the small and medium guilds.
The school festival-like booths that the Adventurers had set up would probably sell out their products in a
flash. The intentions of the People of the Land and the Adventurers could not be more different. While the
former came for the sake of "making bulk purchases", the latter bought singular items which caught their
fancy.
(However...)
Henrietta readjusted her gla.s.ses with her index finger.
The silver-rimmed gla.s.ses which were one of Henrietta's defining features shone on her face. There was
something amiss. While Henrietta did not have an extensive work history, she was still well-read and had
a fair amount of accounting experience; she felt as though something unexpected was going to happen.
Henrietta bit her lip. The fear of the unknown was disconcerting.
(If it was s.h.i.+roe-sama...)
She could not remember when she started being able to recall that young man's face with such clarity.
As she thought about this carefully, his profile appeared from the depths of her mind. While Henrietta
never had the opportunity to have a frank conversation with s.h.i.+roe, whenever that youth was dealing with
a crisis and putting up a brave front, she had always just been watching from the sidelines. In the
conference which led to the formation of the Round Table Council and the one in which Raynesia was
brought forth, Henrietta had observed his profile while staying by his side as only an a.s.sistant.
This keen and resolute youth might be able to uncover the reason for the uneasiness in Henrietta's heart.
With such thoughts in mind, Henrietta opened her contact list. However, in the end, she chose not to
contact him. It was a decision that she made after much consideration.
s.h.i.+roe was already bearing the burden of multiple responsibilities from the Round Table Council.
s.h.i.+roe should be spared from ch.o.r.es related to the festival if possible. This was something that both
Charasin and Henrietta had agreed on. While it was not something that either of them had openly voiced
out, both agreed that the Round Table Council had piled too much work onto s.h.i.+roe.
Besides, s.h.i.+roe currently had Akatsuki and Minori.
From Henrietta's point of view, these two young ladies possessed incomparable charm.
The sparrow-like Akatsuki was an elegant and beautiful young girl. Her long, flowing black hair was like
a traditional doll's.
The pure and flawless Minori was delicate yet strong. She looked like someone that needed to be doted
upon, yet her sense of responsibility made her distinct to other girls her age.
Knowing how they felt about s.h.i.+roe, Henrietta felt that she had no place among them.
Henrietta had always believed that she lacked appeal.
She had difficulty understanding the primal emotion of love. She felt she had no chance at intimate
relations.h.i.+ps like Maryele's. She had the desire to doll up Akatsuki, but Henrietta understood that those
kinds of feelings were nothing like the romantic ones that couples shared.
While she did pay special attention to s.h.i.+roe, even thinking "Could it be...?" at one point, her feelings
were not truly romantic in nature. She did not feel a need to be wed to him or even crave for his presence.
There was a lack of such burning desires.
"The most outstanding amongst men."
Henrietta had given s.h.i.+roe such as a.s.sessment.
While she was still far from certain, she had at least verified that it was "those" sorts of feelings.
(In other words, my personality is too plain...)
This fact did not cause her to feel forlorn. She felt happy that thoughts of him came to her mind so often.
Even though she felt that it wouldn't become anything more serious, she was content with the way things
were.
To Henrietta, Akatsuki was a cute friend whom she wished to cherish, while the newcomer Minori was
someone whom she hoped to form a deep friends.h.i.+p with. She was thankful that she was not in the way of
either.
While she was unable to favor any side, she had already resolved to congratulate the one s.h.i.+roe chose.
She hoped that s.h.i.+roe—
That the lonely, overly-serious trickster would find happiness.
Perhaps s.h.i.+roe was the type who could spread happiness to the people around him once he himself was
happy?
Henrietta certainly believed so.
(Although I do wish the three of them would speed things up.)
Henrietta sighed.
In regards to such matters, the two girls and s.h.i.+roe were all extremely dense. It was highly probable that
they would encounter difficulty even under smooth-sailing circ.u.mstances. This was rather tantalizing
since nothing could be done, even though it was hard not to feel concerned for them.
As Henrietta contemplated the love issues faced by the members of the sister guild, she had all but
forgotten the sense of unease that she felt just moments ago. There was just too much work to be done in
Akiba and too many things to consider.
Part 3
The sky was stained with a shade of gray.
A refres.h.i.+ng October breeze enveloped Akiba early in the morning. The sun had not started its proper
ascent yet; the atmosphere was laden with moisture and tranquility.
Both the Akiba of this world and the Akiba of the old world were similar in topography and geographical
layout. However, they obviously had their differences as well.
The city was covered with ancient trees, the roads and plaza were enveloped in greenery; various parts
had become moss patches or gra.s.s fields.
Concealed throughout the city were deciduous trees, as well as plants which bore gem-like fruit. Akiba's
ruined buildings were fused together with nature, turning the city into an intriguing scene.
The autumn dew dripped gently throughout the green streets.
Minori could feel the dew on the tips of her toes as she hurried towards the guild building.
It was the morning of the second day of the Libra Festival.
Today was the second day. Unlike the first day, where there had been a gradual build up in antic.i.p.ation
for the night's festivities, today would be marked by a series of standard activities.
The activities from the second day onwards included various conventions, a dinner party hosted by
Raynesia, and the "Akiba Fair" that would run continuously from this night till the third day. These were
the highlights of the Libra Festival. Indeed, the festival's main events would start today.
Most likely due to such antic.i.p.ation, the streets which were normally deserted in the early morning were
filled with a flurry of activity. People were moving packages around, obviously to stock their booths or in
certain cases to restock goods which had been sold out.
Arriving at the entrance of the guild building, it was clear that the level of activity present was even
greater. Many Adventurers could be seen pa.s.sing through the doorway, both entering and leaving. Giving
greetings full of energy and spirit, Minori entered this obsidian-black building.
Log Horizon was one of the eleven guilds that comprised the Round Table Council. Furthermore, Minori
came here frequently in order to help s.h.i.+roe. Including the People of the Land lady who manned the front
counter, many of the Adventurers who worked here were familiar with Minori.
Minori headed to the floor where the reference room and office of the Round Table Council were located,
heading for the Production Guild Liaison Committee. s.h.i.+roe had asked her to retrieve doc.u.ments from
there once, so she knew its location.
This place had been filled with a panicky, disorganized atmosphere since early morning. There was an
unG.o.dly number of wooden boxes. They spilled out through the wide open door and into the corridor.
The Production Guild Liaison Committee played a central role in the festival. Hence it was already busy,
even at this hour. Things that sounded like curses could be heard from within and people could be seen
moving goods and frantically running in and out the door.
Minori entered the room quietly, greeting an Adventurer who she knew. She remembered he was a
Blacksmith from 8th District Shopping Center.
"What's the matter Minori-chan?"
"Eh, um— may I know if Charasin-san is around?"
Minori felt out of place. The correct description would be the feeling that she had 'Carelessly stepped into
someone else's territory'.
The smith, noticing Minori's anxious appearance, smiled and said, "Ah, he's inside, why don't you come
in? Please excuse the mess!" He said this rather loudly, as he was probably delirious from pulling an allnighter.
Minori timidly stepped into the depths of the office.
At such an early hour, Minori had come to this place for a certain reason.
After Minori witnessed the private scene between Akatsuki and s.h.i.+roe last night, she had become
depressed at her own shallowness. However, there was something she wished to accomplish during this
Libra Festival: that was to rectify s.h.i.+roe's negative image.
Her initial plan was to have s.h.i.+roe attract attention by making him partic.i.p.ate in the cake-eating
compet.i.tion. There would subsequently be an opportunity to get him an invitation to the Grand Dinner
Party. Then by having him mingle with the other partic.i.p.ants at the dinner party, she had hoped to make
s.h.i.+roe more favorable to the public. That had been her original strategy.
(In the end, though, it failed...)
Minori felt that finis.h.i.+ng twelve whole cakes was an insurmountable task.
Even though she felt that way, nothing could be done—it was aggravating.
However, a failure was still a failure. Since giving up was not an option, she had to find an alternative
way to accomplish her goal. The plan that Minori had conceived within the unfamiliar portions of her
mind was to get the Production Guild Liaison Committee to help out directly.
It was fortunate that she knew the guild master of 8th District Shopping Center, Charasin, personally. If
Charasin had spare invitation cards to the Grand Dinner Party, was it possible to obtain one from him?
Having this thought in mind, Minori headed for the Production Guild Liaison Committee.
However, it seemed that Charasin might be too busy for such matters. Minori had arrived at the central
office (or was it the meeting room?) of the Production Guild Liaison Committee. Within this big room
was a wall of doc.u.ments.
Minori was accustomed to such a scene. s.h.i.+roe's study was also strewn with large amounts of doc.u.ments.
In this world without computers, it was easy for doc.u.ments to pile up. However, the mess in s.h.i.+roe's
study paled in comparison to that of this room. At least in s.h.i.+roe's study, it was evident that effort was
taken to tidy or minimize the mess. The only thing evident within this room was chaos and disorder.
At one corner of the office table in the center of the room, Charasin and his young a.s.sistant were trying
their best to defend the borders of a territory known as "work s.p.a.ce". However their efforts were in vain.
Due to the encroaching barbarians— which were the mess of reports, they were at the edge of defeat.
Minori was hesitant to disturb Charasin due to the situation he was in. At this moment, behind Minori, a
young man entered the room and reported energetically.
"Charasin-san! Here are the southern district's inventories and ledgers! I'll leave things to you~!"
The youth simply added these to the stack of doc.u.ments and left. However, that simple action triggered a
ma.s.sive change in the battlefield that was the table. The scene likened to a horde of barbarians charging
forward at full speed while blasting their battlehorns. The unstable pile of doc.u.ments promptly collapsed
like dominoes.
"Arrggh!" "Eek!"
Charasin and his a.s.sistant screamed aloud, their faces went pale with despair. After swearing
simultaneously, the two of them proceeded to restack the fallen doc.u.ments. Minori decided that it was a
good time to help, and timidly raised her voice.
"Do you need help?"
"This is screwed up. Eh? Aren't you..."
"You're someone from s.h.i.+roe-san's side. If I recall, Minori-chan?"
"That's right. Let me give you a hand."
Minori rolled up the long sleeves of her outfit. She could not bring herself to leave this messy mountain of
doc.u.ments alone. Furthermore, if she helped out now, Charasin might develop a good impression of her
and might be more willing to grant her 'request'. Minori had these considerations in mind.
"Yeah, that would be great, thanks... Taro, make me a cup of tea, make it a strong one please."
"Yes, right away!"
The youth who had been working non-stop for an unknown length of time left the room unsteadily. After
watching him leave, Minori and Charasin started gathering the sheets paper strewn around the place. Most
of them looked like booth application forms. There were also trade-related applications, letters of
inquiry, letters of instruction, tax forms and various other doc.u.ments. All of these had been lumped
together under the rationale that "the contents are roughly the same anyway", forming the mountain of
doc.u.ments.
"Charasin-san... um, these are all different types of doc.u.ments."
"I know they're all different, but we lost track of their organization. Moreover there was no proper format
or standard to begin with. Even doc.u.ments of the same type have completely different contents."
Charasin sighed dejectedly.
"I never knew it would be so troublesome. Seriously, People of the Land can be so hard to deal with. I
wonder if we should tax them as well..."
"People of the Land? What about them?"
"It's nothing, really. In business, it's normal to add on or even to change your merchandise at the last
minute. But I never expected such a large number of people. Or the fact that the doc.u.ments would be
written in such a haphazard manner. This is probably due to a difference in culture I guess. If it were our
own guild, it wouldn't be much of an issue. But the Round Table Council wanted this festival to be
properly doc.u.mented."
'You can see the rest, I'm sure?' Charasin indicated with a shrug. The mess in front of them was rather
intimidating. Even though they understood the importance of an efficient filing system, the influx of
various inquiries and tasks made it almost impossible to organize the doc.u.ments properly.
Charasin was someone who s.h.i.+roe held in high esteem. He had an excellent ability to think critically and,
when needed, could come to a decision quickly. The people under him, too, seemed very diligent.
Despite the lack of organization, they were able to set aside the problem and continue their operations due
to his sound judgment. The current situation was still manageable, but Charasin was becoming desperate.
There were delays in the processing of doc.u.ments, regardless of whether they were old or new.
"I'll stay here and help out today."
"Are you sure? Isn't Log Horizon also busy today?"
Minori gave a moment's consideration before offering to help. The plan involving the cake-eating contest
had been discontinued, hence she truly had time to spare.
"I'm quite free right now."
"In that case, even though it's rather embarra.s.sing, we'll be relying on you... To be honest, I don't have
time to sort out these doc.u.ments. Henrietta also seems rather busy today."
Minori nodded in response to what Charasin had just said. s.h.i.+roe had mentioned to her that Henrietta was
also involved in the business of the liaison committee. Perhaps the current mess was due to her absence,
having gone to one of the conventions.
"I guess I'll just have to sort them out one at a time."
Minori s.h.i.+fted the doc.u.ments next to her onto the floor. Reaching into her bag, she retrieved a piece of
parchment and ink. Although her level was not high, she had crafted these herself.
Using her unsheathed knife as a paperweight, she started to go through the pile of doc.u.ments, starting from
the top. There was no need to rush, however speed was essential— this one was a warehouse receipt.
Minori nodded to herself, placing it within an area which had been partially cleared. That made one
receipt. This here was a report made by patrol officers regarding the discovery of a security breach. That
made one report.
This was just the start and it was only the first step. Even if it was a small step, it wasn't cause to be
discouraged. The results would obviously be small in the beginning. The important thing was to remain
focused and consistent while moving forward.
(After all, I haven't done anything yet.)
Even though she wors.h.i.+pped s.h.i.+roe—and even had feelings for him—she had not taken any steps. The
searing pain that Minori had felt when she had discovered this truth was still burning within her heart.
Since it was like this, she needed do something about it.
Since she had feelings for s.h.i.+roe, she wanted to do something for him.
She was just an ordinary middle-schooler. But in order to meet these feelings of love head-on, Minori
hoped that she would be able to offer something to s.h.i.+roe.
This was the resolution that Minori had made after she overcame the agony that had seared in her heart on
that particular night.
Before, she just blindly wors.h.i.+pped him and chased after him, seeking to reach his level without any other
consideration. But now, her heart held a new objective.
Had she only wanted to follow in s.h.i.+roe's footsteps, wanted to see the same scenery that he saw, then
reaching his level would have been fine. But if she wanted to help him, she would have to acquire other
abilities. Walking down his path but seeking to acquire a different set of abilities would definitely be
hard, however the current Minori wished to move forward on such a path.
The physical abilities of the Adventurers, such as their sight and reflexes, had been greatly enhanced.
Minori used these abilities to separate the doc.u.ments with astonis.h.i.+ng speed. Skimming through their
contents, doc.u.ments that she thought took priority were placed in a wooden box to the side. These were
doc.u.ments which needed to be checked by Charasin immediately. Other doc.u.ments were sorted into
appropriate categories.
The subcla.s.s which Minori now had was Apprentice. Minori hated the Tailor subcla.s.s and wished to
switch out of it as soon as she was able. However, she had found it difficult to decide on a new subcla.s.s.
While she was deliberating, s.h.i.+roe suggested that she choose the Apprentice subcla.s.s in the meantime.
The Apprentice was one of the 'subcla.s.ses'; however, it was quite different from the others. It was similar
to role-playing subcla.s.ses like Accountant or Fortune Teller, but was even more special.
An Apprentice could register another player as a "teacher" and receive abilities based on that player's
subcla.s.s, "copying" over a few low-level skills. Minori could craft parchment and ink because she had
registered s.h.i.+roe as her teacher— that was to say, those skills were copied over from s.h.i.+roe.
Apprentices received experience bonuses, so it was not hard to level up. Furthermore, the fact that skills
were copied over from the teacher made it even more easy. However, because an Apprentice could only
copy skills that were mid-level and below and the subcla.s.s lacked its own "unique set of skills", it was
not very popular.
An Apprentice's true defining feature was only evident after maturity. Apart from some special subcla.s.ses
that had specific requirements, an Apprentice could switch to any subcla.s.s, and the skills pertaining to the
new subcla.s.s would carry over along with all their current subcla.s.s experience.
For example, when a level 30 Apprentice switched subcla.s.ses to a Chef, he or she would become a level
30 Chef with the same level of experience as an Adventurer who had been a Chef since level one.
It was perfectly fine to start out as an Apprentice if you wanted to be a Blacksmith, which was quite
tedious to train. However, a teacher was required and the list of items you could make would not increase
as you leveled up so you would have to resort to other methods to increase your repertoire, which was
one of the problems.
Minori was not concerned with such issues.
She had chosen this subcla.s.s to follow s.h.i.+roe, so those limitations were not really an obstacle. Having
access to s.h.i.+roe's Scribe abilities was a great help in tackling this mess of doc.u.ments in the current
situation.
Minori roughly [formatted] the inexpensive parchment. Taking a sales application form, she listed down
its items one by one. After she verified them, she made a "duplicate" and placed the original into a
wooden box. Extracting desired information from doc.u.ments was a task which Minori was very familiar
with as it was something she had learned while a.s.sisting s.h.i.+roe with his work.
Minori looked at the mountain of doc.u.ments.
Most likely this particular battlefield contained "something" that s.h.i.+roe had already acquired, that one
was not able to obtain from the fights in Elder Tales. Minori currently was unable to grasp or understand
what this "something" was.
The knowledge which s.h.i.+roe had imparted to her held many clues. The "Teachings of s.h.i.+roe" that Minori
listened to contained many battle strategies from the time when Elder Tales was still a game. But it did
not contain just that.
How to run a guild, records of past battles, the emotions experienced when playing online games—
happiness, sadness, injustice, forgiveness—the conflicts beyond the game itself, and the situations that
would arise when different interests clashed. The secret of "that" was probably hidden within the things
s.h.i.+roe had taught her.
However, Minori was inexperienced. She had to rely on such information like a crutch.
— That was why she wished to stay here and help out.
So as to not become a burden, Minori decided to stay here. She resolved to keep on fighting. This had
once been s.h.i.+roe's battlefield, but it was now the target of her objective.
"Minori-chan has such a neat technique."
"That's because I'm s.h.i.+roe-san's disciple."
Minori replied with a smile on her face. She had a steadfast expression which was not present the night
before.
Part 4
"Thanks—!"
"Acknowledged, there's five left~"
"Hey, I'm out! Bring some more here!"
On the morning of the second day of the festival, the city was filled with the clamor of activity.
Such a festival was unprecedented. No one was able to grasp the overall situation; not even Charasin, the
head of the Production Guild Liaison Committee which oversaw the festival. After all, this festival had
been initiated at the behest of the small and medium guilds who had wanted an opportunity to publicize
their new products.
Due to the large scale of the festival, the Production Guild Liaison Committee had its hands full. It was
easy to a.s.sume that the city was in a similar state of chaos.
However, the reality was rather different. This was because the city's Adventurers were filled with spirit
and vitality.
In this alternate world, many of the Adventurers did not know what to do with their enhanced capabilities.
Or rather, they were just bored. There were two ways they could go about their boredom: fall into
depression or, in a case like the festival, help out and work. Because the latter was the default choice, the
festival received a large amount of a.s.sistance.
Located on "The Bridge of All-Ages", a main road in Akiba, there was a large tent set up beside the
parking s.p.a.ce for carriages. Although this structure was called a tent, it was open on all sides, simply
consisting of a roof supported by heavy metal struts at its four corners. It served as a simple field HQ.
Members of the Black Sword Knights could be seen constantly coming and going and the person sitting on
a folding chair planted in the middle of the tent, sticking out like a sore thumb, was their guild master,
"Black Sword" Isaac.
"Give me a drink!"
"There aren't enough Summoners, dispatch some more!"
"There are no more Summoners available, so if you need more manpower, you'll just have to make do
with what's available—if you need hot water or ice, go find yourself a Sorcerer."
"We're not just replacements for Summoners, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! Ah, the ice is ready, go on and take it."
In a manner similar to the city's current bustle, the tent was also filled with incessant activity.
Akiba had a handful of combat guilds and Black Sword Knights was one of them. It was famed as the
guild exclusive to 'Adventurers of the highest caliber who have been specially selected'. It was also
known as a guild which specialized in completing challenging, high level quests. Most of its members
were obviously hardcore gamers and the guild possessed a steadfast unity. This was the impression given
to outsiders. However in truth, they were just a rowdy bunch.
"Hey, you guys are d.a.m.n noisy!"
A loud coa.r.s.e voice silenced the warriors' racket. It was the guild master, a Guardian named Isaac, who
was famous throughout Akiba. He had a head full of blood-red hair and a confident, contemptuous smile
on his face.
"You're really naggy, commander."
"You should just stay in your seat, boss."
"Chief is an idiot, his manner lacks consideration."
The comments made by the people who surrounded him caused Isaac to laugh heartily, as though he had
been complimented. This was the way things were in Black Sword Knights. Isaac, who was given
reproachful looks by his surrounding subordinates, yelled things such as "Ha! You guys seem rather
energetic as usual!".
"The third sector's patrol team had returned."
"Great, thanks for your hard work."
Isaac greeted the three-man team which had just returned to the city. 'Ain't I a great guy, who shows
concern? Greeting my men immediately shows that I have the mark of a true leader.' This was the internal
monologue that played out in Isaac's mind. Regardless, Isaac did indeed have the appearance of a leader.
"So how did it go? Hm, did anything happen?"
"Indeed. We rescued a carriage which was stuck in a ditch, appeased a few brokers who were quarreling
with each other, settled a payment dispute... things like that?"
"Good, that's the way!"
Isaac nodded like a boss, responding to his guild members' report.
Indeed, Black Sword Knights had taken the initiative to patrol the downtown area.
The small and medium guilds were unable to handle the unprecedented number of People of the Land
n.o.bles and merchants who had heard of the Libra Festival. Many merchants and businessmen had come in
order to sell their wares. There was a need to deploy personnel to handle them and settle the disputes
which broke out.
The Production Guild Liaison Committee was extremely hardworking; however, they were just an
organization which coordinated the interests of the guilds. Furthermore, their main duty was related to
matters regarding the booths, so they had no capacity to handle the disputes in the downtown area.
Given these circ.u.mstances, Isaac had formed a patrol force responsible for policing the People of the
Land.
This place was the "Bridge of All Ages", erected over the Kanda Ca.n.a.l, south of the downtown area.
Travelers coming from Izu or from areas further west would have to cross the bridge to enter Akiba. The
"policing" duty was actually rather simple. They would note down the merchants' names, the number of
personnel in the group, the number of carriages as well as their contents—and that was it.
Compared to an immigration checkpoint in the old world, the checks were rather lax.
Isaac believed that the only requirement for this job was an intimidating appearance.
That was to say, you just had to be bold and resolute.
Black Sword Knights intentionally wore imposing armor suited for travelling. This was a preemptive
tactic. Their striking appearance put "the fear of the law" into the hearts of those who came to visit the
city, sending them a clear message: "if you try anything funny, someone is going to get hurt." Everything
was handled using a combination of intimidation and prudence.
"Someone looks really free."
"Don't bother me for nothing. How are things at your side?"
Isaac appraised the approaching figure with a keen gaze. This well-built man who wore gla.s.ses was
Isaac's peer, one of the eleven members of the Round Table Council and the leader of D.D.D.
He was someone whom Isaac did not wish to trifle with. Whether as a guild master or as a Guardian, he
was the only one in the server who could match Isaac.
"There are no problems on my side as well."
Krusty raised the corners of his mouth slightly. Isaac judged this was how this bespectacled man smiled.

They had known each other since the days when this was a game. Though they belonged to different
guilds, they were both highly ranked and competed for the Yamato server's top position. They had also
spoken to each other quite a number of times. It would be completely wrong to say that they did not give a
d.a.m.n about each other's existence—they were rivals.