Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 22 - Chapter 1.3

Rudeus

MY REPORT BACK to the family was done. They all gave their usual encouraging responses—words that made me feel like I could rely on them. I knew Lilia and Roxy in particular had complicated feelings about Geese, but they both agreed to the necessity of taking him down without any complaints or misgivings. 

Next up was Zanoba. I planned on paying a visit to the King Dragon Realm, so I’d have to run it past him before I departed his company. He’d have his own thoughts on the matter, no doubt.

Eris, Sylphie, and Roxy all came with me. We took the Mercenary Band’s carriage to The Zanoba Store. The main item on the agenda was making a checklist for powering up the Magic Armor.

“All right, let’s go with that, then,” I said when he laid out his ideas.

It was time to resume development on the Version Three. Beyond that, I’d need another trick to keep up my sleeve. Geese already saw the Magic Armor, so he’d figure out some way to counter it. I wanted another secret weapon.

When I explained all that, Zanoba replied confidently, “I’m only too happy to help.” 

“As am I,” Roxy cut in. “My knowledge of magic circles has grown substantially over the past few years. I believe I can be of some assistance.”

Assistance, you say? I mean, I’m grateful, I’m just not sure that’s a good idea…

The fact was, the Magic Armor was now so complex even I couldn’t do much more than assemble it and power it on.

“Are you sure?” I said. “It’s not the kinda thing you can go into lightly.”

Roxy pouted. “Rudy, dear, you do know who you’re talking to, right?”

“F-forgive me!” I stuttered. 

I went a bit crazy for a second there! I ought to know there’s nothing Miss Roxy can’t do! I don’t know what I was thinking! I’m a buffoon! A total lost cause! I should die right here!

“I did all that study for you, Rudy. I went over all of Zanoba and Cliff’s research notes so I could help with maintenance and upgrades.”

“Roxy…!” 

That’s right, back in Shirone she could draw Fire Saint-tier magic circles… 

It occurred to me that maybe she hadn’t always been able to do that. Maybe she’d learned that when she researched magic circles after going back to the university. 

“Okay then,” I agreed. “I’m putting the Magic Armor—and my life—in your hands, Master!”

“I accept it,” she replied.

I’d assumed that with Cliff gone, the Magic Armor research would stagnate, but I’d made a happy miscalculation. Any armor Roxy made for me would be worth an army by itself. She could’ve made something dangerous out of cardboard, if she had to; I’d still take on three Orsteds at once in it and wipe the floor with ’em!

“I’m no Cliff, though, so don’t raise your expectations too high,” Roxy said. She looked proud of herself despite that, presumably due to confidence in her abilities. I wondered if she didn’t already have some plans for improvements worked out. 

“Hahaha. Now that the master’s master here, there’ll be nothing left for me to do!” Zanoba said, and we all laughed. 

“Right, Zanoba,” I went on. “There’s another reason I came here today.”

“Oh? Whatever it is, it sounds serious. Mayhap you caught wind of my acquisition of a fascinating new figurine the other day? My friend, it is quite the specimen! Crafted from a unique material. Its limbs are quite supple—”

“I’m going to the King Dragon Realm,” I said, shutting Zanoba up mid-sentence, “to see Randolph. You’re coming, right?” Zanoba took my hand, squeezing it tightly. Thanks to the Zaliff Prosthesis it was cold, but the strength of his grasp was precisely calibrated to not crush my hand.

“Thank you, Master,” he said. 

Yeah, yeah, enough with the thanks. Are you coming or not?

“I’ll pack my things at once.”

That means you’re coming, yeah? All righty, then.

Zanoba had been begging to know when I would expand into the King Dragon Realm since forever ago. It made perfect sense for him to come along. He’d spent the entire time worried sick about the child Pax left behind. 

“Hold your horses,” I said. “It’s not like I’m leaving right this second.”

“Oh, right. I beg your pardon… Then I’ll find someone to take over the shop first. Though I hardly have any work right now!” Zanoba cackled. 

The Zanoba Store was growing every day. The number of shopfronts and employees had increased, and these days almost everything was handled by on-site workers. As the head of the organization, Zanoba’s job was now making final decisions on major projects, interviewing for executive positions, and doing quality assurance checks on products from each location. Given that The Zanoba Store itself was a bit like a subsidiary of our Orsted Corporation, and that he didn’t have to be involved in any decision-making, well… There wasn’t much for him to do here, if I was brutally honest.

“All right, just make sure you’re quick.”

“Understood,” he replied, and with that, I went on my way.

We weren’t going to the King Dragon Realm because something had happened. I didn’t expect anything would happen. But given my track record, the chances of us getting mixed up in something were high. We might run into Geese trying to recruit Randolph, for example. Okay, that was unlikely, but I wanted to go in with appropriate caution even so.

***

One person stayed uncharacteristically quiet on the way home.

Eris stared out of the window of the carriage, apparently deep in thought. Maybe she was thinking about Geese. Whatever she might say now, Eris had taken a liking to Geese back when she met him in the Great Forest. I remembered her telling me she’d get him to teach her to cook. She didn’t gel with a lot of people, but Geese was different. 

Sylphie suddenly squeezed my hand. I looked up. 

“Everything okay, Rudy?” she asked.

“…Huh? Oh, yeah, it’s fine.” I didn’t know what “it” was or how it was fine, but I said it anyway. The whole Geese situation was a big shock, but there were plenty of other things that were fine. Sylphie’s belly had gotten bigger since I left to take Zenith home to the Holy Country of Millis. The pregnancy had been detected about three months in, and since then another month and half had passed, so rounding up she was about five months along or so.

“How ’bout you, Sylphie?” I asked.

“I was never close to Geese like the rest of you.”

“Oh, right.” That wasn’t what I meant. Hey, though, if she wasn’t bringing up the pregnancy, I could assume it was going well. This was her second child, after all. Made sense for her to be a seasoned pro by now.

Still, I couldn’t get complacent. The Man-God had said something, long ago, about how people’s destinies get ambiguous when they’re pregnant, and that makes them easier to kill. Because the Man-God gave that ominous warning, I’d summoned a guardian beast on Orsted’s suggestion. I was pretty sure Sylphie would be fine, but I couldn’t shake all my anxiety. I was sure I’d done everything I could, but even so…

Ah.

Unable to believe my own words as I spoke, I announced, “Until I deal with Geese, I’m giving up sex.”

Sylphie stared. Roxy gaped. Eris narrowed her eyes at me.

“Um, okay. If that’s what you want, Rudy,” Sylphie said. “I don’t mind, I just…um…?”

“I don’t mind either,” Roxy said dubiously. “Although…is this some kind of religious gesture?”

“I told you, right? The Man-God said it’s easier to target you when you’re with child. Geese might try and use that as well, so I think we should stop for now.”

They all looked at me like this was the first they were hearing of it. Maybe I hadn’t told them. Or maybe I’d told them and they forgot. People’s memories often go hazy. 

“Guess we have no choice,” Eris said tersely, turning to look out the window again. She didn’t sound happy, but she didn’t argue. “Hard to imagine you sticking to a vow like that though, Rudeus.” 

Harsh. Apparently my nether regions were untrustworthy. I didn’t trust them, either. They were behaving themselves for now, but when you’re holding a loaded gun, your trigger finger gets itchy. That’s just what men are like. Once it’s cocked, it won’t be long till it fires. 

“No way Sylphie can go cold turkey, either,” Eris added.

“Erm… I’ll stick to it if that’s what Rudy wants.”

“As if. The moment Rudeus says, ‘Let’s just fool around a bit,’ you’ll give in, like ‘Well, if it’s just a bit…’ Right?”

“…Yeah,” Sylphie admitted.

Surely touching was okay, though. Say I held her close and left the ammunition in the barrel… Just a bit. That kind of thinking would be the death of me. 

“That’s why I’ll be at Rudeus’ side at all times, ready to beat him up if he tries anything.”

So if I try to get busy, one wallop from Eris and I’m out like a light. Then when I wake up, all’s forgotten. Perfect.

“Thanks, Eris,” I muttered.

Right. From this day on, I’m Rudeus the Celibate. This’ll be no sweat.