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Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (LN) - Volume 18 - Chapter 4




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Chapter Four: Sisters and Jealousy 


After confirming Kizuna’s recovery, we docked the boat back in the port and then returned to L’Arc’s castle. 
L’Arc greeted her. “Oh, Lady Kizuna! You’re back with us!” He was back from his big meeting. 
“Pretty much. I’m still not sure about a lot of stuff that happened . . . Naofumi is suddenly here, and Ethnobalt’s weapon has changed . . . A lot has happened,” she said. 
“Kizuna!” shouted another voice, one I vaguely thought I’d heard before somewhere. I looked over at the speaker but only saw a couple of the soldiers who guarded L’Arc. I wondered why these grunts were showing such an interest in Kizuna’s recovery. 
“Huh?” Kizuna was tilting her head in puzzlement too. Even she didn’t know them! 
“You don’t recognize me?” the speaker asked. 
“I mean, I kind of do . . .” Kizuna said defensively. 
“I have no idea,” I said flatly. 
“Even the hero from another world doesn’t know me? Seriously?” the speaker said. I really didn’t have a clue. They also seemed pretty brazen to act like that, being just common soldiers. Then the speaker, as well as the person standing next to her, proceeded to take off her helmet . . . to reveal Yomogi and Tsugumi. 
Yomogi had been Kyo’s woman, but he had almost disposed of her due to her recklessness, and Tsugumi had been Trash II’s woman. 
“How are we meant to recognize you with your faces hidden!” I shouted. “We’re not friendly enough for me to know you from your muffled helmet voices!” 
“He makes a good point,” Raphtalia said, siding with me for once. 
“Yomogi has been acting as a goodwill ambassador since you left, Naofumi,” Glass explained. I looked at Yomogi again. I recalled being told that she’d opened a dojo next to Romina’s store and had been heading out to quell the waves in other nations. 
“This wild boar of a woman, a goodwill ambassador? If you’re going to make a joke, at least make it funny!” I said. 
“Who’s a wild boar?!” Yomogi raged back. I thought she was going to come right for me. She was lucky I just didn’t call her a traitor, to be honest. “With Kizuna captured and Lord L’Arc and the others caught up in the fighting, we’ve been providing support as reinforcements,” Yomogi explained. 
“Ah, okay then,” I said. Kizuna had been pretty good to them, so they were just repaying that favor. 
“Thank you. You’ve been a big help. My recovery is thanks to you all,” Kizuna said. 
“All for the sake of the world and the sake of its people. It’s no trouble,” she replied. Kizuna had a lot of folks like this among her allies—people who had started out as enemies but then became allies. If I fought someone as an enemy, there was generally no coming back—there were exceptions, like Sadeena and Shildina, so it was probably better not to generalize. 
“You too, Tsugumi?” I asked. At first she didn’t reply, just stared at me silently. She probably hadn’t forgiven me for everything that went down with Trash II. I’d never thought I’d see her again, but here we were. 
“She’s not wrong. I’m doing everything I can to repay Kizuna’s kindness,” Tsugumi finally said. 
“Oh?” That was an unexpected answer. Kizuna was great at making people better versions of themselves, that was for sure. I never had been able to make peace with these two. 
“Tsugumi also spends quite a lot of time with Kizuna,” Glass said. 
“That’s right,” Kizuna chimed in. “Her name sounds a lot like my big sister’s. She’s much cuter than my sister too, and so I felt like I wanted to get closer to her.” Kizuna circled around Tsugumi, looked her in the face, and then looked at me. Tsugumi looked a bit embarrassed, not sure what to do. She was making Kizuna feel a little homesick, from the sound of it. I was then told that Kizuna’s sister’s name was Tsumugi. I wasn’t sure if they sounded similar or not. Then I was told her younger sister’s name was Kanade, but by that point I was receiving more information than I needed. The “fishing sisters,” I’d probably call them. 
I did wonder about that . . . Should I encounter someone with a name like my own brother, would I give them special treatment? I took a moment to think about what he was doing. His head was probably still just stuffed full of thoughts about food, studying, and his girlfriend. 
“Wow, so you’ve switched to Kizuna? I feel sorry for whoever you liked before,” I jibed. 
“That’s not what this is!” Tsugumi quickly said. Glass seemed to look upon that answer a little coldly. Perhaps feeling Glass’s cool gaze, Tsugumi gave a start and then calmed down. It all seemed very suspicious. 
“Indeed, that’s not what this is,” Glass stated firmly. That looked like a flash of jealousy. Was it okay to make that determination? Was it okay to tease her a little? 
“Mr. Naofumi, please stop making that face just before you tease someone,” Raphtalia said. She had a read on me by now. I really needed to work on my poker face. 
“Enough of this, anyway. You are both operating out of that dojo next to Romina’s studio, correct?” I asked. 
“It was too cramped to stay in Kizuna’s place, and we couldn’t stay in the castle forever either. So we borrowed that place,” Yomogi said. 
“We’ve been traveling a lot recently, but if Kizuna is back, then we’ll probably be around more too,” Tsugumi added. 
“Okay then,” I replied, wondering exactly why they were being this cooperative. Was it Kizuna and her charisma? I really couldn’t understand why that fishing fool was quite this popular. As I puzzled over the issue, Raphtalia sensed my confusion. 
“Another reason Yomogi and Tsugumi are working with us is because there is a traitor among those who gathered with them under the banner of a man they had feelings for,” Raphtalia explained, with some exasperation. “They are currently among those we captured during the previous battle.” 
“Right, I did hear something about that. The one who leaked the information on the heroes’ power-up methods, right?” I said. Yomogi wasn’t the only one Kizuna saved, after all. There had been quite a few others who Kyo had also been modifying, and now one of those had turned traitor. 
“That’s right,” Raphtalia confirmed. At her explanation, Yomogi and Tsugumi gave uncomfortable coughs and averted their eyes. 
“A sad state of affairs. I have already fought more than enough of my former comrades . . .” Yomogi muttered. 
“Kyo is gone. I’m not against them finding someone new to love, but I wish they would choose that person with more care,” Tsugumi added. 
“Old habits die hard,” I said. Kizuna showed them a sliver of compassion, reducing their crimes even though they weren’t repentant, and immediately they turned to betrayal. Now these two were practically forced to cooperate in order to clean up this mess. I could hardly imagine how hard that must have been on them. 
“We wanted to aid in the defense of the castle, but the allies of the one who stole L’Arc’s scythe also attacked our homeland. Then we were helping them prepare for a wave, so it took us longer than expected to get back. My apologies,” Yomogi explained. 
“We must offer our unvarnished thanks for all you have done, Naofumi,” Tsugumi added. 
“That’s a pretty roundabout way of thanking me . . . but I guess we’re never going to be closer than this,” I said. Both girls gave nods. The complexity of the situation was clear on their faces. 
“One other thing, Naofumi. I heard you encountered someone like Kyo in your world too?” Yomogi asked, looking at me again. 
“You mean Takt?” I replied. 
“That’s right. Kyo maintained a certain distance from us, but there were still those who did whatever he told them to. One wrong step and we could have ended up executed too. Pretty scary, when you think about it,” Yomogi said. 
“You escaped the axe because you started working with Kizuna so early in the proceedings,” I recalled. Having at least one person like that among Takt’s forces would have been great. In his case, anyone showing signs of acting like Yomogi had acted was promptly kicked out or killed off in an “accident.” It seemed that Yomogi had heard that too. Kyo had given her a suicide bomb in an attempt to end her recklessness. 
“It would have surely been the same result if only those who truly believed in Kyo had tried to take over the world and been defeated. Considering the trouble they would have caused if they had been left alive after Kyo died, I think the punishment was a fitting one. We had a lot of trouble too,” Yomogi said. I could tell they had been through a lot. Those events probably caused their fair share of trauma—in those cases I could only say that they got what they deserved. Someone like Eclair would likely have been arrested and disposed of within the group. 
“Is it true that Kyo was a vanguard of the waves?” Tsugumi asked me, one eyebrow raised. 
“The only answer I can give you is a provisional yes, according to the Shield Spirit or whatever it was I was talking to. We still don’t know anything about the one behind him,” I replied. The Shield Spirit and Atla had called them the “World Eater.” I’d explained all this before, so they had probably heard it too. 
“In which case . . . based on the similarity in their behavior . . .” Tsugumi muttered. It sounded like she was recalling Trash II. No doubt about it. Trash II had been called a genius in his own nation, and there was evidence of him causing some serious trouble. The moment he learned that we had the katana vassal weapon holder amongst us, he had attacked and tried to kill her too. Without even understanding the situation, it would have made more sense for him to discuss things first. But his attitude had been as though obtaining that weapon was his basic right. “Hearing about the power to steal vassal weapons settles it, I think. He probably thought that killing Raphtalia would have allowed him to obtain the katana vassal weapon. That’s the only way to explain his major arrogant attitude,” Tsugumi said. She’d been paying attention too and had some understanding of the meaning of what she saw—something else that distinguished her from the women surrounding Takt. 
“You think the katana vassal weapon has gone to the wrong person?” I asked. 
“No . . . looking at the current situation, I definitely can’t say that,” Tsugumi said, shaking her head in response. “After you left, we joined Kizuna in fighting the waves. I started out underestimating them, but now I could never consider just accepting them, not after all the tragedy I’ve seen them cause.” 
Talking with Yomogi and Tsugumi made me wonder if we could have explained things to Takt’s harem. Nope, probably not. Tsugumi was one thing, but Yomogi was totally different. When someone she liked and common sense were placed on the scales, she was the kind to lean toward common sense. She wouldn’t get along with those who just took everything from the one they loved as fact. 
Indeed, her attitude was totally different from the one Takt’s sister had displayed at her execution. Now that had been one twisted individual—going on about making Melty her slave and saying that Takt had done nothing wrong. Tsugumi had harbored her doubts about Trash II’s actions, making her completely different on a basic level. 
“I owe a great debt to Kizuna, one I still haven’t repaid. I have no qualms about continuing to work with her, even if that includes the ones who killed . . . him,” Tsugumi said. There was no sign of anger or a desire for vengeance on her face. No problem then. This meant both Yomogi and Tsugumi were going to help in our ongoing fight. They didn’t appear to have any desire to betray us—in fact, they would probably report it themselves if they did discover anyone spying. 
“I’m starting to feel a bit embarrassed about all this . . . Think we can blow off this stuffy atmosphere and celebrate a little?” Kizuna asked, looking pretty abashed. 
“Great idea! The return of Lady Kizuna is definitely something to be celebrated! Let’s go wild—” L’Arc started, and then suddenly his face froze when he looked at me, almost as though there was some reason he didn’t want me around. 
“Okay! This might sound presumptuous, coming from me, but I’d like to celebrate this reunion with Naofumi and the others too!” Kizuna said. 
“Kizuna! Quiet!” Glass hissed. She was also looking warily at me. I wondered if this was just a new bit they were trying out. It looked like a “don’t press this switch! Whatever you do, don’t press it!” kind of moment. Very well then, I thought. I’ll press that switch as hard as you want! 
“If you’re all so keen to celebrate, I’ll cook the best damn meal you’ve ever tasted!” I shouted. 
“Hooray!” said Filo, who had been quiet while the adults talked, and now started rushing around happily. 
“Brilliant! Parties are always so much fun!” said Kizuna excitedly. 
“Yes, they are,” Yomogi said, a little unsure. 
“So much fun,” Tsugumi added. The two of them didn’t really know what was happening, clearly, but were just matching Kizuna’s attitude. 
“Dammit . . . here we go again!” L’Arc spat, a repulsed look on his face. It had been ages since the last “feeding.” Surely, he could cram some more in now. 
“L’Arc . . . sometimes you just have to accept things,” Glass said. 
“All shall be as the Master Craftsman desires,” Therese intoned. That was probably going a bit far. 
“Glass, Raphtalia, what’s going on?” Kizuna asked. 
“Well . . . the upshot of it is that we can all get stronger,” Glass replied. “You’ll see for yourself soon enough. I don’t think this is something we can get away from. It’s also going to make you pretty passionate about finding more efficient cooking ingredients.” 
“Whatever do you mean?” Kizuna pondered. I wondered which side she would end up on. Hopefully, it would be the side that ate a lot. 
“A celebration sounds like the perfect place for you to help me out with something,” Ethnobalt proposed. “A certain ritual that I need to perform.” 
“Something happening?” asked Yomogi. 
“Huh?” said Tsugumi. They both had similar reactions. 
“Yes . . . Naofumi. Can you take me to the Ancient Labyrinth Library before the start of the party? There’s a meeting taking place with my tribe about that vial,” Ethnobalt explained. 
“Huh? Sure thing. I’ll have the staff in the kitchens start the basic preparations and then take you over there,” I replied. We all split up and started preparations for the party tonight. 


With Kizuna along, we returned to the Ancient Labyrinth Library. It felt like I’d been going back and forth all day. S’yne had said she wanted to get the party venue ready and so stayed behind in the castle. She’d even played a clown before, so I guessed she enjoyed celebrations. Sadeena and Shildina, meanwhile, had been poised to raid the castle wine cellar. 
“It’s a bit strange, Naofumi, being told you’re using the mirror vassal weapon now. It just looks to me like you’re using a shield that looks like a mirror,” Kizuna said. 
“It feels like that to me too,” I admitted. Honestly speaking, that’s basically what this was. It even had numerous skills that simply had a different name and could be used almost the same way as with the shield. The changes in movement skills were a bit of a hassle, perhaps, but it was still just a different version of the same thing. 
“So there’s still a question of what to do with this vial?” Kizuna asked. 
“Your weapon absorbed it as a material,” I told her. “Did that change anything?” 
“Huh? Now that you mention it, I do have something called the ‘Hunting Tool 0’ here,” she realized. Kizuna changed her weapon. It looked like a pretty simple fishing rod, nothing more. 
“Any special effects?” I asked. 
“It’s equip effects are Judge of Reason and World Protector. For unlocking it, you get the skill Hunting Tool 0—same name,” she reported. That was pretty odd in and of itself. 
“Any useful abilities?” I inquired. 
“It’s just a ‘0.’ Nothing more,” she replied. 
“What?” I said, surprised. 
“It doesn’t seem to increase anything,” she explained. 
“Okay . . . and it isn’t cursed or anything?” I asked, just to make sure. 
“I’m not seeing any penalties or anything either,” she confirmed. 
“Hmmm . . . if possible, I’d like to have some of that liquid for the rest of us to use as materials,” I said. I took the vial from Ethnobalt for a moment and checked how much was left. Not much, to be honest, especially for everyone who could use it. It sounded like the bunnies were going to use it in some kind of ritual, so I’d just ask for whatever—if any—was left after that. 
“I’ve been told that’s pretty potent stuff,” Kizuna said. 
“Some kind of toxin, apparently. But it sounds like it can be used effectively under the correct conditions,” I told her. It had done us the service of only destroying the accessory that had been attached to Kizuna’s hold weapon, after all. But as one well versed in making medicine, I understood how dangerous it could potentially be. Too much of anything could become poison, and this was definitely a case of that—use of the precise volume was surely vital. 
“I think I’m going to have to drink it,” Ethnobalt said. I made a surprised noise. Drinking poison didn’t sound like a good idea. 
“Are you suicidal?” I asked. 
“No . . . but I am the master librarian. If this is something left by the first master librarian, then I have a duty to test it,” he replied. 
“That’s how things work around here?” I asked. 
“That’s not all this is, of course. Have you noticed, Naofumi, how I’m larger than the other library rabbits?” Ethnobalt inquired. 
“I mean, I didn’t want to say anything,” I said. I’d seen plenty of the other bunnies when we came through here before. Ethnobalt was not only bigger than the others; he could converse with humans too. It didn’t seem to be because he had been raised by a hero, which made this something of a mystery. That reminded me of the plan we had discussed to have a hero raise a library rabbit. I asked about it later and was told that the growth type had turned out to be the same as Rishia, but the rabbit hadn’t grown as much as Ethnobalt. It was bigger than others, but Ethnobalt was still the biggest. 
“My size is because of the potion that the rabbit who will become the next master librarian must drink,” Ethnobalt revealed. 
“Wow, okay . . . and?” I asked. 
“That potion is made from a whole bunch of ingredients . . . in an attempt to recreate this poison here,” Ethnobalt continued. 
“I see. So what you’re saying is this might have been something that a library rabbit used to have to drink in order to become master librarian,” I surmised. The death of the first master librarian had meant the way to reach the master librarian’s chamber had been lost. In order to recreate the proper method to become master librarian, they had combined a bunch of ingredients to try and copy the toxin we had discovered. That sounded plausible and also meant they hadn’t been following the correct procedure. 
It still seemed reckless for him to test it now, however. 
I wasn’t sure why, but I had a feeling that this first master librarian and Fitoria were the same. Maybe Fitoria would know something about this poison too. 
“That’s right. It is said that this potion, passed down among the library rabbits, must never be consumed by a human,” Ethnobalt stated. 
“I’ve heard about this. The secret potion of the library rabbits,” Kizuna said. 
“It’s quite famous, isn’t it? The potion that determines the chief of the library rabbits can provide eternal life, but if a human were to drink it, they’d die immediately,” Ethnobalt said. 
“We don’t want you to die, right?” I said. 

“If that happens, then it happens,” Ethnobalt replied. 
“Ethnobalt, if this is going to be dangerous, maybe you shouldn’t do it,” Kizuna said, trying to bring a stop to the proceedings. I mean, he was about to drink poison. That made it a bit hard to go along with. 
“I am the chief of the library rabbits and the master librarian. Tradition states that a second dose is forbidden, but I have a duty to drink this,” he stated firmly. 
“Even if you are doing this for your tribe, Ethnobalt, I’m not going to be pleased if you just throw your life away,” Kizuna stated. Ethnobalt smiled happily to hear this sentiment. 
“Thank you for saying that. I am so happy to have met you and all of your friends . . . and yet I also wish to fulfill the role for which I was born. This is what I have spent my life studying for. My determination is firm,” he replied. 
“I’m still not sure—” Kizuna didn’t seem pleased with Ethnobalt’s reply. 
“If I can become master librarian, I think I will be able to reduce the burden placed on you and your allies. You’ve protected and saved me so many times in the past. If I don’t put my life on the line here, I will be unable to forgive myself,” he explained. Kizuna looked like those things didn’t really bother her but also like she didn’t want to let Ethnobalt’s determination go to waste. 
In regard to the potion itself, Ethnobalt reported it to the other rabbits in the library and a meeting was held. The library rabbits were sticklers for tradition and so they all quickly agreed that Ethnobalt should drink it. The timing was perfect. It was decided the ritual would take place along with the party at the castle. That meant I had to transport a whole bunch of bunnies over to the castle, which was a bit of a pain. The good news was the mirror didn’t have many restrictions, which made it possible to send large parties. Things seemed to be getting pretty serious, but I decided to just watch them unfold in silence. The original point of the party—to celebrate Kizuna’s safe recovery—seemed to have become a little buried under all this other stuff. Kizuna herself was starting to look a little worried. Glass gently took her shoulder. 
“Kizuna, I hope you can understand this. Everyone faces a test that they have no choice but to accept. Just like when I had to accept my fate, that time has now come for Ethnobalt. L’Arc, you can understand this, right?” Glass asked, seeking some backup. 
“That’s true. I understand that it’s a required step. As part of the royal family, I’ve had my own share of trials to face too,” L’Arc interjected. It wasn’t easy being royalty, that was for sure. Raphtalia had been through her own ritual when she was appointed as Heavenly Emperor. It had allowed her to use all sorts of new techniques too. 
“Very well then. We shall begin the ceremony,” said one of the bunnies. 
The speaker was a venerable old library rabbit. He gave a bow to Ethnobalt and took out the small vial that he had been handed prior to the ceremony starting. Then Ethnobalt took a swallow from the contents. 
As soon as he did so, he started to moan, as though his throat was in severe pain. Maybe it was just poison. It would be quite disillusioning if he were to simply drop dead right here. I decided to prepare an antidote and have it on hand, just in case. Even as I had that thought, a red aura began to glow around Ethnobalt. It quickly turned into what looked like a whirling tornado . . . and then scattered apart. I noticed his fringe was now lifted up. Not another cowlick! In the next moment, a shoulder bag appeared, already hanging from his shoulder diagonally across his body. It was some kind of symbol of him becoming their leader, perhaps. 
“I can still feel it writhing inside me,” Ethnobalt managed to report, breathing heavily, “but I think I’ve managed to . . . get it under control.” 
“Which means—” I started. 
“Yes. I have become the true master librarian,” he stated. 
“That’s great!” Kizuna said. The other library rabbits were all celebrating too. 
“It is quite strange,” Ethnobalt marveled. “Now it feels like I know where absolutely everything is inside the Ancient Labyrinth Library, apart from the sealed sections.” 
“Wow,” I replied. Great news, apart from the fact that we already found what we’d been looking for. This ability might come in handy to look for other things though. “Can you search for the recipes for special weapons that can only be obtained via weapon copy?” I asked. We were talking about a vast volume of books, so he could likely find one or two special ones. 
“A good question . . . yes, I’m sensing something on the sixty-seventh basement level of the Ancient Labyrinth Library. It looks like it carries information on Kizuna’s weapon. Wow, the precision of my abilities has really increased!” Ethnobalt enthused. Indeed, this looked like a pretty convenient power to have awoken to. Still, something was bothering me. 
“Mr. Naofumi, is there something on your mind?” Raphtalia asked. 
“No, I was just wondering if maybe the library rabbit who was the original master librarian was something like the Fitoria of this world. If so, they’ve had things hard too, surely,” I mused. 
“Indeed . . . Fitoria is very strong, isn’t she?” Raphtalia agreed, nodding. Filo, meanwhile, was sniffing at the vial that Ethnobalt had drunk from. 
“Do you want a taste too, Filo?” I asked. 
“What? This is poison, right? No way!” Filo spat. 
“Yeah, maybe better not,” I replied. There was no reason to risk drinking poison, even if I was the one who suggested it. 
“Why do you want Filo to drink it?” Raphtalia asked. 
“I was just thinking that maybe Fitoria has some of that, too, and intends for Filo to ultimately drink it,” I replied. 
“Oh, that might make sense,” Raphtalia responded. 
“What? I don’t want to drink it!” Filo exclaimed. 
“You might have to. You’re the next queen, right?” I reminded her. She’d received her tiara (cowlick), and if she was the same type of race as the library rabbits, then this was completely within the realm of possibility. I was still a bit concerned about the whole “one drop means eternal pain” side of things, but in any case, that was all up to Ethnobalt now. I really hoped he would do a better job of things than that selfish and threatening bird queen. 
“Kizuna, shall we go looking for these materials that Ethnobalt found?” I asked her. 
“If we can find the time, I guess we should. My level has taken a real hit,” Kizuna replied. She had been using the curse weapon to protect Glass and the others. Just like using Bloody Sacrifice had lowered my own abilities, she had suffered the negative effect of her level being lowered. 
“The killer whale sisters from my party can handle leveling,” I told her. 
“Oh my? You have a job for us?” Sadeena said, her ears pricking up. 
“Yeah. While healing Kizuna, can you also help raise her level? Things are quickly going to get pretty busy around here,” I told them. 
“Of course! Leave it to us. One thing, though, little Naofumi. I would really love to be able to use magic too,” Sadeena complained. 
“. . . It does look like the Way of the Dragon Vein can elicit the same effects as the magic Therese uses,” I pondered. “Maybe I can make an accessory to help you out.” 
“It is similar, but not the same,” Therese interjected, choosing that moment to join the conversation. “The gemstones are cooperating thanks to your power, Master Craftsman, but it isn’t easy for them. That means both power and effects are reduced. I wouldn’t recommend abusing that potential.” I hadn’t been aware of all that. It would mean Sadeena couldn’t fire off magic left and right . . . but it would still be better than nothing. I had thought ofuda magic might be a good alternative for her, but she hadn’t been able to pick it up as quickly as Shildina had. 
“I’ve been meaning to ask, actually. Most of you guys don’t really use magic, do you?” I said. Apart from Therese and Ethnobalt, I hadn’t seen any of Kizuna’s other allies using magic at all. If there was a reason for that, I thought I should ask about it. 
“I can’t play any instruments, and ofuda interfere with my weapon restrictions,” Kizuna said. “That’s not to say I don’t have any magic.” That was it for her, then—just the standard stuff. There were so many types of magic in this world though. It all felt a bit . . . convoluted. Our world had a much simpler approach to magic—just making use of the elements—and that seemed a lot easier to me. “There’s also an element of me relying on my allies, I admit,” Kizuna continued. 
“There might be some hero-exclusive magic available to you, so it might be better to learn some,” I told her. 
“It sounds like you can use crystalian magic, Naofumi,” Kizuna said. 
“According to Therese, I can use it only kind of artificially, and it puts a strain on the gemstones,” I said. It was also still prohibited in this world, and while interference with casting was possible, Way of the Dragon Vein itself would not activate. I guess it was imitating the crystalian magic that allowed it to work. 
“That still seems pretty impressive to me,” Kizuna responded. “How do you do it?” 
“There’s a method in our world called the Way of the Dragon Vein. It’s magic that you can use with the blessing of monsters, such as dragons, and this is an application of that. You also need the special protection from a Spirit Tortoise class monster,” I explained. I’d actually applied it to Ethnobalt as an experiment. There was a chance he could use it, if he tried. 
“A dragon and a guardian beast, huh?” Kizuna said with a catch in her voice. Whatever I had said, it was clearly resonating with her. Here in Kizuna’s world, however, the guardian beasts had pretty much been wiped out, so she probably didn’t have an opening. 
“We can’t pine after things we can’t get. We need to be as ready as possible to face the enemy, that’s all,” Glass stated. 
“True enough . . . but considering how enhanced our enemies are, we also can’t afford to make any rash moves,” I replied. The power-up methods for the mirror and book probably hadn’t been leaked to the enemy, but they had all the info on the four holy weapons and the remaining power-up methods. From our perspective, we didn’t know three of the four holies or the harpoon power-up methods. That was a dangerous situation to be in. 
I mean, if they showed up and used higher-level versions of skills or enhanced magic that we already knew about from our own holy or seven star weapons, maybe we could read the situation in the instant they unleashed it, enhance ourselves, and respond. But surely that wouldn’t cover everything. First things first, we couldn’t use a power-up method if we didn’t know which weapon it was coming from. That part really hurt us. 
“S’yne’s sister taunted us pretty harshly on that front. If we made some poor attempt at magic buffs or skills, she would just nullify them. So I guess they didn’t need any other preventative steps,” I recalled. Even if I could use Aura X, it would be pointless if it was nullified. Could we hope to win if they started using it against us? 
These were the problems arrayed against us. Now that Kizuna was back, we had to start thinking seriously about them. 
“One thing we could definitely do is search for a way to counter their nullification of our support,” I said. 
“That does sound like a good idea. I’ll help,” Kizuna offered. 
“Well now! Enough of the shop talk. This is a party to celebrate Lady Kizuna coming back to us, so let’s have some fun!” L’Arc declared, even louder than normal. That brought an end to all serious discussion. Kizuna’s allies really did love to throw a party. They had a lot of positive energy. 
“Here, Lady Kizuna! Eat some more! More!” L’Arc laughed. 
“Wah! L’Arc, that’s probably too much for me!” Kizuna replied. L’Arc was clearly attempting to bring her over to his side, piling her plate with so much food I thought it might topple over. 
“What is all this? I thought you were a good cook before, but you’ve really upped your game, Naofumi!” Kizuna said. 
“I mean, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, that’s all,” I replied. I was making use of all sorts of things I had learned, including adding life force to my cooking to increase its quality. Of course, I had already confirmed that depending on how much someone ate, it provided a big chunk of experience to the food level. 
“What’s going on here? I can’t stop eating! Tell me, what’s going on?” Kizuna exclaimed. As she continued to stuff her face with the parade of food, she was paling considerably. L’Arc and Glass looked at each other with confident smiles, thinking they had another member on their side. 
“This is starting to feel a bit like torture to me,” Raphtalia said, eating her way through her own plate with a practiced hand. 
“Raph,” said Raph-chan. 
“Master, can I have some more?” Filo chirped. 
“Sure thing. I can’t fault your stomach, Filo,” I said. 
“Thanks!” she replied. Filo was eating so much I wasn’t even sure where she was putting it. She had the highest food level by a kitchen mile—if such a thing were to exist. “Being able to eat a whole bunch makes me feel so happy!” she said. 
“That’s great, glad to hear it,” I told her. 
“Can I eat like this again tomorrow?” she asked. 
“You certainly can. Eat as much as you can and grow up big and fat,” I told her. 
“Yay!” Filo celebrated. 
“Filo, if you eat too much, you’ll definitely regret it!” Raphtalia warned, but Filo didn’t seem all that bothered. 
Still . . . I had no idea how high this food level could go, so it was hard to settle on a point at which it could be considered high enough. It was really beneficial to a lot of the party and felt similar in application to the growth adjustment found inside weapons for allies. I decided we’d just keep feeding them until it became untenable to raise it any higher. I wanted those allies I could trust to have the best possible abilities prior to the final battle. 
L’Arc and Glass were feeding Kizuna, so I decided to go and serve some to Yomogi and her table. They were just sitting, watching the party unfold, without eating anything. I needed them to get some of my cooking inside them too, but seeing what was happening to Kizuna had probably scared them off a bit. 
“Do you have any requests?” I asked them. 
“No, we’re fine . . . thanks,” Yomogi said. 
“I’m not going to eat anything that can turn Kizuna into . . . that,” Tsugumi added. They seemed so scared! A full belly wasn’t going to kill them. That said, even if I ordered them to eat, they would probably just shrug it off. 
“Yomogi, the wild boar, has finally found something that makes her back down, huh?” I teased. 
“Say whatever you like!” she replied. “I admit I already ate a light meal before coming here, so I doubt I could fit much more in!” That might explain it, then. She had already eaten. 
“I’m sure you’ve still got some room for dessert?” I offered, pointing over to the dessert corner. I’d gone continental the previous day, so now I’d rebounded to Japanese and Chinese. That looked like just the kind of stuff Yomogi and Tsugumi would go for. 
“Kusamochi? I could go for some of that,” Yomogi said. I knew it—I hooked her! She reached over, took some of the mochi I had carefully prepared, placed it on her plate, sat back down . . . and then her eyes popped open when she actually ate it. 
“This is delicious . . . What’s going on? I can’t stop eating! Is there something addictive added to this?” she asked. 
Tsugumi exclaimed, “Naofumi, your food trap extends even to the desserts! Everyone, be careful!” 
“Laying such a trap for us at Kizuna’s return party!” Yomogi spluttered, still stuffing her face. 
“Taking advantage of the fact you knew we would come!” Tsugumi accused. 
“You make me sound like some kind of monster! If you don’t like it, don’t eat it!” I told them. What was with these two, honestly? The mochi Yomogi was eating used nothing but normal medicinal herbs. It promoted digestion and absorption without causing any tummy troubles. The bean jam inside was only lightly sweetened, creating the kind of subtle and refined dish that was like catnip to anyone hailing from a Japan-like nation. I also had some bean buns laid out as well. 
In that moment, Kizuna wandered unsteadily over to Tsugumi and placed a plate of sashimi on the table. 
“Come now . . . join me on a trip into a world of pleasure, Tsugumi,” Kizuna said. 
“Kizuna, dear, you’re scaring everyone,” Raphtalia chimed in. 
“Why are you so keen to make it seem like you’re about to eat something terrifying?” I asked. I wasn’t keen to have all my effort to make this food toyed with in this way. “Shall I stop cooking completely?” I suggested. 
“No . . . more . . .” Kizuna managed with a look on her face like she might throw up at any moment. Glass was quick to contain her. 
“Let’s get you over to the Musical Instrument Hero and have some support magic applied at once!” Glass said. The area close to the stage where Itsuki was playing was currently functioning as a rest space for those taking a break from eating. That said, listening to the music for too long just made them get hungry again. It was, upon reflection, like an infinite loop—at least while the food lasted. 
“That’s not what this is, kiddo!” L’Arc said. 
“Master Craftsman! I need another serving of jelly!” Therese said. 
“It isn’t that we don’t like your cooking, Naofumi. Quite the opposite, it’s so delicious we’re scared of eating too much,” Ethnobalt explained with a wry laugh, even as he offered some food to Tsugumi. “It’s the same as eating confectionery. You just need to control yourself. In either case, it will definitely make you stronger, so think of it as an experiment and eat your fill.” 
“Okay . . . it’s just . . . this whole scene is a little terrifying,” Tsugumi said. She gingerly raised some sashimi to her mouth, and then her eyes popped open too and she started to eat with enthusiasm. “This is delicious! Bring me more!” She groaned, “Having tasted this, my regrets are . . . Ah, I am such a sinner! Someone, please punish me for how far I have fallen!” 
I shook my head, deciding to just warn them to try and not eat too much. 
“It’s terrifyingly tasty. I can still do some more!” Yomogi exclaimed. 
“These flavors . . . are making me want to eat more even when I’m full . . . It’s like physical violence! Make it stop!” Tsugumi exclaimed. 
“Oh my, how about joining us in some drinking while you eat?” Sadeena suggested. 
“No! Thank you, no!” Yomogi replied. 
“No way!” Tsugumi added. Even with the differences in language, the two girls had clearly understood that a hardcore drinker was propositioning them. 
“Oh my,” Sadeena lamented. 
“Oh . . . my stomach . . .” Kizuna was moaning and groaning over by Itsuki and his music. 
“All this talk of food reminds me of this place I heard about, in a town somewhere, that serves the most delicious food possible,” Tsugumi muttered, also looking like she might hurl any moment. “Maybe if we got the chef there to cook for us, we wouldn’t have to pack it in like this?” 
“Indeed . . . that sounds like something worth considering,” Glass said. 
“Once you get used to it, I think Mr. Naofumi’s cooking is more than up to the task,” Raphtalia said. 
“If it tastes that good, won’t the results just be the same?” I suggested. This kind of conversation made me consider whether or not I actually was a good cook. People praised me enough for it, but maybe the reactions of Kizuna and the others were coming from the pain of having to eat so much of it. Even if this place was as delicious as it was rumored to be, I couldn’t see it being any more effective than what I was serving here. Unless the food from this fabled chef would allow for vast volumes of food level experience without having to cram so much in. 
“Sounds like it’s worth a try, if it could cut down on how much we needed to eat,” L’Arc agreed. “Let’s track the place down and dine out.” And so it was decided that we would consider the food issue again after we had tried the dishes from this special chef. I still felt a little offended about the whole thing, to be honest. It wasn’t like I was force-feeding them or anything! They ate more than enough of their own accord. 
I was left with no choice, anyway. It sounded like it was going to take a lot of time and trouble, two things I preferred to spend in as small doses as possible. But we were going to have to try and find food that would optimize the food level experience. 
The rest of the party passed in fun and games. 
 





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